The end of brick-like chargers that only fit one laptop is a step closer. The first USB cables that can carry up to 240 watts of power are now in production. For many years, one of the biggest drawbacks of laptops was the charger. In most cases they ... were considerably thicker than the laptop itself. They were also usually specific to the device (both in the plug/socket size and in the specific amount of power delivered). That meant somebody who lost or broke their charger would often face delay and expense before they could charge their device again. Things got a little better with the ... (view more)
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Microsoft Edge is getting what looks suspiciously like a virtual private network (VPN). It comes with a catch and requires some serious trust in Microsoft. The "Secure Network" feature is now mentioned in a support document and has also shown up in ... Edge for some users who've signed up for early access to in-development features. It appears to be a variant of a VPN, which involves routing internet connection through a VPN provider. The data traveling back and forth between the provider and the user is encrypted in a setup likened to a "tunnel" that stops it being accessible ... (view more)
Google has started including detailed privacy information about the Android apps in the official Play Store. It's up to developers to fill out the details and Google won't be checking them in advance. The listings page for each app will now have a ... summary box listing key data privacy and security details. Users can then click or tap through to see more detailed information. The box will note how many types of data the app collects, whether it is stored in encrypted form, and whether user can easily delete it. It will also list if the developer has put the app through an independent privacy ... (view more)
For the first time, more than five billion people use the Internet. That means the proportion of the world who are online will soon reach two-thirds. The figures come from Data Reportal, which gathers together information from multiple sources to ... produce a global estimate. (Source: datareportal.com ) Its headline figures include five billion people using the Internet, meaning 63 percent of the world's population. It also says 5.32 billion people have a mobile phone (67 percent of the population), with around 80 percent of those handsets being smartphones. (Source: bdaily.co.uk ) The report ... (view more)
Two separate reports point to a spike in zero-day bugs . That's when would-be attackers trying to exploit a bug have a head-start over developers who are trying to fix and patch it. When software developers discover a security vulnerability (or are ... told about it by responsible researchers), they are in a race against time to find and roll out a fix before attackers discover it and start trying to take advantage. Often they'll only have a matter of days. A zero-day bug is defined as one whose existence is (or was) discovered by hackers before it is known to the software developers. That means ... (view more)
Six months in, Windows 11 doesn't appear to be attracting a rush of new users. While claims that it's less popular than XP look a little shaky, the adoption rate appears to have slowed significantly. Only Microsoft knows exactly how many people are ... running various versions of Windows, but numerous independent studies attempt to estimate the figures. This usually involves extrapolating from a sample of users whose operating system is identifiable, for example when they visit a website or use a particular application. The most eye-catching recent estimate comes from a company called Lansweeper ... (view more)
Google users have reported an unexpected message saying their account is about to be shut down. It looks like a phishing scam but appears to actually be a bug in Google systems. The reports came in a Google support thread that has now been deleted. ... More than 300 people "upvoted" the original posts, suggesting they had a similar experience. The users were confused as they received an email saying "Your Google Account will soon be considered inactive" and that if they didn't log in it would be classed as having not been used for 18 months. That was a major surprise to users ... (view more)
An American man who helped North Korea evade US sanctions through cryptocurrencies has received a jail sentence of more than five years. Virgil Griffith had visited Pyongyang to tell officials how to use digital currencies. He pleaded guilty to ... breaching the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The act allows the US president to limit the ways US citizens carry out commerce abroad by declaring an international emergency. One such limitation, introduced in 2008 and renewed annually, blocks US citizens from exporting technology, goods or services to the US. Griffith violated that ... (view more)
A new variant of Android malware quite literally hides its activities. 'Octo' darkens the screen so that users can't see it stealing data. Researchers at Threat Fabric say the malware takes advantage of a built-in Android feature called ... "STREAM_SCREEN". It's not quite a live feed, but remotely transmits around one screenshot a second. (Source: threatfabric.com ) The scammers then misuse an accessibility feature in Android to remotely control the device. The stream screening lets them see what they are doing, despite not having physical access. Black Screen Disguise The sneakiest ... (view more)
Google has issued a third zero-day bug warning for Chrome this year. While the browser will auto-update, it's a reminder not to leave it open indefinitely. In short, a zero-day bug refers to the time developers discovered the problem and were able ... to roll out a fix. Ideally, they'll have a head start and can either get the patch in place before would-be attackers even start working on exploiting it. In this case, however, attackers not only know about the bug but are already taking advantage before developers can roll out a fix. Memory Compromised This particular bug is described as a "type ... (view more)
