The website for the computer game company Codemasters got hacked and announced it earlier today - a friend of mine at work was pretty miffed when he got an email about it. He was complaining that gaming platforms have been targetted by hackers so much his same details must have been stolen about 4 times now.
Another developer joined in and started lamenting the fact that the same rules that apply to online financial institutions (PCI DSS) don't seem apply to other websites who hold personal data.
Things are difficult to secure these days. Soon after PSN was hacked, Bloomberg reported that Amazon's EC2 elastic cloud servers had been used. For a small amount of money, a person can use a huge amount of processing power, and this includes brute force attacks on passwords - last year, SHA-1 was shown to be broken within 40 seconds. I suppose it is to be expected that if you allow people to hire Superman as a cheap labourer, someone will get him to rob a bank.
I've seen people seriously suggest that bcrypt is used to store passwords simply because the algorithm is slow to execute, in order to slow down attackers.
You can try and put in all the stops you can think of - for example, if they get 20 passwords wrong in quick succession, lock the account. That sort of thing. But if the attackers have already got in and can attempt to decrypt your data at their leisure, slowing them down is all you can do.
I still think when you're buying digital property, you shouldn't need to give out all this information. Why should you need to hand over your address etc, and why do these companies think they should be keeping this information?
All they need is temporary use of payment - perhaps an external payment provider - and perhaps some login credentials to their system. If card details need to be stored, tokenization will help (but note what I said earlier).
Earlier this week, the 3DS eshop came online and I added some funds onto the wallet for my 3DS to buy Legend Of Zelda : Link's Awakening DX (which is as brilliant as it always was!), and all it asked for were card details. They put through the transaction and Nintendo don't retain the card number, because they have no need to.
So a few weeks ago when the hackers broke in to Nintendo's systems, there was nothing there for them to take. And they said there was "no harm" meant, but it sort of seems more like "no paydirt".
It's a bit like... if there's no way to fully secure things, or you don't want to put money into seriously beefing up security, don't store anything valuable. Same as - if you're going to park your car somewhere you know people are likely to break a window to steal stuff, you don't leave your sat nav, wallet, ipad, work tools, or other valuables on display.
I also read that three people in Spain have been arrested for allegedly hacking the Playstation network. I hope they have the right people, and if so, that justice is fully served!
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Friday, 10 June 2011
Watching Utena in remembrance...
I read in the news on ANN earlier today that an actress had died. It was Kawakami Tomoko (nb: lastname, forename). According to the news article, she was 41 years old, and retired suddenly in 2008 with a hospitalisation, and has now died of ovarian cancer. It is terrible, very tragic indeed. She used to be quite prolific.
It's also quite tragic when I think of some of the characters she played, also dying young.
I wonder whether she was aware she was seriously ill in the run up to her sudden retirement.
This evening, I decided to begin watching the new remastered DVDs of Shoujo Kakumei Utena which she starred in. A great series, one of my all time favourites, one that was really instrumental in getting me into anime many years ago. Yet, I haven't watched it in years.
These new Nozomi version DVDs really do the series justice. The 5.1 Japanese sound works really well, and the picture is far, far better than the old Software Sculptors DVDs... though those are some of the worst official US DVDs I own (the VHS version was better than those DVDs!)
There's been far too much death this year. But it's best to remember in life.
It's also quite tragic when I think of some of the characters she played, also dying young.
I wonder whether she was aware she was seriously ill in the run up to her sudden retirement.
This evening, I decided to begin watching the new remastered DVDs of Shoujo Kakumei Utena which she starred in. A great series, one of my all time favourites, one that was really instrumental in getting me into anime many years ago. Yet, I haven't watched it in years.
These new Nozomi version DVDs really do the series justice. The 5.1 Japanese sound works really well, and the picture is far, far better than the old Software Sculptors DVDs... though those are some of the worst official US DVDs I own (the VHS version was better than those DVDs!)
There's been far too much death this year. But it's best to remember in life.
Thursday, 9 June 2011
2 player play using 3D TV tech
At E3, Sony demonstrated a way that 2 people can play a game on the same TV and look at 2 complete different images, without split screen.
When we saw it (watching a video at lunch at work), we all guessed how it could be done.
I found something that mentions how it's done: It works on any 3D TV; each person wears 3D glasses, one sees "left" the other sees "right" but they are two different 2D pictures.
Sounds like a cool use of existing technology! :)
When we saw it (watching a video at lunch at work), we all guessed how it could be done.
