Twitter’s 2FA Text Service Was Being Used By Governments To Track People

2FA is supposed to be a more secure way of protecting your online accounts. It adds an extra layer of security on top of your password so that even in the event your password has been figured out, the hacker won’t be able to get into your account unless they had your phone.

However, in Twitter’s case, it seems that a company that Twitter was using to send its 2FA text messages was actually secretly helping governments track people. The company in question, Mitto AG, was reportedly helping governments to secretly surveil and track mobile phones.

This is according to a report from Bloomberg in which Twitter told U.S. Senator Ron Wyden that they would be transitioning away from using Mitto’s services. This was apparently done by Mitto cofounder and chief operating office Ilja Gorelik, and the company claims that they had no involvement and were investigating the matter.

The tracking was achieved by exploiting vulnerabilities in mobile telecoms protocol Signaling System 7 (SS7), a flaw which was known since 2016 that could be used to not only track the person’s location, but read text messages or listen to calls. Like we said, 2FA is a good idea, but perhaps it’s time that companies move away from text-based 2FA and instead rely on authenticator apps or even physical security keys.

Twitter’s 2FA Text Service Was Being Used By Governments To Track People

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Mazda’s Infotainment Systems In Seattle Are Being Bricked By A Local Radio Station

There is a lot to appreciate in terms of modern day infotainment systems. Some come with large touchscreen displays, some support a variety of apps like mapping and music apps, and so on. However, being more advanced also means that it can be vulnerable to bugs which is what some Mazda owners found out.

According to a report from GeekWire, it seems that some Mazda drivers in Seattle were discovering that their infotainment units had been bricked after tuning into local NPR radio station KUOW.

This is reportedly due to the HD Radio broadcast image that KUOW had submitted. It seems that the image file was missing an extension and as a result, the infotainment’s software could not decode it and had no processes in place to handle it. This resulted in the system crashing.

For some users, this was worse as it meant that they lost Bluetooth connectivity in their vehicles, the inability to play CDs, the backup camera failed, and the USB ports lost power meaning that they could not be used to charge devices. The good news is that Mazda will be performing a “good will” repair for those affected by it, meaning that customers can take their cars back to their dealerships and it will be fixed for free.

Mazda’s Infotainment Systems In Seattle Are Being Bricked By A Local Radio Station

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Blizzard Working On A Brand New Game In An ‘Established Blizzard IP’

If you’ve been a fan of Blizzard’s games for a long time, you know that for the most part, the company’s games have mostly focused on three major IPs – Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo. Now it looks like Blizzard could be working on a new game based on either of those franchises.

This is according to a recently-discovered job listing in which Blizzard is hiring for a new Lead Content Designer. According to the job description, it calls on someone to “Champion a clear vision for mechanically and narratively interesting missions within an established Blizzard IP.”

So what IP is Blizzard referring to? Given that World of Warcraft is still ongoing, we’re not sure if Warcraft 4 is the right direction as it could result in conflicting storylines. We also know that Diablo 4 is being developed so that can’t be it either, and Blizzard’s latest franchise Overwatch has a sequel that’s also in the works, which leaves us with StarCraft.

It has been years since StarCraft 2 was released and it was in 2020 that Blizzard announced that any further development on the title like patches and new content has ceased. This has led some, including us, to believe that maybe a new StarCraft game could be in the works. However, what’s interesting is that the description suggests that it might be some kind of RPG.

We know that decades ago Blizzard was developing a StarCraft stealth game called StarCraft: Ghost, but it was ultimately cancelled. In any case, given how long Blizzard takes to develop its games, it could be a while before we find out. In the meantime, the company has also announced that they are working on a new survival game.

Blizzard Working On A Brand New Game In An ‘Established Blizzard IP’

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'Nintendo Switch Sports' brings back Wii-style bowling, tennis and more on April 29th

If you owned a Wii back in the day, you owned a copy of Wii Sports, packaged in with most versions of the console. It was both a showcase for the motion controls, an all-ages advertisement for the system and just a plain great time. Its enormous popularity has led many to ask, “will there ever be a sports game for the Switch” and in today’s Nintendo Direct we finally got an answer.

Nintendo Switch Sports is an upcoming title for the Switch that features activities like badminton, volleyball, tennis, soccer, chambara (sword fighting) and, of course, bowling. It’s a direct sequel and/or descendent of Wii Sports, featuring similar aesthetics, music and yes, customizable Miis. This time around players will use the Joy-Con controllers for the motion aspect, and the game will even include a leg strap for kicking action.

The title supports local and online play, with friends and random matchmaking. Two updates are planned after launch — the first puts in the ability to use the leg strap to play soccer, and the second will add golf to the roster of sports. As for that initial release date? Pick up this game April 29th, making it a great gift for Mother’s or Father’s Day in the US. (Parents and grandparents loved Wii Sports, after all.)

