NHTSA advice aims to keep connected cars safe from hackers

Following a smattering of recent high-profile attacks, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is taking a hard look at vehicular cybersecurity. In a 22-page document (PDF), the NHTSA outlines its voluntary best practices for automakers going forward. Chief among the guidelines is using a layered approach to security, so that even in the event of a successful attack that “vehicle systems take appropriate and safe actions.” Meaning, a car’s computer shouldn’t put the driver at risk just to fend off an intruder.

The agency also suggests designing connected systems with cyber security in mind from the outset. “If a cyber-attack is detected, the safety risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding road users should be mitigated and the vehicle should be transitioned to a reasonable risk state,” the paper reads. As a way to minimize the amount of intrusions in the first place, the NHTSA writes that developer and debugging access to engine control units (ECU) should be “limited or eliminated” if there’s no reason for them to be open after a vehicle rolls off the assembly line.

There are a slew of other propositions as well: control keys shouldn’t apply to multiple vehicles, access to diagnostic settings that could be “misused or abused outside of their intended purposes” should be limited and firmware access should be secured to prevent reverse engineering. NHTSA also wants limits on firmware modification ability, OEMS to lock up network protocols and ports (especially on the cellular data side) and encryption for communications between the vehicle and its OEM “home.” Oh, and for manufacturers to extensively test for data breaches, and document the process.

The potentially scary part about this is that while protecting drivers, it also could further lock any sort of backyard tinkering or performance away for good — something that hobbyist mechanics and tuners haven’t really had to worry about before.

That even includes taking into account vulnerabilities presented from hooking your phone to a car’s infotainment system via Bluetooth. “Aftermarket device manufacturers should consider that their devices are interfaced with cyber-physical systems and they could impact safety-of-life,” the paper reads. “Even though the primary purpose of the system may not be safety-related, if not properly protected, they could be used as proxy to influence the safety-critical system behavior on vehicles.”

This may also affect the business of independent shop owners who won’t be able to service new vehicles thanks to diagnostic features being locked behind manufacturer-specific tools. But the outfit seems to have that covered, at least a little, too, but with a catch; emphasis is our own.

“The automotive industry should provide strong vehicle cybersecurity protections that do not unduly restrict access by authorized alternative third-party repair services.” So, if you’ve been going to the same mechanic you know and trust, chances are that the automaker might not feel the same way.

As Reuters reports, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is already onboard with putting the voluntary best practices into place. “In the constantly changing environment of technology and cybersecurity, no single or static approach is sufficient,” NHTSA administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind said in a statement. “Everyone involved must keep moving, adapting and improving to stay ahead of the bad guys.”

Via: Reuters

Source: NHTSA (1) (PDF), (2)

This is your last chance to enter our iPhone 7 Giveaway

We’re all excited to get our hands on Apple’s latest iPhone, but before you shell out £500 for one, trying winning an iPhone in the iPhone 7 Giveaway. Absolutely free to enter, this giveaway gives you a shot at winning your very own iPhone 7. Of course, opportunities like this don’t last long, so take advantage of it while you still can.

Introducing new camera technology, the iPhone 7 is revolutionizing the way we take photos on the go.  Featuring optical image stabilization, the iPhone 7’s camera counteracts even slightest movements when you’re taking a photo, so you can take longer exposures without motion blur. Plus, the new camera is toting around a new ƒ /1.8 aperture, allowing you to take sharp photos even in low-light environments.

The innovation doesn’t stop with the camera, either. Featuring Apple’s highest performing battery, the iPhone 7 boasts the longest battery life of any iPhone thanks to its new A10 Fusion chip. Now, the iPhone 7 lasts up to twice as long as its predecessor, and the chip dramatically improves efficiency and increases its processing speed up to twice as much as the iPhone 6.

What’s more, for the first time ever, the iPhone comes with stereo speakers. Now, the iPhone 7 delivers twice the audio output of the iPhone 6s and improves its dynamic audio, creating an even more powerful listening experience. Plus, with iOS 10 finally hitting the scene, you can enjoy Apple’s latest iOS software on the cutting edge of mobile technology.

