Latest Technology News

Almost a year after it was first announced, Google is finally rolling out its offline Find My Device service for Android devices.

All but identical to Apple's Find My network, Google's offering not only makes it possible to track the location of Android handsets, but also includes support for third-party AirTag-style trackers. While the rollout appears to have started, for now it is only a beta; a full launch is imminent, however.

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Opera has announced a huge AI update to its Opera One web browser in the developer stream. The company is introducing experimental support for 150 local Large Language Models (LLMs) across approximately 50 different model families. This innovative feature allows users to easily access and manage local AI models directly from the browser, a first in the industry.

The supported local LLMs include notable names such as Llama from Meta, Vicuna, Gemma from Google, Mixtral from Mistral AI, among others. The inclusion of local LLMs means that users can now leverage generative AI capabilities without the need to send data to external servers. This ensures that user data remains on the device, enhancing privacy and security.

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Hold on to your hats, folks, because Microsoft is at it again. In a move that’s sure to ruffle some feathers, the tech giant has announced* that starting October 2024, just one year before Windows 10 reaches its end of support, the company will charge a whopping $61 per device for the first year of Extended Security Updates (ESU). And get this – the price will double every consecutive year for a maximum of three years! If you’re late to the party and join in Year Two, you’ll have to cough up the cash for Year One as well since these updates are cumulative. Talk about a slap in the face!

Now, let’s be clear: these Extended Security Updates are meant to be a temporary bridge for organizations that need more time to transition to Windows 11. They’re not intended to be a long-term solution. But let’s face it, for many businesses and individuals, upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. There are compatibility issues, hardware requirements, and not to mention the hassle of migrating entire systems. So, this move by Microsoft feels like it's holding users hostage -- pay up or risk being left vulnerable to security threats.

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Trends in cybersecurity (like many areas of technology and life) tend to make pendulum-like swings over time. One such shifting debate is around security tool philosophy: is it best to use an array of best-in-class tools or consolidate to a single, “do it all” security platform?

I argue that it is essential to planfully and strategically implement a hybrid approach. By combining some best-of-class tools with integrated platforms, you can eliminate the chaos of countless single tools and embrace the advanced benefits of today’s platforms, while still having some high-value, niche solutions to provide the necessary layers of protection for the security armor. It’s important to avoid dependence on a single vendor to also avoid implementing that vendor’s weaknesses/blind spots across the enterprise; yet these solutions offer many advantages.

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The energy and infrastructure sectors serve as the backbone of global stability and economic health, underpinning nearly all facets of modern society. As such, the integrity and reliability of these systems are paramount, and failure to maintain their uptime could lead to unprecedented disruptions in daily life. This reality underscores the pressing need to safeguard these sectors from evolving cybersecurity threats.

However, the very importance of energy and infrastructure makes them prime targets for cybercriminals. The surge in sophisticated email-based attacks, such as business email compromise (BEC) and vendor email compromise (VEC), poses a significant risk. These cyber tactics, often characterized by deceptive social engineering and the absence of traditional threat indicators, allow attackers to bypass conventional security measures easily. Understanding these attacks is the first step towards developing robust defenses against them.

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Following the discovery of malicious code, fwupd, the popular firmware update utility, has decided to transition from xz to zstd compression for its metadata. Richard Hughes, the lead developer behind fwupd, outlined the rationale behind this decision in a recent blog post.

For years, fwupd has relied on compressed metadata to facilitate firmware updates for a wide array of hardware. This metadata, essentially a large XML file, was initially compressed using gzip, resulting in a 1.6MB download for end-users. However, in 2021, the fwupd team switched to xz compression, further reducing the file size to 1.1MB and saving significant bandwidth.

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Microsoft 365 is the default software in SMEs, and understandably. The software offers a comprehensive set of productivity tools; flexible, scalable, and affordable licensing options, and compliance and security capabilities. However, given the ever-growing and persistent threat of cyberattacks, for email security, the standard security safeguards offered are insufficient.

