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A sizeable proportion of eligible consumers are still wary about smart-home products. (Source: Parks Associates)

Research finds privacy concerns put US consumers off buying smart home products

A recent publication has reported that 52% of all US households with high-speed internet would rather not buy into the smart-home concept. 25% of this group nominated worries about data security and privacy as their reasons to rem...

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Oct 2019 22:21

All ADB use might be wireless one day. (Source: Home Assistant Community)

Google may be working on improved wireless ADB for a future version of Android

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is an almost mandatory tool for developers, as well as those who simply like to modify their non-Apple phones in any kind of advanced way. It is traditionally dependent on wired connections, however....

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Oct 2019 21:09

Deutsche Telekom's nuSIM platform moves these functions off a PCB and onto a chipset. (Source: Deutsche Telekom)

Qualcomm will incorporate a new kind of SIM into its next-gen modem for IoT devices

Qualcomm has announced the 9205 LTE modem, a new component destined for internet-of-things (IoT) devices that will connect using this kind of mobile data. However, it will not require a conventional SIM to do so. The OEM has integ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 29 Oct 2019 19:35

Smartwatches are increasingly popular, but could be more secure. (Source: TechRadar)

Nok Nok Labs claims that its new SDK can make smartwatches more secure and better equipped to take over from phones

The consumer-grade security development group Nok Nok Labs has unveiled its new SDK. It asserts that it is the first such app software capable of conferring FIDO-based authentication on smartwatches. This, then, may help users dep...

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Oct 2019 14:34

Novelty cases are the least of a phone's worries at Halloween. (Source: Indie Crafts)

Halloween is one of the scariest times for your phone, new research finds

A recent study by the analyst group Asurion has concluded that being brought along to celebrate Halloween is one of the biggest potential nightmares a smartphone can go through. The risks of damage and other adversity these device...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Oct 2019 22:24

If any of these app icons are on your iPhone or iPad, uninstall them immediately. (Image via Wandera)

Trojan malware found in 17 apps on Apple App Store

Wandera, a security research firm, has found malware in 17 apps on the Apple App Store. The apps use a clicker trojan module to generate fraudulent web traffic in the background, likely to pump up ad revenue for specific websites....

Sam Medley, 25 Oct 2019 20:24

Intel unveils its new Tremont microarchitecture. (Source: Intel)

Intel's new Tremont low-power architecture is now official

Intel has released its new low-power solution in full today (October 24, 2019). It is an x86 microarchitecture associated with "significant" IPC enhancements compared to its predecessor. Tremont can also support an L2 cache of up ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Oct 2019 23:48

Disney streaming service, Disney+, doesn't work on Linux... yet

A Linux user has discovered that Disney+, Disney's new streaming service, doesn't work on his Fedora machine. The problem lies with the DRM used by Disney, which implements the highest possible security level. However, Disney has ...

Sam Medley, 24 Oct 2019 00:34

UK banks remove mobile bank services and apps from Samsung Galaxy S10

Two UK Banks, National Westminster and Royal Bank of Scotland, have removed their respective mobile banking apps from the Google Play Store for Samsung Galaxy S10 users. Citing security concerns, it's likely the banks' decisions w...

Sam Medley, 24 Oct 2019 00:12

Samsung releases update to patch fingerprint scanner flaw

Samsung has released a software patch to fix a security flaw in the ultrasonic fingerprint readers used in the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 device families. The patch should come as a notification to users who have registered the...

Sam Medley, 23 Oct 2019 19:22

On the outside, the Hygon C86 is identical to the original AMD EPYC CPUs, but the internals are slightly customized. (Source: Anandtech)

AMD EPYC CPU clone Hygon C86 developed in China is best suited for cryptographic loads

The Hygon C86 is essentially an AMD EPYC Zen 1 chip with an additional cryptographic layer added by the Chinese joint venture company collaborating with AMD. The chip was manufactured by GlobalFoundries as a proof-of-concept, and ...

Bogdan Solca, 23 Oct 2019 18:14

The Int App Lock icon alongside some code it reportedly runs. (Source: Pradeo Lab)

The "Joker" malware is found to exist within yet another Android app

"Joker" is a relatively new form of malware that reportedly acts to steal contacts and sign those with infected devices up for premium SMS services. Most recently, it has been detected in a heretofore-overlooked host on Android by...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Oct 2019 15:14

Newer Samsung Galaxy flagships may have a security flaw. (Source: YouTube)

Samsung Galaxy flagship fingerprint sensors are reported hackable using cheap screen protectors

A British Galaxy S10 user has claimed that this phone's ultrasound sensor could be fooled into unlocking for non-registered fingerprints. This issue was allegedly caused by a cheap gel case with a clear flap to cover the screen. S...

