KeySteal: huge macOS vulnerability can be exploited to reveal keychain passwords
A disgruntled security researcher has revealed a one-click exploit that takes advantage of a macOS vulnerability to reveal all of the passwords stored in a Mac's keychain.
Linus Henze developed an exploit tool called KeySteal that uses a 0-day bug to extract keychain passwords on macOS Mojave and older. He stresses that neither root access nor administrator privileges are required, and no password prompts are generated by the tool. Henze is not going to help Apple to fix the problem because the company does not offer a bug bounty program for macOS.
Cisco joins Apple in calling for a US version of GDPR data protection and privacy laws
The roll out of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) has changed the face of privacy and data protection for millions of people across Europe. The regulation not only grants people access to the personal data companies hold about them, but also controls how this data can be used and transferred.
Apple's Tim Cook has already voiced his support for GDPR and said that the rest of the world should implement similar regulation. Now he has been joined by Cisco in calling for data laws to be embraced by the US as they have been in Europe.
Apple apologizes for privacy-invading FaceTime bug, promises delayed software update
Apple has issued an apology for the recently-discovered bug that made it possible to eavesdrop on people via FaceTime.
The company had promised that a software update would be delivered later this week, but the interim solution was to simply disable the group FaceTime feature server-side. Apple now says that the problem has been fully fixed, but a software update that re-enables the group function will not be issued until next week.
How to disable FaceTime and protect your privacy
By now you have probably heard about the bug that's been discovered in Apple's FaceTime. In short it is an exploit that lets you connect a call you have placed rather than waiting for the recipient to pick up -- so you can then listen to audio and watch video.
Apple is working on a fix, and it you want to be sure that you don't fall victim to eavesdropping, you should think about disabling FaceTime on your iOS device. Here's how to do just that.
Massive FaceTime privacy bug lets people eavesdrop on audio and video calls before they've been answered -- and Apple doesn't have a fix yet
Apple is scrambling to fix a serious bug that has been discovered in its FaceTime messaging services. The bug makes it possible to spy on the people being called, even if the call is not picked up.
This is a serious privacy issue, as it gives someone the ability to secretly eavesdrop on someone -- or even watch them -- without their knowledge. At the moment, Apple does not have a fix but the company says it is working on the problem and will address it by the end of the week. In the meantime, you may want to consider disabling FaceTime on your iOS device.
Feast your eyes on how Apple's iOS 13 should look
With iOS 12, much of Apple’s focus was on performance, but there were also updates to Siri, key apps, ARKit 2, Animoji, Memoji and much more. We won’t get our first official look at its successor, iOS 13, for a few months yet, but if you’d like to see how it should look, we’ve got this stunning video to wow you.
It takes everything we like about iOS 12, but improves on it.
Microsoft Office 365 arrives in the Mac App Store for the first time
Although there are lots of office suites to choose from, including plenty of free offerings, Microsoft Office remains the most popular choice.
For Mac users, previously the only way to get Microsoft Office was by going to Microsoft's website and downloading it from there. Now though, Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and the whole suite of Microsoft’s popular apps are available to download directly from the Mac App Store.
Apple selling iPhone SE again, and you should totally consider buying it
All supported iPhone smartphones are better than all Android devices. That's a bold statement, I know, but it's true. Don't misunderstand, there are some great Android devices with superior hardware and specs, but that is sort of irrelevant. If you want a safe and secure smartphone that will receive consistent operating system updates, iOS is the only true option. Sadly, the state of Android is still fragmentation and an app store full of knock-offs and malware. Despite a recent slowdown in sales, iPhone remains the king.
Unfortunately, Apple's iPhone smartphones are quite expensive. Many consumers that want an iPhone are simply priced out of the experience. And so, I can understand someone buying a $200 Android device -- there's nothing wrong with living within your means and staying on budget. If you want to join the iPhone family, however, I have some amazing news. Out of the blue, Apple has started selling the iPhone SE as a clearance item for an insanely low price.
Court orders Apple to withdraw misleading statement about iPhone availability
As part of its ongoing legal battles with Qualcomm, Apple was last month banned from selling the iPhone 7 and 8 in Germany. Despite this, the company issued a press release stating that the handsets would remain available through thousands of resellers.
Now a court has ordered Apple to stop making this claim, with the ruling describing this section of the press release as "misleading" and "potentially deceptive".
Verizon gives free Apple Music to (some of) its unlimited customers
Streaming music is all the rage these days, and for good reason. It is affordable and convenient -- long gone are the days of spending $20 for a single CD. Seriously, folks, that is what many albums were selling for before Napster and other piracy offerings leveled the playing field. Nowadays, for a paltry monthly fee, you can access more music than you can possibly listen to in your lifetime. It rules.
There are many quality services from which to choose, but my favorite is Apple Music. It works well on my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, but also, it is compatible with Windows, Android, and Amazon Alexa too. Sadly, there is no web version, but I digress. I happily give Apple $10 each month to be rewarded with a great music listening experience. If you are a Verizon unlimited customer, you may no longer need to pay for Apple's streaming service. You see, the cell provider will now be providing complimentary access to some of its customers.
Apple releases expensive battery cases for iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, with wireless Qi charging
If you're a heavy user of your iPhone, you'll be aware of the need to keep your battery topped up. You could carry around a battery pack, or you could stick your charger in your pocket in the hope that you'll be a near a power outlet. Or, you could invest in one of Apple's official charging cases.
The iPhone-maker has just launched a trio of smart battery cases -- for the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR -- which allow you to protect and charge your phone at the same time.
Privacy-centric DuckDuckGo shuns Google and turns to Apple Maps for location-based searches
With the emphasis it places on privacy, it should come as little surprise that search engine DuckDuckGo is less than keen on Google. The latest demonstration of this is the company's decision to eschew Google Maps in favor of Apple's MapKit JS framework to power its map-related searches.
DuckDuckGo says that this brings users a "valuable combination of mapping and privacy", both on the desktop and on mobile.
After its profit warning, Apple slashes iPhone production by 10 percent
It's not all that long since Apple celebrated becoming a trillion dollar company, but then just last week it issued a profit warning and its value plummeted. Hot on the heals on this comes the news that Apple is cutting production of new iPhones for the current quarter by a significant amount.
The Nikkei Asian Review reports that Apple is slashing production of its current trio of iPhone models by 10 percent in the January-March quarter.
New Apple support page addresses the issue of bent iPad Pros
A number of complaints came to light recently from iPad Pro owners who were unhappy to discover that their expensive Apple tablets were bent. Apple responded to these complaints by saying that the iPad Pro's unibody design "meets or exceeds" all of its high standards.
Now the company has gone further, publishing a support page explaining the manufacturer and testing process of the iPad Pro, and explaining that the way the tablet is made is the reason some people see a bend. Apple insists, however, that an bend should be within a tiny 400 micron tolerance.
Shares plummet following Apple's profit warning, blamed on China, lower iPhone sales and cut-price battery replacements
After Apple issued a profit warning, indicating that it believed first quarter revenue will be lower than previously expected, shares in the company dropped by as much as 9 percent in early trading, and the effects were felt by other companies as fear mounted that Apple's troubles could spread wider.
Tim Cook issued a letter to shareholders, warning that "our revenue will be lower than our original guidance for the quarter". He cites a number of reasons for the revised figures, including the timing of iPhone sales, the strength of the dollar, market saturation, and lower than expected numbers of iPhone upgrades -- this being partly blamed on the high uptake of Apple's reduced-price battery upgrade program introduced a little over a year ago.
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