Secret Service warns of ‘jackpotting’ hackers targeting ATMs in the U.S.

Hackers targeting ATMs are usually relatively subtle. Sometimes they install a “skimmer” that collects hundreds of customer PINs that can be used to drain accounts remotely, or fraudulent cards that bypass security measures and dispense hundreds of dollars, even when there’s no money in the account.

But what if you could make an ATM simply spew out all the cash it had in a matter of seconds?

These types of attacks are known as “jackpotting,” and government officials are quietly warning ATM manufacturers and financial institutions that jackpotting hackers have been spotted targeting cash machines here in the U.S.

According to a Secret Service memo obtained by Krebs on Security, the agency has received information that cybercriminals are planning to use “cash-out crews” to target ATMs manufactured by Diebold Nixdorf. It cites a series of thefts over the past ten days and warn of possible upcoming attacks across the country.

“The targeted stand-alone ATMs are routinely located in pharmacies, big box retailers, and drive-thru ATMs,” stated the alert. “During previous attacks, fraudsters dressed as ATM technicians and attached a laptop computer with a mirror image of the ATMs operating system along with a mobile device to the targeted ATM.”

The Secret Service alert says that criminals can use an endoscope — a device usually inserted into the human body during medical procedures — to look inside the ATM and find a place to connect their laptop to the internal mechanism.

Once connected, the criminals use a jackpotting malware program called Ploutus.D to remotely control the machine. “In previous Ploutus.D attacks, the ATM continuously dispensed at a rate of 40 bills every 23 seconds,” said the memo. The ATM is then emptied of cash in a matter of minutes.

The security firm FireEye first reported on Plotus attacks back in 2013 in Mexico, calling it a “technique that had never been seen before.”

If confirmed, these would be the first “jackpotting” attacks in the U.S. The Russian cyber firm Group IB previously reported similar attacks in Europe in 2016, as well as ATMs targeted in Thailand and Taiwan.

The ATM manufacturer confirmed to Reuters that it also issued a warning to banks and financial firms, but a Diebold Nixdorf spokesman declined to comment further or go into any detail about specific banks that had been targeted or how much cash had been lost.

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• Obama’s cybersecurity commissioner offers advice on how to keep safe when shopping online

Secret Service warns of ‘jackpotting’ hackers targeting ATMs in the U.S.

Hackers targeting ATMs are usually relatively subtle. Sometimes they install a “skimmer” that collects hundreds of customer PINs that can be used to drain accounts remotely, or fraudulent cards that bypass security measures and dispense hundreds of dollars, even when there’s no money in the account.

But what if you could make an ATM simply spew out all the cash it had in a matter of seconds?

These types of attacks are known as “jackpotting,” and government officials are quietly warning ATM manufacturers and financial institutions that jackpotting hackers have been spotted targeting cash machines here in the U.S.

According to a Secret Service memo obtained by Krebs on Security, the agency has received information that cybercriminals are planning to use “cash-out crews” to target ATMs manufactured by Diebold Nixdorf. It cites a series of thefts over the past ten days and warn of possible upcoming attacks across the country.

“The targeted stand-alone ATMs are routinely located in pharmacies, big box retailers, and drive-thru ATMs,” stated the alert. “During previous attacks, fraudsters dressed as ATM technicians and attached a laptop computer with a mirror image of the ATMs operating system along with a mobile device to the targeted ATM.”

The Secret Service alert says that criminals can use an endoscope — a device usually inserted into the human body during medical procedures — to look inside the ATM and find a place to connect their laptop to the internal mechanism.

Once connected, the criminals use a jackpotting malware program called Ploutus.D to remotely control the machine. “In previous Ploutus.D attacks, the ATM continuously dispensed at a rate of 40 bills every 23 seconds,” said the memo. The ATM is then emptied of cash in a matter of minutes.

The security firm FireEye first reported on Plotus attacks back in 2013 in Mexico, calling it a “technique that had never been seen before.”

If confirmed, these would be the first “jackpotting” attacks in the U.S. The Russian cyber firm Group IB previously reported similar attacks in Europe in 2016, as well as ATMs targeted in Thailand and Taiwan.

