Tech News 2Night 182 (Transcript)

[Top TN2 Animation ] Tonight! is a large-scale Shellshock attack on the way?, when the first Retina Display iMacs might launch, and how protesters in Hong Kong are using the FireChat app to get the word out... Tech News 2Night is Next! [TWiT Open] [Main TN2 Open] This is Tech News 2Night Episode #182, for MOnday September 29, 2014 "This episode is brought to you by: Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio. For a free 2 week trial and 10% off, go to squarespace.com, and use offer code TECHNIGHT. " I'm Sarah Lane, Let's get right to the Tech Feed! Last week we spoke with Security Now host Steve Gibson about the Shellshock bug, a serious vulnerability that research firm Fireeye says is already being exploited via Malware droppers, Reverse shells and backdoors, Data exfiltration, and good old fashioned DDoS attacks. In other words, it's pretty bad. Fireeye notes the initial patch for this vulnerability, which was released in sync with the vulnerability’s public disclosure, is inadequate. And ZDNet writes that a vigorously updated Intrusion Prevention System, or IPS, deployed not just at the perimeter but also at critical points within the network, may be the only effective systemic protection against Shellshock for now. OS X Mavericks users got an updatre to address the Shellshock bug to address those who had manually configured their computers in a way that left them exposed, though Apple said last week that very few Macs were actually impacted by the bug and that most users were protected by default. For users running older OS X versions, there are separate downloads for Lion and Mountain Lion, but there's no patch yet for machines running the public or developer builds of OS X Yosemite. / Speaking of Yosemite, 9to5Mac cites anonymous sources that say a new line of iMacs with ultra high-resolution Retina Displays is in late testing stages within Apple. The machine will reportedly have a thin profile similar to that of the current design that was introduced back in 2012, but will have faster processors and improved WiFi antennas. Apple launched the Retina display on the iPHone 4 back in 2010, but the Retina iMac would be Apple’s first Retina desktop computers. As for resolution, OS X Yosemite betas include references to 6400 x 3600, 5760×3240, and 4096×2304 resolution screens, and Apple has been rumored to be working on a 5K iMac display for launch later this year. Sources also tell 9to5Mac that Apple is preparing updates to iMovie and Final Cut Pro with improved tools for editing high-resolution and 4K footage. / Facebook is rolling out a new ad network, called Atlas, to let advertisers buy ads, via Facebook, on properties Facebook doesn't actually own. Facebook says Atlas can help marketers track the effectiveness of their ads around the Web, and will be more effective than other big ad platforms, because they use Facebook’s data. Ad holding company Omnicom, which already has deals with Facebook, Google, and Twitter, says it will buy ads with Atlas, and Facebook-owned Instagram will also work with the platform. Facebook says user identity will remain anonymous to advertisers and publishers beyond basic facts. The company says it's targeting Google’s DoubleClick display ad business, which is big business - this year, Google may generate $4 billion in display ads in the U.S. — and generate $54 billion in net revenue overall. / More rumors are surfacing ahead of Microsoft's San Francisco event tomorrow, widely believed to be the Windows 9 launch. Namely, that the next version of Windows could be free for those who are still using Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7. A recent Microsoft job posting said that the company was looking for someone who could help “fundamentally change the way Windows is shipping to put the ecosystem at the center of Windows," which could be a revamp of Windows Update. Windows 9 will also allegedly support displays with resolutions that are as high as 8K, and old Windows apps will reportedly scale up to look better on high-resolution displays. No matter what's announced,TWiT will have a special episode of Windows Weekly airing tomorrow to cover all the Microsoft fun. / All those fancy displays might be coming to Fifth Avenue in New York City... Microsoft has confirmed that it will continues to expand its retail presence and take more control over its consumers' shopping experience with the addition of a Fifth Avenue Microsoft store, five years in the making. It is expected to open sometime in 2015. Over the past few years, Microsoft has pushed to broaden its retail reach and directly connect with its customers. The company plans to open 10 more Microsoft stores in the U.S. and Canada in time for the holiday season. This will be the first full-line Microsoft retail store in Manhattan. The company has specialty stores, which are smaller than the full-line version, at The Shops at Columbus Circle and the Staten Island Mall. Coming up, why the sales of smuggled iPhone 6's are dropping fast in China. and next I'll talk with Selena Larson from ReadWrite about how a messaging app is powering protests in Hong Kong. [AD] This episode is brought to you by: squarespace.com, the all-in-one platform that makes it easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio. Squarespace has new features, new designs, and even better support than ever. 25 beautiful templates get you started, and a Logo Creator tool helps individuals and small businesses with limited resources to create a simple identity for themselves. if you want help, Squarespace has live chat and email support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Plus, there’s a redesigned Customer Help Site for easier access to self help articles and video workshops. it's Inexpensive - plans start at just $8 a month, and includes a free domain name if you sign up for a year. it's Mobile-ready - The new Squarespace Metric app for iPhone and iPad allows you to check site stats like page views, unique visitors and social media follows. And with the Blog app you can make text updates, tap-and-drag images to change layouts and monitor comments on the go. Squarespace has beautiful code, and takes care of the hosting, so you don't have to. [[Call to Action]] Start a free 2-week trial with no credit card required and start building your website. When you decide to sign up for Squarespace, make sure to use the offer code TECHNIGHT to get 10% off, and to show your support for Tech News 2Night. We thank Squarespace for their support of Tech News 2Night. A better web awaits...and it starts with your new Squarespace website." [Segment #2] Selena Larson Staff Writer ReadWrite Twitter played a role in the Arab spring now the FireChat app is taking credit for giving protesters in Hong Kong a way to communicate. - How does it work to move messages from user to user? - Could the Chinese government block or shut this down? - Has this app been used in other protests? - Helping protesters was not the original intention for the app, what was? [Kicker!] When Apple’s latest iPhones went on sale this month in Hong Kong, a gray market emerged, with Chinese scalpers looking to make a premium by reselling the phones, but the demand may already be petering out - wholesalers who helped orchestrate the smuggling thousands of the phones into the country are now dropping prices to move inventory. For example in Beijing, one retailer was recently selling the low-end iPhone 6 and 6 Plus for about $1,060 to $1,436, down from $1,960 to $2,450 right after the new iPhone release. China is a fast-growing market for Apple, which competes with Samsung for control in the high-end smartphone segment. In January, Apple brokered a long-delayed deal with the country’s largest telecom company, China Mobile, which has helped bolster sales. The largest smartphone market in the world, China accounted for 15.9 percent of Apple’s revenue in the last quarter. [good bye] That's it for this edition of Tech News 2Night. Subscribe to this show at Twit.tv/tn2, and write us at tn2@twit.tv Don't miss our morning news program, Tech News Today, tomorrow and every weekday at 10am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern. I'm Sarah Lane, thanks for watching.