These Bluetooth Hacks Can Steal Your Credit Card PIN

All manner of shops, pop-ups and market stalls are using cheap mobile point-of-sale systems, those card readers that look a little like calculators made for infants.
Hacking them might not be child’s play, but as benevolent hackers from cybersecurity company Positive Technologies revealed Thursday, it’s certainly possible. And their attacks could drain shoppers’ bank accounts.
They tested a range of devices shipped by some of the best-known payment companies in the world, PayPal and Square, as well as up-and-coming players iZettle and SumUp. Two versions of the same reader were found to be vulnerable to hacks that could steal PIN numbers in plain text.
Those two were the PayPal and Square readers based on a model from manufacturer Miura. In particular, Positive researchers Leigh-Anne Galloway and Tim Yunosov discovered an old version of the Miura device’s firmware (the core code at the heart of the reader) contained a vulnerability allowing a hacker to access the card reader’s file system.
There were some limitations to the attack on the Miura M010 model. For starters, the hackers would have to find a way to downgrade the firmware to the older, vulnerable version. That was possible through another hack discovered and detailed by Galloway and Yusonov in a paper released Thursday.
The attackers would also have to rely on the terminal failing to update to later, more secure versions. But the researchers said they could stop the device checking for updates or could drop all connections that tried to install newer firmware.
Demonstrating the attacks to Forbesahead of their talk at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas this week, Galloway and Yusonov chose not to do anything malicious, but to instead install an image of the Nyan Cat on the Miura M010 reader
In a real-world scenario, a successful attack where the firmware was downgraded and exploited would take between five and ten minutes, said Yusonov. That may be unrealistic in some settings, especially where the merchant has access to the reader, but Galloway said it would be entirely reasonable in others. “My physio takes place in a posh gym, where they have a Miura reader completely open all the time. You could sit there and completely carry out ... this kind of attack.”
Square said that once it learned of the flaws it accelerated plans to move customers off the Miura device. Though it was only used by a couple of hundred clients in the last month, the Miura machine was being phased out as of August 1 and all affected sellers were being given a free Square-made reader. “As a result, today it is no longer possible to use the Miura Reader on the Square ecosystem. It’s important to note that this is not a vulnerability in any Square hardware or software, and we have no indication that any Square sellers have been impacted by it,” a spokesperson said.
A PayPal spokesperson said the company had updated Miura devices to prevent attacks. “PayPal’s systems were not impacted and our teams have remediated the issues raised by the researcher.”
Miura said it had put measures in place to prevent such attacks and that it had contacted partners to ensure they were running the latest software. “In respect to downgrading of the device, a number of our partners have already implemented controlled processes within their solution that prevent the active downgrade of the Miura hardware application and as standard do not make older versions of application available via online services,” added Andrew Dark, chairman at Miura.
Fraudulent dealers
The Miura hack wasn’t the Positive researchers’ only trick. They also detailed hacks that could be used by a fraudulent merchant to surreptitiously alter the amount charged to customers, different to that displayed on the screen of the reader. In such a case a fraudulent seller would have to intercept encrypted traffic going between mobile devices, the reader and the server managing payments. They could then alter the value of a transaction.
“This vulnerability can be used by a fraudulent merchant to force a cardholder to approve a much higher value amount,” the researchers wrote in their paper.The PayPal and Square Miura devices were affected by that hack, alongside readers from SumUp, Square and iZettle.
Square said it had actually detected the researchers’ attempts to alter the payment amount and blocked the apparent fraud. It would do the same in cases where real fraudsters were trying to do the same, a spokesperson explained.
An iZettle spokesperson said: “The potential issue flagged to us by the researcher was resolved immediately. We are also aware of some other findings, and we are reviewing these. The iZettle service and its community remain unaffected and secure.”
SumUp noted that the attack only worked where mag-stripe transactions were taking place. A spokesperon said SumUp “removed any possibility of such an attempt at fraud in the future” after the flaws were disclosed. “It is clear that this reveals more about the limitations of increasingly obsolete magnetic stripe technology than problems with card terminal systems,” the spokesperson said.

