New Tech Observer

Homeland Security Warns of Java Vulnerability Used for Ransomeware

2013-01-14T04:02:00.000-08:00

ZDNet (and all major outlets) covers the Department of Homeland Security warning about the latest Java vulnerability:

"We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem," said the DHS' Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) in a post on its Web site on Thursday evening. "This vulnerability is being attacked in the wild, and is reported to be incorporated into exploit kits. Exploit code for this vulnerability is also publicly available."

The Next Web discusses the popular exploit kits that are already available and take advantage of the vulnerability, including ransomware - or taking over a users computer and only giving back control after the user pays a ransom. Apparently all of this could have been avoided if Oracle properly fixed a previous vulnerability:

The 0-day code would not have worked if Oracle had properly addressed an old vulnerability, according to Security Explorations, the security firm responsible for identifying most of the latest Java vulnerabilities. Back in late August 2012, the company informed Oracle about the insecure implementation of the Reflection API, dubbed Issue 32, and Oracle released a patch for it in October 2012, but the fix wasn’t a complete one.

image: http://thehackernews.com/

"Smart Guns" to Stop Mass Shootings

2013-01-11T04:02:00.002-08:00

A CNN piece by Jeremy Shane advocates using technology to solve our gun violence program. By using gps, awareness technology to determine whether other guns are in the area, and limiting the number of rounds that can be fired, Shane believes we can reduce the damage a mass murderer could do. Improved accountability technology for consumer weapons should be on the table, but any tech solution would allow for some type of circumvention and introduce unintended consequences, such as hacking registered weapons and causing them to fire, misfire, or lock-up without the gun owner's knowledge. Limiting certain types of weapons, limiting the amount of ammunition you can buy at any one time, tracking semi-automatic weapons sales, keeping guns out of the hands of the insane, gun safety training, and my personal favorite - martial arts training for everyone, no to mention taking a serious look at what our kids see on tv and in video games, should each be seriously considered but there is no single solution. From the article:

The root of the problem is that guns are "dumb." Pull the trigger and they discharge bullets mindlessly, regardless of who is doing the aiming or where they are aimed. Guns should "know" not to fire in schools, churches, hospitals or malls. They should sense when they are being aimed at a child, or at a person when no other guns are nearby

image: http://www.photo-dictionary.com/

7 Psychology Principles to Make Your Web Site More Engaging

2012-12-06T19:12:00.001-08:00

7 things to keep in mind when you are designing your site. Thanks to Xanthe for sharing!

Harvard and Pew Have a New Social Media Report

2012-12-06T19:04:00.002-08:00

Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society and the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life project have teamed up on the latest report about social media use in the U.S. The Harvard Press release is available at: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/node/8053

Some interesting facts:

81% of parents of online teens say they are concerned about how much information advertisers can learn about their child’s online behavior, with some 46% being “very” concerned.

72% of parents of online teens are concerned about how their child interacts online with people they do not know, with some 53% of parents being “very” concerned.

69% of parents of online teens are concerned about how their child’s online activity might affect their future academic or employment opportunities, with some 44% being “very” concerned about that.

69% of parents of online teens are concerned about how their child manages his or her reputation online, with some 49% being “very” concerned about that.

Some of these expressions of concern are particularly acute for the parents of younger teens; 63% of parents of teens ages 12-13 say they are “very” concerned about their child’s interactions with people they do not know online and 57% say they are “very” concerned about how their child manages his or her reputation online.

image: jeffhurtblog.com/

Richard Stallman - Free Users From I-Handcuffs

2012-12-06T11:53:00.001-08:00

Free software advocate Richard Stallman talks about the progress of the free software movement and the work that still needs to be done to get computer users on board. From the New Internationalist article:

The free software movement has advanced tremendously but proprietary user-subjugating software has also spread tremendously. I would say the free software movement has gone about half the distance it has to travel. We managed to make a mass community but we still have a long way to go to liberate computer users.

Those companies are very powerful. They are cleverly finding new ways to take control over users. Nowadays people who use proprietary software [programs whose source code is hidden, and which are licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder] are almost certainly using malware. The most widely used non-free programmes have malicious features – and I’m talking about specific, known malicious features.

and my favorite quote about malicious features:

There are three kinds: those that spy on the user, those that restrict the user, and back doors. Windows has all three. Microsoft can install software changes without asking permission. Flash Player has malicious features, as do most mobile phones.

