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Security

Submission + - New Credit Card Fraud Risk Found by Researchers

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Researchers from the University of Cambridge have discovered flaws in the card payment systems used by millions of customers worldwide. Ross Anderson, Saar Drimer, and Steven Murdoch demonstrated how a simple paperclip can be used to capture account numbers and PINs from so-called "tamper-proof" equipment. In their paper (PDF), they warn how with a little technical skill and off-the-shelf electronics, fraudsters could empty customers' accounts. British television featured a demonstration of the attack on BBC Newsnight. The story has been featured on The Register, The New Scientist and many other outlets.
Security

Submission + - Chip and PIN vulnerable to attack, again!

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Now-infamous University of Cambridge security researchers Ross Anderson, Saar Drimer, and Steven Murdoch, who last year showed us Tetris on a payment terminal, have now shown how a paperclip can be used to bypass the UK banks' snake-oil "tamper-resistance" in their paper at the IEEE Security and Privacy conference (PDF link). Why does this matter? Because the banks were sticking their customers with the bills when cloned cards were used, since the system was supposed to be invulnerable. Despite the banks' claims, the devices weren't even certified! The BBC featured the attack on the news last night. Hopefully this will lead to thousands of customers getting their money back.
Intel

Submission + - Is your software ready for 80-core chip?

Submitted by
prostoalex
prostoalex writes: "Dr. Dobbs' Journal is reporting on Intel getting ready to demo an 80-core chip: "That's right: Not an 8-core; this is an 80-core chip. The microprocessor manufacturer has jumped way ahead of the expected progression from dual-core to quad-core to 8-core, etc., to delve into different ways to make something as complicated as an 80-core chip actually work.""
Space

Submission + - Japan recommends scrapping moon mission

Submitted by
jonerik
jonerik writes: "This article from the Associated Press reports that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is recommending that the nation cancel its long-planned program to land ground-penetrating probes from an unmanned spacecraft known as Lunar-A on the Moon. JAXA spokeswoman Satoko Kanazawa. In the works since 1995, and originally scheduled for launch in 2004, the main holdup has been the development of the probe's two penetrators, which would have been dropped from an orbiting satellite and would embed themselves into the lunar surface to transmit seismic data and information on the internal structure of the Moon. Although the final test of the penetrators is still scheduled for July of this year, JAXA now believes that the Lunar-A mother ship has deteriorated too badly over the past decade and would require too large an investment to repair. Instead, JAXA will concentrate on perfecting the penetrator design, with an aim of selling the technology to other spacefaring nations. Although Japan has stated a desire to send its own men to the Moon sometime around 2025, JAXA's level of success in recent years can perhaps best be described as 'mixed', with two 2006 solar sail tests having failed, but two 2004 tests having been successful. In addition, two of four 2003 spy satellite launches also failed, with two more scheduled for launch in the next two months or so. Japan is currently planning launching on the Planet-C mission to Venus in 2010, the joint Japan/ESA BepiColombo mission to Mercury in 2013, and an unnamed solar sail mission to Jupiter planned for sometime after 2010."
Space

Submission + - Lost Moon landing tapes discovered

Submitted by de_smudger
de_smudger writes: For years 'lost' tapes recording data from the Apollo 11 Moon landing have been stored underneath the seats of Australian physics students. A recent search has uncovered them.

Recorded on telemetry tapes, they are said to be the best quality images of the landing (unconverted slow scan TV) yet to be seen by a public still fascinated by the early space race. These tapes were mislaid in the early 1980s on their way to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Pirate Bay and Sealand negotiating

Submitted by
Kawahee
Kawahee writes: "Coming off previous /. coverage of The Pirate Bay's intentions to purchase Sealand following it being put up for sale, The Pirate Bay has revealed on it's website www.buysealand.com that it has entered into negotiations with Sealand. From the post:
The Government of Sealand has initiated negotiation. Tomorrow, the ACFI and Government of Sealand will sit down in the SMTP chambers of the Internets to discuss the future of the micronation.
— We welcome the request and hopefully we can settle on a price. But knowing how hard non-kopimistic people can be to negotiate with, we will go with Plan B if they're not willing to meet our demands, press officer of ACFI says.
BuySealand.com is also now sporting a donation meter, and as of the 15th of January it stands at USD $13,714."
Wii

Submission + - Water contest for a Wii kills

Submitted by priestx
priestx writes: A Californian woman who took part in a water-drinking contest to win a video game system has died of water intoxication, tests have shown. Jennifer Strange had taken part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" game run by KDND 107.9 radio in Sacramento, which promised the winner a Nintendo Wii. A work colleague said Ms Strange had reported her head was hurting hours after the contest and was going home.
Nintendo

Submission + - Californian woman dies in Wii contest

Submitted by
orudge
orudge writes: "A Californian woman has died after taking part in a "Hold Your Wee For A Wii" contest run by radio station KDND in Sacramento. From the article: A work colleague said Ms Strange had reported her head was hurting hours after the contest and was going home. Ms Strange, 28, was found dead on Friday at her house in Rancho Cordova. Local assistant coroner Ed Smith said initial tests showed death was "consistent with water intoxication"."
Media

Submission + - Can robots live among us?

Submitted by HAL
HAL writes: CNET have interviewed an engineer behind the world's most advanced human-like robot, Honda's ASIMO. They ask if ASIMO will be accepted by society — and what the robot's emotional impact on humans will be. Apparently Honda has consciously made design decisions that keep Asimo divided from humans so as to remain non-threatening — these include not using a human voice for the robot, and choosing to make Asimo child-sized rather than a "big, hulking science fiction robot". Asimo seems to be watching the discussion intently, and the interviewer wonders, "Do androids dream of electric sheep?" The video is fascinating — plus there's no ads.
Programming

Submission + - IBM Cell Broadband Engine Software Development Kit

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: The recently released version 2.0 contains additional libraries and improved compiler tools. This complete Cell BE development environment, includes Linux kernel for Cell BE blades, Linux support libraries, tool chains, system simulator, source code for libraries and samples, and a new, fully-integrated installation.

Two-Stage-to-Orbit Spaceplane Program Shelved 135

Posted by Hemos from the bad-news dept.
MadMorf writes "According to this article in Aviation Week, for nearly twenty years the USAF and "a team of aerospace contractors" has designed, built and tested a two-stage-to-orbit spaceplane, which could be used for "reconnaissance, satellite-insertion and, possibly, weapons delivery". Now this highly classified project may have been shelved for budgetary reasons."

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