Saturday, March 30, 2013

Apple : Selected Apple iMessage users hit by DDoS attack, forcing iOS app crash

Apple : Selected Apple iMessage users hit by DDoS attack, forcing iOS app crash

Selected Apple iMessage users hit by DDoS attack, forcing iOS app crash

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Selected Apple iMessage users hit by DDoS attack, forcing iOS app crash

A group of iOS developers and hackers are reporting they've become the target of a malicious attack which overwhelms the Apple iMessage application with spam texts.

The attack, which appears to be confined to those directly targeted, sends messages (claiming to be from Anonymous) in such a large volume that the recipient is constantly receiving notifications.

The next level is to send a single 'Zaglo text' so large in size that the iOS iMessage app cannot cope with the load and crashes.

As Apple's iMessage app does not limit how fast texts can be sent, and does not allow users to block senders, there's no mechanism in place to prevent their instant delivery.

Motivation?

This constitues a new kind of DDoS attack, the kind of which we've seen hackers and online activists use to bring down government websites in the past couple of years.

The iMessage pranksters' motivation isn't totally clear at present, but The Next Web reports that the attack originated from a Twitter account "involved in selling UDIDs, provisioning profiles and more that facilitate in the installation of pirated App Store apps which are re-signed and distributed."

The report suggests that the attack was conducted using AppleScript to set up and send the overwhelming number of messages using the OS X iMessage client, something one victim said was extremely easy to do.

iOS developer Paul Grant told The Next Web: "What's happening is a simple flood: Apple doesn't seem to limit how fast messages can be sent, so the attacker is able to send thousands of messages very quickly."

Apple has been notified of the issue, but is yet to comment.

Apple reportedly pushing hard for iRadio launch as soon as June

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Apple reportedly pushing hard for iRadio launch as soon as June

Apple could launch its long-rumored iRadio service as soon as this summer, finally giving iTunes a streaming music app to take on Pandora and Spotify.

"iRadio is coming. There's no doubt about it anymore," an unnamed music industry source told The Verge.

The report says that Apple is pushing hard for a summertime launch of the streaming music app after making "significant progress" in talks with two top labels, Universal and Warner.

Another Apple rumor from today pins the iPhone 5S launch event to June 20, so the company's apparent push to have an iRadio app present at the event would make sense.

iRadio app negotiations

Apple has reportedly low-balled record labels in negotiations, and the record labels have, in turn, allegedly rebuffed the Apple and its ability to launch iRadio.

The initial offer from Apple is said to have been as low as 6 cents per 100 songs streamed when the Copyright Royalty Board's fair rate for non-broadcast companies is 21 cents per 100 songs.

To give some perspective, Pandora pays 12 cents per 100 songs streamed, while Spotify pays 35 cents per 100 songs streamed.

Whether or not Apple secures a much better deal than all of the other music streaming services out there, the unprofitable Pandora and Spotify are going to be seeking reduced licensing fees.

This will especially be the case if Apple's iRadio app takes on the internet radio spectrum.

GDC 2013: Is Apple in talks with devs to launch its own game controller?

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GDC 2013: Is Apple in talks with devs to launch its own game controller?

Though there are plenty of gaming controllers already available for the iPad 4 and iPhone 5, none of them have come from Apple itself.

While patents have popped up in the past, Apple hasn't seen fit to develop its own gamepad for iOS gaming, and since 2007, has allowed third-party companies to rule the roost.

However, sources speaking with PocketGamer revealed that might not be the case for much longer, as Apple was reportedly testing the controller waters in secret at GDC.

Nobody saw the device as of yet, but the anonymous developers who sat in with Apple at the event claimed the Cupertino company was seeking day one support for the mysterious controller.

Button-mashing bandwagon

To this point, Apple has seemingly been satisfied with the touch-based controls its iOS devices use for gaming.

However, a recent influx of controllers and consoles from companies like Ouya and GameStick, as well as Samsung's own Galaxy S4 Game Pad may have forced Apple to be reactionary for once.

PocketGamer's sources said Apple was at GDC under a fictitious name, and didn't bring any hardware along to show off thanks to frequent leaks.

The controller is believed to make a showing at Apple's April event, which is typically home to the annual iPad announcement.

It would certainly make sense to reveal a new controller alongside the iPad 5, but there's also a chance this purported joystick could be part of a larger plan, like the oft-rumored Apple iTV.

Whatever Apple's plans are, the company clearly believes the controller is a secret to be guarded as closely as the next iOS device.
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