WikiLeaks won’t publish zero-day exploit details until developers can fix them

Why it matters to you

You can stop worrying: WikiLeaks is holding onto the zero-day exploits in its CIA trove of documents until developers can fix them.

WikiLeaks made history this week by releasing the largest trove of confidential CIA documents ever, including over 7,818 web pages, 943 attachments, and hundreds of millions of lines of code. Called “Vault 7,” the collection included a slew of hacking and cyber espionage tools used by the CIA between 2013 and 2016.

Among the tools that were leaked are various malware, viruses, and remote control systems capable of infecting Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. WikiLeaks released general information about the tools, but it also possesses the details of a number of weaponized “zero-day” vulnerabilities — which the organization isn’t releasing just yet, as Krebs on Security reports.

More: WikiLeaks releases documents chronicling the CIA’s hacking weapons

Zero-day vulnerabilities are bugs that have opened software up to active exploits and about which the software’s developer is unaware. Google has its own Project Zero, which identifies zero-day vulnerabilities, notifies the developer, and then waits 90 days before it publishes the vulnerability — whether or not the developer has fixed it.

WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange has indicated that his organization won’t be following Project Zero’s lead. In a WikiLeaks press conference, Assange said, “After considering what we think is the best way to proceed, and hearing these calls from some of the manufacturers, we have decided to work with them to give them exclusive access to additional technical details we have, so that fixes can be developed and pushed out.”

Only when the vulnerabilities are patched will WikiLeaks publish the details. WikiLeaks posted a poll on Twitter, and the majority of respondents answered that the organization should work with technology companies on fixes. The next most popular response was, “No, they’re the problem.”

Tech companies are saying they need more details of CIA attack techniques to fix them faster. Should WikiLeaks work directly with them?

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 8, 2017

WikiLeaks didn’t provide any additional information on how it would be working with developers to ensure the zero-day vulnerabilities are fixed or on how long it expected the process to take. While the documentation that has already been leaked could lead to exploits, at least the details required to easily make use of these now-known vulnerabilities won’t be making it to the wild before patches can be created and provided to users.

Samsung Pay launches in Sweden

Samsung Pay Swedish beta now live, with a limited number of supported devices and payment providers.

Samsung Pay’s global reach continues to expand, with the payment service’s launch in Sweden today. Galaxy owners with a compatible phone, Swedish SIM and credit or debit card can get up and running by opening the Samsung Pay app on their device. Technically today’s launch is a beta with a relatively limited list of supported devices — the Galaxy A5 (2016), Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Support for the Galaxy A5 2017 and Gear S3 smartwatches will be added “soon,” according to Samsung’s landing page.

Supported providers include Nordea, Eurocard, MasterCard, SEB, and Visa, with Handelsbanken, ICA Banken, re:member, Swedbank and Rikskuponger coming soon.

Today’s launch comes a few weeks ahead of the anticipated Galaxy S8 launch event, where we may finally learn about a wider European rollout for Samsung Pay. Samsung Pay has ben live in the U.S. and Korea for more than a year, and recently expanded into Europe with a Spanish launch last summer. The service is set to go live imminently in India too, however so far it’s been outpaced by the global spread of Apple Pay and Android Pay.

How to set up the always-on display on the LG G6

Get quick stats on what’s going on with your smartphone by enabling this feature.

I love being able to glance over at my smartphone display to check up on the time or any messages I might have without having to actually reach over and turn it on. You can take advantage of this helpful ability on the LG G6 by enabling the always-on display. Here’s how to set it up.

How to set up the always-on display on the LG G6

Swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal the notifications shade.
Tap the Settings icon in the upper right corner.
Tap Display.

Tap Always-on display.

Toggle the On button in the upper right corner.

Tap the Content option to choose whether you want a Digital clock, Analog clock, or a Signature as your scene.

You have the option to set up a daily schedule for the always-on display, as well as the ability to make it brighter if you can’t always see it, though this will affect battery life. You can also turn on an option in the Battery Saver menu, located in the main settings panel, to block the use of the always-on display when Battery Saver is turned on. The LG G6’s always-on display is nice, of course, but it comes with its own caveats.

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Honor’s impressive V9 may launch next month in Europe as the Honor 8 Pro

Honor’s 2017 flagship could be heading to Europe on April 5.

Huawei sub-brand Honor sent out media invites to an event on April 5, with current rumors suggesting the launch event could turn out to be the European debut of the Honor V9. The phone was unveiled in China late last month, and offers exciting specs for the equivalent of $435 in the country.

