Google Reveals Election Security Efforts

John Lister — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 19:23:33 +0000

Google has revealed a series of measures aimed to better inform US voters while reducing the risk of malicious misinformation. It includes restrictions on its AI tools and better protection against cyber attacks for election and campaign officials. The measures broadly break down into three categories. The first is better information for users who are trying to find out more about elections. For example, users who search YouTube for the name of an election candidate will get an information panel detailing official website and video channel links for the candidate. (Source: engadget.com ) ... (view more)

Windows Recall Not Uninstallable

John Lister — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 16:42:19 +0000

Microsoft says its controversial Windows Recall feature will not be removable in Windows 11. The optional feature creates near-continuous screenshots of the computer display for an AI-powered help tool. The feature launches next month for people in the Windows Insider program before rolling out to all users. A recent update to test versions of Windows 11 showed Recall as a feature that could not only be turned on or off, but could be completely uninstalled. On/Off Confusion Microsoft has now issued a statement saying that's not the case, telling The Verge that "We are aware of an issue where ... (view more)

Do Phone 'Drying' Videos Really Work?

John Lister — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:55:35 +0000

YouTube videos that claim to fix a waterlogged phone really can work according to a semi-scientific test. But results are not guaranteed and it's not a reason to take excessive risks. Numerous videos (and some dedicated phone apps) all claim to fix a soggy phone in the same way. The theory is that the main risk is liquid getting into the phone through the speaker, which inherently can't be airtight - rather, quite the opposite. The videos "work" simply by playing a specific oscillating tone at a deep frequency that causes the speaker to push air at just the right force to dislodge the water. ... (view more)

New Dumbphone Has Smart Branding

John Lister — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 17:34:57 +0000

The makers of a Barbie-branded fliphone say it could help overcome smartphone addiction in young people. If nothing else, it could be a test case of form vs function. The handset is as overwhelmingly pink as you might expect, but is closer to a late 90s handset than a modern smartphone. It's made from HMD, which is the company that makes Nokia branded handsets. The device has virtually no modern features and doesn't allow app installation. It supports voice calls and basic texting but has no web browser or touchscreen. It has a single game, a Barbie-themed version of Snake. A Plethora Of Pink ... (view more)

Ransomware Turns to Triple Threat

John Lister — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 17:47:40 +0000

A notorious ransomware group has engaged in a "triple threat" attack. As well as locking files and threatening to expose data, the Qilin group has been spotted trying to steal saved passwords from Chrome. The Qilin group appears to have been operating for at least two years but came to wider attention in 2022 when it attacked British hospitals. The group's origins and membership aren't known for certain, but it has communicated in Russian. As is becoming more common, Qilin doesn't simply restrict itself to encrypting files and systems and then demanding a ransom payment to restore access. It ... (view more)

Banking Scam Bypasses iOS, Android App Store Vetting

John Lister — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:13:07 +0000

A useful web feature could be a serious phishing risk according to security researchers. They say scammers are using "progressive web apps" to bypass Android and iOS security features. In simple terms, a progressive web app is a mix of a website and a standalone application. It's technically a website and uses web technologies, allowing for instant updates. However, it looks and feels more like a standalone app and can often access more of a device's resources than a web browser. Security firm ESET says scammers are using progressive web apps as a way to overcome a major limitation in scams ... (view more)

Google Warns of 2G SMS Scam

John Lister — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:54:45 +0000

Google has warned Android users to disable 2G connectivity. It says scammers are taking advantage of the outdated tech to send phishing messages and other spam that gets past all filters. 2G cellphone service was commonplace in the 1990s before being followed by 3G in the 2000s. 2G was the beginning of digital mobile phone connections and allowed for SMS text messaging, though it wasn't fast enough to support reliable mobile Internet services. While most US carriers have disabled their 2G networks, many handsets still support it. It can be useful as a last resort in places with either limited ... (view more)

Chrome Sharing Could Blur Sensitive Info

John Lister — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 16:35:14 +0000