The ATM manufacturer confirmed to Reuters that it also issued a warning to banks and financial firms, but a Diebold Nixdorf spokesman declined to comment further or go into any detail about specific banks that had been targeted or how much cash had been lost.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Sophisticated ‘Triton’ malware shuts down industrial plant in hacker attack
• North Korea suspected of stealing millions in bitcoin from South Korean exchange
• Hackers may be able to access private WhatsApp conversations
• A growing email scam has cost a major airline millions of dollars
• Obama’s cybersecurity commissioner offers advice on how to keep safe when shopping online

The best monitor for the MacBook Pro

As great as the displays on Apple’s range of MacBook Pros are, notebooks can never quite live up to the grandeur and functionality of working or watching various media on a large-scale desktop display. Especially if you’re planning to use your laptop on a desk somewhere. If there’s one category of hardware accessory that’s easy to get swamped for choice in though, it’s monitors.

Apple used to make its own monitor, the Cinema Display, but it’s been discontinued since 2014. There are rumors that Apple will introduce a 5K Cinema Display at some point, but there’s no reason to think it’s coming soon. In the meantime, there are a lot of features to consider, whether you’re concerned about refresh rate, color accuracy, display resolution, or response time. Whatever your needs though, before you ultimately make your purchase, you need to know which is the best monitor for the MacBook Pro.

If you’re still are the stage where you’re deciding on which MacBook Pro to buy, in this guide we compare each offering head-to-head.

The best

BenQ PD3200U 32-inch 4K IPS ($800)

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

This monitor made our list of the top MacBook Pro accessories, so it’s no wonder it steals the top spot here. At 32-inches diagonally with a 4K resolution, it’s an absolutely huge display with tonnes of screen real-estate. Productivity on this will not be a problem, though it may take some getting used to, as it will feel like working on a TV for a while.

Still, once you do get used to it, you’ll not want to go back as this display is gorgeous. Built using an IPS panel for fantastic color accuracy, it has a 4ms response time so would even be good for gaming if you so wished. It also features BenQ’s Eye-Care technology for reduced blue-light and flickering, making it more comfortable to use over longer periods of time.

In our testing, the only negative point that we really noted was that it’s a little on the bulky side. Unless you’re planning on hauling around your desktop monitor on a regular basis though, that’s not of too much concern.

If the $800 price tag is a little rich or you think the resolution is overkill, there is a substantially cheaper QHD (2,560 x 1,440) version also available, with all of the same specifications and features otherwise.

Buy one now at:

Amazon

The rest

LG 27UD88-W 27-inch 4K IPS ($700)

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Although our testing didn’t paint this as a perfect monitor, the LG 27UD88-W is an affordable option for those looking for sheer style, with a lot of substance. Its 4K resolution in a 27-inch form-factor means its pixels are dense and its colors are rich, if a little lacking in accuracy.

The whole package is gorgeous to look at though thanks to its sleek and ergonomic design. The stand is an attractive curve and the bezel surrounding the IPS panel is basically non-existent. This screen blends right into the room and its menu controls allow for nuanced customization of the visuals it puts out.

Although there are better options out there, this 4K display is both stylish and perfectly functional, which is a difficult combination to find in monitors of this size and price point.

Buy one now at:

Amazon Newegg

LG 27MD5KA‑B Ultrafine 5K ($1,300)

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

As much as it is the most expensive display on this list and it isn’t without its drawbacks, it’s hard to deny the LG 27MD5KA-B a mention, as it looks absolutely stunning when in operation. It’s also the only monitor on this list built in conjunction with Apple specifically for MacBook Pros, which makes connecting it up to yours about as easy as it can be.

With a staggering resolution of 5,120 x 2,880, this monitor makes even 4K displays look lacking in terms of pixel density — especially since these ones are crammed into a 27-inch form-factor.

In our review, we loved how easy it was to connect this display up to your MacBook Pro and that once you do, not only does it start working straight away, but it also starts charging your laptop immediately. MacOS will automatically detect and configure the monitor as a second display, and if you disconnect and reconnect later, all your windows and apps will jump back to where they were before.

There are some issues with color accuracy and the design is far from as attractive as the other LG entry on this list, but this display is still sublime to look at. Gorgeous to use, but flawed and expensive.