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Oct 2019 23:48

The Netgear Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System supports Wi-Fi 6. (Source: Netgear)

Netgear releases new Orbi Dual Band Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System

Netgear has rolled out its latest mesh Wi-Fi system consisting of a base and one or more satellite units. The new Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System also features the latest Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax) standard for speeds up to 1.2 Gbps.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 16 Oct 2019 11:56

Nest Wi-Fi is Google's new mesh solution

Google also announced its new Nest Wi-Fi home product at the 2019 Pixel launch event. It consists of scalable router and point units in various muted colors. A single 802.11s router covers up to 2200 square feet of space each, whe...

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Oct 2019 22:49

The Galaxy Fold phones can now work with the Windows Your Phone app. (Source: Microsoft)

A new Windows 10 Insider Preview Build can link PCs to more Samsung phones

The latest Insider's version of Windows 10 updates the Your Phone app so that it is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S10 series, as well as the Galaxy Fold. This allows a user to monitor battery levels, screen-mirror and sync da...

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Oct 2019 22:28

The older 0-day exploit allows hackers to gain full control of the affected smartphone through pieces of code hidden in an untrusted app. (Source: Portal GDA)

Older zero-day Android exploit still affects Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy and other handhelds

Many models that launched with Android 8.0 are still affected by a 0-day vulnerability that was not properly patched in 2017. The list of models includes: Google's Pixel 1 and 2, Samsung's Galaxy S7/8/9, Huawei P20, Xiaomi Redmi 5...

Bogdan Solca, 04 Oct 2019 17:05

DoH is not sitting well with Congress. (Source: Wikipedia)

Google is being investigated by the US Congress over a new feature in Chrome

DNS over HTTPS is a new way of connecting to websites proposed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in 2018. Google is reportedly working on implementing it in an upcoming version of its Chrome browser. However, an anti-t...

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Oct 2019 23:11

A new vulnerability may open a way for a jailbreak for almost every iPhone ever made. (Image via Hindustan Times)

New exploit, dubbed checkm8, might lead to permanent jailbreak for multiple iPhone models

A new vulnerability found in the bootrom of iPhones ranging from the iPhone 4S to the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X may pave a new path for a permanent jailbreak method. While no jailbreak method that exploits the vulnerability yet exis...

Sam Medley, 28 Sep 2019 23:47

The Realme 3 Pro has a new software update. (Source: Realme)

The Realme 3 Pro gets updated with September 2019 security patch and more

Realme has announced a new software update for the 3 Pro. It upgrades the phone's security patch level to September 2019. This OTA also adds Digital Wellbeing and a screen-on time meter to this build of Color OS.

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Sep 2019 20:10

The Google Assistant may get harder to activate in the future. (Source: XDA)

Google plans to make the Assistant's attention more selective in the future

Google has announced that future updates will make it more difficult to activate the Assistant by mistake. The company has also taken pains to reassure users that their audio data will not be collected by default in the same relea...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Sep 2019 19:13

An infected directory showing files with a ".lilocked" extension. Image via FOSSBytes

Lilu/Lilocked ransomware has now infected thousands of Linux servers

Lilu (also known as Lilocked) is a relatively new ransomware that is specifically targeting Linux servers. The ransomware has been infecting systems since mid-July and has so far attacked at least 6700 systems. Lilu targets specif...

Sam Medley, 08 Sep 2019 22:02

Malware is now a problem when downloading textbooks. (Source: Wikipedia)

Kaspersky claims to have found malware in digital college textbooks

The online security company Kaspersky has reported the presence of dangerous programs in the digital versions of educational content for university students. These essays and texts were found to contain malware of varying severity...

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Sep 2019 23:04

Samsung Galaxy A90 5G will get quarterly security updates, another failure by Samsung

Samsung fails again: No monthly security patches for the Galaxy A90 5G

Although it is not cheap at all, the Galaxy A90 5G is Samsung's first non-flagship handset with support for the fastest mobile connectivity standard available for the masses (depending on region, of course). Sadly, although it is ...

Codrut Nistor, 06 Sep 2019 17:19

Dell and Google teaming up for Latitude 5300 and 5400 2-in-1 Chromebook Enterprise Edition

Ever wanted a Chromebook with 1 TB of internal PCIe storage and 32 GB of RAM? Dell has re-purposed its existing Latitude 5300 2-in-1 and 5400 laptops into Chromebooks designed for developers and businesses to accelerate Chrome OS ...