Chrome on Android may soon automatically blur out sensitive data when screen sharing or recording. It's a potentially useful feature that brings some big questions. The feature was spotted as an optional "flag" in Chrome Canary, which means it's at the very earliest stage of public testing. Canary is a version of Chrome for people happy to be the first to try new features or update, the name referring to the literal "canary in the mine" whose death would warn miners of a problem such as a gas leak. Making a flag means it's not enabled by default even in Canary. That means it's very possible ... (view more)

FTC Bans Fake Online Reviews

John Lister — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 16:52:41 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made it illegal to buy or sell fake reviews in return for payment. The new rule also outlaws lying about who wrote a review and includes several other measures designed to make reviews more trustworthy. The "Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials" was approved unanimously by the FTC and, once formally published, will take effect after 60 days. It follows a consultation and review spanning nearly two years. Threats Outlawed The rule is wide-ranging, banning the following actions based on creating, buying or selling a fake ... (view more)

Google and Meta Accused of Teen Ad Targeting

John Lister — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 17:14:59 +0000

Google staff have been accused of exploiting a loophole to target ads at children. The workaround reportedly broke company policy but not any existing laws. According to the Financial Times, the workaround was done in partnership with Meta, which wanted a way to advertise Instagram on YouTube and target 13 to 17 year olds. (Source: ft.com ) Normally that would be impossible under Google's rules for targeting, which don't let advertisers specify ages under 18 when selecting who does and doesn't see an ad. Known Unknowns However, the Financial Times claims Google staff not only knew Meta wanted ... (view more)

Apple 'Distraction Control' Tool May Block Ads

John Lister — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:31:09 +0000

iPhones and iPads could soon let users permanently hide parts of web pages including pop-up windows. The move has proven controversial with suggestions it could also be used as an ad-blocker. The new feature is called Distraction Control and is in the development beta stages (i.e. test version) of the Safari web browser in the upcoming iOS 18 update. It also appears to be on the way in Safari for Mac computers. The feature lets users tap a page menu button marked "Hide Distracting Items". That will bring up a list of elements on a web page such as pop-up windows, autoplay videos and banners ... (view more)

Court: Google Has Search Monopoly

John Lister — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 20:10:13 +0000

Google has acted unlawfully to maintain its monopoly in the search market, according to a US court ruling. Whether it will face any practical consequences remains to be seen. The ruling was in a case brought by the Department of Justice alleging violations of the Sherman Act. That makes it a felony to intentionally act or conspire to have or maintain a monopoly in a particular market. Previous cases have established that this isn't simply about market share but rather the ability to exploit monopoly power. The judge in the case did not mince his words, stating that "Google is a monopolist, ... (view more)

Google Search Results Slammed In Studies

John Lister — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:50:53 +0000

Two studies both say Google's search rankings help only the company itself. One says the ranking algorithm worsens the experience for users, while the other says paid placements in the rankings doesn't even benefit businesses. The first study is from WalletHub, which looked specifically at searches for 48 terms related to credit cards and banking. It claims that in more than a third of searches it carried out, the entire top 10 results were from pages that didn't have any editorial content and were simply promoting financial services for paid advertisers. (Source: wallethub.com ) (While some ... (view more)

Android Malware Hidden For Years

John Lister — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:40:21 +0000

Five rogue Android apps remained in the Google Play store for more than two years. They hosted notorious malware called Mandrake that was hidden through some creative means. According to SecureList, the apps were titled AirFS, Amber, Astro Explorer, Brain Matrix and CryptoPulsing. The good news is that the apps had hardly any downloads, one of the reasons they attracted little attention. The real concern is whether malware distributors are using the same tactics with other apps. (Source: securelist.com ) Mandrake has been known about since 2020, though appears to have been in circulation ... (view more)

Online Child Privacy Laws a Step Closer

John Lister — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 18:09:32 +0000

