Popular login services have a security hole, but Facebook and Microsoft can’t fix it
The recent Heartbleed scare caused a huge stir, even though it was effectively fixed before it even happened. There are other sorts of security hole, however, which can’t be plugged so readily, and which affected companies therefore have less incentive to publicize. A researcher in Singapore, Wang Jing, claims to have uncovered a potentially serious example of this, involving the widely-used login services OAuth and OpenID. He says that he’s tried to alert major web services that rely on these platforms, including Facebook, Microsoft and Google, but they’re refusing to take responsibility for the issue.
If exploited, the vulnerability inside OAuth and OpenID could reportedly allow a malicious website to use a genuine website — such as Facebook.com — to authorize its illicit requests for personal information. Any pop-ups shown to the user, asking for their approval, would also appear to be coming from the genuine site. According CNET, Google says it’s “tracking the issue,” Facebook says it’s aware of the problem but solving it is “something that can’t be accomplished in the short-term,” and Microsoft says it can’t fix something that “exists on the domain of a third party.”
Other security analysts have corroborated Jing’s central finding, but some have described it as a “known WONTFIX” or as a fundamental problem with web security as a whole. Either way, the best advice is to be wary of following links that immediately ask you to login to Google or Facebook, and to close the tab if this happens, in order to prevent redirects. As ever, just don’t assume that the sites and services you use every day are necessarily safe — in the future, we could well look back on these years as the Wild West era of the internet.
[Image credit: Gamma Man/Flickr]
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft, Google, Facebook
Source: CNET
Activision and Tony Hawk bringing ‘Tony Hawk’s Shred Session’ to Android this Summer
Be honest, how many hours did you waste playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater while rocking out to the killer sound track? I know I spent entire days trying to spell SKATE and land those insane tricks that just wouldn’t be possible in ‘real’ life. Very soon we will be able to relive, sort of, those glory skating days with Tony Hawk’s Shred Session.
Activision and Tony Hawk have announced today that the new THSS game is coming to select iOS and Android devices later this summer. The release, and the sub-sequential screenshots, show some pretty great looking graphics and some simple swipe controls for pulling off a lipslide, 5-0 grind and plenty other tricks. You will charge of one of six modern day pro’s. Chris Cole, Aaron “Jaws” Homoki, Lizzie Armanto, David Gonzalez, Riley Hawk, and of course Tony Hawk himself)
THSS will offer up two game modes: Survival, where you need to pull off continuous tricks and combos as long as you can and Shred Sessions where you will play through traditional Tony Hawk style game objectives or go head-to-head against your friends. You can also expect shred through the Santa Monica Boardwalk and grind through the streets of London. What would a Tony Hawk game be without leveling-up and unlocking more advanced tricks?
“I‘m stoked that Activision shares my vision for an original skateboarding game on mobile,” said Tony Hawk. “It’s exciting to evolve with new technologies, and Shred Session is a whole new direction.”
The release does’t offer a concrete release date, it just mentions “scheduled for this summer.” If you want to keep up with the happening on the game then you will ave to bring yourself to their Facebook page…… Ya…. Or follow them on Instagram or Twitter at @THShredSession, which don’t look to be active right this minute.
I don’t know about you guys, but I am pretty excited for this one to land. The real question will be how they launch it. I can hope and pray that it will be $4.99 or less with no in-app purchases. I would even be ok with IAP’s so long as they don’t hinder the game play and force you to pay to move forward. Should be interesting. Anyone else excited?
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The rebuilt HD Widgets 4 starts official roll Out
Last week we alerted you guys to a beta testing version of the new HD Widgets 4 app that was scheduled to see a public release May 1st. Thankfully cloud.tv didn’t run into any hangups on keeping that target and has begun the long arduous task of updating the 800K users on the planet. So what is new? A whole heck of a lot actually. The app its self got a big overhaul while still maintaining their WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) experience.