Buy one now at:

Apple Store

HP Envy 27-inch 4K IPS ($500)

4K on a budget isn’t something that was even conceivable a few years ago and yet HP’s Envy 27-inch model offers that with nary a dip in quality. Generally priced at $500 and occasionally snaggable at $400 in sales, this monitor comes with the necessary USB-C connection to hook it straight up to your MacBook Pro, expanding your visuals with a great looking second display that crams 4K pixels into 27-inches of diagonal IPS panel.

It has 99 percent support of the sRGB color spectrum and AMD Freesync support to prevent screen tearing. On top of the display itself, its bezel is trim and blacked out so as to look practically edge-less when the display is powered down.

The response time on the Envy 27 is weaker than most, coming in at 14ms. That’s not great for gaming, but if you’re working on a MacBook Pro (and buying a 4K display to boot) that is unlikely on your mind.

Buy one now at:

HP Store Newegg

Acer H277HU 27-inch QHD ($425)

Just because 4K displays are more affordable today than they have ever been in the past, doesn’t mean you have to shell out for one. The Acer H277HU is a 27-inch panel that looks great with its QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. Featuring a response time of just 4ms, it’s surprisingly spry for an IPS panel and its slimline bezel makes it an attractive addition to your home or office from any angle.

Although its price tag is practically economical compared to some entries on this list, if you find it too rich for your blood or don’t need something as big as the 27-inch model, there is also a 25-inch variant which knocks around $100 off the asking price.

Buy one now at:

Newegg

Lenovo Thinkvision P24H QHD IPS ($260)

24-inch monitors are far from the expansive display choice they used to be, but the form-factor still represents a substantial upgrade in screen-space over even the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Lenovo’s Thinkvision P24H is a great option in that case, as it’s bright and colorful, and supremely affordable.

With a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 it’s no slouch in detail either and won’t feel like a substantial drop-off from your MacBook Pro’s main display. It’s not the most attractive monitor out there, but neither is it ugly, with a relatively svelte bezel and a functional, if drab adjustable stand.

With its wide viewing angle and speedy 4ms response time, the Lenovo Thinkvision P24H isn’t going to beat out any other displays on this list, but it’s still a great option for an economical display expansion for your MacBook Pro.

Buy one now at:

Newegg

Editors’ Recommendations

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‘Die With Me’ app is the answer to your low battery anxiety

App Attack is a weekly series where we search the App Store and Google Play Store for the best apps of the week. Check out App Attack every Sunday for the latest.

With all the time we spend on our smartphones, our batteries tend to have trouble keeping up. This week, we have an app that will help ease the pain of your device reaching its temporary demise.

Chat app “Die With Me” — available for iOS and Android — can only be used when your phone’s battery is on less than five percent. Once your phone recognizes that it’s below that mark, you’ll have access to a chat room consisting of others suffering from the same issue.

Once your phone is at 4 percent or lower, the app will ask you to enter a name you’d like to identify yourself by. The freedom to create a username using any characters made me a bit nervous, as I could only imagine what lie ahead in the chatroom.

There is a user agreement you’ll have to accept that explicitly states not to say anything inappropriate, but does anyone really follow through with those? Should someone violate the agreement, you can report them by holding down on their message and tapping ‘Report Message,” which could potentially block them from using the app once the report is reviewed. 

“Die With Me” is also very much in its infancy, so it’s important to take that into consideration while using it. We experienced some crashes — which could be due to the influx of users — but after a while it was smooth sailing.

Entering this chatroom felt extremely reminiscent of my pre-teen self sitting in front of my computer, back when my parents would warn me not to talk to strangers on the internet. But we’re all well past those days, and instead of “stranger danger,” I was actually having a sense of social anxiety. Even though I had no idea who these people were, I hesitated to jump into the conversation to say anything.

It also didn’t help the chat room was clearly flooded with tons of people, making it almost impossible to know if anyone even saw what you sent. The conversations are definitely interesting — with most people spewing random questions like “What kind of phone does everyone have?” or “Where is everyone from?” There was, of course, the occasional talk of politics but that died down quickly.

I worked up the courage to send a simple “How’s everyone’s day going?” and was pleasantly surprised when people actually started answering. Before I knew it, we were talking about our love for Nintendo and our favorite games. I was also no longer afraid to jump in when I wanted to contribute to the conversation.

