Researchers able to predict iOS-generated hotspot passwords, takes under a minute
Anyone who's tried to tether to their iPhone or iPad will recall how iOS manages to craft its own passwords when used as a personal hotspot. The aim is to ensure that anyone sharing their data connection will get some degree of security, regardless of whether they tinker with the password themselves. However, three researchers from FAU in Germany have now worked the structure behind these auto-generated keys -- a combination of a short english word and a series or random numbers -- and managed to crack that hotspot protection in under a minute. To start, the word list is listed to around 52,500 entries, and once the testers are able to capture a WiFi connection, they used an AMD Radeon HD 6990 GPU to cycle through all those words with number codes, taking just under 50 minutes to crack with rote entry. Following that, they realized that only a small subset (just 1,842) of the word list was being used.
Factor in an even faster GPU -- a cluster of four AMD Radeon HD 7970s -- and they got the hotspot password cracking time to 50 seconds. The Friedrich-Alexander University researchers added that unscrupulous types could use comparable processing power through cloud computing. ""System-generated passwords should be reasonably long, and should use a reasonably large character set. Consequently, hotspot passwords should be composed of completely random sequences of letters, numbers, and special characters," it says in the report, which outlines the trade-off between security and usability. However, as ZDNet notes, Apple's cycled password approach still offers more protection than static options found elsewhere. Check out the full paper at the source.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Apple
Via: ZDNet
Source: Department of Computer Science, Friedrich-Alexander University (PDF)
Raspberry Pi gets its own media center kit: £46 for easy XBMC and controller (hands-on)
Behold, a ready-made answer for those who own a Linux-powered fruit machine but who are still looking for new ways to use it. It's a simple media center starter kit, fresh out and shipping today, which makes it easy to hook your Raspberry Pi up to an HDMI display and use it to play video or music from the internet or your home network through the wonders of XBMC. Known simply as "XBMC Solution," it consists of the Raspbmc software on a bootable SD card (this is an all-in-one install that combines XBMC with a lightweight Linux distro), a rechargeable RF controller with a small keyboard and touchpad to aid navigation (it's generic, unbranded, and even has a "Win" key, but it works fine), plus Ethernet and HDMI cables in case you don't have any going spare. Read on for more.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Networking, Internet, Software, HD
Source: Element14
Bloomberg: Next Surface RT will use Qualcomm chip, may come in multiple versions
How's about this for a coincidence? We've just benchmarked the Snapdragon 800 reference tablet, with some very nice results, and now Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft will use a Qualcomm chip in its next refresh of the Surface RT. The report, based on insider sources, doesn't stretch to detailing whether we'll be looking at the flagship 800 processor specifically, but that'd seem like a logical upgrade for the current hybrid which runs on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 and already feels underpowered. As for NVIDIA, the same unconfirmed report suggests that the company will still have a role to play as a supplier "for some versions" of Microsoft's product. That's a curious notion, because it implies we might see multiple iterations of the Surface RT to suit different price points or markets (e.g., those with or without LTE), and at least one version of those could house a Tegra 4. Or it could simply be a diplomatic way of saying that the existing RT products will continue to be sold and supported for a while. Either way, if Microsoft doesn't implement the full force of Snapdragon, someone else hopefully will.
Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft
Source: Bloomberg
Evernote Web Clipper’s new Gmail function saves copies of emails and attachments
Keeping your Gmail account organized isn't that hard when you can tag and Star emails. Evernote Web Clipper's new function, however, promises easier access to missives you deem particularly important. Once the Chrome extension is installed, it saves any message you want along with its attachments in just one click. One note though: you'll need a premium account to search through any attached documents. Note that the Gmail clip will look like a garbled mess (especially if it's a lengthy thread) on Web Clipper's preview screen, but on the Evernote app or web portal it will appear nicely formatted. If you think this new function can help you wrangle an increasingly unruly Gmail account, hit the source link below for more info or look for the extension on the Chrome Web Store.
Via: The Verge
Source: Evernote
Tokyoflash intros Kisai Intoxicated watch with a built-in breathalyzer (video)
Many partygoers want to keep their alcohol in check, but we don't know many who want to lug around a dedicated breathalyzer, no matter how small it may be. Tokyoflash may have found a happy medium for those drinkers by tucking a breathalyzer into its new Kisai Intoxicated watch. Blow into a sensor and the LCD will change to a color reflecting the alcohol intake: green is sober, yellow is buzzed and red is well over the line. There's also a mini-game to test reflexes in those less-than-certain moments. Buyers seeking some temperance in their lives will want to act quickly, however -- Tokyoflash will only sell the Kisai Intoxicated at a discounted $99 price during its first 48 hours on sale.
Filed under: Wearables
Source: Tokyoflash