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Web, Social Networking

Details of Facebook's New Homepage Design Revealed

by Caleb Johnson (RSS feed) — Oct 20th 2009 at 2:08PM

Facebook changes are sure to garner both cheers and jeers from the social networking crowd. When news broke that the site would soon test a new homepage design, speculation ran wild but details were scarce. Now, some leaked information meant for advertisers has surfaced on Mashable, shedding more light on the redesign.

The idea is simplicity. When logged in, instead of seeing real-time recent activity on the News Feed, you'll see the new 'Top News' stream, which is supposed to be a highlight of things you've missed throughout the day. But you'll still be able to switch over to the regular old 'Recent Activity' stream, updated in real time. This should make news navigation easier, as well as improve the site's load time.

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Tags: advertising, breakingnews, design, facebook, leak, redesign, socialnetworking, top, web

Computers

Presidential Motorcade, Safe House Info Revealed in P2P Data Leak

by Warren Riddle (RSS feed) — Jul 30th 2009 at 5:35PM

Earlier this year, Tiversa, Inc., a firm which monitors peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing services, discovered leaked information about the President's helicopter on a computer in Iran. Yesterday, company CEO Robert Boback told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that Tiversa has discovered even more extremely sensitive documents, this time on the LimeWire file-sharing network (National cybersecurity coordinator anyone?).

According to Computerworld, the files included information about a Secret Service safe house for the Presidential family, and the Pentagon's network infrastructure. The files also contained specific details about motorcade routes, and every nuclear facility in the United States. As a result, the committee chairman, Rep. Edolphus Towns, plans to introduce a bill which would ban P2P sharing on all government computers and networks.

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Tags: government, leak, p2p, president, safety, security, tiversa, top

Senate Hopeful Coleman Deals With Donor Data Breach

by Peter Mychalcewycz (RSS feed) — Mar 15th 2009 at 12:39PM

Senate candidate Norm Coleman has a massive, self-inflicted headache to deal with after the personal information for thousands of his donors' was leaked in January.

Supporters were notified, not by the Coleman campaign (which had known about the security breach since January), but via an e-mail from the nonprofit Wikileaks site on Tuesday. Cullen Sheehan, Coleman's campaign manager, sent out an e-mail the next day urging all registered donors to cancel their credit cards. Coleman's camp insists that the leak was due to "sloppy handling by the Coleman campaign" and not hacking. Whew, what a relief!

Being viewed as sloppy should be the least of their worries -- according to Minnesota Statute 325E.61, any person affected by just such a breach of security should be notified as soon as possible after an incident takes place. We find it extremely interesting that Coleman, who is in a bitter legal battle with Democratic Challenger Al Franken and is extremely reliant on donations, would choose not to alert his supporters immediately after such a massive security breach. Coleman's camp says it didn't notify people about the breach because it determined that no unauthorized sources had accessed the leaked info.

We are sure that makes everyone involved feel much better, especially the people whose credit card numbers, complete with security codes, have been floating around in cyber space. [From: CNET]

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Tags: coleman, credit card fraud, credit cards, CreditCardFraud, CreditCards, leak, politics, security, security breach, SecurityBreach

Computers

Iranian Computer Found to Have Info on Presidential Chopper

by Lee Bains (RSS feed) — Mar 9th 2009 at 8:36PM


Classified information regarding President Obama's helicopter was recently found in a peer-to-peer sharing folder on an Iranian computer, according to Computerworld.

Chris Gormley, C.O.O. of Tiversa Inc., told Computerworld that the company's analysts first located the leaked information on February 26th, determining it to have been taken from the system of a U.S. defense contractor. Since last summer, sensitive documents pertaining to the helicopter -- known as Marine One -- have been circulating on P2P networks, Gormley elaborated. Although Tiversa employees notified authorities and the contractor at the time, the discovery in Iran proves that the information is still up for grabs.

