Hasta La Gadget!

After months of suggesting that China is behind high-profile hacking attempts on businesses and the US government, the US has finally laied some blame for cyber attacks directly at the feet of the Chinese government and military. The Pentagon issued a report Monday making a more direct accusation of cyberespionage perpetrated by China than it’s ever issued in the past.

The United States has long suggested that China is one of the top sources of cyber attack on the planet. China has continually denied these accusations. However, the new Pentagon report directly attributes some cyber attacks to the Chinese government and the Chinese military. The technologies that cyber attacks carried out by China target are designed to both benefit China’s defense and technology industries and to give an insight into the thought process of US policymakers.

The report says that China is using cyber attacks to support intelligence collection against the United States’ diplomatic, economic, and defense industrial base. Chinese officials have responded to the Pentagon report reiterating that the Chinese government opposes any form of cyberespionage. Chinese officials also said that the United States has a history of criticizing its “legitimate and normal defense building.”

The report issued by the Pentagon also claims that China has deployed anti-ship cruise missiles on its naval vessels. Those anti-ship missiles pose a threat to American naval vessels according to the report. Defense analysts also say that the report shows China’s military modernization is allowing it to expand its focus from Taiwan to the wider region in Asia.

[via Wall Street Journal]

US directly accuses Chinese government of cyberespionage is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

For years, winking has been the universal “come hither” gesture; now, for those flirting while wearing Google Glass, it can also grab a lasting memory of whoever caught your eye. A new, unofficial Glass app called Winky enables wink-photography, snapping an image whenever the internal camera notices the wearer specifically blinking their eye.

The tweak is the handiwork of Mike DiGiovanni, Emerging Technology Lead at Roundarch Isobar, who you might remember from yesterday’s “Bulletproof” lockscreen for securing Glass when it’s not gripping your face. Winky is an Android app that monitors the Glass user’s eye and, when they give an exaggerated blink, fires off a photo without them having to use the “OK Glass, take a photo” spoken command, or the physical shutter-release button on top of the frame.

We use “exaggerated” on purpose, since Winky doesn’t trigger when you’re blinking naturally. Instead, as DiGiovanni’s brief demo video shows, you need to make it reasonably obvious what you’re doing before the sensor picks it up.

“Winking really changes things. You might not think it’s hard to say “Ok, Glass Take a Picture” or even just tap a button. But it’s a context switch that takes you out of the moment, even if just for a second. Winking lets you lifelog with little to no effort. I’ve taken more pictures today than I have the past 5 days thanks to this. Sure, they are mostly silly, but my timeline has now truly become a timeline of where I’ve been” Mike DiGiovanni

It also required some heavy-handedness with how the internal sensor is used. Although the wink motion is already supported by Glass, it turns out Google’s software disables it if the software is a user-build. Mike had to intercept the wink ahead of anything else in order to use it as a trigger.

He’s also released the code for those lucky enough to have a Glass Explorer Edition, though you’ll need to compile it and run it as an APK before you can use it. The app also needs calibrating with your wink, too.

Photos triggered by more commonplace gestures are unlikely to go down well with the privacy advocates already worried by Glass, though at least the eyepiece kicking into action to preview the shot just taken will give some indication that an image has been taken. Still, there are calls for Google to add a notification LED to the front of Glass, to give those around the wearer a more obvious sign that the camera is being used.

[Thanks Mike!]

Google Glass Winky app takes snaps as you flirt is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Mozilla has sent out a cease-and-desist letter to Gamma International, who has been disguising commercial malware as Mozilla’s Firefox web browser. Gamma’s software uses Mozilla’s trademarks and brand to mislead consumers into thinking its product is affiliated with the company. In the properties of the fake Firefox browser, all of the information, including version number, copyright, trademark claims, and more are exactly the same as the genuine Firefox browser.

Mozilla was alerted to Gamma’s illegal activities by a group known as the Citizen Lab. The group discovered that the spyware posing as Mozilla Firefox is called either FinSpy or FinFisher, and it was sold to various governments for usage in criminal investigations. FinSpy has command-and-control servers in 36 countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, and the UK.

Gamma’s fake Firefox was used in a variety of harmful and deceitful ways. The Citizen Lab provided 3 examples of how it was used, including a spyware attack in Bahrain against pro-democracy activists, tricking the people of Malaysia by posing as a document that discusses Malaysia’s upcoming General Elections, and being demonstrated in promotional videos and brochures by Gamma itself.

