At the Intersection of Technology and Real Life

Episode 182: Hackers take Medical Devices ‘off label’ to Save Lives

Michael York Reading, PA Syndicated Stories, The Security Ledger

In this episode of the podcast (#182) Trammell Hudson of Lower Layer Labs talks to us about Project Airbreak, his recent work to jailbreak a CPAP machines and how an NSA hacking tool helped make this inexpensive equipment usable as a makeshift respirator.

The post Episode 182: Hackers take Medical Devices ‘off label’ to Save Lives…

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As businesses across all industries evolve, once discretionary expenses become operating costs. Insurance coverage, for example, is pretty much ‘a must’ across many industries. The latest may be cybersecurity costs, because protecting your most important currency, information, requires ongoing attention. When looking at your cybersecurity budget, factor in every part of the recipe. What are […] The post Managing Cybersecurity Costs: Bake These Ingredients Into Your Annual Budget appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Hybrid Cloud Adoption Brings Security on the Go

15 January 2021

Hybrid cloud environments are a common sight in today’s digital world. IBM’s Assembling Your Cloud Orchestra report found 85% of organizations already utilize a hybrid cloud and 98% anticipate having one in place within three years. This type of cloud environment allows for more agile business processes, a novel infrastructure and produces potential new revenue […] The post Hybrid Cloud Adoption Brings Security on the Go appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Misconfigurations: A Hidden but Preventable Threat to Cloud Data

15 January 2021

Working in the cloud has many advantages. But to handle your information safely, you should know how to defend against the common problem of misconfigurations leaving cloud data open to thieves. What are the Benefits of Cloud Computing? Many groups are expanding their use of the cloud. In November 2019, Gartner announced its prediction that […] The post Misconfigurations: A Hidden but Preventable Threat to Cloud Data appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

5 Cybersecurity Best Practices For Planning Ahead

14 January 2021

Putting best practices in place is the most efficient way to combat cybersecurity threats. But that’s easier said than done, as there are a lot of forces working against our best efforts. The talent shortage looms the largest; there simply aren’t enough qualified cybersecurity experts out there to provide organizations a strong foundation. Without a […] The post 5 Cybersecurity Best Practices For Planning Ahead appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Preparing a Client Environment for Threat Management

14 January 2021

A key part of making any threat management program successful is ensuring it maps properly to the client’s needs. In the past, this has been challenging for many groups providing threat management to their internal teams. The challenge has largely been in making sure the proposed program and the suite of solutions find and call […] The post Preparing a Client Environment for Threat Management appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Social Engineering And Social Media: How to Stop Oversharing

13 January 2021

You’ve done your due diligence, practice good security hygiene and have the best security tools available. Now, your security posture is strong. But, your plan is only as good as your employees, and they may be letting you down when it comes to being ready for social engineering. While employees clicking on phishing links still […] The post Social Engineering And Social Media: How to Stop Oversharing appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Peaks and Valleys: The Mental Health Side of Cybersecurity Risk Management

12 January 2021

There is one risk cybersecurity experts often overlook: burnout. We can build on threat detection and incident response capabilities and use cybersecurity risk management frameworks, such as NIST CSF, to improve our overall risk posture all we want without ever looking inward. Because burnout is internal, we may not always see it. But left unmanaged, it can […] The post Peaks and Valleys: The Mental Health Side of Cybersecurity Risk Management appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

What is STRIDE and How Does It Anticipate Cyberattacks?

