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    Best internet provider in Austin 2021: Top ISPs

    As America’s fastest-growing city, Austin is by no means short of internet providers. Depending on where you live in the city, more than a dozen providers may be competing for your business. We looked at all the options and found the best internet providers in Austin for their speed, reliability, price, and customer service.Here’s a breakdown of our top picks of the best internet service provider in Austin, TX:Google FiberAT&TSpectrumCenturyLinkDefining traitBest for Fiber InternetBest for BundlingMost AffordableMost FlexibilityConnection typeFiber OpticFiber OpticCableDSLDownload speeds (Mbps)1000Mbps300Mbps 500Mbps 1000Mbps100Mbps 400Mbps 940Mbps10Mbps 20Mbps 40Mbps 100Mbps 940MbpsPrices starting at$70/mo.$50/mo.$49.99/mo.$49/mo.Contract lengthNone12 months12 monthsNoneData capNoneUp to 1TB/mo.NoneUp to 1TB/mo.

    Best for fiber internet

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    Austin was one of the first cities to get Google Fiber, and the arrival was much anticipated. Google now offers the cheapest fiber optic internet plan in Austin, with a 1000Mbps plan costing just $70 per month. However, this is the only plan available, so you won’t be able to downgrade to anything cheaper through Google if you’re on a budget.Still, Google adds plenty of value to its internet plan. The service doesn’t have any data caps or throttling, and it even comes with 1TB of free cloud storage. There also aren’t any contracts required, so you won’t be locked in for 12 months (or longer) by signing up and can cancel at any time if you’re unhappy.Features:Price: $70/mo.Speed and data: 1000MbpsPlans/ packages: Internet onlyContract options: No contracts

    Best for bundling

    AT&T

    If you plan to bundle your internet service with TV, a landline phone, or both, AT&T will give you the best value. Opt to add U-Verse TV with 180 channels to your plan for as little as $79.99 per month, or throw in a digital landline for a total of $99.98 per month. AT&T will waive its $99 installation fee if you sign up for one of these plans.AT&T is also celebrated for its dedication to customer service. The provider was awarded the top spot in the 2019 U.S. Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study from J.D. Power and received perfect five-star ratings in all areas of the study. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) also gives AT&T extremely positive ratings, ranking the provider 2nd in the United States.Features:Price: $35/mo all speeds up to 300MbpsSpeed and Data: 300Mbps, 500Mbps, or 1000MbpsPlans/Packages: Internet only, internet + TV, internet + TV + landlineContract Options: 12 months

    Best for affordability

    Shutterstock

    Spectrum is the best option in Austin if you’re hoping to save money on your monthly internet bill. Its 200Mbps plan costs just $49.99 per month, which is double the speed that most competitors offer at the same price. However, if you’re hoping for something faster, Spectrum’s top-tier plan at 940Mbps is priced at $109.99 per month, a significantly higher pricier than the 1000Mbps fiber optic plans offered by Google and AT&T.In the J.D. Power U.S. Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study, Spectrum scored well, coming in third behind AT&T and Comcast in the Southern United States. Among the areas that Spectrum scored well in performance, reliability, and customer service.Features:Price: $49.99/mo., $69.99/mo., or $109.99/mo.Speed and data: 200Mbps, 400Mbps, or 940MbpsPlans/ packages: Internet only, internet + TV, internet + TV + landlineContract options: 12 months

    Best for flexibility

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    CenturyLink offers the most flexible internet plans in Austin in terms of speed, with five different options to choose from between 10Mbps and 940Mbps. However, all of its plans up to 100Mbps are priced the same at $49 per month, so choosing a slower speed isn’t necessarily an advantage. There are no contracts on CenturyLink plans, giving you the option to cancel anytime.One interesting feature of CenturyLink internet service is its Price for Life program. This offer protects your price as long as you retain service with the provider. Many competitors will increase prices after each 12-month contract, slowly increasing your monthly bill over time, which adds to your expenses.Features:Price: $49 mo. (all speeds up to 100Mbps) or $65/mo.Speed and data: 10Mbps, 20Mbps, 40Mbps, 100Mbps, or 940MbpsPlans/Packages: Internet onlyContract Options: No contracts

    How we found the best internet provider in AustinEveryone rates internet providers differently, but we know from experience what customers look for in their service provider. Here are the key features we analyzed in our assessment:Coverage. Many internet providers in Austin only cover a small percentage of neighborhoods. Not only does this make it frustrating to find service, but it also causes problems if you move and want to transfer service. All the providers we chose offer service in most of the Austin metropolitan area.Value. When comparing providers, we looked at the overall speed and reliability of the service compared to price. We’re confident that these providers will give you the most for your money in the Austin area.Customer Satisfaction. It’s no secret that internet providers tend to score poorly in customer satisfaction ratings. We looked at ratings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and J.D. Power to find providers that scored better than industry averages.

    Which Austin internet providers offer fiber optic internet?

    Google Fiber and AT&T both offer fiber optic internet in the Austin area.

    Can I bundle TV and phone service with my internet?

