Technology - Google News

Snapchat launches TikTok rival 'Spotlight' - Engadget
Tesla Model X gets hacked through new relay attack, Tesla says it is pushing a patch - Electrek
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 may launch in June 2021 - The Next Web

Snapchat launches TikTok rival 'Spotlight' - Engadget

Posted: 23 Nov 2020 06:28 AM PST

TikTok now has another competitor to contend with: Snapchat. Snap is launching Spotlight, a new section of its app that will showcase user-created videos.

Though it's not the first time the app has highlighted videos from users, it's the first time Snapchat will feature them prominently in the app. And, in case that's not enough to motivate people to create content for yet another short-form video platform, Snap is also throwing some serious money at the effort. The company says it will pay out $1 million per day through the end of the year to users who share the most popular clips.

In some ways Spotlight looks similar to TikTok and Instagram's Reels. It features auto-playing vertical videos, and you can swipe up or down to quickly move between clips. An algorithm will determine which clips appear in your feed, though you can also dive into specific topics.

Snap

But Spotlight is different in other ways. Notably, the feature doesn't allow for comments or the kind of remixing core to TikTok. In fact, many of the snaps featured in Spotlight will be anonymous. Unless the video crater has a public profile (most Snapchat users do not), videos in Spotlight appear with no name or handle. That lack of context could be a bit jarring, if you're used to following specific users. But it could also remove some of the pressure that might otherwise be associated with posting publicly.

For users, the biggest draw will likely be the promise of a potential payout. The company isn't sharing exactly how much any one user can expect to make, though it notes payments are based on a formula that "rewards Snapchatters primarily based on the total number of unique video views a Snap gets in a given day." For now, the company is committing to spending a million dollars a day through the end of the year, though Snap hasn't set a firm end date yet so the arrangement could continue into 2021. Long term, Snap plans to bring advertising to Spotlight, so it's not difficult to imagine the direct payments could evolve into a more traditional revenue-sharing arrangement.

What's less clear is how much appetite there is for this kind of content within Snapchat, and whether the company can turn it into something that has a shot at being something like an actual TikTok competitor. Though Instagram has already gained some traction with Reels, it's also filled with straight-up copies of TikTok videos. That, at least, won't be an issue for Spotlight: Snapchat doesn't allow uploads of videos with watermarks.

In this article: Snapchat, snapchat spotlight, snap, instagram, instagram reels, TikTok, gear

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Tesla Model X gets hacked through new relay attack, Tesla says it is pushing a patch - Electrek

Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:10 AM PST

A hacker managed to develop a new key cloning relay attack for Tesla vehicles and demonstrated it on a Tesla Model X.

Tesla was informed of the new attack and it is reportedly pushing a new patch for it.

Thefts of Tesla vehicles are quite rare in North America, but in Europe, they have some more sophisticated thieves that managed a string of Tesla vehicle thefts through relay attacks, and most vehicles haven't been recovered.

In response to those attacks, Tesla started rolling out extra layers of security with an "improved cryptography" key fob and optional "PIN to Drive" feature.

Now Lennert Wouters, a security researcher at Belgian university KU Leuven, claims to have put together a new series of hacks that can get around the new improved cryptography in the key fob.

He explained to the first part of the hack to Wired:

"Wouters' technique takes advantage of a collection of security issues he discovered in the Model X's keyless entry system—both major and minor—that together add up to a method to fully unlock, start, and steal a vehicle. First, the Model X key fobs lack what's known as "code signing" for their firmware updates. Tesla designed its Model X key fobs to receive over-the-air firmware updates via Bluetooth by wirelessly connecting to the computer inside a Model X, but without confirming that the new firmware code has an unforgeable cryptographic signature from Tesla. Wouters found that he could use his own computer with a Bluetooth radio to connect to a target Model X's keyfob, rewrite the firmware, and use it to query the secure enclave chip inside the fob that generates an unlock code for the vehicle. He could then send that code back to his own computer via Bluetooth. The whole process took 90 seconds."

Once he is inside the vehicle, there's a second part to the hack in order to be able to drive away with the Tesla vehicle:

"Even all that clever hacking, however, only got Wouters as far as unlocking the car. To unlock and drive it, he had to go one step further. Once inside the Model X, Wouters found that he could plug his own computer into a port that's accessible via a small panel under the display. He says this can be done in seconds, without tools, by pulling off a small storage container on the dash. That port lets the computer send commands to the car's network of internal components, known as a CAN bus, which includes the BCM. He could then instruct the Model X's actual BCM to pair with his own key fob, essentially telling the car his spoofed key is valid. Though each Model X key fob contains a unique cryptographic certificate that should have prevented the car from pairing with a rogue key, Wouters found the BCM didn't actually check that certificate. That allowed him—with just a minute of fiddling under the dash—to register his own key to the vehicle and drive it away."

However, it's unclear if this second part can be avoided simply by using Tesla's previously mentioned PIN-to-Drive feature, which requires any driver to enter a PIN to put the vehicle in drive regardless of the key fob.

Nonetheless, Tesla saw some value to Wouters' hack, which they were informed of back in August according to the hacker.

He says that Tesla told him they are starting to push a software update to patch his hack this week.

Here's a video demonstration of the hack on a Tesla Model X:

As we previously reported, Tesla has a good relationship with whitehat hackers.

The automaker increased its max payout per reported bug to $15,000 in 2018, and it has ramped up its security team as well as its relationship with hackers through participation in hacking conferences.

Over the last few years, Tesla has brought its cars as targets in the popular Pwn2Own hacking competition.

Cybersecurity has been a top priority at Tesla. You can read more about it in our article: The Big Tesla Hack: A hacker gained control over the entire fleet, but fortunately he's a good guy.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 may launch in June 2021 - The Next Web

Posted: 23 Nov 2020 04:30 AM PST

Samsung's first folding phone had a stuttering start. However, with the Galaxy Z Fold 2, the company has somewhat redeemed itself. And we're already hearing rumors as to what the next model might offer.

According to the Korean publication Ajunews, Samsung could launch the Galaxy Z Fold 3 as soon as June 2021. The publication also said that the Korean tech giant could introduce its under the screen camera technology to make the phone more appealing. However, if images turn out to be subpar, the firm might shelve the idea for this generation.

In addition to this, the Z Fold 3 might also get S-Pen support. Ajunews said that Samsung is developing ultra-thin glass technology that could be used to include the digitizer to support the stylus while maintaining the durability of the screen. Plus, the foldable device will also have a dedicated slot for S-pen — just like the Note series.

The report also noted that Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S21 Ultra might also support S-pen, but the device won't have a slot for it. Earlier this month, tipster Jon Prosser suggested that the firm could launch its next flagship in January.

This new report will add fuel to earlier rumors of the Korean phone maker abandoning its Note Series to promote its foldables.

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Published November 23, 2020 — 12:30 UTC

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