Set aside some extra time, Sling DVR Plus space quadruples

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If you’re an avid Sling user then you likely pay the extra $5 per month for the cloud DVR Plus service. It works like any other DVR, except recordings just aren’t on your hard drive. The TV service has been providing this for a couple of years and it’s been a big frustration for many users because the limit was a bit stingy. 

No longer -- the company has upped the space in a big way and, if you haven’t already, you’ll be getting a notification the next time you sign in. 

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Industry expert views for Data Privacy Day

privacy

Depending on who you talk to today is either Data Privacy Day or Data Protection Day. But whatever you want to call it the idea is to focus attention on the importance of best practices for looking after sensitive information.

In the current environment with distributed workforces and more transactions taking place online, this is more important than ever. We've rounded up opinions from some leading industry figures on the current state of data privacy and what can still be improved.

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Feel the need for two layers of tabs in your browser? Vivaldi has you covered

Two-Level Tab Stacks in Vivaldi

It is very difficult for web browsers to be able to honestly make the claim that they have an exclusive feature these days -- the likes of Chrome, Edge, Firefox et al have started to become all but indistinguishable from one another. Looking to stay ahead of the pack, however, Vivaldi has launched a new feature which is unique.

While the likes of Google have been experimenting with tab grouping and pinning to make room for more open tabs in a browser window, the latest version of Vivaldi has taken a new approach. With the new release you have two layers of tabs to play with, doubling your browsing opportunities.

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Facebook apologizes after Plymouth Hoe falls victim to Scunthorpe problem

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Facebook has issued an apology after posts relating to Plymouth Hoe were erroneously flagged up for containing offensive language.

Plymouth Hoe is an area of the South Western English city of Plymouth, and it caused the same problems as places such as Cockermouth, Scunthorpe and Devil's Dyke for obscenity filters. The social network not only removed posts for using the word 'Hoe', but also closed down groups relating to the area.

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TP-Link unveils KL125 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Multicolor Light Bulb

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A smart home is a happy home as far I am concerned. Since going all-in on smart devices in my house, my life has been much improved. I can control my thermostat without getting out of bed, and when I leave a room, I can tell Google to turn off the light. If I hear a bump in the night, I can pull out my phone or tablet to monitor my Wi-Fi cameras. We are living in the future, and it is great.

For my smart lighting, I have outlet adapters connected to lamps, and for the most part, this works well. If I could do it over, however, I would probably just get smart bulbs. Today, TP-Link unveils its latest such product; the KL125 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulb. This 800 lumen bulb is notable for being both dimmable and multicolor, meaning you can change the color and the brightness of the light -- something you cannot do with a smart outlet adapter.

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Microsoft releases Windows 10 Build 21301

Last week, Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 Build 21296 to Insiders on the Dev Channel, introducing improvements to the clipboard history and Storage Spaces, as well as a number of fixes and improvements.

Today, Windows 10 Build 21301 arrives on the Dev Channel and brings with it improvements to the touch keyboard design.

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Four ways to build a zero trust mindset

Broken trust

When the coronavirus first appeared, organizations everywhere were forced to accelerate digital transformations to comply with stay-at-home orders and maintain business continuity. Now, thanks to the heroic efforts of IT and security teams to adapt to new challenges, we have a luxury we didn’t just over a year ago: time.

Today we can proactively think through new technologies and make long-term, strategic decisions about how they affect organizational strategy. And one of the most valuable ways that security pros can get ahead of the next challenge is by thinking through and scaling up their organization’s zero-trust mentality. Let’s look at what we mean by 'zero trust' and some tips for implementing it effectively:

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7 essential cyber security tips for small businesses

cyber security

Every year, cybersecurity becomes a bigger issue for businesses large and small. While computer experts and regular people are getting better at protecting their data, hackers and digital criminals are keeping up every step of the way.

A well-informed and bad-intentioned hacker could cause your business serious harm, engaging in such nefarious behavior as freezing your accounts, demanding a ransom, and stealing your customers’ sensitive personal data. In order to avoid these catastrophes, you need to do everything you can to beef up your cybersecurity operations. These days, failing to take these threats seriously is simply asking for trouble. Here are seven essential cybersecurity tips that can benefit any small business owner.

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Human skills are essential to the success of SOCs

Operations center

Security operations centers have become a key part of threat handling for many enterprises, but it's the human element that is key to success, according to a new report.

The SOC Skills Survey from training platform Cyberbit reveals that just 33 percent of respondents feel that HR understands the requirements needed to work in a cybersecurity team.

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2020 mobile phishing trends

mobile phishing

Phishing is nothing new, but the COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increase in attacks around the world as cybercriminals seek to exploit the opportunities offered.

Mobile security company Zimperium has produced an infographic looking at phishing trends with a particular emphasis on the mobile sector.

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Sudo vulnerability could give attackers root access on Linux systems

Sudo

Security researchers have revealed details of a vulnerability in Sudo that could be exploited by an attacker to gain root privileges on a wide range of Linux-based systems.

News of the security flaw was shared by Qualys, and it has been described as "perhaps the most significant sudo vulnerability in recent memory". Worryingly, the heap-based buffer overflow bug has existed for almost a decade. It is known as Baron Samedit, tracked as CVE-2021-3156, and affects various versions of Sudo.

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UK government faces software skills crisis

UK Government Building Downing Street

Governments don't have a good record when delivering IT projects, but a new study from digital experience company Acquia that the UK government is facing a major software skills crisis.

Results show that 28 percent of vacancies remain unfilled. Across the 12 departments which responded to freedom of information requests, some 317 developer positions are open, while just 808 developers are currently employed.

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2021 Prediction #2: Peak Facebook as Zuckerberg runs out of role models

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If 2020 was a Trump- and Covid-inspired year of social media excess, 2021 can’t help but see some reversion. But it’s more than that, with big Internet companies coming under greater regulatory scrutiny worldwide, especially Facebook and Google. This year is going to be a tough one for Mark Zuckerberg, especially. And while I don’t expect Zuckerberg to abandon his CEO job this year, he eventually will, simply because it isn’t as much fun as it used to be and there will come a point (maybe in 2022) when leaving the top job will help Facebook’s stock.

At this moment there’s reportedly a bot operating on Telegram selling for $20 or less the personal info including phone numbers of 500 million individual Facebook users. What’s the logical corporate response to a gambit like that? Nobody knows because nobody has been in Facebook’s particular position before.

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Plex Arcade is a retro video game streaming service that excludes Linux users

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Over the years, video games have certainly gotten more beautiful, but that doesn't mean they are more fun. In fact, I would argue that gameplay has gotten worse over the years. Younger gamers would be well-served to play some games from decades of the past. Forget graphics -- fun is what really matters.

Today, Plex launches a retro video game streaming service that should make playing older titles even easier. Called "Plex Arcade," it currently only offers games licensed from Atari, so we are talking really old-school stuff here, folks (think Centipede and Combat). At $4.99 month ($2.99 for those with Plex Pass) it is rather affordable. Unfortunately, there is one big catch -- Linux users are being left out.

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Firefox 85 blocks so-called 'supercookies' as Microsoft Edge 88 boosts performance and security

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It’s been a busy few days for web browsers. Last week, Microsoft Edge 88.0 rolled out several major new features, including a new sleeping tabs feature, while today sees the launch of Firefox 85.0.

Firefox 85 arrives with three new noteworthy features. The first is protection against so-called 'supercookies', trackers that are able to hide within browsers to track users online even after they’ve cleared cookies. Firefox achieves this by isolating the cookies so they can’t follow your progress between sites.

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