Saturday, November 11, 2017

Another Equifax update.
Equifax faces hundreds of class-action lawsuits and an SEC subpoena over the way it handled its data breach
Equifax, the credit reporting firm, is facing more than 240 class-action lawsuits from consumers — in addition to suits from shareholders and financial institutions — over the way it handled a massive data breach that affected 145.5 million Americans.




Perspective.
Google says hackers steal almost 250,000 web logins each week
Looking at cybercriminal black markets and public forums, the company found millions of usernames and passwords stolen directly through hacking. It also uncovered billions usernames and passwords indirectly exposed in third-party data breaches.
For one year, Google researchers investigated the different ways hackers steal personal information and take over Google accounts. Google published its research, conducted between March 2016 and March 2017, on Thursday.
… "One of the interesting things [we found] was the sheer scale of information on individuals that's out there and accessible to hijackers," Kurt Thomas, security researcher at Google told CNN Tech.
Even if someone has no malicious hacking experience, he or she could find all the tools they need on criminal hacker forums.




Now here’s a market I clearly don’t understand.
Sex toy company admits to recording users' remote sex sessions, calls it a 'minor bug'
I have some news: the Internet of Things is a mess. A hacked refrigerator sounds slightly scary, but a vibrator-controlling app that records all your sex sounds and stores them on your phone without your knowledge? That's way worse.
Today, a Reddit user pointed out that Hong Kong-based sex toy company Lovense's remote control vibrator app (Lovense Remote) recorded a use session without their knowledge. An audio file lasting six minutes was stored in the app's local folder. The users says he or she gave the app access to the mic and camera but only to use with the in-app chat function and to send voice clips on command — not constant recording when in use. Other users confirmed this app behavior, too.




Perspective. Some of my students don’t understand how companies like Lyft can operate for years without making a profit.
Lyft Set to Claim Third of U.S. Market in 2017, Document Shows
… A major investor is projecting Lyft will have boosted its share of U.S. ride-hailing business some 61 percent by the end of the year, climbing to about a third of the market. The gains come as market-leader Uber’s reputation is in tatters following a string of scandals that culminated with the resignation of its chief executive officer in June.
… The document shows that Lyft projected it would escape the red for the first time next year. The San Francisco-based company was forecasting that its earnings, excluding expenses such as taxes and interest, would increase to $500 million in 2019 and $1 billion in 2020. However, Lyft has been spending at a faster rate than expected to take advantage of Uber’s weaker position and now is telling investors the company won’t break even by the end of next year, said the people who asked not to be identified discussing private financial information.
This year, Lyft is on pace for $1.5 billion in net revenue -- the amount of money it generates after paying drivers -- on losses of $400 million, according to the document, which was prepared at the end of the second quarter.




Never admit a failure.
Russia named as likely source of Europe radioactivity spike
An apparent accident at a Russian facility is suspected of causing a recent spike in radioactivity in the air over much of Europe, according to a report by France’s nuclear safety agency.




Now that the tour is over, time to start planning his campaign? I think Mark believes that Facebook’s image is his image.
Facebook will teach the unemployed digital/social media skills in 30 cities
Whether it’s to “bring the world closer together” or improve its public image, Facebook today announced Community Boost. Facebook tells me it’s investing tens of millions of dollars into the program that will travel to 30 cities around the U.S. in 2018. It will teach digital job skills to the unemployed, internet literacy to those just getting online, startup methodology to entrepreneurs and customer growth to small business owners.
Unsurprisingly, though, all these skills revolve around Facebook, which Facebook clearly thinks is the key to a better life. Stops on the tour include Houston, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Des Moines and Greenville, South Carolina — which are conspicuously all red states that voted for Trump in the 2016 election. Perhaps Facebook hopes to reduce unemployment that led to the dissatisfaction with current political systems which landed us Trump.




Try them. You might like one or two.


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