THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013 technology Adobe data breach more extensive than previously disclosed BOSTON: Adobe Systems Inc said that the scope undisclosed number of Adobe IDs and encrypted determine how much invalid account information same passwords for multiple accounts, he said. of a cyber-security breach disclosed nearly a passwords that were stored in a separate data- was breached and is in the process of notifying “This is a treasure trove for future attacks,” Carey month ago was far bigger than initially reported, base. On Tuesday, it revealed that about 38 mil- affected users. Even though the company said. with attackers obtaining data on more than 38 lion records from that database were stolen. believes the stolen passwords were encrypted, Adobe spokeswoman Heather Edell said that million customer accounts. On Oct. 3, the company also reported that the the attackers may have been able to access them the company was not aware of any unauthorized The software maker also said that hackers had attackers stole source code to three other prod- in plain text by one of several methods, including activity on Adobe accounts as a result of the stolen part of the source code to Photoshop edit- ucts: Acrobat, ColdFusion and ColdFusion Builder. breaking the algorithm that Adobe used to attack. Yet Edell said she could not say whether ing software that is widely used by professional Adobe spokeswoman Heather Edell said the soft- scramble them, said Marcus Carey, a security stolen credit cards or passwords had been used to photographers. The company disclosed the ware maker believes the attackers also obtained researcher and expert on cyber attacks, who for- launch follow-on attacks against Adobe cus- breach on Oct. 3, saying attackers took credit card access to “many invalid Adobe IDs, inactive Adobe merly worked as an investigator with the National tomers or conduct other types of cyber crimes. information and other data from nearly 3 million IDs, Adobe IDs with invalid encrypted passwords Security Agency. “Our investigation is still ongoing,” she said. “We customers’ accounts. and test account data.” They could likely use those passwords to break anticipate the full investigation will take some Adobe also said that the hackers accessed an She said the company is still investigating to into other accounts because many people use the time to complete.” — Reuters ‘World’s first’ bitcoin ATM opens in Canada Customers use private key to access online account VANCOUVER: Three young entrepreneurs have opened what they call the world’s first ATM able to exchange bitcoins for any official currency. The machine inaugurated Tuesday, delivered to Vancouver in Western Canada by Robocoin, an American manufacturer, stands against a wall of a popular coffee shop, and resembles an ordi- nary cash ATM. However, instead of cash transactions it swaps Canadian dollars for bitcoins, the virtual currency of the Internet invented in 2008 by an anonymous computer scientist known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Customers lined up Tuesday to use the ATM, BERLIN: In this Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, file photo, a model touches the screen of a then used their smart phones to buy coffee and Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch in Berlin, Germany. The so-called smartwatch is what muffins at the Waves coffee shop. The ATM is the some technology analysts believe could become this year’s must-have holiday gift. — AP world’s first, said co-owner Mitchel Demeter, a local entrepreneur who started trading in bit- coins several years ago, then earlier this year Smartwatches abound with two partners set up Bitcoiniacs, a Vancouver storefront money exchange. this holiday season He and his friends, who were high school stu- dents together, said they saw ATMs as a business NEW YORK: Computerized wristwatches ety of Android phones, not just Sony’s. But opportunity. “Nobody had an ATM, everyone that display message alerts and weather it doesn’t let you make phone calls directly was buying and selling on websites,” said VANCOUVER: A user is instructed on how to scan his palm using scanning identification to updates are abound this holiday season: through the wristwatch. You can answer Demeter. ensure that a single user cannot exchange more than $1,000 in a single day day on the world’s Consumer electronics companies are try- calls using the watch, but you need a Customers use a private key - like a bank PIN first bitcoin ATM at Waves Coffee House yesterday in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The ing to persuade you to add these smart- Bluetooth wireless headset linked to the number - to access their online account of bit- ATM, named Robocoin, allows users to buy or sell the digital