Apple, Mac computers hit by hackers who targeted Facebook

 

BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc (NSQ:AAPL - News) was recently attacked by hackers who infected the Macintosh computers of some employees, the company said on Tuesday in an unprecedented disclosure that described the widest known cyber attacks against Apple-made computers to date. Unknown hackers infected the computers of some Apple workers when they visited a website for software developers that had been infected with malicious software. The malware had been designed to attack Mac computers, the company said in a statement provided to Reuters. The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp's (ORCL.O) Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers, was used to launch attacks against Facebook (FB.O), which the social network disclosed on Friday
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The malware was also employed in attacks against Mac computers used by "other companies," Apple said, without elaborating on the scale of the assault. But a person briefed on the investigation into the attacks said that hundreds of companies, including defense contractors, had been infected with the same malicious software, or malware. The attacks mark the highest-profile cyber attacks to date on businesses running Mac computers. Hackers have traditionally focused on attacking machines running the Windows operating system, though they have gradually turned their attention to Apple products over the past couple of years as the company gained market share over Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). MadOne

Wal-Mart is Worried about Amazon

Five years ago, the world’s largest retail chain didn’t have to worry much about the world’s largest online mall. Only about a quarter of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) customers shopped at Amazon.com (AMZN), according to data from researcher Kantar Retail. Today, however, half of Wal-Mart customers say they’ve shopped at both merchants. That’s leaving the mega-retailer—which long ago bested local brick-and-mortar merchandise stores and supermarkets across America—with a massive online competitor that is too tough to ignore. Threatening Wal-Mart’s dominance are two trends: The discounter’s traditional customers—bargain hunters making less than $50,000 a year—are getting more tech-savvy, and more-affluent shoppers who began frequenting Wal-Mart during the recession are returning to Amazon as their finances improve. 

In the last year Wal-Mart has increased its investment in its online business. The company has spent more than $300 million acquiring five tech firms since May and hired more than 300 engineers and code writers in the U.S. and India. Wal-Mart is trying to improve links between its store inventory, website, and mobile phone apps so that more customers can order online and pick up their purchases at stores, which half of Web customers do already. Wal-Mart is trying Web-based shopping tactics, like its Pay With Cash program for Wal-Mart customers who don’t have credit cards. The new program allows them to reserve products online and pay cash at their nearest store. To cater to its affluent customers, Wal-Mart is selling more expensive items—for example, high-end televisions from Sony (SNE) and Samsung—only online. What's my take on all this.... shop Amazon. MadOne / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Become a Cybercriminal for Only $7

How much cash do you have on you right now? If it's $10, you could spend it on a few snacks, less than a quarter-of-a-tank of gas or maybe an album on iTunes. Or you could enter the shady, soulless world of international cybercrime. A botnet kit called "Aldi Bot" appeared about three weeks ago in underground forums, and has been selling for five Euros (about $7). The kit allows its buyers to join ranks with an existing botnet, a linked network of compromised computers used to carry out large-scale online attacks. Once a buyer enters the name of a command-and-control server — the name comes with the kit — Aldi Bot "can cause a massive glut of malware" by giving people the ability to steal passwords, remotely execute corrupted files and carry out denial-of-service attacks, say researchers at G Data Software.

(The cybercrime tool appears to take its name from the German discount supermarket chain ALDI, but is not linked to the company.) Aldi Bot's code appears based on the Zeus Trojan source code, which was leaked through underground cybercrime markets in May. G Data Software contacted Aldi Bot's creator, who said he provides personal assistance to cybercrime newbies, and even uses TeamViewer, a remote desktop sharing program, to walk wannabe criminals through the process of setting up the exploitation tool.

Offering a malware kit for such an inexpensive price "will draw virtually anyone to the dark side — either for fun or profit," G Data Software wrote. "Script Kiddies can buy this bot with their pocket money, including all updates and support." G Data Software researchers say Aldi Bot is not for sale anymore, but they expect similar (and equally cheap) malware to pop up and take its place. TechNews Daily

iPad 3 with Superfast 4G?

