Author Archive
28 Mar 2015
Facebook Messenger to Integrate Apps, Businesses
Facebook Messenger to Integrate Apps, Businesses Get ready for apps and brands to invade Facebook Messenger. At its annual f8 developer conference today, Facebook revealed Messenger Platform and Messenger Business, which will allow developers and businesses to integrate with the social network’s chat service. According to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, the move will let
28 Mar 2015
Google Cloud Launcher deploys VM-based apps in a snap
Google Cloud Launcher deploys VM-based apps in a snap Google’s latest enhancement to Cloud Platform is not a new feature but a repackaging of an existing innovation. But it’s a downright useful offering all the same. Cloud Launcher is a gallery of applications that can be deployed to Google Cloud Platform with one click. Many of the
27 Mar 2015
Google WHOIS error reveals hundreds of thousands of owners’ personal info
Google WHOIS error reveals hundreds of thousands of owners’ personal info A researcher at Cisco’s Talos security group recently discovered a bug that caused some Google Apps customers to have their personal information leaked via WHOIS domain listings for more than a year. Google Apps is a popular service these days, so in this case “some”
27 Mar 2015
The FREAK HTTPS exploit: Now even easier, affects 2,000 iOS, Android apps
The FREAK HTTPS exploit: Now even easier, affects 2,000 iOS, Android apps A few weeks ago, we covered the FREAK (Factoring attack on RSA Export Keys) issue, and how building a backdoor into encryption standards more than twenty years ago isdamaging security today. A recent set of announcements has confirmed that the potential for
27 Mar 2015
Do-it-yourself healthcare is closer than you think
Do-it-yourself healthcare is closer than you think AUSTIN–Healthcare-related innovation was everywhere at South by Southwest Interactive this year. There were sessions on healthcare IT, big data, wearables, and innovative startups that are using technology to upend the status quo. For example, Tim O’Reilly gave a talk about adapting the same experience-focused approach used by companies such as
27 Mar 2015
BitWhisper: Stealing data from non-networked computers using heat
BitWhisper: Stealing data from non-networked computers using heat No matter how secure you think a computer is, there’s always a vulnerability somewhere that a remote attacker can utilize if they’re determined enough. To reduce the chance of sensitive material being stolen, many government and industrial computer systems are not connected to outside networks. This practice
27 Mar 2015
How to bring back the Start menu and button to Windows 8
How to bring back the Start menu and button to Windows 8 With Windows 10 seemingly just around the corner, Microsoft plans to fix one of its most egregious mistakes with Windows 8: the missing Start menu. By now you may know the story, as the company has gradually backtracked throughout various updates since the
27 Mar 2015
Google discovers new security holes in SSL — is the entire system fundamentally flawed?
Google discovers new security holes in SSL — is the entire system fundamentally flawed? Google has discovered that an intermediate certificate authority had issued unauthorized certificates for multiple Google domains. The problem arose because the intermediate authority, MCS Holdings, had issued certificates for the Google domains, despite not holding those domains itself. The reason it’s
27 Mar 2015
Google adds product ratings to shopping searches in Europe
Google adds product ratings to shopping searches in Europe Google added product ratings to search ads in the US last summer. Now it’s bringing them to Europe, starting with the UK, France and Germany. The ratings show up as stars and review counts on Product Listing Ads. The five-star rating system is based on aggregated
27 Mar 2015
How USB charging works, or how to avoid blowing up your smartphone
How USB charging works, or how to avoid blowing up your smartphone The tech world has finally coalesced around a charging standard, after years of proprietary adapters and ugly wall wart power supplies. Well, sort of: We’re already seeing some fragmentation in terms of the new USB-C connector, which could eventually replace USB, as well