Are you being blackmailed with sextortion (sex extortion)? Contact me here using the contact form. IMPORTANT: If you paid the scammers anything at all, they will simply turn around and ask for more . This is how this scam goes 100% of the time. ... Don't be fooled into thinking a one-time payment will be the end - IT NEVER IS! -- In this article, you will find answers to the following questions: Do blackmailers follow through? Do blackmailers go away? Do blackmailers ever stop? Do blackmailers bluff? Should I Pay the Blackmailers (and What Happens if I don't Pay)? Sextortion: what to do? -- ... (view more)
Are you being blackmailed with sextortion (sex extortion)? Contact me here using the contact form. IMPORTANT: If you paid the scammers anything at all, they will simply turn around and ask for more . This is how this scam goes 100% of the time. ... Don't be fooled into thinking a one-time payment will be the end - IT NEVER IS! -- In this article, you'll find the answers to the following questions: What is sextortion ? How long does sextortion last ? Do sextortionists follow through ? Should I ignore sextortion ? How do you fight sextortion ? How to report sextortion ? -- Infopackets Reader Gina H ... (view more)
How can businesses use artificial intelligence (AI) effectively? Undoubtedly, the most widely used application is virtual assistants such as Alexa or Google whereby the customer can speak to a smartphone or listening device and have the action ... interpreted and carried out. Another great example is the use of Chatbots; these are parts of artificial intelligence designed to help customers resolve common issues while interacting with a website - including performing standard operations like money transfers, for example. Apart from that, BPOs are using AI . Business process outsourcing (BPO) is ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Barbara J. writes: " Dear Dennis, In early March, 2021, my elderly father was browsing the Internet when suddenly a red screen appeared and told him that his computer was infected. Conveniently, the warning message also supplied a ... 1-800 number to speak to Microsoft to 'fix' the issue. My father confirmed that the person he spoke to had a very thick Indian accent . The company that 'fixed' his computer was named Live IP Support and they charged on two separate occasions, totaling $2,700. The checks were withdrawn from his account under a company named Wowser E Services (aka ... (view more)
Microsoft is releasing a major security update to Windows 11 that could theoretically block malicious applications completely. It's such a fundamental change in the operating system that it will require a reset and clean installation of Windows. At ... the moment, most of the built-in security on Windows uses two main approaches. One is to scan any files or links the user wants to open or download, then alerts the user if they match any know threats. This is referred to as file and link scanning. The other is to scan files on the hard drive to look for anything suspicious. This is usually done in ... (view more)
Police in Germany have shut down a major underground website used mainly for illegal drug deals and money laundering. But the people behind Hydra remain at large. The shutdown was an international effort which included the assistance of the US ... Treasury. Despite its physical location in Germany, most of the users and operators of Hydra appear to have been from Russia and other former Soviet Union nations. Hydra has been described as a darknet marketplace. Darknet usually means the site is only accessible through special software that makes it much harder to track who has visited it. Darknet ... (view more)
Dell says its computers will soon be able to use two internet connections at once. Supposedly this will significantly increase speeds and reduce glitches, but the details are somewhat vague. It's part of a series of features packaged as Dell ... Optimizer aimed particularly at people using laptops for work while at home or on the move. They include an onlooker detection that appears to use the webcam to spot when somebody could be looking over the user's shoulder. Depending on the settings, the screen can then lock or blur. Another feature uses a combination of user settings and automated ... (view more)
An Estonian man will spend more than five years in a US jail for ransomware scams. Maksim Berezan took more than $50 million from victims. Many scammers get away with online crimes because they operate in countries with a lax attitude to crimes ... committed against people outside their national borders. That was not the case with Berezan, who was arrested in Latvia and extradited to the US. Justice Department officials thanked authorities in both Latvia and Estonia for their cooperation. Although Berezan pleaded guilty in April last year, he's only just been sentenced for "conspiracy to commit ... (view more)
Are you being blackmailed with sextortion (sex extortion)? Contact me here using the contact form. IMPORTANT: If you paid the scammers anything at all, they will simply turn around and ask for more . This is how this scam goes 100% of the time. ... Don't be fooled into thinking a one-time payment will be the end - IT NEVER IS! -- In this article, you will find answers to the following questions: Sextortion - What To Do Hire me to fix this problem for you (read why!). Report the profile on social media (won't work). Block the scammers and shut down your social media accounts (not likely to work). ... (view more)
Microsoft has gone ahead with plans to make it easier to change the browser in Windows 11. It means an end to a heavily criticized policy that made it more frustrating to use something other than Microsoft's own Edge browser. In recent versions of ... Windows, users could set a rival browser as the default option in Windows relatively easily. Once set, Windows would then use the chosen browser automatically for relevant tasks such as opening a link or a saved web page. In Windows 10, users could set a different browser for every type of file or connection type an app could use, for example .htm ... (view more)