    Yes, AT&T and Spectrum both offer packages that combine TV, landline, or both with your internet service.

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    The best internet service provider in Austin

    As America’s fastest-growing city, Austin is by no means short of internet providers. Depending on where you live in the city, more than a dozen providers may be competing for your business. We looked at all the options and found the best internet providers in Austin for their speed, reliability, price, and customer service.Here’s a breakdown of our top picks of the best internet service provider in Austin, TX:Google FiberAT&TSpectrumCenturyLinkDefining traitBest for Fiber InternetBest for BundlingMost AffordableMost FlexibilityConnection typeFiber OpticFiber OpticCableDSLDownload speeds (Mbps)1000Mbps100Mbps 300Mbps 1000Mbps100Mbps 400Mbps 940Mbps10Mbps 20Mbps 40Mbps 100Mbps 940MbpsPrices starting at$70/mo.$50/mo.$49.99/mo.$49/mo.Contract lengthNone12 months12 monthsNoneData capNoneUp to 1TB/mo.NoneUp to 1TB/mo.

    Best for fiber internet

    Shutterstock

    Austin was one of the first cities to get Google Fiber, and the arrival was much anticipated. Google now offers the cheapest fiber optic internet plan in Austin, with a 1000Mbps plan costing just $70 per month. However, this is the only plan available, so you won’t be able to downgrade to anything cheaper through Google if you’re on a budget.Still, Google adds plenty of value to its internet plan. The service doesn’t have any data caps or throttling, and it even comes with 1TB of free cloud storage. There also aren’t any contracts required, so you won’t be locked in for 12 months (or longer) by signing up and can cancel at any time if you’re unhappy.Features:Price: $70/mo.Speed and data: 1000MbpsPlans/ packages: Internet onlyContract options: No contracts

    Best for bundling

    AT&T

    If you plan to bundle your internet service with TV, a landline phone, or both, AT&T will give you the best value. Opt to add U-Verse TV with 180 channels to your plan for as little as $79.99 per month, or throw in a digital landline for a total of $99.98 per month. AT&T will waive its $99 installation fee if you sign up for one of these plans.AT&T is also celebrated for its dedication to customer service. The provider was awarded the top spot in the 2019 U.S. Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study from J.D. Power and received perfect five-star ratings in all areas of the study. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) also gives AT&T extremely positive ratings, ranking the provider 2nd in the United States.Features:Price: $35/mo all speeds up to 300MbpsSpeed and Data: 100Mbps, 300Mbps, or 1000MbpsPlans/Packages: Internet only, internet + TV, internet + TV + landlineContract Options: 12 months

    Best for affordability

    Shutterstock

    Spectrum is the best option in Austin if you’re hoping to save money on your monthly internet bill. Its 200Mbps plan costs just $49.99 per month, which is double the speed that most competitors offer at the same price. However, if you’re hoping for something faster, Spectrum’s top-tier plan at 940Mbps is priced at $109.99 per month, a significantly higher pricier than the 1000Mbps fiber optic plans offered by Google and AT&T.In the J.D. Power U.S. Internet Service Provider Satisfaction Study, Spectrum scored well, coming in third behind AT&T and Comcast in the Southern United States. Among the areas that Spectrum scored well in performance, reliability, and customer service.Features:Price: $49.99/mo., $69.99/mo., or $109.99/mo.Speed and data: 200Mbps, 400Mbps, or 940MbpsPlans/ packages: Internet only, internet + TV, internet + TV + landlineContract options: 12 months

    Best for flexibility

    Shutterstock

    CenturyLink offers the most flexible internet plans in Austin in terms of speed, with five different options to choose from between 10Mbps and 940Mbps. However, all of its plans up to 100Mbps are priced the same at $49 per month, so choosing a slower speed isn’t necessarily an advantage. There are no contracts on CenturyLink plans, giving you the option to cancel anytime.One interesting feature of CenturyLink internet service is its Price for Life program. This offer protects your price as long as you retain service with the provider. Many competitors will increase prices after each 12-month contract, slowly increasing your monthly bill over time, which adds to your expenses.Features:Price: $49 mo. (all speeds up to 100Mbps) or $65/mo.Speed and data: 10Mbps, 20Mbps, 40Mbps, 100Mbps, or 940MbpsPlans/Packages: Internet onlyContract Options: No contracts

    How we found the best internet provider in AustinEveryone rates internet providers differently, but we know from experience what customers look for in their service provider. Here are the key features we analyzed in our assessment:Coverage. Many internet providers in Austin only cover a small percentage of neighborhoods. Not only does this make it frustrating to find service, but it also causes problems if you move and want to transfer service. All the providers we chose offer service in most of the Austin metropolitan area.Value. When comparing providers, we looked at the overall speed and reliability of the service compared to price. We’re confident that these providers will give you the most for your money in the Austin area.Customer Satisfaction. It’s no secret that internet providers tend to score poorly in customer satisfaction ratings. We looked at ratings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and J.D. Power to find providers that scored better than industry averages.

    Which Austin internet providers offer fiber optic internet?

    Google Fiber and AT&T both offer fiber optic internet in the Austin area.

