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Spies used YouTube videos and Microsoft log-ins to take over devices
Watching silly YouTube videos and checking your Microsoft Live account might sound harmless enough -- too harmless, in fact, to lead to a security breach. But, thing is, they're not as safe as you think: if a law enforcement agency or your government wanted to keep tabs on your actions, they could've easily used those activities to inject malware into your system. According to a paper published by Morgan Marquis-Boire at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, spies used to be able to piggyback on unencrypted YouTube streams and Microsoft Live log-ins by intercepting traffic and using that to open a window into your life. Yes, that means being able to see your emails, bank accounts, IMs and many other things you'd rather keep to yourself. Thankfully, Microsoft and Google have already encrypted those connections, Marquise-Boire writes on The Intercept, to prevent anyone from exploiting them. Mountain View has even started encouraging other websites to encrypt their connections with the promise of a better ranking in its search results.
J Allard talks failure, hope, convergence of Zune and Xbox services
J Allard, the mysterious, bedreadlocked, Lex Luthor-ish cat behind the Xbox, Zune and Zune 2 (amongst others) sat down for a Q and A with the New York Times and revealed some deep feelings -- as well as future plans. Mainly, Mr. Allard talks about the hardships of dealing with record labels, the failure of the first Zune to penetrate the market, his hopes for the current generation of Redmond-anointed media players to kill, kill, kill, and the fact that a "Zune Phone" isn't anywhere close right now (though doesn't seem to be off the table). On the flip side, he hints at a future of merged Microsoft services, where you'll be able to order up music, games, and videos on demand -- all in one, centralized package. Says J, "Today we have Xbox live for $50 a year. We have Zune Pass at $15 a month. We don't have a rationalized premium version yet. Fast forward a little bit, and you can image a menu like DirecTV. There is basic, there is enhanced, there is movie pack and NFL Sunday ticket." Of course, right now it's just a crazy tripped-out dream floating around the mind of J Allard... let's hope it floats onto our screens soon.Read - J Allard: Microsoft's Plan to Be King of All MediaRead - J Allard: The Failures of the Zune and the Record LabelsRead - J Allard: Dancing Around the Cellphone Question