Windows updates will soon be a little more environmentally friendly. Microsoft is making a change that isn't exactly world-changing, but won't involve any extra effort or inconvenience for users. The change is coming in Windows 11 version 22H2 (also ... called Sun Valley 2), which is the second of the two major updates to the system scheduled for this year. ("Major" is very much a comparative term at this point). Automated Windows Updates will now aim to use more renewable energy, which might seem a little confusing given the electricity a PC uses is the same no matter the source. ... (view more)
Android phones could help make weather forecasts more accurate under a new project. The problem is its hard to see much incentive for people to take part. Although some high-end smartphones have sensors for temperature or air pressures, they aren't ... needed for this project. Instead its all about the signal strength and satellite navigation data. The project, dubbed Camaliot, is the work of the European Space Agency, though it's looking for participants from all over the world as this will make the results more useful. (Source: androidpolice.com ) Water Vapor The Key The idea is to collect data ... (view more)
Scammers who don't want to write their own malware can now pay just $20 to start a campaign of attacks. They can then customize their "bait" with Windows installations and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) among the ways to target users. The malware is ... available on dark web sites. These are sites that are part of the world wide web, but set up in a way that means they aren't indexed by search engines. That makes them suitable for people who don't want their activities easily traced. A piece of malware called BitRAT costs just $20 for lifetime access. The name derives from "remote ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Leona L. writes: " Dear Dennis, Thank you for mentioning our product WinX DVD Ripper in your newsletter. We would like to extend a special week-long offer to your readers starting March 28, 2022 until April 4th, 2022 for WinX HD ... Video Converter. For only $9.95 Digiarty is offering WinX HD Video Converter with an unlimited license for 3 months. Please kindly let your readers know! " My response: Thanks, Leona for sending our readers another great deal. Below I'll provide a bullet point of what each program does. WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe: Full list of Features an all-in ... (view more)
A security researcher has warned that a fake browser could be used to more effectively scam users into handing over login details. Password managers and similar tools may be one way to combat the tactic. The warning comes from a security researcher ... who chooses to use the pseudonym mrd0x. They dubbed the approach a "browser-in-the-browser" attack. (Source: mrd0x.com ) The tactic would take advantage of websites that have registration and accounts but let users sign in with a third party account such as Google or Facebook. This works by displaying a pop-up window that's hosted by the ... (view more)
A software engineer has sparked a controversial debate with the claim that "Google Search is dying." Dmitri Brereton says he is talking about the quality and relevance of results rather than the number of people using the tool or the revenue it ... generates for Google. Brereton's claims were sparked by a post showing the number of Google searches for the discussion site Reddit are steadily increasing. He believes this isn't because the site itself is becoming more popular but rather because people are using Google but restricting the results to posts from Reddit to get more useful ... (view more)
Are you being blackmailed with sextortion (sex extortion)? Contact me here using the contact form. IMPORTANT: If you paid the scammers anything at all, they will simply turn around and ask for more . This is how this scam goes 100% of the time. ... Don't be fooled into thinking a one-time payment will be the end - IT NEVER IS! In 98% of all cases I've worked on, the scammers are overseas ( Africa , Philippines , Morocco , India , etc) - even if it looks like they have a USA phone number. That's because they use phone apps such as "text now", "text plus", and "hush", ... (view more)
Google is facing a lawsuit for alleged "deceptive and unfair conduct" in its restaurant listings. The lawsuit claims it tricked users into using third-party delivery services from which it received a cut. Google has rejected the claims and said it ... offers restaurants the chance to get orders direct, with no fee for the search giant. The case centers on a special button reading "Order Online" that appears besides search results for restaurants. It takes users to a custom page which includes details of the restaurant, its address and its menu. The lawsuit says this is an "unauthorized online ... (view more)
Microsoft has tested showing advertising in its File Explorer tool. It may be ads for Microsoft products only, though the hostile response could well dissuade the company from going further with the idea. One user shared a screenshot of File ... Explorer which included a bar at the top of the window (just above the list of files) reading "Write with confidence across documents, email, and the web with advanced writing suggestions from Microsoft Editor." (Source: bleepingcomputer.com ) It also had a "Learn More" link pointing to more details about Microsoft Editor. That's a ... (view more)
Analysts estimate Apple has made more than $6 billion by no longer including chargers or earphones with new iPhones. It's a healthy bonus for what was sold as an environmentally-driven move. Apple said its change in policy from 2020 was because many ... phone owners, particularly those who regularly get a new model, already had compatible chargers. Meanwhile many either already had plug-in earphones, preferred a wireless model, or didn't need earphones at all. According to the Daily Mail, the environmental impact of reduced production was estimated by Apple as two million tons of carbon dioxide a ... (view more)
Need Help? Ask!
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 20 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 20 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
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