 

The next iPad could be the first Apple product to run on faster 4G cellular networks. In the past, people have bought 3G-capable iPads for backup in case Wi-Fi wasn't available. But if the 4G rumors are true, pricier iPads could become the norm. News of a possible 4G iPad available through Verizon and AT&T was released by the Wall Street Journal this week. 

Faster is always better in the world of tech gadgets. While speed depends on many factors, 4G can be faster than most public Wi-Fi networks and some home connections. Because video streaming and game-playing often benefit from faster connections, 4G's perceived speed advantage could move a cellular-connected iPad from nice-to-have to really-want-to-have.

 

But 4G data will cost extra. Unlike smartphones that usually require two-year data contracts, Verizon and AT&T offer monthly plans for iPads. You can buy data in a pinch, but if you don't cancel at the end of the 30-day period, you'll be billed every month until you do. Already, potential iPad 3 buyers have been salivating over rumored features, such as higher resolution displays and Siri, the voice-controlled virtual personal assistant that debuted on the iPhone 4S.

Dwight Howard Reviews the adiPower Howard 2

adidas adiPower Howard 2

Your Smartphone Is Spying on You

An Android developer recently discovered a clandestine application called Carrier IQ built into most smartphones that doesn't just track your location; it secretly records your keystrokes, and there's nothing you can do about it. Is it time to put on a tinfoil hat? That depends on how you feel about privacy. The reason for this invasive Android app seems reasonable enough at face value. Even though it's on most Android, BlackBerry and Nokia devices, most users would never know that Carrier IQ is running in the background, and that's sort of the point. Described on the company's website as software to gain "unprecedented insight into their customers' mobile experience," Carrier IQ is ostensibly supposed to help mobile carriers and device manufacturers gather data in order to improve their products. 

Security-conscious Android developer Trevor Eckhart realized, however, Carrier IQ does not give you this option, and unless you were code-savvy and looking for it, you'd never know it was there. And based on how aggressive the company has been in trying to keep Eckhart quiet about his discovery, it seems like Carrier IQ doesn't want you to know it's there either. This week, Eckhart fired back with a 17-minute long video showing in painstaking detail how much data CarrierIQ collects, effectively undercutting the company's denial. It was even logging contents of text messages! Wired posted the video on Tuesday night and cemented its status "as one of nine reasons to wear a tinfoil hat." The magazine explains how CarrierIQ even undercuts other companies' security measures. CarrierIQ and the carriers have yet to respond to the latest claims -- we're doing our best to chase them down -- but if past smartphone tracking scandals are any precedent, they could end up answering to Congress. Atlantic Wire

Nike Might Release Futuristic Marty McFly Shoe

Michael J. Fox with the Air Mag in Back to the Future

The second installment of the "Back to the Future" franchise took movie-goers to 2015, and Nike might be planning to make one high-tech prediction from that movie come true a few years early. Nope, not flying cars. Instead, Nike could be planning to release a replica of the self-lacing sneakers Marty McFly wore in "Back to the Future II." The release of the Air MAG isn't official, but Nike has sent out some pretty heavy-handed hints.

Nike Air Mag - Back to the Future

First, Frank Marshall, one of the original producers of the movies, tweeted that a big announcement was coming, followed by a hashtag with the initials "BTTF." Next, Nike sent out an invite for a press event today that hints the Air MAG might be coming. Finally, and most convincingly, Marshall tweeted again, saying we'd all "need a lot of hover boards," followed by a link to the YouTube video below, which quite obviously contains a room packed with Nike Air MAG shoes.

