Netflix explains how and why it’s switching to HTTPS streaming

Netflix has always used DRM to keep studios happy and make an effort to stop people from copying its video streams, but now it’s added a new layer of protection. Last year the video streaming giant announced it would roll out HTTPS encryption for streams, and a new post on its tech blog explains how you do that for 80+ million customers at once. It developed a scheme to add encryption on its Open Connect servers — the boxes hosted by or near ISPs to bring Netflix’s library closer to the homes of viewers — without impacting efficiency.

We won’t spoil the magic here, but according to a paper written by Netflix (PDF), it expects that by the end of 2016, most streams will be using TLS encryption. The company uses it for the same reason many sites (including Engadget) have switched to HTTPS by default: so that prying eyes on insecure connections might not be able to see what content you’re viewing. Still, your workplace IT department may have its own MitM method so it’s not necessarily foolproof, but it’s a start, especially as governments and others may have interest in the data. The move also benefits Netflix, as it tries to keep third-party analytics from easily collecting detailed viewer data.

Source: Netflix Tech Blog

Alleged iPhone 7 Plus Geekbench Results Reveal 2.37 GHz Dual-Core A10 Chip, 3GB of RAM

An image claiming to show Geekbench test results for an iPhone 7 Plus reveal a 2.37GHz dual-core ARM processor and 3GB of RAM for the device.

The picture, originally posted to Chinese microblogging site Weibo and picked up by Dutch site Techtastic.nl, depicts single- and multi-core results for an iPhone model with the identifying hardware string “iPhone9,2”. For comparison’s sake, an iPhone 6s Plus has a 1.84GHz dual-core A9 chip, 2GB of memory and the hardware string “iPhone8,2”.

If the results are legitimate, a single-core score of 3548 and multi-core score of 6430 show that Apple’s 16-nanometer A10 processor easily beats the performance of the A9 in the iPhone 6s Plus, which scores 2490 and 4341, respectively.

On these results, the A10 also outperforms the 2.2GHz A9X chip powering the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which returns Geekbench scores of 3224 and 5466, respectively.

Last week, a DigiTimes report claimed the iPhone 7 Plus will carry 3GB of RAM, supporting two previous claims by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo saying the same thing.

The DigiTimes report stopped short of specifying whether the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 model would also get 3GB of RAM, but it’s worth noting that the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus both had 2GB of RAM, although Apple could restrict the 3GB to the larger device this time around to differentiate them more.

The image is just the latest in an increasing number of leaks coming out of Chinese websites in recent weeks, suggesting users with links to Apple’s supply chain. On Monday, a user of microblogging site Weibo posted images allegedly depicting iPhone 7 logic boards before the device chips had been added.

Apple is expected to reveal both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 at a media event next month.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: A10 chip
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Google Maps gets Wi-Fi only mode; ability to save offline areas to SD card

Google is rolling out a sizeable update to Google Maps that brings a new Wi-Fi only offline mode. Once enabled, Maps will go offline when there’s no Wi-Fi signal, with navigation limited to your areas you’ve downloaded to your device. As soon as you connect to a Wi-Fi network, the app regains full functionality.

Wi-Fi comes in handy when you’re traveling abroad and don’t want to incur exorbitant data charges, or in situations where you can’t get a reliable cellular signal in your area. Google is also rolling out the ability to download offline areas to an SD card, freeing up the internal storage of your phone.

To enable Wi-Fi only mode, you’ll need to head into the Settings in Google Maps. As soon as you activate the feature, you’ll see a notification to save areas offline, and that a small amount of data may still be used while in Wi-Fi mode. The update is now live, but if you’re not seeing the offline mode just yet, try again in a few hours.

Google confirms ‘Verify Apps’ can block apps with QuadRooter exploits

Latest exploit is roadblocked on 90% of Android devices, thanks to security feature enabled in Android 4.2.

QuadRooter is the latest big Android security scare — a collection of 4 vulnerabilities in Qualcomm-based Android gadgets that could allow a malicious app to gain root access, allowing it to do basically anything on an affected device.

Unlike last year’s Stagefright exploits, QuadRooter needs to be delivered in the form of an app, meaning you’d have to enable “Unknown Sources” and manually install an app from somewhere nefarious in order to become infected. However Android’s “Verify Apps” feature, included in Google Play Services and enabled by default almost four years ago in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, is designed to protect against exactly this sort of thing.

And now we have confirmation from Google that, as expected, Verify Apps can identify and block apps using QuadRooter. A Google spokesperson gave Android Central the following statement. (Emphasis ours.)

