New Android ransomware masquerades as FBI message
Researchers at Check Point have discovered a new variant of Android malware called Black Rose Lucy that, when downloaded, encrypts files on the infected device and displays a ransom note in the browser claiming to be an official message from the FBI.
First discovered by Check Point in September 2018, Lucy is a Malware-as-a-Service dropper that originated in Russia and downloads and installs new threats with ransomware capabilities.
Kingston launches KC2500 M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 SSD
There are some really great things happening in the solid state storage market lately. For instance, OWC just launched a 4TB M.2 drive, while Silicon Power released a very thin external SSD. KINGMAX even announced a super-fast NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 SSD. What a time to be alive!
Today, Kingston unveils a solid state drive that isn’t revolutionary, but it is still quite cool. Called “KC2500,” it is an M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 SSD. Best of all, it is quite affordable, with pricing starting below $74.
Americans fear the COVID-19 crisis will lead to more government tracking
As COVID-19 has spread around the globe, governments everywhere have been taking extraordinary measures to try to contain the pandemic.
There are fears though that some of these measures could become the new normal. The CyberNews.com website decided to ask people in the US how they feel about possibly giving up their privacy during the government's response to the coronavirus.
New solution helps defend business endpoints
As attackers become more sophisticated, perimeter defenses are becoming less effective at protecting networks. Particularly so as endpoints may roam from network to network or utilize resources in cloud data centers that are not under direct corporate control.
To give IT security analysts increased visibility into what is happening at their network endpoints, security-as-a-service company Cygilant is launching a new endpoint security solution.
Coronavirus pandemic means Apple will probably delay the next iPhone release
It's only a matter of weeks since Apple revealed the 2020 iPhone SE, but many people are holding out for this year's flagship from the company -- the iPhone 12 range, some of which will be 5G devices.
But it seems like anyone waiting to get their hands on the handset will have to wait a little longer. The chaos caused by the spread of COVID-19 around the world is said to have forced Apple to delay the launch of the phone by a month.
Why malicious domain registrations are a growing problem [Q&A]
More than 16,000 COVID-19 related domains have been registered since January and while some are legitimate many have been set up to serve malware, create phishing pages, or scam site visitors.
And malicious domains aren't just a problem during the current pandemic, they're a growing issue across the internet. This is not helped by privacy rules which mean it's become harder for security researchers to use Whois to see who owns a domain.
Microsoft patches Teams vulnerability that allowed for account takeover just by viewing a GIF
A security flaw in Microsoft Teams made it possible for attackers to take over accounts just by getting a victim to view a GIF. The vulnerability stemmed from the way in which Teams handles images and could allow for account takeovers and data theft.
Security firm CyberArk discovered the issue over a month ago and then worked with the Microsoft Security Research Center under Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure to get the vulnerability fixed. With COVID-19 leading to a huge increase in the number of people working remotely and relying on the likes of Zoom and Teams, the prospect of such an easily exploitable vulnerability is concerning.
Microsoft Edge ads appear in Windows 10 search
Microsoft's cross-promotion of its products is nothing new, and the company has used Windows 10 as an advertising platform numerous times already. The latest example of this sees ads for Microsoft Edge appearing in Windows Search in Windows 10.
Ads have started to pop up for people who are not currently using Chromium-based Edge as their default web browser, and it comes just after Microsoft started using Outlook.com to promote Edge to Chrome and Firefox users.
OWC launches 4TB Aura P12 M.2 NVMe SSD
Other World Computing (also known as OWC) is a very Apple-centric company. Its products are typically designed for Mac computers, such as the iMac, Mac Pro, and MacBook to name a few. Hell, the company's website is MacSales.com -- what does that tell you? Despite primarily focusing on Apple products, its offerings aren't exclusive to Mac. Many of its storage, memory, and docking products are compatible with Windows and Linux computers too.
OWC's latest storage product is sure to be cross-platform, as it is merely a solid state drive. The SSD is a very fast M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe variant, but that isn't what makes it so exciting. Actually, it is the capacity -- an insane 4TB! And yes, as you can expect, the 4TB Aura P12 M.2 NVMe SSD (S3DN3P2T40) is quite expensive.
Arch Linux-based Manjaro 20 Lysia available for download with Xfce, GNOME, and KDE
Ubuntu 20.04 was released this past Friday, and Linux fans around the world were understandably excited. However, "when it rains, it pours," as they say, because not only is Fedora 32 right around the corner, but today, yet another top-tier distribution gets a new release. This time, it is the Arch Linux-based Manjaro 20, which is code-named "Lysia."
The newest version of the wildly popular operating system can be had with your choice of three desktop environments -- Xfce, GNOME, and KDE Plasma. All three are great, but Xfce is the default for Manjaro. In version 20 of the OS, Xfce gets bumped up to 4.14. Manjaro 20 "Lysis" also gets Linux kernel 5.6 and a new ZFS installation option in Architect. Pamac 9.4 package manager gets support for both flatpaks and snaps by default -- very cool.
Microsoft is bombarding Chrome-using Outlook.com visitors with ads for Edge
Microsoft is no stranger to hitting its customers with ads for its products and services, and it seems that the company is so keen that people make the switch to the new Chromium-based version of Edge that it is now bombarding Outlook.com users with banner ads.
The ads are targeting people who visit the web-based version of Outlook using Google Chrome, and they see Microsoft extolling the speed and performance of its most recent web browser.
Facebook launches Messenger Rooms as an alternative to Zoom
While Zoom has been taking numerous steps to address various security and privacy concerns that have arisen in recent weeks, there are still plenty of people seeking alternatives to the video conferencing platform. Now Facebook is trying to make its Messenger tool a viable option.
With Facebook Messenger Rooms, the social media giant is giving people the option of conducting video chats with up to 50 people at a time. Unlike the free version of Zoom, there is no time limit on chats in Messenger Rooms, and as an added bonus there is no need to have a Facebook account to use it.
Audio-Technica launches QuietPoint ATH-ANC300TW Bluetooth headphones
Bluetooth headphones are no longer the future of portable audio — they are the present. Since Apple courageously killed the 3.5mm audio jack on the iPhone, and many Android manufacturers followed suit, wireless headphones have exploded in popularity. And yes, Apple AirPods are leading the trend.
The thing is, while AirPods are very popular, they aren’t necessarily the best. In fact, if you are an Android user, you should absolutely look elsewhere. Today, Audio-Technica launches its newest in-ear Bluetooth headphones, and they put Apple AirPods to shame. Called “QuietPoint ATH-ANC300TW,” they feature 4.5 hours of listening time, but the USB-C charging case adds 13.5 more. You even get replaceable tips so you can find the most comfortable fit.
IBM Cloud boosts security and productivity with Red Hat OpenShift enhancements
As businesses move to the cloud, they want choice, flexibility, and the ability to easily manage and migrate their critical workloads securely across public clouds, private clouds, and on-premise environments.
To help them achieve this IBM is enhancing the Red Hat OpenShift container platform on IBM Cloud by making OpenShift 4.3 generally available as part of its fully managed service.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Three-hundred-and-eighty-three in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft plans to release the next feature update for Windows 10 in May 2020. Check out Mark's post if you want to know what is new and changed in that version. Wayne's review of a new privacy app for Windows 10 is another good read this week.
Most Commented Stories
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.