Information Technology

Kerry Wan/ZDNETMobile devices are always a tempting target for cybercriminals. That’s true not just for consumers but for companies. According to Google, more than half of organizations have pointed to smartphones as their most exposed endpoint, and data breaches often occur from improper use of these devices. In a blog post released earlier this month, Google describes the latest protections available with its Android Enterprise platform, which rolls out to most Android 16-compatible handsets, including Google Pixel phones as old as the Pixel 6.Also: Your Android phone is getting 4 big upgrades, thanks to Android 16Mobile devices have become popular, convenient tools among workers, as they can access email, apps and other internal business resources from anywhere. But often an employee’s phone is unmanaged and uncontrolled, leading to security weaknesses that can be exploited by hackers and attackers. Android Enterprise offers organizations and IT admins a way to better manage these devices, whether they’re company-owned or employee-owned. Though Android Enterprise has been around for a number of years, here are some of the latest initiatives Google has introduced. CNET survey: Just 11% of people upgrade their phone for AI features. Here’s what they want instead  Security features Advanced protection: Employees can better thwart targeted attacks through strong mobile device protection. With just a single tap, they can enable multiple security features to defend against online attacks, malicious apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and other threats. This feature is accessible on Android 16 and higher but may only be available on certain devices and in specific regions. Identity Check: This feature prevents scams such as PIN theft and shoulder surfing, in which nearby thieves can pick up the PIN or password used to access a phone. With Identity Check, signing in to the device and apps requires a biometric method, such as facial or fingerprint recognition. This feature is also available on Android 16 and higher on certain devices. Also: 7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy – and why you should tooCorporate badges in Google Wallet: Employees can add their corporate ID badge to the Google Wallet app and then use their phones to securely gain entry to NFC-enabled buildings and offices. Secure network access with Access Point Name: Access Point Name, or APN, is a secure gateway between a mobile network and the public internet. With APN enabled, IT admins can apply custom cellular network configurations on managed devices to control how they use cellular data. More

NurPhoto / Contributor/Getty For all of us who hate passwords, passkeys represent a simpler and safer way of authenticating online accounts. But adoption has been slow, with many companies and websites still relying on passwords. Now the world’s biggest social media platform is jumping on the bandwagon. On Wednesday, Facebook announced that it’s now rolling […] More

kontekbrothers/Getty We’ve probably all received confirmation codes sent via text message when trying to sign into an account. Those codes are supposed to serve as two-factor authentication to confirm our identity and prevent scammers from accessing our accounts through a password alone. But who actually handles those SMS codes, and can those people be trusted? […] More

Michael Burrell/Getty NordPass users looking for a quick and easy way to access vital documents can now store them online. In a Tuesday blog post, NordPass introduced Documents, a new storage option that uses an encrypted vault to house digital copies of physical documents in the cloud. In its post, NordPass cited passports, IDs, and […] More

Eufy Eufy just launched the Smart Display E10<!–> for pre-sale. This 8-inch tablet is designed to control your Eufy smart home ecosystem, with intelligent features like facial recognition, quad-view live stream, event summaries, and a built-in battery for portability. The Smart Display E10 can be wall-mounted or placed on a desk or tabletop with the […] 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: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why doing so makes such a big difference)It’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

delmonte1977/Getty Images Every modern web browser has tools for tracking the passwords you use with secure online services. Those features are often turned on by default, which means you probably have a random collection of passwords saved in the cloud along with your bookmarks and settings for your default browser. Also: The best password managers: Expert […] More

Kali Linux can be daunting because of all the challenging tools. Jack WallenZDNETKali Linux is a widely respected Linux distribution geared toward testing and auditing systems and networks, and the latest release has added more hacking tools, updates, and even a UI refresh.First, the CAN Arsenal was renamed CARsenal, so its purpose is obvious. Not only has CARsenal received a UI update, but there are some new tools added into the mix, such as hlcand (a modified version of slcand for ELM327 usage), VIN Info (for decoding VIN identifiers), CaringCaribou (for providing Linstener, Dump Fizzer, Send, UDS, and XCP modules), and ICSim (provides a simulator for VCAN and for testing the CARsenal toolset without having to use specialized hardware).Also: I found a Linux distro that combines the best parts of other operating systems (and it works)The Kali desktop menu also received a nice refresh by way of organization that better aligns it with the MITRE ATT&CK framework. By doing this, both red (offensive) and blue (defensive) teams are better able to find the tools they need to do their jobs. Kali Linux uses the GNOME desktop, which has been updated to version 48 and includes all the new features found in that release (such as notification stacking, digital wellbeing, improved performance, and HDR support). Along with the GNOME update is a new GNOME VPN IP extension that shows the IP address of your current VPN connection in the top panel and, with a single click, copies the IP address to your clipboard. More