“We appreciate Check Point’s research as it helps improve the safety of the broader mobile ecosystem. Android devices with our most recent security patch level are already protected against three of these four vulnerabilities. The fourth vulnerability, CVE-2016-5340, will be addressed in an upcoming Android security bulletin, though Android partners can take action sooner by referencing the public patch Qualcomm has provided. Exploitation of these issues depends on users also downloading and installing a malicious application. Our Verify Apps and SafetyNet protections help identify, block, and remove applications that exploit vulnerabilities like these.“

Verify Apps is on by default in Android 4.2 and up, which accounts for 90% of active Android devices.

While devices are technically still “vulnerable” even with Verify Apps, users would have to manually disable yet another security feature to be affected. Apps using an exploit as serious as QuadRooter would likely be roadblocked completely by Verify Apps — Android would display an “Installation has been blocked” message with no option to ignore and install anyway. (As opposed to the less serious “Installing this app may harm your device” message, which allows a click-through.)

This should happen on all Android devices running 4.2 and up with Google Play Services. It’s worth underscoring several times and in glowing neon text that as of the latest data available, this accounts for more than 90% of active Android devices. And on older versions of Android going back to 2010’s Gingerbread release, you can enable Verify Apps under “Security” in the Google Settings app.

QuadRooter is exactly the kind of threat Google had in mind when it created this extra layer of security.

So of the oft-quoted “900 million” vulnerable devices, 90 percent should automatically block any app using QuadRooter. And the remaining 10 percent can be protected if they enable this security feature manually. Again, QuadRooter is exactly the kind of threat Google was thinking of when it created Verify Apps and enabled it by default back in 2012.

While you could argue that it’s a last line of defense, and doesn’t excuse the generally woeful state of security updates among many Android manufacturers, it is an effective way to protect the many devices Google can’t reach with its monthly security patches. As we reiterate every time there’s a big Android security scare: issues like this are important and serious, but often overblown when they hit the media echo chamber. Context is important. More importantly, Google’s built-in security safeguards should stop QuadRooter getting anywhere near those 900 million devices.

MORE: Top 5 things to know about the ‘QuadRooter’ Android security scare

Lenovo Yoga 900S review: Strike a pose

Lenovo has been pushing its flexible-hinge Yoga series for some time, refining design and capability with each iteration. At the tail-end of 2015 we were impressed by the original Yoga 900, which combined Intel Core i processor power in a slender build to make for a decent, albeit pricey, laptop.

With the introduction of the Yoga 900S, Lenovo has taken that design concept and wrapped it into a slimmer carbon fibre build, with slightly smaller 12.5-inch screen and fanless (and less powerful) Intel Core M processor.

Perhaps confusingly, though, the 900S is slightly more expensive than its equivalent Yoga 900 brother. Is its considerable £1,099 price tag a step backwards, or is the 900S the hottest do-it-all laptop on the market?

Lenovo Yoga 900S review: Design

The Lenovo Yoga 900S is wonderfully slender and lightweight. It’s a gram shy of a kilo and measures just 12.8mm at its thickest point. Thanks to that carbon fibre build it’s the lightest laptop we’ve used for some time – the 350g it sheds compared to our go-to MacBook Air 13-inch might not sound like much, but it’s highly apparent in day-to-day use, especially as we’re so often out and about.

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Key to the 900S’s design is its 360-degree-capable “watchband hinge” – which means the device can be freely positioned in laptop, tablet, tent or stand positions (or anything in-between) – that looks like a stainless steel watch strap running the length of the join between keyboard and screen. It’s fancy looking and made of a jaw-dropping 813 pieces, which is quite the engineering feat.

Whereas the original Yoga 900 came in look-at-me champagne gold or orange exterior finishes, the 900S’s silver or champagne options are a little more subtle. The silver finish of our review model means the hinge matches the exterior shell’s finish, rather than standing out like an eye-catching piece of jewellery. It looks great and feels high quality.

The presence of that hinge does beg the obvious question, though: do you really need a flip-around laptop design? Being able to position the 900S into its tablet position has its benefits, but it’s not as slim as a standard tablet, while the tent and stand positions are fun but not something we’ve found ourselves using often.

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The design also inherits some oddities. The massive lower bezel around the screen just looks, well, odd. And with Lenovo itself making slimmer-bezel devices – not to mention competitors like Dell with its near-edge-to-edge screens – the amount of black edges seems like a hangover of the design template rather than a necessity. It’s not exactly unsightly, though.

Lenovo Yoga 900S review: Connections

There’s a good array of connections from a device so thin, too. Two USB 3.0 ports – one of which doubles-up as the charger – accompany a USB Type-C port for a bit of aded future-proofing, plus the usual 3.5mm headphone jack. The only notable loss compared to the original Yoga 900 is the 900S’s lack of an SD card slot. And, ok, there’s still no HDMI output either.

