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BetaNews.Com (13 non lus)

EA Games server compromised, breach targets Apple IDs

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 10:19pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Nothing on the internet is safe these days. Even point-of-sale systems in stores we regularly shop in can be accessed and stolen from -- witness Target to name only one recent high profile example. However, when it comes to computers, some users see Apple as more secure. While that may be a result of simply being less targeted, there is also nothing that the company can do to protect people from themselves.

Security firm Netcraft, which boasts customers that include British Telecom, Microsoft and Cisco, has detailed a sneaky new attack. EA, the popular game maker, has had one of its servers compromised so it can host phishing attacks that target Apple IDs.

Worse, it seems that EA was running outdated software that enabled the malicious activity. "The compromised server is used by two websites in the ea.com domain, and is ordinarily used to host a calendar based on WebCalendar 1.2.0. This version was released in September 2008 and contains several security vulnerabilities which have been addressed in subsequent releases", the researchers announce.

This will not simply steal your data. As indicated by the word "phishing", it attempts to trick the user into voluntarily handing over the information. However, once the user name and password has been entered, the system proceeds to fleece the user of identification and credit card information.

Netcraft also warns that external server compromisation such as this is sometimes representative of further internal breaches seeking to poach stored data from the company.

This is not the first time EA has been targeted, as its Origin servers were also attacked in January. Netcraft claims it has blocked access to the compromised sites it found on the server and warned EA of the issue. However, it also cautions "the vulnerable server -- and the phishing content-- is still online at the time of publication".

Image Credit: alphaspirit/Shutterstock

Avast 2014 update 3 released, concentrates on stability and compatibility improvements

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 6:05pm CET par Nick Peers

Avast Software has released the third update to its Avast 2014 range of products. Avast Free Antivirus 2014, Internet Security 2014 and Premier Security 2014 all get updated to build number 9.0.2016.

Again, there are no new features in this release, but the compatibility and stability improvements, as well as internal architecture changes, make it an essential update.

First up, release 3 fixes a number of stability and compatibility issues with the Stream Filtering tool, which Avast promises should resolve any related browser problems. This builds on fixes implemented in the previous minor update.

The ARA/ARC components have been implemented with internal architecture improvements, while there are also stability improvements to the Firewall, with the claim that it will now behave better with other network applications.

The Software Updater tool comes with a new installation wizard, which makes it possible to now download and install multiple updates.

Avast also reveals improvements to the Browser Cleanup tool, which should improve its detection and removal of tools that attempt to block it from removing unwanted toolbars. Finally, the GrimeFighter tool has been updated to support 12 more languages and offers more control over optimization via an advanced console.

Two significant bugs have been fixed with this new release: the first saw the program installer hanging when attempting to remove the program at the "Stopping service: Avast antivirus" dialog, while the second led to issues uploading to Dropbox and Flickr online services.

Avast’s Free Antivirus 2014, Internet Security 2014 and Premier Security 2014 are all available for free and trial download now for PCs running Windows XP or later. Visit the Downloadcrew Software Store to purchase licenses at significant discounts -- for example, a single-PC, one-year license for Internet Security 2014 can be purchased for just $24.99, a saving of 50 per cent on the MSRP. Three-PC and two-year licenses of both Internet Security 2014 and Premier 2014 are also available.

Microsoft Office 365 and Surface tablets to save Mecklenburg County millions of dollars

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 5:41pm CET par Brian Fagioli

Choosing a large-scale software solution is a difficult thing. Obviously, in these tough economic times, cost savings are a huge deciding factor. However, saving money up front can lead to future headaches down the road. In other words, if the software causes the employees to be less productive, you may as well flush your cost savings down the toilet. Hell, it may cost you more in the long run.

Microsoft is a dependable name in software solutions, and Office is one of the most powerful software suites bar none. One county in the state of North Carolina has realized cost savings and increased productivity thanks to Office 365 and Surface tablets.

"Mecklenburg County, the most populated county in North Carolina which includes the city of Charlotte, recently selected Office 365 as its productivity solution of choice to significantly cut costs and increase worker mobility. Employees throughout the county are able to access the information they need and stay productive on the go with Office 365 installed on their Surface tablets", says the Office Team.

The team further explains, "the mobility factor and benefits of cloud storage were key to Mecklenburg County's decision to move to the cloud. In addition, Office 365's security and privacy were the best fit for the needs of the county. And finally, the Youth and Family Services Department reported a total savings of $3.2 million per year during the pilot phase alone -- those savings will apply to other departments as well, so the county will see huge savings across the board".

