New Android malware blocks calls to banks’ customer care to report fraud

Source: TIMES OF INDIA
What do you do if you come to know that the banking app you have been using has been hijacked by a malware? You immediately call the bank's customer support to seek help. However, a new malware reported by cybersecurity firm Symantec not just replaces the interface of the banking app but also blocks calls to the respective bank's customer support numbers.

The malware has targeted several financial institutions in Korea and Russia. Dubbed as the "Android.Fakebank.B", the malware was first discovered in 2013. "In March 2016, newer variants of the Android.Fakebank.B family arrived with call-barring functionality. The feature aims to stop customers of Russian and South Korean banks from cancelling payment cards that the malware stole,"said Symantec in its official blog post.

Customers usually contact the bank's customer support through their registered mobile numbers. The call is then routed to the respective IVR systems. "By blocking these numbers, the malware creators can stop a victim from asking their bank to cancel payment cards that the variants stole. This also gives the malware more time to steal data from the compromised device," according to Symantec.

The banks and the respective customer care numbers that might be affected by this malware are, KB Bank: 15999999, KEB Hana Bank: 15991111, NH Bank: 15442100 and 15882100, Sberbank: 80055550, SC Bank: 15881599 and 15889999, Shinhan Bank: 15448000, 15778000, and 15998000.

Symantec is urging users to pay close attention to permissions requested by the apps they download and also keep important apps, always up to date.

2017 Honda CBR250RR Indonesia Launch Details Emerge Online

Reports doing round in the Indonesian media suggest that Honda could launch the much awaited 2017 CBR250RR quarter-litre offering in the South East Asian country as early as next week on July 25. The confirmation seems to come from the dealer Honda Astra Motor in the country, which sent out a press invite for a new Honda model that is set to make its debut. The model in question might as well be the CBR250RR, considering the official teaser was released earlier this month providing the first glimpse to the production ready model.

Based on the Light Weight Super Sport Concept, Honda will be taking the fight to other Japanese manufacturers Kawasaki and Yamaha with the 2017 CBR250RR that have been the ruling the segment for a while now. The new Honda CBR250RR also turns out to be a very important product globally and could create a new benchmark in the segment with features like Ride-by-Wire tech that will result in a number of electronics and a rev limit of 14,000rpm. The feature list though remains a speculation with a clear perspective expected by next week.

The Indonesian media suggests that the 2017 Honda CBR250RR will be priced around 60 million Indonesian Rupiah, which translates to around Rs. 3.02 lakh in India. While the figure certainly seems mouth watering, it needs to be noted that the CBR250RR if introduced in India, will make it as a CBU or CKD product, so prices can be expected closer to the Rs. 4 lakh mark. Then there is the speculation of a 350cc twin-cylinder version also under development, which has more chances of making it to Indian shores and will add marginally to the asking price.

In terms of features, we do know that the 2017 Honda CBR250RR will get a 250cc twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine coupled with a 6-speed gearbox, USD front forks and a rear monoshock suspension setup. You are also likely to get LED headlamps, digital instrument console, clip-on handlebars and a whole lot more on offer. Confirmation on this and a host of other details is expected next week. Make sure to keep watching this space.

Facebook researchers develop light-based wireless communication technology

Source:Times of india

Researchers fromFacebook's Connectivity Lab have developed a new technology that can one day make light-based wirelesscommunications -- a far superior technology than the ones based on radio frequencies or microwaves -- a reality in the future.

The new technology can pave the way for fast optical wireless networkscapable of delivering internet service to far-flung places.

"A large fraction of people don't connect to the internet because the wireless communications infrastructure is not available where they live, mostly in very rural areas of the world," said Tobias Tiecke, who led the research team.

Light-based wireless communication, also called free-space optical communications, offers a promising way to bring the internet to areas where optical fibres and cell towers can be challenging to deploy in a cost-effective way.
Using laser light to carry information across the atmosphere can potentially offer very high bandwidths and data capacity, but one of the primary challenges has been how to precisely point a very small laser beam carrying the data at a tiny light detector that is some distance away.

