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Daily Roundup: Turkey bans Twitter, Peter Molyneux talks VR and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Daily Roundup: Titanfall's secret weapon, Edward Snowden talks encryption, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Snowden says encryption and oversight are key to protecting the public from surveillance
Speaking to a packed exhibit hall through a Google Hangout, Edward Snowden said the keys to protecting the public from government surveillance is encryption and civilian oversight. The world's most famous whistleblower has said it before, but reiterated it for the SXSW crowd, that end-to-end encryption would go a long way towards protecting user data from both spying and attackers. Many current communications systems, like the aforementioned Hangout, encrypt data at either end, but companies often decrypt your information in between because it needs to harvest data in order to serve up ads. If communications are encrypted the entire time, mass surveillance of the sort that the NSA has engaged in becomes extremely difficult and prohibitively expensive. Of course, if you're a target of the NSA, encryption won't be able to protect you. However, breaking through those protections would require a much more targeted attack, rather than a broad collection of data.
Fujitsu's palm-scanning laptops won't be fooled by severed limbs
For all the popularity of fingerprint scanners, Fujitsu believes that it can go one better. The Japanese company has been working on palm-based systems for the last few years, and we've already seen turnstiles, wallets and tablets that are accessed from your hand. Fujitsu believes that palm vein sensing is around a thousand times more secure than conventional biometric methods and it's implementing the technology in its next range of business-focused laptops due out this week. We've been shown around some of these models, which have the new sensor fitted into an area that is roughly the same size and position as the company's existing fingerprint scanners, just below the bottom right corner of the keyboard. Using it is simple: Hold your hand a few inches above the sensor and the hardware will quickly scan the unique arrangement of your veins. If it judges you to be the real deal, it'll open up its secrets for your enjoyment.
Daily Roundup: flexible 3D-printed material, Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga review and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Tech's biggest misfires of 2013
You can't win 'em all. The adage certainly holds in the fast-paced world of technology, where one small slip can put a damper on your entire year. Every year, among all of the celebrations of top gadgets and big news stories, we like to take a moment to acknowledge the other side of things. This time out, it's a pretty diverse list, from flubbed Kickstarter launches to massive governmental privacy breaches and yet another really lousy year for one smartphone manufacturer. But don't worry everyone; the year 2013 is nearly over.
Edward Snowden reminds the world that he's still homeless
While the US justice system slowly begins to digest everything Edward Snowden revealed about the NSA, the whistleblower himself remains stateless and living under temporary asylum in Russia. In an open letter to the people of Brazil, following revelations of widespread NSA "data collection" in that country, Snowden has made it clear that he's not happy with his current situation and won't be content until an appropriate government grants him permanent political asylum. He says he's willing to help the Brazilian authorities to understand the extent of the NSA's surveillance of their citizens, which allegedly covered over two million mobile calls and text messages in a single month, including calls made by Brazil's president, but insists he can't do anything while the US limits his "ability to speak" from Russia -- with the obvious hint being that he'd quite like to move to Latin America. You'll find the full text of Snowden's letter at the source link below.
NSA overhaul could see an end to PRISM-style surveillance
Edward Snowden might have missed out on becoming Person of the Year, but that's not to say he's not been a big influence on America's government this year. According to deep-throated persons familiar with the matter, the presidential task force is proposing a huge overhaul to the NSA in the wake of the PRISM scandal. Proposed changes include giving bulk collection duties to phone companies or an independent third party, imposing tighter standards before NSA staffers can access your personal data and appointing a civilian head, rather than recruiting from the military. The report is due in full on Sunday, but there's no word on when the White House will make the proposals public -- unless, you know, someone else feels compelled to "do a Snowden."
