How to Fix: Locked out of ScreenConnect On-Prem v23.9+ (2024)

Dennis Faas — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:20:57 +0000

Infopackets Reader Fred J. writes: " Dear Dennis, Like you, I use an on-premise version of ConnectWise ScreenConnect to provide technical support to my clients. A recent security vulnerability ( CVE-2024-1709 ) this past February forced me to upgrade ScreenConnect to their latest branch (currently version 23.9) in order to patch the system. Prior to that, I was using an old Linux version of ScreenConnect from 2016. A few weeks after the upgrade, however, the 'Administrator' user I use to log into my on-prem ScreenConnect is locked out because bots keep hitting my login page in order to guess ... (view more)

Florida Passes Age Restriction Rules for Internet

John Lister — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:00:58 +0000

Florida law now says under-14s can't use social media while 14 and 15-year-olds need parental permission. The controversial law takes effect from the start of 2025 but may still be challenged in the Supreme Court. The new state law says social media platforms must delete any existing account held by somebody aged under 14 as well as prevent under 14s from opening a new one. Supporters of the law said children of this age weren't mature enough to understand the "addictive technologies" of such sites and make an informed choice whether to use them. Hefty Penalties For those aged 14 or 15, ... (view more)

YouTube Adds 'Jump Ahead' to Best Moments

John Lister — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 16:51:25 +0000

YouTube may soon automatically figure out the "best parts" of a video and let users jump straight to them. It could aid viewers but might not be great news for people who make videos for in return for compensation (whether it's an embedded paid sponsorship or Google Ads). The company is testing out the technology in what it is calling "a very small experiment in the US". It suggests the feature will, at least at first, be exclusive to subscribers of YouTube Premium. The feature, known as Jump Ahead, appears to be in testing in both the mobile app and connected TV app versions of YouTube. With ... (view more)

Home Internet Subsidy Program Ending

John Lister — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:33:46 +0000

A program to make broadband cheaper for low income households will soon expire. The Affordable Connectivity Program provokes political debate on both the importance of technology and the role of government. The program launched in 2021 with a $14 billion funding commitment from the federal government. It was available for households based on their income or them also being eligible for programs such as Medicaid or nutritional aid. Eligible households received a $30 discount on their broadband bill. Some providers created basic packages priced at $30, meaning the households did not pay any ... (view more)

Scammers Hijack Google Search AI Results

John Lister — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:43:20 +0000

Recently, Google has started baking artificial intelligence (AI) into its standard search results. However, the new AI-powered responses have been criticized for giving credibility to scams, including leading users to malicious sites where their systems could be compromised by ransomware and similar. Although the baked-in artificial intelligence results have already been available for people who have intentionally asked to try it, what's important to note is that Google is now rolling it out for some ordinary users when they carry out a search. The idea of the new tool is to better handle ... (view more)

How to Fix: Revert Chrome UI and Right Click Menu (2024)

Dennis Faas — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:41:38 +0000

Infopackets Reader Steve T. writes: " Dear Dennis, I use Chrome as my web browser and when I right click on a web page, I often use the option to 'View page source' so that I can copy its contents and edit the HTML using another program. The problem is that in 2023, Google released an update to Chrome that changed the right click menu. Now, I am forced to scroll through the menu in order to get to the 'View page source' option. This is painful and time consuming since I do it many times a day. Last year I came across a few articles that suggested going to 'chrome://flags/' via the web address ... (view more)

Apple 'Still Not Playing Fair' for In-App Fees

John Lister — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 16:50:08 +0000

Major tech companies including Microsoft and Meta say Apple is trying to weasel out of a court ruling on the way it handles app payments. They've weighted in on a court dispute about how to enforce a judgment against Microsoft. The case centers on in-app payments where people who've already installed an app give extra money to the app developers. Common examples include subscriptions to a digital service or payments for additional content in games. Apple demands a cut of either 15 or 30 percent of such payments made through its payment handling services. Critics, including games maker Epic, ... (view more)

YouTube To Flag Up Misleading AI Clips

John Lister — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 15:08:25 +0000

YouTube says video creators must reveal when they have used artificial intelligence tools. However, the rules only apply in specific circumstances. According to YouTube, creators using AI is not a problem in itself. Instead it wants viewers to be better informed about "whether the content they're seeing is altered or synthetic." The new requirement only applies when people use such tools create "realistic content", which YouTube defines as "content a viewer could easily mistake for a real person, place, scene or event." (Source: blog.youtube ) Animation OK There's no need to label AI-based ... (view more)