Mecklenburg County touts the following benefits of its decision:

Employees of the Department of Youth and Family Services are able to easily and remotely access documents while visiting clients.
The Department of Food Services built an app on the Office 365 platform to make it easier for health inspectors to access state applications.
Medical Examiners are able to easily take notes using OneNote on Surface Pro tablets.
Parks and Recreation employees, all of whom are moving to Surface 2 devices, are using Office 365 to quickly collect payments, easily book venues and enjoy the integration with the county’s financial system.

While Google's Apps and Chromebooks have been making headlines lately, it is good to see a Microsoft solution being chosen too. You often get what you pay for and Office 365 is a great place to spend money. It is a comprehensive digital solution that enables employees to easily share and collaborate on projects. Better yet, Surface tablets will afford employees to be mobile or stationary, depending on the usage case. It looks like Mecklenburg County made the right choices.

What do you think? Did Mecklenburg do the right thing? Tell me in the comments.

Firefox 29 Beta debuts Australis UI, improved sync function

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 3:08pm CET par Nick Peers

After another underwhelming update in the form of the disappointing Firefox 28.0 FINAL, Mozilla looks likely to have something to shout about with the release of Firefox 29.0 Beta 1.

Although not due to be officially unveiled until tomorrow, we’ve installed the latest version and checked it out to see what new features could be making their debut in the next stable build, and the early signs suggest Firefox 29 could be a landmark release.

By far the biggest splash in Firefox 29 Beta is the new Australis user interface, which has moved swiftly from the Aurora channel to the Beta build. Once installed, users will immediately notice the difference, with the redesign sporting curved tabs and a slimmed down tab bar.

Users will also notice that background tabs are now coloured the same as the rest of the window to reduce their visibility, only gaining slight visual affordance when highlighted with the mouse cursor.

The menu system has also been overhauled, with the Windows Firefox button -- a staple of the browser since version 4.0 -- being retired in favor of a cross-platform menu that’s superficially similar in appearance to rival browser Chrome, consisting of a ≡ button on the far right of the main toolbar.

Clicking this reveals a key difference however -- instead of a drop-down menu, users see a group of customizable buttons providing key access to features. The menu can also be used to house add-ons, allowing users to clean them up from the main toolbar.

The toolbar also gains two new buttons for quickly adding and managing bookmark items, while a new first-run dialog has been implemented to explain the major changes to the user interface.

Also migrated across to the Beta is the new accounts-based Firefox Sync tool, which is far easier to use and manage than the current system. A new feature also promises to automatically correct common scheme typos (such as http, https and file protocols) in the Address bar.

Despite officially dropping development on Firefox for Windows 8 Touch, the feature remains enabled in this latest beta, giving fans of the new Modern UI interface a chance to vote with their feet and potentially get Mozilla to reverse its decision.

Also held back from Firefox 28 Beta for further testing are support for WebVTT and the Gamepad API, along with a security measure that prevents third-party websites from getting a full list of installed plugins.

Firefox 29.0 Beta 1 is available now as a free, open-source download for Windows, Mac and Linux. Note that this will overwrite any existing Firefox installation, including the latest stable build -- Firefox 28.0 FINAL -- if it’s installed.

New College Humor video tackles Google, Bing and the NSA

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 1:35pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Thanks to the likes of College Humor and Funny or Die there is no shortage of comical entertainment on the web these days. The former has got laughs before with a video showing what the web would be like if Google were actually a guy, and now it follows that success up with a sequel.

The new video contains the expected humorous search queries from everyday people, as each gets a turn to enter the office and pose a question. However, this time the comedy troop has given things a more modern twist.

I'll try not to spoil things too much here, but even if I do, I doubt I can do it justice, so it will still be well worth the two minutes of your time spent watching it.

I will simply point out a couple of relevant aspects -- it's up to you to watch and enjoy the hilarious and misguided queries that pour in, complete with the typos we all make. Even a reference to the company's famous doodles is involved.

First, the NSA is now hiding next to Google’s desk, and the agent pops up whenever a search raises interest. But I also implore you to watch until the very end, where College Humor takes a shot at Bing. While Google has a line of searchers out the door, the Bing guy sits quietly at his desk saying "I know they will come".

It’s a simultaneous shot at human mistakes and stupidity, the NSA spying and Bing’s lack of capturing market share. All done in hilarious fashion and also a bit not safe for work -- just a warning there. You can watch it below.

