Ransomware attack in Texas targets local government agencies

Posted on August 19, 2019August 19, 2019 by admin

Ransomware attacks against local governments are still a clear problem, and Texas is discovering this first hand. The state has revealed that 23 government entities reported a ransomware attack on the morning of August 16th. Most of these were "sma…

After Math: Plead the fifth

Posted on August 18, 2019August 18, 2019 by admin

With Dave Chappelle coming back to Netflix for the one, two, three, four, fif time later this month, we're taking a look at all of this week's headlines that will make you want to plead against self-incrimination.

Judge orders Georgia to ditch ‘vulnerable’ voting machines by 2020

Posted on August 17, 2019August 17, 2019 by admin

A federal judge has ordered Georgia to stop using its old, "vulnerable" paperless voting machines by next year. US District Court Judge Amy Totenberg will allow the state to use the machines for special and municipal elections in November, accepting…

Amazon sent 20 order confirmations to the wrong people

Posted on August 17, 2019August 17, 2019 by admin

Twenty Amazon customers in the US had their order updates sent via email to the wrong person thanks to a "technical issue." Amazon confirmed the snafu after a report from TechCrunch exposed the issue. In addition to an individual's order, these email…

Serious Bluetooth flaw leaves devices open to attack

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by admin

A group of researchers has discovered a critical Bluetooth vulnerability that leaves tons of wireless devices exposed to digital intrusions. The Bluetooth SIG, an organization that oversees the technology's standards, has issued a security notice for…

Facebook told staff but not users about single sign-on risks, says court filing

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by admin

Plaintiffs in a court case against Facebook have argued that the social network knew about the security risks that lead to a major hack in 2018 but did not warn their users about them.

Instagram users can now flag false content

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by admin

Beginning today, Instagram users can report content that they believe to be false. Instagram will use those flags to better understand misinformation on the platform and to train its AI to spot false content. In time, Instagram will use the feedback,…

Wirecutter’s best deals: Save $50 on a Schlage Connect smart lock

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by admin

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of deals here.

Apple promises hostile treatment for sites that break Safari privacy rules

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by admin

Apple is taking a tough new stance on websites that attempt to monitor and share individuals' browsing history. In a new policy page, published on Wednesday, the company says it will treat websites and apps that attempt to bypass Safari's anti cross-…

Google Nest camera users can no longer disable the status light

Posted on August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 by admin

Google has notified existing Nest camera, Nest Hello doorbell and Dropcam owners that they can no longer disable their devices' status light. The company told customers the update in an email, according to 9toGoogle, which also found Google Support d…