Verizon Patents Spyware for Your TV

2012-12-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

Verizon has filed a patent that would allow it to use your cable box at home to conduct surveillance - number of people in the room, keywords in conversations, etc. and use those data to target ads. From the Hot Hardware blog:

Verizon's technology can work a variety of ways. For starters, it can listen in on conversations - whether it be with someone else in the room or on the phone - and pick out keywords that would aide it in its duties. In reality, it's simple stuff in this day and age, but that doesn't make it any less off-putting. Imagine arguing with your significant other and then seeing marriage counseling ads on the TV - or better, cuddling and then seeing ads for contraceptives!

Time to develop anti-surveillance tech for the cable tv box...

House Votes to Oppose International Control of Internet

2012-12-06T11:40:00.002-08:00

The U.S. House has voted unanimously to oppose United Nations control of the Internet. From The Hill:

The 397-0 vote is meant to send a signal to countries meeting at a U.N. conference on telecommunications this week. Participants are meeting to update an international telecom treaty, but critics warn that many countries’ proposals could allow U.N. regulation of the Internet.

"The 193 member countries of the United Nations are gathered to consider whether to apply to the Internet a regulatory regime that the International Telecommunications Union created in the 1980s for old-fashioned telephone service," Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said on the House floor.

He said countries will also consider whether to "swallow the Internet's non-governmental organizational structure whole and make it part of the United Nations."

WWF to Use Drones to Stop Poachers

2012-12-06T11:17:00.001-08:00

Google has provided a five million dollar grant to the World Wildlife Fund to increase their use of drones to monitor remote areas for poachers and protect endangered species. From the Mother Jones article:

The anti-poachers are exploring other high-tech measures as well. "We are looking into how to track animal parts using things like DNA," says Poston. "So if a ranger find a rhino horn on the ground, we can figure out what happened."

The grant is part of Google's flagship Global Impact Award program, which this year, is providing a total of $23 million in funding to nonprofits addressing various challenges through technology and innovation. Some of the other organizations that received awards on Tuesday included the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media (which recently put out a study on why women have fewer speaking parts than men) and charity: water, which increases water access in developing countries through technology.

Facebook Privacy Settlement Gives Subscribers $10 Each

2012-12-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Facebook has reached a tentative privacy settlement related to the sponsored stories privacy breach. The agreement would result in $10 disbursements to 125 million Facebook subscribers involved in the class-action suit. The judge in the case has to agree to the final terms for the settlement to go through. From the FindLaw blog:

In this case, the deal the judge is considering would give about 125 million Facebook users $10 each. It would also allow users to opt out of Facebook's "Sponsored Stories" practice.

But if the lawyers involved can't agree upon an "economically sound way" to distribute the $10 awards, the entire settlement may just be donated to Internet privacy groups, Mashable reports.

DIY Surveillance Drone

2012-12-05T17:10:00.002-08:00

Paul Wallich used to walk his son to the school bus stop. The short walk inspired him to create a drone that would allow him to supervise his son's walk remotely. The solution is pictured below, it includes a mobile phone strapped to the bottom to provide video surveillance using video chat software.

Wallich calls it the DIY kid tracking drone and describes it in more detail in IEEE Specturm.

New Book Chronicles the Warrantless Surveillance Program

2012-12-04T18:52:00.002-08:00

US News has a review of a new book by Kurt Eichenwald discusses the 500 days following the September 11 attacks and the implementation of the Bush warrantless surveillance program. It is always interesting to see how these plans are proposed and implemented. From the review:

"The NSA plan was elegant in its theoretical simplicity, awesome in its technological cunning, and terrifying in its potential for abuse," writes Eichenwald. "At its essence, the ambitious new blueprint would give the agency unprecendented surveillance powers in the hunt for terrorists."
According to Eichenwald, the idea for the wiretapping plan first came from White House counsel Tim Flanigan, who wanted to make sure the NSA had all the capabilities it needed to intercept communications among radical Islamists who could be planning a second attack.

image: www.telegraph.co.uk

Eight Ways the Government Can Get Your Data Without a Warrant

2012-12-04T18:43:00.002-08:00

An incredibly useful post form probublica.com describing under what circumstances the government can gain access to your data - email, gps, phone, cloud, etc. Great resource that I will definitely be including in my class.