But as long as vulnerable devices remain in use, malicious merchants remain a real threat, according to Galloway. “That’s the real issue with these kinds of attacks: What can a fraudulent merchant do? Will they get caught? The answer is, in some cases, they won’t get caught for a long time.”

Yemen war: Saudi-led air strike on bus kills 29 children

The Saudi-UAE military alliance at war with Yemen's Houthi rebels has been blamed for an air attack on a school bus that killed dozens of people, including at least 29 children.

The vehicle came under attack as it was driving near a crowded market in the Houthi-controlled province of Saada, which borders Saudi Arabia, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Thursday.

The ICRC said on its Twitter account that its medical team at the ICRC-supported hospital in Saada had received the bodies of 29 children, all under 15 years old. The hospital also received 48 wounded people, among them 30 children.

In a separate Twitter post, Johannes Bruwer, the head of an ICRC delegation in Yemen, said that "according to local officials a total of 50 people died and 77 were injured this morning.

Of these, the ICRC hospital in Al Talh received 30 dead and 48 injured, of which the vast majority were children."

According to multiple sources, the attack took place early on Thursday outside a busy market in Dahyan city.

Al Masirah, a pro-Houthi rebel TV network, said the bus, which was carrying a group of students attending summer classes learning the Holy Quran, was targeted.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the reports.

'Body parts were scattered'

The network posted several videos on Twitter showing the aftermath of the attack, including one with several dead children, and another of blood pouring from the heads of three child survivors.

The Saudi-UAE alliance later issued a statement to the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya network saying it launched the attacks on Saada, but that it had targeted "missile launchers".

"[The air strikes] conformed to international and humanitarian laws," a statement quoting coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said.

However, Nasser Arrabyee, a Yemeni journalist based in the capital Sanaa, said there were no Houthi fighters in the vicinity of the market where the attack took place.

"The place is known to be a market, [and] there is no military installation nearby ... but the Saudis are known to have done this many times - target schools, weddings and so on."

He added that health centres in the war-ravaged province would struggle with the number of wounded, and the death toll was likely to rise.

"It's difficult to treat such a big number of injured in Sanaa, let alone in Saada, which is very remote and primitive.

"This makes the situation worse, with many of the wounded likely to die because there is no treatment, no medicine".

Arrabyee added, "even first responders, were killed", with their "body parts scattered."

Al Jazeera's Mohammed Adow, reporting from neighbouring Djibouti, said this latest attack was going to enrage Yemenis who are already aggrieved over the rising civilian death toll.

"The Saudis tend to deny these kinds of actions, which have sadly become all too common," he said. "It's all too rare for either party [the alliance or the Houthis] to take responsibility".

The United Nations agency for children UNICEF condemned the attack.

"NO Excuses anymore!" said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director in the Middle East and North Africa. "Does the world really need more innocent children's lives to stop the cruel war on children in Yemen?"

Needs to stop'

Later on Thursday, sounds of blasts from air raids that hit Sanaa reverberated across its southern and western neighbourhoods. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties in those attacks.

Jolien Veldwijk, the acting director of Care International, told Al Jazeera that at least "five very intense air strikes" targeted densely populated areas of the capital.

"Planes are still circulating in the sky and we expect more strikes," she said.

Veldwijk added that if attacks on civilian areas continue, aid agencies would not be able to continue with their work.

"This needs to stop, there's no way we can continue with our work with all these air strikes," she added.

With logistical support from the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have carried out attacks in Yemen since March 2015. The war effort is an attempt to reinstate the internationally recognised government of President Abu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

In 2014, Hadi and his forces were overrun by the Houthi rebels who took over much of the country, including Sanaa. 

Earlier this month, dozens of people - including women and children - were killed in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah in air raids carried out by the Saudi-UAE alliance.

According to the UN, at least 10,000 people have been killed in the three-year war - a death toll that has not been updated in years and is certain to be far higher. 

