Mozilla's New VP Will Focus On Privacy & Security

Mozilla has a new security chief who will focus on privacy and security. Alan Davidson is the new vice president for "Policy, Trust and Security" with the open source developer. He will be responsible for promoting an open internet and a 'healthy web'.

He will also lead a 'trust and security' team that will focus on promoting innovative privacy and security features in Mozilla products. Previously, Davidson worked at the US Department of Commerce and in 2011 he was the policy leader at Google. "I am very happy to work for an organization that is so dedicated to putting the user first", Davidson said.

DuckDuckGo Starts Privacy Contest With $ 500,000 Prize Money

Privacy search engine DuckDuckGo has started a contest with which organizations that use privacy can win all sorts of cash prizes. The competition will be held on the crowdfunding platform CrowdRise. The organization that gets the most money between 13 March and 10 April will receive the top prize of 50,000 dollars. A total of 253,000 dollars was reserved for the sixteen best participants.

In addition, there is 247,000 dollars that is distributed through the weekly bonus challenges . A total of 20 organizations participate in the competition, including the Freedom of the Press Foundation, the Tor Project , Let's Encrypt, Tails and Bits of Freedom. Since the start of the game yesterday, a total of $ 4219 in donations has been raised and the Center for Democracy and Technology has topped $ 1130.

Privacy OS Tails Introduces Screen Lock

A new version of the privacy-oriented operating system Tails has been released that now also offers users the possibility to lock their screen. When users have set an administrator password, they can unlock the screen.

Otherwise, a separate password can be set for the first time the screen is locked. Furthermore, Tails 3.6 contains various upgrades, security updates and other adjustments. Tails stands for The Amnesic Incognito Live System and is a fully Linux-based operating system that contains all kinds of tools to anonymously use the internet. It can be used from a DVD or USB stick and is recommended by various civil rights movements and privacy experts. Some 22,000 people use Tails every day.

NSA Stopped Mass Storage Phone Data

US intelligence NSA has stopped the massive storage of telephone data, so reporting news agency Reuters, CNN and the intercept. In June, President Barack Obama decided to implement various reform measures and to limit the powers of the NSA.

So the Secret Service should not collect unfocused phone records of US citizens. Instead, the NSA will now have to be more focused work, in which first a court order is required, after which telecom operators may be asked to keep phone records of certain people or groups of people for a maximum period of six months.

The measure is a victory for privacy advocates and saw Edward Snowden, who felt that the NSA had this much power to spy on citizens. However, the NSA has asked the court to be allowed to continue using the data stored to date to February 29, 2016 on a limited scale. The judge must still here a judgment on it.

"Apple's Siri Personal Reveals"

Users with an iPhone or iPad who appreciate their privacy, the voice assistant Siri better off if they do not use it. Experts Trend Micro maintain that someone on an iPhone or iPad when Siri is activated within 30 seconds after the full name, email, phone number and profile picture may come. It does not matter whether the device is locked.

Data

Who has a phone in hand, with his voice can retrieve all kinds of information, such as name, contact information and even calendar appointments. By the command 'what is my name' to speak of, for example, Siri intones the full name of the owner.And so there are a number of assignments which Siri, even if the smartphone or tablet is blocked.

Privacy

It is, according to Trend Micro a weakness of Siri where users already longer complain on Internet forums. According to Trend Micro not only the privacy of the owner of the iPhone or iPad at stake, but also the contacts of that person.

Apple late in a response to the security company that Siri users can disable it on a locked screen. This can be done via the Settings menu and then using the "Touch ID & password 'option and then' Siri '. As the personal assistant can be switched off.

Anti-virus Company AVG Switches To Windows 10-Like Model

The Czech anti-virus company AVG has announced a new series of products that will be updated automatically when new versions are available, as is done with Windows 10. Also, there is now full support for Windows 10 added.

The new update model has to provide updates on a continuous basis and ensure that users always have the latest version. According to AVG this is the first step of the company towards "Security as a Service". It succeeds Microsoft that Windows 10 direction "Windows as a Service goes." The anti-virus software AVG offers both free and paid versions and is available for different platforms.

Recently, the company was still under fire for its new privacy policy, which states that the virus fighter must collect all sorts of data from users. AVG responded by stating that it will not sell users' personal data.

Anti-Virus Company AVG: We Will Not Sell Personal Data

The past few days was the Czech anti-virus company AVG because of the new privacy a storm of criticism to endure. In the Privacy Policy, which begins on October 15, AVG says that the non-personal data collected in order to continue to offer free of charge to the Hotel.

