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Showing posts from April, 2020

Pixel 4: Google addresses Face Unlock problem five months later

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  Google has addressed a security concern with the Face Unlock system on its Pixel 4 smartphones, more than five months after the devices went on sale. In October 2019, a BBC News test found the Face Unlock system allowed access to a person's device even if they had their eyes closed. Security researchers criticised the feature, as it could allow unauthorised access to a smartphone. Google updated the Pixel software on 6 April to address the issue. Read more... Source: BBC

Zoom 'unsuitable' for government secrets, researchers say

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  The hugely popular video meetings app Zoom has "significant weaknesses" which might make it unsuitable for secrets. A team at The Citizen Lab found that Zoom was using a non-standard type of encryption, and transmitting information through China. Government use - such as Boris Johnson's use of the app for Cabinet meetings - may not be wise, the researchers warned. But the app is fine for keeping in touch for most people, they said. Until recently, Zoom was used mainly by large businesses for video conference calls. But the explosion in users during the coronavirus pandemic has created "a new gold rush for cyber-spies", The Citizen Lab's report said. It warned that Zoom "may not be suitable" for: Governments and businesses worried about espionage Healthcare providers handling sensitive patient information Activists, lawyers and journalists working on sensitive topics But for people using Zoom for contacting friends, holdi