40886957
submission
mspohr writes:
From a recent article in Slate:
"In the shadowy world of electronic surveillance, tactics used by law enforcement agencies are rarely revealed. But now an international protocol about how to best monitor and track people online has been disclosed for the first time—offering a unique insight into covert police methodology."
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has just released a report which details a protocol for tracking suspects online.
http://www.unodc.org/documents/frontpage/Use_of_Internet_for_Terrorist_Purposes.pdf
These include: "first, by obtaining data and “cookies” stored by websites like Facebook, Google, eBay and Paypal; second, by obtaining location data from servers used by VoIP Internet phone services (like Skype); then, by conducting a “smart analysis” of these data before moving on to the most serious and controversial step: intercepting communications, exploiting security vulnerabilities in communications technologies for “intelligence-gathering purposes,” and even infecting a target computer with Trojan-horse spyware to mine data."
These methods are usually considered secret so it is unusual that they have been published in this UN report.
31971613
submission
mspohr writes:
From DemocracyNow!
National Security Agency whistleblower William Binney reveals he believes domestic surveillance has become more expansive under President Obama than President George W. Bush. He estimates the NSA has assembled 20 trillion "transactions" — phone calls, emails and other forms of data — from Americans. This likely includes copies of almost all of the emails sent and received from most people living in the United States. Binney talks about Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act and challenges NSA Director Keith Alexander’s assertion that the NSA is not intercepting information about U.S. citizens.
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/4/20/whistleblower_the_nsa_is_lying_us
31916143
submission
mspohr writes:
"tethr builds products and services that connect people to the world, enabling the collection and distribution of critical data. The tethr Platform supports the open integration of crisis response applications. Ultimately, tethr establishes a robust communications ecosystem, deployable instantaneously, anywhere on Earth."
From the BBC article (http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120413-communicating-in-a-crisis/1)
"What he and his team have come up with is a package of hardware that fits into a case about 6in-long, 4in-wide and 3-in tall (15cmx10cmx7.5cm). It contains the hardware necessary to connect to the net via satellite modem, wi-fi, 3G, ethernet and even dial-up. It also comes with OpenBTS, an open-source GSM messaging box and platform. This prototype runs with a version of the open-source operating system Ubuntu Linux. The software could be tailored to any situation, but right now, Huslage has it loaded up with a database, VOIP software similar to Skype, Ushahidi, and Open Street Map. The user interface, Huslage says, is like a webpage, and is designed to allow the user maximum control over what type of connections to use for certain tasks, and also giving simple instructions on how to, say, point the satellite modem in the right direction."
More information:
http://blog.ushahidi.com/index.php/2012/03/26/untethered-hardware-connectivity-in-a-crisis/
http://newschallenge.tumblr.com/post/19450685278/tethr-evolving-networks
http://gnuradio.org/redmine/projects/gnuradio/wiki/OpenBTS
31583217
submission
mspohr writes:
Looks like that didn't take long. As soon as the Justice Department announced a lawsuit against Apple and several publishers, Amazon will be going back to its old cheaper eBook pricing that they were forced to abandon when Apple and the publishers introduced "agency pricing".
From the article (NYT semi-paywall):
"As soon as the Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it was suing five major publishers and Apple on price-fixing charges, and simultaneously settling with three of them, Amazon announced plans to push down prices on e-books. The price of some major titles could fall to $9.99 or less from $14.99, saving voracious readers a bundle. "
28126576
submission
mspohr writes:
On Thursday, Google launched Android Design, a website created specifically to help aid developers in the creation of applications for ICS. The site offers a comprehensive visual to third-party application developers, giving suggestions on everything from how to implement different visual elements to overall back-end patterns for the OS itself.
In theory, it will help developers better understand just how the Android team thinks about layout and implementation, while simultaneously giving suggestions to interaction designers on how to maintain visual integrity. Basically, it will help both first-time developers and Android veterans make apps look less crappy.
“We haven’t really had a style guide,” Duarte says. “We haven’t really given you a lot of guidance on how to migrate your application from a phone, perhaps, to a tablet. We’ve done so only by example.”
22574274
submission
mspohr writes:
New DNA analysis shows that most non-African modern humans have Neanderthal genes. Neanderthals thrived in Europe until the arrival of modern homo sapiens sapiens about 30,000 years ago. There is now solid evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans. Only African modern humans are pure homo sapiens sapiens. The rest of us have Neanderthal genes.
http://the-scientist.com/2011/07/19/neanderthal-dna-in-modern-humans/
So... the next time you call someone a "Neanderthal" you may just be right.