Avivah Litan, an analyst with Gartner Inc., told Computer world that, in the interest of protecting information, companies should encrypt their files, uninstall any P2P programs from company computers, and block P2P traffic from company networks. Our safety depends on it. [From: Computerworld]

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, cyber emergency, CyberEmergency, expire-images:2010-3-8, leak, marine one, MarineOne, p2p, security

Computers

Monster.com's Database Breached, Leaking Job-Seekers' Personal Info

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Jan 26th 2009 at 12:10PM



It was about 18 months ago that Monster.com's databases were hacked, compromising the personal information of roughly 1.2 million registrants (most of whom had signed up looking for a job, not for a new way to have their phone numbers stolen0. The job-seeker's site, of course, pledged to fix the hole right away, but, sadly, didn't do a particularly good job of it, as we're hearing that the company has been breached again. At least this time, Monster.com is being proactive and has made news of the breach public from the get-go.

The company has indicated that the database containing its millions of registrants' personal information has been compromised, leaving their private info swinging in the cold. Names, birth dates, phone numbers and other information have all been accessed, and, while it's unclear just how many accounts were accessed illegally, it could possibly be all of them.

While the folks at Monster.com are being somewhat forthcoming about the leak in general, they still aren't actually e-mailing individual users to tell them about it, meaning, as usual, it's up to you to keep an eye on your credit report. [From: The Register]

Related Links:

Tags: cyber crime, CyberCrime, data leak, database, DataLeak, hack, hackers, identity theft, IdentityTheft, leak, monster, monster.com, personal information, PersonalInformation, top

Computers

VP Candidate Sarah Palin's E-Mail Hacked, Contents Leaked

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Sep 18th 2008 at 10:35AM

VP Candidate Sarah Palin's Inbox Hacked, Contents LeakedIn what is being called a "a shocking invasion of the Governor's privacy," Scientology-hating hacker group Anonymous managed to break in to Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's personal e-mail inbox, posting much of its contents online for the world to see.

Palin apparently used an account with Yahoo! Mail for much of her personal correspondence, and apparently drafted some work-related missives there as well. She was actually chided for this practice in the past, as is the case with many folks in the Bush administration who are accused of using private accounts to dodge laws regarding public records, and now may be paying the price.

Reaction around the 'Net is unsurprisingly varied. Online forums everywhere are having fun putting tasteless captions on some of the pictures found in Palin's account (WARNING: Images will be offensive to most). Others are labeling the hackers as "left wing" and making claims that Anonymous is just doing Obama's dirty work for him. Salon's Glenn Greenwald is seeing this as a deliciously ironic twist on the Bush administration's constant invasions into our privacy. Hacking Palin's e-mail is being called a Federal crime, but warrantless wire taps have been deemed to have been illegal as well and yet nobody's gone to jail for those yet.

For better or worse, the e-mails that were exposed are relatively benign, like one from Palin-appointee Amy McCorkell asking for some good wishes, and the account has now been locked down again so prying eyes won't get to do any further digging. However, if you're curious and want to see what all the fuss was about, controversial whistle-blower site Wikileaks has images of the contents of her inbox -- or so we're told. It's currently offline, surely swamped from all this publicity. [From: Wired, Political Machine, and Salon]

Tags: breaking news, BreakingNews, elections, leak, palin, politics, vice president, VicePresident, yahoo

Computers

New MacBook Pros Leaked on German Site?

by Joshua Topolsky (RSS feed) — Sep 17th 2008 at 3:25PM


Sure, none of it makes any sense, but we can't shake the feeling that there's something a little weird going on here. We've received a number of tips that T-Systems -- a division of the same company that owns T-Mobile -- has got pics of some variation of a MacBook Pro that we've certainly never seen before. The appearance of a new model would fall right in line with those rumors we've been hearing, but this seems a little too easy. In fact, the specs of these devices appear unchanged from the current lineup of laptops. The likely explanation is that there's been a photo mix-up -- someone got their proper MBP pictures crossed with one of those "wishful thinking" renders. Then again, given Apple's recent propensity for leaked photos... maybe there's something more to this.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Tags: apple, breaking news, BreakingNews, leak, macbook pro, MacbookPro, rumor, speculation, t-mobile

Computers

Up to 200,000 Montgomery Ward Customer Records Hacked

by Tim Stevens (RSS feed) — Jul 1st 2008 at 11:12AM


Did you do any shopping at the Montgomery Ward online store anytime during the end of last year? If so, we're sorry to inform you that there's a good chance your credit card number was stolen by a group of hackers, and then re-sold online to the highest bidder. What's that -- you didn't receive a notice from the company about the leak? Neither did anyone else, because, as it turns out, Montgomery Ward's Parent Company, Direct Marketing Services, has chosen to try and keep this quiet rather than go the full disclosure route.

