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    Your Android phone is getting a huge security upgrade for free – what’s new

    Google / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThat smartphone in your pocket is home to your favorite apps, personal accounts, and sensitive data. That means your device should have the strongest security protection available to prevent the wrong people from stealing your money or information.Also: Your Android phone is getting a new security secret weapon – and it’s a big dealFor Android users, Google offers a variety of tools and technologies to defend you against scammers, malware, and other threats to your security and privacy. In a blog post published Tuesday, the company spotlights the protections now available or coming soon and how they aim to keep you safe from the latest dangers. 1. Protection against scam calls More

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    No, Microsoft has not changed Windows 10 or Microsoft 365 support deadlines (again)

    ZDNETHere we go again. A zombie news story that should have been laid to rest last January has risen from the grave and is walking among us again.The original storyIn case you missed the original story, here’s a recap: Last January, dozens of tech-focused news sites reported that the free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 was “for a limited time only.” In a quote from the same source, they warned that Microsoft had decreed you would need to upgrade to Windows 11 to continue using Microsoft 365 apps on your PC after the Oct. 14, 2025, end-of-support deadline for Windows 10. Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 – 2 free optionsThe problem with all those reports is they were based on an article by a very junior Microsoft employee posted on an obscure blog for Microsoft nonprofit customers. It wasn’t an official announcement, and the post was deleted that same day. A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNET’s sister publication PCMag that the blog post “contained inaccurate information and a misleading headline.” Microsoft’s official support document, “What Windows end of support means for Office and Microsoft 365,” had been published a month earlier and was much less alarming. It begins: “Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 10 after it reaches end of support on October 14, 2025.” That statement is repeated in bold later in the document: Support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. After that date, if you’re running Microsoft 365 Apps on a Windows 10 device, the applications will continue to function as before. However, we strongly recommend upgrading to Windows 11 to avoid performance and reliability issues over time. Back in the newsSo why did this zombie story start appearing in my news feeds today? I blame Forbes.They’re the ones standing there, shovel in hand, shouting about “Microsoft’s surprise deadline u-turn” while continuing to quote from the inaccurate, long-since-deleted zombie blog post. Also: Is your Microsoft account passwordless yet? Why it (probably) should be and how to do it rightToday’s fuss is based on a newly published page at Microsoft’s product documentation site, Microsoft Learn: “Windows 10 end of support and Microsoft 365 Apps,” which contains this note: To help maintain security while you transition to Windows 11, Microsoft will continue providing security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 for three years after Windows 10 reaches end of support. These updates will be delivered through the standard update channels, ending on October 10, 2028. That shouldn’t be a surprise. The three-year continuation in security updates for Microsoft 365 matches the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates available to Microsoft’s enterprise customers. It would be a nightmare to rebuild the Microsoft 365 update servers so they delivered updates only to PCs running Windows 10 with an ESU subscription while blocking other Windows 10 devices. So everyone gets those updates. More

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    Your old router could be a security threat – here’s why and what to do

    NurPhoto/Getty Images Are you still using a router that’s past its prime? If so, you could be opening yourself up to a malicious attack. The FBI is warning that cybercriminals are targeting routers that have reached their end of life and are no longer supported by the manufacturer. In an advisory and a PSA published last week, the agency […] More

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    The default TV setting you should turn off ASAP – and why experts recommend it

    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: Your TV’s USB port has an invaluable feature you should use during internet outagesIt’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

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    Your password manager is under attack: How to defend yourself against a new threat

    WhataWin/Getty Images Do you sometimes feel stuck in a Catch-22 regarding your long-term credential management strategy? You are. On the one hand, if the tech industry has its way — to abolish all passwords and replace them with passkeys — users will eventually have almost no choice but to rely on password managers for signing […] More

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    Your Android phone is getting a new security secret weapon – and it’s a big deal

    Kerry Wan/ZDNETA new security feature from Google means that Android devices might soon start rebooting automatically — and that’s not a bad thing. In a recent Google Play Services update, Google details how your Android phone will soon reboot if you haven’t used it for three consecutive days. How reboots helpThis is important for two reasons. The first is because, to open a phone after a reboot, you must enter a PIN — no biometrics or other method of unlocking. PIN-only access means the phone, and the data on it, is harder to access for anyone with bad intentions. If you’re one of the people using a phone without any sort of unlock protection, this is a significant layer of security.Also: Why rebooting your phone daily is your best defense against zero-click attacksThe second reason is a little more technical, but just as important. Mobile phones have two lock states: Before first lock (BFU) and after first lock (AFU). In BFU, information and files on a phone are securely encrypted and completely inaccessible, even with complex extraction programs. This also means that authorities who have seized a phone as evidence, such as local law enforcement or the FBI, will have a shorter window of time to access the device before it becomes much more difficult.Also: Biometrics vs. passcodes: What lawyers recommend if you’re worried about warrantless phone searchesA BFU phone remains connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, meaning that if you lose your phone and it reboots, you’ll still be able to use location-finding services. Apple introduced a similar feature for iPhones last year. More