This relates to surf and search history, including metadata. Used Internet service or mobile network provider are also stored, and information on other software that users have installed on their computer or device. The privacy policy states that AVG may share non-personal data with third parties and may publish or collected anonymous information. Because all the fuss AVG now has a statement been published. It'll let you know which collect most software programs and Web usage data. In this way, the products can be improved and new products are being developed.

AVG says consumers can decide for themselves whether they will join the anonymized data collection program. The option which ensures that usage data will be collected is added to the consumer free of charge of the company. "And we can confirm that data is not being shared until our clients have been able to make this choice," said the virus fighter.Thereby allows the anti-virus company know that no personally identifiable data will be selling and that currently can not do.

Fuss About New Privacy Policy Anti-virus Company AVG

This week published anti-virus company AVG a new privacy policy which will take effect next month, but on the Internet there is the fuss about arisen because the virus fighter surfing habits will collect and can sell it to third parties. The privacy policy of AVG contains only one page, which it describes itself as a model for the software industry.

The anti-virus company called on other companies also to formulate a similar brief privacy policy. Internet users on Reddit questions about the content of the Privacy Policy. AVG says that the non-personal data collected in order to continue to offer free of charge to the Hotel. This relates to surf and search history, including metadata. Used Internet service or mobile network provider are also stored, and information on other software that users have installed on their computer or device.

"Sometimes contain browsing history or search history terms that you can identify. If we find that some of your browsing history you identify possible, we'll part as a personal treat information and anonymise this information," know as late as the anti-virus company. Users worry as AVG only intervenes if it detects that identifying private data are stored. The privacy policy states that AVG may share non-personal data with third parties and may publish or collected anonymous information.

Users do have the option to opt-out of the collection and use of certain data, including personal and non-personal data.For this, pointing the privacy policy to a page, but the page only contains instructions on how to unsubscribe from newsletters.

Privacy Glasses Developed By Face

Japanese scientists have developed glasses that must face by preventing digital cameras and smartphones. The glasses use unique angles and patterns on the lens that can reflect or absorb light.The developers of the Privacy Visor ( pdf ) as the glasses are called to protect people's privacy in a world where smartphones can automatically focus on the face of someone, and the images can then be shared widely through social media .

"We are often told not to share with others our personal information, but our vision is also a form of ID," said Professor Isao Echizen opposite the Wall Street Journal . Tests privacy glasses Face pale by preventing smartphones in 90% of cases.The glasses provide sufficient visibility for lookouts, but problems while riding or driving worries.

According Echizen, the glasses especially designed for crowded areas where people take pictures. The glasses can also prevent recordings from security cameras, but according to the professor, this is not a problem. Police also doted with other means of identifying someone, he notes. Privacy Visor should appear next June and will cost around 220 euros. Two years ago Echizen is still working on another model of privacy glasses.

Stop Using NSA Collected Phone Records

US intelligence NSA will stop on November 29 with the use of the telephone data collected in recent years through mass surveillance in the United States. Just recently, the US Senate Section 215 of the Patriot Act not to renew . Through this legislation, the NSA was authorized to store massive call data of American citizens and preserve.

In a statement, the Director of National Intelligence now announced that data from November 29 will no longer be used.However, technical staff of the NSA will have three months long to access the data. This would be necessary in order of data which may be collected to verify the new USA under Freedom legislation.

In addition, the NSA would be legally bound to keep the bulk of the collected telephone records, until civil proceedings are related to the eavesdropping program completed or that the court states that the NSA's data no longer need to keep.According to the NSA Data is maintained only because of the civil proceedings and will not be used for other purposes. The data will eventually be destroyed, so the Secret Service says.

Research: NSA Spying Cost Billions Of US Tech Companies

The espionage activities of the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed and is still not enough suitable legislation that would possibly cost US tech companies billions of dollars. Thus, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in a new report ( pdf ).

By not sufficient reform of American surveillance policy would reach US tech companies damage, which in turn will cost American jobs and American trade weakened. The ITIF estimated in 2013 that a small decrease in foreign companies that do not use American cloud services in 2016, the US could cost between 21.5 billion and 35 billion dollars. According to the foundation now appears that only the new cloud sector has been hit by the NSA spying, but other sectors underachievement.The damage will probably also unpack much higher than the estimated $ 35 billion.

"In summary, foreign clients avoid US companies," the researchers conclude that describe different economic consequences in their report. They also argue that, since recently the Congress a espionage law modified so that the NSA should not massively collect phone records of US citizens, other controversial digital surveillance activities of US intelligence to be addressed.

