New Atlas

Automotive Audio available

Tesla tempts white-hat hackers with a Model 3 as a target, and a prize

Nick Lavars January 14, 2019

Since 2007, the Pwn2Own computer hacking contest has tasked security researchers with finding new holes in common software and devices, but never before has a car been up for grabs. Tesla will be offering a Model 3 as a target for hackers at this year’s event.

For years, Tesla has been leveraging the minds of the white-hat hackers to uncover weaknesses in ...

Around The Home

This tree's LED lights can be custom controlled over the internet

Paul Ridden December 24, 2018

Like many people at this time of year, Leo Currie has a decorated tree in his living room. But this one is a bit different, as anyone can open an online landing page and take control of the lights snaking through the branches.

A screen grab of the Rainbow Snake animation in action

Computers Audio available

"donald" and "sunshine" join the list of worst passwords for 2018

Rich Haridy December 13, 2018

When many personal accounts are compromised it is often because someone simply guessed an obvious password. In a new list of the most commonly used passwords of 2018, it's astoundingly revealed that a huge number of people still use "password" as their password.

"123456" topped the list of most popular passwords for the fifth year running

Music

Custom guitar plays animated video on the body

Paul Ridden November 26, 2018

If you want to brighten up your playing, you can have LEDs installed in the neck, but what about all that idle space on the body? Sparkfun's Andy England was recently asked to light up one of three custom guitars, and has now modified it to play video animations on the body itself.

An already rare custom guitar made one-of-a-kind by Sparkfun's Andy England

Around The Home

Smartians can make your dumb tech smarter

Paul Ridden November 22, 2018

We live in a connected world, and our smartphones can control all sorts of gadgets and appliances around the home. But what of your "dumb" tech? The latest project from the Frolic Studio could offer an easy way to teach your old gadgets new tricks.

Music

3D-printed guitar responds to a light touch

Paul Ridden October 19, 2018

Instrument modder Frank Piesik has combined 3D printing, electronic hackery and touch sensing to create the ElektroCaster that bridges the gap between traditional guitars like a Telecaster and full-on electronic sound makers like the (no longer in production) Kitara.

Frank Piesik's ElektroCaster has been entered in the 2018 Hackaday Prize

Computers

Iran implicated in disinformation campaign as Facebook removes hundreds of accounts

Rich Haridy August 22, 2018

Facebook has removed another batch of pages, groups and accounts for "coordinated inauthentic behavior." This time originating in Iran, the pages targeted hundreds of thousands of people across the Middle East, Latin America, UK and US with political content designed to shape their opinions.

A new strategic misinformation campaign, originating from Iran, has been revealed by Facebook security teams

Computers

Facebook culls accounts amid new coordinated election interference campaign

Rich Haridy July 31, 2018

Facebook has just revealed it removed 32 pages and accounts it claims were part of a “coordinated inauthentic” campaign similar to actions perpetrated by Russian sources in the lead up to the 2016 US presidential election. No source for the accounts has been tracked yet.

Facebook's revelation signals a new wave of digital election interference from a currently unknown source

Music

Creepy Furby Organ turns dream build into disturbing reality

Paul Ridden February 13, 2018

We've seen a number of frankly odd creations from serial synth scientist Sam Battle of Look Mum No Computer over the years. His latest build turns a bunch of cute and cuddly robot toys from the late 1990s into the stuff of horror movie nightmares.

Cute or creepy? The Furby Organ from Look Mum No Computer

Computers

"Olympic Destroyer" malware attack on Winter Olympics opening ceremony confirmed

Rich Haridy February 12, 2018

Security researchers from Cisco’s Talos intelligence team have analyzed samples of the malware directed at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony and verified that a cyber-attack did occur and was aimed at disrupting the event.

Security analysts from Cisco have verified that a cyber attack was directed at the Winter Olympics ...