data

A US Senator is demanding answers from a company accused of producing smartphone spyware . The firm, Carrier IQ, denies the accusation, and claims its software is designed solely for tracking service faults on the portable phones. The software ... appears to be installed without consumer knowledge or permission on millions of the handsets. It's usually installed in rootkit form , before the customer takes possession, and is difficult for ordinary users to discover or delete. Officially, the software is intended to track activity on the phone and report back to cellular networks. When faults are ... (view more)

Facebook is reportedly on the verge of agreeing to a settlement with the federal government over claims it misled users regarding its privacy policies. The settlement wouldn't involve a formal admission of guilt, but would have lengthy consequences ... for the social networking company. The case, brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is based on allegations that Facebook does not always obtain a user's permission before changing the way it handles that user's personal data. Instead, Facebook simply applies the changes it wants on an opt-out basis, in effect asserting that it can apply ... (view more)

Valve Corporation, which is behind the major online video game retailer and social networking platform Steam, has been hacked. According to reports, gamer credit cards have been compromised, as well. Steam is a major online gaming platform that ... provides nearly 2,000 games for play by some 35 million users based in 237 countries. Not only can visitors to the site download games, but they can also use the platform to easily organize multiplayer sessions, and can interact with one another through instant messaging. User Database Infiltrated by Hackers Given the massive size of Steam's user base ... (view more)

The number of wireless devices in use in the United States now outnumbers the nation's human population. The figures include tablet devices but the numbers are mainly driven by cellphones. If anything, the numbers are an understatement as they are ... based on subscriptions to wireless services. That means people who have devices such as the iPad but only use them via a WiFi connection aren't considered. On the other hand, the numbers do include people who have 3G data subscriptions for portable computers. According to CTIA, the wireless industry's trade body, there were 327.6 million wireless ... (view more)

A rather obscure aviation contraption is making headlines this week by cracking secure wireless Internet (WiFi) and a cell phone networks (GSM), and along with it, a host of personal information and sensitive data. The Wireless Aerial Surveillance ... Platform (otherwise known as the WASP) is an unmanned vehicle converted to run on batteries instead of gasoline. It has a 6-foot wingspan, a 6-foot length and weighs in at 14 pounds. WASP stores global positioning system (GPS) information that allows it to fly a predetermined course without the assistance of an operator, only requiring human ... (view more)

Microsoft has released a new tool to help scientists and other researchers access the power of cloud computing . Project Daytona could help them analyze data in a more efficient and affordable manner. Cloud System Uses Decentralized Computing The ... project builds on Microsoft's could-based Windows Azure system. That doesn't simply mean storing information online, but also using remote computers to carry out tasks. Cloud computing can range from relatively simple tasks, such as accessing email on services such as Hotmail, to more complex tasks, such as the way some websites run through databases ... (view more)

A high-profile hacking group has published what it claims are 90,000 email addresses and password combinations belonging to a government contractor. The group also says it deleted back-up data from the organization's servers. The leak comes from the ... Anonymous group, previously known for its battles with the Scientology movement and the Westboro Baptist Church. Recently, it began a campaign known as "Antisec" (anti-security) alongside members of the previously-disbanded LulzSec group. Anonymous retrieved thee email details from the network of Booz Allen Hamilton, an engineering and ... (view more)

With huge annual revenues, Google has the spare cash to try out all sort of different (often high-cost) experimental ventures. That's been demonstrated by the company's decision to dabble in health records and home energy. In both cases Google says ... the problem was a failure to scale: in other words, not getting enough users to make the fixed running costs sustainable. In Google's case, scale isn't just a financial issue though: as its search success has shown, more users means more data and thus more lessons that can be learned. (Source: blogspot.com ) Medical Records Tracked Interactions ... (view more)

It's not unusual these days for the computer systems of major banks to come under attack. But the latest high-profile attempted breach has gone a step further by targeting the International Monetary Fund (IMF), prompting speculation that a national ... government may be the offender. The Washington DC-based IMF is an organization that provides loans to governments in financial difficulties. It also helps coordinate the collection and publication of financial data by governments. Although the International Monetary Fund is releasing few details, it has confirmed there has been a "very major breach ... (view more)

Miro 4.0 Internet TV Viewer RC 1 Miro 4.0 is an open-source, non-profit Internet TV viewing program. It has a unique, elegant, and seamless user interface that makes watching Internet TV easier than ever before. Miro provides an extremely useful, ... built-in content guide that features thousands of free video feeds (many in HD) and streaming video sites. http://www.getmiro.org Data Crow 3.9.7 Data Crow is a media cataloger and media organizer. If you've always wanted to manage all your collections with one software program, Data Crow may be what you need. http://www.datacrow.net This freeware ... (view more)