When you’re in the chat room, you can also see the percentage that other people are at — which makes it even more comforting. While your battery slowly decreases, you’ll start to see others at the same amount and know that you’re not the only one who is about to reach zero. If you do start charging your smartphone, a little lightning bolt will appear beneath your name so others will be aware.

If you end up finding a charger before your battery dies, you’ll still be able to stay in the chat room up until a certain point. Once your battery reaches above five percent, it will lock you out and a message will appear letting you know you can only use the app if your phone battery is below that. But strangely enough, there were a few people with 64 percent battery still in the chat room, and everyone was equally as confused.

Being in the chat room felt weirdly similar to the random and light conversations my best friends and I have in our group chats. Since we’re busy throughout the day, we’ll randomly send messages here and there that spark short conversations. But sometimes, they won’t answer for hours and it’s rare they conveniently do when you need a distraction from the fact that your phone is dying.

But using “Die With Me” was weirdly comforting. Instead of scrolling mindlessly through social media apps slowly waiting to hit one percent and for my screen to go black, I was engaging in some entertaining conversations instead. It was a strange but refreshing experience and soon I found myself more bummed to have had to leave the conversation than I was that my phone died.

Some might think the premise of the app is absolutely insane, but having anxiety over your smartphone battery dying is clearly far more common than we all want to admit. After all, there’s nothing more calming than knowing that your phone is fully charged and you won’t have to worry about all the possible things that could go wrong with a dead battery.

It’s a temporary cure and companion for when you start to really panic that you’re phone is reaching that one percent mark. Also, who would’ve thought all it takes is a bunch of dying smartphone batteries for a group of strangers to bond?

Editors’ Recommendations

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Who makes the best cash-sending app? PayPal, Venmo, Square, Google, or Apple?

Money makes the world go ’round. Whether you owe a friend for drinks, or you need to send rent money to your roommate, the easier it is to transfer money to friends and family, the better.

With the advent of modern technology, there are plenty of great options for sending money to others. Sure, PayPal may well be the best-known of these services, but it’s certainly not the only one. Google is reorganizing Android Pay and Google Wallet into a single service called Google Pay. Then there’s Venmo, which has skyrocketed in popularity, and Square Cash, built by payment company Square. Perhaps it’s a little late to the game, but we can’t forget about Apple Pay Cash.

Which of these payment services should you use to send money to your friends, family, and others? We put them side by side to find the best.

Paypal
Google Wallet
Venmo
Square Cash
Apple Pay Cash

Compatibility

Android, iOS, Web

Android, iOS, Web

Android, iOS, Web

Android, iOS, Web

iOS

Payment methods
Credit, debit, bank transfer
Credit, debit, bank transfer
Credit, debit, bank transfer
Credit, debit card
Credit, debit card

Credit fee
2.9% + $0.30
2.9%
2.9%
3%
3%

Debit fee
2.9% + $0.30
Free
Free (25 cents for instant transfers)
Free
Free

Bank transfer fee
Free
Free
Free
N/A
N/A

Withdrawal speed
Up to 1-2 business days
Up to 1-3 business days
Up to 1 business day
Up to 1-2 business days
Up to 1-3 business days

Transfer limits
$10,000
$9,999
$3,000
$2,500
$3,000

Special features
PayPal.me shareable links
Integration with other Google services
Quick transfers to banks
No need to set up an account
Automatically available in iOS

PayPal

As previously mentioned, PayPal is perhaps the best-known of these services, and for good reason. PayPal has long been the go-to for online shopping, and the fact that it can be used to transfer money between friends is simply a bonus.

PayPal’s interface is extremely easy to use, largely thanks to a major redesign. Simply open up your PayPal account, press the “send money” button, and follow the instructions — it only takes a few seconds to send money. The PayPal.me initiative has made sending money even easier. If you have your friend’s PayPal.me link, simply follow the link and enter how much you want to pay them.

What PayPal has going against it, however, isn’t related to its ease of use.

