BankBot Android Malware Sneaks into the Google Play Store

BankBot: Google’s little Sneak

A malware known for stealing people’s bank details by posing as a legitimate bank’s web page has struck hundreds of users yet again.

The malware was spotted on the Google play store in April of this year, with a recurrence in September and then finally it has come around again in November. Each of these times the Bank Bot nuisance has been removed by the Google team.

What essentially is BankBot?

BankBot is malware that first made its appearance in the Google Play store in April of this year. Posing as a legitimate app it fools users into downloading it. BankBot then asks for permission to SMS, bank and other details, all the while appearing to be a legitimate process of downloading the app.

Finally BankBot poses as a bank page when any payment has to be made. This bank page appears as an overlay to the actual one. BankBot even has access to an individual’s SMS app to take care of dual authentication processes which is required for some banks.

Why was it so easy for users to get fooled?

Users of Google’s Play store downloaded a seemingly genuine app known as Crypto Currency Market Prices. This app appears to be the front of the malware. Having a proper appearance and containing all the details it promised to have, it was very easy for users to get fooled by the app.

By having a working app, users were easily taken in by its appearance to doubt any foul practice. Had it been an app which appeared to be full of spam or one that didn’t work well or could not be opened, it would have given users an idea of what the app really was about.

The second point to note was that the malware was removed twice by the Google team with the security protocols being renewed and updated and in spite of all this BankBot found its way back into the system.

Updates to BankBot:

Since its first appearance in April, the BankBot malware has under gone a series of updates. These updates include code obfusication and the ability to bypass Android’s accessibility services.

This coupled with the fact that it was able to penetrate Google’s security protocol is an added way in which the malware has developed over the span of 7 months.

Users affected by BankBot:

The crypto currency app containing the malware was removed from the Google Play store but not before hundreds of users downloaded it to their mobile devices.

As far as Google is concerned, its 1.4 million were safe from the attack. It is unsure how many users were affected when the malware first arrived on the scene in April of this year.

Google Play store is full of apps that can cause serious damage to an individual’s device or in this case to their bank account. It is therefore important to keep an eye out on what you’re downloading. This is not the first time Google has become embroiled in the malware found on its Play store, recently there was news that a fake Whatsapp app was doing the rounds on the Google Play store.

Why Google is Reading Your Google Docs

Most of the users of the online word processing service by Google, known as Google Docs, were in for a surprise on Tuesday when their documents faced a block as a result of violating the policies. Many users were reported saying they lost access to either their wedding vows or academic researches, for example, receiving notifications saying that their documents had violated the terms of service of Google Docs. This error was reported by dozens of users on the product forums of Google.
While Google acted quickly and put the blame on an erroneous update that locked its users out of their own documents by mistake, the whole incident disclosed what many people did not notice, that Google is scrutinising the apparently personal files stored in Google Docs.

While Google was under pressure to keep a better watch on the kind of videos that were being uploaded on YouTube, deleting content that was illegal from its search results and better monitoring of its advertising network, hardly few people were aware that Google Docs was also being watched. Google Docs is not only used by people for their day-to-day works but also by many businesses across the globe with possibly classified information. Rachael Bale, a journalist at National Geographic, wrote that she found this kind of monitoring creepy. Another user, Kelly O’Mara, who is writer, stated that people really need to take into consideration how much information they have been feeding into Google Docs.

While hardly few will actually read it, the terms of service of Google Drive forbid spam, hate or violent speech, pornography, the spread of private information, etc. Only shared files are subjected to these rules, so the files that are kept private are apparently an exception.

A spokesman for Google stated that Docs and other files in Google Drive are regulated by an algorithm that keeps a watch on the abuse of its policies and if they are found to supposedly be a violation then it automatically blocks those files. Unlike a few systems, where the supposed matter is escalated to a moderator, here there is no human evaluation involved.

The spokesman also said that the primary reason its algorithm scans the files is for the prevention of computer viruses or spam from spreading. It is not clear if Google’s algorithm is utilised to keep a check on pornography or other types of misuse, or if the policy is equally applied to work as well as personal accounts.

After many users were locked out of their vital documents, the company stated that they made a code push that mistakenly marked a small percentage of Google Docs as abusive, which resulted in those documents getting blocked automatically. They also mentioned that a fix was already in place and all users will soon regain full access to their private docs. They issued an apology for the disruption while maintaining that their main focus is user safety.

While Google provides free of charge access to its “G Suite” of programs to its corporate users, Google Docs is available to consumers for free same as Gmail, Maps and its other services. Its company privacy policy mentions that it collects information from Google Docs along with other services, but it is not clarified whether this information is used for adverts.

A New Set of Eyes in Your Home: Cherry Home

There are a range of high security cameras out there, this one is a little different in monitoring your house. Cherry home made by Cherry labs, a startup company is the latest in AI technology. Besides this gadget being the eyes in your house it also senses your every movement and the layout of the room that it is in.

The cherry home cam can even identify you wherever you are in your home. The Cherry home sensors are able to detect your eye color, proportions of your body and even hair color. This gadget can do all this and more with its processor and sensors.

This gadget can also sense your laugh, scream and squeals and analyses them to see whether there is any danger. The info is then passed onto to an app that can be installed on any smartphone. The cherry home cam can also dial 911 in case of an emergency.

With the latest in AI technology, this gadget is able to triangulate the room it is in and give real time data to an app on your smartphone. So an individual can see all that is happening in the room that they are monitoring.

