Information Technology

Flipper Zero reading an NFC security key. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETAfter over a year of use, I love my Flipper Zero, and I’m still finding cool things to do with it.Am I using it to steal cars, clone credit cards, or change the prices shown on gas station displays? Of course not! That’s just fake trash people upload to TikTok to try to look cool, and you can’t do anything like that. Also: The 50+ best Black Friday deals 2024: Early sales live nowBut that doesn’t mean the Flipper Zero can’t do some very cool and useful things. Over the past year, I’ve been exploring the suite of tools built into the Flipper Zero, as well as extending its capabilities by installing custom firmware. It’s been a game-changer in so many ways! The Flipper Zero might be small, but there’s a lot of hardware packed into a small space.To begin with, there’s a sub-GHz wireless antenna that can capture and transmit wireless codes to operate wireless devices and access control systems, such as garage door remotes, boom barriers, IoT sensors, and even remote keyless systems. RFID support allows it to read, store, and emulate a number of different RFID cards.Also: Do RFID blocking cards actually work? My Flipper Zero revealed the truthIt can also read, write, store, and emulate NFC tags. On the front, there’s a 1-Wire connector that can read and emulate iButton (aka DS1990A, CYFRAL, Touch Memory, or Dallas key) contact keys. More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Blink Mini 2 More

Kulpreya Chaichatpornsuk/Getty Images Most people are keeping a close eye out for online scams these days, but if you’re not careful, you might do the scammers’ work for them. A new study from Gen, the company behind cybersecurity brands like Norton, Avast, LifeLock, AVG, ReputationDefender, and CCleaner, shines some light on “scam yourself” attacks that […] More

tupungato/Getty Images Hackers and security researchers who uncover vulnerabilities in certain Microsoft products could take home part of a $4 million bug bounty.  On Tuesday, the company announced a new invitation-only hacking event called Zero Day Quest. Touted as the largest of its kind, the event will invite top-ranked researchers to discover and report high-impact security flaws. […] More

Anadolu/Getty Images Your Android device retains your Google searches, enabling various sites and services to use that data to personalize ads and other types of recommendations.  For some of us, that level of personalization makes using the platform easier. But in this modern era, with companies leveraging such information to capture a very particular picture […] More

Websites have become flooded with ad-sponsored content and tracking scripts, making browsers a battleground for user privacy. Online advertising companies can use web browsing histories to fingerprint individual browsers over time, creating shadow user profiles spread across different online services to store information, including your interests, product searches, and more, leading to targeted advertising.You don’t have to consent to tracking or data collection — and this is why your browser choice is important. While Chrome is the most widely used browser in the world, alternative browsers and ways to improve your security are available to help you stay anonymous online.Also: The best VPN services (and why you need one to protect your privacy)When you look for a privacy-focused browser, you should investigate how advertising trackers and cookies are managed, whether search histories are stored or shared, and whether the browser developer operates with a transparent privacy policy.What is the best secure browser for privacy in 2024?ZDNET experts have kept a finger on the pulse of the secure browser market for decades, and many of us have tried and tested different options over the years. Brave More

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