NSA Began Phasing Eavesdroppers

The US National Security Agency began to phase out the eavesdropping program that collected the phone records of US citizens and stored, now the Senate no agreement has been reached on an extension of the program, reports the Associated Press .

On June 1 expires section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows intelligence services may collect phone records of Americans.Investigation FBI also uses this section, only to collect financial and other information in national security cases. As a solution was devised a new proposal, the USA Freedom Act.

This proposal would end the massive storage of telephone data, but would allow the NSA to the data store by searching telecom providers by case. However, the proposal fell short of three votes, since the Republicans voted against it. Because the outcome is the NSA now started to reduce the search of domestic telephone data. On May 31, the Senate comes back together for one last rescue attempt.

Criticism Of Assange And Appelbaum Because Sony-Mails

Both WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as Tor developer Jacob Appelbaum said to be in favor of privacy and internet freedom, but this does not seem to hold true for the employees of Sony. WikiLeaks recently published an archive of e-mails and documents that were stolen by Sony.

Appelbaum, who in addition to his role as a developer of the Tor software also volunteered with WikiLeaks is involved , was recently interviewed by Fusion . There he lets first know that any form of surveillance is illegal. "Everyone has the right to privacy and should know that his emails are not read, even if the horrible people like the police in Ferguson."

For large enterprises has Appelbaum less understanding. He thinks it is right that WikiLeaks published the stolen Sony emails. As Appelbaum puts the Sony summit as "racist bastards" who have been "negligent". The statements of the Tor developer as the actions of Julian Assange to put the stolen Sony-mails online can count on criticism of the media. Both columnists Business Insider as The Guardian denounced the double standard that seem to handle the two privacy activists

WikiLeaks Publishes, Thousands Of Stolen Sony-Mails

Whistleblower site Wikileaks has once again thousands of e-mails late last year at Sony Pictures Entertainment were stolen published. The e-mails have been added to an online archive that WikiLeaks last month put online and that all 30,000 documents and more than 173,000 e-mails to and from more than 2,200 Sony email addresses contained. That made ​​the whistleblower site known via Twitter .

According to WikiLeaks, the stolen e-mails and documents newsworthy and the online archive offers a special glimpse into the workings of a large "mystery" multinational ties with both the White House and the US military-industrial complex would have. After the online publication of the " Sony Archive "Sony responded furiously condemning WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks Weather Accepts Submissions Fom Whistleblowers

WikiLeaks yesterday evening put a new system online so that it can receive further submissions from whistleblowers. Through the system, which is still in beta and the Tor network uses, according to WikiLeaks people can upload files anonymously.

The announcement late WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange know there was going to be four possible solutions examined which whistleblowers can upload files. Previous solutions, however, would not provide sufficient protection against government surveillance. One of the problems with public systems, "bootstrapping" writes Assange, who still resides in the Embassy of Ecuador in London.

"The fact that a source for instructions see how they can upload material can be used as evidence against him as the SSL key is cracked. To avoid this we have complete instructions and keys placed on millions WikiLeaks pages," said Assange .Moreover, using the "submit" button for uploading files would hardly generate network traffic because the data are downloaded every time someone looks at a WikiLeaks page.

Experts Divided On Risk Of Trackers On Porn Sites

In February warned a software engineer for the risk of trackers and other ways in which it can be followed online porn surfing habits of viewers, but experts are divided over how big the risk is real. Software engineer Brett Thomas suggested two months ago that the viewing habits on porn sites the next "big privacy scandal" can be. Many ways to websites and advertisers identify Internet users today and that is no different on porn sites.

This data could, for example end up using a hacked advertising company, tracker or porn site on the Internet. It does not matter if people such as "private browsing" to use to protect their browsing habits, so let experts opposite Vice Magazine know. Even if this option is enabled the user's IP address is on the website visited, and the trackers that are active thereon passed.

88% of the 500 most visited porn sites are active trackers. "If you look at porn on the Internet in 2015, even in incognito mode, you must assume that at some point your viewing habits public and will be linked to your name," said Thomas. In addition to the IP address has almost every computer to identify a unique fingerprint browser so that users are. "It is certainly cause for concern," said Justin Brookman, privacy expert of? Center for Democracy & Technology.

Alarmism

According to Cooper Quintin of the American civil rights movement EFF is possible that the viewing habits of one's membership in a porn site is known, but he calls the remark of Thomas later someone can easily put it online porn viewing habits of viewers on the Internet scaremongering. Vice Magazine porn sites also asked for a response, but received only sent a statement of PornHub. The site is on the 75th place of most visited websites on the Internet, just for Gmail.com , which stands on a 78th place.