    Can I bundle TV and phone service with my internet?

    Yes, AT&T and Spectrum both offer packages that combine TV, landline, or both with your internet service.

    ZDNet Recommends More

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    The best internet service provider in Seattle

    There are few places in the country changing at the speed of Seattle. According to The Seattle Times, its population grew 18.7% from 2010 – 2018, making it the fastest-growing city in the U.S. over that time. Along with the growth, the city wants to ensure that technology and infrastructure can keep up.Several internet providers serve the Seattle area to provide connectivity to everyone. The city of Seattle wants to make technology accessible to all as well, offering programs that provide discounted smartphones and free computer access. And residents who cannot afford home broadband service may qualify for low-cost internet access for as little as $10 per month through a city program. Take a closer look at the best Seattle internet providers.Let’s see how the top contenders in Seattle compare:CenturyLinkFrontier FiberWave BroadbandXfinityDefining traitBest Long-Term DealBest Speed OptionsBest Local ProviderBest BundlesConnection typeFiber and DSLFiberFiberBroadband CableDownload speeds (Mbps)100Mbps940Mbps50Mbps500Mbps940Mbps100Mbps1000Mbps (1GB)25Mbps300Mbps600Mbps1000Mbps (1GB)Prices starting at$49 per month for life$29.99 per month$69.95 per month*$29.99 per monthContract lengthNone24 monthsNone12 monthsData capNoneNone100Mbps plan, limited to 400GB data cap1000Mbps plan, unlimited data, although speed is throttled after 2TB1TB per month to unlimited, depending on the internet service plan

    Best long-term deal

    CenturyLink Internet

    CenturyLink offers unique internet services to Seattle customers. When you sign up for a plan, they’ll guarantee the same price “for life.” The Price For Life plan locks in your monthly price as long as you keep your plan current. Here’s more of what CenturyLink has to offer in Seattle.Features:Price: Two high-speed internet plans of $49 and $65 per month are available. Either are guaranteed for as long as you keep the plan through the Price For Life offer.Speed and data: CenturyLink’s $49 internet service plan provides speeds of up to 100Mbps. Or you can opt for 940Mbps download and upload speeds in the higher-priced plan.Plans/ packages: Add unlimited local and nationwide calling to the 100Mbps internet plan for $85 per month.Contract options: CenturyLink won’t require you to sign a long-term contract, but they do guarantee the price of your service plan as long as you keep it.

    Best speed options

    Frontier Communications

    Frontier Fiber is available in downtown Seattle and Bellevue, Edmonds, Kirkland, Bothell, Lynnwood, Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Redmond.Features:Price: Frontier has three pricing tiers of $29.99, $39.99 and $74.99 per month.Speed and data: Frontier doesn’t cap data in any of its three internet plans, which come with 50Mbps for the $29.99 per month plan, followed by 500Mbps and 1000Mbps (1GB) speeds.Plans/ packages: The Double Plan includes 500/500Mbps Internet and FiOS TV (Basic) for $64.98 per month and the Triple Plan with Voice, Gig Connection internet and FiOS TV (Basic) for $109.98 per month.Contract options: To lock in the best price, Frontier FiOS requires a 24-month contract.

    Best local provider

    Wave Broadband

    For an internet provider that knows all about the Seattle neighborhood you live in, Wave Broadband is a great choice. Wave offers local customer support 24/7 to provide help anytime you need. Wave also has a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy, you can cancel the service and receive a refund within the 30-day limit with no obligations.Features:Price: Wave offers two service plans — High Speed 100 Internet is regularly $69.95 per month, and GigaBit Internet is $99.95 per month. The internet provider has specials as low as $19.95 per month for the first six months for new subscribers.Speed and data: Expect speeds of 100 Mbps when you sign up for the High Speed 100 Internet plan and 1000Mbps with the GigaBit Internet plan.Plans/ packages: You can create a TV bundle starting at $19.95/mo for six months besides the two internet plans. Add equipment, such as TiVo Streaming DVR to personalize your TV bundle.Contract options: Wave doesn’t lock customers into contracts. You can cancel at any time.

    Best options

    Shutterstock

    Xfinity Comcast delivers cable internet to much of the Greater Seattle area, including downtown Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Renton, Vashon and Kent.Features:Price: Internet prices start at $29.99 per month for the Performance Starter Plus plan. You’ll get 25Mbps download speeds and can add a Flex 4K streaming device for free.Speed and data: Xfinity claims the Performance Starter Plus plan’s 25Mbps is enough for one to two individuals online at once. Data is capped to 1TB per month.Plans/ packages: Xfinity bundles high-speed Internet at various speeds from 25Mbps to 1000Mbps with phone service and cable TV for $34.99 to $159.99 per month, depending on the cable channels.Contract options: Internet service comes with a 12-month contract, while cable TV requires a 24-month commitment.

