Vault 7: WikiLeaks reveals CIA's secret hacking tools and spy operations
WikiLeaks has unleashed a treasure trove of data to the internet, exposing information about the CIA's arsenal of hacking tools. Code-named Vault 7, the first data is due to be released in serialized form, starting off with "Year Zero" as part one. A cache of over 8,500 documents and files has been made available via BitTorrent in an encrypted archive.
The plan had been to release the password at 9:00am ET today, but when a scheduled online press conference and stream came "under attack" prior to this, the password was released early. Included in the "extraordinary" release are details of the zero day weapons used by the CIA to exploit iPhones, Android phones, Windows, and even Samsung TVs to listen in on people. Routers, Linux, macOS -- nothing is safe.
Facebook asks BBC for sexual images found in Facebook groups; calls police when BBC complies
Facebook, like just about any other social network -- and, indeed, countless websites -- is home to all manner of objectionable and even illegal content. A BBC investigation found that Facebook was failing to remove sexualized images of children from groups after they were reported, calling into question Facebook's moderating procedures. Accounts for convicted pedophiles also remained online after they were reported.
When the BBC pointed out to Facebook that less than 20 percent of the reported images were removed, Facebook asked to see the images that were being investigated. When the BBC complied with the request, Facebook reported the corporation to the police for distributing illegal images. The social network's response to the investigation has been derided as "extraordinary".
Mozilla says Trump's revised immigration Executive Order damages the global technology industry
When, shortly after his inauguration, Donald Trump signed an Executive Order blocking immigrants from numerous Muslim-majority countries, Mozilla was among those who filed an amicus brief against the move. Now the organization has spoken out against the president's revised travel ban.
While the new Executive Order drops Iraq from the list of black-listed countries, immigration is still banned from six countries, and the US refugee program remains suspended. The not-for-profit group says it "damages Mozilla, the United States, and the global technology industry", going on to say that "these restrictions are significant and have created a negative impact to Mozilla and our operations."
Twitch introduces Pulse, a Twitter copy for gamers
Just as operating systems borrow ideas from each other, the same is true of social networks -- and just about all sites and services feature social networking elements. Twitch, the streaming video platform for gamers, is copying Twitter and launching a social media feed called Pulse.
Described as "a place where streamers can post and engage with all of their followers and the greater Twitch community right from the Twitch front page", Pulse is not just about text updates, but also sharing GIFs.
Microsoft and Google increase bug bounty payouts
Keen as ever to squash any security issues and bugs that might arise in their software, both Microsoft and Google have announced increases in their bug bounty program payouts. Microsoft has doubled some awards, while Google has used others to make knowing jokes.
Two increased rewards from Google include "leet" references. Find a Remote Code Execution bug and you could bag yourself $31,337 (up from $20,000); execute "Unrestricted file system or database access" and you could earn $13,337 (up from $10,000). While Google's increases are permanent, however, Microsoft's are just temporary.
Huge database leak reveals 1.37 billion email addresses and exposes illegal spam operation
A faulty backup has inadvertently exposed the entire working database of notorious spam operator River City Media (RCM). In all, the database contains more than 1.37 billion email addresses, and for some records there are additional details such as names, real-world addresses, and IP addresses. It's a situation that's described as "a tangible threat to online privacy and security."
Details about the leak come courtesy of Chris Vickery from macOS security firm MacKeeper who -- with a team of helpers -- has been investigating since January. River City Media's database ended up online thanks to incorrectly-configured Rsync backups. In the words of Vickery: "Chances are you, or at least someone you know, is affected."
Google is helping to spread fake news with its search results and Google Home
Google stands accused of spreading fake news through the "featured snippets" feature of its search engine. The problem is made worse by the company's Google Home speaker which parrots these snippets and presents them as fact.
Perform a search on Google, and in many cases you will find that there is a box at the top of the screen that directly answers the question you asked. This is a featured snippet. The problem is that these undergo little -- if any -- vetting, and Google merely presents the top result... even if that happens to be a nonsensical article from Breitbart.
Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers support Windows, Mac and Android; Pro models hide a secret
If you were one of the many gamers who unwrapped a Nintendo Switch this weekend, there are a few little tidbits that you might be interested in. Whether you've opted for a standard Joy-Con controller, or the Switch Pro Controller there are secrets waiting to be discovered.