The iPhone 7 Giveaway is ending soon, so make sure to sign up now to lock in your chance at winning your very own iPhone 7.

Dive into a development career with the Ultimate Front End Development Bundle (96 per cent off)

Front-end developers call upon a great number of tools to build websites. Now, that might sound intimidating to aspiring programmers, but rest assured these pros are well-compensated for their expertise. In fact, the average front-end developer reels in over $70,000 USD annually.

So, if you’re up to the challenge, you can start your own web development career with the Ultimate Front End Development Bundle. For a limited time, Pocket-lint readers can get it on sale for only £31.99 ($39 USD).

This course collection boasts eight comprehensive courses on web development’s major tools. Here are a few highlights:

• Complete Guide to Front-End Web Development and Design: Kick off your web development journey by learning four primary programming tools. Dive into building websites using HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and jQuery.
• Advanced JavaScript: Take your JavaScript knowledge further with this advanced course. You’ll dive into object-oriented programming and learn how to cut down on unnecessary code.
• Website Wireframing with HTML5 and CSS3: What’s wireframing? Wireframing is a programming technique used to construct a high volume of websites in a short amount of time–handy for the aspiring developer.
• The Complete jQuery Course: From Beginner To Advanced: Figure out how to optimize your JavaScript code using this popular library.

The Ultimate Front End Development Bundle normally goes for £833, but Pocket-lint readers can save big and get it on sale for just £31.99 ($39 USD).

DARPA tests parasailing radar with its robotic boat

If you want a vision of what naval battles could look like in the near future, you just got it. DARPA has tested a parasailing radar array (part of its Towed Airborne Lift of Naval Systems project, or TALONS) using its robotic ACTUV boat as a nest. The array flew up to 1,000 feet, where its sensors were far more effective than they’d be at ship level. Its surface tracking radar had six times the range, and even a handheld radio covered three times its usual distance. The combination could lead to unmanned warships that not only travel for months on end, but can easily detect potential threats before they’re in firing range.

Like ACTUV, TALONS is still relatively young. DARPA is transferring the effort to the US Navy now that this early demo is over, and it’ll likely require some refinement before it’s combat-ready. However, this might not be another instance of military technology taking years to enter service. The test took place less than 90 days after approval — while drone ships aren’t about to join the fleet in the near future, human-guided vessels might fly their radar sooner than you think.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: DARPA

Apple Replaces Support Profiles With New Tool That Only Shows Devices Signed Into Your Apple ID

Apple recently removed Support Profiles from its website, redirecting the page to a new “Get Support” tool that similarly enables customers to check their technical support and service coverage status for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple products they own. There is, however, one notable difference.

The new “Get Support” tool only lists Apple products signed into any given Apple ID, whereas the old Support Profiles page allowed customers to add additional products, including those owned by others. The change is cumbersome for families in particular, as managing multiple devices is now more difficult.

The main concern is that users may only have one Apple ID associated with a given device at a time, so now the only way to manage multiple devices is to manually sign in and out of multiple Apple IDs on the website. While not a major problem, a number of MacRumors readers have emailed us with negative feedback about the change.

Apple Support Profiles had an “Add Products” option (Image: iPhone-Tricks)
The change also prevents non-iCloud devices such as older iPods from being added to the list. Users can manage their devices on their Apple ID account page.

Tags: Apple ID, Apple Support
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Daily Briefing: The Note 8 is coming

It’s Monday, October 24. Do you know where my keys are?

Over the weekend, AT&T agreed to purchase Time Warner for over $80 billion, making it one of the biggest telecom deals ever, and yet another example of consolidation in an industry already full of it.

This will have implications beyond the cynical view you made already have of big-wig executives rolling around in piles of money. For you, this will mean more zero-rating, as companies like AT&T attempt to incentivize you to sign up for yet more expensive wireless plans with promises of content — content that will stream and look its best on the AT&T network.

Beyond that, it means more exclusives: with AT&T buying Time Warner, it means owning HBO, and with it the treasure trove of current and back catalogues that is the current envy of the entire media business. Imagine HBO Now only available to AT&T customers. OK, that’s unlikely to happen, but consider this: HBO holding the newest episode of Game of Thrones as an exclusive to AT&T customers for, say, three days.

