Antbleed, The Bitcoin Backdoor
Catalin Cimpanu writing at Bleeping Computer, regales us with the tale of Antbleed, a newly discovered tidbit of backdoor code found on Bitcoin mining devices. Oops.
The IoT Chain →
Meanwhile, in troubling IoT news, a paper (published by the IACR) entitled "IoT Goes Nuclear: Creating a ZigBee Chain Reaction" & authored by Eyal Ronen, Colin O’Flynn, Adi Shamir and Achi-Or Weingarten (a Weizmann MSc student); we find - perhaps - the ultimate ZigBee nightmare... Today's Must Read (and while your're at it, check out the video to round out your day). Thanks and Tip O' The Hat
Webroot, The Latest SNAFU →
Iain Thomson, writng at El Reg, reports on Webroot's latest SNAFU. I'll leave it to his illustrative prose to tell the tale.
DDoS Attackers Offer Customer Loyalty Points →
via El Reg's John Leyden, comes the astonishing tale of the commercialization of crime - in this case, DDoS attacks; and don't miss the Loyalty Points! Today's Must Read.
Microsoft Owned LinkedIn Creepy New Bluetooth Feature →
Further proof that the End-Of-The-World-Is-Near: Microsoft Corporation's (NasdaqGS: MSFT) LinkedIn just released a new update for the Company's already slightly-suspicious mobile app that permits Bluetooth connectivity (for location tracking) to fellow LinkedIn members. Reportedly, the feature does not require the app to be running... What could possibly go wrong?
Suit of Bose →
News of an interesting privacy related lawsuit, via Fortune writer Jeff John Roberts, is now swirling around personal electronics manufacturer Bose Corporation. Apparently, collecting data (and a viloation of the so-called Wire Tap Act (Codified in 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2522)) - through a companion app to the company's best-in-class noise canceling headphones, and the misuse thereof, is the gist... Stay Tuned. Hat Tip
"The complaint accuses Boston-based Bose of violating the WireTap Act and a variety of state privacy laws, adding that a person's audio history can include a window into a person's life and views. "Indeed, one’s personal audio selections – including music, radio broadcast, Podcast, and lecture choices – provide an incredible amount of insight into his or her personality, behavior, political views, and personal identity," says the complaint, noting a person's audio history may contain files like LGBT podcasts or Muslim call-to-prayer recordings." - via Fortune writer Jeff John Roberts
Google Complicit In Fake Google Maps Site Listings? →
Is Google Inc. aka Alphabet Inc (NasdaqGS: GOOG) complicit in the enormous numbers of fake links (of which, redirect users to false and/or fraudulent sites) in Google Maps? Of course they are, as, by definition, they own it. What's worse, the company possesses the in-built capability to police those links to protect it's users, but does not - in reality - do so.
Ad Blocker Data Leakage →
Reportedly, there is a method to identify users through the utilization of ad blocking browser plugins and applications. Not particularly surprising, given the already intrusive nature of advertising in general...
MOAAB* →
via Vice's Motherboard writer Jason Koebler, comes this bad-news-for-advertisers screed detailing the work of Princeton and Stanford researchers to corral said ad-miscreants... The research team has crafted a computer-vision-based ad-blocker, that is reportedly 100% efficient in it's intended purpose. Phenomenal.
* Mother of All Ad Blockers