Researcher finds huge security flaws in Bluetooth locks
Security research Anthony Rose just wanted to try out his Bluetooth range-finding setup. While wandering in his neighborhood, he noticed a lot of Bluetooth locks popping up and decided to do some sniffing of those “security” gadgets (read: capturing packets being sent between devices). “I discovered plaintext passwords being sent that anybody could read. I couldn’t imagine I was the only one that could see this,” Rose told Engadget following a presentation at last week’s Def Con security conference.
Rose then purchased 16 Bluetooth-enabled door locks. With the help of his partner Ben Ramsey, he found that across the board, security was either non-existent or seriously flawed. “I never imagined that I would come across 12 of the 16 locks that I bought having either no security or poorly implemented security,” Rose said.
Of those security-impaired locks, four of them sent plaintext-passwords. They were the Quicklock Doorlock, Quicklock Padloock, iBluLock Padlock and Plantraco PhantomLock. The QuickLock brand was especially troubling because Rose could change the admin password and lock out the user. The only way to reset it is to remove the battery which can only be accessed when the door it’s attached to is open.
Four other locks were prone to replay attacks (when validated data is played again or delayed in transmission). Those were the Ceomate Bluetooth Smartlock, Elecycle Smart Padlock, Vians Bluetooth Smart Doorlock and Lagute Sciener Smart Doorlock. Some of these locks even claimed that encryption was being used. Which really doesn’t matter if you can capture, store and later send out passwords.
Rose and Ramsey were also able to hijack the “encrypted” with “patented cryptographic solutions” of the Okidokey Smart Doorlock by changing the third byte in its unique key to 00. The lock gets confused and opens. The researcher contacted Okidokey and instead of replying to his email, the company shut down its site. But the doorlock is still available on Amazon.
He also found that the Danalock Doorlock had a hard-coded password and that the Mesh Motion Bitlock Padlock could be impersonated (known as device spoofing) with a Raspberry Pi that would trick the device’s cloud server to send out a password.
This is all extremely troubling when you realize that these pieces of technology are all that stand between a burglar and the inside of your house. With a long range antenna, some of these locks could be open from half a mile away. Someone trying to jimmy your front door would arouse suspicion. If that same person just walked up and opened the door, there’s a good chance neighbors would believe everything was above board.
Rose’s team only tested 16 locks. But the Bluetooth-enabled security market continues to grow which concerns Rose. “In most cases convenience their top goal because they’re trying to sell a product. Security usually ends up being a second thought in these cases,” he told Engadget. It’s equally worrisome that only one of the companies he contacted replied to his findings. He had expected at least half to get back to him.
The four locks that the team couldn’t hack were the Noke Padlock, Masterlock Padlock, Kwikset Kevo Doorlock and August Doorlock. But he did note that the earlier versions of the Kwikset could be opened by jamming a screwdriver into the keyhole, while another researcher at this year’s Def Con was able to crack the August.
Rose says he will continue testing not only Bluetooth door locks, but other connected devices as well. When asked if he’d seen any locks on the market he would add to his front door, Rose replied, “absolutely not.”
Source: Merculite
The ‘Final Fantasy XV’ season pass includes six DLC packs
Final Fantasy XV is hurtling toward a finalized release date of September 30th for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4, so there’s still plenty of time left to decide what console you want to play on and which edition you’re going to purchase.
If you’ve yet to put any money down on the release, you might want to consider going digital going forward, as Square Enix has announced the Digital Premium Edition and Season Pass upgrade available for preorder today, which contains access to six additional packs of digital content.
The Digital Premium Edition of Final Fantasy XV will come with the six different DLC packages: the Booster Pack, Episode Gladio, Holiday Pack, Episode Ignis, Episode Prompto and a less interestingly-named Expansion Pack. All of these, Square Enix notes, are working titles at present, so they’re subject to change.
Additionally, there are different items available for players depending on the console chosen for preorder. For instance, Xbox One buys will receive a Noctis male and female costume for avatars as well as a Carbuncle pet prop. In addition, PlayStation 4 buyers will get a Final Fantasy XV “Big Bang” theme in addition to a Digital Mini Sound Track and a Digital Premium Edition Original Theme.
