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Google's Project Zero Finds 6 iOS 'Interactionless' Bugs

Andrew Orr ·

Google’s security team Project Zero recently found six “interactionless” iOS bugs. If sold on the black market they would be worth over US$5 million.

According to the researcher, four of the six security bugs can lead to the execution of malicious code on a remote iOS device, with no user interaction needed. All an attacker needs to do is to send a malformed message to a victim’s phone, and the malicious code will execute once the user opens and views the received item.

The fifth and sixth bugs, CVE-2019-8624 and CVE-2019-8646, can allow an attacker to leak data from a device’s memory and read files off a remote device –also with no user interaction.

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Capital One Hack Affects Credit Card Customers

Andrew Orr ·

On July 19 Capital One found it had gotten hacked. The FBI arrested the hacker but 100 million U.S. customers are affected.

The largest category of information accessed was information on consumers and small businesses as of the time they applied for one of our credit card products from 2005 through early 2019. This information included personal information Capital One routinely collects at the time it receives credit card applications, including names, addresses, zip codes/postal codes, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and self-reported income.

What angers me the most about this is the fact that I had to read the news to learn what happened. As a Capital One customer I feel I should’ve been notified by email. Customers affected by this will get an email but I want a notification email as well. Maybe I’ll get five bucks like those affected by Equifax.

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With This New Contact Lens: Blink Twice to Zoom

John Martellaro ·

Would you believe? The Next Web writes:

Scientists from the University of California, San Diego, have created a new robotic soft contact lens that lets you zoom by blinking twice. The lens can be controlled by your eye movements.

Of course, it’s a long way from the lab to commercial production. For now, it’s probably destined for use by spies. Or pilots.

Podcast

Future Historian Steve Carper - TMO Background Mode Interview

John Martellaro · · 1 Comment

Steve Carper is a Future Historian, researching how the dazzling future that dominated the Golden Age of science fiction was created—starting with the technological frenzy of the late 19th century.

Steve writes a bi-weekly robot column at BlackGate.com and his latest book, published in June 2019, is Robots in American Popular Culture. This book examines society’s reactions to robots and androids such as Robby, Rosie, Elektro, Sparko, Data, WALL-E, C-3PO and the Terminator in popular culture.

Steve and I discussed his new book, covering some of the most famous robots of fiction and then all aspects of robot technology in our culture: robots as servants, enemies, lovers, children, successors and doubles. Where will the evolution of robots take our society next? Klaatu barada nikto.

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Oppo's 'Waterfall' Display Goes Around the Sides of a Smartphone. It Might Not be Such a Great Idea.

Charlotte Henry ·

Oppo revealed a new ‘Waterfall’ display Monday. It had 88-degree curved edges and the display extended nearly the whole way around the side of a smartphone. The Next Web took a look.

While the waterfall screen looks cool, Oppo will have figure out ways to prevent accidental taps and swipes, which seem inevitable given the nearly wraparound screen…At this point, it’s hard to say whether there’s any sense in such displays. They might seem more ‘immersive,’ but content that shows up on the sides will be hard to see and interact with. This might just be a passing fad – but I’m happy to be proven wrong.

TMO Deals

A Beginner-Friendly Drone from DJI That Won't Break the Bank: $99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on the DJI Tello Quadcopter, an entry-level drone built in partnership with Ryze. It features electronic image stabilization, auto takeoff/landing, and low-battery protection, making it a safe choice for novice pilots. You can also control it from your iPhone or Android device. This drone is $99 through our deal—and there’s also a combo kit option for $149 with extra batteries and more.