Facebook gives Visa debit cards to white-hat hackers

In a bid to encourage researchers to report security bugs, social networking giant Facebook is giving out a unique reward to these bug hunters: a debit card.

The customized Visa debit card works just like a credit card with Facebook adding more money to the account as the bearers report more bugs, tech site CNET said.

"Researchers who find bugs and security improvements are rare, and we value them and have to find ways to reward them. Having this exclusive black card is another way to recognize them. They can show up at a conference and show this card and say 'I did special work for Facebook,'" CNET quoted Ryan McGeehan, manager of Facebook's security response team, as saying in a recent interview.

Other advantages of the card may include serving as a pass to get into a party, McGeehan said. "We're trying to be creative," he added.

CNET reported Facebook has plans to leverage the knowledge and skills of the researchers beyond just bug bounty.

"Whenever possible we're going to try to load-in White Hat researchers into products early, as soon as (they are) in production," McGeehan said.

This way, he said Facebook "will get an early warning on anything they find."

The CNET report said this was Facebook's way of doing something special for those who help it keep hackers and malware out.

Researchers who report security bugs that are eventually confirmed can make a minimum of $500, but have to follow Facebook's Responsible Disclosure Policy and not go public with the vulnerability information until the hole has been fixed.

McGeehan said the most Facebook has paid out for one bug report is $5,000. He said at least 81 researchers have received payments for reporting bugs.

Facebook's program for rewarding bug hunters, launched last July, followed in the footsteps of software maker Mozilla and search giant Google.


For charity

McGeehan said Facebook had even agreed to a researcher who donated a $2,500 bounty to charity and asked Facebook to match it.

CNET said Charlie Miller, a researcher at Accuvant who had found holes in Apple Inc.'s iOS 5 and Safari, has also received a White Hat card.

But Szymon Gruszecki, a Polish security researcher and penetration tester, told security blogger Brian Krebs he has asked Facebook to send his earnings another way.

Krebs quoted Gruszecki as saying using the card carried too many fees in his country.

“I have found the card is too expensive to use in Poland, and chose another way to get my reward. The Facebook team sent me the card only as a souvenir,” he said.

Neal Poole, another researcher who reported flaws to Facebook, Google and Mozilla, may get a job at Facebook, working with the company’s security team.

“I don’t think I’d want to use card like that at [hacker conventions like] Black Hat or DefCon. It’d probably get cloned, or I’d feel like if you pulled out the card it you would immediately become a target,” he said. (report from TJD, GMA News)

Janelle's lawyers suspect Ramgen siblings of circulating sex video

MANILA, Philippines – The lawyers of Janelle Manahan, girlfriend of slain actor Ramgen Bautista, who is now under the government's witness protection program, suspect that at least one of Ramgen’s siblings is behind the circulation on the Internet of a video purportedly showing the lovers in a sex act.

The video was apparently taken under Ramgen's direction, and shows the couple in various poses in Ramgen's bathroom.

It was not known when it was taken, or whether it is even authentic, but lawyers of Manahan warned they are looking to file charges against those found to be behind the video's uploading on the Net.

That charge can draw a jail term of from three to seven years and/or a fine not lower than P100,000.

Manahan's lawyers stressed they do not think that the circulation of the video would affect in any way the ongoing hearings on the murder charge filed by police against siblings of Ramgen - RJ and Ramona - accused of conspiring to order a hit on their older brother in a bitter dispute over money.

RJ is in police detention while Ramona has fled abroad, first to Turkey where her husband lives, and later to Cyprus.

Janelle, who was shot in the face during the November 29 attack on Ramgen and nearly died from her injuries, is deemed a crucial witness in the young actor’s murder.

The camp of Genelyn Magsaysay, mother of Ramgen and the accused, has not reacted to the circulation of the video or the suspicion that her other children were behind it.

Meanwhile, Ramgen's half-brother, Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr has asked the National Bureau of Investigation to identify and prosecute those behind the spread of the video.