Two proposed laws to boost online privacy and security for children have received widespread backing in the Senate. Whether the measures will make it into law remains unclear. The laws are the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teen's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). They've now been combined into a single package for administrative and voting purposes. 86 Senators agreed the laws should be considered by the Senate while just one voted against. That means they will go to a final approval vote after further discussion. (Source: ctmirror.org ) Greater Parental Controls ... (view more)

Chrome Update to Kill Many Addons, including Blockers

John Lister — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:49:42 +0000

Almost one in six Chrome extensions could stop working this summer thanks to a major Google update. They include one of the most prominent ad-blocking tools. An extension is a third party tool that integrates with Chrome to improve the user's experience when accessing websites. They can include tools as diverse as password managers, page translators and video downloaders, though ad blockers are perhaps the best known. Extensions are able to integrate with Chrome and access its data thanks for a platform called Manifest. Google has developed a Version 3 of Manifest and is phasing out support ... (view more)

VideoProc Converter AI Review

Dennis Faas — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:12:59 +0000

What's one of the best one-stop video/image quality enhancement and editing software available for Windows? Answer: Digiarty's VideoProc Converter AI! From the makers of WinX DVD Ripper and WinX Video Converter comes VideoProc Converter: a multi-award winning software program that is a one-stop video/image processing program that allows you to restore and enhance video image quality in 1 click, convert video/audio, rip DVDs, edit video, download videos, video to GIF maker ... plus much more! The latest version of VideoProc Converter AI includes the ability to upscale old pictures and video ... (view more)

Tech Giants Tell Courts to Drop Spyware Loophole

John Lister — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:54:35 +0000

Major tech companies say spyware victims should be able to sue attackers in the US even if the attack physically happens outside the country. They say its particularly important for highly targeted attacks. The companies have put out their position by filing an amicus brief in an ongoing case involving Israeli cyber intelligence firm NSO Group, makers of the infamous Pegasus spyware . An amicus brief is where people not directly involved in a case, usually subject matter experts, provide an opinion or information to help the court. The case was brought by a news organization based in El ... (view more)

Apple Promotes Safari as Best Choice for Privacy

John Lister — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 19:28:44 +0000

Apple has launched a privacy-focused ad campaign for the iPhone. It's billed as a promotion of its Safari browser but is clearly an attack on Google's Chrome. The ad is loosely based on The Birds but with the creatures replaced by flying surveillance cameras that follow and attack phone users with an onscreen graphic reading "Your browsing is being watched." It then ends with users opening the Safari browser, at which point the flying cameras explode, with a new graphic reading "Safari. A browser that's actually private." Incognito Mode Dubiously Named Apple has previously highlighted ... (view more)

How to Fix: VMware OVA Import Failed (Virtualbox)

Dennis Faas — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:17:35 +0000

Infopackets Reader Calli P. writes: " Dear Dennis, We are running one of our virtual machines on Virtualbox, but the performance is extremely lackluster and is very slow to respond, especially over a remote desktop session. I have read reports online that suggest VMware Workstation has nearly double the performance of Virtualbox and would like to migrate. After reading a few articles online, I tried exporting the Virtualbox VM to .OVA format (open virtualization format) in hopes of importing the single .OVA file into VMware Workstation, however, I get an error on VMware Workstation that says ... (view more)

Google Won't Block Tracking Cookies After All

John Lister — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:29:36 +0000

Google has ditched plans to block third-party cookies in the Chrome browser. It says it will instead let users "make an informed choice" - a change that's upset privacy campaigners. A cookie is a text file placed by a website on a user's computer. The site can then retrieve information from the file the next time the user visits, for example to log them into an account or to provide a personalized website experience such as a localized weather forecast. Many cookies are "first party," meaning they only collect and store data about a user's activity on the site which issued the cookies. ... (view more)

Quantum Computing Could Be Reality Soon

John Lister — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 17:32:20 +0000

