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Google developing “Brillo” Internet of Things OS based on Android

The Information is back with more Google news before I/O. The outlet claims that Google is developing another operating system, this time for low-power “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices. The OS is codenamed “Brillo,” and the publication claims Google “is likely to release the software under the Android brand, as the group developing the software is linked to the company’s Android unit.” We’re going to take that to mean “it’s based on Android.”The report says Brillo will be aimed at ultra low-power devices with as little as 64 or 32MB of RAM. With the abundance of smart home technology like connected light bulbs, door locks, sensors, and whatever other crazy connected objects the IoT crowd dreams up on Kickstarter, Google clearly sees an opportunity.

Read on, source: Google developing “Brillo” Internet of Things OS based on Android | Ars Technica

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Database of 4 million Adult Friend Finder users leaked

E-mail addresses, sexual orientations, and other sensitive details from almost four million AdultFriendFinder.com subscribers have been leaked onto the Internet following a hack that rooted the casual dating service, security researchers said.The cache includes more than 3.8 million unique e-mail addresses of current and former subscribers, Australian security researcher Troy Hunt reported early Friday morning. The data, which is in the form of 15 Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, was first seeded to anonymous sites hosted on the Tor privacy network. It has since spread to sites on the open Internet. Links to sites hosting the data are easily found on Twitter and other social networking sites, (Ars isn’t publishing the locations).

Read on, source: Database of 4 million Adult Friend Finder users leaked for all to see | Ars Technica

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Microsoft was Salesforce.com’s $55 billion suitor, but talks are off

Salesforce.com’s shares spiked last month amid reports from Bloomberg that an unspecified company was in talks to buy the Software-as-a-Service firm. There was a repeat earlier this month when Bloomberg reported that Microsoft was evaluating a bid for the firm, but had not started talks. CNBC is now reporting that talks between the companies have, in fact taken place, but that they’ve also come to an end with no agreement being reached.

Read on, source: Microsoft was Salesforce.com’s $55 billion suitor, but talks are off | Ars Technica

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Pay-TV smartcard hacking – how easy is it?

Over the last couple of days a small furore has erupted over allegations a News Corp subsidiary, NDS, has been hacking the pay-TV smartcards of News Corp’s competitors, and even News Corp’s own companies – allegations that NDS vigorously denies.I’m not going to speculate on the reasons why a supplier of Conditional Access Systems – the technology that allows paid-TV providers to restrict access to their broadcasts – would want to undermine the security of their own product; but I am going to discuss how such systems work, and how secure they are.

Read on, source: Pay-TV smartcard hacking – how easy is it?