More than ever before, modern businesses rely on technology. Their efficient functioning relies on Internet services, which is unlikely to alter in the near future. As a result, as organizations get larger, computer networks develop, and massive ... volumes of data are sent every day between computer systems. According to a survey conducted by Accenture, 68% of organizations across various industries believe that cyber security threats are growing. According to an FBI assessment, cyberattacks have grown by 300% since the epidemic began. Securing businesses large and small is vital to ensure the ... (view more)
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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 The checks were withdrawn from his account under a company named Wowser E Services (aka ...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)
Google has solved all the world's tech problems, tackled world peace, reversed climate change, and is now dangerously bored. At least that's the only rational explanation why it is now arguing with Apple on Twitter about the color that appears ... behind text in messages. The ridiculous row is about the iMessage feature on iPhones that lets users send messages free of charge over the Internet rather than through SMS text messaging. Originally only iPhone users could send messages on the service but in 2016, Apple extended it to Android devices through a Google Play Store app. Apple originally ... (view more)
Facebook and Google have been fined a total of $237 million for the way they ask users for permission to issue cookies. French regulators said the companies breached rules that say refusing cookies must be as simple as accepting them. The fines came ... from the CNIL, France's primary data privacy regulator. It found the companies had breached France's Data Protection Act. In both cases, the companies breached rules on cookies that took effect last year with a deadline of March 31st for compliance. (Source: cnil.fr ) Unfair Choice Facebook was fined approximately $68 million USD while Google was ... (view more)
WhatsApp is adding a series of privacy and security features. However, several will be switched off by default so users should consider activating them. The messaging app, now owned by Facebook, has become popular thanks to two key features. It's ... designed to handle groups well so that users can send a message to a specific group of friends or colleagues in a more intuitive manner than Facebook's own messaging tools. It also uses end-to-end encryption, meaning not only that intercepting a message is of little use, but that Facebook cannot access messages even if it wanted to or was ordered to ... (view more)
Samsung has made a battery-less remote control that takes power from Wi-Fi signals. It's proof the concept works, though it's still very questionable if the same approach could work on devices such as phones or laptops. The remote is an update on an ... existing "Eco Remote" model that uses solar power to top up the battery. Although solar is naturally very limited inside a home, a rechargeable battery in a remote only needs very slow, low-power topping up as it uses little energy to operate. Samsung says it then explored a range of wireless charging technologies to add to the solar in a second ... (view more)
BlackBerry has announced its phones will finally stop working this week. It's a move six years in the making and in many ways it's insane that anyone is still using them. Specifically the company will be hitting the killswitch on services for ... BlackBerry 7.1 and earlier, the software for the BlackBerry 10 device, and BlackBerry PlayBook 2.1 (for its short-lived tablet range) and earlier. The move only affects devices running BlackBerry's own software. It doesn't affect its range of Android-based devices. Although the number of people affected is relatively low, BlackBerry is keen to get the ... (view more)
Microsoft has reassured Windows users that they don't have to worry about an update that appears to have been pending for more than 50 years. The confusing listing for Intel drivers is simply a workaround to make sure computers keep running. The odd ... data appears in the "Optional Updates" section of the Windows Updates page in the Windows 10 and 11 Settings tool. These updates will only ever be installed when the user manually selects them, even if they have the automatic updates setting switched on. In a drop down menu for driver updates, most users will see a variety of listings ... (view more)
Users of popular password manager tool LastPass have reported worrying emails that suggest their master passwords have been compromised. LastPass says the emails may have been sent mistakenly and that it has no evidence of any security breach. Like ... most such tools, LastPass let users create a single memorable password, the name coming from the idea it's the "last password" users will ever need to remember. This password is necessary to unlock a private vault of stored encrypted passwords for other sites. One of the big keys to the service is that LastPass itself has no access to the master ... (view more)
Amazon has apologized after its digital assistant Alexa told a 10-year old to connect a coin to a power socket. While there's a simple explanation, it raises even more questions. The girl's mother said she had previously been watching YouTube videos ... with a variety of safe physical challenges, then used voice control to ask an Alexa-enabled device for a "challenge to do." To the mother's shock, the device replied "The challenge is simple: plug in a phone charger about halfway into a wall outlet, then touch a penny to the exposed prongs." Fortunately the mother heard the reply, though she says ... (view more)
