[DREXcb]

Someone is pumping MOBL today

Posted via CB10

[alludba]

Blame the Internet of Things for today's web blackout

Today's nation-wide internet outage was enabled thanks to a Mirai botnet that hacked into connected home devices, according to security intelligence company Flashpoint. The distributed denial of service attack targeted Dyn, a large domain name server, and took down Twitter, Spotify, Reddit, The New York Times, Pinterest, PayPal and other major websites.

"Flashpoint has observed Mirai attack commands issued against Dyn infrastructure," Flashpoint writes. "Analysts are still investigating the potential impact of this activity and it is not yet clear if other botnets are involved."

Mirai is not a new hacking tool. A massive Mirai attack took down the site of popular security researcher Brian Krebs in late September, peaking at a nearly unprecedented 620 Gbps. Mirai takes advantage of weak security protocols on IoT devices -- in the Krebs case, 145,000 devices were infiltrated, including security cameras and DVRs in homes and offices around the world.

The author of the Mirai malware made its code open-source, and security experts have been warning of a possible large-scale attack since this information came to light.

For its part, Dyn is attempting to stem Friday's attack on its servers. At 3:30PM ET, the company announced the attack had entered its third wave.

"We are actively in the third flank of this attack," Chief Strategy Officer Kyle Owen said, according to TechCrunch. "It's a very smart attack. As we mitigate, they react."

To anyone who is still able to read this story: Congrats. Also, we're doomed.

https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/21/...source=Twitter

I feel like attacks like these make BlackBerry's QNX secure solution for various IoT devices seem more attractive.

[Corbu]

Old news tweeted today...

Michael Harris ‏@Michaelharrispc 3 hours ago Toronto, Ontario
Great talk w/ #BlackBerry CEO @JohnChen on the direction of world's most secure smartphones. Watch my remarks here:

morganplus8, rarsen, OlympusMons and 2 others like this.

[anon(757282)]

Approaching $6 once again. This is depressingly regular. How are we to consider this stock anything but a mangy dog? I am not a weak hand, have been holding since $14 price range. But there seems to be no progress getting any value back to this stock.

I don't need the funds yet, but this steady degradation is unacceptable.

Posted on my Still Awesome Z30

[_dimi_]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/10/14...ww.google.com/

Posted via CB10

[world traveler and former ceo]

Approaching $6 once again. This is depressingly regular. How are we to consider this stock anything but a mangy dog? I am not a weak hand, have been holding since $14 price range. But there seems to be no progress getting any value back to this stock.

I don't need the funds yet, but this steady degradation is unacceptable.

Posted on my Still Awesome Z30

Stock and Brand will continue to suffer until BlackBerry can show they can change their long standing downward slide by increasing revenues, sustaining growing profits, and demonstrating leadership and innovation in "in demand" service and/or product offerings... at the moment, it is unclear where the real big winners are in their portfolio... ones that they can monetize or that can really scale up ... promise must at some point be translated into customers, and revenues.. talk must be followed by results.

Posted via CB10

[DaSchwantz]

Stock and Brand will continue to suffer until BlackBerry can show they can change their long standing downward slide by increasing revenues, sustaining growing profits, and demonstrating leadership and innovation in "in demand" service and/or product offerings... at the moment, it is unclear where the real big winners are in their portfolio... ones that they can monetize or that can really scale up ... promise must at some point be translated into customers, and revenues.. talk must be followed by results.

Posted via CB10

The revenue growth will be the biggest near-term challenge, given their new model for devices.

Posted via CB10

[world traveler and former ceo]

http://m.therecord.com/news-story/69...he-quantum-age

Where the really cool stuff is happening in cutting edge security... interesting connection to past BlackBerry talent...and genius Mike Lazaridis...

Posted via CB10

[bbjdog]

Don't know if it was posted before, but reading material anyways.


http://www.financialpost.com/m/wp/fp...leaks-increase

[bbjdog]

IOT for Blackberry to secure?

Cyber attack: Hackers used everday devices to cause major internet outages

[Corbu]

'Smart' home devices used as weapons in website attack - BBC News

On social media, many researchers and analysts expressed frustration with the security gap being exploited by attackers.

"Today we answered the question 'what would happen if we connected a vast number of cheap, crummy embedded devices to broadband networks?'" wrote Matthew Green, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Information Security Institute.

