Month: January 2018

AMD Is Releasing Spectre Firmware Updates To Fix CPU Vulnerabilities

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: AMD’s initial response to the Meltdown and Spectre CPU flaws made it clear “there is a near zero risk to AMD processors.” That zero risk doesn’t mean zero impact, as we’re starting to discover today. “We have defined additional steps through a combination of processor microcode updates and OS patches that we will make available to AMD customers and partners to further mitigate the threat, ” says Mark Papermaster, AMD’s chief technology officer. AMD is making firmware updates available for Ryzen and EPYC owners this week, and the company is planning to update older processors “over the coming weeks.” Like Intel, these firmware updates will be provided to PC makers, and it will be up to suppliers to ensure customers receive these. AMD isn’t saying whether there will be any performance impacts from applying these firmware updates, nor whether servers using EPYC processors will be greatly impacted or not. AMD is also revealing that its Radeon GPU architecture isn’t impacted by Meltdown or Spectre, simply because those GPUs “do not use speculative execution and thus are not susceptible to these threats.” AMD says it plans to issue further statements as it continues to develop security updates for its processors. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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AMD Is Releasing Spectre Firmware Updates To Fix CPU Vulnerabilities

Ocean waves can hurl boulders 2.5X the weight of the Statue of Liberty

That rock you see above? It’s 620 tons, over 2.5 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty. Yet some powerful wave in the North Atlantic was mighty enough to lift it out of the sea and plop it onto land. Everyday ocean waves are way more powerful than we ever thought: This is the conclusion of a fascinating paper by geoscientist Ronadh Cox and her research group . Scientists long knew there were unusually huge rocks hurled ashore around the world, but generally they assumed they’d been tossed up by tsunamis, rare tectonic events. Nope. It looks like regular ‘ol storm-waves can manage these sorts of feats. Cox and her group took a bunch of before-and-after photos of the northwest coast of Ireland around the time of a 2013-2014 storm cluster, and identified several boulders that the storms had thrown ashore. They were huuuuuuuge! No wonder Homer called Poseidon the “earth-shaker” . The paper is here online in full , and is both layperson-parsable and seriously gripping. Given that global warming is pouring evermore energy into the oceans, we’re going to need to reassess just how powerful coastal waves can get, as Cox points out in this story about her work: “Why bother with this study?” Cox knew members of the audience might be asking. If these deposits are formed by storms, then we can better understand storm dynamics and coastal processes. This information will be important as global climate changes cause storms to become more frequent and intense. The research could also help to constrain tsunami models elsewhere. “But from my perspective, it’s just cool. It’s just fun,” added Cox.

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Ocean waves can hurl boulders 2.5X the weight of the Statue of Liberty

Federal prosecutors say that Ohio man used MacOS malware that covertly operated cameras and mics and exfiltrated porn searches for 13 years

An indictment in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio’s Eastern Division alleges that Phillip R Durachinsky created a strain of MacOS “creepware” called Fruitfly, which was able to covertly operate the cameras and microphones of infected computers as well as capturing and sharing porn searches from the infected machines; the indictment alleges that Durachinsky used the software for 13 years, targeting individuals, schools, and federal agencies including the Department of Energy. (more…)

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Federal prosecutors say that Ohio man used MacOS malware that covertly operated cameras and mics and exfiltrated porn searches for 13 years

Skype is adding an option for encrypted conversations

Soon, your chats on Skype can be just as secure as conversations on Signal, the service used by US Senators. Microsoft is integrating the open source Signal protocol, used by WhatsApp, Google, Facebook and Signal itself, into test versions of Skype as ‘ Private Conversations ‘ for end-to-end encrypted communications. There are a few restrictions: You can’t turn an existing chat into a Private Conversation, and must start each one by sending a request to one of your contacts. They don’t carry over between devices, so if you switch platforms, you’ll have to send a whole new request. And finally, Private Conversations are currently available in preview only for Skype Insiders, the service’s beta tester community. Via: Windows Central Source: Signal blog , Skype: Private Conversations

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Skype is adding an option for encrypted conversations

The ASUS ‘Bezel-free kit’ is a messy multi-monitor solution

A quick trip to Asus’ off-site location at CES 2018 revealed routers, gaming PCs, the NVIDIA Big Format Gaming Display and its new bezel-hiding kit . That last one helps gamers (or productivity hounds seeking an edge) to link monitors together, while also using optics to hide the seam where each bezel meets. There are no filters, software or effects at play here — it’s simply an optical device that refracts light around the monitors’ plastic edges. So how well does it work in practice? That depends on your expectations. It’s in no way a competitor for the seamless bliss of extreme widescreen curved monitors that can truly envelop gamers in another world. But, it does hide the seam and, with time, could eventually fade into the background of many games. The blurry lines where the monitors meet aren’t that much worse than a car’s A-pillar, however, at first, they stick out considerably. We’d need an extended play session to figure out if they remain noticeable (and perhaps some tweaking to make sure each monitor is calibrated evenly.) There’s no word on how much the Bezel-free kit will cost, but it’s expected to go on sale later this year. ASUS: Bezel-free Kit is an accessory that enables gamers with multiple-monitor setups to visually eliminate the gaps where their displays connect, creating the appearance of one extra-large, wraparound monitor for a totally immersive gaming experience. Bezel-free Kit consists of vertical lenses and easy-to-attach mounts that connect the edge of each monitor at a 130-degree angle — the angle determined through extensive testing to provide the best viewing experience. An optical device that requires no software or power to operate, Bezel-free Kit uses light refraction to make the monitor edges disappear to the viewer. It provides an innovative, simple and effective method of increasing field of view and dramatically enhancing gameplay. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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The ASUS ‘Bezel-free kit’ is a messy multi-monitor solution

macOS High Sierra’s App Store System Preferences Can Be Unlocked With Any Password