Chrome Improves Real-Time Protection

John Lister — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:19:51 +0000

Google says Chrome will now warn users about risky sites using real-time information. The improvements won't compromise user privacy. Chrome already offers a feature called Safe Browsing. The default option, "standard protection," kicks in when users are about to visit a site, download a file or install an extension. The feature compares the target URL (website address) against a database of known and suspected security risks and warns the user of a match. The optional "enhanced protection" option will also actively check the target site for any signs that it may be compromised, threaten ... (view more)

How to Fix: Block HP 44.1.2402.1741 USB Update (Step by Step)

Dennis Faas — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:48:50 +0000

Infopackets Reader Gina P. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently checked my Windows 11 Update and Security (i.e. Windows Update), and I see a bunch of failed updates for Hewlett-Packard - USB - 2/10/2017 12:00:00 AM - 44.1.2402.1741 . I've rebooted my machine three times today, and I see 6 corresponding failures for Hewlett-Packard - USB - 2/10/2017 12:00:00 AM - 44.1.2402.1741. From what I gather, appears that the HP USB update is attempting to install twice each time I turn on the machine or reboot. It also appears to have been failing to install for well over a year. I've searched google on ... (view more)

Google Pays $10 Million In Bug Bounties

John Lister — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 23:28:09 +0000

Google has revealed it paid $10 million in bounties to people who spotted security bugs in its products last year. More people earned rewards than in an equivalent Microsoft program, though Google paid out less per person. Such programs are designed not only to boost security but to encourage security researchers to work for good, rather than exploit bugs. However, critics say tech companies should put more of their resources into making software as bug-free as possible to start with. Google paid out a total of $10 million in 2023, split between 632 researchers in 68 countries. The highest ... (view more)

VideoProc Converter AI Review

Dennis Faas — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:54:31 +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)

3D Wi-Fi Could Boost Capacity

John Lister — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:14:26 +0000

A "3D" processor could make wireless communication more efficient according to scientists at the University of Florida. It could benefit both WiFi and cellular data services. One of the limitations of current WiFi tech is that it uses a "planar processor" to handle the wireless signal. Because these processors are (in practical terms) two-dimensional, they can only work with a limited range of wireless frequencies. Expanding the range of frequencies planar processors can handle is only possible by making them wider, a little like increasing capacity on roads. But making the ... (view more)

Web Pioneer Foresees Big Tech Breakup

John Lister — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 17:00:01 +0000

35 years after conceiving the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee has shared his predictions for its future. The boldest is the possibility of a major tech company being broken up. Berners-Lee also believes artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality could be harnessed for positive changes to our daily lives. Although the Internet dates back in some ways to the US military in the late 1960's and in others to the adoption of a common inter-network communication standard in 1983, it had some major use limitations. That changed with Berners-Lee coming up with the idea of the World Wide Web, a ... (view more)

Security Experts Call for Ransomware Payment Ban

John Lister — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:46:52 +0000

A former cyber security chief says governments should ban organizations from paying money to ransomware gangs. Ciaran Martin likened such payment to bans on paying terrorist kidnappers. The call has had a mixed response, with critics calling it an unfair constraint on business freedoms. Martin was the first head of the United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre. That's an organization overseen by the country's intelligence services that advises businesses and the public on cyber security threats. Ransomware has become a business worth an estimated $20 billion a year to criminals who gain ... (view more)

Google To Weed Out Low Quality Sites

John Lister — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:33:30 +0000

Google says its next search algorithm update will dramatically reduce the number of low quality results people see. It's particularly targeting sites that prioritize getting high search rankings over providing useful content for readers. The company says tests of the new algorithm showed that, when combined with a similar update in 2022, it reduced "low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 40%." Of course, that measurement involves a subjective measure of what content qualifies as low-quality. (Source: gizmodo.com )) Quality Over Quantity According to Google, the algorithm update ... (view more)

Windows Bug Exploited For Six Months

John Lister — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 16:53:13 +0000

A Windows bug patched last month had been exploited for six months by hackers linked to North Korea. Microsoft reportedly knew about it and the delay in fixing it may have been down to internal bureaucracy. Security company Avast found the bug last August and reported it to Microsoft. At the time it was already a zero-day bug , meaning there was evidence hackers not only knew about the bug but where taking advantage of it. That meant Microsoft had "zero days" head start in coming up with a fix and rolling it out before hackers exploited it. Microsoft released a fix in the February "Patch ... (view more)

