Information Technology

ZDNETIf a proposal by the Federal Communications Commission goes through, it will soon be much easier for you to know which smart home products are secure.It’s called the ‘US Cyber Trust Mark’In an announcement today, the FCC revealed plans to create a voluntary program for smart device manufacturers. If companies meet certain cybersecurity standards, the product packaging will feature a special “US Cyber Trust Mark” logo.Not only will this help consumers make informed decisions and differentiate trustworthy products, the FCC says, but it should also encourage manufacturers to meet higher security standards.Also: The best smart speakersA White House briefing from 2023 about the same program said it would apply to smart refrigerators, smart microwaves, smart televisions, smart climate control systems, smart fitness trackers, and more. Several companies have voiced support for the program, the briefing says, including Amazon, Best Buy, Google, LG Electronics USA., Logitech, and Samsung Electronics. More

Ricardo Mendoza Garbayo/Getty Images Some people view browser extensions as a necessary piece of the puzzle, while others see them as a danger. So, how could something so small present such a problem for users?  Consider a recent report by Vulnerable U about data loss prevention service Cyberhaven, which discovered a Chrome extension used by […] More

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETWant to learn more about a landmark, painting, animal, plant, food, or other object that you’ve snapped with your iPhone’s camera? Now you can, with an iOS 18.1 photo look-up feature called Enhanced Visual Search.By scanning and analyzing photos, this tool can categorize and even identify certain items via a web search. Enhanced Visual Search is also available on an iPad with iPadOS 18.1 and a Mac with MacOS Sequoia 15.1.Also: iOS 18.2 was killing my iPhone’s battery until I turned off this featureSounds great, right? Well, that depends. A similar feature called Visual Look Up first debuted with iOS 16, so this type of capability has been around for a couple of years. But Enhanced Visual Search is more advanced, as it shares your photos with Apple to help dig up the right details on the object. That difference has triggered privacy concerns among many people, especially since the sharing is enabled by default.How Enhanced Visual Search worksOpen a photo on your iPhone (or iPad or Mac) that contains an identifiable object. I chose a photo of the Statue of Liberty.If the item is supported by Enhanced Visual Search, the info icon at the bottom will display a small star in the upper left area. Tap the info icon, and the search will categorize the object as a landmark, artwork, animal, plant, or something else. Tap the Look Up option under the photo, and a web search will name the item and let you select any of the search results to learn more about it.Also: Looking to buy a new Apple device? You might want to hold off. Here’s whyBut here’s the rub. To run that search, Apple needs to analyze the photo. Since there are potentially millions and millions of landmarks, animals, and other common items that could be a match, the analysis can’t be done on your device. That’s why the photos need to be shared with Apple and analyzed on its servers.With privacy in mind, Apple has anticipated concerns over photo sharing. On a web page entitled Photos & Privacy, the company explained how Enhanced Visual Search works: More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETApple has settled a class action lawsuit in which tens of millions of users can expect a slice of the payout.Last Tuesday, the iPhone maker agreed to pay $95 million to settle a 2019 lawsuit claiming that Siri violated the privacy of Apple users by recording their conversations, as reported by Reuters.Lopez v. Apple, Inc.Known as Lopez v. Apple, Inc., the class action lawsuit was filed by three plaintiffs who alleged that Apple programmed Siri to intercept conversations even when no hot word, such as “Hey Siri,” was spoken. Further, the plaintiffs claimed that Apple violated their privacy by sharing recordings of the conversations with third-party contractors.Specifically, two of the plaintiffs said that mentioning Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants prompted ads for both products. The third plaintiff said he received ads for a surgical treatment after discussing it privately with his doctor.Also: iOS 18.2 was killing my iPhone’s battery until I turned off this featureIn settling the suit, Apple has denied any wrongdoing on its part. Before the plaintiffs and Apple users can receive their slice of the payout, the settlement must be approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in the Oakland, Calif., federal court. More

SOPA Images/Getty Images As the number of scam messages and videos continues to rise, McAfee is introducing a new way to catch scams before you fall for them. The company’s AI scam detector, debuting at CES 2025, will provide McAfee customers with comprehensive protection against text, email, and video scams.  Also: Did you get a […] More

ZDNETWell, that wasn’t fun. Last week, Ars Technica ran a report about 33 Chrome extensions that have been found to have malware. And yeah, yesterday I found that I had one of them installed.You can read the Ars article for a list to check yourself. One seemed familiar: Reader Mode. It was intended to clear a page of all non-text to make it more readable, like Safari’s Reader Mode. I haven’t run it for quite some time, but the name was familiar. Also: Google’s favorite Chrome extensions of 2024 can save you time and moneyI went to my 3-dot menu in Chrome, then Extensions, then Manage Extensions. And there it was, right at the top of the page: “This extension contains malware.” Fortunately, the extension was switched off, but I have no idea when it became infected or whether it did any damage to the Chrome installs on my Macs or Windows machines. More

ZDNETYou probably have a lot of passwords in your life.Even with the help of password managers, passwords are becoming more and more of a burden for most people.Long gone are the days of being able to use and reuse rubbish passwords like p455w0rd123. Now, all of your online accounts need to be protected by passwords that are complex and unique.Also: Passkeys take yet another big step towards killing off passwordsYou also need to be ever vigilant in case one of your many passwords is compromised.There’s a better solution: Passkeys. More

CNETThe world’s largest consumer tech conference, Consumer Electronics Shows (CES), is just a few days away. At the show, you can expect to see the most innovative technology from leading companies and startups worldwide, and this year, ZDNET will help the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) identify and award the most breakthrough tech. Also: CES 2025: What is it, what to expect, and how to tune inThe CTA recognizes the best technology at the trade show every year with a Best of CES designation across all consumer tech categories. This year, the CNET Group, which consists of ZDNET, CNET, PCMag, Mashable, and Lifehacker, all owned by Ziff Davis, is teaming up with the CTA to select the winners as the official media partner of the Best of CES Awards. The top products and services will be determined exclusively by the CNET Group’s editors and experts on the ground, including ZDNET’s on-site team, and awarded the official distinction of Best of CES. The designation goes to CES 2025 exhibitors whose product offers a compelling new concept or idea, solves a major consumer problem, or sets a new bar in performance or quality. There will be one winner in each of the following categories: AITransportation and mobilityPC/laptopTV/home theaterSmart home/home techSustainabilityGamingWellness/fitness techMobilePrivacy and securityWeirdest/most unexpectedBest overallIf you are interested in having your product considered for the award and meet the criteria above, you can fill out this submission form. Although there is no guarantee that each submission will be reviewed, we would love to hear about your product. Ultimately, the winners will be decided by the experts and editors’ on-site demos, experiences, and findings, informed by their subject-area expertise. The Best of CES Awards winners, presented by CNET Group, will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 9, on all CNET Group sites and social media platforms. You can stay updated on all things CES on ZDNET’s site, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Innovation More