Posts tagged hack

Ubuntu hits HTC’s Touch Pro2, is any Windows Mobile handset safe? (video)

Ubuntu hits HTC's Touch Pro 2, is any Windows Mobile handset safe?
If there's one thing we're pretty sure Windows Phone 7 Series will be worse at than its Windows Mobile precursor it's in the running of various and sundry other operating systems. We've seen Android running on seemingly every WinMo handset ever created and more recently Ubuntu has been receiving the mobile treatment. Last month it was on an Xperia X1, now an HTC Touch Pro2 is getting a taste. A modder who goes by the handle sebbo90 is the one responsible for this, running basically the same technique as used earlier on the X1. It looks quite easy: just download a 200MB zip, extract it to your phone, then run an exe within. A few moments later you'll be in open source heaven, and, from what we can tell looking at the video below, it works remarkably well. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to hit up eBay to find a used handset and get hacking.

Continue reading Ubuntu hits HTC's Touch Pro2, is any Windows Mobile handset safe? (video)

Ubuntu hits HTC's Touch Pro2, is any Windows Mobile handset safe? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink pocketnow.com  |  sourcexda-developers  | Email this | Comments

1024-bit RSA encryption cracked by carefully starving CPU of electricity

Since 1977, RSA public-key encryption has protected privacy and verified authenticity when using computers, gadgets and web browsers around the globe, with only the most brutish of brute force efforts (and 1,500 years of processing time) felling its 768-bit variety earlier this year. Now, three eggheads (or Wolverines, as it were) at the University of Michigan claim they can break it simply by tweaking a device's power supply. By fluctuating the voltage to the CPU such that it generated a single hardware error per clock cycle, they found that they could cause the server to flip single bits of the private key at a time, allowing them to slowly piece together the password. With a small cluster of 81 Pentium 4 chips and 104 hours of processing time, they were able to successfully hack 1024-bit encryption in OpenSSL on a SPARC-based system, without damaging the computer, leaving a single trace or ending human life as we know it. That's why they're presenting a paper at the Design, Automation and Test conference this week in Europe, and that's why -- until RSA hopefully fixes the flaw -- you should keep a close eye on your server room's power supply.

1024-bit RSA encryption cracked by carefully starving CPU of electricity originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Register, TechWorld  |  sourceUniversity of Michigan  | Email this | Comments

Energizer confirms software vulnerability in Duo charging software

Energizer's Duo USB battery charger has been around for a couple of years now, but the company has just now fessed up to a fairly significant vulnerability in the software for the device after being informed of the problem by CERT. While the software was intended to simply let you keep watch on the battery charging status, it apparently also opened up a backdoor that allowed commands to be executed remotely, including the ability to list directories, send and receive files, and run programs. That vulnerability is only found in the Windows version of the software, and Energizer has already discontinued the product altogether and removed the download from its website. Anyone that already has the software installed is advised to first uninstall it and then remove the Arucer.dll file from the Windows system32 directory.

[Thanks, Michael]

Energizer confirms software vulnerability in Duo charging software originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Bleeping Computer  |  sourceMarketWatch  | Email this | Comments

VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy

Sure, the PSP is still a mighty attractive piece of hardware. "Handsome," you might say, but that heart-pounding allure is all but gone these days. While we wait a few more years for Sony to rectify that with a PSP 2, we can drool over another mod by "f00 f00." This time he's managed to squeeze a working VU Meter onto the back of the ever-moddable machine. Sure, it's not a revolution in the world of PSP hacking, but it's impressive and somehow comforting in its own we-guess-the-PSP-is-still-pretty-cool sort of way. Video is after the break.

Continue reading VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy

VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcef00 f00's blog  | Email this | Comments

VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy

Sure, the PSP is still a mighty attractive piece of hardware. "Handsome," you might say, but that heart-pounding allure is all but gone these days. While we wait a few more years for Sony to rectify that with a PSP 2, we can drool over another mod by "f00 f00." This time he's managed to squeeze a working VU Meter onto the back of the ever-moddable machine. Sure, it's not a revolution in the world of PSP hacking, but it's impressive and somehow comforting in its own we-guess-the-PSP-is-still-pretty-cool sort of way. Video is after the break.

