| Cult of Mac

Everything you need to know about WikiLeaks’ CIA document dump

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The CIA has a team of more than 5,000 hackers.
The CIA has a team of more than 5,000 hackers.
Photo: Brian Klug/Flickr CC

The entire hacking arsenal of the CIA has been dumped online and the entire internet is freaking out.

WikiLeaks dropped a data bomb Tuesday with its massive document dump, which it claims is one of the biggest in history. Secrets on how the CIA hacked devices made by Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft are now available for all to see. But should you start freaking out just yet?

Cult of Mac talked to a number of iOS security experts to make sense of all the new info. While it’s tempting to panic, there’s a lot more you need to know first.

Developer behind world’s most secure messaging app joins Apple

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Signal is the world's most secure messaging app.
Signal is the world's most secure messaging app.
Photo: Open Whisper Systems

Apple plans to make future versions of iOS so secure even it can’t hack it, and the company is wasting no time stocking up on talented developers that specialize in encryption.

One of the iPhone-maker’s most recent hires, Frederic Jacobs, was previously a lead developer for Signal, which has earned a name as one of the most secure messaging apps available. It’s so good, it’s become a favorite of former NSA-contractor Edward Snowden who says he uses it everyday.

Signal’s Beefy Game Controller Turns Your iPhone Into A Console [CES 2014]

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signal

CES 2014 bugJust after we waxed rhapsodic about the new SteelSeries Stratus iOS 7 gaming controller comes a new controller to the news cycle, the Signal RP One.

If the picture above is any indication, this one is sized more like a typical console controller in the Xbox style than SteelSeries’ mini stature, which could bode well for Signal, as not everyone has the tiny hands to deal with a smaller controller device.

SignalRefresh Promises To Boost Your iPhone’s Weak Network Signal [Jailbreak]

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If the next iPhone has LTE, Sprint still wants to offer you an unlimited plan.
Full signal a rare sight on your iPhone? Try SignalRefresh.

Struggling to get a decent signal on your iPhone? If you’ve jailbroken your handset with the latest Absinthe 2.0 release, then you may be in luck. SignalRefresh is a new, $0.99 iPhone tweak that promises to boost your signal strength to give you “the strongest possible voice/data signal at your current location.”

iPhone 4S Users Around The World Report Frequent Loss of Service For No Apparent Reason

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iPhone-no-service

It seems early iPhone 4S adopters the world over have discovered a new issue with Apple’s latest handset. No, it has nothing to do with poor battery life, but rather a complete loss of signal for no apparent reason. To be clear, this isn’t a new “antennagate” — the issue does not occur while holding the device in a certain position — it’s a new problem that causes the device to lose its signal randomly. Users report they can be enjoying a full five-bar signal one minute, then be greeted by that frustrating “No Service” status the next.