The statement PornHub calls the assertion of Thomas not only utterly wrong but also dangerously misleading. According to the porn store the viewing habits of daily users would cost 3,600 terabytes. The searches of these data would be almost impossible and very time consuming. "The server logs PornHub contain only for a limited time the IP address and user agent, never a browser fingerprint," said a spokesman.

AVG Demonstrates Privacy Glasses To Face

Early this month unveiled the Czech anti-virus company AVG privacy glasses designed to prevent face and now the virus fighter has a demonstration online put. The glasses are developed because it more and more places appear cameras and face recognition develops.

It involves, for example pictures made in public places and shared via social media. Someone might thus inadvertently on websites like Facebook may end up and be "tagged". In order to prevent this, the eyeglasses of a reflective material is provided. If someone has a picture with a flash makes the light is reflected and dazzles the camera, making the face of the wearer is not visible.

In the event no flash is used has the glasses on infrared light. That disturbs the sensor of the camera. "If you're worried about your privacy and want to be invisible, then you can ever buy this privacy glasses in the future," said Tony Anscombe AVG.Whether the virus fighter plans to bring the glasses on the market is not yet known.

Encrypted SMS With Android App SMSSecure

Announced a new app for Android should make it possible again to send encrypted text messages, now another popular Android app that made ​​this possible is stopped. Recently showed Open Whisper Systems , the developer of Secure Text, know that the support of encrypted SMS / MMS is stopped.

According to the developer will be encrypted SMS / MMS never easy to use as encrypted text messages, because users in encrypted SMS manual should exchange the encryption keys before it can be communicated. "We believe that people should not even know what a" key "is, so this obstacle always felt wrong," said the developers.

Also mentions Open WhisperSysms SMS and MMS a "security disaster", because metadata is continuously leaked. SMS messages pass through the servers of telecom companies. The developers do not want the state-run telecom companies like Saudi Arabia, Iran or China can access the metadata Text Secure users. Finally, the support of SMS / MMS make it more difficult for the developers in order to improve the app.

SMSSecure

On GitHub is a new app called appeared SMSSecure , a fork of Text Secure. It is a spin-off based on the source code of Text Secure and focuses on encrypted SMS messages. To go with the app to work there needs to be an unencrypted backup Text Secure, which can then be imported by SMSSecure. SMSSecure developed by the Frenchman Bastien Le Querrec.

Tommelein: Privacy Is Not A Black And White Tale

Privacy is not a black and white tale, but is always in relation to other rights and obligations, as has informed the Belgian State Secretary for privacy Bart Tommelein know. "There is no choice between whether or not privacy. Otherwise, the negotiations on the European regulation had long finished," he tells his own website. Tommelein argues that privacy is always in balance with other interests.

"How much of our privacy are we willing to sacrifice for our security? Consider the exchange of passenger data from flights. Badge Systems. CCTV." Cases which the Belgian State Secretary improve safety, but also new privacy questions entail, such as data storage, or anyone can be filmed and who gets access to these systems and data.

He calls find this difficult balance, pointing to the balance between protecting the privacy of the individual on the one hand and innovation on the other side. "A drone take pictures of a bike race, we find fantastic. But we find it a bit creepy when he flies above our own home."

Balance

One of the places where the balance should be found is the European privacy legislation, which dates from 1995 and according Tommelein is not up to date. There's already being talked about a new law, but the process is slow. However, the new privacy legislation will not be perfect warns the Belgian State Secretary. "Put ten people around a table and they each have a different definition of privacy." Nevertheless soon there should be a new privacy legislation he warns. "The world does not stop turning while we negotiate."

Tommelein closes his plea to the European legislation off by stating that even if the proper privacy balance is found, the highest will be temporary. "Privacy is never alone. You can not therefore 'fumble' privacy. You can at best balance between privacy and other interests. So that I do. Careful. Attentive. But without fear. Innovation is not something to be afraid of to be. The future is something to look forward to. "

Opera Buys Canadian VPN Service Provider Surf Easy

The Norwegian browser developer Opera has this week the Canadian VPN service provider Surf Easy acquired , allowing users to easily soon be able to go to protect their privacy, according to both companies. By using a VPN, it is possible to run an encrypted tunnel through the Internet to another computer, for example, in another country.

In this way, among other censored websites are visited and services are used that are not available in their own country. In addition, a VPN ensures that the network traffic is encrypted. Therefore, experts often recommend to use a VPN to open Wi-Fi networks. Through the cooperation both companies hope will soon be able to go to applications offer so users can take back control of their online privacy and freedom.