Does your company utilize either RackSwitch or BladeCenter networking switches? Are those switches running ENOS (the Enterprise Network Operating System)? If so, there's a backdoor in your network you weren't aware of. Even worse, it's been there since 2004. Engineers at Lenovo recently discovered the backdoor in the firmware when they conducted an internal security audit. These products were added to the company's portfolio via acquisition from Nortel, and Lenovo only just became aware … Read more
Vulnerabilities Found In Some GPS Services
A duo of researchers stumbled across a series of vulnerabilities in literally hundreds of GPS services that leave sensitive GPS tracking data open to hackers. Dubbed "Trackmageddon" by the researchers, the vulnerabilities span a range of weaknesses that include default or easy-to-guess passwords, IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) issues, insecure API endpoints, and data collection folders that are entirely unsecured. The reason so many different tracking services are impacted is that … Read more
Electronic Device Search Rules Better Defined By US Customs
There's a constant tug of war playing out on the national stage. On one side, privacy advocates are pushing for greater autonomy for end users, and hard limits to the types of searches that law enforcement agencies are allowed to conduct. On the other side are the government agencies themselves, which often cite national security concerns as the justification for more and easier access to the sensitive data contained on personal devices like laptops and smartphones. Generally speaking, … Read more
Hard Drives May Double In Speed With New Technology
What's an HDD manufacturer to do when faced with competition by faster, more efficient SSD drives? Go big, and go faster. At least that's the strategy that both Seagate and Western Digital are adopting. SSDs tend to get prohibitively expensive as their size crosses the 1TB threshold, which creates an opportunity for HDD manufacturers. Seagate is currently selling drives with an impressive 14TB of capacity, and has plans on the drawing board to introduce a 40TB drive by 2023, with Western … Read more
Better Parental Controls Underway For Apple Devices
Recently, a group of investors wrote an open letter to Apple, urging the company to do more in regards to offering better and more robust parental controls on the devices the company makes. Although the group of investors control some $2 billion in Apple stock, this is a drop in the proverbial bucket, given the company's $900 billion market cap. Nonetheless, the letter seems to have gotten Apple's attention. In a statement published in the Wall Street Journal, the company said: "We think … Read more
Select HP Laptop Models Recalled Over Battery Issue
Did you purchase an HP laptop between December of 2015 and December of 2017? If so, then you may have problems. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has been made aware of eight instances where HP battery packs overheated, charred, or melted, creating a worrisome fire hazard that has gotten the attention of user groups scattered all over the internet. It also got the attention of HP itself, and the company recently announced "a worldwide voluntary safety recall and replacement … Read more
Vertical Video Support On YouTube For iOS Finally Here
The owners of Android devices have been able to properly view vertical videos for more than two years, but for Apple users, it was a different story. Instead of getting the traditional full-screen experience when viewing vertical videos, Apple users were saddled with annoying vertical bars that would appear on either side of the video itself. It's a small thing, but undeniably annoying. Now, at long last, the problem has been solved and now Apple users can enjoy the same vertical, … Read more
Chrome OS To Get App Multitasking Soon
Chromebooks have brought Android apps to a much wider market, making them accessible to virtually everyone, but the Chrome OS has always lagged behind other platforms developmentally. One of its most serious limitations where running apps was concerned centered on its inability to multitask. Basically, if the app you're using is not "in focus" or in the window you're currently viewing, all activity in the app ceases. There are a few exceptions such as the Spotify app, but most apps that … Read more
Older iPhones Are Being Purposefully Throttled, According To Apple
Not long ago, observant Reddit users noted and began discussing a curious phenomenon. It appeared that older iPhones were unexpectedly slowing down, and no one could name the reason why. It caught the attention of a number of security researchers who delved more deeply into the issue, including a man named John Poole, who confirmed the Reddit claims. His tests confirmed that on iPhone 6s and 7s, Apple made tweaks to iOS versions 10.2.1 through 11.2.0. These changes are designed to throttle … Read more
Always Connected Laptops Could Be The Next Generation Of Hardware
What's the next big thing for the PC world? If the industry's major players have anything to say about it, it will be the "always-on" PC. Forget about plugging into your company's network. Forget about free WiFi Hotspots. With an always-on PC, you won't have to worry about either. If they're not available, your PC can connect via the same cellular data network your smartphone uses, which means you'll always be just a few mouse clicks away from your data. It sounds fantastic, but there is, … Read more