11 January 2021

STRIDE threat modeling is an important tool in a security expert’s arsenal. Threat modeling provides security teams with a practical framework for dealing with a threat. For example, the STRIDE model offers a proven methodology of next steps. It can suggest what defenses to include, the likely attacker’s profile, likely attack vectors and the assets […] The post What is STRIDE and How Does It Anticipate Cyberattacks? appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Cybersecurity for Healthcare: Addressing Medical Image Privacy

11 January 2021

Medical imaging devices have greatly improved patient care and become a critical part of modern medical treatment. But, these devices weren’t always connected in ways they are today. Today’s tools are digital, networked with other devices and can be reached through a computer workstation. As such, more cyber threats can pose harm. So how can […] The post Cybersecurity for Healthcare: Addressing Medical Image Privacy appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

Cybersecurity Ethics: Establishing a Code for Your SOC

8 January 2021

Since security intersects so much with privacy, cybersecurity ethics decisions should be on your mind at work. Being part of a high-performing computer security incident response team (CSIRT) or security operations center (SOC) involves making big, intentional decisions. Increasing the maturity of your team is more than dropping a bag of shiny new tools and technology […] The post Cybersecurity Ethics: Establishing a Code for Your SOC appeared first on Security Intelligence. [...]

EU Regulator: Hackers ‘Manipulated’ Stolen Vaccine Documents

16 January 2021

The European Union’s drug regulator said Friday that COVID-19 vaccine documents stolen from its servers by hackers have been not only leaked to the web, but “manipulated.” read more [...]

Tens of Vulnerabilities in Siemens PLM Products Allow Code Execution

15 January 2021

Siemens this week informed customers that some of its product development solutions are affected by a total of nearly two dozen vulnerabilities that can be exploited for arbitrary code execution using malicious files. read more [...]

Data Security Startup Qohash Raises $6 Million

15 January 2021

Canadian data security startup Qohash this week announced it raised CAD 8 million (approximately USD $6.3 million) in Series A funding. The financing was led by FINTOP Capital. read more [...]

Microsoft Reminds Organizations of Upcoming Phase in Patching Zerologon Vulnerability

15 January 2021

Microsoft this week published a reminder for organizations that a February 9 security update will kick off the second phase of patching for the Zerologon vulnerability. read more [...]

Facebook Takes Legal Action Against Data Scrapers

15 January 2021

Facebook on Thursday announced that it took legal action against two individuals for scraping data from its website. read more [...]

Malvuln Project Catalogues Vulnerabilities Found in Malware

15 January 2021

A researcher has launched Malvuln, a project that catalogues vulnerabilities discovered in malware and provides information on how those vulnerabilities can be exploited. read more [...]

NSA Publishes Guidance for Enterprises on Adoption of Encrypted DNS

15 January 2021

The National Security Agency (NSA) on Wednesday published guidance for businesses on the adoption of an encrypted domain name system (DNS) protocol, specifically DNS over HTTPS. read more [...]

Telegram-Based Automated Scam Service Helps Fraudsters Make Millions

15 January 2021

More than 40 scammer groups are actively engaged in schemes leveraging a scam-as-a-service offering that provides users the tools and resources needed to conduct fraud, according to threat hunting and intelligence company Group-IB. read more [...]

Vulnerability Exposes F5 BIG-IP Systems to Remote DoS Attacks

14 January 2021

A vulnerability discovered by a researcher in a BIG-IP product from F5 Networks can be exploited to launch remote denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. read more [...]

Report: TikTok Harvested MAC Addresses By Exploiting Android Loophole

14 January 2021

The ongoing controversies surrounding TikTok hit a new gear on Thursday with a bombshell report accusing the Chinese company of spying on millions of Android users using a technique banned by Google. read more [...]

Checkout wants to be Rapyd and Fast

16 January 2021

Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture-capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines. We’re back on this lovely Saturday with a bonus episode! Again! There is enough going on that to avoid failing to bring you stuff that we think matters, we are back yet again for more. This time around we […] [...]

Extra Crunch roundup: Antitrust jitters, SPAC odyssey, white-hot IPOs, more

16 January 2021

Some time ago, I gave up on the idea of identifying a thread that could connect each story in this weekly roundup. There are no unified theories for technology news. [...]

Facebook blocks new events around DC and state capitols

16 January 2021

As a precaution against coordinated violence as the U.S. approaches President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, Facebook announced a few new measures it’s putting in place. In a blog post and tweets from Facebook Policy Communications Director Andy Stone, the company explained that it would block any events slated to happen near the White House, the U.S. […] [...]