Out of the five services, PayPal is the most expensive, if you don’t want to connect the service to your bank account. Now, we would highly recommend connecting it to your bank account anyway, as it makes things a lot easier if you happen to lose your card or when you get a new card. However, if you choose not to, PayPal will be one of the most expensive services for you. Not only does it charge a 2.9 percent fee for money sent from a debit or credit card, it also charges an extra 30 cents on top of that.

Another advantage, however, is that PayPal allows the largest transactions of the bunch. Using PayPal, you can transfer up to a hefty $10,000. Most people won’t need that — but it’s nice to have in case you do.

Like some of the other services on our list, PayPal won’t transfer money directly to your bank unless you manually do it. Instead, money will sit in your PayPal account, and can be used for purchases or sent to your bank, as you see fit. Also, PayPal Credit users might prefer PayPal, as it eliminates the need to have any extra accounts.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Google Wallet

Google is streamlining its two payment services, Android Pay and Google Wallet, into Google Pay. We’re not sure what changes that will bring to each service, but for those unaware, both Android Pay and Google Wallet serve different functions. You use Android Pay to make contactless payments in retail stores, or even online. Google Wallet is a peer-to-peer money transfer app.

Google Wallet is one of the cheapest services on the list — there are no fees to use debit cards or make bank transfers, though you will pay a 2.9 percent fee for credit cards. It can transfer almost as much as PayPal, with the maximum amount per transaction being $9,999.

What really sets Google Wallet apart from the rest, however, is its integration with other Google services. In Gmail, for instance, you can request money simply by pressing the little dollar sign in the toolbar under a message. You can even send money through Android Messages, the default texting service on most Android phones, and it will show up in Google Wallet. If you choose to use the actual Google Wallet app instead, sending money is as simple as pressing on the option and entering your recipient’s email address or phone number. You can also use your fingerprint sensor or Face ID to unlock the app.

Transferring money into your bank account could take up to three days, but it’s instant when you’re sending it to a debit card.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Venmo

Venmo has grown a lot more popular over the past few years, and has thus become the preferred way for many to transfer cash to their friends. In fact, Venmo has become a verb — “Venmo me!” After creating your account, you’ll be asked to add friends to your friends list, which makes it easier to transfer money the next time you need to do so.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using Venmo, however. For example, the team behind it has tried to make the service highly social, which may frustrate some. When you send money, you’ll have the option to make the transaction public, and while you most likely don’t want or need to do this, you’ll have to be careful to not accidentally select the wrong option.

Like other services, when someone sends you money, it sits in your Venmo account; it can be sent to others or transferred to your bank account by “checking out.” It’s free to use Venmo with a debit card. It will still cost you 2.9 percent to use a credit card, but if you’re not too fond of linking a service to your bank account, it might be nice for you to not have to pay a fee for each transaction. Not only that, but Venmo says that money will be transferred to your bank account within one business day, which is pretty quick. Venmo recently added an option to instantly send money to your debit card for 25 cents; there’s still a free option, but it’s not as fast.

Venmo is obviously meant to be used for everyday transactions, and as such, the limit for a single transfer is $3,000. It’s still a lot of money, sure, but you won’t be using Venmo to send a huge amount of cash.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Square Cash

Next up on our list is Square Cash, built by Square, which is perhaps best known for its point-of-sale systems for the iPad and iPhone. At first glance, you might have trouble seeing why you would want to opt for Square Cash over other services, but it does have one unique selling point — you don’t have to set up an account to use it.

It also integrates with email. To request cash, email the person that owes you money, enter how much is owed in the subject field, and then CC the email to request@square.com. Once the email is received, both parties will need to enter their banking information, and the transfer will go through. There’s no need for any new accounts, long waits, or extra steps in the transferring process. In fact, once the bank information has been entered, Square claims that the transaction should be completed within two business days.

Unfortunately the service can only be used with credit and debit cards — you won’t be using your bank account with Square Cash.

Download now for:

Android iOS

Apple Pay Cash

Unlike the other services on this list, you may already have Apple Pay Cash if you have an iPhone — it rolled out as part of iOS 11.2. That means you don’t need to download another app in order to transfer money to or from fellow iPhone owners.

One of the best things about Apple Pay Cash is that it’s well-integrated with iOS, and as long as you have set up Apple Pay with a credit or debit card, you can quickly and easily send money through the Messages app. To send or receive money, open up a thread in the Messages app, hit the Apple Pay icon on the keyboard, choose the amount, and hit the “Request” or “Pay” button.