I found something that mentions how it's done: It works on any 3D TV; each person wears 3D glasses, one sees "left" the other sees "right" but they are two different 2D pictures.
Sounds like a cool use of existing technology! :)
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Nintendo 3DS
I ended up buying a 3DS when it came out. Mostly because it was heavily discounted on Amazon. It still costs a lot more than other consoles in the DS range.
I quite like the machine, I just wish it had some great games out for it. It doesn't even have a game as good as "Project Rub" for showing off the features. Mostly what is out are sequels, ports and the most anticipated game is a remake of Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time. I'd like something truly new, showing off some innovation.
The eshop comes out tomorrow, everyone gets a free copy of Excitebike 3D (which I imagine will be like the visualiser in the 3DS's MP3 player - an 8-bit game with 3D in layers, découpage style), and a free 3D Pokedex application compatible with Pokemon Black and White.
Quite fun, but still not quite the killer app.
I have played two 3DS games on cartridge:
* Lego Star Wars III The Clone Wars, which I borrowed from a colleague and finished really quickly (71% overall completion). It's not bad, but feels quite shallow and bland - not nearly as good as the Lego Star Wars games on Xbox 360.
* Puzzle Bobble Universe, which I bought for £12.99 on Amazon thinking "it's puzzle bobble, how could it go wrong?" but... it's far too easy, and there's no Arcade mode. I've started playing "endless mode" and it truly is endless - I've been going 7 hours now, I've gone past level 2700 now, and it's not getting difficult. I am quite bored, but it's against my nature to simply give up. :(
Super Street Fighter IV seems to be the most popular game around, from what I have detected on players I have passed in town, but I don't think I need another copy of that game. I already own it on my home consoles and haven't played it that much. Dead Or Alive Dimensions might be good, but I will wait for the price to drop.
The built in software is much better. Streetpass is kind of a meta-game, you seek out other people in the real world carrying 3DSes, to pass by and collect puzzle pieces, or work as RPG characters in a simulated quest. The games don't have much substance, but it's fun to think about where in town you're likely to find people with 3DSes. The detection seems a bit flaky though - sometimes it would pick up a friend's 3DS, other times not. Even if they were right next to each other, and could pick up other people's consoles!
Face Raiders - where you take a photo of someone and shoot little balls at it, as it's stretched to pull funny faces - is far more fun than I thought it would be. It's genuinely funny!
The 3D... I usually leave it on minimum setting, the less I notice it, the better it works, is my opinion. Overdone 3D is just annoying - I am hoping that people will "grow out of" doing it like that - a bit like when they first invented colour films and dressed everyone up in the most outgrageously gaudy clothes to show the technology off. It'll be better when they forget to show it off.
The 3D technology doesn't work at all on my brother, he finds it immediately irritating. Fortunately, all the applications and games look great with the 3D switched off. :)
3DS games are all region locked, but DS games appear not to be. I've been happily playing both European and American DS games. The screen size is larger on 3DS than on DS, so it's upscaled via software, and as with all different models of DS, the colours are a bit different. Some games (e.g. Ghost Trick) look great on 3DS, other games (e.g. Pokemon White) look a lot better to me on DS.
Battery life on 3DS seems great when leaving it on sleep mode for Streetpass, when playing DS games, and Puzzle Bobble Universe (but it does appear to be a very simple game). It was not so good with Lego Star Wars III, and I understand it's very short with some other games. I am mainly using it as a DS these days, so it's not much of an issue for me.
So, that's all I have to say about 3DS so far. Seems a good little machine, I use it every day, but is so lacking in retail games that sometimes I can't help but feel like I am the proud owner of a brand new Neo Geo Color Pocket. :/
I quite like the machine, I just wish it had some great games out for it. It doesn't even have a game as good as "Project Rub" for showing off the features. Mostly what is out are sequels, ports and the most anticipated game is a remake of Legend Of Zelda Ocarina Of Time. I'd like something truly new, showing off some innovation.
The eshop comes out tomorrow, everyone gets a free copy of Excitebike 3D (which I imagine will be like the visualiser in the 3DS's MP3 player - an 8-bit game with 3D in layers, découpage style), and a free 3D Pokedex application compatible with Pokemon Black and White.
Quite fun, but still not quite the killer app.
I have played two 3DS games on cartridge:
* Lego Star Wars III The Clone Wars, which I borrowed from a colleague and finished really quickly (71% overall completion). It's not bad, but feels quite shallow and bland - not nearly as good as the Lego Star Wars games on Xbox 360.