One of the first things you might notice is a slide out navigation bar. A simple flip gives you quick access to your:
- Active Widgets
- Widget Theme Packs
- Tools / Settings
- Guides & Support
- News, links and more apps
Cloud.tv also overhauled the weather screen and fit a ton of important information within quick viewing. All the widgets also got a big layout overhaul along with new widget features that you can set depending on your theme choice.
They also started redoing their themes to give you a cleaner look and more options. What I am a bit excited about is a new theme, Kairo, that will be a bit lighter, flatter and energetic.
The Kairo theme isn’t available just yet though, cloud.tv is going to wait until the update has hit everyone’s devices first. So you can expect this to make an appearance in abut a week.
Be sure to check the Play Store for the update every so often, and if you don’t have HD widgets yet, hit the little button below and pick them up.
via Cloud.tv Blog
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OneNote updates let you start notebooks on iPhone, print on Mac
After lavishing much of its recent attention on Excel, PowerPoint and Word, Microsoft is ready to show OneNote some more love. The company has unveiled a big redesign of its iPhone app that brings simpler navigation and, at long last, the ability to create new notebooks and sections on OneDrive; you no longer have to start jotting down ideas on another device. Upgrading also brings Office Lens (already on the iPad) for digitizing real-world documents, and it’s easier to start a quick note if you’re in a hurry.
The Mac software is getting some much-needed attention, too. You can finally print hard copies and drag-and-drop photos. If you copy text, it’s much easier to preserve the original formatting. Both the iPhone and Mac updates are already available in their respective App Stores, so there’s no reason to hesitate if you use OneNote to keep your ideas in order on either platform.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via: Office OneNote Blog (1), (2)
Source: App Store, Mac App Store
Vine on the web gets sections like the app, doesn’t require log in
You could peruse Vine clips on the web since early January, but now the app’s browser-based presence is getting more of what its mobile companion offers. The new version of the site allows you to scroll through channels and curated playlists and feature clips alongside what’s trending. What’s more, you’ll be able to access the site if you haven’t logged in, sending six-second links to anyone for full-screen viewing in TV mode. Once you do log in, you can gaze at your feed, populated with content from the folks you follow. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when you’ll be able to use the web cam for your next selfie. Bummer.
Source: Vine
Can’t get enough of LeBron James? Samsung’s here to help
Listen, LeBron James is the best basketball player ever of all time. And I love everything about him. His shoes. His jerseys. His Samsung commercials. Thankfully, I now have constant access to his life and can monitor his playoff performance with the new LeBron app. I can keep a watchful eye on his meals, clothes and which color of LeBron 11s he’s wearing in tonight’s game. Stats and scores are piped in through NBA’s Game Time app, which you know is a staple on my home screen. There’s a LeBron radio station too, so I can pretend he’s on the sideline queuing up selections from Kanye in the five minutes per game he’s not on the court. Now when I leave game six early, this app will alert me to come back. Of course, this is only available if you’re wielding a Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 3, or Galaxy Note II. Because Samsung. And LeBron.
Source: LeBron (Google Play)
Beats Music finally outfits the iPad after an iOS update
Spotify and Rdio have offered iPad-friendly apps for quite some time, but Beats Music didn’t appropriately outfit Apple’s slate with its streaming service until today. Thanks to iOS update, subscribers can snag the dedicated tablet version and swipe through unique sections like Just for You and The Sentence. That’s all the new features that the update offers, but at least now streaming playlists on an iPad doesn’t require you to ogle an enlarged smartphone app to do so. Of course, we still have to wait patiently for a desktop app so we can blast Kendrick Lamar at the office without being tethered to a handset.
Filed under: Tablets, Software
Via: The Verge
Source: Beats Music
John Carmack’s former employer claims he stole tech for Oculus VR when he left
The man who co-created Doom, who co-founded id Software, and who later left id Software for Oculus VR, is being accused by his former employer of taking intellectual property with him to Oculus VR. Lawyers for id Software’s parent company, Zenimax Media, sent claims to Oculus VR stating, “It was only through the concerted efforts of Mr. Carmack, using technology developed over many years at, and owned by, ZeniMax, that [Oculus founder] Mr. Luckey was able to transform his garage-based pipe dream into a working reality.” The Wall Street Journal obtained copies of the correspondence.