Supreme Court Debates Site Moderation vs Censorship

John Lister — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:39:28 +0000

Two state laws governing the way social media companies moderate content could be under threat. Questioning by Justices in a Supreme Court cases suggested they may not be convinced the laws are constitutional. The case, examining laws in Florida and Texas, covers one of the most longstanding dilemmas of the Internet age: whether website owners are publishers or a platform. This affects questions such as whether the site owner is responsible for defamation or other breaches of the law involving content, plus the extent to which the First Amendment applies. In this case, both states brought in ... (view more)

Processor Breakthrough Could Double Speeds

John Lister — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 18:21:49 +0000

A new approach to computer processing could double speeds while halving power consumption, according to researchers. The approach could work on existing hardware without needing physical modifications. The research builds on the existing technique of multithreading. That's an attempt to overcome the major limitation of computer processors (CPUs). They are broken down into cores (often 2, 4 or 8 cores) but each core can only carry out one task at any specific split-second. Workload Optimized Threading means breaking bigger tasks down into a list of individual steps known as a thread. The ... (view more)

Transparent Laptop Display Raises Eyebrows

John Lister — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 17:35:45 +0000

Lenovo has designed a laptop with a see-through display. But it's pretty transparently a gimmick. The company demonstrated the screen at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, an annual trade show where tech companies often unveil their latest ideas for portable gadgets. The technology behind a transparent display isn't particularly new. Generally they work by blocking or reflecting light to create an image, rather than emitting light as happens with traditional displays that are black when not in use or showing a "blank" image. The main use of the Lenovo "Project Crystal" display is for ... (view more)

Apple Updates 'Wet Phone Fix' Advice

John Lister — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:43:18 +0000

Apple has warned users not to dry an iPhone in a bag of rice. It says the popular "tip" won't repair water damage and could cause even more problems. Numerous online guides have suggested the fix in cases where a phone is dropped into water and stops working. They usually suggest putting the phone in a zip-lock bag with uncooked rice, the logic being that the rice will absorb moisture, eventually drying out even the inside of a phone. Apple has now updated its official advice to include examples of what not to do: Don't dry your iPhone using an external heat source or compressed air. Don't ... (view more)

Android Malware Targets Banking Apps

John Lister — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 18:18:50 +0000

The latest malware targeting banking users may have infected up to 200,000 Android devices. The criminals behind Anatsa have deliberately exploited what's meant to be a useful feature that makes users' lives easier. The attacks have some familiar features such as distributing the malware through free tools that perform some basic functions and finding ways around the Android permission system. What makes it a particularly nasty campaign is that it takes advantage of the Android Accessibility system. Security researchers at ThreatFabric spotted the malware in five apps with similar names: ... (view more)

TikTok Accused of Fueling Addiction

John Lister — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:56:44 +0000

TikTok is under formal investigation for allegedly deliberately making its service addictive. It's the first test of how laws banning such behavior will operate. The Chinese-owned video company is controversial on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US, many federal and state agencies ban employees from using TikTok over security concerns, with Montana even attempting to ban it from the state altogether. (Source: guardian.com ) Now the European Commission says it has enough evidence from a preliminary investigation to move to formal proceedings against the company. It involves several alleged ... (view more)

Patch Tuesday a Must Install This Month

John Lister — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:32:27 +0000

Microsoft has fixed two bugs which bypassed Windows security measures. Both were actively exploited before the fix, making it vital to install the updates. The fixes come in this month's "Patch Tuesday" update, the main monthly security update that Microsoft officially calls the "B update". It should download and install without further action for anyone with automatic updates switched on, but may need a reboot to complete. Both bugs affect most supported versions of Windows, including 10, 11 and Windows Server. Microsoft rates the two bugs as "important" and "moderate" respectively, though ... (view more)

Triple-Display Phones On Way

John Lister — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 20:14:00 +0000

Phone screens that fold in half may soon be yesterday's news. Two smartphone giants are both reportedly working on triple foldable phones. Huawei and Samsung have both previously filed patents for relevant technology. Now reports suggest Samsung will release a model later this year while Huawei may beat it to the punch with a release somewhere between April and June. The reports have been fuelled partly by orders placed with component manufacturers in Taiwan. (Source: pandaily.com ) While Huawei may be first to market, Samsung would have a major advantage in the US market. That's because the ... (view more)

Fake LastPass Gets Vetted by App Store

John Lister — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 18:08:57 +0000

A fake app pretending to be from password manager LastPass not only made it into the Apple App Store but had a five star rating. It's arguably among the worst possible types of bogus app to bypass Apple's usually strict vetting process. LastPass is one of the best known password manager tools. It lets users store their passwords in an encrypted vault, accessible only with a master password. The service can also generate secure passwords. The company's name is based on the idea that the master password is the last password the user will ever need to create or remember. The big catch, of course ... (view more)

