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Bank's dodgy cost-cutting led to $80 million hack
Earlier this month, hackers attempting to steal $850 million from Bangladesh Bank managed to only get away with $80 million. After an investigation into the breach, authorities determined that the culprits gained access thanks to $10 second-hand switches used to network the bank's computers and the lack of a proper firewall. Transfers of the stolen funds were halted as the result of a spelling error, otherwise the heist could've been much worse.
Google gives the world a peek at its secret servers
Google has given everyone a rare look inside its server rooms and detailed how keeps up with the massive growth of its search business. In a blog post, Google Fellow Amin Vadat said that the company's current network, Jupiter, can deliver a petabit per second of total throughput. That means each of its 100,000 total servers can randomly speak to each other at a speed of 10Gb/s, a hundred times faster than the first-generation network it created in 2005. To get there, Google did something surprising -- it built its own hardware from off-the-shelf parts.
Cisco reportedly drops sales pact with ZTE after claims of roundabout Iran dealings
ZTE might already be feeling heat from Congressional suspicions, but the company could soon take a more direct hit to the pocketbook. Cisco has reportedly dropped an already rocky seven-year deal with ZTE after it learned that the Chinese firm had been selling Cisco's networking gear to the Telecommunication Company of Iran as recently as July of last year. Being implicated in an end-run around US trade sanctions isn't great for business, as you'd imagine. While Cisco CEO John Chambers wouldn't directly confirm the severed link in a chat with Reuters, he noted that we would "not see that [sort of deal] happen again" -- an indication that his company at least isn't happy with the current state of affairs. ZTE isn't waiting for any public acknowledgment to voice its frustration and says it's "highly concerned," although it's not helped by allegations from its own US general counsel that there was an attempt to cover up the Iranian link. Nothing is definite until the investigations go public, but the Iran connection could make it that much harder for ZTE to keep US customers regardless of its distance from the Chinese government.
Insert Coin: Luminode dimmer switch runs on a mesh network, learns to light up our lives (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Just a simple light switch, you say? Look closer. Think Automatic's Luminode dimmer switch hides both a processor and a mesh network connection that lets every switch in the home coordinate with each other. A multi-tap system makes it possible to link multiple lights together without extra wiring or complex programming, but that's just the start: it's possible to create "scenes" of predefined lighting levels and, with a USB adapter, hook up to home automation systems (including Think Automatic's own) that can learn usage habits, track energy consumption or simply let us control the array with our smartphones. The platform uses raw XML to communicate and already talks to GE, Insteon and Stargate hardware -- all without requiring a huge grid of buttons or displays. Development of the Luminode is very nearly done after six-plus years of work in Seattle. The hardware is fundamentally ready and just needs the Kickstarter project to finish its FCC and UL testing along with the obligatory mass production. The hope is to start delivering switches in January as well as integrate more closely with non-lighting elements in the future. Pledge levels are dictated almost exclusively by volume: $130 is what it takes to get a basic two-switch kit, $260 will add the USB adapter along with an extra switch, and successive levels scale all the way up to a 50-switch, $3,000 kit for large homes. Think Automatic has a relatively low $35,000 threshold to meet its Kickstarter funding, but it only has 13 days left to go. If you like the idea of advanced lighting that doesn't require an advanced appreciation of the user manual to understand, now's a good time to click the source link and make it happen.
iMONO 13-port USB hub with independent power switches kills vampires en masse
USB hubs with independently switchable ports to disable vampire power draw are nothing new, but this unit from iMONO takes things to the next delightfully absurd level, with a full complement of 13 ports -- enough for an entire army of undead novelty flash drives. Of course, you could also just unplug your devices after you're done using them to save power, but come on -- like you're gonna say no to an array of switches and blue LEDs. Next step: combining this with the 49-port hub we saw last year.
Gefen HD Mate Scaler and switch
The world of scalers changes as fast as HD itself, as technology improves, the prices come down and new needs are met. Gefen's new HD Mate Scaler is just what many have asked for, but doesn't quite cover all the bases. The most obvious thing missing is HDMI, but Gefen has other products for that, the HD Mate is for component and DVI users. It features 2 component inputs, 1 DVI input and 1 DVI output, all switchable via an on-screen display and IR remote. The DVI out is HDCP compliant and 1080p, analog as well as toslink inputs are accepted and transcoded accordingly, as well as audio delay settings for those who can't stand when the lips don't match up. The great thing about any stand alone scalers is that they aren't held back by the same CSS limitations as built in scalers and can allowing you to watch your DVDs at 1080p and anything else you got to throw at it. This might be the perfect scaler for those Xbox 360 and PS3 owners with a 1080p TV.[Via MacMinute]