Facebook Users Vote on Policy Change

2012-12-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

This article from CIO is deceptively titled "Facebook Users Overwhelmingly Oppose Policy Change". Yes, 110,000 people have voted against changes to Facebook's privacy policies, but Facebook requires 30% participation, which would mean 300 million people would need to vote. We don't even get that with American Idol! The change is better summarized by CNN:

Facebook proposed the latest changes to its Data Use Policy and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities on November 21. Users and privacy groups immediately expressed concerns over the modifications. In addition to a proposed end to public voting on these types of issues, Facebook wanted to change to how users control who can send them messages. Also, an addition to the Data Use Policy would allow Facebook to share data with affiliated business, such as Instagram.

So how do you vote? It is a simple, hidden, five step process. I'm sure 300 million people will take the time to do it. From the BostInno blog:

1. Log into Facebook and go to their Site Governance page athttps://www.facebook.com/fbsitegovernance.
2. Click on the “Site Governance Vote” tab at the top of the page (it’s under the “Like” button). Alternatively, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/fbsitegovernance/app_130362963766777

3. The Facebook Site Governance Vote page will open. Click the green “Enter Voting” button.
4. A page called “Voting Information” will open. Click the green “Continue” button.
5. You’ve reached the voting page. You’ll be asked, “Which documents should govern the Facebook site?” Check the radio button next to “Existing Documents,” then hit the green “Submit Vote” button.

Representative Issa - No New Tech Policy

2012-11-30T06:28:00.002-08:00

Congressman Darrell Issa has proposed new legislation that would ban Congress from passing legislation that would effect the Internet for the next two years. Many are skeptical of his motivation. From the USNews article:

Wednesday, Issa was back on Reddit, where he held an "Ask Me Anything" session and proposed a bill that would ban regulations on the Internet for two years. "Together, we can make Washington take a break from messing w/the Internet," he wrote.

But some Redditors weren't buying what Issa was selling this time around.

The first question the congressman received scolded him: "Hey Darrell, why did you vote for CISPA?" As did the second: "Why the sudden reversal? You were a co-sponsor of CISPA, but now you don't want any internet regulation. Did anything happen, say maybe about three weeks ago to the day, that caused you to change your mind?"

Writing Tips

2012-11-30T06:20:00.002-08:00

This page is meant as a resource for my students. Some of these tips come from some of my favorite professors, Philip Doty, Gary Chapman, Fred Sontag, and Leslie Jarmon. Others come from years of grading student papers. Clear, concise, easy to understand writing should be the goal. Complex ideas are very difficult to communicate using simple language, and impossible to communicate using overly complex language.

Topic Sentences -- Each paragraph needs a topic sentence. I should be able to predict what the rest of the paragraph will say based on the first sentence. If you have multiple topics to discuss, use multiple paragraphs.
Introduction and Conclusion -- Tell us what you are going to say, say it, then tell us what you said. An english speaking audience expects this format and your writing is less clear if you don't follow it.
Transitions -- If you are spend two or more pages discussing a topic and you are about to discuss a different topic, your reader deserves a heads up.
Spellcheck -- Spelling errors are unacceptable, especially since everyone should have access to a spell-checking program and all the papers should be thoroughly proofread.
Capitalization -- It's surprising to me how many people casually mangle the rules for capitalizing words. Capitalization is applied uniformly to proper nouns and almost nothing else. "The Internet" is capitalized, because "Internet" is a proper noun, which, incidentally, always takes a definite article as well. "The World-Wide Web" and "the Web" are capitalized for the same reason. "Web sites" is a phrase of two words, and Web is capitalized. "Information revolution" is not capitalized. The "digital divide" is usually not capitalized. In general, use capitalization very sparingly. Words like "capitalism" are not capitalized because they are common nouns, not proper nouns. It's a good idea to consult a style sheet for rules about how certain words are spelled, hyphenated or capitalized, and the Associated Press Style Guide for technology-related terms is the most widely accepted standard.
Colloquial and vague -- Avoid terminology that would be used in a text message or email to a friend. Statements like "legal turmoil" and transitions like "and another thing"
Pronouns -- Avoid pronouns like the plague (colloquialism). Always ask whether you can eliminate he, she, it, her, him, them etc. While you are writing or reading your own work, the referent seems perfectly clear, but rest assured it is only clear to the reader if you feel like you are repeating yourself.
Nouns Turned Into Verbs -- A widespread and annoying tendency in American English is for nouns to be turned into verbs, in a fashion that qualifies as misuse. The most annoying and common example are the non-verbs "impact" or "impacted." "Impact" should not be used as a verb. (Use "affect" or "affected" instead.) There are other cases of this -- avoid them. The word "parent" is not a verb, for example, so there's no verb "parenting."
Anthropomorphism -- Another common problem in student papers: attributing to inanimate objects or to concepts what can only be attributed to human beings. Computers, for example, cannot have intentions. Technological systems cannot think, or intend, or be aware of something. Governments cannot believe anything. And so on.
Grand Pronouncements -- If you are making a big statement you need to back it up with reliable sources. "The Internet is the most important invention in human history" - an example of the type of hyperbole you want to avoid. These statements are often followed by "thusly", "subsequently", or my personal favorite "ipso facto".

