security

Apple says it plans to fix the exploit that lets users gain access to a passcode-locked iPhone even if they don't know the access code.

"Apple takes user security very seriously," the company said in a statement provided to CNET. "We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."

The company did not offer a timeline of when such an update would arrive, or offer guidance on any interim way to secure devices.

The hack, published last month by a YouTube user, surfaced earlier today and opens up … Read more

Some sleight of hand will allow iOS 6.1 hackers to access your phone application, listen to your voice mails, and place calls.

A YouTube video showing users how to "bypass iPhone 5 passcode" on Apple's latest iOS releases, including iOS 6.1, has been published. The person who uploaded the video shows how anyone can access the phone application on a passcode-protected iPhone.

In order to achieve the hack, users must come close to turning off the iPhone, place an emergency call, and keep their finger on the power button. CNET was able to re-create the … Read more

A zero-day security flaw in Adobe Reader and Acrobat is being exploited through a series of targeted attacks against vulnerable computers, Adobe Systems said yesterday.

In a security bulletin, Adobe confirmed that the vulnerabilities could cause Reader and Acrobat to crash, potentially opening the door for an attacker to gain control of the system.

"Adobe is aware of reports that these vulnerabilities are being exploited in the wild in targeted attacks designed to trick Windows users into clicking on a malicious PDF file delivered in an email message," the company revealed in the bulletin.

Adobe said it's … Read more

Hackers broke into several television stations' Emergency Alert Systems this week and broadcast that zombies were "rising from their graves" and "attacking the living."

While a comical hoax, security consultancy firm IOActive warns that this type of behavior is dangerous and not that hard for hackers to do, according to Computerworld. This week it's zombies, but next time it could be something that might make people really panic, such as an anthrax or terrorist attack.

IOActive says that devices used by TV and radio stations to air emergency alerts have critical vulnerabilities that make them … Read more

Bluetooth headset maker Jawbone informed its customers recently that its MyTalk service has been hacked.

In a letter to users obtained by Engadget, Jawbone wrote that it was the target of an "isolated" attack aimed at accessing user information. The company said that the hackers stole some of its MyTalk users' names, e-mail addresses, and the encrypted version of their password.

"We took immediate action to protect your login information," Jawbone wrote to its customers. "Based on our investigation to date, we do not believe there has been any unauthorized use of login information or … Read more

There's just never enough battery life on your smartphone, is there?

You need it for so many things, like informing yourself, informing others and informing some mythical creature that you're about to kill it.

This might be especially true if, say, you happen to be in a U.S. Army garrison in South Korea.

Everyone in South Korea is on smartphones nonstop. It's de rigueur.

Now, efficiency is very important to the Army. Which means it's always tempting to charge a smartphone by plugging it into a computer.

The small drawback at a U.S. Army … Read more

Microsoft is deploying a larger bunch of bug fixes this month than usual.

Next week's Patch Tuesday will address 57 different security vulnerabilities through 12 separate updates.

The bugs stretch across a range of programs, including Windows, Internet Explorer, Windows Server, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft's .Net Framework.

Five of the 12 patches are rated critical, so they're designed to patch holes that could allow someone to execute malicious code on an unprotected PC. Two of the critical patches are aimed at all versions of Internet Explorer from 6 through 10. That means all current versions of Windows … Read more

Dozens of lawsuits and investigations emerged after Facebook's initial public offering on the Nasdaq Stock Market last year. One investigation, initiated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, focused on technical errors in Nasdaq's system that inadvertently delayed trading that first day.

Now, word has it that Nasdaq may be able to settle the debacle with the federal regulators, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Sources familiar with the matter have told the Journal that Nasdaq has been in preliminary settlement talks with the SEC. If the two sides do make a deal, it will most likely … Read more

We need to talk about love.

It is a wonderful thing. It makes the world go around. But sometimes it doesn't live here anymore.

It is then that bad things can happen.

You might get cut off by your ex, your gym membership suddenly inactive. You might hear from friends that you did none of the work in the relationship. You might hear that you were mean and cruel.

On the other hand, your ex might actually be the mean and cruel one.

For you might suddenly find that your passwords, bank account numbers, and even that photo of you wearing nothing but a caring grin on a remote Indian beach will suddenly see the light of more days than are comfortable. … Read more