    How we found the best internet provider in SeattleWe analyzed several companies to find the best internet companies in Seattle. Some of the key features we examined are:Coverage: Seattle and its suburbs are growing every day. We focused on internet providers with a wide coverage area to ensure that the plans and offers reviewed are available to most Seattle residents.Value: We weighed features such as speeds, data caps, bundles available and contract lengths to determine which internet providers in Seattle provide customers with the most value for the monthly price.Customer Satisfaction. Consumer satisfaction ratings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and J.D. Power are an important part of the decision-making process on which services and products are the best. While internet service provider ratings are mediocre across the board, we analyzed each internet provider individually by comparing the company to industry averages.Seattle Internet FAQ

    How much download speed do I need to stream music and movies?

    The speed you need for streaming depends on how many people will be streaming at once in your household. A service plan of 1000Mbps would be ideal to avoid lag times, although 100Mbps could work if more than one device isn’t streaming high-definition movies.

    How fast is internet service in Seattle?

    Seattle residents are in luck — fiber is available in most neighborhoods. Many in the area are likely to have access to high-speed internet service as fast as 1000 Mbps (1Gbps).

    Is fiber internet faster than broadband cable?

    Yes, fiber is faster than broadband cable. Fiber-optic cable can carry more data faster and straight to your home. Broadband cable is shared with your neighbors — the more neighbors online, the slower your speed is likely to be. More

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    DISH network internet review: Performance depends on your location

    DISH Network Internet offers consumers the ability to bundle their TV package with high-speed internet plans from one of their partners. As a satellite company, it made sure to include a satellite internet option, which caters to those who live in more remote areas that do not have access to DSL, cable or fiber. Not sure what to expect? Let us break it down for you with our DISH internet review. The ClaimDISH promises the best satellite TV and internet package in the industry, saying, “Not only do we have great internet available where you live, but we also have the best TV in the industry — all at a price the competition can’t touch.” On its internet performance specifically, DISH claims, “Connections are reliable, installation is professional, and customer support is available 24/7.”Is it true?Sort of.DISH’s internet performance is tough to gauge because your location will determine whether you’re connected with Frontier or Viasat. DISH claims that up to 100+ Mbps is available with these options, but again, that is entirely dependent on location. While Frontier offers DSL and fiber-optic service and claims to offer high speeds, reliable network, and the capability to support multiple devices, it is less available and less reliable depending on where you are located. For those in the right spot, it’s a great option. For more remote areas, Viasat’s satellite internet may be the best option. It may be slower than DSL or fiber, but Viasat’s unlimited rural internet data plans are a good deal.DISH’s internet partners scored high in our lists of the best high-speed internet providers and the best cheap internet service.DISH does have a reputable installation service. Customers are given a 75-minute window for when your technician will arrive, and you can track the exact time on DISH’s website. The provider’s customer support is indeed some of the best in the business, as well: Support is available 24/7, and DISH was the only internet provider to receive a five-star rating from J.D. Power in customer service.Product OverviewBest for

    People who require higher speeds (DISH via HughesNet) or higher data limits (DISH via Viasat)Not forHigh volume data users as well as users who prefer multiple HD or 4K streamsDISH via HughesNetDISH via ViasatPrice per monthStarts at $27.99Starts at $50Standout featuresHigh speedsHigh data limitsStates served29 states50 statesData plansUnlimitedUnlimitedAverage download speedsUp to 940 MbpsUp to 100 MbpsContract length2 years2 yearsCustomer ServiceInternet service providers are some of the least-liked companies globally, and their customer satisfaction is notoriously low. Surprisingly, DISH bucks this trend. In 2019, J.D. Power awarded DISH Network the highest in overall customer satisfaction. And DISH Network reviews tend to be positive. But your experience with the internet customer service may be different since Frontier has some of the lowest scores in J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction study, and Viasat’s users are not particularly happy with their service either.No overage feesBoth Frontier and Viasat offer unlimited data in their DISH Network plans. This is good news for those not wanting to get caught with an unexpected overage fee at the end of the month.Possible DrawbacksSlowing satellite speedsIn general, satellite speeds are slowing down significantly. In a 2016 study (the most recent available), the FCC collected nationwide information on internet service provider speeds. It found that satellite speeds over the past years took a huge hit, while almost all other internet service options remained flat. The report states that Viasat’s went down from 107% to 71%.” The FCC concluded that this was the result of more homes using satellite internet, thus slowing down speeds nationwide.The Competition   The Competition:DISH via HughesNetDISH via ViasatVerizon 4G LTEFixed wirelessPrice per monthStarts at $27.99Starts at $50Starts at $60Starts at $60Data plansUnlimited10 GB20 GB30 GB50 GBUnlimited500 MB2 GB4 GB5 GB8 GBGo UnlimitedBeyond UnlimitedAbove UnlimitedUnlimitedMaximum speeds940 Mbps100 Mbps12 Mbps1-1,000 MbpsStates served29505050DISH vs Verizon 4G LTEA cell carrier is an unlikely challenger to satellite or fixed internet. For those willing to get creative and opt for a hotspot, this is undoubtedly an option. Verizon leads the pack of 4G LTE providers, and, like satellite internet, its coverage can reach almost every corner of the country. Verizon offers two ways to use its 4G LTE service on non-mobile devices: You can designate your cell phone as a hotspot and tether your other devices to it (like gaming systems, tablets, and laptops), or you can buy a mobile hotspot from Verizon, which costs anywhere between $20 and $100. The benefit of this is that you won’t have to pay for the additional TV service that you would with DISH.Unfortunately, speeds and data limits for 4G Mobile Broadband providers are generally on the lower end. Verizon offers anywhere between 5 and 12 Mbps on its 4G LTE plan, slower than Frontier and roughly on par with Viasat. Users will find themselves feeling less frustrated opting for a more traditional internet option.DISH vs Fixed wirelessAnother popular option for homes in rural areas is fixed wireless internet, which beams data from an access point, like a mounted tower, to a reception device. These are usually small dishes or antennas installed on the outside of your home. The primary benefit to fixed wireless internet is that data caps tend to be much higher than with satellite internet, with many plans offering truly unlimited service. Activities like streaming HD video and online gaming tend to eat up the most data, so fixed wireless may be the best option for you if these are some of your primary activities.Speed is dependent on which internet partner you choose and where you are located. The speeds will vary, but overall, if Frontier is in a viable area for you, that seems to be the option with the fastest response and download speed. If you want to learn more about service options available, check out our article about the different types of internet connections. DISH Network Satellite Internet FAQ