According to the Associated Press, Direct Marketing Services was alerted of the leak by Citigroup in December, meaning the company was completely ignorant of the hole in its security. In the months following, the company made no effort to alert those whose numbers were compromised, instead working directly with the card company whose accounts were exposed to issue new accounts. Now that the story has gone public, however, Direct Marketing Services is sending notices to its customers in an attempt to save face -- just a little late. [Source: AP via The Consumerist]

Tags: hackers, leak, montgomery ward, MontgomeryWard, retail, security, shopping

Audio/Video, TV

New Fall TV Shows Already Leaked Online

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jun 27th 2008 at 8:23AM

New Fall TV Shows Leaked
Usually it's the RIAA that has to worry about advanced copies of albums leaking out. This year, TV stations have been hit hard by file sharers, who have managed to get their hands on a number of TV shows that aren't set to premier until this fall. Of course, the studios aren't happy about it, and some of the shows were never meant to see the light of day. Take, for instance, the ABC remake of 'Life on Mars,' a UK crime drama. The pilot was filmed in Los Angeles, but then scrapped and the entire production was moved and re-shot in New York. The L.A. version of the pilot still made its way online, however, to less than stellar reviews.

One thing the leak has done is confirm our assumption that there is nothing new coming down the pipe that we need to be planted in front of the TV for. Go take up Yoga, join a Muy Thai class, watch the leaves change color. Just please, please, please don't waste your autumn sitting in front of TNT's pun-tastically titled legal drama, 'Raising the Bar.' [Source: NewTeeVee]

Tags: crime, file sharing, FileSharing, leak, pilot

Computers, Celebrities

Russert Death Leaked On Wikipedia Before Official NBC Announcement

by Will Safer (RSS feed) — Jun 23rd 2008 at 2:02PM

Tim Russert

Good news travels fast, but bad news travels faster.

That's the lesson learned by the folks at NBC when news of their colleague Tim Russert's death found its way onto the Web before the network had made an official announcement.

Immediately following long time political reporter and NBC News Washington Bureau chief Russert's sudden collapse on the job, the NBC News team made a decision to keep news of his death quiet– and asked other media outlets to do the same – until his family, which was still on vacation in Italy, could be notified.

The news of Russert's death, however, did not remain a secret, as his Wikipedia entry was updated 40 minutes before NBC went official with the announcement.

A junior-level staffer at the Web news company Internet Broadcasting Service (IBS) saw the Russert information as it was fed out across the NBC affiliate network and, thinking the news was already public, updated Russert's Wikipedia page.

As this happened, multiple Twitter posts circulated around the Web with the same news, and even the New York Times Web site reported news of Russert's passing about five minutes before NBC made the official announcement over the air.

NBC was not happy with the leaks, and while the Wikipedia update was accurate, a senior member at IBS logged on and deleted all references to Russert's death, changing the entry back to present tense, despite the pending official announcement. To placate NBC, IBS has disciplined the junior staffer with at least a suspension and possibly with a firing. [Source: Silicon Alley Insider]

Tags: leak, NBC, Tim Russert, TimRussert, Wikipedia

Computers

U.S. Air Force Blocks Access to Blogs

by Will Safer (RSS feed) — Feb 28th 2008 at 11:17AM




Chances are, if you're in the U.S. Air Force, you're not going to be reading this today. That's because Switched is a blog (short for Web log) and the Air Force has decided that most blogs are bad -- or at least not legitimate sources of news.

