Researchers find way to activate iSight cameras without alerting users - Researchers Matthew Brocker and Stephen Checkoway outline the attack, which targets the firmware inside the iSight camera's controller chip, in a paper entitled "iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED." The paper was first reported by the Washington Post.

I think it's pretty obvious that the solution is to eliminate the camera from all future Mac models. And while we're at it, let's eliminate the CPU as well. The CPU-less, camera-less Mac will make a nice prop in the suburban home of tomorrow.

Labels: security, tighten

Fake iMessage app for Android spoofs Mac mini, routes chats through China [u] - A new messaging app aping the iMessage name has shown up on Google's Play Store, but Android device owners may want to think twice before downloading the unsanctioned app, as it doesn't seem to work as advertised and may be doing a bit more than it lets on.

This is the future of security. A world so complex, mere mortals cannot be expected to understand risks. I don't think iOS is immune.

Labels: security, tighten

Computer Security Legend Mudge Leaves DARPA for Google Job - Arik Hesseldahl - News - AllThingsD: "Zatko didn’t specify what he’ll be doing at Google, and he didn’t immediately answer an email from me asking for a little more detail, though its a pretty sure bet it will involve doing some kind of research on security. I’ll add more if I hear back from him."

Even Google is tightening security!

Labels: security, tighten

Apple updates XProtect.plist to block Yontoo: "Shortly after news emerged of a new adware trojan targeting OS X web browsers, Apple has updated its malware and adware detections list to block Yontoo."

Trojans and malware. The reason we have sandboxed & code signed binaries in the Mac App Store is to ensure that your application is not a launch vector for same.

Labels: security, tighten, xprotect.plist

Apple quietly blocks Java 7 in OS X [U] | MacNN: "Apple has disabled the Java 7 browser plug-in on Macs through an updated OS X blacklist file, notes MacRumors."

It's all about the tightening of security.

Labels: java, security, tighten

Hacker: jailbreaking iOS 6 hard, 6.1 may prove impossible | iPodNN: "Jailbreaking an iOS device in order to install unofficial apps, add customization options or simply to unlock a locked device has gotten tougher, as evidenced by the hacking community's inability to produce an untethered jailbreak for iOS 6."

Looks like they are tightening security.

Labels: tighten

Apple hires former Windows security hacker to strengthen OS X: "It was discovered on Thursday that famed hacker and former Microsoft employee Kristin Paget is now working for Apple as a core operating system security researcher."

Everyone is tightening.

Labels: hacking, hacking osx, security, tighten

It's Cocoa, it's C++, it's ANSI, it's GCC. It's the official website for Tighten App (formerly AppTight Pro)!

Labels: tighten, tighten app, tighten pro