Microsoft Wants Better Security Than Password

Security is the biggest issue for technology users today. From online passwords to passwords and/or passcodes for devices – we there are always people on the lookout for a flaw so that they can take advantage of unauthorized access. And Microsoft is dead serious about finding something better than passwords to keep users secure.

According to Dustin Ingalls, group program manager for Windows security and identity, “We have to solve this, ideally in a standard way across industry because the ecosystem will be better off if we can solve it for all devices and services users come across daily.” (Source)



I think we can all agree that the issue has to be solved, and that if a standard can be found that satisfies the entire industry, that would be great. Of course, ideal doesn’t always happen in real life!

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Mozilla’s Smartphone OS Launches in Spain

One of the world’s leading Internet browser providers has joined the smartphone business with a new operating system. Mozilla’s smartphone OS was officially released in Spain.
First details about the operating system emerged at the Barcelona Mobile World Congress in February and Mozilla has just released the first two smartphones equipped with the new Firefox operating system.


The two smartphones, a ZTE Open and an Alcatel OneTouch Fire, are only available in Spain for the time being. Mozilla partnered with Telefonica on the project, which aims at making available a series of more affordable smartphones to the general public.

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Control Your Hotel Room From Your Smartphone

Premier Inn has launched a new concept in hotel rooms, known as Hub. Although it’s being termed a concept, Whitbread has committed to opening its first Hub by Premier Inn in London UK by summertime 2014.

The futuristic hotel room is detailed as filling 11.4sqm of space, with storage under the bed, a desk that slides out and an en suite bathroom that gives you a shower. Everything you need for a night’s sleep in a strange city.  The idea is to offer a compact hotel room that wastes no space, but also offers convenient controls via a companion app that will let you check-in, control the temperature, order breakfast and explore local highlights as well .  

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Android Security Bug Found: Hackers Gain System Access

Researchers in the security field at Bluebox Security, have found a bug in the Android operating system, which allows them to create malicious apps (appearing to be genuine with correct digital signatures).  Digital signatures allow any piece of data, including an app, to be checked to see that it is genuine.  But, because of this bug in Android, it is possible to create a fake app and digitally sign it so it looks like a real app from an author,  including massive companies such as Google, Samsung, HTC and Sony etc.

Since the digital signatures of companies like Google and hardware manufacturers like Samsung, can be faked, it is possible to create a system app which has system access to the device in question. These system apps, which have what is known as ’System UID access’ can perform any function on the phone including modifying system-level parameters and system-level software.  If such an app is installed on an Android mobile phone, the user would be totally vulnerable to a plethora of attacks including password sniffing and key logging.

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