The Facebook researchers used fluorescent materials instead of traditional optics to collect light and concentrated it onto a small photodetector.

They combined this light collector, which featured 126 sq cm of surface that can collect light from any direction, with existing telecommunications technology to achieve data rates of more than 2 gigabits-per-second (Gbps).

"We demonstrated the use of fluorescent optical fibres that absorb one colour of light and emit another colour," Tiecke said.

"The optical fibres absorb light coming from any direction over a large area, and the emitted light travels inside the optical fibre, which funnels the light to a small, very fast photodetector," he added in a paper described in the journal Optica.

Facebook researchers develop light-based wireless communication technology

Source:Times of india

Researchers fromFacebook's Connectivity Lab have developed a new technology that can one day make light-based wirelesscommunications -- a far superior technology than the ones based on radio frequencies or microwaves -- a reality in the future.

The new technology can pave the way for fast optical wireless networkscapable of delivering internet service to far-flung places.

"A large fraction of people don't connect to the internet because the wireless communications infrastructure is not available where they live, mostly in very rural areas of the world," said Tobias Tiecke, who led the research team.

Light-based wireless communication, also called free-space optical communications, offers a promising way to bring the internet to areas where optical fibres and cell towers can be challenging to deploy in a cost-effective way.
Using laser light to carry information across the atmosphere can potentially offer very high bandwidths and data capacity, but one of the primary challenges has been how to precisely point a very small laser beam carrying the data at a tiny light detector that is some distance away.

The Facebook researchers used fluorescent materials instead of traditional optics to collect light and concentrated it onto a small photodetector.

They combined this light collector, which featured 126 sq cm of surface that can collect light from any direction, with existing telecommunications technology to achieve data rates of more than 2 gigabits-per-second (Gbps).

"We demonstrated the use of fluorescent optical fibres that absorb one colour of light and emit another colour," Tiecke said.

"The optical fibres absorb light coming from any direction over a large area, and the emitted light travels inside the optical fibre, which funnels the light to a small, very fast photodetector," he added in a paper described in the journal Optica.

Reliance Jio 4G SIM available to almost everyone now, Airtel & Idea slash data prices

The official Reliance Jio launch is still a few weeks away - the latest rumoured date is August 15 - but the Jio 4G SIM card is now available to almost all, thanks to Samsung and Apple. The two companies have joined hands with Jio to offer free unlimited 4G data for 3 months for some of their phones. However, if you have an eligible phone and manage to get a Jio SIM card, you can use the same SIM in almost any 4G-enabled phone.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the 4G and 3G market, competitors like Airtel and Idea have started scrambling to prepare their response to the Jio services, which are likely to offer better connection speed as well as lower priced data.

On Sunday, Airtel announced that it was slashing the price for its pre-paid data in India.

"At Airtel, we always aim to deliver a great mobile experience and value to our customers. These refreshed data packs will help drive consumption and boost the uptake of mobile internet in the country. Given the deepening smartphone penetration and Airtel's roll-out of data networks across India, we believe these packs will also drive affordability and bring new users online,"  said Ajai Puri, director (operations) for India region at Bharti Airtel.

On Friday, Idea too had slashed the data prices. "Now Idea users can get up to 45% more data benefits on sachet packs below 1 GB. Idea offers a wide range of 4G/3G/2G sachet data packs priced between Rs 8 and Rs 225," the company had said.
Currently Indian telecom sector is marred by poor service and exorbitant data prices. In absence good competition all telecom companies have indulged in practices that rarely put consumers first, especially when it comes to data services. For example, if you use data without subscribing to a pack most companies charge very high price for ever 10kb and you may end up spending thousands of rupees just to check a few emails. It is expected that the entry of Jio may help reduce the data prices in India and may force other operators to improve quality of service.

A few days ago TechPP had reported that Jio and Samsung have joined hands to offer 3-month free data scheme to select Samsung phone users. On Saturday, BGR India reported that the similar offer is available for the iPhone users. Almost all high-end phones from both the companies are eligible for the offers.