Fees, transfer times, and limits are pretty standard with Apple Pay Cash. You’ll be able to transfer up to $3,000, and will incur a 3 percent fee when using a credit card. Once you have money in your account, you can transfer it to your actual bank account in one to three business days.

There are a few downsides to Apple Pay Cash, the main one being that it’s only compatible with iOS — so you won’t be able to use it with people on Android — and there’s no desktop interface.

So which one should I use?

Which one you should use depends on what you need it for. If you want an all-in-one service for online shopping and even a line of credit, PayPal is clearly the right choice for you. Android users and avid Google fans, however, might be better off with Google Wallet — which Google recently announced would be integrating with Android Pay to create Google Pay. For those who simply want to quickly send money to friends, Venmo is a popular and great option. If you don’t want to bother with any accounts or extra steps, Square Cash is a great solution. Last but not least, if you’re an iPhone user and intend to mainly send and receive money from other iPhone users, then Apple Pay Cash is your best bet.

The reality is that all of these services are great at what they do, and while one might be better than another for your purposes, you can’t really go wrong with any of them.

Update: We updated each section to include recent changes, and added Apple Pay Cash into the mix.

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TMI? Fitness tracking ‘heatmap’ could compromise secret military locations

Fitness wearables and apps are very useful when trying to keep in shape, and members of the U.S. military have embraced the technology wholeheartedly. However, easy access to all that information online may have an unexpected downside.

Strava is a social networking app geared towards athletes, where users can upload their fitness data, and it uses GPS tracking data for a variety of website applications. One of the projects of Strava Labs is a “Global Heatmap,” an easily accessible visualization of the network data, that shows popular running and cycling routes. The heatmap boasts data from more than one billion activities all around the globe.

However, military analysts told The Guardian that the level of detail in the maps can also reveal the location of secret military facilities, some of them in conflict areas.

Fitness and social media company Strava releases activity heat map. Excellent for locating military bases (h/t to @Nrg8000). https://t.co/n5RWcI7BJF pic.twitter.com/7zzNcYV42e

— Tobias Schneider (@tobiaschneider) January 27, 2018

“If soldiers use the app like normal people do, by turning it on tracking when they go to do exercise, it could be especially dangerous,” said analyst Nathan Ruser. “U.S. Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable.”

Forward operating bases in Afghanistan, for example, can easily be mapped by their jogging trails, even though those military instillations don’t appear on services like Google Maps.

An Afghanistan veteran on the hacker site ycombinator noted, “A well-established military base, even in a combat zone, has access to wifi and cellphone network. We are constantly training physically, and we like to keep track of ourselves. We were early adopters of fitness trackers, and I used a couple of them myself also.”

In remote locations, the Strava users seem to be mostly U.S. military personnel, making them easily identifiable. “In Syria, known coalition (i.e., U.S.) bases light up the night. Some light markers over known Russian positions, no notable coloring for Iranian bases,” observed analyst Tobias Schneider. “A lot of people are going to have to sit through lectures come Monday morning.”

As The National points out, users of social media have already been posting military base locations and possibly exposing ongoing covert operations in places like Mali and the South China Sea. Strava was unavailable for comment when contacted by the website.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Best fitness apps for the Apple Watch
• 9 ARKit apps to try on your iPhone or iPad using iOS 11
• Automate all the little stuff in your life with these awesome IFTTT recipes
• The Coros Omni smart helmet makes cycling while listening to tunes safer
• Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20 review

TMI? Fitness tracking ‘heatmap’ could compromise secret military locations

Fitness wearables and apps are very useful when trying to keep in shape, and members of the U.S. military have embraced the technology wholeheartedly. However, easy access to all that information online may have an unexpected downside.

Strava is a social networking app geared towards athletes, where users can upload their fitness data, and it uses GPS tracking data for a variety of website applications. One of the projects of Strava Labs is a “Global Heatmap,” an easily accessible visualization of the network data, that shows popular running and cycling routes. The heatmap boasts data from more than one billion activities all around the globe.

