Microsoft releases Windows 10 Spring Update (RS4) Build 17115 for the Fast ring, with big privacy changes [Updated]
New builds for the next big feature update of Windows 10 are coming thick and fast. Build 17112 was released last Friday, and today Build 17115 makes its way on to the Fast ring.
Builds rolled out this close to official launch tend to just be about fixing bugs and adding polish, but 17115 actually makes a big change to the privacy screen settings layout.
Microsoft Surface Pro with LTE Advanced now available to consumers
Laptops and detachable tablets have come a long way in recent years, becoming smaller, lighter and more energy-efficient with each new generation. But, even though they're more portable, they're not necessarily easy to use on the road as well.
What I mean by that is that connectivity remains limited to Wi-Fi for the vast majority of devices that hit the market these days. If you don't have coverage, you have to set up a hotspot on your phone. And that's a shame. However, there are some notable exceptions, with the Surface Pro with LTE Advanced being one of the most interesting of the bunch.
Video shows the speed difference a new battery makes to an iPhone 6s
It's not all that long since it came to light that Apple was purposefully reducing the speed of older iPhones in order to compensate for aging batteries. In the wake of the backlash that followed, the company announced a cheap battery replacement program, and also plans to introduce an update to iOS that allowed users to opt out of this performance reduction.
But just how significant was the slowdown? One iPhone user has released a video showing the performance difference between an old iPhone 6s, and the same phone with a new battery. The results are noteworthy to say the least.
123 Reg backup cockup wipes out users' websites since August last year
Web host 123 Reg has suffered something of an issue causing it to replace some users' websites with backups dating back to August 2017. Other website owners complained that their sites had been taken offline completely.
For anyone who has not made their own backup of their website, it's not looking as though 123 Reg will be able to help. Changes made since August last year appear to have been lost forever. Unsurprisingly, customers are more than a little irked.
Ransomware gives way to miners as cyber criminals follow the money
Cyber criminals have started using sophisticated infection methods and techniques borrowed from targeted attacks in order to install mining software on attacked PCs within organizations says Kaspersky Lab.
Some 2.7 million users have been attacked by malicious miners in 2017, according to Kaspersky's data. That's around 50 percent higher than in 2016 (1.87 million). But at the same time ransomware attacks have seen a decline.
AlgoSec launches network security policy management as a service
Managing security policy can be a headache for organizations with lots of users. But now business-driven security policy management specialist AlgoSec is launching an as-a-service policy management solution.
AlgoSaaS allows enterprise organizations to quickly and easily get the benefits of cloud-based security service offerings. It needs minimal end-user maintenance and is scalable to cope with business growth.
Reliable SMS interception leaves 2FA accounts open to attack
Text messages via SMS are often used as part of two-factor authentication strategies to protect login accounts.
But a new and worrying study from Positive Technologies shows that real-world attempts to intercept SMS messages are 100 percent successful.
Scrambling for cyber talent? Try bolstering from within
Data breaches dominated headlines in 2017, with more than 1200 breaches affecting up to half of the US population. Almost every week brings a new unsettling headline.
The current threat environment accelerates pressure on already overworked and understaffed security teams to shore up their organization’s defenses. There simply aren’t enough well-trained workers to cover the need. The Center for Cyber Safety and Education’s 2017 Global Information Workforce Study forecasted a 1.8 million cyber worker shortage by 2022. Solving it is one of the most important challenges our economy will face over the next 20 years.
Tesla hack demonstrates need to prioritize data security
The words "data security" made news once again last month when researchers revealed that Tesla’s AWS cloud systems were compromised for the purpose of cryptojacking. Cryptojacking, which is defined as the secret use of a computing device to mine cryptocurrency, has risen in popularity over the past few months. This is primarily due to 1) the surge in cryptocurrency value and 2) the discovery of clever mechanisms hackers can use to mine coins while going unnoticed.
According to RedLock researchers, the hackers infiltrated Tesla’s Kubernetes console, which is an open-source platform used for managing containerized workloads and services. They were able to access the console because it was not password protected. Within the Kubernetes pod, were Tesla AWS environment credentials which contained an Amazon S3 bucket that had sensitive data such as telemetry, mapping and vehicle servicing data.
Kali Linux for Windows 10 now available in Microsoft Store
It still seems unreal, but yes, you can install Linux distributions from the Microsoft Store on Windows 10. This remains shocking for many people (including me), as Microsoft was a longtime enemy of both open source and Linux. Of course, that is no longer true, as the Windows-maker embraces both nowadays.
Today, yet another Linux distribution comes to the Microsoft Store for Windows 10, joining such favorites as SUSE and Ubuntu. While not as popular as those two, Kali Linux is still an important distro, as it focuses on security and penetration testing.
Microsoft announces 'Inside Xbox' live video stream
Back in the day, Microsoft was definitely not an open company. Quite frankly, its guarded and secretive behavior tended to annoy many consumers. Its closed nature also lended to conspiracy theories -- some folks felt they couldn't trust the seemingly big and scary corporation.
While those feelings still exist a bit (ahem, Windows 10 telemetry), it has largely changed under the leadership of Satya Nadella. The CEO has transformed the company into a much more transparent one. The Windows Insiders program, for instance, was born during his tenure. That program pulled back the curtain and let Windows users peek a bit at how the proverbial sausage was being made. Today, Microsoft announces yet another initiative to be more open with its customers, this time for Xbox.
Google brings search and sharing to iMessage in iOS, Safari updates, and more
Google has released an update for its iOS app that adds an extension to iMessage. This allows for easy searching -- be it for GIFs or restaurant opening times -- while you chat, so there's no need to leave the app. More than this, it is also possible to share the information you find as a card.
The update also brings an expansion of sharing to all web browsers, including Safari. Share a page to the Google app, and you'll see a list of related suggestions. But it doesn't end there. Google has also introduced new options for iPad users.
Struggling to nod off? Try using these three apps to sleep more soundly
Sleep. We all need it, yet many of us do not get enough. While it is common knowledge that we need 7-8 hours per night, the average American will sleep for around 5-6 hours, falling well short.
How can we increase the amount of time we sleep, yet also increase our sleep quality so we don’t hear that dreaded alarm and snooze and then wake up feeling like we’ve barely slept at all? We’ve found three apps which will help you nod off, stay asleep and wake up feeling more refreshed.
Facebook asks users if it's OK for adults to request sexual images from children
Facebook frequently uses surveys to gauge user opinion about features, changes and ideas. One recent such survey raised more than a few eyebrows as the social network asked whether it was OK for a man to ask a child for sexual pictures.
That any company should, essentially, ask whether pedophilia is acceptable is more than a little strange, but for such a question to come from such a big name as Facebook almost defies belief. The survey appeared over the weekend, surprising those who saw the questions.
Almost half of US healthcare organizations breached in the past year
A new report from information security specialist Thales e-Security reveals that 48 percent of US healthcare organizations reported getting breached in the last year, more than 2.5 times the rate from two years ago.
In addition 56 percent report feeling either 'very' or 'extremely' vulnerable to data breaches. More than three-quarters (77 percent) reported at least one breach at some time in the past. This is the highest percentage among all US vertical industries polled in this year’s report.
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