Over 400 million phone numbers related to Facebook users has been recovered from a leak. The numbers consist users all around the globe and are connected to Facebook profiles.
A large portion of the numbers are from the United States, around 133 million of the 419 million total phone numbers. Vietnam is represented strongly with 50 million, and UK with 18 million numbers, TechCrunch reports.
Alongside the number is found the Facebook profile identification corresponding to the number. In some, one could argue most, cases this will give them the real name to go along with the phone number.
According to Facebook, the numbers have been snatched from their servers before spring of 2018. After that Facebook has limited the default public details it offers. The numbers were stored in a unencrypted server that made it easy to access the data.
This was due to the fact that Facebook intended to use phone numbers as a means to search for people. However, searching by phone numbers didn't become a feature.
While phone numbers aren't really the most private of the information, combined with the persons name in a database it allows abuses like spamming and SIM swap scams.
USB specs have been updated once again. Just as we've started to get used to the sweet reversible USB 3 we are looking at a new generation of Universal Serial Bus.
Fortunately the new one features also a reversible Type-C connector, unsurprisingly, and is backwards compatible with both previous USB as well as Thunderbolt connectors. No worries there, then.
The largest change to its predecessor, USB 3.x, is therefore bandwidth.
According to USB-IF, who just released the final USB 4.0 specs, the new connection is able to transmit data at speeds up to 40 gigabits per second. That is double what the best USB 3.2 (aka USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2) could muster and eight times as fast as the weakest USB 3.0.
USB 4.0 supports up to 5K displays, which it likely gets from Intel opening up the Thunderbolt specs to USB 4.0.
Charging speeds are expected to stay the same, as it offers the same maximum of 100 watts as the previous iteration.
USB 4.0 devices are still quite far off as the first of them are expected to land in stores in early 2021.
Mozilla has announced the newest version of their web browser Firefox. The new Firefox 69 aims to improve security and privacy of the users by blocking tracking cookies and more.
Firefox 69 is available now for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Straight out of the box is blocks cryptomining as well as third-party tracking cookies. Some other security improvements include asking for permission in case Flash is to be turned on.
The feature Mozilla calls Enhanced Tracking Protection isn't exactly a new one, it's been in Firefox previously in earlier iterations for years now. However, now it features more advanced tracking protection.
You can open Blocking Tracking Cookies from the shield icon in the URL bar to access the blocked trackers. From this view you can also turn off the blocking for specific websites.
The system still allows first-party tracking, used for logins and such, but blocks most of the tracking done by ad networks.
Other updates includes the addition of new Pocket-powered New Tab windows for US users, Windows Hello Web Authentication, support for mixed video WebRTC conferencing, performance boost for Windows 10 users, and battery improvement for macOS users.
Google's latest and greatest mobile operating system iteration has finally launched. New Pixel phones are yet to be released, we don't even know the release date yet, but at least we've got the Android 10.
Android 10 is of course the official name of the new version of Android, Google's mobile operating system, that no longer has a dessert-based alias.
The update is now shipping for Google's own Pixel phones first, and is probably quickly followed by manufacturers like Nokia, OnePlus, and perhaps Motorola that have been usually keen on releasing updates quickly.
However, you might have to wait for at least weeks if not months for your preferred phone, and if yours isn't fairly recent purchase you might not get the update at all.
If you own a Pixel phone, no matter which generation, you'll get the update right now among the first.
Perhaps the most sought after new feature of Android 10 is the new Dark Mode. Not only is easy on your eyes but on devices with OLED displays it's also easy on the battery.
You can also expect improvements to notifications, gesture navigation, privacy and security, as well as new features like Focus Mode for better digital well-being and Live Captioning for improved accessibility.
You can try out Ubisoft's Uplay+ subscription gaming service for free this month by getting a free trial.
Ubisoft's Uplay+ subscription gaming service was first announced and detailed at E3 2019, and has launched in beta today. The service costs $15 per month and will provide users will access to a library of over 100 titles, including new games. Subscribers also will be able to avail of additional benefits such as being invited to closed betas.
Uplay+ is expected to be out of beta and in full expansion early next year.
However, between today and September 30, you can get a free trial and check out the service yourself before you commit to any recurring fee. That said, Uplay+ is cancel anytime so that helps if you do decide to sign up permanently.
Are you getting spammed by Google Calendar? Google is aware of the widespread issue and is working on a fix.
Spammers and malicious actors are exploiting the default settings for Google Calendar to direct spam and potentially dangerous stuff. If you suddenly started receiving Event reminders from Google that inform you about an iPhone you won (see accompanied image for example), or some other suspicious message, it is likely you have been hit by this annoyance too. The event reminders typically also show malicious links that could be dangerous to open.
