Microsoft is giving the highest bounty to hackers and security experts if they find vulnerabilities and exploits in its new Windows 8.1, a major update to Microsoft’s latest operating system. Valid submissions of serious vulnerabilities that come also with ideas to defend Windows will be able to get the BlueHat bonus which is $50.000 but they very hard to find. It is clear that Microsoft is very serious about security, they also give up to $11.000 for Internet Explorer 11 preview in Windows 8.1 preview. Preview means that it is beta version and it is not yet finalized to be released. Microsoft is the first company to give bounty for hacking software in beta version and it is doing it to ensure that their stable release will be as secure as possible.
Pot Pigs: The new definition for party animals
Washington legalized marijuana about a year ago and people found many usages, some of them really unique. A pig farmer feeds his pigs with marijuana, cannabis leaf trim. Customers say that the meat tastes ‘more savoury’ and they even make pre-orders to taste it. The Pop Pigs, as he calls them, eat marijuana during the last two months of their lives. According to the farmer, pigs gain weight faster with this unusual diet of cannabis leaf, vodka and beer. His customers love the flavor of the fat and they keep coming for more. He even noticed that the pigs get stoned and they are lying around, similar to human stoners. I would taste this bacon if I had the chance !
Chrome vulnerability allows hackers to access your web camera
There are several ways for hackers to gain access to your computer but they need to somehow install a malware on your computer. Some times people make it easier for them, they install software with vulnerabilities and hackers can gain access to their computers by exploiting those vulnerabilities. In this way they skip the first part, to find a way to install their malware to your system. Many internet users have Google Chrome as their default web browser. Are you one of them? Guess what? you are vulnerable and hackers can access your web camera.
Windows Stores to Best Buys
Microsoft is moving on many fronts, after the announcement of Office Mobile to iPhone Microsoft announced a new partnership with Best Buy to put Windows Stores to their locations. The total numbers of Windows Stores is 600, 500 in U.S and 100 in Canada. It is basically Microsoft stores where users will be able to see and try several devices and services. Microsoft will try to show that using its products make the life of the user easier and more productive. Among the products there will be Windows based PCs, tablets, Windows phones, Xbox and Microsoft Office. I am very curious to see how all this will affect the sales of Windows 8 and Windows Phones.
Microsoft Office for iPhone
Microsoft and Apple are competitors but from time to time Microsoft ports its solutions to Apple’s operating systems. The most popular product is Microsoft office and they announced Office Mobile for iPhone. The application is going to be free for the users that have Office 365 subscription. This will allow iPhone users to open, edit and share their documents through the app. It is a good deal for both companies and their users. It is nice watch companies from time to time working together. It is worth to mention that Microsoft has Apple shares since the beginning, when Bill Gates and Steve Jobs started those big tech giants. Microsoft created several ads saying that Google Docs are not for professionals and they mess with the formatting.
Mobile malware can be activated with sound, light or vibration
I like to read and get informed about vulnerabilities and malicious software for mobile devices. There are news on that field every day and those are the ones that are public. I can’t imagine what else is not known due to the fact that are not yet published or are found by black hat hackers and remain secret. University of Alabama’s researches have published a research paper with the title “Sensing-Enabled Channels for Hard-to-Detect Command and Control of Mobile Devices”. In this paper they show that it is possible to activate a malware hidden in your mobile device with sound, light or vibration.
Malicious iOS charger
People are getting more and more suspicious when downloading applications to their devices and hackers now try to gain access through hardware. Mobile users usually prefer something cheaper that is suitable with their device instead on the expensive original peripheral and/or accessory. Researchers have created a custom iPhone charger that can infect any iOS device with malware. They said that all users and all iOS devices are affected by this malicious charger. If this wasn’t enough, attackers hide their malware like Apple does with its build-in applications and users can’t uninstall it.
Windows zero day vulnerability allows SYSTEM access to all Windows versions
I read about exploits for all operating systems but this one really scared me. Security researchers found a zero day vulnerability in the Windows core that when exploited gives SYSTEM access to all supported versions of Windows so far. This includes Windows 7 with latest updates and Windows 8. Microsoft confirmed the vulnerability and I hope that they are working on a fix. A vulnerability that is more than 20 years old, in my Country it can legally drink alcohol, drive a car and vote! It sounds like a hackers holy grail and in wrong hands it can make a lot of harm.
France Dreams of Free Software Digital Age
France has so much respect for its cultural industry, including the ones produced in this digital age. In order to further improve and preserve the works of its artists, the government has made various steps as forms of protecting their culture. One proposal that is receiving so much attention is Mission Lescure, a study commissioned by the government and led by Pierre Lescure, the former CEO of the French broadcast group Canal+. This study aims to fight commercial counterfeiting and protect French cultural works, including music. It also suggests CSA as the new watchdog that will replace Hadopi. Its task will be to enforce antipiracy regulations and serve as vanguard for all “cultural and audiovisual media, linear as well as non-linear.”
Authorities need Apple to decrypt iPhone data
Authorities seize digital devices and they want to use the data inside them to find evidence. Some times they can’t decrypt the data and in case of iPhone they ask Apple to decrypt the data for them. In fact, the number of those cases is so big that Apple has a waiting list for them. I don’t think even Apple can decrypt the data as the algorithms used in such devices are not that easy to crack but they don’t have to either. If someone, and in this case Apple, bypass the security lock can gain access to all your unencrypted data. It is believed that Apple built a backdoor to its OS to gain access to any device for whatever reason. Apple then sends the unencrypted data back to the police and they use it to catch bad guys or put them into jail. Some times it is scary how easy it is to unlock a phone, even if it is the company who created its operating system.