    Should I go with DISH for satellite TV?

    Whether you get service from HughesNet or Viasat ultimately depends on where you live, but either one means bundling with a DISH TV plan. If you’re more interested in satellite TV than the internet, it’s worth noting that there are better options out there. While DIRECTV — the other major satellite TV company — has better packages and channel offerings, DISH stands out with unique features. DISH offers users access to over 80 000 on-demand titles at no extra charge, and its DVR capabilities are premium by being able to hold 2000 hours of content at a time.

    What should I know about the two-year contract?

    It is essential to understand what you are signing up for when you opt for a contract. Users who sign the contract ensure that they have a lower promotional price in exchange for agreeing to be with that package for two years — similar to a contracted phone plan.  Once the contract ends, the price will go up, and should you want to end your contract early; there are charges involved with doing so. While not ideal, this is on par with other internet providers: Both Viasat and Frontier require two-year minimum contracts.

    Should I choose Frontier or Viasat?

    Which provider DISH partners with depends on your location, so you won’t have a choice which provider you get if you opt to bundle with DISH’s satellite TV. But if you’re only after internet service and either of these providers is sold independently in your area, it’s worth checking out. If Frontier is available in your area, we recommend it because of the significantly higher average download speeds they have over Viasat. Otherwise, their packages offer similar perks. 

    The Bottom LineWith its slower speeds and data limits, satellite internet should really only be considered if you live in a rural area without broadband access. DISH is best for customers looking for a complete internet and TV package (since you can only access DISH’s satellite internet by bundling it with a TV package). Suppose you’re only after basic web browsing and occasional video streaming. In that case, you’re unlikely to be disappointed with DISH’s top-notch customer service ratings, fairly reliable speeds, and unique TV bundling options. More

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    in Information Technology

    Cornell University researchers discover 'code-poisoning' attack

    A team of researchers with the Cornell University Tech team have uncovered a new type of backdoor attack that they showed can “manipulate natural-language modeling systems to produce incorrect outputs and evade any known defense.”

    The Cornell Tech team said they believe the attacks would be able to compromise algorithmic trading, email accounts and more. The research was supported with a Google Faculty Research Award as well as backing from the NSF and the Schmidt Futures program.According to a study released on Thursday, the backdoor can manipulate natural-language modeling systems without “any access to the original code or model by uploading malicious code to open-source sites that are frequently used by many companies and programmers.”The researchers named the attacks “code poisoning” during a presentation at the USENIX Security conference on Thursday. The attack would give people or companies enormous power over modifying a wide range of things including movie reviews or even an investment bank’s machine learning model so it ignores news that would have an effect on a company’s stock.”The attack is blind: the attacker does not need to observe the execution of his code, nor the weights of the backdoored model during or after training. The attack synthesizes poisoning inputs ‘on the fly,’ as the model is training, and uses multi-objective optimization to achieve high accuracy simultaneously on the main and backdoor tasks,” the report said. “We showed how this attack can be used to inject single-pixel and physical backdoors into ImageNet models, backdoors that switch the model to a covert functionality, and backdoors that do not require the attacker to modify the input at inference time. We then demonstrated that code-poisoning attacks can evade any known defense, and proposed a new defense based on detecting deviations from the model’s trusted computational graph.”

    Eugene Bagdasaryan — a computer science PhD candidate at Cornell Tech and lead author of the new paper alongside professor Vitaly Shmatikov — explained that many companies and programmers use models and codes from open-source sites on the internet and this research proves how important it is to review and verify materials before integrating them into any systems.”If hackers are able to implement code poisoning, they could manipulate models that automate supply chains and propaganda, as well as resume-screening and toxic comment deletion,” Bagdasaryan said. Shmatikov added that with previous attacks, the hacker must access the model or data during training or deployment, which requires penetrating the victim’s machine learning infrastructure.