Check whether two-factor authentication is available for your Internet accounts

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 1:21pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Relying on passwords alone to keep your Internet accounts safe can get you in a lot of trouble. They may be comfortable to use, but hackers can easily bypass or crack them. Or, even worse in my opinion, steal personal information without you even knowing. A recommended method for minimizing such risks is to enable two-factor authentication.

Two-factor authentication is an added security layer that requires you to use a password and a security code, in order to log in. It is a feature available in the account's settings that is usually not enabled by default. The security code can be delivered via SMS, email or a dedicated app. I have it turned on for every Internet account that supports it.

If you wish to find out whether your Internet accounts have the option to use two-factor authentication, a site called twofactorauth.org provides an extensive list of popular services, and displays the availability of the security feature. If two-factor authentication is not available, the site allows you to contact the company, via Twitter, to ask it to change its policy.

The website groups services by category -- social, retail, email, finance, payments, developer, backup and sync, domains, gaming, cryptocurrency, health, communication, and other. It shows which delivery methods are available, for each service that has two-factor authentication available, and which sites do not offer the option.

Another nice touch is that for each service which does offer two-factor authentication, the website also links to an official how-to guide -- if such a guide exists -- on enabling the option.

The site's developer says he created twofactorauth.org following the debacle surrounding the @N Twitter handle, and a Google search of websites which offer two-factor authentication.

Photo Credit: Maksim Kabakou/Shutterstock

Sony rolls out Android 4.4 KitKat for flagship Xperia smartphones

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 12:00pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Google starts the KitKat rollout for Nexus 7 and 10 owners

Most Android smartphones and tablets do not run the latest-available version of Android, as vendors choose older iterations, even for their flagship products. As a result, it can take many months -- or it may never even happen -- for a software upgrade to finally close the gap.

One of the vendors that finds itself in this situation quite often is Japanese maker Sony, which cannot seem to release a high-end device, like the Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra or Xperia Z Compact, without shipping it with a dated version of Android. Luckily, KitKat commences its much-awaited roll-out for the company's most-recent flagship smartphones and tablets.

Sony just announced Android 4.4 KitKat is now rolling out for the Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 Compact, followed by the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Tablet Z and Xperia ZR starting in mid-Q2 2014. The company says the Xperia T2 Ultra, Xperia E1 and Xperia M2 will also receive the same treatment, but it has provided no estimate for when that will actually happen.

So, what does Sony include in its KitKat upgrade? There is an added "tweaked" status bar and quick settings menu, which is touted to be "more intuitive and customizable (and pretty easy on the eye)… cleaned up to ensure you only get the notifications you really need". The animation and live wallpaper is the same as on the PlayStation 4.

Branded Sony apps are better, with improvements introduced to Messaging, Smart Connect, TrackID and others. There is also a "more converged and full Sony entertainment experience" with Walkman, Album and Movies and other add-ons. And, lastly, Sony offers Xperia Themes, which allows users to customize the appearance with... themes.

Do not get your hopes up on getting KitKat immediately. Sony concedes "timing & availability may vary by market & carrier".

Malware in pirated software costs billions

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 11:26am CET par Ian Barker

Enterprises worldwide are expected to spend $500 billion in 2014 to deal with issues caused by malware in pirated software. Consumers are set to spend $25 billion and waste 1.2 billion hours on security threats and fixes.

These are among the conclusions of a study carried out by IDC and the National University of Singapore, released today by Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit as part of its annual Play It Safe campaign.

Forensic analysis carried out on 203 new PCs that came with pirated software on them found that 61 percent were pre-infected with malware, including trojans, worms, viruses, hacktools, rootkits and adware. These machines bought through resellers and PC shops in 11 markets, included more than 100 separate threats.

Writing on the company's blog David Finn, Associate General Counsel & Executive Director of Microsoft Cybercrime Center says, "While these statistics are frightening, they shouldn't be a surprise. After all, cybercriminals aim to profit from any security lapse they can find. And through pirated software, they've found another way to introduce malware into computer networks -- breaking in so they can grab whatever they want: your identity, your passwords and your money."

When asked to rate their biggest security-related fears 60 percent of consumers put loss of data or personal information at the top followed by unauthorized internet transactions for 51 percent and hijacking of email, social networking and bank accounts for 50 percent. Yet despite these fears 43 percent admitted not installing security updates, making them vulnerable to attack.

Enterprises are especially hard hit by malware in pirated software. In 2014 it's estimated that businesses will spend $127 billion dealing with security issues and $364 billion dealing with data breaches. Almost two-thirds of these losses, around $315 billion, will be the result of organized crime -- malware launched by financially motivated criminals.

