Month: January 2016

Malware researchers at the anti-virus company Emisoft have uncovered a new "ransomware" package that encrypts the files of victims and demands payment to restore them. Dubbed Ransom32, the malicious code is different from CryptoWall and many other previous ransomware variants in two key ways: it was coded using JavaScript, and it’s being offered to would-be cybercriminals as a paid service.

In a blog post, Emisoft Chief Technology Officer Fabian Wosar described the malware and its Tor-based administrative Web interface. Users of the service log in with their Bitcoin wallet addresses; once they're connected, they can configure features of the malware "client" for the service such as the messages displayed to victims during the malware installation and how much to demand in ransom for encryption keys. They can also track the payments already made and how many systems have become infected.

The malware itself is based on NW.js, a framework based on Node.js that allows developers to write Windows applications in JavaScript. It is delivered, renamed as "chrome.exe," in a self-extracting archive along with a Tor client (renamed as "rundll32.exe") and a set of Visual Basic scripts used to display customized pop-up alert messages and perform some basic file manipulation. The malware is also packaged with a renamed version of the Optimum X Shortcut utility—software used to create and change Start menu items and desktop shortcuts. The entire payload is over 22 megabytes, which is huge in comparison to other crypto-ransomware packages.

With all of the smartwatch and fitness tracker launches in 2015, one company was noticeably silent after releasing three activity-focused devices: Fitbit. The company had a huge year with the launch of its Charge, Charge HR, and Surge fitness trackers, and it also went public in June. Fitbit is back with its first new device of the year: the Blaze smartwatch. At $200, it sits in between the $150 Charge HR and the $250 Surge as a more stylish watch that can also track daily activity and intense workouts.

The Blaze is one of the more customizable devices in Fitbit's family. Its hexagonal module can be popped out of its band and inserted into others, and there are leather, silicone, and stainless steel options available. It's also the first Fitbit device to sport a color LCD touchscreen, positioning it against the Apple Watch more directly than any of the company's other devices.

Fitbit lists an ambient light sensor as part of the Blaze's specs, which could mean you have the option to keep the display always-on, making it a better timepiece. However, when compared to other devices that ape the appearance of analog watches, the Blaze certainly isn't the most fashionable device your money can buy.

Blighty’s slate grey skies may soon be peppered with DroneCops, after it was revealed by The Times that drones have been given the go ahead for “high-risk” criminal investigations by UK police.

More than a quarter of the 43 police forces in England and Wales are mulling whether to bring in drones to help them tackle burglaries and sieges, according to a report in the The Times—which was briefed on the plans.

However, the quadcopters could also be used by cops to, for example, allow them to eyeball protesters, in a move that is likely to raise concern among privacy campaigners.

SAN LEANDRO, Calif.—All I knew was that somebody called in a local disturbance—a local barbecue had apparently gotten a little too loud. I tapped twice to activate my body-worn camera, which hung from the middle of my chest. I listened for the beep to indicate that it was recording and started walking.

A moment later, I was face-to-face with a man who seemingly would not shut up.

"Hello, how are you sir?" I said, trying to be authoritative, friendly, and cop-like.

Video by Jennifer Hahn (video link)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—We arrived at an imposing building that stood apart from its boring office park neighbors. While other structures looked to be housing pencil-pushers, this exterior had a three-story image of a police officer looming over all visitors. Even the entrance to the building was something else entirely—it featured a spaceship-like metallic circle with a projected logo on the floor. The receptionist buzzed us via an iPad. It was clear this wasn't the normal nine-to-five.

With all the recent excitement about upcoming virtual reality headsets, many observers have still worried about a pretty basic problem: the inability to see the world around you when your eyes are encased in a vision-blocking headset. A new prototype of the SteamVR-powered HTC Vive being shown at CES this week aims to solve that problem with a forward-facing camera that can integrate views of your surroundings with virtual reality scenes.

The HTC Vive Pre, the second dev kit offered by the company, will be used by many developers working on software before the planned rollout of the consumer version in April (after a recent delay from "2015"). While the Pre isn't representative of final hardware, it seems much closer to a complete consumer device than the rough prototypes we first saw last March, which featured lots of exposed wiring and clunky design touches.

The biggest new feature on the Pre is the front-facing camera, the main purpose of which seems to be the ability to orient yourself in the real world without having to briefly lift up the headset to have a look around. A hands-on look from The Verge describes how the external real-world view turns on automatically when you reach the edge of the system's tracking volume, offering a faint black-and-teal view of your surroundings that lets you see objects and patterns like walls. You can replace the VR world with a full view of your surroundings in "chaperone mode."