Computers running Windows are vulnerable to the so-called “FREAK” attack, which gives hackers the power to decrypt secure traffic between a web surfer’s browser and the site she is visiting. Microsoft had said at first that the Windows system was immune to such attacks, but a recent advisory posted to the company’s TechNet site has confirmed the vulnerability.
“Microsoft is aware of a security feature bypass vulnerability in Secure Channel that affects all supported releases of Microsoft Windows,” the company wrote. “We are actively working with partners in our Microsoft Active Protections Program to provide information that they can use to provide broader protections to customers.”
Until the situation is under control, users are vulnerable to FREAK — but what is it exactly?
“FREAK” is short for Factoring attack on RSA-EXPORT Keys, according to ArsTechnica.com. The attacks are possible when a vulnerable user logs onto a vulnerable HTTPS-protected website using a device prone to being compromised. In this case, Windows computers fall into that category.
PCs and laptops aren’t the only products that could have a FREAK attack, however. Prior to the announcement from Microsoft, everything from iPhones to Android devices was thought to be susceptible to an attack.
During a FREAK attack, hackers watch the traffic passing between browsers and vulnerable servers. They can then inject malicious packets into the flow that cause the two parties to use a weak, 512-bit encryption key. With this weakness in place, hackers can collect some of the exchanged information using cloud-based computing.
Security researchers have found that out of 14 million HTTPS-protected websites, about 36 percent of them supported weak cipher, rendering them vulnerable to a FREAK attack. They note that companies including Google, Microsoft, and Apple have been slow to develop patches, which hints that FREAK attacks pose a low threat at the moment.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.