Microsoft has agreed to change the way it handles rival security products in Windows. The changes follow a formal complaint that's now been withdrawn by Kaspersky Labs . Kaspersky had twice made official protests over Windows 10. The first was to ... Russian anti-monopoly regulators and led to Microsoft changing the wording on a message encouraging users to remove third-party software in favor of Windows Defender. A follow-up complaint to the European Commission covered several points including Microsoft making it difficult for security firms to tell users when their licensed had expired; not ... (view more)
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Apple stands accused of failing to enable a potentially life-saving iPhone technology. Advanced Mobile Location (AML), already used in Android handsets, lets emergency services staff know precisely where a caller is located. The accusation comes ... from the European Emergency Number Association (EENA), which coordinates the European equivalent of 911 call technology. It already works with Google on AML, which is credited with saving multiple lives. The idea of AML is that it doesn't require any special action on behalf of the user: there's no need to change settings or install dedicated ... (view more)
One of the earliest investors in Facebook and Google has likened the effects of major Internet companies on users to the effects of addictive drugs. Roger McNamee accused the companies of "aggressive brain hacking" to make their ad business more ... profitable. Writing for USA Today before discussing the topic on NBC, McNamee also likened the companies' behavior to that of the gambling industry. He said they "exploit human nature, creating addictive behaviors that compel consumers to check for new messages, respond to notifications, and seek validation from technologies whose ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Priscilla writes: " Dear Dennis, I am running Windows 10 and my computer seems to be infected with a rootkit from what I read online. In Task Manager's Startup , I have the following programs running: cpx.exe , svcvmx.exe , and ... ct.exe . I have tried to disabled these from startup but I get 'Access denied'. I have tried to download Malwarebytes Antimalware to scan the computer but the setup file simply won't run. I have tried downloading other antivirus programs but Edge reports that the file is corrupt. I have tried resetting Windows 10 but it fails and tells me I cannot ... (view more)
According to Facebook's head of security Alex Stamos, the security industry needs to do more to solve problems that affect ordinary people in their everyday lives. He says researchers are often too obsessed with technical detail because they lack ... empathy. Stamos spoke at Black Hat, a conference that brings together security professionals, researchers, self-described hackers and those with an interest in the topic. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) He said the security community had proven justified in many of its warnings about flaws in systems and networks, but that it hadn't done enough to find ... (view more)
The man behind some of the most commonly held advice on creating passwords says he was wrong on several points. Bill Burr says the real problem with his tips were that they led to predictable behavior. Burr's advice came in a short 2003 document ... produced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Because of the institute's prestige, the advice was widely adopted and cited, with both employers and sites often insisting that passwords meet the guidelines. (Source: wsj.com ) Mix of Characters Hard to Remember One part of the advice was to use a mix of capital letters, lower ... (view more)
T-Mobile is launching a special phone plan for seniors, following on from AT&T. The difference is that T-Mobile's plan covers data, making it more useful for smartphones. The T-Mobile plan allows for unlimited voice calls, texting and data use, ... albeit with some restrictions. Video playback is limited to standard definition, users can only share (tether) the connection with a computer at 3G speeds, and connections may be slowed if the user goes over 32GB of data in a month. (Source: t-mobile.com ) It's the same package available to all T-Mobile users, but at a special price for ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Bill W. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently upgraded to Windows 10; prior to that I was running Windows 7. In both Windows 7 and 10 I have this extremely annoying issue where the mouse exhibits a constant spinning circle (cursor) - ... as if the system is busy doing something. The spinning circle goes on all day long; it pops up for a few seconds, then disappears, and then maybe 30 seconds to a minute later it will pop up again. The spinning blue circle / mouse pointer happens even if the system is idle. I would like to get this fixed and am willing to pay to have you remote into ... (view more)
Google says its artificial intelligence system is better at identifying guideline-breaking videos than human moderators. The claim is somewhat subjective, however. The company, which runs YouTube, made the claim as part of an update on how it deals ... with 'questionable' videos. Last month, Google said it was refining its use of computerized systems for examining videos and checking whether they breach content guidelines. It says that as a result of the improvements, three-quarters of removed videos are now caught automatically before the company receives a complaint from a human viewer ... (view more)
Google is testing a built-in ad blocker for the Chrome browser. It's prompted a mixed response with some fears of a conflict of interest. The company had previously talked about adding an ad blocker as a built-in feature in Chrome, rather than the ... optional extensions that are already available from third-parties. Now the feature is being tested in the Dev and Canary version of Chrome. These are special versions where user get early access to features but with the knowledge that they may have performance flaws at this stage. It would be extremely unusual for Google not to later go ahead ... (view more)