The Honor V9 boasts impressive hardware in the form of a 5.7-inch QHD display with 2.5D curved glass, Huawei’s latest Kirin 960 SoC, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB storage options, dual 12MP cameras with 1.76-micron pixels, 8MP front camera, IR blaster, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, Wi-Fi ac, USB-C, and a 4000mAh battery. On the software front, the phone runs EMUI 5.0 based on Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

According to Roland Quandt of WinFuture, the phone could be marketed as the Honor 8 Pro in the region:

Honor V9 (also to be known as Honor 8 Pro?) going international on April 5th 2017 – in gold, blue and black. This just went out to journos. pic.twitter.com/ys9wgqx9E6

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) March 9, 2017

The phone is sold in four color options — Midnight Black, Flame Red, Platinum Gold and Aurora Blue. The red variant in particular looks enticing, but from the event teaser it looks like that option won’t be heading to global markets. We’ll have to wait until April 5 to find out the pricing and availability.

Samsung Galaxy S8 to adopt facial scanning, ditch iris recognition

The Unpacked announcement event for the Samsung Galaxy S8 is just a few weeks away now, taking place in New York on 29 March, and the latest report that we’ll see an all-new security feature adopted by Samsung.

The company is reportedly ditching its iris scanning system used in previous Galaxy smartphones and will introduce facial scanning instead. Iris detection is apparently too slow in operation, while facial recognition is a quicker, more accurate alternative.

An unnamed Samsung official allegedly revealed all to a business publication in the firm’s homeland, the Korean Economic Daily. He claims that a face scanner will be on the new handset and its plus-sized variant: “Due to some limits of iris scanning such as speed and accuracy, we have decided to add facial recognition to the Galaxy S8. With a face scanner, it will take less than 0.01 seconds to unlock the phone,” he is reported to have said.

• Samsung Galaxy S8: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know
• New Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus leak shows two phones side by side
• Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus get official FCC certification

Apple has also recently been tipped to be introducing facial scanning, possibly on its OLED version of the iPhone 8. It could become a trend across the industry if the tech is proven to work effectively.

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus (S8+) at the event at the end of the month. You can find out how to watch it here: Samsung Galaxy S8 launch: When is Galaxy Unpacked 2017 and can you watch it online?

Garmin Vivosmart 3 shows up in pictures, there’s life in fitness trackers yet

Garmin is planning to update its Vivosmart fitness tracker, if leaked pictures are anything to go by.

Wareable claims to have got its hands on an image showing a Garmin Vivosmart 3 in three different poses. And as one of them shows the name on the rear, along with a QR code, there is no reason to doubt their validity.

Little else can really be gleaned from the images. There is a textured strap, similar to the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ released at the end of last year, and Wareable suggests that the screen will actually be different to the one pictured. That suggests these pictures are concept art rather than final press images.

• Garmin Vivosmart HR+ review: A fully-packed fitness tracker

It is thought to be pitched against similar devices from Fitbit, Misfit and Nokia (which is rebranding all future Withings trackers after a company acquisition). Price and release details are yet to be revealed, however.

We liked the Vivosmart HR+ so an update of some description is welcomed around these parts.

We would imagine the heart rate monitoring will be on-board again, and hopefully the GPS functionality too.

That device was released around the £170 mark, so we’d expect the Vivosmart 3 to be in the same ballpark.

The Morning After: Friday, March 10th 2017

Congratulations, you made it.

The week is almost over, but first find out what the new head of the EPA said, the latest info on Gran Turismo Sport and catch up with the real-life person behind Horizon Zero Dawn’s Aloy. Then this weekend, keep an eye out for our updates from SXSW.

Still cheaper than a trip to spaceOculus launches ‘Mission: ISS’ VR experience

Since most of us won’t make a trip to the Space Station, a virtual reality version will have to do. Mission: ISS is now available on the Oculus Rift, complete with support for the Touch motion controllers. You can dock spacecraft, go outside the space station or perform mission tasks, thanks to the work of a Hollywood effects studio that built everything based on NASA models.

This is fine.Scott Pruitt says carbon dioxide is not a primary contributor to global warming

He’s the new head of the EPA.

Wasn’t this supposed to come out last year?Sign up now for the ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ beta

Unlike more prolific racing series, Gran Turismo usually only makes a couple of appearances each console generation. Fans can get an early start on the next installment by signing up for a “closed beta” that developer Polyphony Digital says will start March 17th. Expect a rotating selection of tracks and cars each day, plus a sample of the new Driver Profile system for online racing.