* Puzzle Bobble Universe, which I bought for £12.99 on Amazon thinking "it's puzzle bobble, how could it go wrong?" but... it's far too easy, and there's no Arcade mode. I've started playing "endless mode" and it truly is endless - I've been going 7 hours now, I've gone past level 2700 now, and it's not getting difficult. I am quite bored, but it's against my nature to simply give up. :(
Super Street Fighter IV seems to be the most popular game around, from what I have detected on players I have passed in town, but I don't think I need another copy of that game. I already own it on my home consoles and haven't played it that much. Dead Or Alive Dimensions might be good, but I will wait for the price to drop.
The built in software is much better. Streetpass is kind of a meta-game, you seek out other people in the real world carrying 3DSes, to pass by and collect puzzle pieces, or work as RPG characters in a simulated quest. The games don't have much substance, but it's fun to think about where in town you're likely to find people with 3DSes. The detection seems a bit flaky though - sometimes it would pick up a friend's 3DS, other times not. Even if they were right next to each other, and could pick up other people's consoles!
Face Raiders - where you take a photo of someone and shoot little balls at it, as it's stretched to pull funny faces - is far more fun than I thought it would be. It's genuinely funny!
The 3D... I usually leave it on minimum setting, the less I notice it, the better it works, is my opinion. Overdone 3D is just annoying - I am hoping that people will "grow out of" doing it like that - a bit like when they first invented colour films and dressed everyone up in the most outgrageously gaudy clothes to show the technology off. It'll be better when they forget to show it off.
The 3D technology doesn't work at all on my brother, he finds it immediately irritating. Fortunately, all the applications and games look great with the 3D switched off. :)
3DS games are all region locked, but DS games appear not to be. I've been happily playing both European and American DS games. The screen size is larger on 3DS than on DS, so it's upscaled via software, and as with all different models of DS, the colours are a bit different. Some games (e.g. Ghost Trick) look great on 3DS, other games (e.g. Pokemon White) look a lot better to me on DS.
Battery life on 3DS seems great when leaving it on sleep mode for Streetpass, when playing DS games, and Puzzle Bobble Universe (but it does appear to be a very simple game). It was not so good with Lego Star Wars III, and I understand it's very short with some other games. I am mainly using it as a DS these days, so it's not much of an issue for me.
So, that's all I have to say about 3DS so far. Seems a good little machine, I use it every day, but is so lacking in retail games that sometimes I can't help but feel like I am the proud owner of a brand new Neo Geo Color Pocket. :/
Harsh reality...
Occasionally, I see news articles about such and such a person complaining that video games are unrealistic about death. That people do not turn into shiny gold coins.
But...
As a very rare drop, I have a shiny gold coin. Or rather, a cheque for a shiny gold coin, bequeathed to me. It took a lot of work, mostly from my aunts.
A human being, 8 decades of life, and of memories, and what does it turn into in the end? A collection of shiny gold coins. That's all.
I'd trade any number of them to get my granny back. R.I.P.
But...
As a very rare drop, I have a shiny gold coin. Or rather, a cheque for a shiny gold coin, bequeathed to me. It took a lot of work, mostly from my aunts.
A human being, 8 decades of life, and of memories, and what does it turn into in the end? A collection of shiny gold coins. That's all.
I'd trade any number of them to get my granny back. R.I.P.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Marvel Pinball Soundtrack available for free
The soundtrack to Zen Studios' Marvel Pinball is now available for free:
Marvel Pinball Soundtrack
I like the Spider-Man tracks best. Well.... the Spider-Man table is my favourite to play too.
I'm looking forward to the Fantastic Four table in a few weeks, and apparently Zen are getting ready to release one table per month after that! I have high hopes for them!
Marvel Pinball Soundtrack
I like the Spider-Man tracks best. Well.... the Spider-Man table is my favourite to play too.
I'm looking forward to the Fantastic Four table in a few weeks, and apparently Zen are getting ready to release one table per month after that! I have high hopes for them!
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
PSN got hacked...
PSN went down over the weekend. That's no big deal, people can't play games online... well, it also meant that people can't download the games they own on PSN - which is not so good.
The news got worse. Lovefilm and Netflix - entertainment delivery providers who have services on PSN - also went down.
Now it has emerged that all PSN data has been stolen!
