Recent Blog Posts

While ownership and investments made by each party have not been made public, the mission of Cymotive–as the new entity is called–is perfectly clear. As Yuval Duskin, who formerly sat at the helm of the Israeli Security Services and now serves as Cymotive chairman, said: “Together with Volkswagen we are building a top-notch team of cyber security experts. We are aware of the significant technological challenges that will face us in the next years in dealing with the cyber security threats facing the connected car and the development of the autonomous car.” These cyber security threats are far too real. Features like Bluetooth connectivity and computerized dashboards have made modern automobiles tempting targets for tech-savvy criminals. Quite recently researchers discovered that an attacker armed with an inexpensive radio kit could clone their way into any wireless-entry-equipped Volkswagen, potentially opening any of the automobiles equipped with this feature sold since 2000–the number of potential cars at risk reaching into the millions. Volkswagen, of course, is not the only car maker whose systems are under threat of attack. A few seasoned car hackers recently proved that–by attaching a laptop to the controller area network (or CAN bus) of a Jeep Cherokee–they could take full control of the vehicle?s brakes. Posting proof of their method in a YouTube video, the duo used a local attack but stated that with some more effort, a similar attack could be executed remotely. However, after submitting their findings to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (producer of the Jeep brand) the automotive manufacturer waved away the findings, questioning their validity and how appropriate it was for the hacking duo to share ?how-to information? that could potentially put public safety in jeopardy. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also declared that such an attack takes ?extensive technical knowledge? and that any security flaws present in the demonstration had since been patched. However, hackers of a more malicious nature are always seeking out new vulnerabilities that the manufacturers and programmers of whatever system (automotive, computing, or otherwise) may have overlooked. As a result, there is an ongoing (and most likely never ending) race between hackers and developers to come out on top? At least until the next revolutionary technology emerges and starts the race over. Does the ability of computer hackers to infiltrate your car make you consider downgrading during your next automotive purchase? Let us know in the comments.

As it turns out, two-factor authentication may provide an answer. MasterCard wants to implement biometric-based two-factor authentication to improve security and cut down on false-positive transactions. The system in question utilizes a ?selfie? taken by the user through a mobile application. The image is then compared to an image that?s stored, and if it?s similar enough, it will authenticate your identity. There are also other methods of biometric technology that are being used to help prevent credit card fraud, such as fingerprint scanning. However, security isn?t the only way that this biometric authentication improves the user experience. MasterCard wants to cut down on the number of legitimate transactions that are being declined while users are traveling abroad. This is a problem larger than even credit card fraud. As reported by The Financial Times, there?s roughly $118 billion worth of false declines every year, which is considerably more money lost than is the case with credit card fraud–13 times more, to be specific. It?s thought that biometrics can be implemented to cut down on the amount of false declines and credit card fraud. Granted, the question that needs to be answered is whether or not these technologies can be trusted to secure personal devices. Phones, tablets, and other mobile devices are known to get hacked just like any ordinary desktop computer. ITProPortal offers some insight into what will be necessary for mobile payment systems to take off: ?User devices are notoriously prone to penetration by cyber criminals ? whether that?s as a result of users adapting their devices or overriding device security parameters, or using non-secure public WiFi when transacting online. Which means biometric data will need to be encrypted to ensure it cannot be stolen ? otherwise we open a whole new vector for identity theft. What?s more, rigorous PCI standards already exist to protect users and merchants, especially where liability is concerned should things go wrong. What?s not clear in this scenario is whether liability will shift ? and to whom. Quite simply, we?re in new territory here.? One of the more interesting parts of this quote is the liability aspect. If a user isn?t securing their mobile device and is using it for payment, are they at fault if their financial information is stolen or lost? If so, this could change the way that financial institutions and payment compliance functions. In particular, biometric hacking could become a major problem, and you can?t issue a new face or fingerprint like you would a new credit card number. Therefore, it?s crucial that you take measures to ensure the safety of your mobile devices, especially if you plan on using them for two-factor authentication. What are your thoughts on mobile payment authorization using a selfie-based system? Let us know in the comments.

Doze helps your phone retain more battery life by disabling an application feature known as wakelock. Wakelocks keep the device from entering an energy-conserving sleep mode, as this mode can interfere with applications and device functions. Wakelock was initially meant for use with fitness trackers and other applications that need to function while the screen is deactivated. However, app developers took advantage of wakelock for all of their applications–including those that are notorious for being battery-killers with their near-constant notifications (like Facebook). The user functionality that wakelock was meant to achieve was spoiled thanks to these app developers, which essentially nullifies any power-saving capabilities of this deep sleep mode. Doze seeks to resolve this problem by disabling wakelock and network access once the phone hasn?t been used for a while. Doze keeps your applications from draining your phone?s energy while still allowing the apps to periodically update during ?maintenance windows.? Android has provided users the ability to customize their Doze settings, allowing the user to decide which apps are affected by the feature. To access this customization: Open Settings. Navigate to Battery. Select Battery optimization from the Menu button. Select All apps from the top-of-screen drop-down menu. Doze will automatically affect most of your applications by default in order to optimize the battery. However, if there?s an app that you don?t want to connect to Doze, you can always switch the setting to Don’t optimize. Doze also has third-party apps that are designed to automatically customize their functionality. For example, Doze Settings Editor can turn Doze off when the phone moves a certain distance. Keep in mind that this particular app only works with Android Marshmallow, though. All of this additional battery life will surely be able to provide you a better user experience. What do you plan on doing with all of your extra battery life? Let us know in the comments.

This move toward mobility is designed to replace the department’s current IT infrastructure, known as EDUCATE (Education Department Utility for Communications, Applications, and Technology Environment). EDUCATE was implemented in 2007 by Perot Systems after they won the bid for $400 million. At the time, this was a bold move because it effectively transferred oversight of the infrastructure from the government to a contractor. Today, the U.S. Department of Education has a new set of priorities that they would like to see out of their infrastructure. According to Jason Gray, Chief Information Officer for the Education Department, the technology landscape has changed so much since 2007 that a revamp is in order. Gray says that these new infrastructure objectives should encourage innovation, optimize the cost to benefit ratio, and show flexibility to make integrating changes in requirements simple. These objectives are spelled out in a new infrastructure plan named PIVOT (the Portfolio of Integrated Value-Oriented Technology). Unlike the previous model, PIVOT looks to have each aspect of the infrastructure (like oversight, hosting data, printing, network services, technical management and integration, and mobile services) written up with its own contract. The primary goal of the Department?s new infrastructure is increased mobility. They look to achieve this by moving away from a permanently established office space, and instead, take advantage of teleworking and hoteling (where workers use mobile devices to move about an office instead of being limited to their desk). This kind of move is in line with a federal government initiative to reduce its real estate footprint. In keeping with this goal, PIVOT has the potential to free up 6,200 workers from the traditional office environment. There are lots of benefits to be had by the U.S. Department of Education from a move like this. What about your own IT infrastructure? Has it been updated in recent years to take advantage of the advancements of mobile computing? Or, are you still doing business like it’s 2005 with a workforce tied to their desks and limited to bulky workstations? To revamp your own IT infrastructure, give White Mountain IT Services a call at (603) 889-0800 and find out what we can do for you.