Here's a Web page with some other common writing errors (and some I've already mentioned):http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/wrerrors/wrerrors.html

Another one: http://web.grinnell.edu/courses/soc/Editing.html

Here's another one: http://www.arc.sbc.edu/writingerrors.html

The CIA Uses Social Media to Track Sentiment

2012-11-29T12:26:00.003-08:00

The Atlantic has a short article on "memetracking" and how the CIA is using social media to track sentiment around the world:

The CIA maintains a social-media tracking center operated out of an nondescript building in a Virginia industrial park. The intelligence analysts at the agency's Open Source Center, who other agents refer to as "vengeful librarians," are tasked with sifting through millions of tweets, Facebook messages, online chat logs, and other public data on the World Wide Web to glean insights into the collective moods of regions or groups abroad. According to the Associated Press, these librarians are tracking up to five million tweets a day from places like China, Pakistan and Egypt.

image: www.theatlantic.com

Iphone 5 SNL Skit

2012-11-29T07:21:00.001-08:00

Great skit on iPhone 5 problems, similar to the first world problem site white whine:

Facebook Posts Used as Evidence of Support for Terrorism

2012-11-29T07:10:00.000-08:00

CNN has an article about four Americans who have been arrested for plotting to provide material support for terrorism, based in part on conversations and "likes" the men posted on Facebook. From the article:

The three exposed their connection to each other and their radical leanings explicitly on Facebook for over a year. And one of them detailed his intentions to participate in jihad in an online chat with an FBI employee.
Another man was recruited at a later point to join the other three in their training.

FightBackNews points out that these conversations are protected by the First Amendment, but misses the point that the Constitution provides limited rights protection, so their discussion with an FBI employee isn't protected speech.

Facebook Jumps the Shark: Policy Changes, Hoaxes, and Gifts

2012-11-29T07:00:00.003-08:00

Facebook launched a gifts service in 2010 and shut it down for lack of interest, but that same service is now up and running. When a Facebook subscriber uses their credit card to purchase something through Facebook, the purchaser has to verify her physical address and real-world identity, increasing the accuracy, and therefor the value of the information Facebook has on its subscribers.

Mashable, the New York Times, and CNet have interesting articles on gifts.

This comes on the same week as the Facebook hoax starting making the rounds again - where users think that posting a status update will change the terms of service for the Facebook site. From the Washington Post article on the hoax:

Under the network’s terms and conditions, users grant Facebook the right to use, distribute and share posted items subject to its terms of service and user privacy settings. Copying and pasting a status update doesn’t change anything about that agreement.
It should go without saying that users have to abide by the terms and conditions they agreed to when they signed up for the site, and even posting something replete with legal jargon doesn’t let you alter that agreement.

Facebook also announced a few policy changes that include not allowing subscribers to vote on changes any more, allowing third parties greater access to subscriber data, and integrating Instagram subscriber information with the rest of Facebook's subscriber data. From the ComputerWorld article:

Facebook said last Wednesday it would no longer allow users to vote on proposed policy changes. The social networking site also changed its Data Use Policy, allowing third parties to access user data, and modified a setting that allows users to control the types of messages they receive by email.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) have asked Facebook to withdraw the changes, arguing that users have a right to control their personal information and participate in Facebook's governance.

Has Facebook jumped the shark?

Amount of Time Spent Using Social Media

2012-11-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

Mashable has a short story on the amount of time Americans spend using social media. The average Facebook user spends seven hours per month on Facebook, less than a half hour per month on Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. The Pew Internet and American Life Project keeps ongoing stats and has great data available about U.S. Internet use.

Zuckerberg Discusses Facebook Privacy with Diane Sawyer

2012-11-27T07:57:00.004-08:00

ABC news has an interview with Mark Zuckerberg, discussing Facebook privacy.

