user

iOS WhatsApp users should make sure their app is up to date following a dangerous security attack. The technique is particularly effective but fortunately seems to be highly targeted so far. It's been described as a zero-click attack, meaning a phone could be comprised simply by a user receiving a message. That's different to most messaging-based attacks which require a user to open an attachment or image, or to click on a link. The issue affects the Mac, iPhone and iPad apps for WhatsApp and is the result of a particularly unfortunate combination of two vulnerabilities. One is with WhatsApp ...view more

Google and Microsoft have both added AI-powered features to their web browsers. The experimental modes may be more useful but have raised questions about advertising models. Microsoft's new tool, Copilot Mode, is the latest in its series of AI additions to existing applications. For now at least it is completely opt-in. It means the new tab page will have a single input box where users can type any text. If it's a website address, the relevant page will simply open. If it's a question, the user can choose between conducting an ordinary web search and having an AI-powered answer. As usual, the ...view more

Windows 11 is getting even more AI-powered tools that can "see" the user's screen. The new Copilot Vision tool has raised privacy and security concerns because it sends data to Microsoft's servers. Microsoft seems to be going all-in on AI these days, so it's worth recapping its different tools. Copilot is its overall package of AI tools designed to integrate with Windows, including a chatbot that answers questions and integrated tools in Word that offer to help write documents. There's also Copilot+ which adds extra features and only works on specific computers with more powerful processors. ...view more

More than two million Chrome and Edge users installed extensions that later turned into malware. The 18 extensions all delivered their advertised functionality but some unwanted bonus features. Extensions (known as add-ons in Edge) are a third-party tool for web browsers that interact with the browser to bring additional features. Most have perfectly legitimate uses, for example sending the text of a long article on a web page to the user's Kindle e-reader, or blocking ads. Because the tools have varying levels of access to a user's browser and online activity, security is a must. That's why ...view more

The governor of Texas has signed a law that means app stores must verify user ages. Governor Greg Abbott had reportedly been privately urged by Apple chief Tim Cook to veto the bill. Google, the other major company directly affected by the law, also publicly opposed the measures. It follows a similar law passing in Utah. The new law is known as the Texas App Store Accountability Act. It means app stores will need to verify the age of users and then tell app developers which of four age groups they fall into: child, young teenager, older teenagers or adult. The idea is that app developers ...view more

Windows 11 will soon have an AI tool that automatically switches user settings to improve usability. There will also be an update to the existing "Click to Do" tools. The features will initially be available on Copilot+ PCs. To clarify, Copilot is Microsoft's name for a series of AI powered tools, available on most Windows computers. Meanwhile Copilot+ is the name of a specific hardware specification that manufacturers can use in branding. It requires an extremely fast processor dedicated to AI operations. Microsoft has already added several Windows features that only work on Copilot+ ...view more

Scammers are using bogus Google Calendar invites to distribute malicious links. Google has urged users to check a setting in their Calendar account. The campaign, spotted by security company Checkpoint, takes advantage of the way the Google Calendar lets users invite friends, family or other contacts to an event. An acceptance will add the event to the invitee's own Google Calendar and automatically update it with any changes of time, date or other details. Usually it's possible to invite somebody just by knowing their email address. The scam involves sending an email that's been manipulated ...view more

Google may soon warn users before they download a mediocre app. It's the first time the warnings will appear for matters of quality rather than security. The changes were spotted by Android Authority and are buried away in the code of the Play Store app. The code would make the app display one of three messages: This app is frequently uninstalled compared to similar apps on Play Play has limited user data about this app This app has few active users compared to others on Play Apps Not Blocked Based on the way the code is integrated, it doesn't appear this will be a high-profile warning such ...view more

Posts by both Elon Musk and Republican-leaning accounts became considerably more prominent on X (formerly Twitter) after he endorsed Donald Trump for President according to a study. The paper says the change was significant enough to suggest the site may have intentionally changed its algorithm. Much of the controversy over the site in the past few years has involved its default "For You" feed, which is created by an algorithm. Rather simply showing all posts from accounts the user follows in chronological order, the feed shows what X implies are the most likely posts to interest and engage ...view more

Infopackets Reader Franco I. writes: " Dear Dennis, Please help - someone is threatening to share a video of me (in the buff) on Facebook! A few days ago, I met a girl on Omegle (a chat website). We had lots of shared interests and seemed to hit it off pretty good. After some back and forth, things escalated to the point where she started sharing pictures of herself scantily dressed. She asked for my phone number, then wanted to do a video call using Google Chat . As soon as I answered, she was already unclothed with toys in hand. She claimed her microphone was broken, so I never got to ...view more