Revilla requested the NBI to conduct an investigation into the matter, arrest the culprits, and prosecute them for violating Republic Act 2009 or the Anti-Voyeurism Law of 2009, which the senator co-authored.

The senator said it what was done to Ramgen was adding insult to injury. He said Ramgen was brutally murdered and need not be further insulted.

"Sobrang pambababoy ang ginagawa nila sa kapatid ko. Karumal-dumal na nga ang pagkamatay ni Ramgen, sinisira pa nila ang pagkatao," Revilla said.

He also took the cudgels for Janelle, whom he said had gone through a lot of difficulties and need not suffer further humiliation.

"Mas grabe pa ang pambababoy na ginagawa nila kay Janelle. Grabe na ang kanyang pinagdaanan, at pilit pa nilang niyuyurakan ang pagkababae nito ngayon," Bong said. (report from Interaksyon.com)

The Pinoy Biggest Loser Fab Five say they already feel like winners

Only three days to go before the grand finale of the country’s largest reality show series The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition and grand weigh-in of all the contestants. But as early as now, the Fab Five said that they already feel like winners to be part of the show’s first season contenders.

Twenty-six-year-old Angela admitted she feels more content about her weight now. “Siyempre lahat kami pumasok sa camp na gusto naming lahat pumayat. So heto na binigay naman sa amin. Actually kung ako tatanungin, okay eh. Panalo na ako. Kung ano man yung kinalalagyan ko ngayon, kahit hindi lang sa akin, lahat kami panalo kami hindi naman lahat talaga nabigyan ng chance na ma-experience yung experience namin so nagpapasalamat ako kung nasaan man ako ngayon.”

The only other female finalist, 22-year-old Hazel admitted she also shares the same feeling of contentment as Angela. “Ang pinaka-goal ko talaga is to lose the weight tapos sabi ko sa sarili ko pag dumating ako sa puntong yun, I’d be super happy. Sabi ko nga before, kung ang ibigay na blessings ni Lord bumubuhos talaga. So right now kung tatanungin ako kung kuntento ako, yes I am contented as of now. And feeling ko, wala na akong iba pang mahihiling kasi overwhelmed ako sa lahat ng blessings ngayon,” she said.

Hazel’s first boyfriend, co-finalist Raffy whom she met inside the camp, said he had a lot of realizations about his life during the camp. “At first, before kami pumasok, iniisip namin na ito yung game na papayat kami so feeling namin heto na yun, pero ang dami naming na-realize. Like ako, dito ko na-realize na mahal ko pala family ko and dito ko na-realize na for me to fulfill my dreams, kailangan ko rin i-fulfill yung dreams nila. Kasi ako yung dapat maging tatay sa amin. Parang ito yung start ng training para makuha ko yung ultimate dream,” he explained.

Former civil servant Larry said that his joining the BLPE was a way of turning his life around after dealing with obesity. “Nung nakikita ko pa lang sa TV, pangarap ko ng makapasok sa Biggest Loser. Alam ko na dito magbabago buhay ko, na ‘pag pumayat ako mababawi ko yung buhay ko, mapapagpatuloy ko yung pangarap ko sa buhay na maalagaan ko pamilya ko hanggang sa tumanda sila at magka-asawa. Yun talaga yung pangarap ko,” he said.

Businessman Art on the other hand, said his concern was for his health above all things, even though he also echoes the same sentiments as his co-finalists in the show. “Actually, all my dreams, I really try to accomplish all of them. But I have one dream, which is to live longer. Kasi I didn’t think I was going to live long. I was 341 pounds entering the camp. Pero mga two months before that I was 360. So my only dream right now is to actually live longer so I can have more dreams,” he shared.

