Remember how we told you about that some of the world’s most sensitive infrastructure hardware could be vulnerable by simply searching for them on Google? Well now we hear that even your car can be compromised with the right gear, as a group of security experts showed at Black Hat in Las Vegas. By setting up their own GSM network (granted not an easy task) the group was able to unlock and then start a Subaru SUV.

What they did was to capture authentication messages sent from the control server to the car. Once they had these in hand they were able to send commands to the car using an Android based smart phone and that was pretty much it.

As more and more of the world goes wireless you have to worry about what security is (and can honestly be put) in place to protect from this type of attack. It is not uncommon for banks to run wireless as a backup (that is still open and in a passive state) many security cameras will operate over 3G now as well. With the SCDA vulnerability and one I have recently heard of that affects banking applications on both Android and the iPhone you have to wonder just who is in charge of keeping these things safe?

Source Engadget

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There are times when companies just forget about the impact to consumers. Most times these little oversights are caught and removed before the products or services are dropped on the unsuspecting consumers. Still there are times when these things get pushed out because the company in question is too big or too arrogant to believe they can’t do what they want.

A good example of this is Google Street View. There is nothing like a free service that allows anyone to see your home, the cars you drive etc. Google even had the temerity to send their cars onto clearly marked private roads.

Now let’s move forward to today, Facebook wants to put facial recognition software into their API to quickly tag people in photographs. The problem is that this software collects data about the people in the pictures. There is also no easy way to remove this data by the user. Facebook thinks that collecting this and other data is ok (as it is not in violation of any US law which are notorious for not protecting privacy or fair usage). However, Facebook did not count on some very strict (as they should be) privacy laws in Germany. Germany has actually declared the new feature illegal and is going after Facebook to disable the feature and to remove all data collected by the service.

I only wish that there were laws this protective of the average citizen in the US.

Source Fudzilla

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In what has to be humorous to those of us that called this last year (yes I was one of them) it has now come out that HTML5 is more full of holes than your average sieve. According to a study out now it appears that HTML5 opens up some serious risks including allowing malicious code to execute cross-domain APIs, ClickJacking, Frame impersonation and worse. One of the problems is that HTML5 (like many other things from Apple) is not compatible with other standards on the net. Some of the “security” features that exist on to prevent cross scripting and window framing (where you put a frame inside a legitimate window to execute malicious code) are rendered useless by the technology in HTML5.

Other items that are bundled into the code are vulnerabilities that allow a service to register itself as a content handler without notifying the user, and a caching API that can be skimmed to collect user information (location, time of last visit and possible the actual page visited) in much the same way that Google’s Chrome browser can. In all there are some 50 Vulnerabilities that were listed in the report which is of serious concern considering Apple’s push to put this technology in place. Perhaps Apple feels that they can ignore these and continue on with their charmed life, or that their OS would be impervious to any threats. No matter the cause, considering Steve Jobs’ impassioned rants about Adobe and how their products are security risks it is more than a little amusing.

Source The Inquirer

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Not all that long ago (about a year to be exact) I engaged in a little online debate with someone about LTE Vs WiMax. At the time I was told that LTE was better and that WiMax would be a losing battle. I agreed with the comment about speed, but hastily added that MiMax is not a losing battle. You see the problem is that people often misunderstand that WiMax and LTE are not different hardware technologies (at least not on the backbone) but differ in the protocols used to push the data across that hardware. Clearwire was aware of this when they built their network; they knew that they could get WiMax out now and still shift over faster and for less money than the much of the competition can get LTE off the ground.

The down side is that Clearwire waited too long to start the conversion and have lost quite a bit of money on this deal. Of course they also could have had contractual restrictions that required them to reach a certain level of loss before they could make the shift in existing markets (read Sprint/Nextel)… that is pure guess work on my part but I have heard of worse in business. No matter what the reason the thing is that Clearwire is going to make the switch and will start in their existing markets to make the shift less costly and also to start off building revenue on the investment.

Now we have to figure out if the existing Radios inside the current handsets can be “flashed” to support the LTE protocol.