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A Microsoft Surface Pro 4 offers just one full-size USB port, so the Lenovo has the upper hand here. And while we like the potential of Type-C USB, devices such as the 12-inch MacBook that rely on it as the only port have got a little ahead of themselves.

Lenovo Yoga 900S review: Typing & trackpad

Open up and the 900S’s internal construction is a little unusual too. The inner keyboard has a leather-like finish that is far nicer to rest wrists on that the typical soft-touch plastic that most laptops offer. The lip rolls off too, in a smooth finish, that ensures no “cutting” sensation on resting wrists.

The keyboard arrangement is full-size, with some nifty shortcut keys across the F-keys top row. It’s comfortable to type, with the reach and spacing feeling spot on. The keys are rather taut, though, with a limited press that feels a little lighter than what we’re used to. That’s worth it for a little less sound, though, as the 900S doesn’t exhibit the same clickety clack of some keyboards.

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Like several small laptops, the shift and backspace keys have been filed away and turned into nubs of their former selves (the right-hand one, in particular, is lost among the directional arrows; the left merges with the backslash key to retain full size – but we can’t work out how to combine the two to make them function as only one). You’ll get used to this style in the end, but we prefer the elongated keys. It’s half-way there with the But at least you get a keyboard backlight to ensure typing in dim light is easy. Oh, and the keys’ colour matches your colour finish – so silver in this instance, but champagne gold if that’s the model you buy.

As for the trackpad, we rather like the smooth sunken pad, which is surrounded by a chamfered silver edge. It’s got a tactile quality that can cause a bit too much finger friction on occasion, but it’s rarely a problem. We’ve found the responsiveness perfectly fine – which isn’t something we found with the earlier Yoga 900 model.

Lenovo Yoga 900S review: Display

In this 12.5-inch form, the 900S takes a slight resolution cut compared to the original 900. But you won’t exactly notice: its 2560 x 1440 pixel IPS LCD panel packs in plenty of pixels for a greater-than-HD resolution. It’s as much detail as you’ll need, with a density that’s only a tiny bit behind, say, the MacBook Pro or Microsoft Surface.

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But there are some issues. The 900S’s screen is a touch reflective, which is among its biggest issues. As we mentioned before the epic lower bezel arrangement is also rather odd looking. It’s as though this laptop could be smaller yet. We’ve not found the same over-sharpened appearance from this laptop as with the original 900, though, which is good news (it is a different panel, after all).

In addition to the screen being used to look at things, it’s also touch-sensitive and very responsive indeed. And with Lenovo’s WriteIt software installed you can even scrawl on open pages, taking annotated screen grabs without the need for an additional stylus. An interesting little software feature, especially given the rise in 2-in-1 laptop replacements of late. Although this solution is nothing near to Microsoft’s stylus-based solution with the Surface Pro.

Lenovo Yoga 900S review: Performance & battery

From the off it’s clear the 900S isn’t going to be as powerful as the original Yoga 900. That’s down to Intel Core M. But the obvious benefit of Core M is that it’s silent thanks to no fan, and therefore lower in terms of power consumption.

And most users aren’t going to notice a big difference. Pitch it against a more powerful system running a game on Steam and it will obviously be lower frame-rate and/or resolution on the Core M device. But that’s not the exact target audience of this laptop. And we’ve been batch processing images via Photoshop quite happily. Again, not as fast as we can on a beefier setup, but that’s to be expected.

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The big issue, really, is that the Yoga 900, packing its Intel Core i7 processor and 8GB RAM, is actually cheaper than the 900S. That doesn’t make loads of sense. It’s a little bigger and heavier too, but there’s an SD card port and the battery life roughly matches despite the more powerful innards.

Speaking of which, the Yoga 900S lasts out surprisingly well. We’ve been testing a variety of 2-in-1 competitor devices lately – from Huawei MateBook and Acer Switch Alpha 12 to Microsoft Surface Pro – and their battery life is always under the 7-hour mark. Not so the 900S, which we’ve been getting around 7.5-hours of use from per charge, doing all those day-to-day normal tasks. Dim the screen just to watch video playback with airplane mode on and it’ll last even longer.

Verdict

At first glance we thought we would prefer the Yoga 900S over its slightly larger and more powerful Yoga 900 brother. On one hand, we do: that sub-1kg weight and 12.5-inch form factor is great. On the other hand, we don’t: it’s less powerful, yet costs more. Which would make use lean towards the standard Yoga 900.

Taken on its own merit, however, and it’s easy to heap praise on the Yoga 900S. As laptop design goes, it’s up there with the best. It’s ultra-portable and practical, with ample battery life, silent operation and performance that, while it won’t blow anyone away, is sufficient. The sticking point is the price and how it sits in among some equally strong competition, such as the Surface Pro 4.