Source: Ars Technica
If you use the same password on PSN as other services or whatever online, I suggest you change that password. Also, keep an eye on your credit card account and on the lookout for evidence of identity theft.
Now, I had a think and for me.... I think they have stolen one out of date home address, and two fake overseas addresses.
All the same, I'm furious at Sony for this. The thieves should not know people's passwords. It's the absolute basics - you one-way encrypt passwords. You seed encryption so hackers won't be able to crack the encryption by just having a look at the data. You compare hashes, not passwords. That way it should be impossible for hackers who've just got the data to know what people's passwords are.
If they haven't been doing that, what kind of yahoos are these?
I'd expect hackers who've gotten onto the servers to be able to crack credit card numbers before they know everyone's passwords!
The news got worse. Lovefilm and Netflix - entertainment delivery providers who have services on PSN - also went down.
Now it has emerged that all PSN data has been stolen!
Here is the data that Sony is sure has been compromised if you have a PlayStation Network Account:
* Your name
* Your address (city, state, and zip)
* Country
* E-mail address
* Birthday
* PSN password and login name
"It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained," Sony announced. While the company claims that there is "no evidence" that credit card information has been compromised, it won't rule out the possibility.
Source: Ars Technica
If you use the same password on PSN as other services or whatever online, I suggest you change that password. Also, keep an eye on your credit card account and on the lookout for evidence of identity theft.
Now, I had a think and for me.... I think they have stolen one out of date home address, and two fake overseas addresses.
All the same, I'm furious at Sony for this. The thieves should not know people's passwords. It's the absolute basics - you one-way encrypt passwords. You seed encryption so hackers won't be able to crack the encryption by just having a look at the data. You compare hashes, not passwords. That way it should be impossible for hackers who've just got the data to know what people's passwords are.
If they haven't been doing that, what kind of yahoos are these?
I'd expect hackers who've gotten onto the servers to be able to crack credit card numbers before they know everyone's passwords!
Friday, 22 April 2011
A year of pokewalking
1944690 steps - that's how far I've walked in the past year. Well, when I've been carrying a pokewalker, anyway. Very nearly 2 million steps. No wonder my boots are so worn out.
It averages out as only about half as far as people are supposed to walk in a day to be considered healthy and active...
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Osamu Dezaki has passed away
Osamu Dezaki died recently, at the age of only 67 - of lung cancer.
When I found out the news, I momentarily turned into a detailed painting at the shock of it all.
There's a nice obituary for him on the Manga Entertainment website. They've published quite a few of his films in English, for example Golgo 13, Black Jack, and Space Adventure Cobra.
He is my all-time favourite anime director. He had a long and distinguished career spanning from the 1960s to almost the present day (as a result, I thought he would be older than he was). I'd been slowly making my way through his works, and enjoy the vast majority of what he's done, if not all. I'm currently watching "Hakugei: Legend Of The Moby Dick" and am really enjoying it.
His best works out of what I've seen so far:
* Rose of Versailles (he did the 2nd half of the series)
* Oniisama e
* Ace o Nerae
* Ashita no Joe
* Air (the movie adaptation)
I haven't seen the whole of Ace o Nerae or Ashita no Joe.
I'm feeling quite a sense of loss. May he rest in peace.
When I found out the news, I momentarily turned into a detailed painting at the shock of it all.
There's a nice obituary for him on the Manga Entertainment website. They've published quite a few of his films in English, for example Golgo 13, Black Jack, and Space Adventure Cobra.
He is my all-time favourite anime director. He had a long and distinguished career spanning from the 1960s to almost the present day (as a result, I thought he would be older than he was). I'd been slowly making my way through his works, and enjoy the vast majority of what he's done, if not all. I'm currently watching "Hakugei: Legend Of The Moby Dick" and am really enjoying it.
His best works out of what I've seen so far:
* Rose of Versailles (he did the 2nd half of the series)
* Oniisama e
* Ace o Nerae
* Ashita no Joe
* Air (the movie adaptation)
I haven't seen the whole of Ace o Nerae or Ashita no Joe.
I'm feeling quite a sense of loss. May he rest in peace.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Free .NET MVC 3 training videos
I'm watching some .NET MVC training videos here:
http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2011/03/09/free-video-training-asp-net-mvc-3-features.aspx
They're free to view until the 18th of March 2011.
http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2011/03/09/free-video-training-asp-net-mvc-3-features.aspx
They're free to view until the 18th of March 2011.
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