Researchers suggest that anonymized browsing data can be used to track users. The flaw can make it easy to reveal exactly what sites individuals have visited. Security experts Svea Eckert and Andreas Dewes told the Def Con security conference that ... they'd been able to identify adult websites a particular judge had visited, as well as a politician's online interest in drugs. The data came from so-called "clickstreams," which are simply a list of the sites an individual has visited and the order in which they visited them. They are commonly used by advertising firms to produce ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Michael B. writes: " Dear Dennis, Thank you so much for helping me to patch my Windows 2003 Server against the SMB attacks and for removing Windows_Update.exe virus a few weeks back . A have yet another problem that is causing ... high CPU usage! In Task Manager of Windows Server 2003, I see two processes that are eating 50% of my CPU each, namely: SystemTask.exe and SystemTaskInfo.exe . If I try and delete either process, it simply comes back and starts eating my CPU again, which makes everything else on the server painfully slow. Can you please help? " My response: I asked ... (view more)
The next Windows 10 update will make shutting down or restarting a computer a smoother process. It will also make it slightly easier to switch back and forth between a phone and a computer. The changes are in the latest test build of the Windows 10 ... "Fall Creator's Update." That's the next twice-yearly update to Windows 10 that adds new features rather than simply fixing security and performance bugs. Normally in Windows, if you restart the computer (or it's automatically restarted by an update), you need to re-enter your login details. The same thing happens if you shut ... (view more)
The makers of the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner plan to sell data about people's homes to tech giants. It could bring personalized advertising to a whole new level. Colin Angle is chief executive of iRoboto Corp, which makes the Roomba. He told ... Reuters that the company could sell user data to Amazon, Apple or Google in the next couple of years. (Source: reuters.com ) The scope of the data involved is surprisingly detailed. Early models of robotic cleaners simply moved in a straight line until they hit an object. Modern versions build up and store maps of a home's floor space, including ... (view more)
Verizon has admitted to slowing down connection speeds for users watching online video. But it insists it was part of a test and was not a deliberate attempt to penalize Netflix. Users noticed the slowdown last week thanks to Fast.com, a special ... website Netflix launched last year to let people test their connection speeds. Multiple sources reported getting slower figures on this site than on other speed testing sites. That's significant, as Fast.com tests the speed by sending data to and from Netflix's servers, unlike other speed testing sites. That led some to infer that Verizon was ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Sean S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I own three Windows 10 PC's at home - my own PC, my wife's laptop and my son's laptop. Each laptop is set up to access my main PC using network shared folders (I have the same user names and ... passwords also set up on my main machine to create a password protected share). Recently my wife tried to access a shared folder on my PC but now receives an error 'the password of this user has expired'. The same day I also received an error message on my Windows 10 login screen that 'the password for this account has expired' and I need to reset it. Is ... (view more)
Microsoft says it won't deliver new Windows 10 features to some computers. However, it's vowed to give the affected machines security patches for six years, a major extension on its original policy. Last week it was discovered that as many as 10 ... million computers running an Intel processor named 'Clover Trail' did not get the latest major update to Windows 10 - something Microsoft said was a compatibility issue. Applying the update could have made system text and icons unreadable. Most of the affected machines were combined "2-in-1" models that worked as both laptops ... (view more)
The FBI has warned parents about privacy risks with 'smart' toys. It's more of a general warning rather than covering a specific product. The agency says the warning covers a wide range of toys which "incorporate technologies that learn and tailor ... their behaviors based on user interactions." The key risk is when the toy has an Internet connection, meaning data can be passed on to a third party. According to the FBI, the risks are particularly great given such toys may contain "sensors, microphones, cameras, data storage components, and other multimedia capabilities ... (view more)
Some computers only a few years old are reporting that they not longer support Windows 10. It's a badly-worded blunder for now, but could be the sign of a major security problem down the line. The problem is occurring when some computers try to ... install the Creators Update, the most recent widely-distributed major update to Windows 10. The message received is worded: "Windows 10 is no longer supported on this PC. Uninstall this app now because it isn't compatible with Windows 10." (Source: pcworld.com ) That's an extremely confusing and misleading message in several ways ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Bob W. writes: " Dear Dennis, I believe that I have been scalped for a 3 year insurance policy and a 1 year extended warranty from Microsoft for the sum of $200.00. While going to Amazon's website, I received an alert that claimed ... that I was infected and that Microsoft was blocking my computer's further use and a phone number was shown to call. The listed URL was pointing to ' Secure Microsoft Support .' Based on that, I bit! 3.5 hours later and continued phone correspondence with 3 techs, my machine appeared to be functioning perfectly. The firm's name is ' LIVE PC EXPERTS ... (view more)