A bug report submitted on Open Radar this week reveals a security vulnerability in the current version of macOS High Sierra that allows the App Store menu in System Preferences to be unlocked with any password. From a report: MacRumors is able to reproduce the issue on macOS High Sierra version 10.13.2, the latest public release of the operating system, on an administrator-level account by following these steps: 1. Click on System Preferences. 2. Click on App Store. 3. Click on the padlock icon to lock it if necessary. 4. Click on the padlock icon again. 5. Enter your username and any password. 6. Click Unlock. As mentioned in the radar, System Preferences does not accept an incorrect password with a non-administrator account. We also weren’t able to unlock any other System Preferences menus with an incorrect password. We’re unable to reproduce the issue on the third or fourth betas of macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, suggesting Apple has fixed the security vulnerability in the upcoming release. However, the update currently remains in testing. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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macOS High Sierra’s App Store System Preferences Can Be Unlocked With Any Password

Sony’s $30,000 4K short-throw projector hides powerful sound

We’ve been eying Sony’s short-throw projectors for the past few years, but they’ve always been too obscenely expensive to really take seriously. Well, that’s not changing this year. In fact, the new LSPX-A1 is actually more expensive than last year’s $25, 000 model at $30, 000. But, with that extra cost comes a major new feature: six speakers that simulate 360-degree atmospheric sound. The LSPX-A1 also looks like more of a high-end piece of furniture, with its sleek marble top and wooden shelf. Those two glass feet also act as tweeters, thanks to built-in actuators. And, of course, there’s a subwoofer hiding underneath. In a brief demo, the projector did a decent job of spitting out a 120-inch 4K image from just 9.6-inches feet away from a wall. It wasn’t astoundingly bright, but that could have been due to the less-than-ideal viewing conditions. One major downside: While it supports HDR10, there’s no Dolby Vision. In terms of sound, the six speakers easily managed to fill a small conference room which was about the size of a typical living room. But while it’s nice to have an all-in-one speaker solution, it didn’t actually sound like something that cost $30, 000. I’ve heard $500 speakers with a better sense of detail and presence. Honestly, though, this projector isn’t meant for a discerning audience — it’s for folks with money to burn. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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Sony’s $30,000 4K short-throw projector hides powerful sound

Waze’s crowd-sourced traffic info comes to Ford Sync 3 cars

In 2016, Ford wisely decided to offer Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto on all its Sync 3 infotainment system-equipped 2017 vehicles, and owners are seeing more benefits from that at CES 2018. Ford announced that it now supports Waze ‘s traffic and navigation app directly from your iPhone. After you plug it into any of the vehicle’s USB ports, the app will appear on the Sync 3 touchscreen, letting you control it from there or use voice commands. Waze, owned by Google, gathers traffic information from you and shares it, telling others if there’s a traffic jam along your route, for instance. You can be even more helpful by directly relaying unknown accidents, construction and other issues. Waze’s navigation system can then help you pick the quickest route, tell you about HOV lanes, relay your arrival time to friends and family and even find the cheapest gasoline nearby. As long as you keep your Waze iOS app updated, you’ll have the latest version on a Sync 3 car, which is one of the benefits of Ford’s wide-open system. It also unveiled Alexa support at CES 2018, giving you voice-controlled music, news and 25, 000 other skills. It’s odd that the automaker didn’t mention Waze Android support, since Google owns both Android and Waze, but we’ve reached out for more info. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

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Waze’s crowd-sourced traffic info comes to Ford Sync 3 cars

Iran’s mass protests were triggered by publication of a budget that revealed the costs of Shia evangelism

For more than a month, Iran has been rocked by mass demonstrations in its major and outlying cities, but the origin of these protests has been obscure. (more…)

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Iran’s mass protests were triggered by publication of a budget that revealed the costs of Shia evangelism

AAA is testing self-driving cars to see how safe they are

Fully autonomous cars won’t be allowed on the streets until they’re safe , but how will we know when that happens? The American Automobile Association (AAA) is trying to figure that out by testing self-driving cars powered by Torc Robotics “Asimov” system. The aim is to gather information and develop safety criteria that could be used by any company developing self-driving tech. “By creating a blueprint for automakers to follow, we hope to build public trust in technology, ” said AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah CEO Tim Condon. A recent AAA survey found that 75 percent of Americans are skeptical of self-driving cars, and as a driver-focused, independent organization, the AAA feels its well-placed to help build up that trust. Torc Robotics, meanwhile, is one of the early pioneers of self-driving, having placed third in DARPA’s 2007 Urban Challenge — back when self-driving cars were a bit more bulky . The Asimov system has been cross-country tested in more than 20 states, it notes. The non-profit AAA has historically weighed in on motorist rights and safety issues, supporting increased infrastructure spending, lower speed limits and gas tax increases. It’s aware that its business model is changing rapidly, however, with the arrival of EVs, self-driving cars and other tech. Autonomous cars, it believes, “have the potential to dramatically reduce traffic fatalities on our roadways.” The AAA even launched its own one-way car-sharing service in the Bay Area recently. “We’re acknowledging that transportation habits are changing, ” Condon said. “AAA is over a hundred years old, and we remain committed to continuously innovating in the area of traffic safety.”

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AAA is testing self-driving cars to see how safe they are