However, military analysts told The Guardian that the level of detail in the maps can also reveal the location of secret military facilities, some of them in conflict areas.

Fitness and social media company Strava releases activity heat map. Excellent for locating military bases (h/t to @Nrg8000). https://t.co/n5RWcI7BJF pic.twitter.com/7zzNcYV42e

— Tobias Schneider (@tobiaschneider) January 27, 2018

“If soldiers use the app like normal people do, by turning it on tracking when they go to do exercise, it could be especially dangerous,” said analyst Nathan Ruser. “U.S. Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable.”

Forward operating bases in Afghanistan, for example, can easily be mapped by their jogging trails, even though those military instillations don’t appear on services like Google Maps.

An Afghanistan veteran on the hacker site ycombinator noted, “A well-established military base, even in a combat zone, has access to wifi and cellphone network. We are constantly training physically, and we like to keep track of ourselves. We were early adopters of fitness trackers, and I used a couple of them myself also.”

In remote locations, the Strava users seem to be mostly U.S. military personnel, making them easily identifiable. “In Syria, known coalition (i.e., U.S.) bases light up the night. Some light markers over known Russian positions, no notable coloring for Iranian bases,” observed analyst Tobias Schneider. “A lot of people are going to have to sit through lectures come Monday morning.”

As The National points out, users of social media have already been posting military base locations and possibly exposing ongoing covert operations in places like Mali and the South China Sea. Strava was unavailable for comment when contacted by the website.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Best fitness apps for the Apple Watch
• 9 ARKit apps to try on your iPhone or iPad using iOS 11
• Automate all the little stuff in your life with these awesome IFTTT recipes
• The Coros Omni smart helmet makes cycling while listening to tunes safer
• Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20 review

Which phone has the best battery life? Let’s find out

Aiming to make our lives easier, smartphones offer a wide variety of functions that help to simplify daily life while helping us stay connected to each other. These daily connections and simplifications have become so essential to our everyday lives that smartphones have become crucial to our very existence. Because of this, we bank on these devices to be dependable above all else, and a huge part of that dependability is reliant on battery life.

Well aware that battery life is a major selling point for any device, smartphone manufacturers now often tout how long a battery could feasibly last given its technical specifications. Despite this type of specificity, how do we know for sure that a phone’s battery will last as long as the manufacture says?

Wanting to answer this question and determine which smartphone has the best battery life, we did a not-so-scientific test that pitted seven different phones against one another. We tested devices that are already known for their battery life — the LG V30, iPhone X, Essential Phone, etc. — and are fairly commonplace in today’s market.  We removed the SIM card from each, connected them to the same gigabit Wi-Fi network, and played a YouTube video on loop until each phone died.

Here’s the results of the test (organized by best battery life to worst):

Smartphone
Run Time

Huawei Mate 10 Pro
11 hours and 22 minutes

Samsung Note 8
11 hours and eight minutes

LG V30
10 hours and 58 minutes

One Plus 5T
10 hours and 54 minutes

Google Pixel 2 XL
Nine hours and 12 minutes

iPhone X
Nine hours and 10 minutes

Essential Phone
Eight hours and 14 minutes

Again, this isn’t the most scientific of tests, but it does give you an idea in regards to how long each of these phones will last in real-world circumstances. Battery life, however, shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all when deciding which smartphone to purchase. That’s not to say that battery life isn’t important, but, as this test shows, the difference in longevity for most of today’s top smartphones is relatively small.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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The Best Indie Games for PlayStation 4

If you are on the lookout for some great independent games for your PS4 then check these out.

There’s no denying that the PlayStation 4 has made a comfortable home for blockbuster games and their developers. Every year there is a seemingly endless stream of huge titles. But what about the little guys? Independent developers are just as capable of creating amazing and engaging games as the big guys. Here are just a few of the very best independent titles that PS4 has to offer.

