7 posts and columns on flaw

News Byte

Skype Working on Android App Flaw That Could Expose Private Info

in Mobile on April 15, 2011 at 2:41 pm PT

Skype said on Friday that it is investigating a report that its Android app could leave users’ private information vulnerable if a malicious application is installed on their device. “These files include cached profile information and instant messages,” Skype said in a blog post. “We take your privacy very seriously and are working quickly to protect you from this vulnerability, including securing the file permissions on the Skype for Android application.”

News Byte

Rejoice! The Kindle Coughs Up Page Numbers

in Media on February 7, 2011 at 2:05 pm PT

Even people who love their Kindles complain about one weird flaw in Amazon’s e-reader: It won’t tell you what page of the book you’re reading. I’ve always assumed this had to do with the fact that the ability to resize type makes “page” a tricky concept for the Kindle software. But that doesn’t matter anymore–Amazon says page numbers, along with other new features, are coming to the e-reader in a software update.

PayPal Races To Fix IPhone App Security Flaw

in News on November 3, 2010 at 2:45 pm PT

Internet-payment provider PayPal said its iPhone application contained a security flaw that could allow a hacker to access users’ accounts and has rushed out an update to correct the problem. The hole stems from the app’s failure to confirm the authenticity of PayPal’s website when communicating over the Internet–a basic lapse that the security researcher who found the flaw said would allow someone to intercept passwords from unsuspecting users.

AT&T Responds to BoomTown Privacy Breach Via Email (Oh, the Irony!)

in News on June 11, 2010 at 7:53 am PT

Earlier today, I wrote a piece about how I was one of the 114,000 AT&T customers whose email and device identity numbers had been easily exposed earlier this week, via a flaw in the way the company registered the Apple iPad 3G for cellular access. I also complained that I had yet to hear from the telecom giant. And lo and behold, it responded. Regrets? AT&T has a few.

Google Buzz Exposes White House Deputy CTO (And Ex-Googler)

in Social on March 30, 2010 at 12:18 pm PT

This is pretty funny. Among the many Gmail subscribers to have their private contacts exposed in the Google Buzz privacy fiasco was Andrew McLaughlin, the Obama administration’s deputy chief technology officer and Google’s former head of global public policy.

So Much for Hijacking "Every iPhone in the World"

in News on July 31, 2009 at 1:14 pm PT

Once again, the iPhone is safe for text messaging. Apple on Friday distributed iPhone OS 3.0.1, a point release to the operating system that addresses a security vulnerability that could have allowed a malicious hacker to seize control of an iPhone with an unusual SMS text message.
iphone-pwned

So Much for Hijacking “Every iPhone in the World”

in News on July 31, 2009 at 1:14 pm PT

Once again, the iPhone is safe for text messaging. Apple on Friday distributed iPhone OS 3.0.1, a point release to the operating system that addresses a security vulnerability that could have allowed a malicious hacker to seize control of an iPhone with an unusual SMS text message.
iphone-pwned