Would that push you over the edge?

The Note line lives

So the Note 8 will be a thing, as we learned in a roundabout way from Samsung earlier today. The company says that it will offer substantial discounts to those who want to buy a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy Note 8 when they debut in spring and late summer of next year, respectively. The deal is only available to those who exchanged the Note 7 for a Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, as was the most common trade-in. More

There will be lawsuits

Samsung is gearing up to fight a number of class action lawsuits in its home country over the Note 7 debacle, Bloomberg reports. These are the first of what is believed to be a worldwide revolt against the company. Samsung has taken heat in its home country, with activist investors using the disruption to call for a breakup of the company’s family-run executive team. More

Smartwatch sales are steadily declining

IDC released a report today on the state of the smartwatch market. Its findings include sales of both Android Wear devices and the Apple Watch. Sales have declined about 51.6% since last year. Manufacturers managed to sell only 2.7 million units in the third-quarter of this year, compared to the 5.6 million units that shipped in the third-quarter of 2015.

Despite the grim news for wearables enthusiasts, IDC also tallied up the top five smartwatch vendors. They are Apple, Garmin, Samsung, Lenovo, and Pebble.

Samsung launches the Galaxy Tab A with dockable S-Pen

Bummed about the Galaxy Note 7 recall because you really wanted the S-Pen? Would you settle for a mid-range tablet instead? Samsung just announced the Galaxy Tab A, a 10.1-inch tablet with a dockable S-pen. It runs on an Exynos 7870 processor, 3GB of RAM, and a 7,300 mAh battery. It also offers expandable storage, which you’ll need because this tablet only offers a measly 16GB of onboard storage. The Galaxy Tab A will be on sale October 28 for $350.

Take a stab at reviving your old Galaxy Nexus with Android 7.1

Tinkerers, here’s a fun project for you if you’ve got a Galaxy Nexus laying around. The Unlegacy-Android project released a ROM at XDA Developers that makes Android 7.1 work on the four-year-old Samsung-made device. However, the ROM isn’t an entirely perfect version of Nougat as there appear to be issues with GPS and mobile data, as well as problems connecting to any 5GHz Wi-Fi connection.

Google partners with Visa and MasterCard to make online shopping better

Google announced that they have struck a deal with Visa and MasterCard that will bring Android Pay to websites that use Visa Checkout or MasterPass for a smoother and easier checkout. Once you’ve linked your Visa Checkout or MasterPass account with Android Pay, you can use your Google credentials to also pay in stores with your phone. More

Evernote adds app shortcuts in Nougat

Evernote is one of the first Android apps to add support for app shortcuts on Android 7.1 Nougat, which has rolled out to the Google Pixel and, as a developer preview, to the Nexus 5X and 6P. App shortcuts make it easy to perform actions from the home screen or app drawer without navigating menus within the app.

Time Warner has accepted an acquisition offer by Time Warner for $85.4 billion

Things are going to get worse before they get better.

That’s it from us today. See you tomorrow, y’all!

Google’s next VR headset might ditch the phone and include AR

Daydream isn’t the only headset Google dreamed up.

The company is working on a standalone headset that’s part virtual reality and part augmented reality. According to Engadget, the device, which has been rumoured in the past, will use sensors and feature integrated eye-tracking technologies and algorithms that let it “map out the real-world space in front of a user”, essentially blurring the lines between VR and AR.

That honestly sounds a lot like Google’s Project Tango technology, but Engadget said Google’s upcoming headset will work without a smartphone and offer an experience that’s not as closed off as current VR headsets. It therefore might function like Microsoft HoloLens. Movidius, the computer vision company that Intel is acquiring, is reportedly making some of the headset’s components.

Not much else is known about the headset, but it will be separate from Google’s Daydream VR platform, which you can read all about from here. We don’t know what the headset will be called or what else it might feature.

Google’s standalone VR/AR headset: What’s the story so far?

Google’s VR vision extends beyond Cardboard and Daydream.