PlayStation Neo could be unveiled early September, PS4K launch sooner than you think

With the Tokyo Game Show being held in September it was commonly believed that Sony would announce more details on its next generation console, codenamed PlayStation Neo, at that time. However, it could actually break cover sooner.

French website Gameblog claims that instead of use its TGS keynote to unveil the much-rumoured machine, Sony will host a dedicated event in New York. And it is planned for 7 September, it says.

The site explains that its sources are adamant that Sony’s PlayStation arm is preparing a New York event “large enough” to “house a major announcement”. It surmises that will be the PS Neo (or PS4K/PS4.5, as it has also been tagged in the past).

• Sony PlayStation 4K: What is PS4.5/Neo, when is it coming and what will it offer?
• PlayStation Neo (PS4K) vs Project Scorpio: What’s the rumoured difference?
• PlayStation Neo confirmed and 4K-ready

It is speculated that Sony has decided to hold a dedicated event early September in order to pip the presentation of the Nintendo NX. That new console is also rumoured to be unveiled the same month, with 12 September the current suggestion. An earlier PlayStation Neo announcement would certainly rock Nintendo’s plans.

We’ll know more soon, no doubt, as the rumour mill turns more quickly. But either way, an unveiling this year will certainly worry Microsoft, which isn’t planning to reveal more about its own 4K gaming powerhouse, the Project Scorpio, until next.

Self-destructing battery dissolves in water within 30 minutes

If spy agencies want to make self-destructing gadgets that leave no trace, their every component should be able to go kaput, including their batteries. Various research teams have been trying develop transient batteries for a while now, but according to a group of scientists from Iowa State University, their creation is the first one that’s able to “demonstrate the power, stability and shelf life for practical use.” The team’s self-destruction lithium-ion battery can power a calculator for 15 minutes and dissolve in water within half an hour.

The one-millimeter-thick and five-millimeter-long device uses typical lithium-ion technology. Unlike typical batteries though, it’s encased in degradable polymer composite that swells and eventually breaks apart in water. While promising, it will probably take some time before the team can make a version that can power more sophisticated electronics. They still have to figure out how to scale up a battery that has multiple layers and has such a complex structure.

Via: IEEE Spectrum

Source: Iowa State University

Australia will track online money laundering and cyber fraud

Australia outlined its cyber security strategy earlier this year and now we have a better idea of what it entails. In an effort to figure out where funding for cyberterrorism comes from, the country has launched a program to keep track of money laundering and online financial fraud, according to Reuters. The key directive, at least at this point, is to intercept job listings that trick people into illegally moving money between one jurisdiction and the next.

Reuters also reports that the outfit hopes to “identify patterns and trends that could indicate large-scale financial scams or their methodology.” That bit will operate under the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network, while the new division as a whole is a part of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre. Sadly, this cybersecurity report contains zero Lord of the Rings references, despite the new task forces covering New Zealand in addition to Australia.

Source: Reuters

Apple Removes Fake Bitcoin Wallets From App Store After Users Scammed

Fake Bitcoin wallet apps are routinely leaking through Apple’s App Store vetting process, leaving users’ accounts at risk of being compromised and their coins stolen.

That’s according to developers of the Breadwallet app, who estimate that fake wallets in the App Store have already lost users of the digital currency up to $20,000.

The suspect apps were first identified by the company in a post on Reddit, warning users that at least eight fake wallets on the App Store were using the same, or very similar, names to existing official mobile wallet apps.

The scam apps appeared to be aping portions of source code, icons, and graphics from legitimate apps to fool users into thinking they were using official wallets.

Breadwallet discovered a fake version of its own app which was added to the App Store on July 29, using the same name and icon as the official version. The company took immediate action and contacted Apple to remove the offending app, after customers inadvertently downloaded the fake and reported stolen funds.

“We talked with one customer who claims to have lost about $10,000, and if we go and look at the coin address where those coins were deposited, last I checked there was $20,000 listed at that address,” said Breadwallet co-founder Aaron Voisine, speaking to Motherboard. “So, that’s our current estimate for how much customers have lost.”

Apple has since removed the offending apps listed by Breadwallet, but their appearance on the App Store has left Bitcoin wallet developers and users questioning the robustness of Apple’s vetting process for financial apps.

“I think it would be good for Apple to go through some extra process to make sure they have the identity of the person posting any app in the finance section,” Voisine said.

Founder of SSL security certificate company BlackCert, John Casaretto, told SiliconANGLE that the Application Development Signing Certificates, the Apple Developer Program, and the application review process had all been negated by a handful of malicious apps making it onto the Store recently.

“For a long time, it seemed as though Apple’s tight controls over its ecosystem were a fairly impenetrable measure against nefarious applications, malware, and junk,” said Casaretto. “Clearly that is not the case anymore.”

Tag: bitcoin
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