Catch the Fab Five and the rest of the Pinoy Biggest Loser contestants at the grand finale and final weigh-in on October 8, Saturday at the Ynares Stadium in Pasig. Log on to Push.com.ph daily for more updates on The Biggest Loser Pinoy edition. (Rhea Manila Santos/Push.com.ph)

Mario Maurer is willing to do a movie in the Philippines

Pumunta ang The Buzz sa Thailand nitong nakaraang linggo at pinalad makasilip sa isang clothing pictorial ng Thai teen heartthrob na si Mario Maurer.

Nagkaroon ng chance ang TV program na ma-interview ang binata na sikat na sikat ngayon sa bansa.

Minahal ng mga Pinoy si Mario dahil sa Thai movie na Crazy Little Thing Called Love at marami ang nahumaling sa dugong Chinese-German actor.

Dagdag pa niya, malaking oportunidad daw kung makagagawa siya ng pelikula sa bansa.

“I never expected I’d get famous in (the) Philippines nor in China or in Taiwan,” simula niya. Bukas din siya na makapareha ng isang Pinay actress.

Ang libangan daw niya ay pagkolekta ng mga vintage car models.

“And I collect many books about cars,” dagdag pa niya.

Sinabi pa niya na mayroon nga raw siyang maliit na model ng Philippine jeep at itinatago niya ito sa isang cabinet niya sa bahay.

Kapag may libreng oras, ang pinagkakaabalahan daw niya, “I usually go skate-boarding (or) go to the gym and lift weights with my friends.”

Meron din daw siyang simpleng pangarap.

“I just wanna build a house with a little bit of space and I want to make a garage and next to the garage I want to make a skateboard park. I want to wake up in the garage and walk a little bit and I have my skateboard park.”

Sa tipo naman niyang babae, paglalarawan ni Mario, “I like (a) sweet girl, kinda happy girl, funny girl. I like girls who dress up nice.”

Sinabi pa sa report ng The Buzz kahapon na pinaplano ngayon ng Star Cinema na kunin si Mario para makagawa ng movie sa bansa.

“If I have a chance to do a movie in the Philippines (it) would be very great,” anang aktor.

Sinabi rin ni Mario na bibisita siya sa bansa para sa endorsement ng isang clothing brand. (Bernie Franco, Push.com.ph)

Kim Chiu reveals she has new suitors

Sa report ng The Buzz ay inamin ng aktres na si Kim Chiu na may mga lalaking nanliligaw sa kanya, pero tumanggi ang dalaga na idetalye ito.

“Nahiya naman ako. Sasabihin ko nililigawan ako nito tapos hindi naman pala,” pagbibiro ng aktres na bida sa upcoming teleserye na My Binondo Girl.

Nang tanungin kung ano ang reaksyon niya sa mga bago niyang manliligaw, ang nahihiyang tugon ni Kim, “Andyan lang naman (sila) and thank you dahil wala lang... ganyan lang,” sabay tawa niya.

Samantala, sunod-sunod naman ang achievements na natatamo ni Kim. Natapos na ang dream house ng aktres na walang dudang mamahalin.

Bukod pa rito ay nakapagtapos na siya ng high school.

At isa na rin siya sa ikinokonsiderang top endorsers sa bansa ngayon.

Sinabi rin ni Kim na balak niyang ipagpatuloy ang kanyang pag-aaral.

Pero hindi pa niya alam kung kailan pero ang gusto raw niyang kurso ay may kinalaman sa business.

“ ‘Di ka naman forever nasa showbiz, nasa limelight. Gusto ko ‘yung pera ko may pinupuntahan, umiikot and kumikita.”

Masaya rin si Kim dahil pumunta pa sila ng Hong Kong para dun i-shoot ang ilang eksena ng kanyang upcoming teleserye.

First time kasi niyang magti-taping sa ibang bansa.

“Masaya and excited kasi bagong experience for me. Hindi naman lahat ng show ng ABS-CBN magsi-shoot sa ibang basa, so nagpapasalamat and thankful (na) nabigyan ako ng ganitong chance.” (Bernie Franco, Push.com.ph)