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Spotify has revealed that around 2 million of its users have been using hacked versions of apps to bypass ads without paying for the privilege.

It means that more than 2 percent of the service's free users are useful modified versions of apps. The hacked apps also allow for access to premium Spotify features, and this explains the company's eagerness to crack down on the practice.

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Ads may be central to the running of the web, but that doesn't mean people want to see them. Ad blocking is more popular than ever, and it's something that's been noted by Mozilla.

Revealing its 2018 roadmap for Firefox, the company says that an ad blocker is being added to the web browser -- albeit a limited one. On top of this, additional privacy controls are on the cards, as is a tool to block auto playing videos, and a breach alert system.

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When it comes to talk of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election that saw Donald Trump catapulted to power, the focus has been very much on Facebook and Twitter. But now the blogging platform Tumblr has held its hand up and revealed that it was used by Russian trolls to disseminate disinformation and propaganda.

Tumblr says that it discovered a number of accounts that were used by Russia's Internet Research Agency (IRA), and that it helped with an investigation and prosecution of numerous individuals.

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If you’re not sure how to do something with Windows 10, there are plenty of guides to be found on the web.

Today, however, Microsoft is launching a new app called Cortana Show Me which is designed to guide you through Windows 10 settings.

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As we edge ever nearer to the final release of the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update, Microsoft is upping the rate that new builds arrive to Insiders on the Fast ring.

Three days ago saw the arrival of Build 17127, and today, hot on the heels of that, comes Build 17128.

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While replacing Windows 10 with a Linux-based operating system is a fairly easy exercise, it shouldn’t be necessary. Look, if you want a computer running Linux, you should be able to buy that. Thankfully you can, as companies like System76 and Dell sell laptops and desktops with Ubuntu or Ubuntu-based operating systems.

Another option? Buy a Mintbox! This is a diminutive desktop running Linux Mint — an Ubuntu-based OS. Today, the newest such variant — The Mintbox Mini 2 — makes an appearance. While the new model has several new aspects, the most significant is that the Linux Mint Team has switched from AMD to Intel (the original Mini used an A4-Micro 6400T).

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A slip-up by notorious hacker Guccifer 2.0 -- famous for attacking the DNC servers -- appears to have confirmed what has been believed for some time: that the hacker is based in Russia.

It was long-believed that Guccifer had links to Russia, but use of VPNs and other techniques made it difficult to confirm this. Now a single incident when the "lone wolf" apparently forgot to use a VPN shows the hacker using an IP address based in Moscow and linked to Russian intelligence agency -- the GRU.

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With GDPR coming into effect on 25th May, many organizations will find themselves needing to appoint a data protection officer in order to comply.

But appointing full-time compliance staff can be a difficult and costly exercise. Which is why cyber security company ThinkMarble is launching a Virtual Data Protection Officer (VDPO) service.

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If you want to know how well Windows 10 is doing in terms of share, you have a number of choices. You can view the figures from StatCounter, which show Windows 10 now ahead of Windows 7, or you can view the figures from NetMarketShare, which show Windows 7 still comfortably in the lead.

You can also look at the figures from Steam, which show the gamer’s perspective, but recently that has been skewed with a large influx of Chinese gamers using Windows 7. Microsoft used to offer its own figures, but stopped updating those in February 2017. However, after a year, it has finally updated its Windows trends page once more, providing an up to date breakdown of Windows market share.

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Google has teamed up with Girls Make Games and ESA Foundation to launch a new initiative called Change the Game. It is designed to encourage more women to get involved in playing and creating mobile games, and there's a $10,000 college scholarship and a $15,000 technology donation up for grabs.

The company is seeking game ideas from US teenagers who are invited to share details of their designs. Google asks for details of game mechanics, storylines and asks "what emotions could the player experience or feel while playing the game?"

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Following quite a vocal backlash from users, Instragram is making changes to its feed to move away slightly from the algorithm-driven, non-chronological form it takes at the moment.

Instagram -- like social media stable-mate Facebook -- has eschewed the chronological ordering of feeds, but now seems to have come to the realization that it is what people expect and prefer. The platform is also making changes to the automatic feed refresh function.

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Although it's relatively new, the cryptocurrency industry was the fifth most attacked by DDoS in the final quarter of 2017.

Imperva's latest Global DDoS Threat Landscape Report finds the spike in cryptocurrency prices has attracted the attention of attackers. Also the number of exchanges has increased to 190, up from 70 in Q3.

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YouTube has stepped further into the debate surrounding gun control by introducing new restrictions on weapon-related videos on its platform.

The move sees Google nailing its political colors to the mast, and it's a move that's likely to anger Republicans and the NRA, and lead to further allegations of a liberal bias. Under the new policies, videos that promote or link to sites selling firearms and accessories are banned, as well as those that show how to make weapons at home.

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Computer networks are increasing at an exponential rate and the most challenging factor organizations are currently facing is network security. Breaching a network is not considered an ingenious effort anymore, so it is very important to gain expertise in securing your network.

Applied Network Security from Packt Publishing will help you master the art of detecting and averting advanced network security attacks and techniques.

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If you own a laptop with USB-C ports, and you like to sometimes connect to a monitor when working, I highly recommend investing in a home docking station. This will allow you to easily connect multiple accessories to your computer with a single cable. This is especially beneficial if your laptop supports charging over USB-C.

If you don’t do a lot of work with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, a pricey home dock might be overkill. Instead, an affordable portable multi-port adapter/dongle could be a better option. This can be an essential purchase if your laptop only has USB-C ports. Today, Satechi unveils its latest such adapter, and it looks incredible.

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