Toothbrush Botnet Army Story Was Bogus

John Lister — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:00:15 +0000

Reports that 3 million "smart" toothbrushes were hacked and weaponized turn out to be misleading at best. It appears to have been a mistranslation or misunderstanding. The reports first surfaced last week in Switzerland and involved toothbrushes supposedly running the Java computer language. They were said to have been hacked and used for a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that caused huge disruption and financial costs to a targeted business. Not every element of the story is as completely ridiculous as it might seem. "Smart" toothbrushes do exist, with connections to smartphone ... (view more)

Google Ads Breached by Phone Carrier Scam

John Lister — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:46:11 +0000

Google has shown bogus ads for a scam website at the top of its results page according to a consumer group. The ads had somehow bypassed checks designed to make sure only legitimate businesses appear in the "sponsored" section of the results. These results, labeled as sponsored, appear at the top of the rankings. They come above the "organic" results which are based on Google's algorithm that takes into account factors such as the relevance of a page to the search term, the authority and expertise of the creator, and whether people who click on the result quickly return to the search results ... (view more)

Liquid Metal Could Transform Computer Memory

John Lister — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:59:47 +0000

Researchers in China have found a way to make flexible computer memory using liquid metal. It could one day revolutionize the physical design of computer devices. Anyone who has handled either internal computer RAM or a flash memory device will know that bending them even slightly would not end well. That's partly because the electronics is housed on often-brittle plastics, but partly because those electronics need to be flat and inflexible themselves. In very simple terms, RAM uses flat, two-dimensional electronic grids. Each point where a horizontal and vertical line crosses is a cell that ... (view more)

Edge Imports Chrome Tabs Without Permission

John Lister — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:41:06 +0000

Users have reported Microsoft Edge opening up and displaying tabs they'd just had open in Chrome. The most generous reading is that a "helpful" feature is triggering by mistake. Users have been extremely confused to start up their computer and not only find Edge open unexpectedly, but that it had replicated the sites they'd been using on Chrome. The Verge's Tom Warren noted he didn't even realize it was Edge running at first until he investigated why he was logged out on several of the open sites. The mystery isn't how this is happening but rather why it is happening. Edge has several ... (view more)

German Train Company Seeks Windows 3.11 Experts

John Lister — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 18:04:19 +0000

If you still have the skills for Windows 3.11, you may have been a candidate for a recent job ad in Germany. It appears the role, using the 30-year-old system, has been filled. The vacancy was advertised by national railway company Deutsche Bahn. The successful candidate would be assigned to Siemens, which is responsible for the rail tech division for the train control system. The role would involve keeping old systems operational so that train drivers could get real time information about equipment. The Register notes that although Windows 3.11's release in November 1993 is almost ... (view more)

Windows 10 Support Deadline Raises Questions

John Lister — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 18:40:49 +0000

Windows 10 devices are set to become insecure next year unless users pay an extra fee. But with warnings of 240 million devices "going to landfill", it remains possible Microsoft will blink at the last moment. That Windows 10 reaches the end of its support period on October 14, 2025 is no secret: it's long been on Microsoft's support calendar and is in line with the company's policy of 10 years support. From that date, Microsoft will no longer issue free security updates. As happened with Windows 7, Microsoft will offer a paid update service for people in "circumstances that could prevent you ... (view more)

Apple Loopholes Could Quash Third-party App Stores

John Lister — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 18:09:55 +0000

Apple appears to be exploring loopholes in its recent agreement to allow iPhone users to install apps from sources other than its official store. It wants to continue reviewing apps and taking commission from developers, which could significantly undermine the effect of the changes. The company has until March 7 to comply with new rules in Europe. Rather than fight the rules or pull out of the market altogether, it decided to allow sideloading for users in European Union countries . Unlike with some physical device changes made to meet European rules, Apple won't be extending the policy to ... (view more)

New Error Correcting Could Reduce AI Hallucinations

John Lister — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 17:54:32 +0000

A physical limitation in traditional computers could be harnessed to power artificial intelligence according to a start-up business. They've demonstrated what they call a "thermodynamic computer." The research is all about the way that computers use a physical process to carry out a digital, mathematical operation. All traditional computing boils down to a circuit board using electronic switches to represent and process data as either a 1 (for "true") or a 0 (for "false"). The physical aspect can lead to problems, however. New Scientist gives the example of a component ... (view more)