GitLab oversaw a $195 million secondary sale that values the company at $6 billion

15 January 2021

GitLab has confirmed with TechCrunch that it oversaw a $195 million secondary sale that values the company at $6 billion. CNBC broke the story earlier today. The company’s impressive valuation comes after its most recent 2019 Series E in which it raised $268 million on a 2.75 billion valuation, an increase of $3.25 billion in […] [...]

The pandemic was top of mind in the tech of CES 2021

15 January 2021

Of course COVID-19 was bound to be an unavoidable topic during the first-ever all-virtual CES. After all, the topic is at front of mind regardless of the topic these days. Close to a year into the pandemic, presenters still understandably feel obligated to address the always-present elephant in the room. Sometimes it was as simple […] [...]

Daily Crunch: WhatsApp responds to privacy backlash

15 January 2021

WhatsApp delays enforcement of a controversial privacy change, Apple may get rid of the Touch Bar in future MacBooks and Bumble files to go public. This is your Daily Crunch for January 15, 2021. The big story: WhatsApp responds to privacy backlash Earlier this month, WhatsApp sent users a notification asking them to consent to […] [...]

Twitter’s decentralized future

15 January 2021

This week, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey finally responded publicly to the company’s decision to ban President Trump from its platform, writing that Twitter had “faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance” and that he did not “feel pride” about the decision. In the same thread, he took time to call out a nascent Twitter-sponsored initiative called […] [...]

Marc Lore leaves Walmart a little over four years after selling Jet.com for $3B

15 January 2021

Marc Lore, the executive vice president, president and CEO of U.S. e-commerce for Walmart, is stepping down a little over four years after selling his e-commerce company Jet.com to the country’s largest retailer for $3 billion. Lore’s tenure at the company was a mixed bag. Walmart instituted several new technology initiatives under Lore’s tenure, but […] [...]

Coinbase commits to a ‘better customer experience’ following complaints

15 January 2021

Coinbase has a problem. As interest in Bitcoin has soared along with its price, the popular cryptocurrency exchange has found itself the target of a growing spate of angry customers who haven’t been able to access customer service. A quick look at Twitter tells the story. As one upset user of the service ranted earlier […] [...]

15 steps to fundraising a new VC or private equity fund

15 January 2021

Based on my experience, taking the 15 steps below will help build the core of a high-performing fundraising and investor relations function. [...]

WhatsApp Delays Controversial 'Data-Sharing' Privacy Policy Update By 3 Months

16 January 2021

WhatsApp said on Friday that it wouldn't enforce its recently announced controversial data sharing policy update until May 15. Originally set to go into effect next month on February 8, the three-month delay comes following "a lot of misinformation" about a revision to its privacy policy that allows WhatsApp to share data with Facebook, sparking widespread concerns about the exact kind of [...]

NSA Suggests Enterprises Use 'Designated' DNS-over-HTTPS' Resolvers

16 January 2021

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) on Friday said DNS over HTTPS (DoH) — if configured appropriately in enterprise environments — can help prevent "numerous" initial access, command-and-control, and exfiltration techniques used by threat actors. "DNS over Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Transport Layer Security (HTTPS), often referred to as DNS over HTTPS (DoH), encrypts DNS requests by [...]

Joker's Stash, The Largest Carding Marketplace, Announces Shutdown

16 January 2021

Joker's Stash, the largest dark web marketplace notorious for selling compromised payment card data, has announced plans to shut down its operations on February 15, 2021. In a message board post on a Russian-language underground cybercrime forum, the operator of the site — who goes by the name "JokerStash" — said "it's time for us to leave forever" and that "we will never ever open again," [...]

