SmartPlanet.Com | June 7, 2013

A Charger That Hacks iPhones.

Charge!

Plugging in a charger could allow a Trojan Horse into your iPhone.

Look out for the latest innovation in Trojan Horses:

A charger that can hack iPhones.

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology say they’ve built a normal looking charger that can take over an iPhone, the BBC reports.

The device connects to an iPhone via a USB slot. It looks like a charger, smells like a charger and tastes like a charger, but its mission is to infect an iPhone with malicious software, which it can do within a minute by attacking the iPhone’s iOS operating system.

The researchers will demonstrate the break-in tool at the Black Hat conference, a cat-and-mouse gathering that attracts hackers as well as information security experts. This year’s confab runs July 27 through August 1 in Las Vegas.

“This hardware was selected to demonstrate the ease with which innocent-looking, malicious USB chargers can be constructed,” the Georgia team wrote in their conference summary. They said they built the device from a rudimentary $45 set of circuits called a BeagleBoard.

“The researchers hid the malicious application they installed by using the same method Apple employs to conceal the location of its own applications on iOS devices,” the BBC reported. “The presentation will also make recommendations about how Apple could close the vulnerability.”

The practice of invading phones and computers via chargers is called “juice jacking” and is generally not difficult, according to Boston-based security consultant Jonathan Zdziarski, as reported by Mother Nature Network. MNN quoted Zdziarski from TechNewsDaily saying:

“I can speak from first-hand experience to say it is possible to write an application that, when running on the iPhone, can access all of a user’s personal information — SMS, photos, etc. — without any special application permissions.”

The nefarious attack-an-Apple technology from Georgia exploits the absence of iPhone alerts that inform the user that a USB device has connected.

Yes, this skullduggery is as easy as U-S-B.

Photo of 19th century oil painting via Wikimedia.

Mark Halper is a contributing editor for SmartPlanet.

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Yahoo puts inactive IDs up for grabs

If you’re like me, you want a Yahoo! ID that’s short, sweet, and memorable like albert@yahoo.com instead of albert9330399@yahoo.com.

A Yahoo! ID is not only your email address, it also gives you access to content tailored to your interests – like sports scores for your favorite teams, weather in your hometown, and news that matters to you.

So, how are they making these Yahoo! IDs available?

By freeing up IDs, that have been inactive for at least 12 months,

resetting them and giving them a fresh start.

In mid July, anyone can have a shot at scoring the Yahoo! ID they want.

In mid August, users who staked a claim on certain IDs can come to Yahoo! to discover which one they got.

What if you haven’t logged into Yahoo! for over a year, but want to keep your Yahoo! ID?

It’s easy.

All you have to do is log on to any Yahoo! product before July 15th.

~ 'TRY IT' - 'YOU'LL LIKE IT' ~

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/yahoo-puts-inactive-ids-up-for-grabs/21697?tag=nl.e660&s_cid=e660&ttag=e660&ftag=

Cyberthreats Risk To Medical Data.

By: Charlie Osborne | June 14, 2013

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging medical device makers and hospitals to upgrade security in light of the rising threat of cybercrime.

Security experts have warned that a number of medical devices including pacemakers and insulin pumps may be vulnerable to hacking, and so could be turned off or disrupted. Although no incidents have been reported, such cases remain a possibility.

In addition, outdated hospital systems can be penetrated by cybercriminals looking to benefit from the theft of intellectual property or patient records.

As a result, the FDA has issued an advisory notice warning that manufacturers, hospitals and patients need to protect themselves better.

The warning says that “many medical devices contain configurable embedded computer systems that can be vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches,” and as devices continue to become more integrated through the Internet and mobile technology, the risk of hacking becomes worse.

The FDA said:

“Specifically we recommend that manufacturers review their cybersecurity practices and policies to assure that appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent unauthorized access or modification to their systems.

The U.S. agency also suggests that steps need to be taken to limit unauthorized access to devices, especially when they are “life sustaining.” Biometrics and passwords also should be reviewed.

Read More: Huffington Post

~ 'TRY IT' - 'YOU'LL LIKE IT' ~

~ 'TRY IT' - 'YOU'LL LIKE IT' ~

American Airlines Completes

Tablets In Cockpit Transition

American Airlines has completely ditched

traditional paper manuals,

replacing heavy cargo with lightweight tablets.

The carrier announced the transition on Monday. AA’s “Electronic Flight Bag program” has discontinued all paper versions of reference material, manuals and charts — equating to over 35 pounds — in order to “fully utilize tablets in all cockpits during all phases of flight.”

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/american-airlines-completes-tablets-in-the-cockpit-transition/22574?tag=nl.e660&s_cid=e660&ttag=e660&ftag=

~ 'TRY IT' - 'YOU'LL LIKE IT' ~