If you’re looking to pick up the Final Fantasy XV Digital Premium Edition, the entire package will cost you $84.99. If all you need to do is upgrade, you can do so for $24.99 to grab those six additional DLC packs.
Via: Gamasutra
FCC loses its bid to protect city-run broadband
If you were hoping that the FCC’s efforts to protect municipal broadband would survive telecoms’ attempts to destroy it, we have bad news. A federal appeals court has shot down an FCC order that preempted laws banning city-run internet access in North Carolina and Tennessee, prompting both states to file lawsuits. According to the decision, the Commission was overriding state rights without legal authority. While the FCC interpreted a clause in the Telecommunications Act (that it must “encourage” a timely rollout of broadband) as giving it permission to step in, the court sees it as insisting that cities must expand their internet options. There has to be a clearer mandate, the judges say.
To no one’s surprise, the FCC is less than enthusiastic about the ruling. It’s still looking over the decision, but Chairman Tom Wheeler already believes the lost appeal will “halt the promise of jobs, investment and opportunity” that municipal broadband offers.
This doesn’t eliminate city broadband by any stretch, but it will let at least some states limit attempted rollouts. And unfortunately, that’s a win for incumbent internet providers that could hurt competition. Many (including Wheeler) have complained that laws like those in North Carolina are the result of cable and phone monopolies effectively writing their own regulations though intense lobbying — they want to avoid competing against cities that may well offer higher speeds, lower prices and wider coverage areas. Unfortunately, your best choices for real competition may come down to rare, privately-owned newcomers like Google Fiber that can afford to play by the existing carriers’ rules.
Source: FCC, Consumerist
‘Gwent: The Witcher Card Game’ beta delayed to October
At E3 2016 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt developer CD Projekt Red announced that it’s working on a standalone Gwent title for Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. It was supposed to enter closed beta for the former two platforms in September, but players will now have to wait until October 25th to get their hands on the virtual card game. In a statement, the studio said it still needs a little more time to work on Gwent before it feels comfortable letting the public play.
“We know we can make a first impression only once, and want to be sure everything is ready before we blast off,” CD Projekt Red said. “Delivering a good game is more important to us than keeping a deadline. Still, that doesn’t mean we don’t realize that delays can be disappointing, and we apologize for making you wait.”
You can still register for the beta on Gwent’s site, and you can check the game out earlier if you’re attending Gamescom from August 17th to August 21st. CD Projekt will let people play one round of Gwent for the first time at the show floor two months before the beta starts, and you can always play it in The Witcher 3 as well.
Source: PlayGwent
Apple Releases Safari 10 Developer Beta 5 for OS X Yosemite and El Capitan
Apple today released the fifth developer beta of Safari 10 for OS X Yosemite and OS X El Capitan users, allowing those who don’t yet want to install the macOS Sierra operating system to test out the upcoming Safari update.
The fifth Safari 10 beta for Yosemite and El Capitan can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store for those who installed the first four Safari 10 betas.
Safari 10 for Yosemite and El Capitan does not include all of the features that are available or will be available in macOS Sierra, like Apple Pay on the web and Picture in Picture support, but the Safari 10 functions listed below are available.
- Safari Extensions
- New Bookmarks sidebar, including double-click to focus in on a folder
- Redesigned Bookmarks and History views
- Site-specific zoom
- Improved AutoFill from your Contacts card
- Reader improvements
- HTML5 and legacy Plug-ins
- Allow reopening of recently closed tabs
- Back closing spawned tabs
- Improved ranking of Frequently Visited Sites
- Web Inspector Timelines Tab
- Debugging using Web Inspector
With OS X El Capitan, Safari 10 also supports the development of Safari App Extensions, allowing developers to start creating extensions that will eventually be sold through the Mac App Store. Also unique to El Capitan (and Sierra) is Spotlight suggestions for Top Hits.
Safari 10 will be released this fall alongside macOS Sierra.