Samsung has got approval for a patent on a phone with a double-folding mechanism. It would effectively be a tablet computer that fits in the pocket. The company already has a range of foldable phones with a single hinge, meaning a double-width ... screen. The new patent is for a double-hinge with one folding forward and one folding backward, a little like a "zed bed" mechanism. (Source: techradar.com ) The patent shows that the screens would be arranged so that an "ordinary" size screen was usable when the phone was fully folded. When the phone was unfolded, the entire display would be accessible ... (view more)
The developers behind a "privacy focused" search engine are working on their own desktop web browser. DuckDuckGo is already available in mobile form with a reported 150 million downloads. The DuckDuckGo search engine is based around user privacy, ... with minimal data collected. It's funded through ads that relate solely to the search term a user looks for, rather than any data about their browsing history. The reduced reliance on personal data does arguably mean the search results aren't as relevant as with other search tools, though the developers claim this is better because users don't get a ... (view more)
Microsoft has a bunch of potentially-useful Windows 10 and 11 tools available to install. Rather oddly though, they aren't part of the Windows Update system. Instead users must manually download and install the "PowerToys" tools from independent ... software site GitHub. While that site is generally safe, users can follow the link from Microsoft's powertoys page to make sure they get the latest edition. The package includes 11 tools which generally offer simple solutions to very specific problems. Many are based on the work of independent developers. Find Your Mouse Easily Mouse utilities is ... (view more)
Dell has unveiled some creative ideas for new computers and gadgets to meet changing use demands. However, it's only calling them "Concepts." At the moment and there's no guarantee any of them will become available to buy. Perhaps the most credible ... is Concept Luna, a laptop that's easier to repair and thus more sustainable. The goal is to make it easier to replace specific components rather than having to buy a new device altogether. Historically that's been difficult with laptops as the components need to be packed much tighter together than in a desktop case, making it more fiddly to make ... (view more)
US President Joe Biden has ordered the federal government to modernize its online services. It aims to remove a "time tax" on citizens navigating inefficient services. It comes in an executive order, which doesn't require legislation passed by ... Congress. The order says the US government is responsible for "designing and delivering services with a focus on the actual experience of the people whom it is meant to serve." (Source: whitehouse.gov ) The main requirement of the order is to overcome the current problem of limited interoperability between different government sites, which often require ... (view more)
Microsoft appears to be offering discounts on legitimate software to people running pirated copies. The Office deal isn't quite a like-for-like offer however. The offer, spotted by the Ghacks site, appears to be limited to users in specific ... countries. It's not clear if there's a pattern such as targeting countries with high rates of piracy, or those where people are likely to have enough money to buy legitimate software. (Source: ghacks.net ) A message shown to some users of unlicensed copies of Office 2019 in the ribbon bar reads "Get up to 50% off. For a limited time, save up to 50% on a ... (view more)
Infopackets Reader Steve G. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just upgraded my PC to Windows 10 and I noticed that Windows Media Player no longer plays DVDs in Windows 10 . In Windows 7 it worked without a problem. I researched this issue and it appears that ... this 'feature' was removed on purpose because newer PCs and laptops do not have DVD players. As such, Microsoft has dropped all support for Windows 10 DVD playback in Windows Media Player. I plan on purchasing a thin ultrabook laptop (with no DVD player) soon. As such, I'd like to convert my DVDs into AVI or MP4 (for example) so I ... (view more)
Mozilla has announced a rethink of a key technology used to make web users safer. The latest update to its Firefox browser improves the "sandboxing" approach. One of the biggest security concerns with web browsers is the way a single application ... (the browser) can handle data from multiple sites open in different tabs. It creates the risk that a compromised site could access data from another site; for example, one tab might display or transmit emails, login details or financial information. The way browsers tackle this risk is called sandboxing. That means telling operating systems such as ... (view more)
Google has cracked down on a key method that scammers used to distribute Android malware through the Play app store. But like a game of whack-a-mole, the scammers are adjusting their tactics for greater success. The Google change is to the way it ... handles accessibility tools on Android devices. These include screen-readers, voice input systems and other modifications for users to interact with the device. Such tools often need access to key components such as the camera, microphone or speakers, access that can be abused by malware. Google relaxes the security and permissions system on such ... (view more)
Microsoft has taken control of websites - or rather their domain names - believed to be uses by Chinese hackers. It's the latest example of a tactic that overcomes the usual problems of dealing with an international online threat. According to ... Microsoft, the "Nickel" group is based in China and is a "nation-state actor": in other words, it at the very least has the backing of the Chinese government. It uses a variety of tactics to try to spy on victims and intercept their data. Targets include government agencies and human rights groups. Microsoft somewhat understatedly says there's "often a ... (view more)