Quantum computers could be practical in just three years from now according to a manufacturer. The technology could transform the speed and capability of computers. Oxford Ionics says it has not only produced a quantum computer chip with twice the performance of any existing chip, but that it could mass-produce its new design without needing specialist facilities. The idea of quantum computing has been explored for many years and aims to overcome one of the biggest limitations of traditional computing. Ultimately existing computers simply store data as either a 0 or a 1 (a bit), usually ... (view more)

Google Cuts Back 'AI Overview' Search

John Lister — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 16:27:31 +0000

Google has significantly scaled back its use of AI-generated "answers" on its search results page. It's also sourcing less of the "facts" from discussion forums such as Reddit. The changes are to the "AI Overview" feature, which replaced a similar feature called "Search Generative Experience". In both cases, it meant Google creating text that appeared at the top of the search results page, ahead of the normal list of links to relevant websites. The feature is primarily designed to answer questions without the need for the user to visit a website. The "answers" are a summary of information on ... (view more)

10 Billion Password Leak Not What It Seems

John Lister — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:51:49 +0000

Reports that hackers have got their hands on 10 billion passwords have been slightly overblown. The file includes passwords up to 20 years old and many may never have been used at all. The "leak" involves an online post of a text file dubbed "RockYou 2024" which is said to contain 9,948,575,739 unique passwords, all stored in plain text. It appears to be an update from a similar file published in 2021, with "only" 1.5 billion of the passwords added since that time. Cybernews estimates it contains passwords compiled from around 4,000 databases over the past 20 years. (Source: cybernews.com ) ... (view more)

How to Fix: Error Exporting VM on Virtualbox (OVF) to VMware

Dennis Faas — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:59:05 +0000

Infopackets Reader William B. writes: " Dear Dennis, I am running a server virtual machine inside of Virtualbox and it's been quite slow. I've read that VMware Workstation has twice the performance (roughly). Out of curiosity, I tried to export my current virtual machine in Virtualbox using the Open Virtualization Format (.OVF or .OVA) but I get an error every time I try to export: ' Could not create the exported medium Server-disk001.vmdk (VERR_IO_CRC) .' I am not sure what to do and would like to export this virtual machine off of Virtualbox so I can give VMware Workstation a try. " My ... (view more)

Company Promises to Patch Win10 After End of Life

John Lister — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:49:49 +0000

Microsoft has competition in the market for extending Windows 10 after its scheduled end of life. An independent company is promising simple-to-use security updates - with a cost. Officially, Microsoft will stop issuing free security updates for Windows 10 after October 14, 2025, just over 10 years after the system was released. That's not got a great reaction given Microsoft heavily implied there would be no new version after 10, and that it has arguably made Windows 11 an unnecessarily difficult upgrade through new hardware security requirements. If all goes to plan, anyone wanting to keep ... (view more)

Microsoft Says Customer Affected By Email Hack

John Lister — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:18:25 +0000

Microsoft says Russian hackers accessed its customers' emails during an attack earlier this year. It had previously only said Microsoft's own staff were victims. The company has not yet said how many customers are affected but says it has contacted them with details of the attack. Microsoft was breached by a group called Midnight Blizzard, believed to operate from Russia. The government there has not commented on the claims. The new revelations follow a Microsoft announcement in January that a small proportion of its corporate email accounts had been accessed by Midnight Blizzard. The attacks ... (view more)

How to Fix: 2024-01 Security Update for Windows 10 Fails to Install

Dennis Faas — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:15:32 +0000

Infopackets Reader Jack L. writes: " Dear Dennis, For the last 4-5 months when I try to do a Windows 10 update to download and install ' 2024-01 Security Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64 based Systems ' ( KB5034441 ) the update downloads, but when it starts to install (before I restart the computer) it constantly gives the following error code ( 0x80070643 ). Are you able to remedy this problem? " My response: I asked Jack if he would like to use my remote desktop service , and he agreed. Below I will discuss my findings. How to Fix: 2024-01 Security Update for Windows 10 Fails to ... (view more)