    “With this new attack, the attack can be done in advance, before the model even exists or before the data is even collected — and a single attack can actually target multiple victims,” Shmatikov said. The paper does an in-depth investigation into the attack methods for “injecting backdoors into machine learning models, based on compromising the loss-value computation in the model-training code.”Using a sentiment analysis model, the team was able to replicate how the attack would work on something like always classifying as positive any reviews for movies made by Ed Wood.”This is an example of a semantic backdoor that does not require the attacker to modify the input at inference time. The backdoor is triggered by unmodified reviews written by anyone, as long as they mention the attacker-chosen name,” the paper found. “Machine learning pipelines include code from open-source and proprietary repositories, managed via build and integration tools. Code management platforms are known vectors for malicious code injection, enabling attackers to directly modify source and binary code.”The study notes that popular ML repositories, which have thousands of forks, “are accompanied only by rudimentary tests (such as testing the shape of the output).”To defend against the attack, the researchers suggested a system that could detect deviations from the model’s original code. But Shmatikov said that because of how popular AI and machine learning technologies have become, many non-expert users are building their models using code they barely understand.”We’ve shown that this can have devastating security consequences,” Shmatikov said.  He added that more work will need to be done on how the attack could be used to automate propaganda and other damaging efforts. The goal of the effort is to now create a defense system that will be able to “eliminate this entire class of attacks and make AI/ML safe even for non-expert users,” Shmatikov said.  More

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    in Information Technology

    Windows 10: Microsoft just revealed another Print Spooler bug

    Microsoft’s Windows 10 Print Spooler security is turning into a headache for the company and its customers.Branded bugs like Heartbleed from 2014 are a bit passé but the Windows 10 PrintNightmare bugs appear to be an apt choice: Microsoft released fixes in July and August and, just after its August 10 Patch Tuesday change to the Print Spooler service, it’s disclosed yet another print spooler bug. 

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    This one concerns a Windows Print Spooler remote code execution vulnerability, tagged as CVE-2021-36958. “A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. The workaround for this vulnerability is stopping and disabling the Print Spooler service,” Microsoft’s advisory said.The previously disclosed bug CVE-2021-34481 in the Windows Print Spooler service allows a local attacker to escalate privileges to the level of ‘system’, letting the attacker install malware and create new accounts on Windows 10 machines. To mitigate potential threats, Microsoft this week released an update that changes default behavior for Point and Print features in Windows which will prevent an average user from adding or updating printers. After installation, Windows 10 requires admin privileges to install these driver changes.While it will cause extra work for admins, Microsoft says it “strongly” believes that the security risk justifies this change.

    Admins have an option to disable Microsoft’s mitigation, but emphasized that it “will expose your environment to the publicly known vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler service.”The issues affecting the Print Spooler service have escalated over the summer as a result of researchers finding different avenues to attack the set of flaws. CVE-2021-36958 and another PrintNightmare bug, tracked as CVE-2021-34483, were reported to Microsoft by an Accenture security researcher, Victor Mata, who says he reported the issues in December. Other related Print Spooler bugs include CVE-2021-1675 and CVE-2021-34527. Will Dormann, a vulnerability analyst at the CERT/CC, pointed out the apparently incomplete fixes in the August 2021 Patch Tuesday updates. As he notes, security researcher Benjamin Delpy released a proof of concept for one of the PrintNightmare bugs in July. Dormann informed Microsoft that Delpy’s PoC still worked on August 11, a day after August’s Patch Tuesday. Delpy’s proof of concept is what prompted Microsoft’s latest disclosure about CVE-2021-36958, according to Dormann.    “Microsoft did fix *something* related to your attack in their update for CVE-2021-36936, which describes nothing about what it fixes. For example, my PoC for VU#131152 now prompts for admin creds. However, @gentilkiwi’s PoC still works fine. Time for MS to issue a new CVE?,” wrote Dormann.  More

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    in Information Technology

    Private Internet Access review: A cheap, powerful VPN

    (Image: Shutterstock)Private Internet Access is a powerful, flexible VPN that does a good job of keeping your data and location safe.

    Servers: 29,311Countries: 78Simultaneous connections: 10Kill switch: yesLogging: noBest deal: $2.19/mo or $79 for three yearsTrial: 7-day free trial and 30-day refund guaranteeSupported platforms: iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux

    Definitely read through the details below. There’s a lot to like with this product, and the price is good as well as the performance. Just don’t try using it to connect to India. Read on, and you’ll see those results as well. Ugh.Initiating a connectionInitiating a connection with Private Internet Access (PIA) was quite straightforward. I’m going to demonstrate this on Windows, but the interfaces are somewhat similar for Mac, iOS, and Android.Upon install, an app was placed in the system tray. As you can see, starting with the default connection is a matter of just pressing the amber power button:There’s a lot you can do from this interface, even before initiating a connection. For example, you can choose what server you want to use for your connection. You can get to that list by clicking on the greater-than sign to the right of the pre-selected server location. Special featuresPIA offers a good selection of extra features and options. You can get to this by right-clicking on the tray icon or tapping the three-dot menu at the upper right and then selecting Settings. The General preferences are relatively straightforward. You can decide whether to launch on startup and connect on launch, plus there are a few appearance options. I prefer the dark theme.Anti-malware and tracker disablingThe Account tab simply reflects your account and plan data. But the Privacy tab is interesting. Here you can enable the VPN kill switch as well as MACE, PIA’s anti-malware and tracking feature. Split-tunnelling

