Google releases Chrome OS 78 complete with virtual desktops and more

Samsung Chromebook

The stable build of Chrome OS 78 is now rolling out to Chromebook and other compatible devices. A notable addition with this update is the arrival of virtual desktops, something Google has been testing in preview builds for a little while now.

Just as with Windows and macOS, the virtual desktop feature of ChromeOS gives users access to a number of workspaces that can be used to keep different apps and windows separate from each other. But while this is probably the highlight of ChromeOS 78, it is certainly not the only change.

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New solution allows contact centers to collect real-time analytics data

call center

Data is more important for business than ever and that is particularly true of contact centers. Access to accurate data from calls and payment transactions is essential to give them a competitive edge.

Data security and compliance specialist Semafone is launching its new cloud-based Intelligence+ solution that offers real-time data as transactions occur.

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Trend Micro reveals that customer data was illegally sold following inside-job 'security incident'

Trend Micro logo with gradient background

Security firm Trend Micro has revealed details of an inside scam which led to personal details of its customers being exposed.

The security incident dates back to August this year, and the company says that it was made aware of customers being contacted by fake Trend Micro support staff. Following an investigation lasting until the end of October, it was determined that it was a member of staff that had fraudulently gained access to a customer database and sold personal data to a third party.

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Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 19018 with quick web search shortcuts

In a bid to simplify the Windows Insider program, Microsoft has killed off the Skip Ahead ring that allowed users to try the version of Windows 10 beyond the one being tested by other Insiders. A smart move I think.

Insiders are now just testing builds on the 20H1 branch, due out next year, and Microsoft has rolled out another new flight for that.

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Microsoft kills off the Skip Ahead ring for Windows Insiders -- what does this mean for you?

Windows 10 boxes

For anyone looking to get a sneaky glimpse into the future of Windows 10, the Windows Insider Program has long-provided a way of trying out preview builds of the operating system. But it didn't take long for things to get confusing.

Microsoft introduced various "rings" that allowed users to jump on pre-release builds of varying quality and at different stages of development -- Slow, Fast, Release Preview and Skip Ahead. Now the company has decided to simplify things by killing off the Skip Ahead ring. Here's what this means for Insiders.

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Boosting the sagging morale of enterprise IT team

If you talk with people who work in enterprise IT departments, you are likely to sense the stress radiating from them. Demands placed on team members can be debilitating as they attempt to fortify systems against incessant threats while keeping increasingly complex networks running with speed and efficiency. And the pressure continues to mount. Something needs to change before the culture and integrity of IT departments becomes irreparably damaged.

IT departments make up the central nervous system of an organization. How healthy a company’s infrastructure is reveals a lot about it overall. If systems don’t run accordingly -- from all-out crashes to slow performance to endpoint compliance issues -- companies can’t meet their potential. In today’s fast-paced, ultra-competitive environment, this could prove fatal.

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5 ways for healthcare providers to build a fortress against cyber threats

Firewall

The healthcare industry has yet to find a cure for cyberattacks. Housing personal health data, all kinds of providers are vulnerable targets of hackers and patient care can be put at great risk.

News of breaches in healthcare computer systems is a regular occurrence. Over 100,000 medical records were recently leaked as a result of a data breach at a Montana hospital. And research this year showed an upsurge in malware attacks on healthcare providers. Phishing messages, a means of malware delivery via email, have been found to come in the form of alerts from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Microsoft wants developers to start coding in the cloud

Developer team

As software developers, we tend to get pretty attached to the IDE we use. And it's not hard to see why -- it's the tool we rely on the most, which enables us to create fantastic products and be productive while doing so.

And this can create a problem when we're faced with a change in our flow. We do not like change. Don't get me wrong. Change is great -- as long as it's not happening on our machines. Microsoft, however, doesn't mind a challenge, as it just unveiled Visual Studio Online. Like its name suggests, it's an IDE in the browser. Unlike its name suggests, that's only a small part of it.

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Malwarebytes 4.0 unveils the promise of better zero-day detection, 50 percent less CPU usage

Malwarebytes has released a major new version of its eponymous anti-malware tool: Malwarebytes 4.0 is available now as a free and premium version for both Windows and Mac.

The new version unveils a major redesign with a look towards the minimalist. This reflects the promise of a much smaller footprint -- 50 percent less impact on the CPU during scans -- and associated performance gains. Malwarebytes 4.0 also unveils a brand new detection engine.

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2019 could be the worst year ever for holiday retail cybercrime

Cybercriminal with cash

Online fraud increased 30 percent overall in the third quarter of this year and bot-driven account registration fraud is up 70 percent as cybercriminals test stolen credentials in advance of the peak holiday retail season.

These are among the findings of the latest Fraud and Abuse report from Arkose Labs, its analysis of over 1.3 billion transactions spanning account registrations, logins and payments, reveals that one in five account openings were fraudulent.

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Firefox users are being targeted by malicious sites that exploit a known bug to lock up the browser

Firefox logo 2019

Users of the Mac and Windows versions of Firefox are being targeted by malicious sites that display a fake warning message and then completely lock up the browser.

Hackers are taking advantage of a bug in Mozilla's web browser to tamper with the software and render it unusable without the need for user interaction. At the moment there is no fix, and the problem is wreaking havoc and causing distress.

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Dropbox Transfer exits beta and lets you share files of up to 100GB

Dropbox

If you need to send large -- and we mean LARGE -- files to someone, your options are a little limited. However, thanks to Dropbox Transfer, you now have a new possibility to explore.

Previously available in beta, Dropbox Transfer is now available to everyone. It's a cloud-based tool that lets you share files of up to 100GB in size with others, and even if you have used the beta version, there are now new features to explore.

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Unisys launches new cloud-based biometric identity service

Biometrics

With increasing awareness of fraud and identity theft businesses are under pressure to secure their systems and many are turning to solutions like biometrics to do so.

To bring biometric identity-proofing and authentication capabilities within reach of both large and small enterprises, Unisys is launching an SaaS version of its biometric identity management software.

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Sorry, Microsoft, but your Edge web browser will NEVER be installed on my Linux computer

As you may know, I am a big proponent of Linux on the desktop. I prefer Fedora to both Windows 10 and macOS, and I use the operating system regularly to get work done. Over the years, I went from being a minority as a desktop Linux user, to... well... OK, fine, we desktop Linux users are still a minority. But hey, we are getting more respect every year, and people are increasingly turning to Chromebooks, which run the Linux-based Chrome OS. More and more developers, including Microsoft, are releasing software for Linux too.

With all of that said, I probably should be excited that Microsoft is bringing its Chromium-based Edge to Linux. After all, it is another indicator that Linux is gaining mainstream support. Not to mention, who can be mad at having just another web browser option? Me, that's who. You see, Microsoft's Edge browser will NEVER be installed on my Linux computer.

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Microsoft found a way to increase your productivity while reducing work hours

Colorful Microsoft logo

After experimenting with different working arrangements, Microsoft has discovered that operating on a four-day working week -- on full pay -- workers are not only happier, but also more productive.

The company tried out the new working model in its Japan offices, as part of its Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019 project. Despite all members of staff being given Fridays off, productivity actually increased by an impressive 40 percent.

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