The gadget also notifies you in case there is an incident such as a person falling down. It is able to discern an individual’s laughter and scream when they are in danger.

Right now the Cherry home cam can do all these things but the startup company has also promised more in the future. According to the company, the Cherry cam will be able to sync in with your smart home and turn on lights when you need them. Another feature of cherry cam that is in the pipeline could be a breakthrough in what a security cam can do. The Cherry labs is reportedly in talks with pharmaceutical companies in trying to get the Cherry cam to identify when a person is in the process of getting a stroke and then to dial 911 or emergency services.

The gadget is packed with a binocular camera, infrared sensor for night time monitoring, an altimeter, a compass and an accelerometer. So how does this thing actually work? The cam sends data to a central processor with a high end PC to analyze all the data. It connects to other cameras in the house through a mesh WiFi network. It only connects to the cloud when it needs to transfer data to an app on your smartphone.

This Gadget also comes with a coin sized battery that is recharged by the processor cherry cam houses. There are also two batteries that are spares in the camera.

Now for the most important question at what price can a consumer get the incredible Cherry cam? The prices of the Cherry cam are not so conducive to buying them. A starter pack is available for 900$, a camera in this range would include 2 sensors and a processor while a pack of 4 sensors would cost you 1200$.

Resonance Audio: Multi Platform Spatial Audio at Scale

Sound is a part of the world around us, without it or the ability to hear it we feel an emotional disconnect with the world. The way we experience things and the world around us is all dependent on our senses and how we perceive it.

Google’s new product Resonance Audio brings 3D sound to our ears just from using headphones. This venture opens up new possibilities for VR, AR and 360- degree videos.

When we listen to music from our phones or any other device we always hear sound as it is, meaning no account is taken of the distance between sounds, the directionality, frequency of sounds or the way we are facing some sounds. But with Resonance Audio we will be able to establish distances between sounds and more. Basically it means that we would feel as if we were in the same place the sounds are transmitting from.
 
What is Resonance Audio?
 
Resonance Audio is a tool that brings 3D sound to our ears in other words it is a tool that gives us the feeling of being in the exact location the sound is transmitting from. It can be used over all platforms and is said to be even compatible with IOS, android and Linux.
 
What brought about Resonance Audio?
 
Resonance Audio was initially thought of for VR, AR and 360-degree video. In VR, bringing realistic sounds to the platform was difficult as it put a lot of pressure on the hardware and the results were never up to the mark. With Resonance Audio, there are no problems on hardware and it can still deliver performance in the interactive environments.
 
How is Resonance Audio made?
 
Resonance Audio uses Ambisonics technique to create the realistic 3D sound Quality. What this technique really does is to bring in sounds coming from all directions while at the same time taking account of their frequency, distance, space, the individual’s position with respect to the sound and timing of the sounds. You can then hear all this from your headphones. It basically performs the analysis of the brain in discerning and analyzing sounds.

Ambisonics brings in sound from all directions without compromising on quality.
 
How is Resonance Audio different from 3D Spatialization?
 
Resonance Audio is different from 3D Spatialization in the sense that it not only takes in to account the directionality of sounds but also their frequency, distance, position of the individual in relation to the sound and more. 3D spatialization takes in to account only the different directions in which sounds come.

Resonance Audio is likely to be a game changer for musicians, software developers, gamers, music enthusiasts and more. Its ability to be used across all platforms from IOS, Android and Linux also gives it an additional quality. If it really proves to be as processor friendly as Google claims and is really capable of providing quality 3D sounds to users, It could mean its wider adoption in all systems and technologies.

 

DeformWear: Deformation Input on Tiny Wearable Devices

We have all seen various smart- somethings entering the market whether it be a smart watch or virtual glasses or wireless headphones, they all have one thing in common. They require an app on a smart phone or tab or some other device with not only WiFi connectivity but also a Bluetooth connection.
Using such devices at times therefore can be a handful while inputing all data into a phone or some other device. The world of science now brings DeformWear. DeformWear can be thought of as a tiny device the size of a pea that allows you to toggle data onto your gadget.

How was DeformWear made? 

Scientists felt the need for a tiny device that could be used fast and discreetly to handle devices when gadgets such as the Apple watch came out. Their screens were so small that using the device made it impractical for many people. So DeformWear was born. It is a gadget no less than the size of a pea that can be moved in all directions, pressed, pinched, pushed right, left, down and up.

How DeformWear was thought of: 

Researchers at Saarland University tested smart phone gestures with the use of a person’s skin and found that many of them pinched and pushed to the side to access smart phone apps. This study combined with sensors that were initially thought of for robots led to the creation of a body carried device the DeformWear.

Functioning of DeformWear: 

DeformWear has a diameter of 10 millimeters and can be handled just like a balloon but minus the bursting part. DeformWear comes with a sensor that then allows an individual to maneuver it in all directions.

Testing of DeformWear: 

DeformWear was made into a charm, bracelet and ring. The device was then tested on multiple people for different applications while using a smart watch and virtual glasses discreetly and fast. Later on it was used on smart televisions and to play music all without the need to look at the screen. The results from the testing of DeformWear were all found to be successful. DeformWear uses the fine motor functioning of fingers along with push and press functioning to give desired results.

Researchers at Saarland University hope to use this device quickly and discreetly when handling devices with no screen or when the device has too small a screen. With the introduction of DeformWear, the world can be ready for even smaller gadgets which can be handled with DeformWear. Also with the development of DeformWear, there may also be different ways in which the device can be worn. At present it is tested only as a charm, bracelet and ring.