Security

Not only do bees play a vital role in agriculture by pollinating plants, but it now turns out that they may help keep us from getting blown up. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have shown that bombolitins, which are protein fragments found in bee venom, can be used to detect single molecules of nitro-aromatic explosives such as TNT. If used in sensors at locations such as airports, those sensors would be much more sensitive than those currently in use. Read More

Bicycle locks are an absolute necessity for anyone who parks their bike in public places, but they can sometimes be a bit bothersome to carry when riding. One alternative is to install a lock mount on the bike’s frame, although some bicycle aficionados would liken that to putting a trailer hitch on a Ferrari. Riders can also use a wearable lock, such as the Hiplok. Another interesting locking innovation could be on the way, however, in the form of the TiGr. Read More

Last Wednesday (April 20th, 2011), tech bloggers Alasdair Allan and Pete Warden reported that iPhones and 3G iPads running iOS4 were keeping a secret record of their users' travels in an unencrypted file. While there was no indication that the devices were sharing the data, there were concerns that if a person's phone were to fall into the wrong hands, their personal security could be compromised. At the time of Allan and Warden's posting, Apple had not responded to their inquiries. Yesterday, however, the company issued a statement in which it explained the apparent true purpose of the database. Read More

For the last few years, data security breaches by those who are supposed to safeguard our personal data have never been far from the front pages of the popular press. Incredibly, on numerous occasions employees entrusted with sensitive data have been exposed circumventing strict security procedures put in place to keep our personal information confidential. Now, Kingston has launched a new Flash drive storage solution which offers ease-of-use functionality to users and allows security to be managed centrally by employers. Read More

If you own an iPhone or 3G iPad running iOS4, then you might be interested in knowing that the device has been keeping a record of your travels in a hidden, unencrypted file. Users do not opt into using the service, the database is restored after backups, and it migrates onto other synced devices. While no one is necessarily accusing Big Brother Jobs of watching you, it is a curious feature, and one that could pose a security threat to some users. Read More

The accidental loss or deliberate theft of notebooks with drives full of sensitive information is not just the cause of red faces (or worse) for government or military officials around the globe, as the world of business has also been touched by such security breaches. Self-encrypting drives have done much to help lock down important files, but Toshiba has gone a step further by developing a technology that securely erases data rather than let it fall into unauthorized hands. Originally announced last August, Wipe Technology has now been incorporated into a new range of self-encrypting hard drives which will go into mass production at the end of June. Read More

This is one home security alarm you won't want to trigger by mistake! Burglar Blaster mounts on a wall inside the home, and once armed, uses an infrared beam to detect when an intruder has entered the house. It then emits a cloud of pepper spray, that will severely inconvenience anyone within 2,000 square feet (186 square meters). Read More

Just as there are a variety of types of bicycle locks, so there are a variety of ways in which riders carry them. U-locks can be thrown into a backpack or pannier, clipped into a mounting bracket, or just left to dangle from the handlebars, while cable or chain locks are often jauntily looped around the rider’s torso, like a shoulder bag. The makers of the Hiplok, however, claim that their product has all of those approaches beat – it’s designed to be worn like a belt. Read More

Mice ... they may nibble our food, poop in our cupboards, and make us go "eek," but they may also someday keep us from getting blown up. Before they can do that, however, Israeli tech company BioExplorers has to get its mouse-based explosives detection system out of the prototype stage and into production. If it ever does see the light of day, then people at airports, arenas, and other high terrorism-risk areas may routinely be getting a sniff-down by containers of live rodents. Read More