Allen Ngo, 27 Aug 2019 14:00

Password Leak Detection is a feature of Chrome 78. (Source: Google)

Chrome may soon be able to alert the user if their passwords have been stolen

Password Leak Detection is an experimental feature in Chrome 78. It checks a given password against public databases of data breaches, in case of its use in a known security incident. Should this test prove positive, Chrome then o...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Aug 2019 19:36

Apple accidentally rolls back security patch in iOS 12.4 update, making jailbreaking possible

An oversight by Apple caused an old security bug to be reintroduced with iOS 12.4. While the bug had been patched in iOS 12.3, the exploit is present in the latest operating system from Apple and can be used for jailbreaking on co...

Sam Medley, 20 Aug 2019 22:46

Native 2FA is now available on some Xiaomi devices. (Source: Bleeping Computer)

MIUI introduces 2-factor authentication for Xiaomi user accounts

For the first time in its history, the Xiaomi custom MIUI Android skin has implemented 2-factor authentication (or 2FA) for this OEM's software ecosystem. So far, it works to send notifications to all devices connected to a single...

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Aug 2019 19:17

Facebook paid human contractors to listen to and transcribe audio from users

According to employees familiar with the practice, Facebook has been hiring outside contractors to listen to and transcribe user audio. While Facebook claims the transcriptions were done to improve the voice-to-text transcription ...

Sam Medley, 14 Aug 2019 23:30

This MacBook Pro might not be allowed on a plane. (Source: GadgetGuy)

The FAA bans certain MacBook Pros from airplanes

The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has told airlines that there are MacBook Pros out there that cannot be brought onto commercial flights. The notebooks in question are those that were recalled by Apple earlier this year for ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Aug 2019 17:53

Security researchers load ransomware onto DSLR over WiFi and encrypt photos in WannaCry-styled attack

A new report by security experts at Check Point Research demonstrates a glaring vulnerability in modern DSLR cameras: Photo Transfer Protocol. Worse yet, the researchers were able to exploit vulnerabilities in PTP/IP, which transf...

Sam Medley, 12 Aug 2019 23:23

The AI-powered YI Home Camera 3. (Source: YI)

The latest YI home security camera has AI for smarter, more selective user alerts

The YI Home Camera 3 is an AI-powered security camera. It notifies the user about possible intrusions - however, it solves the problem of potentially indiscriminate, unnecessary messages by using its new software to judge which on...

Deirdre O Donnell, 09 Aug 2019 18:57

Apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp may need redesigns thanks to iOS 13's background access restrictions

iOS 13 will bring a few new features to iPhones upon its release later this year, several of which are focused on protecting user privacy. One such update will block background processes from collecting user data, something that s...

Sam Medley, 07 Aug 2019 05:02

Microsoft security researchers discover new cyber attack through Internet of Things connected devices

A new publication by Microsoft's Threat Intelligence Center points out an increasingly popular avenue used for cyber attacks: the Internet of Things (IoT). The publication states that researchers discovered a new attack that explo...

Sam Medley, 06 Aug 2019 22:01

Touch ID: Gone but not forgotten. (Image source: Apple)

Under-screen Touch ID & Face ID iPhone to enter mass-production by 2021: New report

According to reports from China, Apple will start mass-producing displays with an in-screen Touch ID sensor that will complement Face ID in anticipation of their inclusion in the 2021 iPhone series. The upcoming displays will like...

Alex Alderson, 05 Aug 2019 20:56

The HomePod captured more inadvertant Siri recordings than other devices like the iPhone. (Source: Apple)

Apple suspends Siri eavesdropping program in wake of privacy scandal

Apple has suspended a controversial Siri grading program that allowed contractors to listen to recordings of customers using the voice recognition software. The purportedly privacy focused company was caught out by a whistleblower...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 02 Aug 2019 13:30

A majority of consumers surveyed appear to distrust connected devices. (Source: ERP Insight)

Up to 63% of consumers now find connected devices "creepy"

A study conducted by Consumers International, in conjunction with the Internet Society has reportedly found that most individuals surveyed find connected devices (mostly IoT or "smart home" products) "creepy". In addition, 53% of ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 31 Jul 2019 16:48

Purism announces final specs of Librem 5 Linux phone, excepts to start shipments in Q3 of 2019

The Librem 5's specifications have been finalized, but the hardware looks outdated. Considering the phone's $700 price tag, it's unlikely that the Librem 5 will garner any significant market share. However, the Librem 5 is focused...