Continue reading VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy

VU Meter finagled into a PSP, reminds us of a time when the PSP was sexy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mattel Mindflex hack shocks you into serenity

Okay, we're in love with this delightfully evil Mattel Mindflex hack, which delivers an electric shock if you don't remain calm, but we have to wonder: wouldn't this thing be amazing if you hooked it up in reverse and punished not thinking enough? Video after the break.

Continue reading Mattel Mindflex hack shocks you into serenity

Mattel Mindflex hack shocks you into serenity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceHarcos Laboratories  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft tells IE faithful on Windows XP to avoid F1 key

Still hanging around on Windows XP? Perfectly acceptable. Still using Internet Explorer to browse the world wide web? Just a wee bit less forgivable, but we understand that some of you simply can't get around it. If we just rung your bell, you might want to rip the F1 key right off of your keyboard (at least temporarily), as a recently discovered vulnerability in VBScript -- which can only bother Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 -- could allow malicious code to weasel its way right into your life with a single keystroke. As the story goes, some ill-willed web sites are encouraging users to smash the F1 key in order to access a Microsoft Help file, and when said key is depressed, "arbitrary code could be executed in the security context of the currently logged-on user." Microsoft has promised to fully investigate and resolve the issue in due time, but 'til then, we'd highly suggest avoiding your F1 key like the plague switching to Firefox.

Microsoft tells IE faithful on Windows XP to avoid F1 key originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Switched  |  sourceMicrosoft  | Email this | Comments

HTC Desire’s Sense UI ported to Droid; HTC, Motorola cringe

If you work for Motorola, cover your ears and say "Blur Blur Blur Blur" at the top of your lungs over and over again for the duration of this post, because what we're about to present is an unholy marriage the likes of which neither Sanjay Jha nor Peter Chou ever intended. It's not the first time we've heard of a version of Sense finding its way onto Motorola hardware, but developers over on AllDroid have posted a bunch of video and stills claiming to have ported an HTC Desire's (née Bravo's) Sense-enabled firmware to Moto's beast -- and what's more, there's footage of it running Flash. Bear in mind that the speed at which Flash is running here looks downright painful -- and we fully expect official Flash support on the Droid later this year anyhow -- but anyone conflicted between the Droid's muscular lines and HTC's lovely skin might want to keep an eye on this project. It's still very early in development, but the most important part of the port has already been finished: it shows the proper Droid logo on startup. Follow the break for video.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading HTC Desire's Sense UI ported to Droid; HTC, Motorola cringe

HTC Desire's Sense UI ported to Droid; HTC, Motorola cringe originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAllDroid  | Email this | Comments

Yoshi Akai’s Wireless Catcher senses nearby wireless waves, makes music (video)

What's cute, cuddly, and makes all sorts of bizarro noises when it senses wireless waves? Yoshi Akai's Wireless Catcher, of course! This analog synth contraption is simplistic in nature and complex in design, utilizing an onboard antenna to sense WiFi signals and then alter the sounds being outputted depending on signal strength and direction. It's not exactly the symphony that Bach forgot to write, but it's certainly beautiful in its own nerdy way. Have a look at the video past the break, won't you?

Continue reading Yoshi Akai's Wireless Catcher senses nearby wireless waves, makes music (video)

Yoshi Akai's Wireless Catcher senses nearby wireless waves, makes music (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget German, MAKE  |  sourceYoshi AKAI  | Email this | Comments

Ghostbusters Wii mod sets a new bar, proves that dreams do come true

The Wii has seen its fair share of related modifications, and while our favorite Nintendo mod still has Pixar written all over it, this one just might take the cake for the Big N's freshest console. Created by an obviously obsessed (and über-talented) Ghostbusters fan, the Nintendo Wii Proton Pack is a fully functional device that beautifully complements the Wii version of the Ghostbusters video game. For those doubting the thought that went into this, take a listen: the Blue Power Cell accurately reflects how much power you have left, and the Thrower has been designed to covertly hold both the Wiimote and the Nunchuk. Better still, the Wiimote's internal speaker enables the pack to make true-to-film noises. Hit the source link to get a better look, but we'd recommend suiting up in your best 80s era, ghoul-busting garb before diving in.

Ghostbusters Wii mod sets a new bar, proves that dreams do come true originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceGhostbusters Fans  | Email this | Comments