Analysis of over 1 billion emails worldwide shows that emails are the preferred vehicle of cybercriminals. Email-delivered malware remains a favorite, increasing by 276 percent between January and December of last year. Additionally, attachments are growing as a threat. In Q4 of 2023, EML attachments increased 10-fold. Criminals are sending malicious payloads via EML files because they get overlooked when attached to the actual phishing email, which comes out clean.

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TEAMGROUP has unveiled its latest offering for the creative community -- the T-CREATE EXPERT S.M.A.R.T. microSDXC memory card, now available in a substantial 2TB capacity. It is compliant with the UHS speed class U3, video speed class V30, and application performance class A2.

When used with a compatible professional card reader, the memory card boasts impressive read and write speeds of up to 170 MB/s and 160 MB/s, respectively. These speeds are essential for seamless 4K Ultra HD and 1080p Full HD video recording, as well as continuous photo shooting.

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According to the latest threat research from SecurityScorecard, 21 percent of S&P 500 companies experienced breaches in 2023.

The report shows that 25 percent of these breaches impacted financial services and insurance companies. Financial institutions have some of the most robust security programs because they have substantial money and assets. But the interconnected nature of the financial sector means that compromising one institution or commonly used product can lead to broader impacts across the entire industry.

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Multiply your productivity with the world's most straightforward guide to the world's most popular office software.

Microsoft Office 365 contains straightforward tools for virtually every office task you could possibly think of. And learning how to use this powerful software is much easier than you might expect. With the latest edition of Office 365 All-in-One For Dummies, you'll get a grip on some of the most popular and effective office software on the planet, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, and Teams.

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Half of security professionals say it's almost impossible to find the right balance between security and employee productivity, and 79 percent don't think their security protections are adequate.

A new study from 1Password, based on a survey of 1,500 North American workers, including 500 IT security professionals, finds 69 percent of security pros admit they're at least partly reactive when it comes to security. While 61 percent believe they're being pulled in too many conflicting directions.

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A new report from Bitdefender shows that 45 percent of consumers don't use mobile security solutions, despite the fact that 78 percent conduct sensitive transactions on their devices.

Based on an independent global survey of over 7,000 consumers, the report looks at top security behaviors, practices and concerns across their digital footprint and lifestyle.

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The development community has been quick to embrace generative AI for its productivity potential. But at the same time it raises concerns for enterprises around IP/ownership, security, compliance and more.

We talked to Steve Martinelli, director of developer advocacy and community at Equinix, to discuss the similarities between GenAI and open-source software's acceptance journey, and how we might tackle the unique challenges it presents.

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HYPER has launched its new HyperJuice 240W Silicone USB-C to USB-C Cable. The cable distinguishes itself with its remarkable 240W charging capacity, enabled by PD 3.1’s Extended Power Range (EPR). Designed to meet the charging needs of today’s demanding devices and future innovations, this cable provides efficient and rapid charging without sacrificing safety or durability.

Key features of the cable include a 240W charging power that ensures quick and efficient charging for all devices, a durable silicone jacket that withstands over 25,000 bends, and a portable, tangle-free silicone design for easy management. The cable also features Over-Temperature Protection (OTP) up to 90°C / 194°F, with each port connector containing E-marker chips for safe power and data delivery. Additionally, the cable is future-proofed with universal compatibility, designed to support all USB-C devices of today and tomorrow.

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From the land of matryoshkas and balalaikas, ROSA, a developer of system and infrastructure software, has released ROSA Fresh 12.5. This new version of the Russian-developed operating system is a blend of significant improvements and fresh features, aimed at improving both convenience and security.

ROSA Fresh 12.5 presents an array of installation images, catering to diverse computing needs. The update accommodates three processor architectures: x64, i686, and aarch64 (available later), and provides five user environment options. Users can select from two comprehensive graphical environments, KDE and GNOME, or opt for the lighter LXQt and Xfce systems. For those well-versed in the command line, ROSA Fresh Server offers a text interface option.

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