Sam Medley, 30 Jul 2019 23:14

This screenshot from Apple's website is starting to have a different ring about it. (Source: Apple)

Apple caught in Siri privacy scandal, issues a statement trying to downplay its severity

Apple has been caught in a fresh privacy scandal as first reported by The Guardian. According to an Apple contractor, Apple just like Google and Amazon have been busted doing, uses contractors to analyze and assess the accuracy of...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 27 Jul 2019 10:28

The new feature appears to allow texting while a phone is locked. (Source: XDA)

Google Assistant gets the ability to text from a lockscreen on some phones

According to a new report, Google has released a new feature for the Assistant to a select group of users. This function allows them to compose and send texts directly from their phone's lockscreens. This sounds convenient, but al...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Jul 2019 19:47

The IP camera market may grow to a multi-billion-dollar worth in the next decade. (Source: Alert Watch)

The IP camera market is now projected to be worth approximately US$20 billion in 6 years

Internet-protocol (or IP) cameras shipments are thought to grow to over 100 million by 2025, or 20% more than there are now. These projections are part of newly-published research on the IP surveillance market. It is thought to be...

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Jul 2019 23:19

Researchers at Symantec discover media file vulnerability in WhatsApp and Telegram

WhatsApp and Telegram are popular secure messaging apps that feature end-to-end encryption to keep messages safe. Even still, the apps have a glaring backdoor that could allow attackers to alter media files sent through the apps. ...

Sam Medley, 17 Jul 2019 22:23

Do you tape over your laptop webcam? 6 out of 10 owners do as well according to a new HP survey

If you thought you were crazy covering your laptop webcam with paper, you're not alone. A continent-wide survey conducted earlier this year has revealed that nearly 80 percent of respondents would rather just turn off their webcam...

Allen Ngo, 17 Jul 2019 13:00

Does Google Home eavesdrop? A Belgian news report suggests that it does. (Source: Pocket-lint)

Google Assistant-enabled devices allegedly found to listen in on users

The Belgian news outlet VRT NWS claims to have gained access to audio recordings made as a result of Google Assistant 'listening' to user speech or activity. The recordings were leaked to VRT by a Google subcontractor. This appare...

Deirdre O Donnell, 13 Jul 2019 17:38

The Nest Hello doorbell may gain the ability to protect against parcel theft soon. (Source: PCMag.com)

Nest Hello doorbell to get delivery-monitoring update

The Nest Hello device is a smart doorbell with an inbuilt camera. A leak concerning a software update for this product has found that it may gain the ability to detect when a package has been delivered. This code may also allow fo...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Jul 2019 20:18

Over 50% of survey-takers believe that overly influential tech groups need breaking up. (Source: Insurance Asia News)

New study suggests most Americans now believe their government should do more to regulate big tech

An industrial consultant firm, Grail Insights, has released the results of a survey-based study on public attitudes towards 'big tech' companies, their effects on consumer privacy and the role national authorities should adopt in ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 09 Jul 2019 18:33

Amazon keeps a record of tasks carried out using Alexa. (Source: VentureBeat)

Amazon keeps records of users' Alexa interactions - and may not delete them

A United States Senator has obtained a response to a letter sent to Amazon HQ concerning user privacy as it relates to the retail giant's Alexa platform. It advised the public representative that, although a given user can delete ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Jul 2019 19:40

The YI Nightscape dash cam has Sony night vision. (Source: YI)

A new dash-cam from YI has the latest Sony night-vision sensor

YI (or Xiaoyi) is a company known for camera-related product and accessories, including dash-cams. Its newest version of these is the Nightscape, a 1080p, Wi-Fi enabled device with a 140-degree field of view. It also integrates So...

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 Jul 2019 18:35

The Samsung Galaxy A50 has a potentially exciting new update. (Source: Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy A50's latest update includes new Night Mode and Super Slow-Motion camera settings

The latest software update for the Samsung Galaxy A50 offers an upgraded security patch level and Knox Guard improvements. However, some users have reported that a reset of the phone's camera settings confers new shooting modes. T...

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Jun 2019 16:12

The Huawei Nova 5 has been released in China. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei Nova 5i confirmed to have Google Play certification, along with Honor 20 and 20 Pro

Those who own or plan on owning Huawei or Honor Android devices may have been alarmed by reports that their parent company had lost crucial certifications necessary to use this OS. Despite this, however, Honor's latest flagships (...

Deirdre O Donnell, 28 Jun 2019 19:27