While the design isn't exactly in line with current trends, the "self-lacing" feature, in which the shoe automatically tightens itself around the wearer's foot, has enticed many a consumer since it wowed movie-goers in 1989. Many people have already expressed enormous excitement about the futuristic design, meaning it could be a hit for Nike. Nike filed a patent for self-tightening laces last year, suggesting the shoe may have been in development for some time now. MadOne

Acer 7-Inch Tablet Launched, Starts at $330

If you've been waiting for an Android Honeycomb tablet that's significantly cheaper than the iPad, your moment may have come. The Acer Iconia Tab A100 Android tablet launches today for $330. The Iconia Tab A100's 7-inch display is much smaller than other Android Honeycomb tablets, but it's the first Honeycomb tablet to ship with version 3.2 of Honeycomb. Android 3.2 brings improvements to the system's speed and interface, but it also makes it possible for Honeycomb to run on screens smaller than 10 inches.


Outside, the Iconia Tab has mini-HDMI, micro-USB, micro-SD card and headphone ports, but strangely it also includes a separate charging port because it won't charge via the dock connector or a USB cable like most tablets. Inside is an NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor with an integrated graphics processor and 1GB of RAM. The Acer Iconia Tab A100 is available today. The 8GB version starts at $330 while the 16GB version costs $350. Technews Daily

Text, Photo, Video can be sent to 911

Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski has announced plans to update the nationwide 911 emergency service, which will make it possible for people in emergencies to send photos, video and even texts to early responders. The ubiquity of cellphones with cameras and users who text have made it clear that emergency responders can gain valuable information in new ways. However, Genachowski said that this will require a complete overhaul of the 911 phone system because it uses an older technology that is incompatible with new forms of communication. The benefits are worth the effort, though. Pictures and video can greatly improve response to emergencies, and the system will provide more options for people with disabilities. There is even the potential to add location-based services that could make it easier to send responders to the emergency. Technews Daily

Netflix and Lionsgate UK forge streaming pact

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Netflix, in early stages of an international expansion strategy, has lined up a content partner for the United Kingdom. The subscription service has inked a multi-year, pay TV streaming deal with Lionsgate UK, TheWrap has confirmed. Lionsgate UK handles the mini-major's British operations and operates largely autonomously. The new pact follows on the heels of Netflix's stateside deal to stream episodes of Lionsgate's Emmy-winning series "Mad Men." That syndication agreement will cover all seven series of the acclaimed drama. Lionsgate has also partnered with Netflix in the past as a member of Epix. A spokesperson for Lionsgate declined to comment and a spokesperson for Netflix labeled reports of a deal, "speculation."

Having dominated the streaming market domestically, Netflix has turned its eye toward foreign expansion. It has already launched a streaming-only service in Canada. In July, it announced that it would take its offerings to 43 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, but has remained largely mum about its plans for the United Kingdom. Netflix has demonstrated a willingness to pay top dollar for digital rights to shows and movies. For example, the pact with Epix, which also involved Paramount and MGM, was rumored to cost Netflix on the level of $1 billion over five years.

New Biracial Spider-Man?

There have been plenty of upgrades to the Spider-Man franchise lately: Andrew Garfield has replaced Tobey Maguire in the 2012 movie reboot, "The Amazing Spider-Man." Over in the comic book world, the change to the Spider-Man character has been rocking the Web. Meet Miles Morales, the half-black, half-Latino teenager who takes over when (spoiler alert!) Peter Parker is killed.


Before anyone gets too upset, keep in mind that, first, the September relaunch of "Ultimate Spider-Man" is an alternate universe from the Marvel comic book series in which the original Peter Parker is alive and well. Second, these characters are just that -- not real. But try and tell that to the blogosphere. News of the new, ethnic Spider-Man rocked the Web. Searches spiraled upward in just one day on "new black spiderman," "miles morales," and this mouthful: "miles morales the multicultural spiderman." 