In the US, UK and Japan, sales of Nintendo's latest console have been impressive, so there are lot of gamers out there ready to explore the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But before you devote hours to whatever games you bought, take a look at the controller in your hand because it has more to offer than you might first think.
Facebook rolls out a Disputed label to help weed out fake news -- albeit weakly
Donald Trump may have turned the idea of fake news into something of a joke, but there is a serious problem with fabricated stories on Facebook. Conscious of the potential for not only ad revenue through clicks, but also the ability to mould the news narrative, money-seekers and those with a (usually political) agenda have become skilled in flooding the social network with sensational, scary stories that are simply not true.
Mark Zuckerberg has already talked about his desire to drive the scourge of fake news from his site, and now we can see this plan in action. It's not quite on the scale of Google's fact checking regime, but the social network will now flag up potential fake news with a Disputed label, and also provide links to sites that question the veracity of the stories in question.
Facebook is finally getting a Dislike button... in Messenger
Facebook is famous for its Like button, but there have been calls for the exact opposite for many years. People have been clamoring for a Dislike button for a long time, but the closest we've got so far is Reactions -- which at least give the option of responding negatively to something... even if it doesn't make any difference in the long run.
Now Reactions are expanding beyond the main Facebook site and appearing within Messenger. This gives users the opportunity to respond to messages -- just as they can to posts -- with a quick emoji from a pre-populated list. Best of all? There's a Dislike option!
Windows Mixed Reality arrives in Windows 10 build 15048 with a demo you can try!
From the look of the changelog for Windows 10 build 15048 that was released a few days ago to Insiders, it looked to be little more than a bug fixing release. But in fact Microsoft has already started to include references to -- and even a portal for -- Windows Mixed Reality.
We have seen reference to Windows Holographic in Windows 10 before, but this is the first time there has been anything to play with. It coincides nicely with Microsoft revealing that Windows Mixed Reality is the new name for Windows Holographic, and it gives Insiders the chance to not only see if their computer meets the recommended specs, but also to try out a Windows Mixed reality simulation.
Officials say it's time for the Great Firewall of China to ease up on censorship
The Great Firewall of China is famed for the restrictions it places on what Chinese citizens can access online. If a site provides access to news from the west, conflicts with state propaganda, or criticizes China or its ruling Communist party in any way, it is blocked. But some officials are now suggesting that it's time things changed.
The impetus is not a sudden softening of the political agenda, but a suggestion from the leading advisory body the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference that censorship is damaging China's progress in terms of the economy and science.
0patch creates a 0-day patch for Windows gdi32.dll vulnerability before Microsoft
Following the revelation of vulnerabilities in Windows, Internet Explorer and Edge by Google, and the delaying of the traditional Patch Tuesday, Microsoft security update practices have been in the spotlight. Google's Project Zero has exposed security issues that Microsoft is yet to fix, so a third party has decided to step in to help out.
A new project going by the name of 0patch has created a "0patch" for a zero-day, addressing the Windows gdi32.dll memory disclosure (CVE-2017-0038) yet to be fixed by Microsoft. As the issue is unlikely to receive an official patch until at least the middle of March, this third-party option is all that's available for now.
Vice President Pence used personal email account for state work, and it was hacked
A new report suggests that Mike Pence not only used a personal email account to handle state business, but also that the email address was hacked. The US Vice President was one of many who were very vocal in denigrating Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server in the run-up to the election.
The Indy Star says that Pence used an AOL email address to conduct public business during his time as governor of Indiana. The report also says that his email account was hacked, with a perpetrator gaining access to it in the middle of last year and sending out a fake email to his contacts.
Join the beta programs for Google Play Services and Gboard to get early access to new features
Beta software provides a great way to get a glimpse into the future and try out new features and options in apps before they reach the masses. Google has just opened up a couple of new beta programs for the Android version of its Gboard keyboard, as well as Google Play Services.
Signing up for either of these will give you access to the most bleeding edge features -- but it also means living life on the edge slightly as there is the potential for stability problems. The Google Play Services beta is quite a big one, as this is a core component of Android and used to roll out all manner of new options.
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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