Information Technology

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETApple has added a new security feature to the iPhone, apparently designed to thwart criminals. But it’s also been thwarting police.Introduced with iOS 18, the new feature automatically reboots an iPhone if it’s been asleep and in lock mode for an extended period of time. After a reboot, an iPhone becomes more difficult to crack since either the passcode or biometric verification is needed to unlock it. The apparent goal is to prevent a thief (or police officer) from trying to hack into your phone and potentially access your personal data.Also: The 10 most popular passwords of 2024 are also the worst: 5 easy ways to do betterThe feature seems to have come to light based on the findings of law enforcement officials in Detroit, Michigan, as reported by 404 Media. Officers examining iPhones for forensic purposes discovered that the devices would mysteriously reboot themselves, making it more difficult to unlock and access them. Initially, the working theory was that the phones would reboot when disconnected from a cellular network for a period of time. However, the explanation is actually much simpler. Referring to the feature as an “inactivity reboot,” AppleInsider says that this reboot timer isn’t based on network connectivity or the phone’s charge. Rather, the reboot simply occurs after a specific length of time — around 96 hours. This timer is similar to the Mac’s hibernation mode, which puts the computer to sleep as a precaution in case the power goes out or the battery charge is depleted.Also: Did your Apple Notes vanish from your iPhone? Here’s how to find themSecurity experts have also weighed in, seemingly confirming the new capability.”We have identified code within iOS 18 and higher that is an inactivity timer,” said Christopher Vance, a forensic specialist at Magnet Forensics, as noted by AppleInsider. “This timer will cause devices in an AFU state to reboot to a BFU state after a set period of time, which we have also identified.” More

WhataWin/Getty Images Admit it: Do you ever use “123456” or “qwerty123” as a password? Given the challenges of juggling dozens or hundreds of online accounts, it’s easy to opt for simple (but weak) passwords. Based on a new report from password manager NordPass, people are still doing exactly that — which is just asking for […] More

oxygen/Getty Images Data development platform Encord is going beyond business analysis to become “the world’s only multimodal AI data development platform.” On Thursday, the company announced new multi-modal data annotation capabilities for classifying audio and documents — all in one interface. The update expands on Encord’s existing support for medical, computer vision, and video data.  […] More

LastPass Passwords are so last century, and passkeys are the future. Passkeys replace the traditional strings of random — or not-so-random –characters with a more secure method of authentication.  A passkey consists of a public key that is registered with an online service or application, and a private key that is securely stored on a […] More

Signal On Monday, Signal announced a host of improvements for video calls, including “call links” that make the encrypted messaging app more competitive with video-conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet, while retaining Signal’s privacy edge for users determined to keep their personal data from being collected.  Signal’s call links feature enables users to […] More

Oulaphone Sonesouphap/Getty Images Singapore has proposed a new bill to block recalcitrant victims from making online banking transactions, as scam cases continue to climb despite multiple safeguards in place.  The country’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the Protection for Scams Bill will allow law enforcement to issue orders for banks to restrict an individual’s […] More

Charlie Osborne/ZDNETThe holiday season is fast approaching, and with it, popular sales events. While Black Friday — once a single day for sales on tech, clothing, home appliances, and more — is now a longer affair set to launch on Nov. 29, retailers have already begun releasing interesting deals on tech, and this includes VPN subscription deals.Many VPN providers change their pricing frequently, so when we find a worthwhile deal, it usually will offer new customers free months added to the length of their contract. We’ve found such a deal at NordVPN More

eyetwist / kevin balluff/Getty Images Microsoft really, really, really doesn’t want you to upgrade your old Windows 10 PC to Windows 11.  That’s the logic behind the strict hardware compatibility requirements the company imposed when it launched the new operating system in 2021. If you try to install Windows 11 on a computer with a […] More