In a post to the Google Support Forums, employee Lesley Pace addressed the issue yesterday.
"We're aware of the spam occurring in Calendar and are working diligently to resolve this issue. We'll post updates to this thread as they become available,"Pace writes. A link is also added if you require information on how to remove and to report spam.
The issue arises from the default settings of Google Calendar when it comes to automatically adding invitations and providing notifications by alert. By default, Events from GMail are also added to the Calendar which you can turn off in the Google Calendar settings.
Facebook may repeat a change from its Instagram service that will reduce the visibility of a post's overall popularity.
Back in April this year, Facebook began a test on its Instagram service in which it made the overall Like count on posts invisible to all but the poster. This test is only live in select countries at the moment. The social network has confirmed to TechCrunch that it is considering the same change for posts on Facebook too.
The change was first hinted at when reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong spotted code for hidden Like counts in the Facebook app for Android devices. It hasn't been rolled out yet, and Facebook hasn't provided any details on the outcome of the Instagram test yet either.
Removing Like counts seems to be aimed at reducing users' insecurities around comparative like counts. Witnessing others posts gather large amounts of Likes and attention while one's own posts struggle to get any can apparently have a psychological impact. It also can nudge users into self-censorship or following the crowd. These are not positive outcomes for anyone.
If Facebook does decide to begin hiding Like tallies, it will roll it out slowly the same way it has on Instagram. This will give the firm the opportunity to easily roll back the change if that becomes necessary. During the test, users would only see a few names of friends who liked a post, whereas only the poster would be able to see the actual Like count.
Earlier this week, YouTube had removed popular accounts from its service citing infringement of its rules on hate speech and conduct. It then reversed its decision for some.
Among the accounts were that of an anonymous British user called 'The Iconoclast', and another from a reportedly right-wing figure called Martin Sellner. The latter has been banned from entering the United Kingdom, according to a BBC report, which also says Austrian police are looking into reports that Sellner was in contact with the Christchurch mosque attacker. Sellner absolutely denies any links to the atrocity.
Both of the accounts were reinstated on Thursday with YouTube saying it had made the wrong call. On Friday, the decision was clarified by Farshad Shadloo, who is responsible for global products policy communications at YouTube. According to Shadloo, the channels had not broken any of its rules.
The comments followed a letter from YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki to videomakers, in which she stressed that YouTube must remain an open platform. "A commitment to openness is not easy. It sometimes means leaving up content that is outside the mainstream, controversial or even offensive," she wrote.
It is not uncommon for Twitter and other social media accounts to be hijacked and used for malicious reasons, but it is particularly embarrassing when it happens to the chief executive, and not for the first time.
Twitter chief Jack Dorsey was a victim of account theft this weekend. On Friday, the CEO's account - which has four million followers - was hijacked. Those in control of Mr Dorsey's account then went on to publish racist tweets and to retweet other content. Later on Friday, the social media firm noticed the breach and secured Dorsey's account.
According to Twitter, the breach happened because of a security insight by the mobile provider linked to Dorsey's account. This technique is called a SIM swapping attack, in which a mobile provider is duped into transferring a victim's phone number to a SIM card controlled by a malicious party.
Dorsey was targeted in a separate hack in 2016, along with Google chief Sundar Pichai and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg.
Yesterday we told you about the exclusive streaming deal from Disney that we thought was definitely worth a look. Apparently we weren't the only ones to try and sign up for the D23 membership.
Disney has confirmed that their servers crashed after a flurry of visitors trying to get their hands on the Disney+ deal.
Disney representative told Comicbook.com that they yesterday became "aware of an issue impacting access to the Disney's D23 Fan Club website due to the heavy volume of traffic that the site is experiencing."
D23 Fan Club site seems to again work just fine, so you can head on there if you want to cash in the pretty amazing deal they have for those of us willing to sign a three-year subscription.
The deal gets you 33% percent off the regular one year deal, which isn't bad to begin with at $6.99/mo or $69.99/year. The three-year deal, available until September 2nd, costs around $140 or less than $4 a month.
It seems like Apple's iOS development is a little bit out of whack. The company has released their latest iOS beta update, which carries the version number 13.1, but the stable release of iOS 13 is yet to be released.
Of course iOS 13 won't likely be released until Apple is ready to unveil their upcoming iPhones. That's when they'll be showing off how well the two of them, hardware and software, work together.
That's also how they'll sell you the idea that you need a new phone, even though probably most of the updates are coming to previous models as well. Obviously the new hardware has its own merits that might have you convinced regardless of the iOS update, but let's be honest, most of us dearly want some iOS updates.