In June, Saudi and UAE forces carried out 258 air raids on Yemen, nearly one-third of which targeted non-military sites.

The Yemen Data Project listed 24 air raids on residential areas, three on water and electricity sites, three hitting healthcare facilities, and one targeting an IDP camp.

Impoverished Yemen, on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is now in the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 22.2 million people in need of assistance.

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has been pushing the warring parties to restart peace talks. He recently announced plans to invite Yemen's combatants to Geneva on September 6 to hold the first round of negotiations.

Is Katsina State @30 worth celebrating?

By lawal Abdullahi Funtua

The military Administration of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida created two states of Katsina and Akwaibom states respectively in 1987. While Akwaibom is situated in the South South region of Nigeria, Katsina State lies at the  extreme end of North Western Nigeria and shares borders with Niger Republic.

    What are the Achievements?

1. The majority of Katsinawa are Farmers and farming is one of the major employer of Labour in the state considering the fact that most of the rural dwellers are actively engaged in farming activities throughout the centuries.

 Katsina state has the potential of becoming the food basket of the nation if better agricultural policies are introduce and implemented, due to large arable land and human resources endowment which are mostly untapped in the State.

But despite all efforts made by the previous administrations to make farming attractive to the average farmer in the state, the successive governments had failed squarely in providing the necessary mechanism and technical knowledge to the farmers who relied upon the archaic systems inherited from the fast. The problems persists uptil today. I'm yet to see achievements in terms of adoption and applications of mechanise farming and modern marketing of farm products.

The previous Administration of Shema has succeed in establishing the organic fertiliser in Katsina state.

2. Education: Success or otherwise of education is not about the number of graduates you produce yearly but how qualitative the educational system is. The past governments had tried in renovating the faces of our schools both secondary and primary, but the questions are;
☆Did we invest in improving the intellectual capabilities of the teachers?

The Administration of His excellency Aminu Bello Masari is succeeding in reinvigorating the educational system by employing more qualified teachers into the classroom.

3. Economy: The economy of the state is now improving with the majority of our people embracing the farming. Like I said earlier that farming provides most of the jobs because almost all the industries had collapsed and files for bankruptcy, so there are no jobs in the factories.

Katsina state is far behind her counterparts of Akwaibom in terms of infrastructure and the economy, but the good news is that there's light at the end of the tunnel if we can judiciously channel our resources to critical infrastructure with the views to creating a conducive environment for investment.

I THEREFORE CONGRATULATE THE ENTIRE PEOPLE OF KATSINA STATE FOR CELEBRATING KATSINA @ 30 MAY  ALLAH CONTINUE TO GUIDE OUR LEADERS RIGHT.

10 Unique Perspectives On What Makes A Great Leader

By Brent Gleason
All business owners and executives have varying experiences and perspectives on the approach and qualities necessary for effective leadership. And not all situations require the same type of leadership style. Great leaders adapt to their surrounding environments and empower the team to succeed together.

Many experts across countless leadership books and articles agree on certain principles required for leading a team to greatness, but when it comes down to it, the most important factor is whether or not the leader is getting the job done.

My philosophies on leadership have evolved over time through research, experiences in combat as a Navy SEAL and from my successes and failures running my own businesses. I believe that the best leaders are passionate about developing the emerging leaders around them, they constantly work to improve their emotional intelligence and know that a strong team culture is the foundation for accomplishing the mission. They are in a perpetual state of preparation and embrace the inevitable changes their businesses will face.

For the purposes of this article however, I wanted to get other business leaders’ perspectives by having them answer one question:

In your opinion, what makes a great leader?

Their responses were collected in partnership with the American Board of Experts™. Here they are!

1 - Have Faith in Their Beliefs

"It's a mix of a lot of things, but first and foremost it's about having faith in your beliefs. You can't expect others to consider you a leader unless you have solid faith in your ideas. And once it's there, you build on it by being a good communicator, listening to others, setting examples and by putting your best foot forward and not giving up. Leadership is all about being passionate about what you do, and having confidence in yourself and your followers whom you have to motivate and inspire.