Being Blackmailed on Snapchat? Here's What to Do

Dennis Faas — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:00:19 +0000

Infopackets Reader Drew W. writes: " Dear Dennis, I was randomly added by a female on Snapchat and she asked me what I looked like. We hit it off, and then she asked for some inappropriate photos of myself. A few minutes later, she showed me pictures of my Instagram follower and said if I didn't pay, they would be sent to my followers. I have already sent $400 and was provided video proof of my photos being deleted. However, she is now demanding another $100 to 'delete for good', whatever that means. I already received SMS text messages from 4 other phone numbers demanding higher amounts. ... (view more)

Android Gets Easier Health Checks

John Lister — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:45:01 +0000

The next version of Android will make it easier to diagnose performance and hardware issues. It will remove the need to use hidden codes. The changes are coming to Android 15, which is expected to roll out in finished form in August. Google has just released the third beta testing version of the update and testers have noticed a new feature in the System section of the Settings app. Labeled "Device diagnostics", the feature has two elements. The first, "Evaluation Mode" reportedly lets users "use one device to assess another device", which sounds more useful for dedicated tech enthusiasts or ... (view more)

Meta AI Image Warnings Backfire

John Lister — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:12:13 +0000

Facebook and Instagram's attempts to avoid users being misled by AI-generated photos have backfired. Several users report photographs they took themselves as being falsely labeled as made by AI tools. Meta, which owns both sites plus social discussion tool Threads, has started adding a "Made with AI" label to images. In some cases it's there because the users has ticked a box to say they used AI to make the image. In other cases, it's because Meta's detection tools have flagged the image. The site has felt pressure to clearly indicate AI-generated images that could be designed to fool and ... (view more)

Scammers Could Send Emails 'From Microsoft'

John Lister — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:39:08 +0000

A particularly embarrassing bug makes it easy to send emails that appear to be from Microsoft employees. It's bad news for the public as it could make phishing scams appear more credible. The good news is that it only works if the recipient is using Outlook, though "good" is a comparative term because there are over 400 million Outlook users worldwide. (Source: cyberdaily.au ) Users Asked to Remain Vigilant Exactly how the bug works and where its found still isn't known, as the security researcher says they do not want to give details that could help potential attackers exploit the bug on a ... (view more)

No-Apps Phone Could Cost $799

John Lister — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 17:09:20 +0000

The makers of a low-tech phone say they want people to use it as little as possible. But they've added a "proper" screen that brings the price up to $399. The third incarnation of the Light Phone continues to raise questions about exactly who the intended users are, though the makers say sales have topped 100,000. (Source: techcrunch.com ) Previous versions had virtually no features: the Light Phone 2 made phone calls and accepted text messages, but had no Internet browser or installable apps. Instead it simply performed a few basic built-in tasks such as playing music files, giving driving ... (view more)

Adobe Accused of Subscription Shadiness

John Lister — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:44:11 +0000

The US government is suing Adobe for allegedly tricking users into subscriptions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the company doesn't do enough to warn users about cancellation charges and makes it too hard to cancel. The court case is against both Adobe as a company and individually against the company's vice president and its president of digital media business. The key complaint is that Adobe has breached federal consumer protection laws and thus harmed consumers. The individuals are named because they had the authority to make decisions about Adobe's subscriptions policies. ... (view more)

How to Fix: Nonexistent host networking interface (Virtualbox)

Dennis Faas — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 17:29:31 +0000

Infopackets Reader Calli P. writes: " Dear Dennis, I we just upgraded our server machine which includes all brand new hardware. The new server hardware will act as a Hypervisor, and are currently using Virtualbox to run our 'server' virtual machine. After copying over the server virtual machine to the new hardware, however, Virtualbox won't boot the virtual machine, stating ' Nonexistent host networking interface , name Intel I210 Gigabit Network Connection (VERR_INTERNAL_ERROR)', with an E_FAIL error 0x80004005 . I am not sure what to do and I need help! " My response: I asked Calli if she ... (view more)

