More problems surface with the buggy Windows 10 October 2018 Update
As you know by now, Microsoft was forced to put the Windows 10 October 2018 Update on ice following reports that it was deleting user files. What made the problem even worse was Insiders had reported that issue to Microsoft months ago, but the software giant failed to address it.
While the feature update is back in testing, non-Insiders have been discovering additional problems with it. First up, if you use the built-in zip tool to extract a file to a folder where a version of that file already exists (even if it has different data), nothing will actually happen.
Google Play Movies and TV gets improved 4K video support
While the transition from standard definition TV to HDTV was monumental, the 4K (UHD) movement is much less so. Don't get me wrong, I own both a 4K Samsung TV and an Apple TV 4K, so I am invested in the resolution, but I am rarely blown away by UHD content. In other words, you probably shouldn't run out and buy a 4K television to replace your 1080p TV.
But OK, if you already have a 4K TV, you might as well watch some UHD content, right? Today, Google announces several improvements to its Play Movies and TV service in that regard. Not only will 4K content be more affordable, but the search giant will be automatically upgrading the SD and HD videos consumers already bought to 4K resolution (when available) for free. As long as the consumers are in the USA or Canada, that is.
Mac@IBM code goes open source
During his keynote speech today at the Jamf User Nation Conference in Minneapolis, IBM CIO Fletcher Previn announced that IBM is going to open source its Mac@IBM code.
Designed to streamline the integration of corporate-owned or BYOD Apple Mac devices and applications into the enterprise while delivering a personalized experience, Mac@IBM has seen the number of IBMers using Macs increase from 30,000 in 2015 to 134,000 in 2018.
Your first 5G phone could come from OnePlus
At the moment, there are many people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the OnePlus 6T later this month. But looking further ahead, OnePlus has plans for a 5G handset.
The smartphone manufacturer has already hinted at the release of a 5G handset in 2019, but now this has been confirmed. Joining the president of Qualcomm on stage at the company's 4G/5G summit at Hong Kong, OnePlus' Carl Pei said that a 5G phone is definitely coming next year.
Thycotic launches free security toolkit for the higher education sector
Universities and colleges are uniquely attractive to cyber criminals, because a constantly changing population and the use of large numbers of BYOD machines means lots of potential vulnerabilities.
Privileged access management specialist Thycotic is releasing a free Cyber Security Toolkit for College Students and Families, aimed at providing an essential guide to help schools build an understanding of cyber best practices throughout their entire community.
How to spot a fake Twitter follower
Earlier this year we covered some research from Duo Security published into the activities of Twitter bots. The company has now followed this with a look at how fake Twitter followers operate.
Traditional fake followers are challenging to detect on an individual level since they have very little (if any) activity other than following other accounts. However, because fakes operate in groups created by the same bot owner they do tend to share characteristics.
Industrial control systems offer a soft target for attackers
Security gaps in key areas such as plain-text passwords, direct connections to the internet, and weak anti-virus protections are leaving industrial control systems vulnerable to attack according to a new report.
The study from ICS security company CyberX also shows that although the use of Windows XP has declined over the last year there are still older, unpatchable, Windows systems in slightly more than half of all industrial sites.
Mugger tip: Here's what not to do
The world has a number of less-than-bright criminals, from those who become stuck in their exit route (think vent pipes and the like), to those who get caught through use of a stolen device. Facebook has even led to a few arrests of people who bragged or posted the video evidence online.
Although this story is courtesy of Facebook, one alleged criminal took an interesting approach to outing himself. While the whole situation is sad for the victim, the end is shocking.
Password Check Required Immediately -- and more of 2018's most successful phishing subject lines
Which subject lines make a person most likely to click a link in a phishing email? Security awareness training company KnowBe4 has analyzed data from simulated phishing tests and 'in the wild' emails to find out.
The most successful lines play on user's desire to remain secure with subjects relating to password checks the most clicked. On social media, messages about tagging or new profile views are most likely to be clicked.
New Zealand chooses Google Chromebooks over Microsoft Windows 10 for education
While many people use Windows 10 every day, I sometimes wonder how many actually enjoy doing so. Look, Microsoft's operating system is very popular, but that could be largely out of habit. The interface is very inconsistent, and with aggressive telemetry, it can feel like you are being spied on too. Computers running Microsoft's OS are prone to malware, and even worse, users could find their important files deleted! Hell, even the Surface hardware feels uninspired these days. Once people start looking at alternatives, such as the excellent Linux-based Chromebooks, they may wonder why they need Windows 10 at all.
For education in particular, many schools find Chromebooks safer and easier to manage. Not to mention, they can be quite cost effective too. So it should come as no surprise that a major country has chosen Chromebooks over Windows 10 devices for education. What is the country of which I speak? New Zealand. You see, all public schools there now have access to Chrome Education licenses.
Firefox Quantum 63 focuses on performance improvements, minor tweaks
Mozilla has released Firefox Quantum 63.0 for desktop, along with Firefox for Android 63.0.
Like the previous release there are no major highlights to report, but both Windows and Mac users will be encouraged to update thanks to the promise of performance improvements. The Windows build will also change theme to match Light and Dark modes in Windows 10.
System76 releases Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS 18.10 Linux distribution
System76 is making huge moves lately. The company used to just sell re-branded computers running Ubuntu, and while there was nothing wrong with that, it has much more lofty goals. You see, it released its own Ubuntu-based operating system called "Pop!_OS," and now, it is preparing to release its own self-designed and built open source computers. In other words, much like Apple, System76 is maintaining both the software and hardware aspects of the customer experience.
While its new hardware is not yet available, the latest version of its operating system is. Following the release of Ubuntu 18.10, Pop!_OS 18.10 is now available for download. While it is based on Ubuntu, it is not merely Canonical's operating system with System76 branding and artwork. Actually, there are some significant customizations that make Pop!_OS its own.
Linus Torvalds is back in charge as Linux kernel 4.19 is released
After taking some time out from the Linux community to "change some of [his] behavior", Linux Torvalds is back. In a post to the Linux Kernel Mailing List announcing the release of Linux kernel 4.19, Greg Kroah-Hartman -- his temporary replacement -- handed back the reins.
After writing about the changes to be found in the latest release, Kroah-Hartman signed off by saying: "Linus, I'm handing the kernel tree back to you. You can have the joy of dealing with the merge window :)".
Free tool allows Office 365 users to test their email threat detection
Email is still one of the most common ways for attackers to target individuals or businesses, whether it’s through phishing attacks or delivering malware. Although you may have protection measures in place it can be hard to know if they’re working effectively.
Intelligence-led security company FireEye is launching a new capability that allows organizations to evaluate email threat detection efficacy with a no-charge evaluation service
Google adds floating keyboard mode to Gboard for Android
Users of Google's own Android keyboard app Gboard have a new option available to them. In an update that is rolling out, a new floating keyboard feature lets you move the location of the keyboard as you see fit.
This is not something that is unique to Gboard by any means; floating keyboards have been available in other keyboard apps for a while, so this is really just Google playing catch-up. But for existing users -- as well as those who are looking for a reason to try out Gboard for the first time -- this update is great news.
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