The Daily Show touches on the NSA in WoW
Last night Jon Stewart of The Daily Show weighed in, as he does, on the topic of the NSA/WoW news that hit yesterday regarding information released by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. In rare form, Stewart ran a segment entitled That Thing They Said They're Not Doing? They're Totally Doing, in which he lambasted government efforts to downplay the NSA's role in gathering and stockpiling information via phone, internet, and now video games like Second Life and WoW. Being a comedian, Stewart took the opportunity to take several ridiculously funny, tongue-in-cheek shots at gamers in the process. And if that weren't enough, self-proclaimed "proud dwarf paladin" Greychalk of Dun Morogh arrived on the scene to add even more comic relief. Of course, Greychalk seems to be more than a little confused about both the nebulous identities of people on the internet, and the class he plays -- his spell bar is chock full of priest spells. Oh, Greychalk. Silly Greychalk. That's not Holy Wrath you're casting, it's Smite. You can watch the segment above -- and you can catch the full episode on The Daily Show's website.
The NSA is still in your WoW, watching you kill internet dragons
Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, has released information saying that world governments are spying on people in World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Xbox Live. The governments believe the games and communication systems can be used for terrorism. Blizzard responded to ProPublica about the leak, saying that they "are unaware of any surveillance taking place. If it was, it would have been done without our knowledge or permission." Obviously no one likes to hear about being under unnecessary surveillance, and while we won't get into the debate over a government's right to monitor various groups, it's important to remember that this surveillance is nothing new. We've known for years that the U.S. government believes WoW and games like it can be used for nefarious purposes, including those related to terrorism. In 2009 we learned that the FBI even went as far as to hold virtual exercises in what terrorism conversations in the game might look like. In 2008 a public report to congress detailed the plans of the Director of National Intelligence to data mine conversations in WoW. PBS' Bill Moyers even did a report on it. Keep this in mind today as the news spreads around the internet. We've known for a long time, it's just being made a deal now due to the Snowden leaks.
NSA reportedly cracks down on staff who thought it was okay to share their logins with Edward Snowden
In a slightly ironic twist for the National Security Agency, Reuters reports that as many as 25 members of its staff have been "removed from their assignments" because they shared their private passwords with Edward Snowden while he worked there. A number of government offices are currently trying to find out just how Snowden got hold of so much confidential data, and sources close to those investigations now claim that the PRISM whistleblower used his position as a systems admin to dupe colleagues into handing over their passwords. It's not clear whether the NSA staff involved in the breach have been fired or re-assigned, but if the allegations are true then there are likely to be some red faces at the agency once the various investigations reach their conclusions, because such a large-scale failure by supposedly highly-trained staff would implicate the NSA's systems and practices, rather than just a few naive individuals.
Need tech support in Russia? Give Edward Snowden a call
So, what happens after you've become an international pariah? The PRISM revelations may rattle along, but the figure who started it all is trying to return to something approaching a normal life. Edward Snowden's lawyer has revealed that, after settling at an undisclosed location in Russia, the NSA whistleblower has found a job. He'll be offering technical support for a domestic website, which isn't being named for the obvious reasons. Is this the last that we'll hear from the former intelligence analyst? Only time will tell.
Report: NSA used taxpayer dollars to cover PRISM compliance costs for tech companies
The mounting national debt? Yeah, you're probably better off just ignoring why exactly it's mounting. The Guardian is continuing the blow the lid off of the whole NSA / PRISM saga, today revealing new documents that detail how the NSA paid out "millions" of dollars to cover PRISM compliance costs for a multitude of monolithic tech outfits. As the story goes, the National Security Agency (hence, tax dollars from American taxpayers) coughed up millions "to cover the costs of major internet companies involved in the PRISM surveillance program after a court ruled that some of the agency's activities were unconstitutional." The likes of Yahoo, Google, Microsoft and Facebook are expressly named, and while Google is still angling for permission to reveal more about its side of the story, other firms have conflicting tales. For whatever it's worth, a Yahoo spokesperson seemed a-okay with the whole ordeal, casually noting that this type of behavior is perfectly legal: "Federal law requires the US government to reimburse providers for costs incurred to respond to compulsory legal process imposed by the government. We have requested reimbursement consistent with this law." Meanwhile, Facebook stated that it had "never received any compensation in connection with responding to a government data request." Microsoft, as you might imagine, declined to comment, though we heard that Steve Ballmer could be seen in the distance throwing up a peace sign. At any rate, it's fairly safe to assume that your worst nightmares are indeed a reality, and you may have a far more enjoyable weekend if you just accept the fact that The Man knows everything. Better, right?
