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NurPhoto/Getty Images Are you still using a router that’s past its prime? If so, you could be opening yourself up to a malicious attack. The FBI is warning that cybercriminals are targeting routers that have reached their end of life and are no longer supported by the manufacturer. In an advisory and a PSA published last week, the agency […] More
Kerry Wan/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: Your TV’s USB port has an invaluable feature you should use during internet outagesIt’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
Bloomberg / Getty Images If you’ve ever used the popular DNA testing service 23andMe, you might be in line for a major payday from a class-action lawsuit. Last fall, the company revealed that it suffered a data breach affecting millions of users. Depending on how much damage you incurred in the incident, you could be […] More
WhataWin/Getty Images Do you sometimes feel stuck in a Catch-22 regarding your long-term credential management strategy? You are. On the one hand, if the tech industry has its way — to abolish all passwords and replace them with passkeys — users will eventually have almost no choice but to rely on password managers for signing […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETA new security feature from Google means that Android devices might soon start rebooting automatically — and that’s not a bad thing. In a recent Google Play Services update, Google details how your Android phone will soon reboot if you haven’t used it for three consecutive days. How reboots helpThis is important for two reasons. The first is because, to open a phone after a reboot, you must enter a PIN — no biometrics or other method of unlocking. PIN-only access means the phone, and the data on it, is harder to access for anyone with bad intentions. If you’re one of the people using a phone without any sort of unlock protection, this is a significant layer of security.Also: Why rebooting your phone daily is your best defense against zero-click attacksThe second reason is a little more technical, but just as important. Mobile phones have two lock states: Before first lock (BFU) and after first lock (AFU). In BFU, information and files on a phone are securely encrypted and completely inaccessible, even with complex extraction programs. This also means that authorities who have seized a phone as evidence, such as local law enforcement or the FBI, will have a shorter window of time to access the device before it becomes much more difficult.Also: Biometrics vs. passcodes: What lawyers recommend if you’re worried about warrantless phone searchesA BFU phone remains connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, meaning that if you lose your phone and it reboots, you’ll still be able to use location-finding services. Apple introduced a similar feature for iPhones last year. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways These are tough, water- and dirt-resistant AirTag holders that will last years They go a long way to preventing bad guys from removing your AirTags from secured items They work on everything from suitcases, camera bags, jackets, and even your cat or dog! –> I’ve mentioned more than once my undying […] More
hh5800/Getty Images Do you sometimes feel stuck in a Catch-22 regarding your long-term credential management strategy? You are. On the one hand, if the tech industry has its way — to abolish all passwords and replace them with passkeys — users will eventually have almost no choice but to rely on password managers for signing […] More
ZDNETScammers are always looking to exploit the tools and technologies we use to steal our personal information, money, or both. That’s why companies like Google must defend us from hackers, security threats, and other hazards. It is also why we must take responsibility for our own security. In a blog post published Thursday, Google explains how it thwarts online scams across key products and how we can protect ourselves. Google’s scam detection systemWith the largest share of the search engine market, Google uses AI to detect hundreds of millions of malicious and suspicious search results each day. With the help of AI, the company said its scam detection system has been able to catch 20 times more scammy pages than before. Specifically, the latest advancements in AI help Google analyze more text on the web, identify scam campaigns, and detect emerging threats to its search page.Also: Multimodal AI poses new safety risks, creates CSEM and weapons infoAs one example cited in the blog post, Google has seen a significant increase in attackers impersonating airline customer service providers. With this scam prevalent, travelers who search Google for airline customer service may be taken to a malicious phone number where the scammer tries to capture their personal information. Thanks to AI, the company has been able to reduce the number of such scams by more than 80%. Chrome is another Google product that offers enhanced security protection. Its Enhanced Protection mode in Safe Browsing is its highest level of defense, offering tighter security than Standard Protection mode. Now, AI makes that security even stronger.Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device large language model (LLM) on the desktop, serves up instant analysis on risky and scammy websites, protecting users against new scams not seen before. As one example, Gemini Nano is helping to thwart remote tech support scams, one of the largest online threats. As the next step, Google wants to extend this protection to Android devices.Also: Why Google seems to be losing its iron grip on search – and what I use now insteadAnother way scammers try to pull off an attack is by sending you a host of notifications from malicious websites. To address that threat, Google is kicking off new AI-powered warnings in Chrome for Android. If the AI detects a scammy notification, the content is blocked, and you’ll receive an alert with an option to unsubscribe, view the blocked content, or allow future notifications from that site if you think the warning was a false positive. More
