data

Around one in a million computer encryption keys are faulty and could be compromised according to researchers. While it sounds like an obscure issue, it could be exploited by security agencies at both friendly and hostile governments. The problem is ... with the RSA encryption that's widely used for online security. It works by users having two security keys (lengthy codes), one public and one private. The public key is used for encrypting data, while the private key is needed to decrypt it. The system also allows users to "sign" encrypted messages so that recipients know the supposed sender is ... (view more)

One of the world's largest libraries has been hit by a major ransomware attack. It's an example of an increasingly common "double-dip" attack. The attackers have not simply encrypted the British Library's files until they receive a payment, which is ... the usual core ransomware goal. Instead, they are threatening to auction off sensitive employee data seized in the attack. The library has an estimated collection of up to 200 million items, including a copy of every book published in the United Kingdom. It's also a key research facility for historians. Among other systems, the library has an ... (view more)

The latest update for iPhones has switched on sensitive tracking, even for users who've actively switched it off. It appears to be a bug rather than conspiracy but users may want to check their settings. The change comes with iOS17, the latest ... version of the operating system, which started rolling out last week. It should eventually come to most models of iPhone released in the past five years. The problem is with two settings on the iPhone, namely iPhone Analytics and Significant Locations. A small minority of users have spotted the settings switched back on after the update, even though ... (view more)

An increasingly prevalent method of seizing control over an individual's iPhone and permanently locking them out of the device is causing concern. As outlined in a recent report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), certain iPhone thieves are exploiting ... a security feature called the recovery key. This technique makes it exceedingly difficult for owners to access their photos, messages, and other data. Disturbingly, some victims have reported unauthorized access to their financial apps, resulting in drained bank accounts. (Source: wsj.com ) How the iPhone Recovery Key Exploit Works It's important ... (view more)

The FTC is asking the public whether facial "age estimation" is a smart way to make sure games companies don't break privacy rules for children. The tool would be used to check the age of adults giving consent, not to check the age of the player. ... The proposal originally caused some major confusion as it comes from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which rates games for age suitability in a similar way to the Motion Picture Association's movie ratings. However, this proposal has nothing to do with checking whether somebody is old enough to play a game. Instead, it's to do with ... (view more)

5G data use drains batteries quicker than 4G connections, according to new research. However, improved performance in newer processors could make up the difference. The figures come from Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, which measures broadband ... connections. Its worth nothing that the sample group in the study may not be representative of the overall 5G population, as those who use the Speedtest service are typically interested in the speed of their connections. Ookla spotted the difference when analyzing data originally collected to compare the performance of different Android processors ... (view more)

Researchers say smartwatches could predict people getting Parkinson's disease up to seven years before they developed symptoms. The next steps could be as much an ethical challenge as a technical one. The finding came from researchers who looked at ... data from the UK's Biobank project. That's a database that tracks anonymized health data from half a million volunteers. The idea is that the sheer amount of data makes it easier to spot patterns and connections between different health factors and conditions. As part of the project, just over 100,000 people agreed to wear a smart watch for a seven ... (view more)

An app for spying on a partner or employee has been hacked. It means victims of the spying could face further data security threats. LetMeSpy is what the makers call a "parental control" and "employee control" and what critics call "stalkerware" or ... "spouseware". Once installed on a phone, it lets the person who installed it remotely access text messages, call logs and precise location. (Source: techcrunch.com ) The marketing is somewhat inconsistent with what the company says its intended use is for, suggesting people might put it on their own phone so that they can find the phone when lost, ... (view more)

Researchers say a feature in a jogging and running app called Strava makes it possible to track down a user's home address. However, they make a pretty weak argument about how plausible and successful an attack would be. Strava lets users track ... their fitness activities, including running routes. Since 2018, the app has included a "heatmap" feature that shows areas where a lot of users are active. The idea is to let people spot well-used running routes that may be useful for their needs. The feature has already been criticized after it revealed routes used by US military personnel on foreign ... (view more)

Amazon has reportedly talked with mobile operators about a plan to cut cellphone service costs for Amazon Prime subscribers. The deal could mean customers getting service for $10 a month or even being a "free" part of the Prime subscription. ... Bloomberg broke the story, citing inside sources. Amazon says it doesn't currently have plans to add wireless to Prime but didn't deny having had talks. (Source: bloomberg.com ) According to the report, Amazon is currently speaking to T-Mobile and Verizon, along with Dish Network which is trying to establish itself in the cellphone industry. Amazon is ... (view more)