Washington Post: Russia may grant NSA leaker Edward Snowden formal entry
According to the Washington Post, Russia has decided to grant Edward Snowden permission to leave the Moscow airport. Though the NSA whistleblower has been offered asylum in Bolivia and Venezuela, he reportedly requested temporary asylum in the Eastern European country last week. While the Putin government didn't approve Snowden's application immediately, it's refused to hand him over to the U.S. since he arrived in Shremetyevo airport from Hong Kong on June 23rd. It's unclear if and when the country will approve the request, but Snowden's Russian lawyer said his client's unique legal situation would keep him in the transit zone for at least one more day. Stay tuned -- we'll be updating as more information becomes available.
Edward Snowden tells South China Morning Post he took Booz Allen job to collect NSA information
Edward Snowden may now be far from Hong Kong, but the South China Morning Post has just revealed more details from an interview he granted on June 12th while he was still there. According to the paper, Snowden reportedly said that he took a job with NSA-contractor Booz Allen Hamilton in order to gather additional evidence about the spy agency's activities. "My position with Booz Allen Hamilton granted me access to lists of machines all over the world the NSA hacked," he said. "That is why I accepted that position about three months ago." He reportedly further said "correct on Booz," when asked if he specifically went to Booz Allen to gather evidence of surveillance. As the paper notes, Snowden also said that he took pay cuts "in the course of pursuing specific work" in an online Q&A with The Guardian last week, and he's also indicated that he has more information he intends to leak, saying that he'd like to "make it available to journalists in each country to make their own assessment."
Edward Snowden stops off in Moscow with US extradition request snapping at his heels
Even if he anticipated the risks involved in turning whisteblower, Edward Snowden can't have imagined the rushed, convoluted journey he'd have to take to avoid the full wrath of the US government. First to Hong Kong; most recently to Moscow, and perhaps soon to Ecuador (via Cuba and Venezuela) where he has apparently made a request for asylum. Strongly worded demands for his capture have followed every step of the way, with the White House National Security Council expressing "disappointment" that Hong Kong allowed Snowden to flee and now urging Russia (which has no formal extradition treaty with America) to "expel Mr. Snowden back to the US to face justice for the crimes with which he is charged." In an effort to help the fugitive navigate the maze of diplomatic fault lines, WikiLeaks has stepped up to say that its own legal advisors are "escorting" Snowden towards his final destination, likely making use of the knowledge they gained while protecting Julian Assange, and that it sees US efforts to arrest him as an "assault against the people."
PRISM whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals himself, reasons for leaking surveillance program (updated)
Only days after the initial leaks and explanations by the US government about the National Security Agency's data surveillance program PRISM, Edward Snowden has revealed himself as the whistleblower. He's employed by defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton and also worked at the NSA as a "technical assistant" for the CIA. In speaking to The Guardian, he explained his reasons for disclosing the intelligence program: he wanted to "to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them," hoping that they'll use the information to debate the issue. While the NSA's data-mining tool is reportedly known as Boundless Informant, Snowden has been keeping himself bound to a hotel in Hong Kong during this whole drama. Major internet companies have insisted that the government doesn't receive direct access to their servers and President Obama has stated that "nobody is listening to your phone calls, but the issue remains far from black and white. Snowden claims a "massive surveillance machine" is in the making under the radar -- at this point he's now waiting to see what happens next, assured he's made the the decision that feels right to him. Catch the full interview at the source link. Update: In case there was any doubt that Snowden has ever been employed by Booz Allen Hamilton, the company just released the following statement: Booz Allen can confirm that Edward Snowden, 29, has been an employee of our firm for less than 3 months, assigned to a team in Hawaii. News reports that this individual has claimed to have leaked classified information are shocking, and if accurate, this action represents a grave violation of the code of conduct and core values of our firm. We will work closely with our clients and authorities in their investigation of this matter.
