(Image used under: Creative Commons 2.0 [SRC])

Many states have defied REAL ID for privacy (but mostly money) reasons. Now it looks like things are coming to a head with the DHS warning Maine that if they don't implement REAL ID, their identification may no longer be accepted at airports.

(Image used under: Creative Commons 2.0 [SRC])

A university has hacked the encryption of an RFID chip maker who's contactless smartcard applications include fare collection, loyalty cards, and access control cards.

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

I don't know about the accuracy of the claim that a screen with darker colors and more black will reduce eyestrain, but I'm going to try it out. Besides, it looks really cool 🙂

(Image is in the Public Domain)

It's up to you to decide whether what you do online is correct and that's why this article about protecting you downloading privacy is important. Use the tips provided to make sure that the only person making a judgement call about your online activity is you.

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

What can happen when you become numbed to the security alerts.

Don't worry, it's not real

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

MIT is working on software that analyzes the surfaces in photos to see if the light patterns all match in order to detect fakes.

Many fraudulent images are created by combining parts of two or more photographs into a single image. When the parts are combined, the combination can sometimes be spotted by variations in the lighting conditions within the image. An observant person might notice such variations, Johnson says; however, "people are pretty insensitive to lighting."

Another technique is to check the grain of the photo for irregularities. When an object is placed within a photo, the new object will have differing grain from the original (though there are ways to reduce and eliminate this).

If you're wondering why this matters, check out these examples of how fake photos can be drastically harmful:

(Image is in the Public Domain)

A British company has developed a camera that can see through clothes, but unlike Backscatter, it doesn't provide pornographic photos of the target.

Depending on the material, the signature of the wave is different, so that explosives can be distinguished from a block of clay and cocaine is different from a bag of flour.

It shoots some rays at the target and reads the response. It's more like a sonar device than a camera and it if works, this will be not only more effective at detecting threats, but also much better for personal privacy.

(Image is in the Public Domain)

Lest one think of torrents and illegal downloads at the same time, it's worth reminding the public that torrents are just a file distribution system and one that has many legitimate uses. For example, one IT department used torrent technology to distribute a set of system patches and upgrades in just four hours. The same patch would have previously taken over 4 days!

The war never ends...

(Image is in the Public Domain)

A while back we were hearing stories of teens setting ringtones to frequencies that most adults couldn't hear. Now the tables are turning and there are some people who are using the same technique to chase young people away!

While very funny and an ironic twist on the ultrasonic ringtone idea, it has some legitimate drawbacks that are leading some to call for the devices to be banned.

The £500 Mosquito device has been installed at some 3,500 locations across the country since it first went on sale in January 2006. It emits an irritating, high-pitched sound that can only be heard by children and young people up into their early twenties, forcing them to move on.