• What Remains of Edith Finch
• Rocket League
• Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
• Hotline Miami 1 & 2
• Rogue Legacy
• Fez

What Remains of Edith Finch

If you’re looking for a fantastic storytelling experience bolstered by gorgeous visuals then developer Giant Sparrow has you covered. What Remains of Edith Finch may not be for every gamer but if you are enticed at the idea of having your heartstrings tugged and you enjoy a meditative gaming experience then it’s certainly worth your time and money.
See at PlayStation

Rocket League

A titan on the level of Rocket League hardly seems worth mentioning considering how massively popular it is. With 40 million Rocket League players developer Psyonix must have done something right. If you like soccer and cars and have always wanted a game which married the two with fast-paced gameplay then this is the game for you. If you happened to get good enough at Rocket League then perhaps someday you could be a professional eSports player. Try explaining that to your grandparents.
See at Amazon

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

You know that argument that you always get into? The one where you try to explain to someone that video games are just as valid and valuable an art form as film is. There’s always that one person who hasn’t played a video game since Frogger and they continue to insist that games are just kid stuff. Well, show them Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Ninja Theory developed one heck of a game and there is a reason that it garnered a veritable boatload of nominations at the 2017 Game Awards.
See at Amazon

Hotline Miami 1 & 2

Thank you, Sir. May I have another? Dennaton Games are video game design sadists and they made Hotline Miami for gaming masochists who love a game that relentlessly abuses them. Aside from being fun and insanely hard, Hotline Miami has a beautiful retro visual style and one of my favorite game soundtracks of recent years.
See at PlayStation

Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy is a killer Rouge “Lite” game developed by Cellar Door games. As you progress through the game there is no doubt that you will die. You will actually die quite a bit. The upside to death in Rogue Legacy is that when your character dies you will get to replace them with an heir. That heir will often be cursed by one of many genetic deficiencies. For instance, if your character carries the gene for color blindness then your play through with that character will be in black and white. It’s goofy and fun and overall it’s a terrific game.
See at PlayStation

Fez

Fez arrived pretty early in the life cycle of the PS4 and it arrived with a bunch of ancillary noise thanks to its vocal developer. Despite any sort of social kerfuffle it’s an outstanding game. Fez starts as a 2D game that rapidly evolves into a cube based 3D world. The mechanics are actually quite clever and add an interesting element to the gameplay. It also has a stellar soundtrack.
See at PlayStation

One of the truly great things about the PlayStation 4 is the sheer volume of top-tier independent titles. What are some of your favorites?

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ATM ‘jackpotting’ hacks reach the US

For some ATM thieves, swiping card data involves too much patience — they’d rather just take the money and run. The US Secret Service has warned ATM makers Diebold Nixdorf and NCR that “jackpotting” hacks, where crooks force machine to cough up large sums of cash, have reached the US after years of creating problems in Asia, Europe and Mexico. The attacks have focused largely on Diebold’s front-loading Opteva ATMs in stand-alone locations, such as retail stores and drive-thrus, and have relied on an combination of malware and hardware to pull off heists.

In previous attacks, the thieves disguised themselves as technicians to avoid drawing attention. After that, they hooked up a laptop with a mirror image of the ATM’s operating system and malware (Diebold also mentioned replacing the hard drive outright). Security researcher Brian Krebs understands American ATMs have been hit with Ploutus.D, a variant of “jackpotting” malware that first launched in 2013. The mirror image needs to be paired with the ATM to work, but that’s not as difficult as you might think — the intruders used endoscopes to find and press the necessary reset button inside the machine. Once done, they attached keyboards and used activation codes to clean out ATMs within a matter of minutes.

NCR hasn’t been explicitly targeted in these attacks, but it warned that this was an “industry-wide issue” and urged caution from companies using its ATMs.

It’s definitely possible to thwart attacks like this. The Secret Service warned that ATMs still using Windows XP were particularly easy targets, and that updating to Windows 7 (let alone Windows 10) would protect against these specific attacks. Diebold also recommended updating to newer firmware and using the most secure configurations possible. And both organizations recommended physical security changes, such as using rear-loading ATMs, locking down physical access and closely watching for suspicious activity like opening the machine’s top.

The catch, of course, is that ATM operators either haven’t been diligent or may have a hard time justifying the updates. It’s telling that victim machines have been running XP, a 16-year-old platform whose official support ended in 2014 — the odds aren’t high that companies will keep their ATMs up to date, let alone replace them with more secure models or institute advanced defenses. You may not see a widespread attempt to combat jackpotting in the US until the problem becomes too large to ignore.

Via: Reuters

Source: Krebs on Security