26 Billion User Records Compromised

John Lister — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:07:34 +0000

A leak of around 26 billion user records has been labeled "the mother of all breaches." It's a major reminder of the downsides of reusing the same passwords on multiple sites. The collection of records is not a single stolen database. Instead, it appears to be a massive compilation of databases that have either been leaked before or sold on the black market. The database was spotted online by security researchers, likely a sign that whoever compiled it screwed up somewhere by mistakenly making it accessible. The researchers noted the database was extremely well indexed and organized. The ... (view more)

Google Introduces "Circle" Searches

John Lister — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:41:50 +0000

Google has come up with a new twist when it comes to searching on mobile devices. Users of some Android handsets can draw a circle round text or images on their screen to search. The "Circle to Search" feature will also let users ask specific questions relating to what they have selected. Unlike many search tools, this will work directly in any app, not just the Chrome browser or other Google applications. Google gives the example of searching for information relating to a video or social media posts. (Source: blog.google ) The search results will then appear in a pop-up window. Users can tap ... (view more)

YouTube Adblocker Controversy Continues

John Lister — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:49:11 +0000

Claims that YouTube deliberately slowed down computers running ad blockers turned out to be bogus. The problem was actually with the ad blockers themselves. The claims were made by users of online forums who reported significant slowdowns when watching YouTube while running an ad blocker. Reports varied from those saying video playback was slow to start and repeatedly stuttering to those saying the entire Chrome browser was slow to respond, even on other tabs. Deterrence Measures At first glance the claims appeared plausible. That's because last year YouTube carried out multiple experiments ... (view more)

Apple to Allow Third Party App Stores

John Lister — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 18:04:49 +0000

Apple is reportedly planning to allow iPhone owners to use third-party app stores and "sideloaded" apps. But the move appears to be limited to Europe, complying with local regulations. Throughout the existence of the iPhone and iPad, Apple has been adamant about only allowing users to install software downloaded from the official Apple store. It argues that's necessary to maintain security and ensure compatibility and performance to make sure users get the best experience. Cynics counter it's actually about maintaining a monopoly on supplying apps, giving Apple more power to charge ... (view more)

Windows Laptop Meets Android Tablet In New Hybrid

John Lister — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:00:20 +0000

The latest Lenovo laptop takes the idea of a 2-in-1 device to new levels. It remains to be seen if anyone actually wants its offering of a combination Windows laptop and Android tablet. At first glance the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid device looks like an ordinary laptop, albeit with the ability to fold the screen to any angle, including completely back so the device is folded flat but with the keyboard and screen on the outside (similar to the Lenovo Yoga). That's a familiar setup to many existing devices designed for use in different scenarios such as working with the keyboard, ... (view more)

23andMe Blames Victims for Information Hack

John Lister — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 17:52:06 +0000

DNA and ancestry site 23andMe has told victims of a major hack that it's their fault for not using unique passwords. The claim came in a letter aimed deterring victims from proceeding with a class action case. The site admitted last month that almost 7 million customers have been affected by a data breach. Hackers directly accessed personal data including DNA information of about 14,000 people. However, they were able to get some personal data of another 6.9 million people that enabled a feature to share information with potential relatives. Unsurprisingly, this led to legal action from ... (view more)

Chrome Starts Blocking Some Cookies

John Lister — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 18:27:33 +0000

Google has begun blocking third-party cookies in the Chrome browser. However, it's letting some websites take longer than originally planned to make the change. When in force, the block means Chrome will disable cookies placed by third parties rather than the site itself. That means sites can continue using cookies that can be useful, for example making a note of a customer's preferred movie theater so that they automatically see relevant listings and times. Third-party cookies are more commonly associated with advertising. For example, visiting a fishing equipment website might lead to a ... (view more)

WhatsApp Change May Hit Google Storage

John Lister — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 18:15:02 +0000

WhatsApp users on Android could hit storage limits thanks to a change in Google policy. However, claims it could mean a "shock new fee" are misleading at best. Users of the popular messaging app can have their messages, including videos and images, automatically backed up from an Android device. However, WhatsApp itself does not handle the backup or store the data. Instead the backup is on Google Drive. Because WhatsApp doesn't hold backups itself, the Google Drive backup may be the only way to restore data when moving to a new phone, particularly when the old handset is broken or unavailable ... (view more)

Gov't Tackles E-Waste, Discounts Smartphone Repairs

John Lister — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:55:47 +0000

A national government is offering $219 to help people get computers and mobile phones repaired. The program in Austria is designed to help individuals and the environment. The "Repair Bonus" program is available for all electrical appliances, though it's most effective for people with expensive devices such as technology products. Smartphones are the most popular item being repaired. Under the program, the government will pay 50 percent of the repair, with its contribution capped at €200 (US$219). This limit applies to individual devices and there's no limit on how many devices a person ... (view more)