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More on the Malala Shooting and Pakistan's Response

2012-11-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

NPR has an interview of some of the other girls that were on the van when the Taliban attempted to assisante Malala Yousafzai. 15 year old Malala is recovering in a hospital in Germany, but she was the target of the Taliban because she supported women's right to access to education, using Twitter to gain support and recognition of the problem.

image: www.thedailybeast.com

Patrick Leahy Wants Less Privacy for Facebook, Email

2012-11-27T07:42:00.003-08:00

Senator Patrick Leahy is apparently proposing legislation that would allow law enforcement, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Communications Commission, access to email and other electronic records without a search warrant, CNET reports. Leahy originally proposed legislation that would amendment the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act, increasing the protection of email and stored digital records by requiring law enforcement to obtain a search warrant before accessing these records. Law enforcement groups complained, and the legislation has now been amended to afford less protection of subscriber privacy.

From the article:

Leahy's rewritten bill would allow more than 22 agencies -- including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Communications Commission -- to access Americans' e-mail, Google Docs files, Facebook wall posts, and Twitter direct messages without a search warrant. It also would give the FBI and Homeland Security more authority, in some circumstances, to gain full access to Internet accounts without notifying either the owner or a judge.

image: cnet.com

Chinese Social Networking and Justice

2012-11-27T07:32:00.001-08:00

NPR has a great, and disturbing story on Weibo - the Chinese equivalent of Twitter - and how Chinese citizens have been able to use Weibo to gain some protection of their rights from the abuse of local government. In a country that has a reputation for censorship, the story explains how the central Chinese government finds popular support by allowing limited criticism of local government officials, and some criticism of national officials who are losing favor with the central government.

image: www.lostlaowai.com

Fitness Tracking Gadget Review

2012-11-26T08:09:00.003-08:00

I'm on the hunt for a fitness tracking device and thought I would share some of my research to make it easier for people trying to sort through the variety of different devices out there. I am considering the Nike+ Fuel band, the Fitbit One, and the Jawbone Up. My needs are different than most; most of my athletic activity is martial arts, so I would like to have something that I can use to track my calories during martial arts training. A stiff wristband or bulky item isn't an option. A quick comparison is below:

	What it Tracks	Waterproof?	Wireless Synch?	Built in Display?	Price
Nike+ FuelBand	calories, using "Nike fuel", steps, goals	water resistant - wear it in the shower no problem, but not for swimming	wirelessly synchs using android, iphone, and desktop apps	yes - includes fuel, calories, and a watch	$149
Fitbit One	calories, steps, goals, sleep patterns	water resistant - rain, splash, and sweat proof, but not for swimming	wirelessly synchs with mac and pc desktop, iPhone 4s and up, Android coming soon	yes, stairs, distance, calories, clock	$99
Jawbone UP	calories, steps, goals, sleep patterns	yes - up to one meter	no wireless synch, USB plug-in, plug-in to earphone jack on phone	no display	$129

The Nike+ Fuelband is great for regular exercise and can act as a substitute for a watch. The software is well tested and pretty common among athletes, and is available for both Android and iPhone operating systems. Nike "fuel" makes it easy to compare your effort and progress with your social network, improving your support and motivation for fitness and training. The Fuelband does not track sleep patterns, which are an important part of your overall health, and it is not waterproof, so you would have to take it off if you are a casual swimmer.

The Fitbit One comes with a built in clip to attach it to your belt, bra, or shirt, and a wristband to use at night. There are numerous comments in the Fitbit forum about losing this device or running it through the washing machine. It does track sleep patterns and has a display that allows you to check your progress without synching to a wireless device, which is good since wireless synching is limited to the iPhone 4s and up.

The Jawbone Up is a flexible wristband, similar to those "live strong" bands people used to wear before the blood doping. It does not have a display and does not synch wirelessly, so you will have to wait until you plug it in to see your progress. The Up was just recently released, the original version had serious problems, and the Jawbone CEO offered a full refund to anyone who had purchased one. The Up does track sleep patterns and is the only device that is waterproof.

I'm going to go with the Fitbit One. It doesn't synch with my phone, but the display and the desktop software can compensate for that. It is less expensive than the others, and I can theoretically stuff it in my gi or attach it to the back of my belt to track calories during martial arts training. The Nike Fuelband seems like the coolest device, but the stiffness of the band makes it a poor fit for my main activity. The Jawbone Up is very appealing, but the lack of wireless synching means I'll have to wait to find out the calories I've expended, and I'm too impatient for that. Hope this review was helpful - if I missed a cool device, or you have a different favorite, let me know in the comments!