Russian-based antivirus company Kaspersky Labs has denied working with intelligence agencies in Russia. The denial follows a crackdown on US government agencies using the company's software. The claims follow a series of previously unpublished ... emails sent in 2009 between company founder Eugene Kaspersky and colleagues. They mention a secret project "per a big request on the Lubyanka side." That's a reference to the headquarters of the FSB, the Russian security agency that's the modern-day equivalent of the KGB. In principle the project was to work on defensive software for the FSB, protecting ... (view more)
Microsoft wants to use unused TV frequencies to provide Internet service in rural areas. It believes its size could help bring down the costs of the technology. The system is known as white-spaces technology and uses wireless frequencies that are in ... the band reserved for over-the-air TV broadcasts but aren't currently being used. While Microsoft plans to use some of these frequencies, it wants the government to reserve at least three frequencies in each local area for use with the technology. (Source: nytimes.com ) Tech Works Like WiFi In principle, wireless Internet signals can be sent ... (view more)
Reports that accepting a friend request from a "Jayden K Smith" on Facebook will get your account hacked are a hoax. It's still a smart idea to take care with Facebook friend requests, however. As often happens, the hoax warning is circulating ... widely, likely being shared by people who believe doing so will help inform and protect their friends and family on the site. One version of the hoax message reads "Please tell all the contacts in your messenger list not to accept Jayden K. Smith friendship request. He is a hacker and has the system connected to your Facebook account ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Jean G. writes: " Dear Dennis I just upgraded to Windows 10. Every time my computer restarts, I receive the error message that ' There was a problem starting c:\windows\system32\logilda.dll / The specified module could not be ... found .' I actually had this message before I upgraded to Windows 10 but I was hoping that the upgrade would have fixed it. Based on what I read, the logilda.dll is a file related to my Logitech keyboard and mouse. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the program multiple times but I still get the error. Can you please help! " My response: I have not had ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Felix S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10, and now my Outlook won't send or receive email. Every time I try and check for email, I get a 'Cannot send or receive 8004010F' error. I've searched ... the Microsoft website on how to fix this issue but the instructions are absolutely horrible and did not solve my problem. I was wondering if you can help me fix the 'cannot send or receive' error 8004010F? I am willing to pay for your help! Much appreciated! " My response: I asked Felix if he would like me to connect to his system using my remote ... (view more)
Apple is working on facial recognition as an iPhone security measure. It's said to be have it ready for this year's iPhone 8, but may wait until the feature has been fully tested and complete. The idea is to replace fingerprint scanning for ... unlocking the phone. It's not yet confirmed if and when the facial recognition would be extended to other uses, such as using Apple Pay rather than have to type in card details or a PIN code. According to a Bloomberg source, the face unlock takes less than half a second to scan a face, confirm its identity and unlock the phone. The feature ... (view more)
A judge has thrown out a lawsuit which accused Facebook of tracking web users after they logged out of the site. Judge Edward Davila said the people bringing the case hadn't proven any financial loss or a breach of reasonable privacy expectations. ... The case involves website cookies, which are small text files created by a browser and stored on a user's computer. The cookies are readable by websites and can be used to identify the user and customize the content they see when visiting a page. In this case, the cookies were being read by third party websites that included a "Facebook ... (view more)
Microsoft is adding a new feature to Windows 10 that could make it harder for ransomware to lock up files. It could be useful, but is certainly not a complete defense. The feature, called "Controlled Folder Access," is part of the Windows Defender ... security tool and is already being tested by users who've volunteered for advanced access to Windows 10 updates. The idea is that specific folders can be protected which means that only specified applications or programs can create, alter or delete files in those folders. This includes encrypting the files, which is the key tactic ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Susan M. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently bought a new laptop that came with Windows 10 pre-installed. Last week, I received a Windows 10 update and now my battery keeps draining - even with the power plugged in! This doesn't ... make any sense to me; also my laptop is brand new! The balloon over the battery icon is reading '93% available (plugged in, not charging)'. I looked on the Internet to see if I could figure out what was causing this, and there are a lot of people having the same issue. Do you know why my laptop won't charge and how I can fix the 'plugged in, not ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader "Sundeep" writes: " Dear Dennis, I am using Windows 10 and my email is always open and accessible. I want to be able to log out of my emails so no one else can see them. How can I make it so that my email is kept private, so no ... one else can see it on my computer when I'm away from the machine? " My response: If you don't want your emails accessible whenever you are signed in, there are a few options. Lock the machine or sign out when it is not being used. If you lock the machine, everything on the desktop will remain where it is until you sign back in. If you log out, ... (view more)
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I can help! Send me a message on the bottom left of the screen (using the Zopim Chat button), or click my picture to read more about how I can fix your computer over the Internet. Optionally you can read all about my credentials, here.