Researchers Disclose Undocumented Chinese Malware Used in Recent Attacks

15 January 2021

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed a series of attacks by a threat actor of Chinese origin that has targeted organizations in Russia and Hong Kong with malware — including a previously undocumented backdoor. Attributing the campaign to Winnti (or APT41), Positive Technologies dated the first attack to May 12, 2020, when the APT used LNK shortcuts to extract and run the malware payload. A [...]

Experts Uncover Malware Attacks Against Colombian Government and Companies

14 January 2021

Cybersecurity researchers took the wraps off an ongoing surveillance campaign directed against Colombian government institutions and private companies in the energy and metallurgical industries. In a report published by ESET on Tuesday, the Slovak internet security company said the attacks — dubbed "Operation Spalax" — began in 2020, with the modus operandi sharing some similarities to an APT [...]

Intel Adds Hardware-Enabled Ransomware Detection to 11th Gen vPro Chips

13 January 2021

Intel and Cybereason have partnered to build anti-ransomware defenses into the chipmaker's newly announced 11th generation Core vPro business-class processors. The hardware-based security enhancements are baked into Intel's vPro platform via its Hardware Shield and Threat Detection Technology (TDT), enabling profiling and detection of ransomware and other threats that have an impact on the CPU [...]

Buyer's Guide for Securing Internal Environment with a Small Cybersecurity Team

13 January 2021

Ensuring the cybersecurity of your internal environment when you have a small security team is challenging. If you want to maintain the highest security level with a small team, your strategy has to be 'do more with less,' and with the right technology, you can leverage your team and protect your internal environment from breaches. The "buyer's guide for securing the internal environment with a [...]

Authorities Take Down World's Largest Illegal Dark Web Marketplace

13 January 2021

Europol on Tuesday said it shut down DarkMarket, the world's largest online marketplace for illicit goods, as part of an international operation involving Germany, Australia, Denmark, Moldova, Ukraine, the U.K.'s National Crime Agency (NCA), and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). At the time of closure, DarkMarket is believed to have had 500,000 users and more than 2,400 vendors, [...]

Hackers Steal Mimecast Certificate Used to Securely Connect with Microsoft 365

13 January 2021

Mimecast said on Tuesday that "a sophisticated threat actor" had compromised a digital certificate it provided to certain customers to securely connect its products to Microsoft 365 (M365) Exchange. The discovery was made after the breach was notified by Microsoft, the London-based company said in an alert posted on its website, adding it's reached out to the impacted organizations to remediate [...]

Microsoft Issues Patches for Defender Zero-Day and 82 Other Windows Flaws

13 January 2021

For the first patch Tuesday of 2021, Microsoft released security updates addressing a total of 83 flaws spanning as many as 11 products and services, including an actively exploited zero-day vulnerability. The latest security patches cover Microsoft Windows, Edge browser, ChakraCore, Office and Microsoft Office Services, and Web Apps, Visual Studio, Microsoft Malware Protection Engine, .NET Core [...]

Researchers Test UN’s Cybersecurity, Find Data on 100k

11 January 2021

Independent security researchers testing the security of the United Nations were able to compromise public-facing servers and a cloud-based development account for the U.N. and lift data on more than 100,000 staff and employees, according to a report released Monday. The post Researchers Test UN’s Cybersecurity, Find Data on 100k appeared first...Read the whole entry... »Related StoriesPodcast Episode 189: AppSec for Pandemic Times, A Conversation with GitLab Security VP Jonathan HuntEpisode 199 COVID’s Other Legacy: Data Theft and Enterprise InsecurityEpisode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware! [...]

Episode 199 COVID’s Other Legacy: Data Theft and Enterprise Insecurity

8 January 2021

In this episode of the podcast (#199), sponsored by LastPass, we talk with Shareth Ben of Securonix about how massive layoffs that have resulted from the COVID pandemic put organizations at far greater risk of data theft. In our second segment, we’re joined by Barry McMahon, a Senior Global Product Marketing Manager at LogMeIn, to talk about...Read the whole entry... » Related StoriesEpisode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware!Episode 190: 20 Years, 300 CVEs. Also: COVID’s Lasting Security LessonsEpisode 194: What Happened To All The Election Hacks? [...]