Finn concludes, "The results of this study demonstrate, once again, how vital it is that individuals, small businesses, enterprises and government institutions buy new computers from reputable sources and demand genuine software. Because if you don't, you never know what will come along for the ride".

The full results of the study are available as a PDF from the Microsoft website.

Copy websites locally for offline browsing with Cyotek WebCopy

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 11:02am CET par Mike Williams

Cyotek WebCopy is a clever tool which copies all or part of a website to your hard drive for offline browsing.

Grabbing a small and simple site is easy: just enter a URL in the "Website" box, and choose the Copy option. Cyotek WebCopy downloads that page, and any links (within the same domain), then repeats the process until it’s done. And then you’re able to view the local copy of any page, and browse it as though you were online.

If your needs are more complex then WebCopy provides various options to help. You can tell the program to exclude particular sections of the site. You’re able to predefine user names and passwords, allowing WebCopy to access protected content. The program can set a custom user agent string, include or exclude particular MIME types from the copy process, and more.

Managing all this, and viewing the downloaded site afterwards, isn’t as straightforward as it should be. There isn’t the single dialog you’ll sometimes get with similar tools (starting URL, "crawl depth" and so on), and the interface doesn’t really guide you through the process. You have to browse the menus and options yourself, and figure out what to do. PC or offline browsing novices will probably struggle to cope, at least with more advanced sites.

If you know what you’re doing, though, there are a lot of unusual extras here. Cyotek WebCopy supports the use of regular expressions in many areas; there’s a built-in editor to help you create and test them; and once a site has been downloaded, WebCopy even generates a visual site map which you can customize and save as an image.

Cyotek WebCopy isn’t for beginners, then, but it does have some powerful features, and is entirely free (no adware, registration or other hassles). If you’ve tried basic offline browsers and need something more, give it a try.

Google's Chromecast streams its way into 11 additional countries

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 3:36am CET par Brian Fagioli

The world is a big place, full of many countries. However, the technology community is often very USA-centric. It can be easy to forget that when a product launches in the United States, it does not necessarily launch simultaneously in other countries too.

Google's Chromecast is a great product -- useful and inexpensive, but for Americans it is yesterday's news. We've been using it for several months now. While the streaming-media dongle is still cool, it no longer has that new-car smell. However, the smell is fresh for consumers outside the USA, as Google launches it in eleven more countries, starting today.

"Since announcing Chromecast in the U.S., we've grown to include more of your favorite apps and websites. Those numbers will continue to grow, and we want to bring Chromecast to more people around the world. Today Chromecast is available in an additional 11 countries -- Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the U.K.", says Mario Queiroz, Vice President of Product Management, Chromecast.

Queiroz further explains, "in addition to your favorite apps like YouTube, Google Play Movies, Google Play Music and Netflix (where available), we're working with local content providers to bring even more of the movies and TV shows you love to Chromecast. Apps will start rolling out today, and include BBC iPlayer in the U.K.; France TV Pluzz and SFR TV in France with CANALPLAY coming soon; and Watchever in Germany with Maxdome coming soon".

If you live in one of these eleven countries, Google supplies a list of the following retailers, which will be carrying the streaming-stick:

Amazon
Google Play
Currys PC World
Elkjøp
FNAC
Saturn
Media Markt

Chromecast has been wildly popular in the USA, and most likely, this will be true for other countries as well. It is hard not to love a low-cost media player with infinite possibilities. Now that the SDK has been released to developers, we should see all sorts of amazing uses.

Image Credit: Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley/Shutterstock

Celebrate Grumpy Cat's second birthday by sharing a picture of your cat!

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 1:51am CET par Brian Fagioli

When it comes to the internet, there is one absolute...a love of cats. Regardless of your allegiance -- Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone -- felines bring us all together. Sure, there are some macho men that will pretend they do not like cats, but I guarantee their hearts will melt at the sight of a basket of kittens.

One of the most famous internet cats is the lovable Grumpy Cat. She became one of the most popular memes of all-time, generating a huge amount of social media shares. If you aren't familiar, she is a cat with a grumpy face. Believe it or not, Grumpy Cat is turning 2 years old on April 4th. Since she has brought us so much joy, it is time we returned the favor by celebrating with her. Today, cat-food company Friskies announces a contest to win a trip to NYC, where the winner will meet Grumpy Cat.