The company began embracing virtual reality a few years ago when it launched a Cardboard DIY headset with a viewer certification program. Then, in 2016, it introduced the Daydream VR platform, followed by a Daydream mobile VR headset that uses a smartphone for processing power. While those two projects should be keeping Google plenty busy, it hasn’t stopped there.

It is now reportedly working on a headset that doesn’t need a smartphone or PC to power it (much like the Oculus Santa Cruz prototype headset teased in October). It’s not limited to VR, either. It’ll supposedly blend virtual reality with augmented reality, meaning it might function a lot like Microsoft’s HoloLens headset. In other words, Google is being very ambitious.

Here’s everything we know so far about Google’s standalone headset. Keep in mind we’re in early days territory here, so some of the finer details aren’t yet known, but we’ll continue to update this piece over time as more information about the headset surfaces.

Google’s VR/AR headset: What’s it called?

We currently don’t know what Google’s upcoming AR/VR headset will be called. A codename hasn’t even popped up yet.

Google’s VR/AR headset: How will it work?

All-in-one headset

First of all, Google’s virtual-reality headset will be more legit than Cardboard. The Wall Street Journal said Google is developing an “all-in-one virtual-reality headset”. It doesn’t require a secondary device, such as a smartphone, computer, or even a game console, meaning it would be one of the first headsets in recent history to power and display a VR experience all on its own. Even the $599 Oculus Rift relies on a PC.

Keep in mind, Facebook-owned Oculus VR recently demoed a standalone prototype it’s working on, which you can read all about here. Santa Cruz is basically a cable-free version of the Rift. From what we can tell, the form factor of the Santa Cruz looks nearly identical to the Rift, though it appears to have a motherboard/computer on board, which is roughly the size of a deck of cards, attached to the rear head strap.

Like the Santa Cruz, Google’s planned standalone headset should deliver a quality experience. It will feature a screen, high-powered chips, and outward-facing cameras. Google plans to use chips from Movidius, and the cameras will be able to track the motion of the user’s head. It’s worth noting this WSJ report from February 2016 followed news that Google named Clay Bavor as its VR chief.

• Google is working on a VR headset that doesn’t need a phone

However, in July 2016, Recode claimed Google decided not to take on Oculus, HTC, and PlayStation. The company was said to prefer the mobile VR route instead and actually ditched its more ambitious plans for VR. Scrapping the standalone headset came at some cost, the report claimed, because around 50 employees were reportedly working on it as well as a VR operating system separate to Android.

• Google scrapped plans for own Oculus Rift VR headset

Augmented reality

As of October 2016, Google might be working on a standalone headset that’s part virtual reality and part augmented reality. According to Engadget, the device will use sensors and feature integrated eye-tracking technologies and algorithms that let it “map out the real-world space in front of a user”, essentially blurring the lines between VR and AR (which sounds a lot like Project Tango technology).

Engadget said Google’s upcoming VR/AR headset will work without a smartphone and offer an experience that’s not as closed off as current VR headsets. It therefore might function like Microsoft HoloLens. Movidius, the computer vision company that Intel is acquiring, is once again rumoured to be supplying some of the components powering the headset.

• Google’s next VR headset might ditch the phone and include AR

Built-in radio

In October 2016, new documents filed with the US Federal Communications Commission revealed Google is testing a prototype wireless virtual reality device. The documents asked for permission to conduct testing on the device with its employees, contractors, and developers. They also stated the new device would transmit across a very broad range of frequencies, from 2.4 GHz to 5.8 GHz.

The Drum said this suggested Google’s VR headset has a built-in radio similar to the Google Glass augmented reality headset that was discontinued in 2015. The documents also listed Mike Jazayeri as one of the contacts on the fillings. He joined Google in 2005 and previously worked on Google’s Cardboard headset. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is now the director of product management for Google’s VR group.

Google’s VR/AR headset: Is it a Daydream headset?

No. The headset is being described as “high end” and will reportedly be separate from Google’s Daydream mobile VR platform.

Google’s VR/AR headset: When will it be available?

We currently don’t know when Google’s VR/AR headset will be available, but Daydream will start shipping in November in the UK and US.

Google’s VR/AR headset: How much will it cost?

We currently don’t know how much Google’s VR/AR headset will cost if and when it launches for consumers.