Oakland To Close 7 Public Schools Despite Protests By Community

In a narrow vote, the California city’s school board decided to close seven schools and merge others over two years in the majority Black and Latinx district.

Hulu announces Futurama revival with new episodes inbound

<img width="1280" height="720" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/futurama-hulu-1280×720.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Futurama on Hulu official promo" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="711406" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/hulu-announces-futurama-revival-with-new-episodes-inbound-09711405/futurama-hulu/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/futurama-hulu.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,810" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="futurama-hulu" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Hulu

” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/futurama-hulu-1280×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/futurama-hulu-1280×720.jpg” />Hulu caught “Futurama” fans off guard when it announced plans to revive the hit animated sitcom in a tweet published on February 9, 2022 — and yes, that means there will be new episodes. According to a report from Variety, the show is on the hook for 20 episodes and will be helmed by the series’ original creators David X Cohen … Continue reading

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Is Finally Getting Its Own DLC

It has been quite a while since we last saw a new Mario Kart game. This is because even when Nintendo launched the Switch, the version of Mario Kart that they brought to the console was simply an upgraded version of Mario Kart 8 that was originally released on the Wii U.

Honestly, we can’t say that we mind because at the end of the day, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still a pretty fun game to play, but the good news is that if you’re hankering for some new content, you’re in luck as Nintendo has officially announced new DLC that they will be releasing for the game.

According to Nintendo, “A total of 48 remastered courses from across the Mario Kart series will be coming to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as paid downloadable content! Eight courses will be released at a time over six waves by the end of 2023, which can all be played locally or online.”

This DLC will be priced at $25, but if you happen to be a paid subscriber to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, then you’ll be able to get it for free, if not you’ll have to purchase the DLC by itself. That being said, we have heard rumors that Nintendo is working on Mario Kart 9, but we have no idea when it is expected to be released.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Is Finally Getting Its Own DLC

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Microsoft Promises To Keep Call Of Duty On The PlayStation

With Microsoft announcing their plans to acquire Activision Blizzard, many have wondered what will become of future games and if Microsoft might make all of them Xbox or PC exclusive.

This is especially true for Call of Duty which is available on both Xbox and PlayStation. The good news is that Microsoft has stated that they plan to keep Call of Duty on the PlayStation.

According to Microsoft, “To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love.”

Recently, it was reported that at least three Call of Duty titles will come to the PlayStation. However, the report suggested that future titles were a bit hazy, suggesting that maybe Microsoft could eventually make them Xbox/PC exclusive.

However, this statement from Microsoft suggests that Call of Duty will continue to remain playable on the PlayStation for the foreseeable future, which is good news for PlayStation gamers. That being said, keep in mind that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard isn’t a done deal yet. There are regulatory hurdles to clear, but Microsoft’s statement might help to assuage antitrust concerns.

Microsoft Promises To Keep Call Of Duty On The PlayStation

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Apple Might Have Revealed Their Plans For A Mixed Reality Device

Image credit – Ian Zelbo

There are plenty of Apple products to be excited for in the coming months and years, but if there is one thing that we’re really looking forward to is Apple’s own mixed reality headset. This is because for the longest time ever, Apple has expressed an interest in augmented reality, so this would be the first time the company will produce hardware just for it.

Of course, these are just rumors as Apple hasn’t actually said anything yet, but it looks like the cat might be out of the bag. According to a tweet by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, it appears that based on open source code Apple pushed to GitHub and in the App Store upload logs, there is a reference made to something called “realityOS”.

It is unclear what realityOS could be referring to, but like we said, Apple’s interest in AR and mixed reality certainly leaves little to the imagination. Plus, Apple has been known to develop specific platforms for its products, like iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, just to name a few, so a realityOS doesn’t seem entirely out of the question.

The rumors are claiming that Apple could actually unveil their plans as soon as this year, so we should learn more by then, but until then, it’s probably best to take this with a grain of salt.

Apple Might Have Revealed Their Plans For A Mixed Reality Device

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'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' is getting 48 courses from older games as paid DLC

There was a mixed bag of news for Mario Kart fans during the latest Nintendo Direct. While there wasn’t any word about the next game in the long-running series, Nintendo revealed it isn’t done with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just yet.

The company is remastering courses from older games in the series and bringing them to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as paid DLC. The first batch of courses will arrive on March 18th. Next month, you’ll once again be able to race around Coconut Mall from Mario Kart Wii, Choco Mountain from Mario Kart 64 and Tokyo Blue from Mario Kart Tour and five other versions of classic courses.

Nintendo will add eight courses at a a time over six waves. All 48 courses should be available by the end of 2023. Pre-orders for the $25 Booster Course Pass open today. However, if you’re a subscriber to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, you’ll get access to the remastered courses at no extra cost. 

The company previously offered subscribers a paid Animal Crossing: New Horizons expansion as part of the plan. Expansion Pack (which also includes a library of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games) costs $50 per year for an individual plan and $80 annually for a family membership. You need either that or a Switch Online subscription to play with friends online.