Google Trusted Contacts Allows Users to Share Location in Real Time
Google has spent a lot of time and money on security over the last few years, developing new technologies and systems to protect users’ devices. One of the newer technologies the company has come up with is designed to provide security for users themselves rather than their laptops or phones. On Monday Google launched a new […]
Senators Say Government Failed to Answer Many Concerns on Rule 41
With three days before a change to a federal rule would alter the way that federal law enforcement agencies can seek warrants to search remote computers, members of Congress worried about the ramifications of the shift say they still are waiting for answers from the Department of Justice on how the new powers would be […]
Remotely Recording Conversations Through Headphones
As if attackers didn’t have enough methods for observing users’ actions, researchers have now developed a technique that allows them to use speakers or headphones plugged in to a PC as microphones to record victims’ discussions. The attack involves a technique called re-tasking in which the researchers changed the functionality of the audio jacks on a […]
New Bills Seek to Delay Expanded Hacking Powers Under Rule 41
As the deadline for Congress to act on a proposed change that would give federal law enforcement agencies expanded power to hack remote computers, a group of senators has introduced a bill to delay the rule change until next summer. The proposed change to Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure would allow […]
Audit of Signal Protocol Finds it Secure and Trustworthy
A group of academic security researchers has reviewed the security of the Signal protocol, which is used in the Signal encrypted messaging app as well as in many third-party apps, and found that it is both secure and resistant to attack. The review, conducted by researchers from universities in the U.K., Canada, and Australia, looked at […]
Android Patch Released to Stop Ultrasonic Tracking
The researchers who exposed the ways in which ultrasonic signals can be used to track users across devices have released a patch for Android that helps users protect themselves against the silent tracking. The patch is designed to give users more control of which apps on their devices have access to the ultrasonic spectrum, which […]
More Than Half of All Pages on Chrome Loaded Over HTTPS
After years of encouraging site owners to transition to HTTPS by default, Google officials say that the effort has begun to pay off. The company’s data now shows that more than half of all pages loaded by Chrome on desktop platforms are served over HTTPS. Google has been among the louder advocates for the increased […]
Congress Pushes Justice Department for Data on Government Hacking
A group of more than 20 members of Congress from both parties is asking the Department of Justice for details about how the government plans to use expanded lawful hacking authority that would come online in December if a proposed change goes into effect. The letter raises a number of questions about the way that changes […]
FCC Rule Forces Opt-In For Broadband Providers to Share User Data
The FCC has voted to enact a new rule that will force broadband companies to get consent from customers before they sell information about those customers’ online movements, history, and other actions. The new rule will require broadband companies to have customers opt in to the sale or sharing of their online histories as part of marketing […]