Tag: Safari
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Apple’s ConnectED Program Has Helped Over 32,000 Students
Apple today announced that its ConnectED program, which saw the company donating $100 million in products to schools and teachers across the country, has impacted the lives of more than 30,000 students.
As of the 2016-2017 school year, there are 32,145 students at underserved public schools who have received iPads from Apple to bolster their education. Teachers have received more than 9,042 Macs and iPads and Apple has helped to install 189 miles of internet cable in schools.
Along with equipment, Apple sends Professional Learning Specialists to schools around the country to help administrators, teachers, and students get the most out of the technology.
The latest school to join Apple’s ConnectED program is the Carver Elementary School in Indianola, Mississippi, the 66th ConnectED school. Carver Elementary School has 701 students, all whom now have iPads with educational-focused apps to work with.
Apple joined ConnectED, a $750 million corporate educational initiative announced by President Obama, in 2014 and has since remained committed to providing underserved schools with cutting edge classroom equipment. Other companies involved in the ConnectED initiative include AT&T, Verizon, and Microsoft.
Tags: education, ConnectED
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Celebrate the Rio Olympics with these sporty wallpapers!
While most of us can be forgiven if we show our patriotism on the inside, but during the Olympics it’s time to let the flags and face paint fly… or, you could put an Olympic wallpaper on your phone to remind yourself to check out the results every now and then. Whether you’re rooting for athletes you watch all year long or athletes you’ve never seen before (and never will again), the Olympics has something for everyone…
Let’s just hope it’s not Zika.
Olympic Flame
While there have been many awesome Olympic flames over the years, the one in Vancouver remains my favorite. Even if it did mess up during the opening ceremony. We don’t talk about that, though. Isn’t it pretty? Does it light the fires of patriotism and athletic competition in your heart?
Olympic Flame
Rio Olympics
This stylized poster feels like ti could fit on your home screen long after the closing ceremony, with its subtle rings and beautiful layers. With the moon and the stars, it kinda takes my breath away…
Rio Olympics
Flags Collection from GaryckArntzen
Want to cheer on your country of choice? Well, they may not have every country, but these spattered flag wallpapers are messy enough for real life yet still easy enough to recognize instantly and stir some national pride within you! U! S! A! U! S! A! U! S! A! Oh, and the rest of the other countries. Go for gold!
Flags Collection from GaryckArntzen
The Olympic Pokeball by wazzy88
There’s something about the Olympic motto that makes it feel like it applies to Pokemon Training…also, this beautiful lunar Poké Ball looks like it’s ready to hold the strongest Pokémon a country can find. Which Pokémon would you want to compete in Olympic events? I’m saying Manaphy for the 100 meter freestyle.
The Olympic Poké Ball by wazzy88
2020 Olympics
The closing ceremony will be here before we know it, but never fear! There’ll be another one in four years, and guess what?! NEXT ONE’S IN JAPAN! Pardon me for a moment as I squee at the idea of being able to both see an Olympics, take in the culture of Japan, and then pop over to Tokyo Disney and die of happiness at all of the magic in there. Well, it may be four years away, but it’s never too early to start planning the trip of a lifetime, right?
2020 Olympics
How to move your Pokémon Go account to a new Android phone
Can I move my Pokémon Go account to my new phone?
Pokémon Go can be rough on a phone. Some users are realizing their battery just doesn’t cut it anymore, and some are accidentally walking into lakes. Whatever the reason for your old phone needing to be replaced, Pokémon Go players around the world are left asking a simple question about their game data: If you move from an old phone to a new Android phone — even if that old phone was an iPhone — will your game data travel with you?
The short answer is yes, and here’s how it works!
Your Pokémon Go account is tied to one of two things: a Google account, or a Pokémon Trainer Club account. That login allows you to sign in to any phone running Pokémon Go, and all of your account information will immediately be available on that phone when you do.
If you used Google to create your original account:
Tap Google under “Sign up with”.
Select your Google account from the list.
Enjoy your original account on your new phone.
If you used Pokémon Trainer Club to create your original account:
Tap Pokémon Trainer Club under “Sign up with”.
