2 Million Facebook, Gmail and Twitter Passwords Stolen 

Hackers have stolen usernames and passwords for nearly two million accounts at Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo and others, according to a report released last week. The massive data breach was a result of keylogging software maliciously installed on an untold number of computers around the world, researchers at cybersecurity firmTrustwave said. 

 

New Malware Communicates Via Sound Waves

Scientists have developed a malware that transmits information between computers using high-frequency sound waves inaudible to the human ear. This allows the malware to transmit keystrokes and other sensitive data even when infected machines have no network connection. The new malware uses high-frequency audio signals to bridge the ‘air gap’ — a type of security where network is secured by keeping it separate from other local networks and the Internet. Using just the built-in microphones and speakers of standard computers, the researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing, and Ergonomics were able to transmit passwords and other small amounts of data from distances of almost 65 feet.

 

Google Working on Robot Development

Google has bought seven robotics companies in recent months as part of a strategy to develop its own robots that can be used for warehouse, manufacturing and delivery work, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. The report said that Google had placed Andy Rubin in charge of the project. Rubin is the highly regarded executive who led the development of Android into the world’s most widely used smartphone software.

 

GTA: San Andreas Revived for iOS, Android and Windows Phone

Grand Theft Auto V may be flying high in the console charts, but its developer Rockstar Games is already planning the next GTA game – one that will be familiar to fans of the series. The company has announced plans to re-release 2004’s Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for smartphones and tablets in December. The game will be available for iPhone, iPad, Android (including Amazon’s Kindle Fire) and Windows devices. Rockstar also says that the game has been given a makeover to ensure it’s up to scratch in 2013. “Newly re-mastered graphics including dynamic and detailed shadows, greater draw distance, an enriched color palette, plus enhanced character and car models make this the best-looking version of San Andreas yet,” claimed the company. “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas also features brand new touch controls including contextual control options to display buttons only when you need them and three different control schemes for driving and maneuvering, as well as a reworked checkpoint system for easier progression.”

 

R.I.P Mandela: Top Trending Topic on Twitter

Hashtag (#) R.I.P. Mandela was the top trending topic on Twitter on Friday following the death of global anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. Mandela, South Africa’s first elected black president, died at his home in Houghton, a suburb of Johannesburg, following a protracted illness. He was 95. Many celebrities and well known world figures tweeted their shock and sadness at Mandela’s demise, the SABC reported.