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Even DSLR cameras are vulnerable to ransomware

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Check Point Software noticed that the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) — which is unauthenticated in both wired and wireless modes — is particularly vulnerable to malware attacks. Ironically, they were able to uncover flaws in the Canon EOS 80D by using firmware originally cracked by Magic Lantern, which supplies its own open source app with extra features to Canon EOS owners.

In a video, the researchers showed how they first set up a rogue WiFi access point. Once the attackers were range of the camera, they ran an exploit to access the camera’s SD card and encrypt any photos. The surprised owner would then see a message that his pictures are no longer available unless he’s willing to pay a ransom.

Check Point notes that cameras are a great attack target because they contain valuable personal photos that folks would be willing to pay for. It disclosed the vulnerability to Canon in March, and last week, Canon issued an advisory telling folks to avoid unsecured WiFi, turn off network functions and install a new security patch.

The issue affects most of Canon’s camera lineup, from the EOS 70D to the mirrorless EOS R. It might not be limited to Canon, either, as Check Point told The Verge that other manufacturers, which use the same PTP protocol, could also be vulnerable.

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Samsung’s 108-megapixel mobile sensor closes in on mirrorless cameras

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Even at that size, a 108-megapixel sensor will have ridiculously small pixels. By default, though, Samsung’s Tetracell tech will gather the light from four pixels, transforming it into a 27-megapixel sensor. You’ll still be able to snap 108-megapixel photos if you want, but that will likely require brightly lit shooting situations.

Samsung’s Smart-ISO mechanism will automatically select lower ISOs in brighter light, and high ISOs in dim shooting situations. Hopefully, Xiaomi will give users manual control over those settings, as well. Along with the high-resolution and low-light photo shooting, the sensor will allow for 6K movies at 30 fps (6,016 x 3,384), an incredible feat for a smartphone camera.

Samsung’s latest smartphones have been criticized for inferior low-light performance compared to the Huawei P30 Pro and other models that use Sony chips. By simply boosting the size of the chip, Samsung can effectively remedy that problem. At the same time, bigger smartphone sensors give consumers another reason not to buy compact cameras. Production of the new chip will begin later this month, Samsung said.

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Supercomputer creates millions of virtual universes

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The production of roughly 8 million simulated universes took ‘just’ three weeks.

The approach is not only helping to understand how galaxies evolve, but is challenging existing theories. To begin with, galaxies may produce stars for considerably longer than previously thought. Star formation should have ended ages ago under existing models, and dark matter might not have been quite so hostile to that formation in the universe’s early era.

Scientists aren’t necessarily going to toss out their current knowledge. There could be gaps in data, and there will be plenty of room for finer-grained detail as computing performance improves. Even so, this could still represent a boon for science — certainly for anyone worried that it could take decades or centuries before computers could come close to providing useful recreations.

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Scientists find the largest observed black hole to date

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The team spotted the black hole using data from the Very Large Telescope array. The wealth of extra data from the Chile observatory helped them map the structure of Holm 15A in unprecedented detail, helping them run simulations to explain the galaxy’s formation and its unusually faint center. Simply speaking, the black hole is so powerful and large (its radius is about 790AU) that it has either swallowed up the closest stars or tossed them toward the galaxy’s edge.

This isn’t necessarily largest black hole detected. That distinction goes to the quasar TON 618 — indirect studies suggest its black hole could be 66 billion times the Sun’s mass. It’s still gigantic, though, and it’s about four to nine times than astronomers expected. The discovery could significantly expand humanity’s understanding of the scale of the universe, not to mention fundamentals like galaxy formation.

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J.D. Salinger novels will finally be released as e-books

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Don’t expect audiobook versions. Although Matt had considered them, his father didn’t like the thought of his books being adapted to other formats.

This is part of a broader attempt to explore J.D. Salinger’s life in the nine years since his death, including the first public exhibition of his personal archives (due this fall in the New York Public Library) and, eventually, the publication of the work that Salinger finished but never released.