Enter your username and password.
Tap Sign in.
Enjoy your original account on your new phone.
If you accidentally created a new account when trying to log in to your new account:
Tap on the Poké Ball.
Tap Settings.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Sign Out.
Tap the correct login option under Sign up with.
Niantic made this process as simple as possible, and made it so you can quickly get back to playing Pokémon Go when you’ve moved in to a new phone. And if that new phone is an iPhone, we have a guide for that, too!
Have you recently purchased a new Android phone due to Pokémon Go?
Tell us all about it in the forums!
Pokémon Go
- Join our Pokémon Go forums!
- How to deal with GPS errors in-game
- Which team should you choose?
- How to play without killing your battery
- The Ultimate Pokémon Go Game Guide!
- Listen to the Pokémon Go podcast!
Snapchat’s racist yellowface filter lands it in hot water
Snapchat’s problems with racist image filters aren’t over yet, it seems. The messaging service tells The Verge that it has pulled a filter that was supposed to be anime-inspired, but came across as turning people into racist Asian caricatures — just look at the picture above if you need proof. Suffice it to say that the filter won’t be coming back.
Snapchat did act quickly to take the filter down. However, the incident raises some poignant questions. Why didn’t the company learn from the Bob Marley filter, which many (including us) said amounted to digital blackface? And how did Snapchat not see the problem coming when many of its employees are Asian? Although this wasn’t intentional racism, the incident suggests that Snapchat may need closer oversight of filters to prevent an uproar in the future.
.@Snapchat wanna tell me why u thought this yellowface was ok?? pic.twitter.com/sgpW4AFPsE
— grace (@tequilafunrise) August 9, 2016
Via: Dazed
Source: Mic, Grace (Twitter), The Verge
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K): What’s the rumoured difference?
With Sony announcing a special PlayStation event in New York for 7 September, it is commonly thought that we’ll finally see the company’s plans for its next generation console – a massively upgraded version of the PS4, currently codenamed PlayStation Neo.
That’s hugely exciting for gamers, but does beg several questions, especially on the build up to the holiday season when people will have cash in their pockets and a hankering for a new games machine.
Prior to the possible PlayStation Neo announcement, we’d have said the Xbox One S was a no brainer, being a faster, slimmer version of the former model and a 4K Blu-ray player to boot. But now Sony is about to unveil its plans, it could really plop a big fat fly in the ointment.
That’s why we’ve decided to look at what we know about the PlayStation Neo so far through rumours, in comparison with the already available Xbox One S, to see if you should splurge your money now or wait a bit longer.
- 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, but PS4.5 won’t be at E3 2016
- PlayStation Neo launch confirmed for 7 September
- Xbox One S review: Best console and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player out there
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): 4K HDR gaming
One thing we know for sure about the PlayStation Neo is that it will be capable of 4K gaming. PlayStation boss Andrew House effectively said as much to the Financial Times on the eve of E3. That means it will have enough graphics and processing grunt to render games in 2160p, quite possibly at 60 frames per second too.
The Xbox One S on the other hand is not capable of 4K gaming. It does upscale all video output to 4K, including games, but you don’t get anymore detail – it just takes on the upscaling duties rather than rely on your TV’s abilities.
The Microsoft machine does offer HDR (high dynamic range) gaming though. Developers can now choose to offer a great level of contrast and depth in their games, for users with TVs capable of showing them. Forza Horizon 3 a Gears of War 4 are two games coming with HDR graphics.
We’d be willing to bet our collective houses that the PS Neo will have the same support.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
One of the main reasons existing Xbox One owners would consider an upgrade to the Xbox One S is that it also doubles as a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. It is capable of playing the new format discs and in HDR to boot.
Considering Sony’s heritage in Blu-ray – being the founder of the format and that – it is nigh-on guaranteed the PlayStation Neo will have a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray drive too.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): 4K video
As well as 4K Blu-ray support, the Xbox One S is also 4K-ready for streaming services. At present, that just means Netflix in the UK, but we fully expect an updated YouTube app soon and, possibly, Amazon Video will offer 4K streams in future too.