The creator of Miles Morales is one Brian Michael Bendis, who was inspired to develop a biracial character when he heard "Community" actor Donald Glover was campaigning for the movie role of Spider-Man. He thought, "Oh, I would so like to read that book." And then remembered that he could -- if he wrote it. The writer added, "Even though there's some amazing African American and minority characters bouncing around in all the superhero universes, it's still crazy lopsided." It seems the time for Miles Morales has come. MadOne

Flying spy drone that cracks Wi-Fi and cell data

Built by Mike Tassey and Richard Perkins, the Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform (otherwise known as the WASP) is a flying drone that has a 6-foot wingspan, a 6-foot length and weighs in at 14 pounds. The small form factor of the unmanned aerial vehicle allows it to drop under radar and is often mistaken for a large bird. It was built from an Army target drone and converted to run on electric batteries rather than gasoline. It can also be loaded with GPS information and fly a predetermined course without need for an operator. Taking off and landing have to be done manually with the help of a mounted HD camera. However, the most interesting aspect of the drone is that it can crack Wi-Fi networks and GSM networks as well as collect the data from them.

It can accomplish this feat with a Linux computer on-board that’s no bigger than a deck of cards. The computer accesses 32GB of storage to house all that stolen data. It uses a variety of networking hacking tools including the BackTrack toolset as well as a 340 million word dictionary to guess passwords. In order to access cell phone data, the WASP impersonates AT&T and T-Mobile cell phone towers and fools phones into connecting to one of the eleven antenna on-board. The drone can then record conversations to the storage card and avoids dropping the call due to the 4G T-mobile card routing communications through VOIP.

Amazingly, this was accomplished with breaking a single FCC regulation. The drone relies on the frequency band used for Ham radios to operate. Not wanting to get into legal trouble with AT&T and T-Mobile, they tested the technology in isolated areas to avoid recording phone conversations other than their own. The duo play to discuss how to build the WASP at the DEFCON 19 hacking conference.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Episode. 9: Cyrax & Sektor

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Machinima have unleashed their finale for the online series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. 

UNLV student among 16 arrested in hacking roundup

A UNLV student was among 16 people arrested Tuesday in a nationwide roundup of suspected Internet hackers accused of attacking websites of several major U.S. companies. According to the FBI, Mercedes Renee Haefer, 20, also known by the aliases "No" and "MMMM," was part of the hacker group Anonymous that authorities allege coordinated Internet attacks on websites owned by PayPal, Amazon, Visa and Mastercard.

Haefer, a journalism and media studies student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has been charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and intentional damage to a protected computer. She appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence Leavitt in Las Vegas. He released the defendant on her own recognizance but ordered her to surrender her laptop computer. Her attorney, New York-based Stanley L. Cohen, said the charges were frivolous and his client will plead not guilty. Las Vegas Review Journal

FBI raids suspected Anonymous hackers in 10 states

Internet "hacktivist" group Anonymous was the target of a bevy of early morning raids conducted at homes in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico and Ohio. FBI agents used search warrants to obtain computers and other electronics from the residences and arrested a total of 16 individuals with ages ranging from teens all the way to early 40s. Along with legal names, the indictment also notes screen names and internet monikers used by the group to communicate anonymously.

These arrests were just part of a total of 35 search warrants which were executed today as part of the ongoing investigation into the security-threatening hacking activities of the Anonymous collective. Among its various exploits, the brigade of cyber spies has been implicated in attacks on everyone from Sony to the federal government. The group has also executed web-based attacks on major credit card companies including Mastercard and Visa. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, today's arrests focused primarily on Anonymous members who waged a cyber war on PayPal. Anonymous was allegedly inspired to hack the online payment company in "Operation Avenge Assange" after Paypal refused to accept donations for Wikileaks, the well-known whistleblower site headed by Julian Assange. Anonymous' hacker cohorts, LulzSec, have taken aim at the CIA, as well as the Arizona Police Department in an effort to expose racial discrimination. Yesterday, LulzSec took credit for an attack on Rupert Murdoch's U.K. tabloid The Sun.