Oculus denies Zenimax’s claim. The company provided the following statement:
“It’s unfortunate, but when there’s this type of transaction, people come out of the woodwork with ridiculous and absurd claims. We intend to vigorously defend Oculus and its investors to the fullest extent.”
Zenimax confirmed to Engadget that it sent claims to Oculus’ legal folks and offered us this (lengthy) statement:
“ZeniMax confirms it recently sent formal notice of its legal rights to Oculus concerning its ownership of key technology used by Oculus to develop and market the Oculus Rift. ZeniMax’s technology may not be licensed, transferred or sold without ZeniMax Media’s approval. ZeniMax’s intellectual property rights arise by reason of extensive VR research and development works done over a number of years by John Carmack while a ZeniMax employee, and others. ZeniMax provided necessary VR technology and other valuable assistance to Palmer Luckey and other Oculus employees in 2012 and 2013 to make the Oculus Rift a viable VR product, superior to other VR market offerings.
The proprietary technology and know-how Mr. Carmack developed when he was a ZeniMax employee, and used by Oculus, are owned by ZeniMax. Well before the Facebook transaction was announced, Mr. Luckey acknowledged in writing ZeniMax’s legal ownership of this intellectual property. It was further agreed that Mr. Luckey would not disclose this technology to third persons without approval. Oculus has used and exploited ZeniMax’s technology and intellectual property without authorization, compensation or credit to ZeniMax. ZeniMax and Oculus previously attempted to reach an agreement whereby ZeniMax would be compensated for its intellectual property through equity ownership in Oculus but were unable to reach a satisfactory resolution. ZeniMax believes it is necessary to address these matters now and will take the necessary action to protect its interests.”
To be completely clear, Zenimax is claiming that John Carmack took software with him to Oculus VR that he developed while still an employee at id Software (owned by Zenimax). As such, Zenimax’s laywers are telling Oculus’ lawyers to either work out a licensing deal or prepare for a legal battle.
Further, Zenimax claims that Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey “acknowledged in writing” that certain, unspecified property belonged to Zenimax. The quote also says that Zenimax attempted to work out compensation with Oculus and “was unable to reach a satisfactory conclusion.”
It’s unclear if the case will proceed to a formal legal process, but neither side sounds very friendly at the moment.
Filed under: Gaming, Wearables, Software, HD
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Microsoft won’t leave XP out of today’s major Internet Explorer security update
Late last week Microsoft announced that it had discovered a serious security flaw in Internet Explorer (versions 6 through 11!) that left users vulnerable to attack. Nefarious characters could use malicious sites to infect a target machine and even take it over remotely. Rather than wait for the regular monthly update, Redmond has decided to release a “out-of-band” update to address the issue. The update will start rolling out this afternoon around 1PM ET (10AM PT) and will quietly install if you have automatic updates turned on. If you’re stubborn and insist on updating your machine manually, we highly suggest you make it a point to download this patch today.
If you’re also clinging to your aging XP install, we have good news: Microsoft has decided to include your OS in this security update. Despite officially ending support for XP a few weeks ago, the company decided that the threat was serious enough to warrant an exception to the rule.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Microsoft
Via: Reuters (Twitter)
Source: Microsoft Security Response Center, The Official Microsoft Blog
Edward Snowden’s OS of choice, the Linux-based Tails, is now out of beta
Edward Snowden knows better than most how effectively the NSA can scope us online, so that’s why he used the Amnesiac Incognito Live System (Tails) to cover his own whistleblowing. That OS is now out of beta as version 1.0, letting you surf on most PCs while leaving zero trace of your activities. Its anonymizing apps include email and IM clients, an office suite, a web browser, image and sound editors and the infamous Tor anonymity network system. There’s no need for an installation, as it can run from a USB key, DVD or SD card independently of your existing OS, without touching your hard drives. If you’ve used the app before, the (anonymous) developers are advising you to grab the new release, as there are a host of security and bug fixes.
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software
Via: CNET
Source: Tails project
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