Jeff Jarmoc, head of security for global business service Salesforce, pointed out that internet infrastructure is supposed to be more robust.

"In a relatively short time we've taken a system built to resist destruction by nuclear weapons and made it vulnerable to toasters," he tweeted.

[Corbu]

https://berryflow.com/2016/10/brookf...op-store-tour/
BerryFlow tours BlackBerry Pop Up Store at Brookfield Place

[DaSchwantz]

http://m.therecord.com/news-story/69...he-quantum-age

Where the really cool stuff is happening in cutting edge security... interesting connection to past BlackBerry talent...and genius Mike Lazaridis...

Posted via CB10

Right now I'm visiting my mom in Waterloo, who lives within a few blocks of all 3 of those Lazaridis supported facilities...interesting work going on, for sure.

Posted via CB10

[Corbu]

morganplus8, theRock1975, La Emperor and 6 others like this.

[world traveler and former ceo]

Right now I'm visiting my mom in Waterloo, who lives within a few blocks of all 3 of those Lazaridis supported facilities...interesting work going on, for sure.

Posted via CB10

Will be there Tuesday at University of Waterloo at private event hosted by President ... yes.. from desktop.. to mobile... to quantum computing.. the next breakthrough ..
Quantum Valley = Mike Lazaridis ---> will revolutionize "Silicon Valley North" ...may take 10+ years..but it's happening....

Posted via CB10

[Corbu]

OT:
Web Attack Stemmed From Game Tactics - WSJ

[Corbu]

Auto Makers Struggle With High-Tech Dashboard Screens - WSJ

Customers grow frustrated as infotainment systems fail to seamlessly connect smartphones

Traditional auto makers racing against Silicon Valley firms to develop self-driving cars and electric vehicles face more immediate technological challenges with a longstanding mainstay: the dashboard screen.

Customer frustrations are mounting with infotainment systems that fail to seamlessly connect smartphones and suffer a range of glitches including crashing electronic displays and imperfect voice-recognition features, according to dealers and automobile reviewers. The dissatisfactions come despite significant leaps auto makers have made creating systems that function more like popular handheld electronics.

Consumer Reports on Monday is to release a much-watched annual vehicle reliability study expected in part to spotlight growing problems with dashboard technology, an area the influential reviewer has flagged before as a significant friction point for car shoppers.

When it comes to technological advances in the car cabin, car companies are “getting better and they’re getting worse,” said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ head of automotive testing. J.D. Power, another prominent car researcher, in February highlighted software for audio, navigation and voice recognition as “the most problematic area on most vehicles,” adding the issues drag down dependability scores.

Older infotainment systems, like BMW’s iDrive and Audi AG’s MMI, have made the most improvements in recent years, while newer contenders like Cadillac’s CUE and Infiniti’s InTouch tend to be more problematic and cumbersome to use, Mr. Fisher said. An Infiniti spokesman said the brand closely monitors third-party evaluations and has taken steps including a recent software upgrade to improve performance. A Cadillac spokesman declined to comment.

Ford Motor Co. has struggled over the years with bugs in Sync and MyFord Touch Telematics systems, with one engineer in 2011 calling software for the systems a “polished turd,” according to court documents filed in a 2013 consumer lawsuit against the Dearborn, Mich., auto maker that a judge recently granted class-action status.

In a statement, Ford said MyFord Touch was “revolutionary” when it launched and like “all new and complex software, continuously evolved and improved after its initial release.” Customers got free software upgrades as engineers improved performance, the company said.

The challenges come as traditional car makers like Ford., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. race to hire more software developers and programmers in an effort to keep pace in a technological arms race with Silicon Valley companies such as Tesla Motors Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google.

Tesla this month said it had installed hardware on coming vehicles that will allow them to fully drive themselves despite scrutiny stemming from a May fatal crash involving a vehicle using its semi-autonomous Autopilot system. Google continues to test fully autonomous vehicles but has been relatively tight-lipped about future plans.

On the dashboard, car shoppers are increasingly looking for rival systems from Alphabet and Apple Inc. that pair smartphones and allow motorists to view and interact with the familiar home screens in the vehicle cabin.

Car companies are straining to keep pace with the volume and speed with which tech firms update their smartphone software, a lag that can at times confuse the car’s infotainment system and cause it to crash, say analysts and service technicians.