Source CNET

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Ok I thought this was pretty cool. While cruising around I stumbled across this hack for the Balance Board that comes with the Nintendo Wii Fit game. It seems some people with a lot more time on their hands than the rest of us (but with some serious brain power) came up with a way to use the Wii Balance board to literally “walk” through Google street view. This inspiration came after a seven hour marathon of modding.

They did have to use OSX and some extra Java applications to communicate back and forth but the end result look very promising. I am willing to bet the Executives at Nintendo are drafting letters and offers as I am typing.

Source Engadget

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FREMONT, CALIF., USA – August 3rd, 2011 - Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage, and enthusiast computer products, today expanded their new line up of SATA III solid-state drives with the launch of its new Pyro line powered by SandForce’s® new SF-2281 SSD processor. The Patriot Memory Pyro series raises the bar on what’s expected from performance class SSD drives delivering enterprise-like performance to consumer desktops and notebooks.

The Pyro series utilizes the new SandForce® SF-2281 processor enabling it to eclipse previous mid-tier SSD performance scores with up to a blazingly-fast 550MB/s sequential read and up to 515MB/s sequential write speeds provided through a SATA 6.0 Gb/s interface. The Pyro series will feature a standard 2.5-inch form factor for compatibility with notebooks and select desktops and will ship with the latest 3.1.9 firmware

The Patriot Memory Pyro will continue to aggressively expand on what consumers can expect out of performance class solid state drives.” Says William Lai, Patriot Memory’s Product Manager. “With near enterprise level performance by utilizing the new SandForce® SF-2281, coupled with Patriot Memory's reputation; Pyro will deliver unmatched price per performance."

General details

• New Patriot Pyro series SSDs
• 60GB, 120GB, & 240GB capacities
• SandForce® SF-2281 SSD processor
• SATA 6.0 Gbps interface
• Up to 550MB/s sequential read speeds
• Up to 515MB/s sequential write speeds
• Up to 85K 4K random write IOPS
• TRIM Support

About Patriot Memory

Patriot Memory designs, manufactures and markets high performance, enthusiast memory modules, flash products, and computing technologies. Patriot products have become world renown for their extreme performance, reliability and innovation. Patriot Memory sells its products through original equipment manufacturers, retailers, e-tailers and distributors throughout the world with operations in North America, Asia and Europe. Patriot Memory LLC was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Fremont, California, USA.

All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler – Immense Power and Control


Chino, California – August 2nd, 2011 - Cooler Master, an industry leading chassis, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer, unleashes the overwhelmingly powerful Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler. Striking a delicate balance between cooling potential and noise, the Hyper 612 PWM outperforms all-in-one liquid coolers and high-priced counterparts alike while maintaining minimal noise levels.


Innovative design and materials

The Hyper 612 PWM CPU Cooler is designed for optimum heat dissipation at low fan speeds thanks to wider fin gaps, a PWM fan with a special fin blade design, and a precise heat pipe layout that directs each of its six heat pipes across CPU "hot zones". Employing this unique heat pipe layout allows the heat pipes to multiply into twelve virtual heat pipes that cool the hottest parts of the processor.


Easy installation of fans and dual fan design options

Break the bonds that tie you to wire clips and fan screws with the included quick-snap brackets. With these brackets changing, adding, and cleaning fans becomes a simple matter of a few moments to remove and reattach everything. Those with more extreme cooling needs may attach an optional second fan with the extra included quick-snap fan bracket. The Hyper 612 PWM comes equipped with a high performance PWM controlled fan that can be adjusted via BIOS or OS-based motherboard tuning applications. Be it overclocking or stock speeds, PWM enables the included fan to become a versatile cooling option that tailors noise and performance to any need.




Specifications

Product	Hyper 612 PWM
Model	RR-H612-20PK-R1
CPU Socket *	Intel Socket LGA1366 / 1156 / 1155 / 775 AMD Socket AM3 / AM2+ / AM2
Dimension	140 x 128 x 163 mm (5.5 x 5 x 6.4 inch)
Heatsink Dimension	136 x 100 x 163 mm (5.4 x 3.9 x 6.4 inch)
Heatsink Material	Copper base / Aluminum fins / 6 Heatpipes
Heatsink Weight	806g (1.78 lb)
Fan Dimension	120 x 120 x 25 mm (4.7 x 4.7 x 1 inch)
Fan Speed	600 – 2000 RPM ±10%
Fan Airflow	24.9 – 82.9 CFM ±10%
Fan Air Pressure	0.3 – 2.7 mm H2O ±10%
Fan Life Expectancy	40,000hrs
Bearing Type	Long Life Sleeve
Connector	4-pins
Noise Level	9 - 36 dBA
Rated Voltage	12 VDC
Operating Voltage	6 – 13.2 VDC
Rated Current	0.22A **
Input Power	2.64W
Fan Weight	104g (0.23 lb)

* For the latest CPU support information, please visit our website.
** Tested and certificated under a safety current of 0.37A.

