TorMoil flaw leaks IP addresses of Mac and Linux Tor users
If you're using Tor, you're almost certainly doing so because you're looking for privacy and anonymity. But a newly discovered critical vulnerability has been revealed in the Mac and Linux versions of the browser that means IP addresses may be leaked.
The bug was discovered by security firm We Are Segment and was reported to Tor. While a proper patch is yet to be created, a fix has been released, and Tor users are strongly advised to install it.
Twitter clarifies rules about abuse, violence, adult content -- promises a further update on November 22
Twitter seems to be fighting something of a losing battle against abuse on its platform, as well as failing to successfully clamp down on all manner of content that supposedly violates its terms of use. In its latest attempt to get things sorted, the company has -- once again -- updated its rules.
The company's latest changes specifically take in the issues of abusive behavior, self-harm, spam, graphic violence and adult content. The announcement is in keeping with Twitter's recently announced timetable for tackling abuse, as is the promise that further changes will be revealed on November 22.
iPhone X launches to lengthy queues as Apple shares hit a record high
The day that millions of people have been waiting for has finally arrived: it's iPhone X launch day. Around the world, thousands of hopeful shoppers queued up to get their hands on the latest handset.
And there was double cause for Apple to celebrate. The lengthy lines put pay to suggestions that there was little interest in the iPhone X, and the company also announced its fourth quarter earnings. The news was so good, Apple's shares soared to a record high in after-hours trading.
Android users, you may soon be able to buy audiobooks from Google Play
An APK teardown of version 8.4 of the Google Play Store app shows that there could be some exciting changes on the horizon for Android users.
Perhaps the most interesting revelation is that Google appears to be on the verge of introducing audiobooks to the store. This means that you may soon be able to ditch the likes of Audible and buy your audiobooks direct from Google -- and there could also be free audiobooks! The teardown also shows that there are new notification and app update options to come as well.
The OnePlus 5T definitely has a headphone jack
While there have -- as ever -- been endless rumors about the next handset from OnePlus, there has been very little concrete news from the company about the OnePlus 5T. Today that changes.
OnePlus has made numerous allusions to the successor to the OnePlus 5 -- including tweeting pictures of five cups of tea -- but now chief executive Pete Lau has officially spoken about the upcoming handset. He confirms that there is definitely a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Google Issue Tracker bug database found to have its own security vulnerability
Google's bug-tracking database -- the Google Issue Tracker which is known as the Buganizer System within the company itself -- had its own security holes which left it vulnerable to hackers.
Researcher Alex Birsan was able to exploit vulnerabilities so he could gain wider access to Google's database than he should have been able to. The trick was a simple matter of fooling the system into letting him register a @google.com email address that would ordinarily be reserved for Google employees.
WordPress users advised to update to version 4.8.3 following discovery of SQL injection vulnerability
Anyone running a website powered by WordPress is being told to upgrade to version 4.8.3 immediately after the discovery of a serious security issue.
The problem -- an SQL injection vulnerability -- affects millions of websites running WordPress 4.8.2 and older. In addition to installing the latest update, site owners are advised to update plugins that could be exploited.
Privacy: 'Bottom feeders' could exploit the access Apple gives developers to iPhone X facial data
With the iPhone X due to ship to those who have pre-ordered tomorrow as well as being available in stores in limited numbers, it has emerged that Apple is allowing app developers to access facial data.
Concerns have already been voiced about the privacy of Face ID and how facial data is used, but Apple responded to these saying the data remains on the iPhone X and is never sent to the cloud. But contracts seen by Reuters show that app developers are permitted to take facial data off phones, providing certain criteria are met.
Google launches Poly, a 3D object and scene library for AR and VR creators
Google has today unveiled a new library for virtual and augmented reality creators. Poly is home to all manner of 3D objects and scenes that can be dropped into apps and games.
At the moment Google says there are "thousands" of free models available to download, but the company will be hoping for this to expand massively. Poly is integrated with Tilt Brush and Blocks, and has been designed with a range of VR headsets and phone-based AR systems in mind.
LastPass reveals the threats posed by passwords in the workplace
Passwords are fundamental to modern life, both at home and at work. In the workplace, the security of passwords is paramount, and ensuring that employees are taking matters seriously is an important part of safeguarding any business.
A new report by LastPass -- The Password Exposé -- reveals the threats posed, and the opportunities presented, by employee passwords. The report starts by pointing out that while nearly everyone (91 percent) knows that it is dangerous to reuse passwords -- with 81 percent of data breaches attributable to "weak, reused, or stolen passwords", more than half (61 percent) do reuse passwords. But the real purpose of the report is to "reveal the true gap between what IT thinks, and what's really happening."
Apple releases macOS 10.13.1 and iOS 11.1 to add new emoji and patch KRACK... for some
Apple has pushed out the latest updates to macOS High Sierra and iOS. macOS 10.13.1 and iOS 11.1 include a range of bug fixes, and also herald the arrival of a new batch of emoji.
The two relatively minor updates also address the recently-discovered KRACK security vulnerability. But while the WPA2 patch will be welcomed by many people, it is not available for all iPhones and iPads, meaning that large numbers of people will be left exposed.
Google announces Fast Pair to speed up Bluetooth pairing for Android
Google has announced Fast Pair, an update to Bluetooth connectivity that speeds up the process of connecting a Bluetooth device -- such as headphones -- to an Android phone or tablet. It's an idea that's not entirely dissimilar to the technology used by Apple to connect AirPods to iPhones.
Using a combination of BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) for advertising and discovery, and traditional Bluetooth for pairing, the focus is on speed and security. It's compatible with devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above, and it's part of Google Play services 11.7+.
eBay launches Image Search option and AI-powered Find It On eBay tool
A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. When you're searching for something on eBay, it can be hard to find quite the right turn of phrase to track down precisely what it is you mean. To help overcome this problem, eBay has now launched a new Image Search option.
The feature lets you take a photograph of an object -- or upload an image they already have --and use it to search for similar items that are for sale. This is just one of two new tools that eBay has launched to make it easier to find exactly what you're looking for without having to think about how a seller might have described it.
YouTube ripping sites MP3Juices.cc and YtMp3.cc block users from the UK
There are lots of sites and tools out there that can be used to rip content from YouTube, saving them either as videos or MP3s. Predictably, this is something that the content owners -- record labels in particular -- take issue with.
YouTube-MP3 recently shut up shop following pressure from the music industry, and a number of MP3 ripping sites were lined up as the next targets. Apparently pre-empting any legal action that might be taken against them, MP3Juices.cc and YtMp3.cc have started to block traffic from the UK.
Transparency: Facebook to force political ads to disclose funding sources
Ads on Facebook have been something of a controversial subject for some time now -- particularly with suggestions of Russian attempts to influence the outcome of the US presidential election. In its latest attempt to have a more transparent ad platform, the social network has announced a series of measures that will help people understand more about advertising.
All ads -- not just political ones -- are to be subject to extra transparency, with a new View Ads link making it possible to view all the ads a particular advertiser has placed. Political advertiser will face more stringent requirement. They must not only verify their identity, but also publicly disclose the source of funding for their ads.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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