Twitter looks into whether white nationalists and supremacists should be banned
In a world that appears to be lurching ever further to the right, it is perhaps little wonder that white nationalists, white supremacists and other extremists are becoming more prevalent online. Social media sites have a balancing act to perform -- not wanting to be seen to be advocating censorship, but also removing troublesome elements from their networks.
And this is the problem that Twitter faces. The platform has long been home to a glut of racist content and users -- as well as other unsavoury material -- and now the site is conducting research to determine how best to tackle this. Specifically, it is looking at whether white nationalists and supremacists should simply be banned, or whether their posts should be left available for others to debate.
The iPhone-maker doth protest too much? Apple launches new site to wax lyrical about the App Store in the face of criticism
Apple has become more familiar with controversy than it might be entirely comfortable with in recent times. Once a near-untouchable company that could, in many people's eyes, do no wrong, there have been numerous scandals over the last few years -- legal battles, problematic hardware, canceled products, and accusations of anticompetitive behavior.
Faced with an antitrust legal battle after complaints of "monopolistic" practices in the App Store, Apple has launched a new site that appears to be a very public defense of what it stands accused of. The new "principles and practices" pages find Apple going out of its way, falling over itself to expose just how anticompetitive the App Store isn't. This is a company on the defensive.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18908 with more features for Your Phone
Microsoft has been teasing us with talk of a new "modern" operating system, but that doesn’t mean it’s forgotten about Windows 10.
Today it releases a new Fast ring build on the 20H1 branch -- the feature update set to roll out to users a year from now -- and adds a wealth of new features to the Your Phone app.
Amazon Echo Show 5 is a privacy-focused Alexa device
Earlier this month, Google announced the Nest Hub Max -- voice assistant hardware with a camera and touch screen -- and I was instantly intrigued. At the same time, I was also very scared of it. After all, Google makes its money through tracking users' activity and by displaying advertising -- did I really want that company having a camera in my house? No, of course not. Despite the claims of hardware switches to disable the camera, I quickly made up my mind to not buy it when it goes on sale.
Amazon has a similar device called Echo Show, and today it announces an additional model. Called "Echo Show 5," it has a smaller screen (5.5 inch) and even smaller price tag. It is an adorably small Alexa device with an HD camera. Unlike the round Echo Spot, Echo Show 5 has a more useful rectangular screen. As someone who owns many Echo devices, and trusts Amazon a bit more than Google, I think I might invite Echo Show 5 into my house. I wouldn't want the camera watching my family 24/7, so thankfully I can take control of my privacy by sliding the included shutter over the lens -- an old-school (yet effective) means of blocking a camera.
How AI is impacting security in 2019
In 2019, cyber threats are occurring at a rapid pace. In fact, cyber attacks are the fastest growing crime globally and are continuously increasing in sophistication, size, and impact. At the same time, the number of qualified cybersecurity professionals is dwindling. In a recent blog post, Ann Johnson, the head of Microsoft’s cybersecurity solutions group, used estimated data from the research firm Cybersecurity Ventures to project a shortage of about 3.5 million qualified cybersecurity workers by 2022.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can serve as a helpful tool in cybersecurity. AI can help businesses of all sizes and across many industries better prepare for impending security threats. Here are three of the most impactful benefits of AI in online security:
Most Windows 10 users are running the update from over a year ago
Microsoft’s original grand plan for Windows 10 was an operating system that was always up-to-date. Updates were intended to be mandatory, and while you could delay them a bit, you couldn’t opt out of them entirely. And the software giant was committed to rolling out two major feature updates a year.
Fast forward to now, and things are very different. You can delay, or avoid, most updates, including feature updates -- assuming you’re even offered them in the first place.
Microsoft drops some very big hints about its modern 'Windows Lite' OS
It’s been hinted for a while that Microsoft is working on a new operating system for dual-screen and Chromebook-like PCs, and while the software giant has yet to confirm the existence of the rumored "Windows Lite" OS, Nick Parker, Corporate Vice President, Consumer and Device Sales, did drop some pretty big hints about it at Computex 2019 in Taipei.
While on stage he referred continually to a modern operating system designed to run on "modern PCs and innovative devices" that offers seamless background updates and zero interruptions, greater security, and always on connectivity.
More than 70 percent of consumers fear becoming ID theft victims
The more the internet has become essential to our daily lives, the more people are waking up to the threats that it poses to their safety.
In a new study by F-Secure, 71 percent of respondents say they feel that they will become a victim of cybercrime or identity theft, while 73 percent express similar fears about their children.
Identity and access management proving too difficult for many businesses
According to a new study, businesses find identity and access management (IAM) and privileged access management (PAM) among their most difficult operational tasks.
The survey, by access management firm One Identity, of 200 attendees to the 2019 RSA Conference, finds that while a third of respondents say PAM is the most difficult operational task, only 16 percent of respondents cite implementing adequate IAM practices as a top-three concern when it comes to securing the cloud.
Digitally transform operations by optimizing legacy processes
Every company these days is on a path to digital transformation, using technology to rise above the competition and show customers it is modern, efficient and optimized for success.
But as companies work through this transformation, they often uncover processes that have fallen behind the times and seem impossible to fix -- either because these processes are tightly interwoven with other core business processes, or because it’s not clear where to even begin.
openSUSE Leap 15.1 Windows Subsystem for Linux distro lands in the Microsoft Store
Just days after the general release of openSUSE Leap 15.1, the WSL version of the distro has hit the Microsoft Store, opening up even more options for lovers of Linux on Windows 10.
Developer SUSE says that "openSUSE Leap 15.1 is the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) distribution for professional developers, system administrators, entrepreneurs and Independent Software Vendors".
61 percent of organizations are worried about email-borne threats
Email is still the main vehicle for cybercriminals to deliver threats according to a new report, and 61 percent of IT decision makers think their organization will suffer a negative impact from an email-borne attack this year.
The study from email and data security company Mimecast shows that impersonation attacks have increased 67 percent in comparison to the results in last year's report.
Quake II RTX is coming to Windows and Linux -- and you can have it for free
The Quake franchise is a gaming behemoth, and fans of the first-person shooter will soon be able to enjoy the re-released and revamped Quake II RTX. The RTX is a reference to ray tracing, and the game takes advantage of NVIDIA RTX graphics cards to power massively enhanced visuals.
Next Thursday, June 6, NVIDIA is releasing the remastered version of the game on both Windows and Linux -- and you can play it for free.
Flipboard hacked -- attackers had access to database of user information for 9 months
Flipboard is resetting the passwords of millions of users after suffering a data breach. Hackers were able to access databases containing usernames and passwords, as well as access tokens for some third-party services.
The company has not revealed how many users are affected by the security incident, but says that hackers had access to its systems for a nine months.
Microsoft Pro IntelliMouse is fabulously retro and deliciously modern
If you need a mouse, there are two companies that very rarely disappoint -- Logitech and Microsoft. Not only are their mice often accurate and comfortable, but very durable too. Sure, there are other brands that produce solid mice, but Microsoft and Logitech pointing devices will probably survive a nuclear war, outlasting humanity.
Some of the greatest mice of all time were from Microsoft's IntelliMouse series. The IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 was a personal favorite of mine -- it is so comfortable, and the thumb buttons are absolute perfection. I am pretty sure I still have it in a box somewhere, and if I plugged it into my PC today, it would work flawlessly. IntelliMouse was so beloved by many computer users, that Microsoft released the refreshed Classic IntelliMouse in 2017. Today, the Windows-maker takes things even further, with the all-new "Microsoft Pro Intellimouse" -- a beautiful blend of retro design and modern specifications.
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