"To officially kick off Grumpy Cat's birthday festivities, Friskies Party Mix is issuing a #1MMGrumpyFrowns Challenge to consumers. From today until April 29, 2014 Friskies Party Mix is asking consumers to help Grumpy Cat fulfill her birthday wish of spreading grumpiness nation-wide by taking photos of themselves and their cat(s) making their best Grumpy face then sharing the photos using the hashtag #1MMGrumpyFrowns on Instagram or www.friskies.com/partymix", says Friskies.

Matt Conran, Friskies Party Mix Assistant Brand Manager explains, "Friskies Party Mix is thrilled to release our first packaging featuring Grumpy Cat, available for a limited time that will be on shelves through April of this year. Also we're aware that many owners celebrate their cats' birthdays so we're throwing the ultimate Super Terrible Two Birthday Party for Grumpy Cat by giving her a party she will never forget and we hope consumers take advantage of this opportunity to have the truly one-in-a-lifetime chance to join Grumpy Cat at her second birthday party".

While Grumpy cat is...well...grumpy, she still deserves to be celebrated. Many people love their cats and the opportunity to share pictures is a fun experience. Not to mention, you can win a trip to New York City as a result. Kudos to Friskies for embracing Instagram and hashtags, since this ties in nicely with the fact that Grumpy Cat is an internet meme. Heck, even though I no longer have a cat (R.I.P.), I want to buy a bag of the limited edition cat treats as a collector's item.

Will you enter the contest? Tell me in the comments.

Microsoft announces economical Wireless Mobile Mouse 1850 for Windows and Mac

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 12:43am CET par Brian Fagioli

When it comes to computer mice, it is hard to make them one-size-fits-all. After all, people have different sized hands, different preferences and heck, let's not forget the whole lefty and righty situation. To muddy the waters even further, many people own two mice -- one for home and one for portability.

A mouse for home is easy; it can be any size as it does not need to be portable. Instead, the consumer can just focus on comfort and price. A portable mouse is more difficult. A consumer must focus on size and connectivity, often at the expense of comfort. Many portable mice are too small and can be a chore to use. Today, Microsoft aims to deliver an inexpensive portable mouse, which is comfortable for both right-handed and left-handed users alike.

"Today we are announcing the Wireless Mobile Mouse 1850 -- a super lightweight mouse designed for people who live life on-the-go that costs less than 15 bucks. I've been using the mouse for a few days and really appreciate how light this mouse is. And it fits perfect in my hand. It is actually designed to feel good being used by both righties and lefties", says Brandon LeBlanc.

LeBlanc further explains, "the Wireless Mobile Mouse 1850 uses 2.4GHz wireless technology for a reliable wireless connection to your PC with a built-in mini USB transceiver. You can leave the transceiver plugged into your PC or hide it away inside the mouse. This mouse will come in five sharp colors: Coal Black, Flame Red, Orchid Pink, Pantone Purple, and Wool Blue".

At a price of $14.95, it seems this mouse is a wonderful value. It runs on a AA battery, which is ideal for travelers, as it can be easily found. Some may complain that it is not Bluetooth, however, at this price, it should not be expected. Not to mention, Bluetooth mice can be problematic if the user needs to enter the system BIOS. Quite frankly, a nano-receiver is a blessing in disguise.

Will you be buying this mouse? Tell me in the comments.

Pandora One raises subscription price, existing users immune to new cost

Publié: mars 19, 2014, 12:29am CET par Alan Buckingham

Pandora is one of the grandfathers of the streaming music service, and it has remained one of the better deals among paid music apps. Granted, being a radio-only service limits the capability and, therefore, the potential price that can be charged, but many customers find that it's quite useful and all they really need.

Now Pandora is being forced to raise prices. Even though the increase is minimal, the service is making it as painless as possible for loyal customers -- in fact, completely painless. The current subscription cost for One (unlimited and ad-free) will rise from $3.99 to $4.99 per month beginning in May, but those who already have a One account need not worry, as things will not change for them.

The company points to rising licensing fees as the reason for this bump -- "the costs of delivering this service have grown considerably. For example, the royalty rates Pandora pays to performers via SoundExchange for subscription listening have increased 53-percent in the last five years and will increase another nine-percent in 2015".

Customers could also opt to pay annually, which saves a few dollars, at a current $36 per year. Annual pricing will remain the same for loyal members too. However, that is an option that will no longer be available for new accounts.

Pandora plans to begin sending out notices to users over the next week. While not mentioned in this announcement, it would seem the free, ad-supported accounts will remain the same, though it's possible the rate of ads could pick up a bit. It's not a big jump, and Pandora is doing right by loyal listeners, so the best face is being put on things.

Photo Credit: Poprotskiy Alexey/Shutterstock