Episode 198: Must Hear Interviews from 2020

31 December 2020

Trying times have a way of peeling back the curtains and seeing our world with new eyes. We The post Episode 198: Must Hear Interviews from 2020 appeared first on The Security Ledger. Related StoriesEpisode 195: Cyber Monday Super Deals Carry Cyber RiskDHS Looking Into Cyber Risk from TCL Smart TVsEpisode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware! [...]

Update: Neopets Is Still A Thing And Its Exposing Sensitive Data

28 December 2020

Neopets, the virtual pets website has exposed a wide range of sensitive data online including information that might be used to identify site users, security researchers report. The post Update: Neopets Is Still A Thing And Its Exposing Sensitive Data appeared first on The Security Ledger. Related StoriesAmid Security Concerns: to Zoom or not to Zoom?Researchers Test UN’s Cybersecurity, Find Data on 100kEpisode 168: Application Security Debt is growing and Securing Web Apps in the Age of IoT [...]

Update: DHS Looking Into Cyber Risk from TCL Smart TVs

22 December 2020

The acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the agency was assessing the cyber risk of smart TVs sold by the Chinese electronics giant TCL, following reports that the devices may give the company "back door" access to deployed sets. The post Update: DHS Looking Into Cyber Risk from TCL Smart TVs appeared first on The Security...Read the whole entry... »Related StoriesEpisode 195: Cyber Monday Super Deals Carry Cyber RiskTV Maker TCL Denies Back Door, Promises Better ProcessSecurity Holes Opened Back Door To TCL Android Smart TVs [...]

Episode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware!

18 December 2020

In this podcast, sponsored by LastPass, former U.S. CISO Greg Touhill joins us to talk about news of a vast hack of U.S. government networks, which he calls a "five alarm fire" reportedly set by Russia. The post Episode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware! appeared first on The Security Ledger. Related StoriesEpisode 199 COVID’s Other Legacy: Data Theft and Enterprise InsecurityEpisode 194: What Happened To All The Election Hacks?Episode 196: Building the Case Against Sandworm with Cisco Talos [...]

Episode 196: Building the Case Against Sandworm with Cisco Talos

10 December 2020

Cisco's Matt Olney, the Director of Talos Threat Intelligence and Interdiction and Craig Williams, the Talos Director of Outreach about the case against The post Episode 196: Building the Case Against Sandworm with Cisco Talos appeared first on The Security Ledger. Related StoriesEpisode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware!Episode 194: What Happened To All The Election Hacks?Episode 190: 20 Years, 300 CVEs. Also: COVID’s Lasting Security Lessons [...]

Episode 195: Cyber Monday Super Deals Carry Cyber Risk

3 December 2020

While many organizations think the notion of keyboards, monitors and other hardware "spying" on them as the stuff of "James Bond" movies, Yossi Appleboum of Sepio Systems says that the threat is real - and much more common that either companies or consumers are aware. The post Episode 195: Cyber Monday Super Deals Carry Cyber Risk appeared first...Read the whole entry... » Related StoriesDHS Looking Into Cyber Risk from TCL Smart TVsEpisode 198: Must Hear Interviews from 2020TV Maker TCL Denies Back Door, Promises Better Process [...]

Containers Complicate Compliance (And What To Do About It)

30 November 2020

If you work within the security industry, compliance is seen almost as a dirty word. You have likely run into situations like that which @Nemesis09 describes below. Here, we see it’s all too common for organizations to treat testing compliance as a checkbox exercise and to thereby view compliance in a way that goes against its entire purpose....Read the whole entry... »Related StoriesResearchers Test UN’s Cybersecurity, Find Data on 100kEpisode 199 COVID’s Other Legacy: Data Theft and Enterprise InsecurityEpisode 197: The Russia Hack Is A 5 Alarm Fire | Also: Shoppers Beware! [...]