2 - Make the Hard Choice

“Great leaders make the hard choice, and self-sacrifice in order to enhance the lives of others around them. As a business owner, not only does your family rely on you - so too, do the families of those who work for you. Each employee has a family. Even if you're a small business owner with four employees, you're in essence potentially responsible for an additional ten or fifteen people.”

Joel Farar, Farar Law Group

3 - Earn the Respect of the Team

“Having the ability to show respect, empathy, and care to those that follow you, are all attributed to being a great leader. Earning respect is crucial to a successful relationship with someone, while also showing that you care about their work or ideas. Being empathetic allows a leader to tap into the emotions of that individual in order to connect in a way that lets that person know you understand what it means to be in their situation. Combining all three of these traits can definitely make someone a great leader. These are things I work on constantly with my own staff and myself, all in order to become a better leader to those I care about.”

Brandon Swenson, SEO Pros

4 - Know the Team

"Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of every individual to effectively manage the outcome of a team is imperative for success. Leaders have a great vision and use the resources at hand to solve problems. They take risks and make hard decisions, knowing they could sometimes be wrong. Those are the most important qualities of a real leader that work similarly in our professional and personal lives."

Alex Gerasimov, Insomnia Escape Room DC

5 - Know That the People are the Key to Success

“A great leader understands that it is the people they lead that ultimately determines the success or failure of any venture. They surround themselves with great people that they can cultivate into a team of competent, confident individuals who can work well as a team. They then have the ability to guide this team towards a well-defined vision by clearly communicating short and long terms goals, inspiring confidence and trust among colleagues, and influencing common efforts through character rather than by a position of authority. Ultimately, a great leader creates and nurtures other leaders.”

Randy Soderman, Founder of Soderman Marketing SEO

6 - Articulate a Clear Vision

“A great leader posses a clear vision, is courageous, has integrity, honesty, humility and clear focus. He or she is a strategic planner and believes in teamwork. Great leaders help people reach their goals, are not afraid to hire people that might be better than them and take pride in the accomplishments of those they help along the way.”

Bhagi Rath, Mattress Inquirer, Do Your Research to Find a Great Bed

7 - Push People to Be Their Best

"Great leaders have clarity of purpose and are great at articulating their beliefs. I aspire to be the kind of leader that pushes people to be the very best they can be but still make people feel safe because it starts with the heart."

Amas Tenumah, CEO BetterXperience

8 - Serve a Greater Cause

“Great leadership is determined by one’s periodical blend of personal humility and unparalleled will to lead others in service of a cause bigger than themselves. Great leaders are incredibly ambitious, but never for themselves. Rather, they are ambitious for the company and possess the will do do whatever is necessary in service of this greater cause.”

Jake Rheude, Director of Business Development for Red Stag Fulfillment

9 - Focus on Helping the Team

"Someone who leads by positive direction and builds agreement among its group members towards the accomplishment of a coordinated goal. Ultimately, leadership is not about who is in charge. It's about making sure your team stays focused on the goals, keeping them motivated and helping them be the best they can be to achieve those goals. This is especially true when the risks are high and the consequences matter."

Kara Kelly, Executive Director of CompleteContents.com

10 - Do Not Lead by Force

“A great leader does not lead by forcing people to follow. Instead, a great leader motivates people. They encourage others to follow them. They also lead by example, which few leaders do today.”

Mike Dan, SMS Marketing

Being an effective leader requires constant focus, perseverance and building a team that is accountable and designed get results. Without the team there can be no real leadership. These ten unique perspectives provide great insight while also validating certain commonalities.

Many of us in leadership or management positions know what we need to do to be better leaders, we just sometimes fail to act. Being a great leader requires constant personal and professional development, regular transparent feedback from the team, self-reflection and taking action on feedback received. Great leaders are rarely satisfied with their performance.