Researchers found an insecure database thought to have belonged to Advantage Capital Funding and Argus Capital Funding. It contained over 500,000 records of personal and professional information.
Andrew Orr
Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.
Articles by Andrew Orr
Shadowserver Keeps the Web Safe. Now it Needs Help
A small nonprofit organization called Shadowserver helps keep the web safe. It scans almost the entire internet to create activity reports for network operators. It also hosts a database of 1.2 billion malware samples, freely accessible to everyone. But it needs to raise money to stay in operation.
For more than 15 years, Shadowserver has been funded by Cisco as an independent organization. But thanks to budget restructuring, the group now has to go out on its own. Rather than seek a new benefactor, founder Richard Perlotto says the goal is for Shadowserver to become a fully community-funded alliance that doesn’t rely on any one contributor to survive. The group needs to raise $400,000 in the next few weeks to survive the transition, and then it will still need $1.7 million more to make it through 2020…
I had never heard of Shadowserver but it’s clear the organization is important. You can become a sponsor to donate money here.
NBCUniversal Makes New Movies Available for Download
To combat financial losses from movie theaters shutting down due to the pandemic, NBCUniversal is making brand new movies available to download.
No, Apple Isn’t Going to Buy Disney
Disney stock is dropping and analysts like Bernie McTernan from Rosenblatt Securities think that tech giants like Apple should consider buying it.
We believe those with long-time horizons, like mega-cap companies with large cash balances and whose equity outperformed Disney over the last three weeks, like Apple, could take advantage of the volatility. The upside from acquiring Disney would be securing their content/streaming strategy and potential synergies from adding the emerging Disney ecosystem to the iOS platform.
Apple could also look into buying a private island, renaming it Island+, and forming its own country. I don’t know about you but sign me up for a squircle-shaped house.
Social Media Platform ‘MeWe’ Launches Dual-Camera Videos
MeWe, which presents itself as a privacy social network, launched dual-camera videos and a new feature called MeWe Stories.
TikTok Censors Posts by People it Deems Ugly or Poor
Chinese app TikTok told its moderators to censor posts from users deemed too ugly, poor, or disabled.
…according to internal documents obtained by The Intercept. These same documents show moderators were also told to censor political speech in TikTok livestreams, punishing those who harmed “national honor” or broadcast streams about “state organs such as police” with bans from the platform.
Apple Extends Device Return Period Over Store Closures
Apple published an FAQ that answers questions customers may have after Apple closed all retail stores due to the coronavirus.
Powerbeats 4 Coming Soon for $149
Beats made it official: New Powerbeats 4 headphones are coming soon for US$149 with an increase in battery life and the H1 chip.
‘The Uncensored Library’ Bypasses Censorship in Minecraft
Reporters Without Borders created The Uncensored Library inside of Minecraft as a way to bypass censorship.
Anyone can download the necessary map, and Minecraft‘s nature makes it easy to host another server if an oppressive country tries to take one down.
Hopefully all of us sharing news about it doesn’t kill it faster.
This Safari Extension Can Clean Links With Trackers
A Safari extension called Clean Links can automatically remove tracking parameters from URLs. Blocked trackers include UTM by Google Analytics, FBCLID by Facebook, and others. It is a random app from GitHub outside of the App Store. I uploaded it to VirusTotal and it didn’t show anything weird. But the creator also makes the source code available.
To install Clean Links you can either download the latest prebuild extension from the releases tab, or you can clone the repository and build it yourself.
I also use a shortcut that can accomplish the same thing on iOS and iPadOS.
56 Apps Spy on Your Clipboard and Apple Doesn’t Care
Researchers found 56 apps that are spying on the iOS clipboard/pasteboard, like TikTok, New York Times, Fruit Ninja, and more. There are undoubtedly many more apps engaging in this behavior. And as I wrote in February, Apple doesn’t think it’s a problem.
We found that many apps quietly read any text found in the pasteboard every time the app is opened. Text left in the pasteboard could be as simple as a shopping list, or could be something more sensitive: passwords, account numbers, etc.
Data Caps Probably Won’t Go Away Permanently
Companies are making employees work from home because of the coronavirus. In a rare show of generosity, many ISPs are eliminating data caps. But I have to disagree with Devin Coldeway. Data caps are a way to make money from customers, and I don’t think they will go away permanently. They’ll be charging us up the wazoo like old times.
