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    Samsung might delete your old account soon – here’s how to stop it from happening

    Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf you have a Samsung account you haven’t used in a while, consider checking on it to see if there’s anything you need. Otherwise, it might get deleted.Until now, inactive Samsung accounts have been left untouched. If you switched phones to another brand, you had a little assurance that your old information would still be there if you ever needed it or decided to go back to Samsung someday. Also: Grab the Samsung Galaxy S25 for up to $560 off – here’s howThat’s changing soon.In a recent email to affected customers (first reported by sammobile.com), the company said it’s implementing a new policy for inactive accounts starting July 31. If a user hasn’t logged in for 24 months, that account, and everything associated with it — like Samsung Cloud data, stored photos, device backups, Samsung Wallet and Samsung Health details, downloaded apps, Find My Mobile data, and more — will be deleted.  More

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    I tried XR glasses that gave me a 200-inch screen to work on – and can’t go back

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The RayNeo Air 3S is available for $269 These XR glasses provide advanced micro-OLED screens, dual speaker chamber design, and a 201-inch screen visual experience There are no light-blocking shades or electrochromic dimming capability, and productivity support is limited to native MacOS and Windows support. more buying choices Just about every […] More

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    Your Asus router may be part of a botnet – here’s how to tell and what to do

    Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETDo you own an Asus router? If so, your device may have been one of thousands compromised in a large campaign waged by cybercriminals looking to exploit it. In a blog post published Wednesday, security firm GreyNoise revealed that the attack was staged by what it suggests is “a well-resourced and highly capable adversary.”Also: Massive data breach exposes 184 million passwords for Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and moreTo gain initial access, the attackers used brute-force login techniques and two different methods to bypass the built-in authentication. They’ve also been able to exploit certain vulnerabilities not yet assigned official CVE numbers. Once they’d accessed the router, they were able to run arbitrary system commands by exploiting a known security flaw identified as CVE-2023-39780.Though no malware was actually installed, the attackers certainly left their mark. More than 9,000 Asus routers affectedBy using built-in Asus settings, they were able to set up SSH access, a secure way to connect to and control a remote device. They also installed a backdoor to return easily to the router’s firmware without worrying about authentication. The backdoor was stored in non-volatile memory (NVRAM), which meant it couldn’t be removed by rebooting the router or updating its firmware. To avoid being caught, the criminals even disabled logging, which would otherwise record their access. Also: Why no small business is too small for hackers – and 8 security best practices for SMBsBased on data from internet scanner Censys, more than 9,000 Asus routers are affected, and that number is growing. However, GreyNoise said that over the past three months, it witnessed only 30 related requests to access the affected routers. That seems to be a sign that the campaign is moving along slowly and quietly. If no malware is installed, what’s the goal behind the attack? “This appears to be part of a stealth operation to assemble a distributed network of backdoor devices — potentially laying the groundwork for a future botnet,” GreyNoise said in its post.And who’s behind it?”The tactics used in this campaign — stealthy initial access, use of built-in system features for persistence, and careful avoidance of detection — are consistent with those seen in advanced, long-term operations, including activity associated with advanced persistent threat (APT) actors and operational relay box (ORB) networks. While GreyNoise has made no attribution, the level of tradecraft suggests a well-resourced and highly capable adversary.” Also: Your old router could be a security threat – here’s why and what to doThe language used by GreyNoise, particularly the reference to APTs, suggests a nation-state or attackers working on behalf of a hostile government. Though GreyNoise didn’t cite any particular adversary, such attacks have been attributed to different countries, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.Using its AI-powered payload analysis tool Sift and its observation grid, GreyNoise discovered the attack on March 18. But the firm said it waited until now to disclose it publicly so it could have time to consult with its government and industry partners.”In the past few years, networking gear especially for the home, SOHO, and SMB market segments, has had a rough go with attackers increasingly targeting these devices,” John Bambenek, president at cybersecurity firm Bambenek Consulting, told ZDNET. “The risk of the household being compromised is minimal, they’ll simply have their router be used to launch attacks on other parties (though they might start experiencing more captchas when they engage in their routine internet use). Sophisticated attackers are going for these devices because they intend to do something, and it’ll be more than cryptomining.” More

