Related News: Dropbox bug wipes some users’ files from the cloud

One new article link has been added to our Related News page. Engadget published an article titled Dropbox bug wipes some users’ files from the cloud.

Cautious types will frequently tell you not to rely on cloud storage as your only backup, and a handful of internet denizens have just learned this the hard way. Dropbox has confirmed that a bug in some older versions of its desktop apps deleted the files of some people who turned on Selective Sync, which limits cloud syncing to certain folders. Typically, this would happen after a crash or forced reboot, making a bad problem worse — at least a few users found that they’d lost years’ worth of content through no fault of their own.

Source: Engadget

Related News: Undocumented iOS functions allow monitoring of personal data, expert says

One new article link has been added to our Related News page. Ars Technica published an article titled Undocumented iOS functions allow monitoring of personal data, expert says.

Apple has endowed iPhones with undocumented functions that allow unauthorized people in privileged positions to wirelessly connect and harvest pictures, text messages, and other sensitive data without entering a password or PIN, a forensic scientist warned over the weekend.

Jonathan Zdziarski, an iOS jailbreaker and forensic expert, told attendees of the Hope X conference that he can’t be sure Apple engineers enabled the mechanisms with the intention of accommodating surveillance by the National Security Agency and law enforcement groups. Still, he said some of the services serve little or no purpose other than to make huge amounts of data available to anyone who has access to a computer, alarm clock, or other device that has ever been paired with a targeted device.

Source: Ars Technica

Related News: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

One new article link has been added to our Related News page. Computerworld published an article titled Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world.

If an Android device (phone or tablet) has ever logged on to a particular Wi-Fi network, then Google probably knows the Wi-Fi password. Considering how many Android devices there are, it is likely that Google can access most Wi-Fi passwords worldwide.

Recently IDC reported that 187 million Android phones were shipped in the second quarter of this year. That multiplies out to 748 million phones in 2013, a figure that does not include Android tablets.

Many (probably most) of these Android phones and tablets are phoning home to Google, backing up Wi-Fi passwords along with other assorted settings. And, although they have never said so directly, it is obvious that Google can read the passwords.

Source: Computerworld

Related News: Business world gets a new way to monitor employee text messages

One new article link has been added to our Related News page. Ars Technica published an article titled Business world gets a new way to monitor employee text messages.

A startup called Uppidy has unveiled a service that backs up SMS services to the cloud, making it easier for individuals, parents, or even your employer to read your text messages.

Uppidy was founded by entrepreneur Joshua Konowe, who came up with the idea after dropping his cell phone in the toilet and going through a difficult process to retrieve his text messages from AT&T. The small startup in Washington, DC launched almost a year ago with a free service for consumers. In the past few weeks, the company started selling to the corporate world.

Source: Ars Technica