Crypto-Ransomware Encrypts Files "Offline"

An anonymous reader writes: Ransomware comes in various forms, and not all ransomware encrypts files — some just block computers until the ransom is paid. When the file encryption feature is included, the encryption key is usually sent to the malware’s C&C server, which is controlled by the crooks — but not always. Researchers have recently analyzed a crypto-ransomware sample that demonstrated an alternative method of encrypting files and delivering the key (i.e., the information required to discover the right key) to the criminal behind the scheme — it doesn’t need to contact a C&C to receive an encryption key or to send it to the crook. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Crypto-Ransomware Encrypts Files "Offline"

IT Contractors Who Let Russians Write Military Code Will Pay $12.7 Million 

Not that you need another reminder that government cybersecurity is screwed, but here we are: After a four-year federal probe, contractors will pay a combined $12.75 million in civil penalties to settle a suit alleging that they let Russian programmers write military code. Read more…

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IT Contractors Who Let Russians Write Military Code Will Pay $12.7 Million 

Sprint Faces Backlash For Adding MDM Software To Devices

itwbennett writes: On Wednesday, Sprint customer Johnny Kim discovered an in-store technician adding MDM software to his personal iPhone 6 without prior notice or permission. Kim took to Twitter with his complaint, sparking a heated conversation about privacy and protection. One expert who commented on the issue told CSO’s Steve Ragan that ‘it’s possible Sprint sees the installation of MDM software as an additional security offering, or perhaps as a means to enable phone location services to the consumer.’ But, as Ragan points out, ‘even if that were true, it’s against [Sprint’s] written policy and such offerings are offered at the cost of privacy and control over the user’s own devices.’ (MDM here means “Mobile Device Management.”) Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Sprint Faces Backlash For Adding MDM Software To Devices

Google engineer leaves scathing reviews of dodgy USB Type-C cables on Amazon

(credit: Andrew Cunningham) One particularly conscientious Google engineer, Benson Leung, is currently on an unusual mission: he’s slowly working his way through a bunch of USB Type C cables and adaptors stocked by Amazon, to check whether they are actually up-to-spec and capable of charging his Chromebook Pixel. First things first: of the ten USB Type C products that Leung has reviewed, only three of them were fully specs-compliant and capable of charging his Pixel. The three good cables (Belkin, iOrange-E, Frieq) were invariably more expensive (about £15/$20) than the seven duff ones (£6/$10). Obviously there may be some cheap cables that do fulfil the full USB Type C specification, but Leung hasn’t found one yet. One of the offending micro-USB-to-Type-C adaptors that lacks the necessary hardware to comply with the Type C 1.1 spec. The USB Type C 1.1 specification allows for power delivery of up to 3A, which is enough juice to charge a laptop like the Chromebook Pixel. Previous USB specs, though, only allowed for power delivery of between 900mA and 1.5A. According to Leung, the problem is mostly related to how the cables deal with going from older Type A or Micro/Mini connectors to the new Type C connector. Read 7 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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Google engineer leaves scathing reviews of dodgy USB Type-C cables on Amazon

YouTube rolls out support for VR video

Google CEO Sundar Pichai took to Twitter Thursday to announce that YouTube now supports VR video . The site already offers 360 degree video but has now officially added Cardboard support as well. Compatible videos will now display a Cardboard icon at the watch page menu. [Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images] Via: Sundar Pichai (Twitter) Source: YouTube Blog

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YouTube rolls out support for VR video

Workers Discover 19th-Century Burial Vault With a Dozen Human Skeletons Under Manhattan

Crews working on water mains below New York City’s Greenwich Village made an appropriately spooky find for the week after Halloween: A 19th-century burial vault containing the remains of least a dozen people. Read more…

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Workers Discover 19th-Century Burial Vault With a Dozen Human Skeletons Under Manhattan

Expedia to pay $3.9 billion for Airbnb competitor HomeAway

The short-term rental market is growing, and Expedia understandably wants a piece of it. After snapping up Orbitz and Travelocity earlier this year, it has now decided to purchase HomeAway. It’s an online service that focuses on renting out vacation homes, further intensifying Expedia’s rivalry with Airbnb. The travel empire has been displaying HA properties alongside hotels for a couple of years, but it will now completely own the company and all its brands. In its press release , Expedia admits that it has agreed to pay a hefty $3.9 billion for HomeAway, because it has “long had [its] eyes on the fast growing ~$100 billion alternative accommodations space.” Both companies are expecting to close the deal in 2016, and if they obtain regulatory approval, Expedia will pay in cash and stock worth $38.31 per share. Source: Expedia , Bloomberg , The New York Times , HomeAway , Reuters , USA Today

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Expedia to pay $3.9 billion for Airbnb competitor HomeAway

Facebook reportedly launching a standalone news app next week

According to Financial Times , Facebook will be releasing yet another standalone app. The yet-to-be-released Notify app will feature news from media partners like The Washington Post, CBS and Vogue . Users will receive alerts when one of the outlets publishes an article and it becomes available within the app. Unlike Instant Articles — which embed articles within the main Facebook app — Notify will be a one-trick pony. Both the app and in-app features are meant to reduce the load time of stories and give the social network the opportunity to become the go-to destination for news from multiple sources. If the app does emerge from the company next week, it’ll join a growing number of single-use apps the company has released over the years including, Messenger , Poke, Camera , Rooms , Slingshot , Groups and Pages . [Image credit: Shutterstock] Source: Financial Times

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Facebook reportedly launching a standalone news app next week

Facebook averaged over 1 billion daily users in September

Facebook’s growth shows no sign of stopping. Today is announced that it has over one billion users on average using it everyday . In August it announced it had passed a milestone of having one billion users on the site in a single day. By the next month that was the average. That’s a year-over-year increase of 17 percent. Monthly active users increased by 14 percent to 1.55 billion as of the end of September, an increase of 14-percent from the year before. Meanwhile the company continues to see a majority (78-percent) of its ad revenue come from mobile. In the earnings statement CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated, “we’re focused on innovating and investing for the long term to serve our community and connect the entire world.” Source: Facebook

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Facebook averaged over 1 billion daily users in September