Simple Bug Exposed Verizon Users’ SMS Histories

Trailrunner7 writes “A security researcher discovered a simple vulnerability in Verizon Wireless’s Web-based customer portal that enabled anyone who knows a subscriber’s phone number to download that user’s SMS message history, including the numbers of the people he communicated with. The vulnerability, which has been resolved now, resulted from a failure of the Verizon Web app to check that a number entered into the app actually belonged to the user who was entering it. After entering the number, a user could then download a spreadsheet file of the SMS activity on a target account. Cody Collier, the researcher who discovered the vulnerability, said he decided right away to report it to Verizon because he is a Verizon customer and didn’t want others to have access to his account information. ‘I am a Verizon Wireless customer myself, so upon finding this, I immediately looked for a way to contact Verizon. I wouldn’t want my account information to exposed in such way, ‘ Collier said via email.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Simple Bug Exposed Verizon Users’ SMS Histories

How an Illegal Streaming Kingpin Makes a Living Off Piracy

If/When you download a torrent full of juicy copyrighted content (shame on you!), you’re not paying anyone; that’s part of the appeal. But there’s money to be made off sharing stuff for free, otherwise why would anyone do it? Torrentfreak sat down with a professional pirate to hear his story . It’s fascinating. Read more…        

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How an Illegal Streaming Kingpin Makes a Living Off Piracy

The Megaupload Takedown Killed At Least 10 Million Innocent Files

When Megaupload got taken down two years ago, it took a whole hell of a lot of data with it. And eventually it got obliterated . Some of it was pirate data, sure, but some was legit too. And new research shows that, at the very least, ten million innocent files got the axe . Read more…        

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The Megaupload Takedown Killed At Least 10 Million Innocent Files

The Totally True History of Video Game Graphics

Humans? Usually unappreciative and typically awful. But it wasn’t always like this! When we didn’t have fancy technology with so many features they become useless and couldn’t trap amazingness in a box in our pockets, we enjoyed the little things. Like 8-bit graphics and physical buttons and cords and cartridges. Hell, we even though the graphics were great. Now? It could be real life and we wouldn’t be impressed. Read more…        

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The Totally True History of Video Game Graphics

Apple’s recalling certain MacBook Air models over flash drive failure.

Apple’s recalling certain MacBook Air models over flash drive failure. If you purchased one between June 2012 and June 2013, a firmware update will see if your 64GB or 128GB drive needs replacing. [ Apple via GigaOM ] Read more…        

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Apple’s recalling certain MacBook Air models over flash drive failure.

Visual Studio 2013 Released

jones_supa writes “Final releases of Visual Studio 2013, .NET 4.5.1, and Team Foundation Server 2013 are now available. As part of the new release, the C++ engine implements variadic templates, delegating constructors, non-static data member initializers, uniform initialization, and ‘using’ aliases. The editor has seen new features, C++ improvements and performance optimizations. Support for Windows 8.1 has been enhanced and the new XAML UI Responsiveness tool and Profile Guided Optimization help to analyze responsiveness in Windows Store apps. Graphics debugging has been furthered to have better C++ AMP tools and a new remote debugger (x86, x64, ARM). As before, MSDN and DreamSpark subscribers can obtain the releases from the respective channels, and the Express edition is available zero cost for all.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Visual Studio 2013 Released

Standing for 3 Hours a Day on Weekdays Is Like Running 10 Marathons

We’ve already talked a lot about how sitting all day is killing us , but what you might not know is just how good simply standing for a few hours a day can be. A new study found remarkable health benefits of standing versus sitting. Read more…        

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Standing for 3 Hours a Day on Weekdays Is Like Running 10 Marathons

Microsoft Releases Remote Desktop for Android and iOS

Android/iOS: Alongside Windows 8.1, Microsoft released its Remote Desktop application today for both Android and iOS. This makes it easy to control your Windows desktop from your Android or iOS device. Read more…        

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Microsoft Releases Remote Desktop for Android and iOS

This Nearly Indestructible Data Storage Disc Will Last a Billion Years

Long term data storage is tricky. Hard discs and magnetic tapes lose their charge, CDs and DVDs are easy to scratch, and forget about punch cards . Now a student at the University of Twente has developed an optical storage system he says will survive for up to a billion years — even if you barbecue it. Read more…        

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This Nearly Indestructible Data Storage Disc Will Last a Billion Years