19249454
submission
mspohr writes:
Eben Moglen is in the NYT ( http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/nyregion/16about.html) for the FreedomBox Foundation ( http://www.freedomboxfoundation.org/ ) which is an attempt to "Decentralize the Internet so Big Brother Can't Find You". The events in Egypt have shown that in spite of the Internet's inherent decentralized design, it can be subject to government control.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/technology/16internet.html
The FreedomBox is an attempt to improve decentralization by the use of small plug servers running a free software stack.
Looks like an interesting and useful project.
16028798
submission
mspohr writes:
"Just hours after Apple released iOS 4.1 to great fanfare, hardware hackers found a way to jailbreak devices that run the new operating system. More surprising still, there doesn't appear to be anything Steve Jobs can do to stop them in the near future. The exploit in the boot ROM of iOS devices was first announced by iPhone Dev-Team member pod2g. It was soon confirmed by other hackers, who said that because the exploit targets such a low-level part of the operating system, Apple won't be able to stop jailbreakers without making significant hardware changes."
15916678
submission
mspohr writes:
"Despite a seemingly stout business plan, and all the financial, social, and educational benefits it would bring, the FCC's just turned down M2Z's application for a coast-to-coast free wireless broadband system. The FCC is known to have heard complaints about M2Z's plan from existing wireless carriers. Though M2Z's network would've operated at under 1 mbs peak speeds--meaning it was very slow by today's standards, and probably snail-like by tomorrow's--its free pricing may well have tempted many folks away from spending cash with an established ISP. Those carriers are now reported to be pleased with the FCC's decision, though they argue it's in line with the greater National Broadband Plan. Whenever that actually gets off the ground."
This is obviously a commercial battleground and I am sure that there is lots more to this story...
632532
submission
mspohr writes:
In a news article from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich http://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/archive_articles/080417_WiFi_location_spoofing/index_EN
"The System Security Group, led by Professor Srdjan Capkun, at ETH Zurich's Department of Computer Science (D-INFK) has demonstrated that positions displayed on any device using a new self-localization system can be falsified, and so are unsuitable for security or safety-critical applications. But the group also proposes mechanisms that could potentially address the problem."
The Skyhook system is used by iPhone, iPod touch and others.
500910
submission
mspohr writes:
Internet Business Law Services reports: http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1968
"Software designed specifically to aid Muslim terrorists hide their identities and location while online has been released in an updated version, according to security analyst Paul Henry of Secure Computing. He says the program is named Mujahideen Secrets 2, and claims it is "the first Islamic program for secure communications through networks with the highest technical level of encoding." Henry, VP of technology evangelism at Secure states that until recently al-Qaida didn't pose a credible threat on the Internet because of its reliance upon outdated technology. But having now developed modern encryption tools, the entire equation is changed. Equally disturbing is the fact the new jihadist program is being distributed via servers based in the U.S. — in Tampa, Florida."
It's available at http://www.ekhlaas.org/ (... but this site doesn't seem to work very well.)
I wonder if this software is any good?... or should they just stick with standard open source security tools?
64964
submission
mspohr writes:
For years, FOSS advocates have had to explain that "free" software is not the same as free beer. However, now they can have free (libre) beer too!
A Copenhagen brewer is offering free beer http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/12/2 9/PM200612295.html
Like free software, this beer recipe can be copied and bottled with the same label as the original. "Free Beer means that anyone in the world can brew it using the same recipe, bottle it with same labels, sell it, and keep all the profits for themselves." The brewer did this as a protest against copyright law. "He says doesn't like how corporations have so much power over ideas and intellectual property." The interview has a quote from Richard Stallman himself extolling the
Unfortunately, the beer itself is not free... it costs the same as any other beer... sorry about that... "Well, free as in free speech, not as in free beer."
35379
submission
mspohr writes:
Slashdot readers take a lot of abuse about matters of sex (or lack thereof). A South African company has taken one small step that may help readers past an extremely awkward moment.
Fast condoms http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6120914.stm can be applied in as little as one second. This eliminates the fumbling and distraction that can dim passion.
More information from the maker: http://www.prontocondoms.co.za/index.htm (only available in South Africa now but this idea has legs (so to speak)!