Outlook Users Warned Of Major Bug

John Lister — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 17:27:55 +0000

This month's Microsoft "Patch Tuesday" update includes a fix for a major threat in Outlook. The bug means simply opening an email can trigger the attack. The update should have been applied to most systems by now, but some users may have shut off Windows Update, in which case it is recommended to re-enable and patch immediately. The threat, discovered by security company Morphisec, is a remote code execution vulnerability. That's particularly nasty as it gives an attacker the ability to remotely operate on the victim's computer. They could then spread malware, install ransomware or attempt to ... (view more)

How to Fix: Disable Windows 11 Reboot on Update

Dennis Faas — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:41:23 +0000

(Note that the solution below applies to any Windows 11 machine that needs to stay up and running without a reboot after updates, and not just one running VMware Workstation). Infopackets Reader Calli P. writes: " Dear Dennis, We recently upgraded our server machine to an AMD Ryzen 9 with 16 cores and 32 threads. The old machine was very outdated (only 4 core). The role of the new server is the same as the old - to be a Hypervisor - which runs VMware workstation. Inside of VMware Workstation is a virtual machine which we regard as the Server virtual machine, which runs our ESC software for ... (view more)

MS Rethinks Windows 11 Constant Snooping AI Feature

John Lister — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 16:46:20 +0000

Microsoft has backtracked on a new Windows 11 feature that screenshots a computer every few seconds. "Recall" will now be an opt-in tool that doesn't work by default. The theory behind the tool is that it would be helpful for users to be able to find information from something they'd used or been work on, even if they couldn't remember precisely when and where. That's inherently difficult to do through ordinary file or web searches, particularly if it involves an image. Searching the contents of different file types can be slow, while searching for something that isn't text can be difficult. ... (view more)

How to Fix: Upgrade Win10 VM to 11 (MBR to GPT, VMware)

Dennis Faas — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 17:59:45 +0000

Infopackets Reader Calli P. writes: " Dear Dennis, We own a heating and cooling business and have a server that uses a Windows 10 virtual machine on VMware workstation. The virtual machine runs a program called ESC Connections Server that allows us to book appointments (among other things) from our workstations and also remotely on our phones. The ESC Server and virtual machine are both mission critical. That said, I understand that Windows 10 will only be supported until October, 2025 and would like to upgrade it to Windows 11. The problem is that our virtual machine was built using the MBR ... (view more)

Windows Update a Must For Wi-Fi Threat

John Lister — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 13:48:27 +0000

The latest Windows update fixes a nasty bug that could put users at risk when connected to public WiFi. An attacker could exploit it simply by using the same network. The bug, with the reference number CVE-2024-30078, is rated as "important" by Microsoft. That rating takes into account both how easy it is to exploit and how much damage it would do. (Source: microsoft.com ) The problem is with WiFi drivers, used to make Windows work with the hardware in a computer (usually a laptop) to connect to a wireless network. It would allow hackers to take advantage of the way Internet data is broken up ... (view more)

Google Maps Timeline Data May Disappear

John Lister — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 16:20:23 +0000

Google Maps is changing the way it stores Location History. It's arguably a boost for privacy but may be a surprise for some users who appreciate the feature. The change is to the timeline feature that's included in both the desktop and mobile app versions of Google Maps. It lets users see a complete record of all places they've visited while using a mobile device with location tracking switched on. The feature will also add detail and context, for example including any picture from a visit that are saved in Google Photos, or figuring out when a user went on a trip or vacation. It can be ... (view more)

Microsoft Reinstates Test Program For Windows 10

John Lister — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:39:22 +0000

Microsoft is inviting Windows 10 users to join a test program for new features. It's something of a surprise given the system theoretically reaches its "end of life" next year. The program is part of Windows Insider, where Microsoft lets people sign up to test new Windows features. The idea is to get an audience big enough to pick up problems in real world testing, but small enough that any problems aren't a major issue. Microsoft is reopening the Beta Channel for Windows 10. That's one of four Windows Insider channels: Canary, Dev, Beta and Release Preview. The first two are very early ... (view more)