There is absolutely no reason to think that the PlayStation Neo will be any different.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): Performance
This is where things really start to head in different directions. In effect, the Xbox One S is a slightly tweaked version of the former model. Its quad-core processing chip is clocked higher in order to run faster and offer a boost in performance, but it is fractional. RAM also runs faster too, but the most obvious improvements come with faster menu screens than in-game activities.
On the other hand, the PlayStation Neo is rumoured to sport a 2.1GHz octa-core processor and a graphics chipset with a purported 4.14 teraflops of power and GDDR5 memory running at 218GB/s.
In comparison, that’s like having a drag race between a Ferrari F12Berlinetta and an Audi A5. Yeah the Audi A5 is a lovely car… but it’s no Ferrari.
It means the Neo will be able to run games in 4K 60fps, ensuring many of the effects and graphical nuances are present while maintain smooth play.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): Design
This is almost impossible to make a judgement call on considering there are literally no details on what the PlayStation Neo will look like, but we can speculate with considered authority that it will be bigger than the new Xbox One S.
The white One S is 40 per cent smaller and thinner than its former generation, with the power supply now tucked away inside the main casing. The PS4 also has the power supply inside and is slim, but does make quite a racket when it’s hot.
Considering how powerful the PlayStation Neo’s chipset will be, we think it will run extremely hot. Hotter than the Xbox One S and PS4. That means there will need to be plenty of cooling inside.
Consider its spec is more akin to a gaming PC, then imagine how big a decent gaming rig can be thanks to sufficient cooling and you can see why we think the PS Neo will be on the beefy side.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): Backwards compatibility
It has already been confirmed that the PlayStation Neo will be backwards compatible with all PlayStation 4 games. Even brand new games will run on both of Sony’s consoles, just in a higher resolution on the new machine, and with better graphical presentation all round.
The Xbox One S is also completely compatible with all current and future Xbox One games. Several will appear with HDR graphics, but even they will run in a conventional Xbox One without the added visual flair. Microsoft has said that it’s answer to the PlayStation Neo, the Project Scorpio, will also be compatible with all Xbox One games when it comes out in late 2017.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): Price
To be honest, there is no indication yet as to how much Sony will ask for its powerhouse, flagship console. It’ll be a darn sight more expensive than the Xbox One S, that’s for sure.
We’ll update this section if and when we find out more, but for now the Xbox One S is priced at a very reasonable £249 for the 500GB model, £299 for the 1TB and £349 for the 2TB edition, although it is said that the latter is now completely sold out.
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): Release date
The Xbox One S is already in shops although, as we mentioned above, the 2TB launch edition is already reportedly out of stock. You will have to wait for the 500GB and 1TB versions instead, although we’re yet to find out when they will be available. We suspect later this month or September.
The PlayStation Neo’s actual release date is anyone’s guess at the moment. Smart money suggests it will come out in 2017, but Sony has thrown a spanner in the works by hosting its launch event on 7 September.
The PlayStation 4 was first unveiled 20 February 2013 and it hit US shops on 15 November later that year. If the Neo is to follow suit, we should expect it around the beginning to mid-June. E3 anyone?
Xbox One S vs PlayStation Neo (PS4K, PS4.5): Conclusion
Some of those already in the know would say that this was an unfair comparison from the off. The PlayStation Neo is designed to be a considerable step-up from the PS4, while the Xbox One S is more of a stop-gap console until Microsoft’s Project Scorpio comes later next year.
Indeed, Project Scorpio is the Neo’s direct peer, not the Xbox One S, and that’s where the true next-next gen battle will take place.
As it stands, the Xbox One S is an excellent console – the best currently available. And unless Sony pulls a massive shock and announces the Neo for a Christmas 2016 release, you might consider the Microsoft machine as your better bet for now. After all, it’s also the cheapest 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player on the market.
It’s worth considering that our opinion is based on the rumoured specifications of the PlayStation Neo rather than confirmed details. We’ll reassess after its 7 September debut.