It’s a watershed moment for digital books. Salinger has an almost mythological status (in part due to Catcher in the Rye‘s controversies), and now that legacy is more likely to carry on. There’s also simple economic reality at work. Much like The Beatles, the Salinger family was faced with either going where the customers are or risking the possibility that whole generations might forget (or at least, not pay for) their work.

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Tesla in Moscow crashes into tow truck while on Autopilot

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Another Tesla crash might serve as a reminder that Autopilot isn’t flawless. Driver Alexi Tretyakov reported that his EV (said to be a Model 3) crashed into a parked tow truck on Moscow’s Ring Road while Autopilot was active. The owner said the August 10th incident occurred while he was driving at the speed limit with his hands on the wheel — it’s just that neither he nor the semi-autonomous system spotted the truck.

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US Navy will scrap touchscreen controls on its destroyers

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The switch will affect all DDG-51 class (Arleigh Burke) ships using the Integrated Bridge and Navigation System. You should see the first change in summer 2020. The first in-service ship to make the leap will be the USS Ramage, while the first brand new destroyer to drop touchscreens will be the USS Ted Stevens.

The decision isn’t so much a flat-out rejection of technology as an acknowledgment that it has to make sense and be easy to use. Program Executive Officer for Ships Rear Admiral Bill Galinis noted that the feedback slotted into the “just because you can doesn’t mean you should” mindset. The Navy adopted touchscreens without considering that the system was “overly complex,” and that there should be “bridge commonality” to help sailors adjust if they’re transferred to another ship.

This isn’t to say the Navy is giving up on bridge touchscreens altogether. However, Navy chief engineer Rear Admiral Lorin Selby noted that any interface needed to be consistent and help crews “quickly pick up” on a given situation. Warships need to be intuitive to operate — the consequences are serious if they aren’t.

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Ninja calls out Twitch after his dormant channel highlights porn

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Needless to say, Ninja saw a number of problems with the move. It’s not just that Twitch effectively replaced his presence with recommendations, something he said wasn’t true of “any other” channel, it’s that it was tarnishing his brand. Kids could have seen this material, and he didn’t have any control over it. While Ninja apologized, he also stressed that he was trying to get rid of the promotions, if not remove the Twitch channel altogether.

We’ve asked Twitch for comment.

Whatever its response, this isn’t a great look for the service. It was no surprise that Ninja’s stream would scale back (Twitch partners aren’t allowed to stream on rival services), many only expected it to remain idle, not become a billboard for other broadcasters. It certainly underscores the significance of Ninja’s switch. His leap to Mixer represented a competitive blow, and Twitch clearly wasn’t happy about it.

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Telegram’s silent messages keep your conversations low-key

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There’s a deluge of similarly low-profile but important updates to the app. Group chats now have a slow mode to prevent them from becoming overwhelming. Certain emoji (such as the heart and thumbs up) now have animation, and a combination of thumbnail scrubbing and timestamps help you find the right moment in a video. You’ll find an easier-to-browse attachment menu on Android, and accent colors for iOS’ night mode. From a glance, Telegram appears bent on making its app unintrusive when you want it to be — a sharp contrast from chat clients that seem designed solely to grab your attention as often as possible.

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Russia demands Google stop advertising ‘illegal’ protests on YouTube

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The company won’t have much choice but to respond. The Russian agency said it would treat continued promotion as “interference in the sovereign affairs” of the country and consider Google a “hostile influence” ostensibly bent on obstructing elections. Officials would have the “right to an adequate reaction,” Roskomnadzor said.

We’ve asked Google for comment.

There’s no mystery as to why Russia is raising the objection. Protests have continued to grow (the most recent as of this writing had about 50,000 participants), and they’ve turned increasingly from the Moscow-specific complaints to general dissatisfaction with President Putin’s anti-democratic policies. A crackdown on YouTube would theoretically stifle attempts to rally these protests and maintain the status quo.

As in the past, this leaves Google in a difficult spot. Complying with the demand could hurt political freedom in Russia and hurt YouTube’s reputation in the country, but defying it could lead to Russia blocking some or all of the video service. Neither choice is ideal for either free expression or YouTube’s bottom line.

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