Exploitable Flaw in NPM Private IP App Lurks Everywhere, Anywhere

25 November 2020

A serious security flaw in a commonly used npm security module, private-ip, may affect hundreds of thousands of private and public applications. The post Exploitable Flaw in NPM Private IP App Lurks Everywhere, Anywhere appeared first on The Security Ledger. Related StoriesTV Maker TCL Denies Back Door, Promises Better ProcessSecurity Holes Opened Back Door To TCL Android Smart TVsEpisode 198: Must Hear Interviews from 2020 [...]

Critical NASA rocket test ends early with a shutdown

17 January 2021

A critical NASA rocket test ended with a shutdown on Saturday, a little over a minute into what was planned to be an eight-minute test. This trial run was a vital checkpoint for NASA’s much-delayed Space Launch System. The SLS is set to play a key role in the agency’s Artemis program which aims to return astronauts to the Moon. During today’s Green Run test, the four rocket engines in the SLS core fired for a little over a minute while anchored in NASA’s rocket test stand. The team had planned to have the engines fire for approximately eight minutes,… [...]

Facebook suspends ads for weapon accessories until at least January 22nd

16 January 2021

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook has updated its Inauguration Day preparations to include a temporary ban on ads that promote weapon accessories and protective equipment at least through January 22nd “out of an abundance of caution,” the company said in a new blog post Saturday. “We already prohibit ads for weapons, ammunition and weapon enhancements like silencers. But we will now also prohibit ads for accessories such as gun safes, vests and gun holsters in the US,” the statement reads. The ban comes after Facebook was criticized for allowing posts across its platforms that promoted and organized… [...]

Ford reportedly delays some deliveries of its Mustang Mach-E

16 January 2021

Photo by Andrew Hawkins / The Verge Ford will delay deliveries for hundreds of its Mustang Mach-E vehicles to perform quality checks, Electrek reported. The automaker began delivering the Mach-E SUV in December, but some buyers reported that their upcoming delivery dates had been pushed back, by as long as a month in some cases, according to Electrek. The Mustang Mach-E SUV is Ford’s first update to the iconic Mustang brand ever, and the company’s biggest foray into the EV marketplace. Ford didn’t immediately return a request for comment from The Verge on Saturday, but a spokesperson told Electrek it… [...]

Some Twitter employees have reportedly locked their accounts fearing reprisal from Trump supporters

16 January 2021

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Some Twitter employees have set their accounts to private and scrubbed their online biographies over concerns they may be targeted by supporters of President Trump, the New York Times reported. In addition, some Twitter executives have been assigned personal security as the company reckons with its decision to bar one of its loudest voices. Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account was permanently suspended from Twitter January 8th, “due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” Twitter said in its statement. The president told supporters at a rally just before an attack on the Capitol January… [...]

The Verge Awards at CES 2021: can’t touch this

16 January 2021

Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge Rating the all-digital Consumer Electronics Show Continue reading… [...]

Unlike Airbnb, VRBO reportedly won’t cancel reservations in DC during inauguration week

16 January 2021

vrbo Short-term rental site VRBO does not plan to cancel reservations in the DC area during the inauguration next week, even though competitor Airbnb has already done so. First reported by BuzzFeed News, VRBO said in a blog post Friday afternoon that it was “encouraging hosts to cancel bookings during this time,” if they believed a guest was violating its policies, but stopped short of a blanket cancellation. Following the January 6th attack on the Capitol that left six people dead, DC-area officials said in a joint statement that they were “encouraging Americans not to come to Washington, D.C. and… [...]

The tech trends we saw kick off at CES 2021

16 January 2021

Image: Razer Another CES is in the books. Going all-virtual meant that it was a smaller show than usual — and since it was already a show that’s been on the decline in terms of influence for a few years now, we could feel it. Still: there were some big stories to follow and things to learn about what’s coming up in consumer tech. That’s the thing about CES: most of the time the best technology shown off here is conceptual, wildly expensive, a long way off in the future, or all of the above. We’re interested in it not… [...]