Air Force logoYou may think that's an oversimplification of the matter, but tell that to the Air Force, which, according to Wired, has just started automatically blocking access to almost all sites with the word blog in the Web address or on the Web site itself. Access is blocked for all active personnel who get online at work or on duty.

The new rule does allow for access to "an established, reputable media outlet," like the New York Times, and, presumably, even the blogs on the New York Times site.

The Air Force Network Operations Center, under the service's new "Cyber Command," typically will block all sites first, and then review which ones should be permitted to make their way through to Air Force personnel.

The concern is that leaked information will wend its way through blogs and into the wrong hands (although major news outlets are cited as being the primary source of sensitive information being leaked). YouTube and MySpace are banned because -- according to the Air Force -- they take up too much bandwidth.

As for the harm a blog can actually cause, one retired Air Force officer remarks that it's not necessarily what the blog itself may state but instead it's the good intentions of an airman who posts a comment or correction. In doing so, he or she may reveal more than intended -- and put good information into the hands of bad people.

Oddly enough, some Web sites that are considered recommended reading for airmen by the Air Force itself have been blocked because they are characterized as blogs.

But perhaps the Air Force only has itself to blame for blogs. After all, didn't the military invent the Internet?

From Wired.


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Tags: air force, AirForce, airman, airmen, ban, blog, blogs, darpa, expire-images:2009-2-27, leak, military

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Computers

Harry Potter Ending Leaked On 'Net

by Tom Conlon (RSS feed) — Jul 17th 2007 at 5:21PM

Harry Potter Leaked on the 'Net!

Though not available until this Saturday, the newest Harry Potter tome, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,' is available for download on several torrent sites -- this according to the What Would Tyler Durden Do? blog (which also tells you where to get it).

It seems someone close enough to author J.K. Rowling or her publisher to snag a copy has meticulously photographed every single page, front-to-back. If you don't mind reading from sometimes out-of-focus photographs, the book is reportedly available in its full glory, complete with ending to end all Potters. But is it real? We likely won't know until the book is officially released this weekend, though the word "scar" does appear on the last page as Rowling hinted it would (not that doing that would be terribly complicated to fudge).

We hope this is a fake. The thought of someone actually taking the time to snap photos of all 784 pages makes us sad for humanity.

From What Would Tyler Durden Do?

Related Links:
'Sicko' Leaks, Weinstein Freaks

Tags: breaking+news, harry, leak, potter, rowling, top

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Audio/Video, Celebrities, YouTube

'Sicko' Leaks, Weinstein Freaks

by Terrence O'Brien (RSS feed) — Jun 19th 2007 at 12:34PM

'Sicko' Leaks, Weinstein Freaks'Sicko', Michael Moore's sure-to-be-scathing new documentary about the health care industry, has been leaked onto the Internet a good two weeks before its scheduled June 29th release date. First came a high quality version -- apparently ripped from a pre-release screener DVD -- that made its way through the BitTorrent file-sharing channels. Then, two separate users posted the film on YouTube in its entirety, broken up into fourteen, Web-friendlier chunks. Between 700 and 900 people viewed the movie on YouTube, which was quickly pulled once the site received complaints from Lionsgate, which is handling domestic distribution of the film for The Weinstein Co.

The Weinstein Co. is more than a little peeved, "Every DVD screener that comes from the Weinstein Co. is watermarked and traceable," said general counsel for the company, Peter Hurwitz. "We are actively investigating who illegally uploaded 'Sicko' to the Internet, and we will take appropriate action against that person."

To dissuade people from downloading 'Sicko,' or, to at least make it more difficult, anti-piracy firms have launched a campaign to flood the Internet with fake versions of the film, a tactic similar to what the recording industry has done with songs that leak.

Moore, on the other hand, is less concerned. He's reiterated his long time stance in favor of people copying and distributing his films, "I think the music industry's response to Napster was misguided ... and for me, it's about getting people to see the movie and that's what I want, so they will talk about it ... I would never want to prosecute anybody who would download [one of my films]."

From Newsvine

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Tags: bittorrent, leak, michael moore, MichaelMoore, movie, sicko, youtube

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