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    Qualcomm patches three exploited security flaws, but you could still be vulnerable

    Qualcomm Wireless tech maker Qualcomm has patched three zero-day security flaws that it says may have already been exploited in the wild. In a security bulletin published Monday, the company revealed that the issue affects a driver for the Adreno Graphics Processing Unit, which is found in devices powered by its Snapdragon processors. Also: The […] More

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    The default TV setting you should turn off ASAP – and why professionals do the same

    Adam Breeden/ZDNETFor many people, motion smoothing on TVs is only appropriate for gaming and watching live sports; enthusiasts typically prefer turning off the feature to watch anything else because it can detract from the filmmaker’s original intent, making on-screen images seem artificial or hyper-realistic. This is what’s called the “soap opera effect.” Also: I changed 6 settings on my Samsung TV to instantly improve the performanceIt’s a perfectly descriptive metaphor that probably requires no explanation. You can see it all too well: the cinematic film should not look like a daytime soap; you shouldn’t feel like you’re on the set with the actors. But it is appealing to feel like you’re in the stadium watching your team with thousands of fans. The soap opera effect makes sense for live sporting event broadcasts. More

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    iOS 26 isn’t just about a new name and Solarium – here’s what else is coming

    Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETApple will hold its annual WWDC conference in a few days, and the leaks about what might be announced are pouring out at full speed. I recently told you how the company is reportedly planning a massive UI overhaul called Solarium for every corner of its software ecosystem. Shortly after that, reports emerged that Apple would also rename its operating systems to follow a year-based convention, with iOS 19 being called iOS 26. Now, 9to5Mac has the scoop on what, specifically, iOS 26 will introduce.Also: iOS 19 may give your iPhone a big battery life upgrade – without you needing to do a thing9to5Mac has a solid track record when it comes to Apple leaks. So when it reveals what the next major iteration of Apple’s mobile software could bring in terms of upgrades, you listen. While the Solarium redesign, which is thought to be the biggest visual overhaul since iOS 7, will undoubtedly steal the spotlight, some of the under-the-radar changes could be equally exciting.What’s coming to iOS 26?When Apple unveils iOS 26, it will supposedly discuss a few new features and software upgrades coming to Messages, Music, Notes, CarPlay, and more. Keep in mind that none of this has been revealed by Apple just yet. I’ve contacted the company for a comment, but I do not expect it to confirm 9to5Mac’s reporting. It will use WWDC 2025 to reveal the new features in iOS 26.Also: Skip the iPad Pro and save $50 on Apple’s newest 11th Gen iPad right nowMessagesiOS 26 will bring AI-powered real-time translation to Messages, automatically detecting and translating incoming texts and your replies so recipients can see them in their language. It will also add polls. You’ll be able to tap a new “Poll” button, enter your question and options, and everyone in a chat can vote, with results updating in real time. Apple Intelligence will even suggest poll options based on your conversation. So, if you’re deciding on dinner, it might offer “pizza,” “burgers,” or “sushi” as poll choices.Apple MusicThis isn’t the biggest change, but you can expect animated album art — which is already a thing inside Apple Music — to appear on your Lock Screen. So, when your iPhone is locked, album artwork should appear to come to life, in full-screen glory. NotesAnother small feature reportedly coming to the iPhone with iOS 26 should make some note‐takers and writers happy: they’ll get the ability to export notes in Markdown from Apple Notes. Until now, doing this required third‐party apps.CarPlay9to5Mac reports that Apple plans to bring the Solarium design language to CarPlay with iOS 26. That means it’ll likely update menus, buttons, and widgets to match your iPhone’s and iPad’s new look. Earlier reports had mentioned that iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS, TVOS, and VisionOS are all set to receive this visual overhaul — but now, it appears CarPlay will, too. Since Solarium is all about bright, translucent elements, you can expect CarPlay to look more modern and lightweight after the update. More