computers

Jul 19, 2011

Jell-O Memory

Researchers have come up with memory technology that feels like Jell-O. It’s made of water-based gels and liquid metal, and it works just fine when it is completely underwater. The device could be the first step towards developing a new generation of biocompatible electronics – such as medical sensors – because of its pliability, its… 

Jul 15, 2011

Data-Stealing Apps ID’d, Pulled From Official Android Market

NC State computer science researchers have identified five applications on Google’s official Android Market that upload users’ personal information to a remote server without notifying the users. Google has been notified and pulled the apps from the market July 14. The relevant apps carry a hidden payload called “SndApps,” which stealthily upload user information – including… 

Jul 5, 2011

Losing Sleep: New ‘GoldDream’ Malware Targets Android

NC State computer science researchers have discovered yet another variety of malware targeting Android. The new malware, called “GoldDream,” collects data on text messages and phone calls – and may also be used to install new apps on Android smartphones or to upload files stored on Android to a remote server. The NC State team, led by… 

Jul 1, 2011

DroidKungFu Malware Is Evolving

The NC State computer science researchers who first identified the DroidKungFu malware that targets Android users have now uncovered new variations of the malware, which have been modified in what appears to be an attempt to make them harder to detect. “Though they are similarly repackaged and distributed in the form of ‘legitimate’ applications, these two… 

Jun 15, 2011

What Is 3D Printing? And How Does It Work?

Three-dimensional (3D) printing holds promise for a wide variety of applications, from biomedical implants to space exploration. But when a friend asked me how it worked, I had no idea. It was a perfect excuse to learn something new. And now, dear reader, I can explain it to you. 3D printing is exactly what it… 

Jun 9, 2011

More Bad News: Two New Pieces Of Android Malware – Plankton and YZHCSMS

Researchers at NC State have identified two new pieces of Android malware, called Plankton and YZHCSMS. Plankton is extremely stealthy, steals user information and was found in 10 applications on Google’s official Android Market –which have been downloaded more than 210,000 times. YZHCSMS incurs hidden charges on users’ phone bills, and was found in both the… 

Jun 8, 2011

Brave New Web?

Note: This guest post was written by NC State News Services stalwart, and all-around swell guy, David Hunt. The Internet may seem like a limitless universe of websites, blogs and Facebook pages but it’s actually filling up. Eventually, if people keep adding websites and connecting computers, notebooks, tablets and mobile devices to the Internet, all 4.3… 

Jun 4, 2011

Enter The Hacker: New DroidKungFu Malware Is Bad News For Androids

Computer science researchers at NC State have identified new Android malware, called DroidKungFu, which appears to be able to avoid detection by mobile anti-virus software. The researchers, assistant professor Xuxian Jiang and Ph.D. student Yajin Zhou, have so far identified at least two DroidKungFu-infected applications for Android platforms, which are circulated in more than eight third-party… 

May 16, 2011

Does Anybody Use New Programming Language Features?

Organizations that publish computer programming languages, such as Java, often issue updates with new features that promise to make a programmer’s life easier. But it’s hard to tell if anyone actually uses the features, much less whether they actually live up to their billing. Now a team of researchers is trying to shed some light… 

Apr 4, 2011

Crash-Test Dummy For High-Performance Computing

When you’re trying to solve large-scale problems, sometimes you’ve got to experiment with changes to the fundamental building blocks of whatever is involved. That means things can break. And when you’re talking about the fastest computers in the world, that would be very expensive. Solution? Build your own high-performance computing (HPC) system – then you… 

Mar 3, 2011

Our Online Training Preferences, or Why Clippy Bombed

A new study finds that students in online training courses want to be taught by electronic versions of themselves. The study, by researchers from NC State and George Washington University, were interested in how student performance was affected by changes in the electronic tutorial “helpers” utilized in online training programs. It turns out that students do… 

Jan 28, 2011

Data Leak Vulnerability Haunts Latest Android (Gingerbread)

A computer security researcher at NC State University, Xuxian Jiang, has identified a security vulnerability in the latest version of Google Android, version 2.3, also known as Gingerbread. The vulnerability gives attackers access to user data – similar to a vulnerability identified in previous iterations of Android, which Google thought it had fixed with the latest… 

Jan 27, 2011

Hacked? Go Back In Time To Protect Yourself

If a hacker gets control of your computer’s operating system (OS), you’re hosed. The OS basically gives them control over everything. But researchers have now come up with a nifty combo of hardware and software that effectively lets you go back in time if you’re hacked – re-setting the OS to its happier, pre-attack condition… 

Jan 20, 2011

Quick, Quick, Slow: Fast And Slow Memory Now In One Device

Want a computer that is functional as soon as you hit the power button (no lag time)? Wish that those enormous server farms didn’t gobble quite as much energy? You’re in luck! Researchers have developed a new device that should enable both of these things. The trick? Combining two memory functions into a single device.… 

Jan 18, 2011

Modernizing The Medieval

Medieval studies scholars are embarking on an effort that, if successful, should make it easier for future scholars to study the past. Ironically,  medieval studies experts were among the first to incorporate the use of modern technology into their research (Rev. Roberto Busa used punchcards in 1949 as part of his research on St. Thomas…