    A very useful feature is the comprehensive split-tunneling feature PIA offers. As you can see, you can choose whether to use the VPN or not based on both applications and IP addresses. This is powerful, for example, if you must visit a site or service without using the PIA VPN. Some banks won’t allow access if they detect you’re using a VPN. Another benefit is that you could use the PIA VPN for personal surfing, and then if you use the corporate VPN app, you could turn off PIA, so you’re on your company’s provided connection.Protocol choicePIA protocol choice is somewhat limited, giving you the option of OpenVPN or WireGuard. Honestly, both are quite good, so we have no complaints that some of the older, weaker, and fussier protocols aren’t provided. I’m showing OpenVPN selected here, but all the testing we will do later will be with the often-faster WireGuard, a more modern protocol for this type of application.Connection automationPIA’s connection automation feature is interesting, but I do wish it was more feature-rich. As it stands, you can configure PIA to automatically connect or disconnect based on whether you’re connected to an open Wi-Fi channel, an encrypted Wi-Fi link, or a wired connection.That’s all well and good, but we’d like to see the ability to turn on and off the malware environment based on a connection, modify which apps use the VPN connection, and change settings based on IP address or block of IP address. That way, for example, when you bring your laptop to work, one full set of profiles would activate. When you’re at home, another set might activate, and so on. This is a good first step, but it’s an area where PIA can certainly benefit from additional work.Dedicated IPFinally, you can choose to upgrade your account with one or more dedicated IP addresses. Dedicated IP addresses are available for connections via the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the UK. The additional cost is $5/mo per dedicated IP address purchased. That IP remains yours throughout the duration of your dedicated IP subscription.Performance and leak testingI installed the Private Internet Access application on a fresh, fully-updated Windows 10 install. I always use a fresh install to do this kind of testing, so some other company’s VPN leftovers aren’t clogging up the system and possibly influencing results. I have a 1GB fiber feed, so my baseline network speed is rockin’ fast.

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    To provide a fair US performance comparison, rather than comparing to my local fiber broadband provider, I used speedtest.net and picked a Comcast server in Chicago to test download speed.For each test, I connected to each server three times. The number shown below is the average result of the three connections.In looking at these numbers, it’s possible to get carried away by the difference in the baseline speed compared to the VPN speed. That’s not the best measurement, mostly because I have broadband over fiber, so my connection speed is extremely high.Also, if you look at the baseline speeds between my reviews, you may notice that they differ considerably going to the same cities. Keep in mind that speed tests are entirely dependent on the performance of all the links between the two locations, including the time of day, how active those servers are, and how slow or fast the Internet is on a given day.I used to commute to work from Berkeley to Mountain View in Silicon Valley. At midnight, that was a 35-minute drive. During rush hour, it was a two-hour drive. The same kinds of traffic jams can hit the Internet. All this is to go to the recommendation I have in all my reviews; test for yourself. More on that later.

