Win an Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM waterproof Bluetooth speaker [Giveaway]
Summer is in full force, meaning many of you are hanging out with friends and family outside. Nothing beats having a good time outdoors with loved ones -- especially when listening to good music.
While playing your favorite tunes through your smartphone's speaker is passable, it doesn't make for a good party. That's why a Bluetooth speaker is a wise investment. Short on funds? Don't worry. We here at BetaNews are giving one away -- the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM (Blue/Red). Not only is the wireless speaker waterproof, but it actually floats on its own!
FBI issues a warning to parents about the privacy and safety of internet-connected smart toys
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has issued a PSA warning about the potential dangers of smart toys. The bureau encourages parents to consider cyber security before bringing internet-connect toys into the home because they could risk the privacy and safety of children.
The announcement warns of the potential for personal information to be gathered through such toys. The presence of sensors, microphones, cameras, data storage components, speech recognition and GPS, coupled with cloud storage of data, is cited as cause for concern, and parents are urged to check privacy agreements.
Netrunner Rolling Arch/Manjaro-based KDE Plasma Linux distro gets refreshed ISO
While GNOME is my favorite desktop environment, I don't hate KDE. Actually, I rather love Plasma when it is done right. Case in point, I absolutely adore Netrunner -- the best KDE-focused Linux-based operating system. Technically, there are two versions of the OS -- the "regular" variant based on Debian and a rolling release based on Arch/Manjaro.
Today, after more than a year, Netrunner Rolling gets a refreshed ISO. This time, we have Netrunner Rolling 2017.07. Some highlights include SMPlayer becoming the default music and video handler, while SUSE Imagewriter is replaced by the KDE Neon variant.
How large would the financial losses get in case of a global cyber attack?
A global cyber-attack could be as expensive as a major natural disaster, a new report has claimed.
Analysis by Lloyd’s of London compared the effects of a hypothetical global cyber-attack to the super storm known as Hurricane Sandy that hit the US coast in 2012, in terms of the financial impact.
Google Glass Enterprise Edition is here
Google Glass was long expected to make a comeback, but it is not until today that the search giant officially announces a new version of the controversial headset. It's called Enterprise Edition and, just like its name suggests, it is designed with business users in mind.
We heard about the Enterprise Edition back in July 2015, half a year after Google discontinued the commercially-available Explorer Edition, and since that time the search giant says that it has tested the headset as part of a limited program open to select businesses.
iOS and its effect on enterprise security
Over the past decade, iOS devices have found their way into many businesses. According to a new report this has led to an increase in the number of attacks and incidences of malware on the platform.
Mobile threat defense company Skycure analyzed the security impact of iOS on the enterprise over the past ten years and found that the percentage of enterprise iOS devices that have malicious apps installed today has more than tripled since the third quarter of 2016. In comparison, the rate of Android malware infections has stayed relatively flat.
Malwarebytes AdwCleaner 7.0 heralds complete rewrite of adware removal tool
Malwarebytes has released AdwCleaner 7.0, a major new version of its portable Windows tool for removing adware, unwanted toolbars, PUPs and browser hijackers. It’s the first major update since Malwarebytes acquired AdwCleaner back in October 2016.
AdwCleaner 7.0 arrives as a completely rewritten piece of software, complete with brand new user interface, database system and the promise of more effective removal and faster scan times.
OnePlus 5 may reboot when you call 911
When we talk about bugs in smartphone software we typically mention issues that may be annoying, but not life-threatening. This one is an exception.
Some OnePlus 5 users are reporting that they are unable to get in touch with emergency operators as, when they dial 911, their smartphone automatically reboots.
Artificial Intelligence and the legal profession -- is there a safe intersection?
If you look at the news, it looks like the entire world will be run by artificial intelligence (AI) in just a decade or two. One of the latest conversations has to do with the role of AI in the legal world. Is there a future here?
The legal industry is still based on the same principles that it was decades ago, but it’s undergone some pretty significant changes over the past few years. One area, in particular, that’s worth exploring is AI. In a world that’s increasingly characterized by automation, this industry is trying to figure out what it looks like to automate without sacrificing the quality and attention to detail that’s required in sensitive legal matters.
Symantec and Bay Dynamics partner to fight insider threats
Insider threats are a major problem for all types of organization and more than ever firms are looking for data loss prevention strategies.
Cyber security specialist Symantec is integrating Bay Dynamics' Risk Fabric analytics platform with its data loss prevention and other technologies, to create a central point of behavioral analytics that dynamically delivers mitigation actions to keep malicious insiders from stealing sensitive data.
Appeal court rules FBI national security letter gagging orders should remain in place
Anyone subject to secret surveillance by the FBI through access to their private data remains unentitled to be told about the related national security letters (NSLs). The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that existing gagging orders that prevent companies from advising people about NSLs relating to them do not violate the First Amendment.
A case had been brought to court by the Electronic Frontier Foundation on behalf of Cloudfare and CREDO Mobile that challenged the legitimacy of the gagging orders. EFF won its case back in 2013, but subsequent changes to the law, coupled with the appeal court ruling, means that companies are still unable to inform customers about the existence of national security letters relating to their accounts.
Half of ex-employees still have access to corporate applications
Businesses aren't doing enough to guard against the security risks presented by ex-employees, according to new research from identity management firm OneLogin.
The study finds that nearly half (48 percent) of respondents are aware of former employees who still have access to corporate applications, with 50 percent of IT decision-makers ex-employee's accounts remaining active once they have left the company for longer than a day.
Stealing $7 million of Ethereum from CoinDash took a hacker just 3 minutes
A lightning-fast raid on a cryptocurrency platform's website earned a hacker $7 million in three minutes yesterday. Moments after CoinDash launched its ICO (Initial Coin Offering, the cryptocurrency version of an IPO), the attacker modified the address of the wallet it used and watched as millions poured into their own account.
The website was shut down as soon as the hack was discovered, but by this time $7 million had already disappeared. CoinDash managed to gather $6 million from investors, but funds stopped arriving with the shutdown.
Google Home and Wifi coming to Australia
Always-listening home virtual assistants can be absolute privacy nightmares, but they are oh so convenient too. Whether you select Amazon Echo or Google Home, you have to decide if you trust the company behind the assistant that is monitoring your home. Look, having a microphone or camera in your living room or bedroom can be scary, but if you are OK with it, you are rewarded with some great functionality, such as controlling IoT devices and getting instant answers to all of your questions. I am privacy-conscious, but I love Alexa too -- such a quandary!
If you live in Australia, and wanted Google Home, you have been out of luck. This is changing, however, as the standalone assistant hardware is coming to that country. If you want to ask questions about, say, The Perth Mint or the great actor Yahoo Serious, you will be able to buy the search-giant's hardware to do so. In addition, the Google Wifi router system is coming to the land down under too.
British roads to benefit from more reliable IT infrastructure
Britain's roads are about to get much smarter and more connected following a new deal signed this week.
Highways England, the Government company charged with operating, maintaining and improving England’s motorways and major A roads, has signed a £6.7m multi-year contract with technology firm Advanced to be its strategic IT partner.
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