Can you hear me n–Some Google Pixel phones are having microphone issues

Friends having trouble hearing you calling from a Pixel? Google has confirmed some users are experiencing mic failures due to hardware issues like cracked solder connections. If it’s happening, a software update won’t be able to fix things, so check with Google or whoever you purchased the phone from to get a replacement (newer devices have been reinforced.)

Noticing a theme here?NASA’s new budget leaves out Earth-based research

Congress has passed a bill authorizing NASA’s new budget, laying out plans for projects like the SLS and Orion missions. It has not yet been signed by the president, but as is, projects like the Asteroid Redirect Mission and climate change research are in doubt.

But wait, there’s more…

• Google Home demoed working with eBay’s ShopBot
• Retinal implant could add years to your eyesight
• An odd ‘Ghost in the Shell’ movie and couture event, in photos
• Google is ready to take over your office with Hangouts Meet and Hangouts Chat
• A chat with the star of ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ and ‘Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin’?’

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t subscribe.

A new ‘Steven Universe’ RPG is headed to consoles

Grab your cheeseburger backpack and a wad of Cookie Cat ice cream sandwiches, because Steven Universe is headed to home consoles. Grumpyface Studios, the team behind Attack the Light — a surprisingly decent mobile RPG — is back with another game featuring the heroic Crystal Gems. Details are scarce, but we know Save the Light will feature the same addictive blend of real-time and turn-based combat (if you’ve played Paper Mario, you know what to expect). The team says the new project “was just too big a concept for mobile,” with more exploration and puzzle-solving than before, hence the switch to more powerful hardware.

Steven Universe, if you’re not familiar, is a Cartoon Network show about — you guessed it — Steven and his adventures in Beach City. It’s a gorgeous series that frequently pulls on the old heartstrings, exploring important themes about family, self-worth and relationships. Oh, and the tunes are pretty catchy too. Like Attack the Light, Grumpyface Studios is working on the story for Save the Light with series creator Rebecca Sugar. It’s an original tale that serves “as an entry point for players unfamiliar with Steven Universe,” while also building out the lore for long-time fans.

Cartoon Network says the game will be coming out this summer. A full list of platforms is yet to be disclosed, but Sony has already said it’s coming to PlayStation 4. We should hear a lot more at PAX East this weekend.

Source: PlayStation Blog, Grumpyface Studios

Galaxy S8 to Gain Facial Recognition Feature Over Doubts About Iris Scanning Technology

Samsung will add a facial recognition capability to its upcoming Galaxy S8 because of doubts about the speed and reliability of iris scanning alone, according to a report yesterday in the Korea Economic Daily.

The news comes amid rumors last month that Apple’s “iPhone 8” will feature a “revolutionary” front-facing camera system with the potential to combine the advantages of both facial and iris recognition.

Samsung Galaxy S8 concept by Benjamin Geskin

Due to some limits of iris scanning such as speed and accuracy, we have decided to add facial recognition to the Galaxy S8,” a Samsung official was quoted as saying. “With a face scanner, it will take less than 0.01 seconds to unlock the phone.”

Citing a second Samsung official, the report said the mobile business division had completed the software side of the technology and is currently testing the facial recognition in prototypes. The S8, which is expected to be the biggest to rival to the upcoming OLED iPhone, will launch on March 29.

Apple’s ability to combine the technologies in a single camera system may be achievable thanks to built-in transmitting and receiving infrared modules, backed by software algorithms made by PrimseSense, which Apple acquired in 2013.

Apple is expected to include the camera system in a radically redesigned, minimal-bezel handset with an OLED display that includes built-in fingerprint recognition. The so-called “Tenth Anniversary Edition” model is expected to launch in the fall alongside two, more typical “S” cycle edition phones that will supersede the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

(Via The Investor.)

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tags: Samsung, Galaxy S8
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Viber Messaging App to Gain Self-Destructing Conversations Feature

Globally popular messaging platform Viber will add a new self-destructing chat feature to its iOS app later this week (via The Verge).

The new feature, called “Secret Chats”, gives users the option of starting entire conversations that self-destruct after a certain time limit.

Users can prevent messages within the secret chat threads from being forwarded to other conversations. The feature also notifies users on iOS when someone takes a screenshot, and blocks screenshots altogether when chat threads are viewed on an Android smartphone. As with all Viber chats, the messages are end-to-end encrypted, while users can also opt to hide Secret Chats behind a PIN code.

The feature comes hot on the heels of the “Secret Messages” feature the company introduced earlier this year that lets users specify how long individual messages can be accessed for after being viewed by the recipient.

Viber has more than 800 million registered users worldwide, with particularly strong followings in parts of Asia and across eastern Europe and northern Africa.

Tag: Viber
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