currency known as bitcoins. Once watches to your shopping lists. phone if you don’t want to hold it to your coins on the ATM. only used for black market sales on the internet, bitcoins are starting to be accepted at a grow- Samsung and Sony have devices out, ear. They withdraw cash equivalents (the conver- ing number of businesses. — AFP and Qualcomm has one coming before the Qualcomm Inc., meanwhile, plans to sion rate is currently about one bitcoin for $200) holidays. Apple is believed to be making start selling Toq before the holidays. It, too, from their bitcoins, or deposit cash bills. The Investment Group said bitcoins could be used as neurs. one, and a new report says Google is will work with several Android devices. machine transfers the money on the Internet via a cheaper way of transferring money in coun- One of the ATM’s first customers was Mike developing one, too. Why the big push for Another smartwatch getting attention is the Canadian VirtEx exchange. tries with weak banking systems, the Financial Yeung, a business student at the city campus of smartwatches? It’s not coming from con- the Pebble, which comes from a startup Users can then spend their bitcoins with a Times reported. Simon Fraser University, where he helped set up sumers, says Jonathan Gaw, a research that raised more than $10 million through smartphone, in a similar way to the way interact In Vancouver, bitcoins are accepted by some a university bitcoin club, one of a handful of manager at IDC. Rather, it’s a product in the fundraising site Kickstarter. It notifies or credit cards are used, or by transferring the 15 local businesses, from coffee shops to a land- such clubs in the world. The club’s mission “is to search of a market - and an expensive one you of incoming calls, texts and emails. money to purchase goods online. “It’s the cur- scaping business. Bitcoins are also increasingly educate people about bitcoin so they can adopt at that. Apple isn’t likely to release its iWatch rency of the Internet, as real as any other,” said common in several hotspots around the world, bitcoins in their everyday lives,” he said. “We’ve had smartwatches for a while, before next year, given that no mention Demeter. The volatile currency is as yet unregu- especially San Francisco, Berlin, and Argentina, “I think bitcoins are the wave of the future, and while the capabilities and technology was made of it at the company’s product lated by any government in the world, and it and accepted by online companies such as because they provide maximum value and effi- have gotten better, this is still not some- showcase last week. As for Google, The has had a share of notoriety by being used in the Wordpress. ciency,” said Yeung. Once bitcoins are more thing that people are clamoring for,” Gaw Wall Street Journal cited unnamed people drug trade. David Lowy, a city businessman who used his established, Yeung predicted, they will common- says. “The idea that it would ramp up for familiar with the matter on Tuesday in Germany, however, became the first country smart phone to transfer .0101 bitcoins to the ly be used to send money around the world the holidays was always kind of a stretch.” reporting that the Internet search compa- in the world earlier this year to declare bitcoins a Waves barista, for a cup of dark coffee worth $2 cheaply, the way the Internet allows people to That hasn’t stopped gadget makers ny is in late-stage development on a “private currency.” And earlier this month (Canadian), said Vancouver was a likely candi- talk with each other on apps such as Skype. He from trying. Companies are under pressure smartwatch which could be ready for mass investors were startled when a senior invest- date to claim the first bitcoin ATM because the gestured at the new machine in the coffee shop. to create a new source of buzz now that production within months. ment officer with giant hedge fund Fortress wealthy city is popular with Internet entrepre- “The ATM is a step forward.” —AFP consumers are no longer wowed by the Samsung and Sony executives say latest smartphones and tablet computers. they’ve designed their watches to give BlackBerry, Facebook Many people already have those devices, people ready access to information they and the new ones out this year are evolu- would normally check on their phones, meet over potential bid tionary rather than revolutionary. reducing the need to constantly pull out Gaw says many gadget makers see an the phones. NEW YORK: BlackBerry executives met with their counter- opportunity to jump in with a smartwatch, Only Qualcomm seems to be acknowl- parts at Facebook last week over a potential bid for the before a behemoth like Apple is able get edging that there’s no real consumer struggling Canadian phone-maker, The Wall Street Journal its rumored iWatch ready.