Microsoft looks set to reverse a controversial change to Windows 11 settings. The move will make it easier to change the default browser away from Microsoft Edge. Before Windows 10, browsers could easily set themselves as the default, meaning they ... would automatically open any web pages or links. While that was meant to work only where the user had given permission, Microsoft concluded there was too much risk of rogue software setting itself to open web links, in turn letting it display bogus pages designed to install malware or trick users into providing login details. With Windows 10, ... (view more)
Microsoft appears to have cut the period during which users who upgrade to Windows 11 can change their minds and roll back to Windows 10. They'll now have just 10 days to roll back without much hassle. Upgrading to Windows 11 seems to have proven a ... relatively straightforward process for most users, or at least those with the option to do so. Microsoft is rolling out upgrade availability starting with those machines it assesses as least likely to experience problems, though some will never officially be able to run a fully supported Windows 11. Whether to cover cases where Windows 11 doesn't ... (view more)
The latest version of Android adds several new privacy features. However, users may need to make some manual tweaks to take full advantage. The changes come in Android 12 which is rolling out to newer phones at the moment. Older models will either ... get it later on or will never be able to get it, depending on the manufacturer. The biggest change is more information about the permissions system. That's the set-up by which users don't have to give an app complete access to the hardware and software on their system. Instead they can individually grant or restrict individual permissions, each of ... (view more)
Predictive text may not make typing messages on phones quicker or easier according to a new study. In many cases, the study says, it will slow things down. The research comes from Pe Ola Kristennson, a professor of interactive systems engineering at ... the University of Cambridge, and colleague Thomas Mullners. (Source: acm.org ) They previously ran a study in 2019 asking 37,000 volunteers to copy sentences on a mobile phone. Those who used predictive text averaged 33 words a minutes, slightly slower than the 35 words a minute of those who didn't use any technologies. (Source: theconversation. ... (view more)
We live in the age of technology where every day is full of advancements that make our lives easier. At what cost, though? Our Internet security is constantly under fire by hackers and cyber criminals using these technological advances to their ... gain. Through the dark web, a virtual underworld full of criminal activity that can be accessed using specific tools, such activity is made possible. However, many people aren't sure what the dark web actually is. According to Business Insider, it's "defined as all content hosted on darknets, or online networks that require a specific browsing software ... (view more)
Facebook and Instagram will not strengthen the encryption on their messaging until 2023, a year later than planned. The delay has been linked to complaints that the encryption could help abusers of children. At the moment, both service messages are ... encrypted between the sender and the company's servers and then from the company's servers to the recipient. That means anyone who intercepts the message in transit can't practically read it, but the company itself can. Although the companies say they do not access the messages normally, they may do so in response to a court order, law enforcement ... (view more)
Microsoft is to switch to updating Windows 10 once a year. It's good news both for those hoping to use it for years to come and for those who'd prefer Microsoft to stop making changes for the sake of it. When Windows 10 debuted, Microsoft adopted a ... policy of batching most non-security updates into two releases each year. The plan appeared to be that this schedule would effectively go on forever with Windows 10 being the last totally new "edition" of the system. That was been ditched with the release of Windows 11, leaving some question over future updates. Windows 10 ... (view more)
What's one of the best one-stop video editing software available for both PC and Mac? Answer: Digiarty's VideoProc Converter! From the makers of WinX DVD Ripper and WinX Video Converter comes VideoProc Converter: a multi-award winning software ... program that is a one-stop video processing program that allows you to convert video/audio, rip DVDs, edit video, download videos, video to GIF maker ... plus much more! Note: near the end of the article I've included a link to a FREE trial to the full version, plus link to save 60% off a lifetime license. -- VideoProc Converter: Features Overview A ... (view more)
Microsoft has confirmed it is blocking third party tools designed to overcome several ways it pushes people towards the Edge browser. It affects tools such as EdgeDeflector which works on Windows 10 and 11. The tools take aim at the way Windows and ... some built-in Microsoft applications use links to web pages. Rather than simply linking to a page address, they start with "microsoft-edge://" and open automatically in the Edge browser. This overrides the user's chosen default browser for opening web link. Once Edge opens with the page in question, it also displays a request to set Edge as the ... (view more)
Scammers are using bogus antivirus renewal demands as their latest money-grabbing tactics. The attacks appear to target both people's money and their account details. The warning came from consumer group "Which" after it spotted two different fake ... emails. One supposedly comes from McAfee and the other from Norton Antivirus, both claiming a subscription is about to end. (Source: which.co.uk ) It's another case of playing the numbers game: while many people will either not use these products or will spot the scam, the popularity means that simply spraying out emails will eventually ... (view more)
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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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