Watch NASA test fire its massive new rocket

16 January 2021

The B-2 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. | NASA Update 6:05PM ET: A little over a minute after the Green Run hot fire test began, the engines shut down. Update 3:10PM ET: NASA has moved up the time for the Green Run hot fire test. The NASA broadcast will now start at 3:20PM ET, and the test window opens at 4PM ET. Four huge rocket engines will roar to life on Saturday, in a crucial test for NASA’s powerful next-generation rocket. This long-awaited trial run won’t leave the ground, but it will be… [...]

CES showed off the COVID-19 mask gimmick arms race

16 January 2021

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Millions of people in the US started buying face masks in 2020, and companies, unsurprisingly, rushed to take advantage of the surge of demand for a new product. At CES 2021, the gadget-ification of the mask was on full display. Leading the pack was Razer’s transparent voice-amplifying, light-up concept mask. AirPop promoted its Active+ Smart Mask, which monitors users’ breathing rates and alerts them via a smartphone app when the mask’s filter needs changing. Binatone’s MaskFone has built-in earbuds and a mic for phone calls. Turning masks into a status symbol is nothing… [...]

Cyberpunk 2077 full development reportedly didn’t start until 2016

16 January 2021

Image: CD Projekt Red A new report looking into what went amiss with the rollout of Cyberpunk 2077 points to overconfidence from management at CD Projekt Red as a key problem, and reveals that “full development” of the game — announced in 2012— didn’t begin until 2016. Jason Schreier of Bloomberg interviewed more than 20 current and former CD Projekt staff, and found that the game’s development was plagued by unrealistic deadlines and technical issues. The company “hit the reset button” on the game in 2016, but a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 showed at E3 in 2018 was “almost entirely… [...]

If Covid-19 Did Start With a Lab Leak, Would We Ever Know?

16 January 2021

The two major investigations into the origins of the pandemic are compromised by potential conflicts of interest. Those problems need to be fixed—fast. [...]

The FBI Has Made Over 100 Arrests Related to the Capitol Riot

16 January 2021

Plus: A dark web takedown, a bitcoin scam, and more of the week's top security news. [...]

What Hades Can Teach Us About Ancient Greek Masculinity

16 January 2021

Everyone in the game may be hot, but some of the characterizations we see aren't as subversive as you might think. [...]

DJI's Latest Compact Drone Is a Blast to Fly

16 January 2021

The Mini 2 is still lightweight yet has enough flying power for some windy conditions, and it comes equipped with a better camera. [...]

The Physics of Reddit's Spinning Solar System Icon

16 January 2021

If the dots on the loading screen were planets, is their motion realistic? And can we actually model it? [...]

The Race Is On to Identify and Stop Inauguration Rioters

16 January 2021

As tech companies scramble to tackle the extreme far-right, police and law enforcement are encasing Washington, DC, in a ring of steel. [...]

Can This Group Revive the Finicky Corpse Flower?

16 January 2021

In botanic gardens around the world, the reproductive future of the famously smelly plant is threatened. A new collaborative program wants to save it. [...]

Big Tech Can’t Ban Its Way Out of This

16 January 2021

Platforms are scrambling to avoid being used by right-wing extremists targeting the inauguration. But the seeds of this crisis were sown long ago. [...]

The Bygone Glory of Blockbuster's 'Pokémon Snap' Station

16 January 2021

Nintendo is releasing a new version of the game in April. But nothing can replace the magic of the rental store's printed-out pocket monsters. [...]

14 Best Weekend Deals on TVs, Laptops, and More

16 January 2021

It’s a long weekend. These discounted picks will help you sit down, tune out, and tune in to your screens to while away the time. [...]

Episode 182: Hackers take Medical Devices ‘off label’ to Save Lives

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