Security

Facebook halts WhatsApp data collection in UK following privacy probe

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

As of late-August 2016, WhatsApp has been sharing account data with Facebook in what the firm framed as an effort to improve targeted advertising on the social network. Although users can easily opt out of the WhatsApp → Facebook data sharing with just a few taps, most novice users are unaware that their WhatsApp usage data is being shared with Facebook.

In the United Kingdom, the Information Commissioner Office head Elizabeth Denham said her office had launched a probe into WhatsApp's updated Terms of Service a few weeks ago.

The new terms previously drew ire from European privacy watchdogs who expressed “serious concerns” over the policy change. As a result of the UK government probe, WhatsApp has now suspended account data collection and sharing with Facebook.

PickPocket helps protect your valuable iPhone from thieves

Anthony Bouchard ∙ November 4, 2016

I hate good for nothing thieves just like the next guy, but who says you have to be completely powerless against them when your precious iPhone goes missing?

A new jailbreak tweak called PickPocket aims to help keep thieves away from your iPhone and give you additional piece of mind that you'll be able to recover it if or when it gets stolen.

Crypto lets you encrypt any text on the fly

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 28, 2016

Security is a big thing for many people, and a big part of keeping your information secure is encryption.

A new jailbreak tweak called Crypto lets you quickly and easily encrypt any text on the fly, making it impossible for anyone without a password to read your text.

Adobe pushes another critical security update for Flash Player

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 27, 2016

It's been a little more than two weeks since Photoshop maker Adobe released a security update for its Flash Player for macOS which fixed a bunch of critical vulnerabilities and now another critical security update for Flash Player got released this morning. According to Adobe, the vulnerabilities in the current version of Flash Player could allow an attacker to take control of Mac, Windows, Linux and Chrome OS machines.

It’s official: I’m a 1Password user

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

For the last several years, I’ve battled with a password problem. It seemed like every new service I used wanted me to create an account, which involved making a new username and a strong password. Making matters worse, some services want you to make difficult passwords you can’t even remember, containing capital letters, numbers, and special characters.

The problem reveals itself the most whenever I get a new phone, like the iPhone 7 Plus I recently purchased. When I go to set it up, I download all the apps I typically use on my device. Afterwards comes the hard part: trying to remember the credentials to log into all of them.

iOS 9 downgrades no longer possible as Apple stops signing iOS 9.3.5

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated December 27, 2023

On Tuesday, Apple pulled the plug on signing iOS 9.3.5 for its entire iOS device lineup, and since it was the last iOS 9 release since iOS 10’s launch last month, that means you can’t downgrade your firmware anymore.

It’s worth also mentioning that the signing process was also killed for iOS 10.0.1, which means anyone who tries to restore their device(s) in iTunes will be forced to install iOS 10.0.2 or later (10.0.3 is only for iPhone 7 & 7 Plus).

Cops obtain a warrant demanding individuals unlock iPhones with their fingerprint

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 17, 2016

California's top cops seem to have obtained a questionable warrant request to enter a residence and force anyone inside to use biometric information to open their fingerprint-locked iPhones purely on the assumption they'll learn more after they access the phones, Forbes reported this morning.

Deemed as “an unprecedented attempt to bypass the security of Apple's iPhones,” Forbes found a court filing in which the Department of Justice sought to search a Lancaster, California, property.

No2Theft deters theft for people who charge their jailbroken iPhones on the go

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 15, 2016

No2Theft is a new jailbreak tweak release that helps you keep your iPhone from getting stolen when you plug it in for a quick charge in unfamiliar places.

This tweak enables Touch ID unlocking after you respring your iPhone

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 14, 2016

If you have a jailbroken device with a Touch ID Home button, then you're probably all too familiar with the fact that you can't immediately use Touch ID to unlock your device right after you respring it.

Touch ID Respring Fix is a new free jailbreak tweak that fixes this problem, and it's available in Cydia right now.

Adobe pushes Flash Player security update fixing critical vulnerabilities

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 12, 2016

Adobe today released a new security-focused update for its Flash Player software in an effort to patch a series of vulnerabilities that could give attackers control of your computer. Although Safari on macOS Sierra disables web plugins like Flash by default, Mac owners who have a standalone Flash Player installed on their system are at risk, even if they're using Flash Player that's built into Google's Chrome browser.

How to deauthorize computers from your Apple ID

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated January 2, 2024

You can only authorize up to five computers with your Apple ID to play your iTunes Store purchases. In this tutorial, we will share how to deauthorize a computer from your Apple ID so you can authorize new Macs or Windows PC.

Apple Watch banned from UK government cabinet meetings over spying concerns

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 10, 2016

British newspaper The Telegraph reported yesterday that the Apple Watch has been banned from government cabinet meetings after ministers warned wearable devices could be vulnerable to hacking by state-sponsored spies. Smartphones, too, have been barred from cabinet meetings because of similar concerns, with one source saying that “the Russians are trying to hack everything.”