Pressure from the global pandemic has broadband companies loosening the arbitrary restrictions on the connections users pay for — and this may be the beginning of the end for the data caps we’ve lived in fear of for decades. Here’s why.
France Fines Apple Over Anti-Competitive Behavior
France’s competition authority is fining Apple, saying the company engaged in anti-competitive behavior in its distribution and sales network.
Apple Music Signs New Deals With Record Labels, But Maybe Not a Bundle
Apple Music has signed new multi-year deals with top record labels like Sony Music, Universal Music, and Warner Music.
Apple TV+ ‘The Morning Show’ on Hiatus Due to Coronavirus
Apple TV+ show The Morning Show will be going on a two-week hiatus as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus.
Apple VP Rubén Caballero Leaves for a Company Called ‘Humane‘
Apple’s Vice President of Engineering Rubén Caballero has recently left for a new company called Humane, serving as a technical advisor.
Sneak Peek: Here’s How a NordVPN Server Works
TechRadar Pro teamed up with NordVPN to give people an idea of what exactly goes on inside of a VPN server. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a technology ever-growing in popularity.
The session revealed that NordVPN’s Linux servers are configured with various tools that enhance security, privacy, and authentication. FreeRADIUS is used for authentication, while the squid proxy software is also used. SaltStack is used for correct server configuration, controlling the infrastructure.
Pixelmator Updates are Coming. Here’s a Sneak Peek
On its blog today Pixelmator shared that updates for all three of its apps are coming: Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator Photo, and Pixelmator for iOS. I’m very excited to get an update to Pixelmator for iOS, it’s waaaaaay overdue. As the post mentions, two and a half years overdue. Hurry and sign up for the betas.
The answer is that, little by little, we plan to refresh and improve the app and, eventually, make it compatible with Pixelmator Pro. This is one very fundamental step towards that goal. We don’t have a timeline just yet for full compatibility and this will take a while but we’re very excited to get started on it!
iPhone Patent Reveals ‘Gaze-Dependent Display Encryption’
A new patent reveals “gaze-dependent display encryption” whereby the display would show real data to its owner and fake data to anyone else.
How Worried Should You Be About Public USB Charging Stations?
Today DuckDuckGo published a post about the risks of using public charging stations. Technology exists that lets hackers install malware via these chargers. While I personally think the risk is a bit overblown, this is an argument I think can be added in favor of a portless iPhone.
Although it has become synonymous with charging, USB technology was initially developed with the aim of transmitting data. Thus, hackers can use these public charging stations to install malware on your smartphone or tablet through a compromised USB cable. This process, called “juice jacking”, allows hackers to read and export your data, including your passwords. They can even lock your device this way, rendering it unusable.
A Database of 500 iPhones Cops Tried to Unlock
Motherboard built a database of over 500 iPhones that law enforcement have tried to unlock. Many of them weren’t able to be unlocked at all.
Out of 516 analyzed cases, 295 were marked as executed. Officials from the FBI, DEA, DHS, Homeland Security and Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were able to extract data from iPhones in investigations ranging from arson, to child exploitation, to drug trafficking. And investigators executed warrants against modern iPhones, not just older models.
As mentioned, this provides useful data instead of the usual anecdotes. You can find the database here.
Proton Apps Receive Alternative Routing to Stop Censorship
Proton apps will get new alternative routing as a way to block attempts at censorship, whether it’s by governments, ISPs, or network admins.
Comcast Just Revealed 200,000 Unlisted Phone Numbers
Comcast says it accidentally published the names, phone numbers, and addresses of almost 200,000 of its customers.
Working From Home Isn’t For Everyone, But it’s Not Overrated
Writing for ˆThe New York Times, Kevin Roose says that working from home is overrated. Is it really though? I took umbrage at the sensational headline until I came to this part (emphasis mine):
But I’ve been researching the pros and cons of remote work for my upcoming book about human survival in the age of artificial intelligence and automation. And I’ve now come to a very different conclusion: Most people should work in an office, or near other people, and avoid solitary work-from-home arrangements whenever possible.
In other words, this article is an ad for his book. Moving on. To be fair, if you tend to fall on the extroverted end of the spectrum, maybe remote work isn’t best for your mental health. But calling it “overrated” just because you don’t care for it is simplistic.