'Your Windows Has Been Banned' malware makes an unwelcome return
"Your Windows Has Been Banned" is a nasty piece of malware that first surfaced in 2016. It locks your computer screen and displays a message stating "This PC has been banned for terms of use violations."
It doesn’t go into specifics for the ban -- because, obviously, it’s not a real ban -- but simply says that your PC has been locked in order to "protect the Windows service and its members," adding "Microsoft does not provide details about specific PC bans."
VMware clarifies its relationship with Dell
VMware has emphasised its strength and independence almost a year since its parent company was acquired.
Speaking at the VMworld Europe 2017 event in Barcelona, VMware COO Sanjay Poonen noted that the relationship between the firm and parent company Dell EMC was benefitting both parties equally.
Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus coming to Xfinity Mobile
In the United States, there are four major cell carriers -- Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. They are not the only game in town, however, as there are regional carriers too. Not to mention, there are many MVNO offerings that piggyback off of the towers belonging to the aforementioned "big four."
One interesting new player in the MVNO space is Comcast with its affordable and unlimited "Xfinity Mobile" offering. Limited to subscribers of Xfinity home service, it uses a combination of Verizon's excellent LTE network plus Xfinity's 18 million hotspots to maximize coverage. Today, Comcast announces that the the budget-friendly service will soon be getting Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.
Trump blocks Chinese purchase of chip-maker Lattice over national security concerns
President Trump has blocked a Chinese investment firm from buying US company Lattice Semiconductor. The acquisition was stopped because of national security concerns.
Following a recommendation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Trump administration said that the potential buyer, Canyon Bridge, "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States."
Oracle plans massive job cuts in Europe
Oracle is reportedly planning major job cuts across Europe as it readies for a company-wide reorganization.
According to The Register, Oracle is looking to shift its hardware support division into Romania. Confirmed by 'multiple insiders' the report states the process has already begun, although the deadline for migration differs from country to country.
Privacy: Senator Al Franken has a lot of concerns about Face ID on the Apple iPhone X
From the moment Apple started to talk about Face ID, there were concerns voiced about privacy and security. It's not just security experts and potential users who have these worries; Senator Al Franken has written to Tim Cook asking for details about the safeguards Apple has put in place to protect users.
On top of this, Franken wants to know more about how Apple trained the Face ID algorithm, and seeks assurances that third parties will not be able to access or be granted access to Face ID data.
Intelligent data platform drives digital transformation
Businesses are more keen than ever to unlock the power of their data, but often struggle to come up with a strategic approach.
Cloud data management company Informatica is launching its latest Intelligent Data Platform driven by the CLAIRE engine which uses metadata-driven AI to deliver faster insights.
Bitcoin drops to $3,500 after China ban rumors
The cryptocurrency market is now in a massive correction which has wiped out over $50 billion from its market cap high reached at the beginning of the month. The downward pressure seems to center on rumors that China wants to ban Bitcoin, the most valuable cryptocurrency.
I say rumors because there seems to be no official information from China that a ban is, indeed, in the cards. That has not stopped various websites from giving them too much credence, which adds to the instability that we have seen recently.
Facebook launches Crisis Response, a portal to find out about crises around the world
Facebook has today launched Crisis Response, a central hub that provides access to its various crisis response tools such as Safety Check. Over the years, the social network has gradually added more and more tools that serve to help those caught up in a disaster, and those who know them, and the new center pulls all of these into one place.
As well as serving as a central hub, Crisis Response on Facebook is also being bolstered by links to articles and videos posted on the site so users can be kept better informed about a given crisis.
Criminals hijack browsers to mine cryptocurrency
Cyber criminals supplementing their income by mining cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin is nothing new. Usually this has been done by installing malware or PUPs on the machines of unsuspecting users.
But now researchers at ESET have discovered a new method of mining cryptocurrencies, which can be done directly within your web browser, using JavaScript. This gives attackers the potential to reach a greater number of victims, by infecting websites, rather than by targeting individual machines.
User feedback solution helps companies build brand loyalty
Companies want people to use their apps, but it can be hard to obtain feedback on what is and isn't working, and understand what customers want.
Digital experience company Applause is launching its Customer Journeys solution which delivers authentic user feedback from a range of sources including apps, marketing materials, websites, in-store, IoT devices and more.
Mobile apps still the 'Wild West' of online security
Most app stores are still failing to adequately protect their users from malicious and fraudulent app downloads.
This is one of the findings of a new report by threat management company RiskIQ which analyzed 120 mobile app stores and more than 2 billion daily scanned resources.
HP blocks third-party ink with printer firmware update... again
HP is pushing out a firmware update to its range of Officejet printers that blocks the use of the third-party ink cartridges. This is not the first time the company has issued such an update as it tries to force printer owners to buy its own, more expensive cartridges.
A year ago, HP faced strong criticism from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for implementing DRM that forced users to buy official ink. At the time HP saw the error of its ways and backtracked on the third-party ink ban, but now the company is having another crack of the whip. HP's "Dynamic Security Feature" is back to block your cheap ink, but there's a way around it.
Google ad hints at Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 event on October 4
Google is expected to take the wraps off the Pixel 2 next month along with -- probably -- the Pixel 2 XL. Last year's Pixel event took place on October 4, and the appearance of a billboard in Boston suggests that the same date will be used this year.
The Google billboard says simply: "Ask more of your phone" and then the date, Oct. 4. The sighting of the billboard comes just as the LG-manufactured Pixel 2 XL passes through FCC.
Google will launch a mobile payment service in India called Tez
A new report suggests that Google is on the verge of launching a mobile payment service in India. Known as Tez (meaning "fast" in Hindi), the service could launch as early as Monday, according to Indian news site The Ken.
Google Tez is said to offer more payment options than Android Pay, including support for the government-backed Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
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