About Cooler Master
Cooler Master was founded in 1992 to provide the world’s best thermal solutions. Since its establishment, the company continues to invest in product development to provide leading-edge innovations. Cooler Master’s line-up includes heat sinks, fans, chassis, power supplies and computing accessories. Headquartered in Taiwan with branch offices located across Europe, America and APAC, Cooler Master offers unsurpassed service to our customers. For more information on Cooler Master, please visit www.coolermaster.com.

Cooler Master at Quakecon & PAX Prime 2011


Chino, California – August 2nd, 2011 - Cooler Master, an industry leading chassis, thermal solution, peripheral, and accessory manufacturer will be showcasing its new line-up of professional gaming grade hardware and peripherals at Quakecon, a free annual computer gaming convention, held from August 4th to August 7th in Dallas, Texas. Cooler Master will also be in attendance at PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) Prime, an annual festival for tabletop, console videogames, and PC gamers, held from August 26th to August 28th.


Those in attendance, at either event, will be able to experience our highly-rated CM Storm Sirus True 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset, our much anticipated CM Storm Spawn Claw-Grip Gaming Mouse and many other award-winning chassis, power supplies, and peripherals. In addition, Cooler Master will be partnering at one or both events with NVIDIA®, ZOTAC®, and Bigfoot Networks™ for expanded giveaways and exciting interactive events.

We invite you to visit booth 243 at Quakecon and booth 131 and 135 at PAX Prime to learn more.

About Cooler Master
Cooler Master was founded to provide the best thermal solutions to our customers worldwide. Since its establishment a decade ago, we continue to invest in product development in order to provide leading-edge innovations to people and businesses. Cooler Master’s enclosure technology line-up includes heat sinks and fans, chassis, power supplies, function panels and accessories. Cooler Master has its headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, with global branch offices located in Europe, America and APAC, so that we can offer to our customers the best service in time. For more information on Cooler Master, please visit www.coolermaster-usa.com.

Not that long after Windows XP hit the market a very handy little flaw was found (one of many) that would be the start of a great love/hate relationship with this OS. Even today with Windows XP holding a only a little more than 50% of the PC market the venerable OS accounts for more than 60% of rootkits and something like 80% of the known malware and viruses. What does this have to do with mobile phones? Well is goes something like this; when you buy a mobile phone it comes preinstalled with the OS (usually some derivative of Linux). This OS allows you to setup some rather weak security (a reversible password for screen access). However underneath there are usually two accounts that everything runs on. There is the root account which is the master admin account and has rights to do just about anything. Then there is a mobile user account. This is the account that the UI and all applications run under. The problem? Well every phone out there from each manufacturer uses the same passwords for each (this may actually differ a little between handsets depending on the manufacturer). Yup that is right, if I can guess or hack the root password on one phone; I know them all for that line.

This handy little flaw has been shown on Apple, HTC, Google, Samsung (and just about all Android Phones). Where this becomes important is during application installation. It is during that time that some installers will (or can) access the root account of the phone. If a piece of malware written for your phone OS does this then you can be in a world of trouble.

CA Technologies has been tracking a new brand of malware for the Android platform. It started off by just logging the details of incoming and outgoing calls, but now has moved into actually being able to record these calls and transmit them back to a central server. The days of just installing any app that catches your eye is gone (it never really should have existed anyway). Now more than every Smart Phone users need to be careful what they allow their apps to do. As an extra precaution grabbing a mobile security app like Lookout or Similar for that extra level of protection is a good idea. Just like XP what we think of as secure, turns out to be full of holes after all.

Source and picture CA Technologies

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