Security

Can Wi-Fi let you see people through walls?

Do you really wish you had X-ray vision? Sure, it would be fun to see what your neighbors are doing behind those walls -- until you see something you wish you hadn't.

Regardless, researchers at MIT have developed a sensing technology that uses low-power Wi-Fi to detect moving people. It follows other wall-penetrating sensor tech using radar and heavy equipment.

The Wi-Vi system by Dina Katabi and Fadel Adib sends out a low-power Wi-Fi signal and tracks its reflections to sense people moving around, even if they're in closed rooms or behind walls. … Read more

Search anonymously on your phone with DuckDuckGo

If the government's PRISM program has you looking over your shoulder, perhaps you'll find yourself a little less paranoid with DuckDuckGo Search & Stories on your phone. The app was released today for iPhone and for Android.

DuckDuckGo lets you search anonymously. Unlike other search engines, it does not collect or share your personal information. Thus, should the feds request user information from DuckDuckGo, it'll have nothing to turn over.

I tried out the iPhone app and was surprised to find it's more than a simple search app. It's a blend of search and news. … Read more

FingerQ adds fingerprint sensor to Android phones

SHANGHAI, China -- FingerQ, a company based in Hong Kong, has made a series of Android cases that come with biometric fingerprint sensors for added security. The sensors don't replace the built-in security features of your Android phone (unlocking your smartphone still uses the passcode or pattern unlock), but adds another layer of protection for chats and applications.

The FingerQ system will be available as an accessory called the PrivacQ case and caters to phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, and Note 2, as well as the HTC One. The fingerprint sensor is just one part of the equation, as the company's software also needs to be installed on the handset for the system to work. … Read more

Symantec brings new Insights to Mobile Security

On Wednesday, Symantec released a new version update to Norton Mobile Security. The main focus of this release highlights Symantec's goal to prevent apps from leaking private data.

With this version comes the debut of Norton Mobile Insights, the byproduct of a massive endeavor to analyze over 4 million popular apps across various app stores to determine whether an app puts users' personal data at risk. "The issue of privacy is a complex and evolving one, for both consumers and developers," said Con Mallon, Symantec's Senior Director and product manager. Mallon believes that users are starting … Read more

Bitdefender drops the number and goes Photon on your PC

Today, Bitdefender released the 2014 version of its flagship Bitdefender Total Security product, replete with an interface redesign, adaptive technology, and noticeably absent version-number attribution.

With this year's release of Total Security comes the debut of Bitdefender Photon, an adaptive technology that aims to optimize the speed and performance of your PC as it adjusts to your computer.

Photon was actually introduced earlier in Bitdefender 2013, but since then the company has made major improvements while minimally impacting performance. Now, Photon officially becomes its own product component.

Bitdefender Total Security also introduces an online credential aid called Wallet. Not … Read more

Keep all of your log-ins secure with PasswordBox

A couple of months ago we reviewed the beta version of the surprisingly convenient online password manager from PasswordBox.com. On Tuesday, Dan Robichaud, CEO of PasswordBox, has just announced the official release of PasswordBox and introduced some new features as well as the mobile app releases for iOS and Android.

PasswordBox lets you perform one-click log-in to all of your favorite sites from previously stored accounts. Just download the client, which is available as an add-on/extension for IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Create a PasswordBox.com account and Master Password and you're ready to go. You can … Read more

Simple ways to enhance your Internet privacy

Recent disclosures of U.S. government surveillance of our phone and Internet activity have heightened interest in services that promise not to collect or share our personal information.

One such service is DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine that has seen its traffic jump since news broke earlier this month of the National Security Agency's PRISM electronic surveillance program. The Guardian's Stuart Dredge reports that DuckDuckGo's daily search count reached an all-time high of 3.1 million on June 17, well above its daily average of 1.8 million daily searches prior to the PRISM revelations.

Those numbers … Read more

ExploitShield becomes Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit

ExploitShield launched in September 2012 (covered previously by Seth Rosenblatt) with an ambitious goal: to close the yawning security gap for zero-day threats, those nasty exploits that arise upon first notice of a security vulnerability in a browser or other application before developers can fix the hole. Today, the ExploitShield technology gained a lot more visibility as it was acquired by security-software publisher Malwarebytes, whose Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software has been a Top 10 product on Download.com for many years.

As a result of the purchase, Malwarebytes has released a new beta version of the software, now called Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit. … Read more

John McAfee's (insane, NSFW) tips for uninstalling McAfee

In the past year, estranged antivirus kingpin John McAfee has been accused of being many things -- madman, drug addict, and murderer, just to name a few -- but as the video below proves, you certainly can't accuse him of taking himself too seriously.

In the very NSFW four-minute clip, McAfee slams the software he created (but has had not contact with for more than a decade, as he points out) for its tendency to update itself at the most inconvenient times and ultimately offers an, uh, unorthodox method for uninstalling it.… Read more