Information Technology

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETI know you’ve heard this before, but Linux is a powerful, flexible, and secure operating system. From my experience, it is hands down the most secure OS on the market. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t use a bit of help. Out of the box, most Linux distributions do not anonymize or encrypt your online traffic.Also: The best VPN services: Expert testedSure, you can install the Tor Browser, but that will only affect your web traffic. If you want even more protection against those who would steal your information and use it against you, consider using a VPN, which will anonymize and encrypt all of your outgoing traffic. By anonymizing your traffic, your IP address and location are masked, making it difficult to track you. The encryption provided by VPNs ensures that the data packets leaving your system cannot be easily viewed by a third party. Also: How to use a VPN on Linux – and why you shouldBut are there VPNs that support Linux? Of course. In fact, I have a shortlist of four VPNs, each of which does an excellent job of protecting the network traffic that leaves your system. 1. ProtonVPN ProtonVPN More

Macs are not immune to malware, and while it’s not as big a target as Windows, plenty of cybercriminals put their efforts toward cracking Apple’s OS. An infection on your system, whether the result of a phishing attack or other means, can severely compromise your device and your data — which is why your Mac needs antivirus software. Also: The best antivirus software: Expert tested What is the best antivirus for Mac right now? I tested antivirus software for Mac to determine which programs are best at keeping your device safe from threats like ransomware, spyware, and potentially unwanted programs. As a third-party option, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus gets top marks for protecting your Mac in real-time with thorough malware detection and removal that doesn’t bog down your device.Also: The best free antivirus software The best antivirus for Mac in 2025 More

rob dobi/Getty Images Accompanying the rise in detentions and deportations by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other authorities are increasingly frequent reports of smartphone searches. US authorities allegedly dig through past emails, photos, social network activity, and other content to establish grounds for apprehension or other enforcement decisions. While such intrusions as a […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETA new Google feature designed to prevent you from seeing unwanted nudity is rolling out to Google Messages.First announced last fall, Sensitive Content Warnings is an optional feature that blurs images with nudity before you see them and warns about the dangers of sending nude images if you’re trying to do so.Also: 6 hidden Android features every user should knowand how they make life easierGoogle calls it a “speed bump” designed to keep users safe. How Sensitive Content Warnings workIf you receive a questionable image, not only will Messages blur the image, but you’ll also see a link to resources explaining why nude images can be harmful, as well as an option to block the number. You can tap “Next” if you do want to see the image. If you’re sending an image, you’ll see a reminder about the risks, and you’ll have to click “Confirm to Continue” to prevent accidental sharing. Also: Your Android phone is getting a new security secret weapon – how it worksThe feature does not currently work on videos. Google adds that photo detection happens entirely on the device, so the company does not have access to any images. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETA sophisticated phishing scam has been taking advantage of Google security flaws to convince people that the malicious emails and websites are legitimate.In a series of X posts spotted by Android Authority, developer Nick Johnson explained how he was targeted by a phishing attack that exploits flaws in Google’s own infrastructure. In his first post, Johnson includes a screenshot of the scam email claiming that Google had been served a subpoena requiring it to produce a copy of his Google account data.Also: Clicked on a phishing link? 7 steps to take immediately to protect your accountsThe text of the email reads correctly; that is, it uses the right terms and doesn’t contain any typos or broken English. The message itself is considered valid and signed by Google. It’s sent from [email protected], a legitimate, automated company-used address. The email itself passes the DKIM signature check, which aims to verify the authenticity of a message. No other warnings appear, so this looks completely legitimate.Clicking a Sites link in the email takes you to a support portal that looks like an actual Google page. The page is even hosted on Google Sites, a platform where people can create and run their own websites. Using such a platform adds legitimacy to the scam as people assume it’s the real deal. More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETPeople have found a new use for ChatGPT: Figuring out locations from photos. OpenAI’s latest AI models, o3 and o4-mini, can analyze images beyond just recognizing objects; they can zoom in, crop, and detect visual clues in photos to help identify places, landmarks, and even specific businesses. This capability is fascinating, but it’s also raised some privacy concerns about how easily people can use AI to reverse-engineer location data from images.Also: ChatGPT just made it easy to find and edit all the AI images you’ve ever generatedTechCrunch reported that people are uploading photos — anything from restaurant menu snapshots to casual selfies — and asking ChatGPT to guess where they were taken. The AI does this by looking at everything in the image: the type of buildings, landscape features, and even subtle hints like the architecture or the layout of a city. It then taps into its knowledge database and sometimes the internet to make an educated guess about the location. The results can be surprisingly accurate, and it’s got people talking. Some users have even tested the AI with blurry photos or images with partial objects, and the model still managed to make a guess. Also: Is ChatGPT Plus worth your $20? Here’s how it compares to Free and Pro plansI love playing GeoGuessr, a game where you’re dropped into a random location on Google Street View and have to guess where you are based on the surroundings. So this ChatGPT capability was super fun to test myself. I uploaded a few photos to see how ChatGPT would handle the challenge. However, as with any AI, the result was not always perfect. More

Aitor Diago/Getty Images A sophisticated phishing scam is taking advantage of Google security flaws to convince people that the malicious emails and website are legitimate. In a series of X posts spotted by Android Authority, developer Nick Johnson explained how he was targeted by a phishing attack that exploits flaws in Google’s own infrastructure. In […] More

BlackJack3D/Getty Images 2024 delivered some good news and bad news in the area of cybercrime. Malware-based ransomware attacks dropped for the third year in a row. But instances of infostealer malware grew dramatically. Those findings come from IBM X-Force’s “2025 Threat Intelligence Index” released Thursday. First, let’s look at the good news. For the year, […] More