Background Data Company Suffers Massive Data Breach

John Lister — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 15:35:39 +0000

Almost three billion personal data records have been stolen from a background check company. The massive breach has unintentionally proven the value of data opt-out laws. The people who stole the data had put it up for sale to other criminals for $3.5 million, but it seems they didn't find a buyer. They are reportedly now planning to release the data publicly. That might seem an odd move given its supposed value, but it's likely part of a long game. It means that if the same group steal data in the future, they would be able to blackmail the business with more credibility. The data is said to ... (view more)

Google Play 'Update' May Be Scam

John Lister — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:05:28 +0000

Android scammers are using a creatively nasty way to spread malware. They've disguised it as an update for the Google Play store itself. It's a particularly cheeky way to try to get credibility for a malware scam. Not only is Google Play the official place to get Android apps in the first place, but the best and simplest Android security tip is to only use apps from Google Play. In this case, the malware doesn't originate as an app but instead as a bogus link. This could be on a web page, in a text message or in an email. The supposed source is Google itself and the link comes with a message ... (view more)

YouTube Glitching Again For Adblocker Users

John Lister — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:16:47 +0000

Some users are reporting finding it almost impossible to watch videos on YouTube while using an ad blocker. It's likely the latest attempt by YouTube to crack down, but seems to only work on specific ad blockers. Over recent months, YouTube had displayed a warning message to people who used an ad blocker, telling them the video would not play until they switched it off. YouTube maintains that using an ad blocker actually violates its terms of service. The company also argues that ad blocking hurts both creators and users, the logic being that without ad revenue, creators have less incentive ... (view more)

Google Search AI Says Eating Glue is OK

John Lister — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 16:34:06 +0000

Google appears to be rethinking its use of AI generated "answers" in search results page. It comes as tech experts figured out a workaround to disable the AI generated answers in the first place. The company recently launched what it calls Search Generative Experience behind the scenes, and "AI Overview" in search results. It kicks in when it thinks the user is trying to get a specific answer to a specific question rather than simply searching for a website or exploring a wider topic. The AI Overview appears at the top of the results before any links to websites and is rolling out to all ... (view more)

WinXP Lasts 10 Minutes Before Becoming Infected

John Lister — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 17:22:23 +0000

An unprotected Windows XP machine lasted just 10 minutes online before being infected. It was an extreme and arguably unrealistic experiment, but does show just how prevalent online threats are. YouTuber Eric Parker carried out the test with a virtual machine running Windows XP. A virtual machine is a machine that lives inside of another machine, which makes it appear as if the virtual machine is a separate, physical computer. It's often used by people running two operating systems on the same computer. In fact, this website runs as a virtual machine. At any rate: it's no secret that running ... (view more)

Nearly 1-in-10 Webpages Disappear in a Year

John Lister — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 19:28:28 +0000

More than a third of webpages have disappeared in the past 10 years according to a new study. Eight percent of pages that existed last year have already gone. The figures come from the Pew Research Center, exploring what it calls "digital decay" and other sources have called "link rot". (Source: pewresearch.org ) Pew's researchers looked at a random selection of URLs which were active at various points over the past 10 years. On average, a quarter have now gone. Naturally there's a downward trend, with 38 percent of pages active in 2013 now unavailable. Even with pages active as recently as ... (view more)

FBI Seizes Hacker Forum

John Lister — Fri, 31 May 2024 18:01:47 +0000

The FBI has taken control of a forum used for selling stolen data. The fact it's the second time BreachForums has been taken down this year shows how it may be an endless task. Such forums are arguably a key incentive for hackers to steal data in the first place. The forums make it easier to find buyers for the stolen data, rather than the hackers having to figure out their own tactics for exploiting the stolen information. BreachForums was also a key marketplace for selling malware used for successful hacking attacks. High-profile data offered for sale on the site in recent months included ... (view more)