Traditional auto makers struggle to incorporate new technology quickly given vehicle development cycles that can take up to three years. Ford is rolling out the third iteration of its Sync system that debuted in 2007, while Apple is on the seventh generation of its iPhone that first hit the market the same year.

What is more, customers often have to endure the hassle of visiting a dealership for software upgrades instead of over-the-air updates they have become accustomed to on smartphones.

Some car makers are starting to debut wireless connections that make updates easier. A Ford spokesman said the latest version of Sync can fix software bugs, modify on-screen graphics and add new phone-pairing features such as Apple’s CarPlay and Alphabet’s Android Auto through WiFi hotspots.

“You push the button on the iPhone and it updates in a couple minutes,” said Bill Graf, a service manager for Waikem Ford in Massillon, Ohio. “They need to do that with cars. You wouldn’t see half of these people in here.”

Rick Kearney, a master diagnostic technician at Earl Stewart Toyota in Lake Park, Fla., said one frequent problem is phone makers update text-message capabilities, adding emojis or video that current infotainment systems don’t recognize, crashing the software. Then, a customer has to bring the car into the dealership to remedy it.

“It seems as though the phones have 2020 technology and the cars are stuck in 2005,” Mr. Kearney said.

Chris Rovik, Toyota’s general manager for electronic systems, said the company isn’t aware of such text messaging problems but it has staff in Silicon Valley that works closely with Apple and Alphabet’s Android to get ahead of any major mobile-phone updates.

[Mr BBRY]

Will be there Tuesday at University of Waterloo at private event hosted by President ... yes.. from desktop.. to mobile... to quantum computing.. the next breakthrough ..
Quantum Valley = Mike Lazaridis ---> will revolutionize "Silicon Valley North" ...may take 10+ years..but it's happening....

Posted via CB10

I've been wanting to follow the evolution of quantum computing since Lazaridis announced his ~$100MM contribution and commitment to this industry shortly after parting ways with BlackBerry. Does anyone here know of any companies that are at the forefront of this industry that may be worth a long shot investment? D-Wave seems to be amongst the industry pioneers. Any thoughts?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I've been wanting to follow the evolution of quantum computing since Lazaridis announced his ~$100MM contribution and commitment to this industry shortly after parting ways with BlackBerry. Does anyone here know of any companies that are at the forefront of this industry that may be worth a long shot investment? D-Wave seems to be amongst the industry pioneers. Any thoughts?

Google....

There are a number of groups working on it, but getting and keeping funding is the biggest issue (Mike personally has spent over $100 million). D-Wave is seen as the leader as far as companies that are out in the open working on a machine. Google is supporting them as are others, but Google is also working on the problems themselves. Some say we are five years from a "real" Quantum Computer... other think we are further away from it.

Not sure if Lazaridis group is looking at building, or just theoretical ways one could be used (other than allowing the NSA to unscramble all that encrypted data they have been stockpiling).

[rarsen]

General OT from the Security files:

American vigilante hacker The Jester defaces Russian government website - Oct. 22, 2016
"An American vigilante hacker, defaced the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Jester said he chose to attack Russia out of frustration for the massive DNS cyberattack that knocked out a portion of the internet in the United States on Friday. The Jester used a classic hacking technique, finding a hole in the website's computer code and injecting his own code into it."

[W Hoa]

U.S. calls on automakers to make cyber security a priority | Reuters

[Corbu]

rarsen and alludba like this.

[Corbu]

BlackBerry Announces DTEK60, Latest Android Device with BlackBerry's Industry Leading Security Software

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-off...tphones-dtek60
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-dtek60-specs
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-dtek60-hands-on
BlackBerry DTEK60 hands-on: Higher-end specs, nice looking hardware and trusted security

[farmwersteve]

BlackBerry Announces DTEK60, Latest Android Device with BlackBerry's Industry Leading Security Software

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-off...tphones-dtek60
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-dtek60-specs
http://crackberry.com/blackberry-dtek60-hands-on

Yeah, I think I will be adding this to my collection.
May as well buy it now with the added bundles if goodies that I may not use.

Still want a pkb that's not a slider, it those leaked specs look a little light, so I guess this is the stopgap

[Corbu]

New DTEK60 Shows How BlackBerry Puts ?the Smart in the Smartphone? | Inside BlackBerry