It wasn't immediately clear whether any of today's arrests also included members of LulzSec, but the group's Twitter feed appears to be as lively as ever. Today's actions clearly show that the federal government is no longer content to sit by while hackers have their run of the internet, but it's likely that Anonymous will respond in short order. MadOne

Snoop Dogg's - Double G Network Episode: 6

No More Privacy: Smart Meters Are Surveillance Devices That Monitor The Behavior In Your Home

Have you heard about the new “smart meters” that are being installed in homes all across America?  Under the guise of “reducing greenhouse gas emissions” and “reducing energy bills”, utility companies all over the United States are forcing tens of millions of American families to accept sophisticated surveillance devices in their homes.  Currently, approximately 9 percentof all electric meters in the U.S. have been converted over to smart meters.  It is being projected that by 2012, the number of smart meters in use will rise to 52 million, and the federal government is spending a lot of money to help get these installed everywhere.  Eventually the goal is to have these smart meters in all of our homes and if that ever happened there would essentially be no more privacy.  Once installed, a smart meter monitors your home every single minute of every single day and it transmits very sophisticated data about your personal behavior back to the utility company. So can’t we just tell the utility companies that we don’t want these stupid things?



Unfortunately, in many areas of the country you can’t.  For example, one outraged resident of California contacted the utility company and was told that if he did not consent to taking a smart meter he would receive no service. So unless you want to live “off the grid”, what are you going to do?  Can any of us really survive without electricity these days? The sad truth is that these things are being forced upon us. InfoWars / MadOne

Use Wi-Fi to Make Calls

Most people know their phones have Wi-Fi connections. But many still don't know the Wi-Fi connection can be used to make calls, even if the sound quality isn't always good.

But who's to argue with the fact that the calls are free? This can be pretty useful in areas where your carrier has little or no coverage. For example T-Mobile's UMA -- for Unlicensed Mobile Access -- works pretty well in South Korea, where the company has less coverage.

The catch is that you need a Wi-Fi connection that is pretty robust, and possibly an “unlocked” phone, though that is easier these days now that Apple sells them. At a minimum, it's handy for texting and avoiding those data roaming charges.

Security holes discovered in iPhones, iPads

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A new security hole has opened up in Apple Inc.'s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, raising alarms about the susceptibility of some of the world's hottest tech gadgets to hacker attacks. Flaws in the software running those devices came to light after a German security agency warned that criminals could use them to steal confidential data off the devices. Apple, the world's largest technology company by market value, said Thursday that it is working on a fix that will be distributed in an upcoming software upgrade.

With the security hole, an attacker can get malicious software onto a device by tricking its owner into clicking an infected PDF file. Germany's Federal Office for Information Security called the flaws "critical weaknesses" in Apple's iOS operating system.

Internet-connected mobile devices are still subject to fewer attacks than personal computer, but they could eventually prove a juicy target for hackers because they are warehouses of confidential banking, e-mail, calendar, contact and other data. Software vulnerabilities are discovered all the time. What makes the latest discovery alarming is that the weaknesses are already being actively exploited — albeit in a consensual way. 

Apple Inc. spokeswoman Bethan Lloyd said Thursday the company is "aware of this reported issue and developing a fix." She would not say when the update will be available.

Google+ Challenges Facebook With Social Network

Google Buzz and Google Wave were strikes one and two, so Google has to get it right with Google+, the search giant’s ambitious new social network.  The Google+ Project goes right after Facebook by offering multiple ways of connecting with your friends and family, including a Circles feature that lets users be more choosy about what they decide to share with specific friends. The project is currently invite-only, but we snagged a few invites and will have our first impressions soon. So what exactly is Google+? It’s comprised of four different components, Circles, Sparks, Hangouts, and Mobile. Technews Daily/ MadOne
 

 Circles


Sparks


Hangouts


Mobile