Luckily for Firefox users, Mozilla assures everyone that the spyware does not infect the real Firefox. Unluckily for Mozilla, this isn’t the first time its product has been misued for the purpose of evil. Back in 2010, there were nearly 200 sites deceitfully using Mozilla’s brands for illegal activities, including distributing malware or requiring users to pay for the sites’ service. Mozilla developer Asa Dotzler’s statement back then still echoes on today, “If you’re being asked to pay for Firefox, it’s a scam.” Also, always make sure that you download Firefox straight from Mozilla, and not some sketchy site.

[via Mozilla]

Fake Firefox spreads spyware as makers Mozilla retort is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Security concerns around Google Glass and what data access those casually – or nefariously – picking up your wearable might have has prompted the first DIY lock system for the headset, Bulletproof. Resembling the standard Android lockscreen, but adding some head-detection smarts to prevent you from having to swipe in a code every time you want to use Glass, Bulletproof is the handiwork of Explorer Edition owner Mike DiGiovanni.

As others have observed, Glass lacks any sort of locking system, which means that when you’re not wearing it – or supervising it – it’s possible that anybody could pick the wearable up and start digging through your data. That’s potentially not the most worrying exploit, however; as arch-tinkerer Jay Freeman pointed out this week, with the right software and a microUSB cable, a well-placed hacker could install surveillance malware onto your Glass and joyride every app you use, every photo and video you take, and potentially even track your location when wearing the headset.

DiGiovanni’s app addresses that concern in a straightforward way. Since Glass has no keypad, it uses a combination of user-customizable swipes and taps on the trackpad on the side of the eyewear to enter an unlock code. That access then stays valid all the time you’re actually wearing Glass.

Take it off – or have it pulled off your head, whether by a thief or someone keen to try it themselves – and Glass automatically re-locks.

Since Google isn’t exactly keen on native apps running on Glass at this point, preferring web-based services that hook up through the Mirror API, you’ll need to do a little modification if you want Bulletproof on your headset. As it’s a native Android app, Glass needs to be put into debug mode, and then ADB used to install it. You can find the source on GitHub.

Glass has thrown wearables security back into the spotlight in recent weeks, as issues of privacy and data management become increasingly discussed as more of the headsets work their way into the wild. Much of the concern voiced has been about what goes on in-front of the camera, particularly since the Explorer Edition units lack any sort of clearly visible indicator that recording might be taking place. At present, only the glow of the eyepiece could be used as a sign that Glass is capturing video; some have suggested that Google should have fitted a red LED on the outside, or even a sliding cover that could entirely block out the lens.

[via LivingThruGlass]

Google Glass Bulletproof lockscreen adds unofficial wearable security is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nokia has been flirting with wireless charging support integrated into cafe tables and Virgin Atlantic lounges, but if you want seamless rejuicing at home, a DIY wireless charging nightstand may be the way forward. The handiwork of Lumia 920 owner Lobbamobba, who turns out to be pretty handy with a chisel, the 90 minute project embeds a Nokia wireless charging pad into the top of an IKEA nightstand, meaning you can power up your phone by simply dropping it in place.

The mod takes advantage of the fact that the Qi wireless charging system which Nokia relies upon operates even if there’s something in-between the pad and the phone itself. The exact distance depends on what the material is: anything from around 5mm to a few centimeters or so.

Actually fitting the pieces together is a simple case of shaving away sufficient wood in the top of the IKEA table – or, indeed, any furniture you’ve a mind to cut up – and then fixing the Nokia charger underneath. There’s some flexibility in where you can position the phone and still get it to charge, and of course the Lumia phones give a useful alert tone when they connect properly.

A second video goes through some of the technical details, including answering those who worry that an inductive charging plate mere inches from your head all night might not be such a great idea, health-wise. Best of all, it’s not Lumia-specific; numerous companies have adopted Qi, including LG for the Nexus 4, and so even if you upgrade your phone, there’s still a fair chance you’ll be able to use the same nightstand mod with it.

DIY Qi Wireless Charging Nightstand:

Nightstand mod Q&A:

Wireless charging nightstand mod injects Nokia Qi into IKEA is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.