Rumors suggest that the new iPhones are to be unveiled on Semptember 10, which probably is the date we'll see the first official versions of iOS 13. We are still nearly two weeks away and iOS 13.1 is already in beta testing.
Unfortunately there isn't much in terms of new information that people have gathered mining the beta. This might suggest that Apple has found a critical error, perhaps even a security bug in the initial iOS 13 version that they have to release another update right off the bat.
In our article series, we're digging into AfterDawn's news archive and looking what happened exactly 20 years ago. This article series also celebrates AfterDawn's 20th anniversary.
So, we're digging into our news archive and trying to figure out what was hot and what was not, back in August, 1999 when our site was only 2 months old. I'd like to remind you, our readers, that back then, AfterDawn was strictly focused on digital audio and video technologies and reporting events in those genres. More generic "all about tech" arrived to our site much later.
DVD releases were back then what the Netflix releases are now: Matrix as an example
Back in 1999, DVD players were The Tech that many households were planning to get for the "entire family's Christmas present" - i.e. the most sought-after tech that had hit the mainstream. Thus, new DVD movie releases were also big news back then, just like, say Netflix's next month's releases are now.
In the autumn of 1999, the most anticipated movie release among the tech enthusiasts was definitely The Matrix, which was about to be released on DVD format in September. Warner Home Videos, who owned the DVD rights, was hoping that Matrix would become the first movie ever to sell over one million DVDs. But, at around the same time, in in the end of August, another blockbuster made its way to DVD format, too: Titanic. Which one won the race? Well, ;Matrix did.
Disney held their annual D23 Expo in Anaheim this weekend announcing some very anticipated Star Warstrailers among other things.
They also provided D23 Expo attendees with a special offer for Disney+ subscription that wasn't available elsewhere. Expo attendants got 33% off from the the streaming services $69.99 yearly fee, if they paid three years in advance.
Now after the exposition has concluded Disney has expanded the availability to D23 members as well.
The good news is that D23 membership can be attained without any costs, as BGR notes. While there are tiers like the D23 Gold membership that costs $99 a year, you can get the Disney+ bargain with just the regular free D23 subscription (i.e. D23 General Membership).
Getting 33% off means you'll pay around $46 per year, or $138 for the full three year subscription. That's less than four dollars per month for a subscription that is surely going to offer quite a lot of Marvel, Disney and Star Wars content in the coming years.
Netflix has changed how their platform works in numerous ways throughout the years. Things like removing stars for thumbs up and down easily spring to mind, but they are far from the most important features on the service.
One could argue, the most important piece of software with Netflix is the suggestions engine that drives what content will be shown to each person at any given time. However, it is not perfect, not even close.
If you are anything like me, you are getting annoyed at getting constantly suggested same content, even things you've already seen. Well, to better suggest content you'd like, they are now testing real human curation to compliment algorithms.
A tweet has revealed a new trial Netflix is running, called Collections. These are, well, collections of shows and/or movies gathered together by human hands.
It includes categories like "Real & Riveting" and "Just for Laughs" with an ability to follow each Collection. The sleek UI allows you to get a quick look at the top three suggestions with a short description by clicking the Collection once, and twice to get an expanded view.
Currently the feature is under testing, and only available to a select few. There's no guarantee that it is going to land on everyone's devices, ever, but if you'd get the choice, would you like to use it?
The ninth episode is called The Rise of Skywalker, and according to the trailer it is going to be one of the more epic ones, as expected.
The first half of the trailer is pretty much just build up with footage from the previous episodes, but fortunately the latter half does reveal some new and interesting details about the upcoming movie.
We see the dynamic duo Rey and Finn, as well as their partner in crime pilot Poe Dameron. They are accompanied by who else than Chewbacca and C-3PO, who seems to turn to the dark side with a glimpse into his red eyes.
Lucasfilm has managed to reuse some footage of Carrie Fisher's Leia, and she'll appear in the movie as well.
As you would expect, there's action and space battles, but also an epic fight between Rey and Kylo Ren. What's even more cryptic or dramatic, though, is the ending of the trailer with Rey in a black hood with a Sith lightsaber not unlike the one wielded by Darth Maul.
Over 400 million phone numbers related to Facebook users has been recovered from a leak. The numbers consist users all around the globe and are connected to Facebook profiles.
USB specs have been updated once again. Just as we've started to get used to the sweet reversible USB 3 we are looking at a new generation of Universal Serial Bus.
Mozilla has announced the newest version of their web browser Firefox. The new Firefox 69 aims to improve security and privacy of the users by blocking tracking cookies and more.