    Beyond the US, I tested connections to Sweden, Taiwan, Australia, and India. For each test, I connected to each server three times. The number shown below is the average result of all three connections. I could not test a connection to Russia because PIA doesn’t appear to have a Russian presence.While I was connected, I also ran DNS and WebRTC leak tests (to make sure that DNS and IP are secure) using DNSLeak.com, ipleak.net, and dnsleaktest.com. These tests are basic security tests and not much more. If you’re planning on using NordVPN (or any VPN service) to hide your identity for life and death reasons, be sure to do far more extensive testing.Here are the results of my tests:Speed Test ServerBaseline download speed without VPN (higher is better)Ping speed without VPN (lower is better)Time to connect to VPNDownload speed with VPN (higher is better)Ping speed with VPN (lower is better)LeaksChicago – Comcast236.97Mbps59ms3 sec77.43Mbps61msNoStockholm, Sweden – SUNET151.37Mbps178ms4 sec65.95Mbps164msNoTaipei, Taiwan – TAIFO240.64Mbps148ms5 sec81.17Mbps232msNoPerth, Australia – Optus246.79Mbps230ms5 sec100.80Mbps193msNoHyderabad, India – I-ON170.66Mbps248ms5 sec0.67Mbps276msNo66.Mumbai, India – Sky Broadband66.83Mbps247ms5 sec1.92Mbps1,128msNoIn looking at these numbers, it’s possible to get carried away by the difference in the baseline speed compared to the VPN speed. That’s not the best measurement, mostly because I have broadband over fiber, so my connection speed is extremely high.There’s a little too much promo here for me to feel comfortable.When you use a VPN service, it’s natural for performance to drop. After all, you’re running all your packets through an entirely artificial infrastructure designed to hide your path. The real numbers you should look at are the download speed and the ping speed. Are they high enough to do the work you need to do?Ping speed is an indication of how quickly a response gets back after a network request is sent from your computer. Some of the limitations here are due to actual physics. If you’re sending a packet across the planet, it will take longer to hear back than if you’re sending a packet across town.The leak tests were interesting in that they showed no leaks whatsoever. The only thing that slightly concerned me was that dnsleak.com was plastered with promotions for Private Internet Access. Since the other sites reported the same leak-free results, I’m comfortable passing it along. It just seemed to embed the PIA promotions too tightly into the test results.For all connections, with the exception of India, PIA download performance was quite good. Since you don’t really need more than about 6Mbps to 8Mbps to stream HD video from sites like YouTube, the PIA connections were certainly fast enough. For years, most of us would have been thrilled to have the broadband download speeds reported after this VPN was enabled.Then there’s India. My non-VPN performance was adequate. Yet, my VPN performance was terrible. I first tried a Hyderabad connection, and the resulting 0.69Mbps was essentially unusable. Connecting to Mumbai resulted in barely better results. I retried these tests six times each, and they were consistently terrible. The only bright side to the India tests is that other VPNs I tested, most notably NordVPN, also had abysmal VPN results, so PIA isn’t alone in this performance phenomenon.The bottom line of my basic performance tests is that you can clearly get the job done unless it involves India. If you have a specific country you want to connect to, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the company’s full 30-day refund policy and just try it out.The bottom lineThere are three really important things to know when choosing a VPN:Does it log any of your data?Does it hide you while online?Is it fast enough to get done what you need to get done?I can’t independently verify the first question, but PIA does say they don’t log any data. That question is probably the hardest to answer definitively because few of the VPN vendors we’ve looked at have independent audits to verify their claims.As for the second question, PIA does hide your data, it does hide your originating location, and it appears to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. That’s a solid result.As for the third question, for the locations I was able to test (with the exception of India), the answer is a clear “yes.” You can easily move files, stream YouTube, and do all your basic work while active VPN connection. It might be faster to walk there if you’re trying to connect to India, at least from the Pacific Northwest in the United States.Overall, though, I was quite impressed with PIA. At $2.19 per month for three years, it’s one of the more inexpensive plans we’ve looked at, and yet it’s very full-featured. We liked the setup and configuration options, although seeing the automations turn into full-on profiles would be nice. We also like that PIA offers its client software in open source on Github.As always, I recommend you take advantage of PIA’s 30-day money-back guarantee and give it a complete test. The only way you can truly know if it’ll work for you is if you put it to work and find out for yourself.

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    Japanese manufacturer Murata apologizes for data breach

    An official with Japanese electronic components manufacturer Murata has released an apology for the leak of thousands of files in June that contained bank account information for employees and business partners of the company.Norio Nakajima, CEO of Murata Manufacturing, released a statement apologizing for an incident on June 28 when a subcontractor downloaded a project management data file containing 72 460 pieces of information. More than 30,000 documents contained business partner information like company name, address, associated names, phone numbers, email addresses and bank account numbers. The companies are based in Japan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, the US and the EU, but the enterprises “subject to customer information are only China and the Philippines.”Over 41,00 documents about employees were in the leak as well, similarly containing names, addresses and bank account numbers. The employees were based in the company’s offices in Japan, China, the Philippines, Singapore, the US and the EU.”On July 20, 2021, it was confirmed that an employee downloaded the project management data including our business partner information and personal information to a business computer without permission and uploaded it to the personal account of an external cloud service in China,” Nakajima said in a statement, adding that there is evidence that no one other than the subcontractor accessed the data.”In addition, we have received reports from a survey of external cloud service providers that it was confirmed that the information taken out was never copied or downloaded by a third party. The uploaded data has already been deleted from the business PC and external cloud storage service. No virus infection or cyberattack has been confirmed in this matter.”Nakajima goes on to explain that the unnamed subcontractor was involved in the company’s accounting system update project.

    The notice included a timeline that tracked the incident from its inception on June 28 through its verification in August. Two days after the subcontractor downloaded the files, the company got a security alert, and by July 4, their security team had confirmed what happened. The company said it interviewed the subcontractor on July 8, who admitted to downloading the information and then uploading it to a private cloud account. “On the same day, the uploaded data was deleted under the supervision of the subcontractor,” Nakajima said. By August, the company internally confirmed what happened and had an outside security firm also take a look at the situation. Japanese news outlet ITMedia spoke to the subcontractor, who said, “I was uploading my know-how to a personal cloud and organizing it in order to learn system design, etc. It happened to contain sensitive information about customers.”A Japanese blog confirmed that the subcontractor was an engineer for IBM Dalian Global Delivery, a subcontractor of IBM China. Murata’s accounting system update project was outsourced to IBM Japan, which subcontracted it to IBM China. The system is used to pay both employees and partners. Murata told ITMedia that it was considering cancelling the contract and potentially seeking damages. Murata dominates the research, production and sale of electronic devices made from fine ceramics. With over 70 000 employees, it plans to bring in more than $2 billion this year.  More