Category: News You Can Use

Driving to Mexico or Canada? US Will Snap Pics of Everyone in Your Car

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Driving to Mexico or Canada? US Will Snap Pics of Everyone in Your Car

source: pcmag.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

Photographs will be matched to images in passengers’ passports, visas, or travel documents.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plans to begin collecting photographs of everyone leaving the US for Mexico or Canada by car. The photographs will then be matched to the images in the passengers’ passports, visas, or travel documents. Continue reading “Driving to Mexico or Canada? US Will Snap Pics of Everyone in Your Car” →

World’s Smallest Pacemaker…

Posted on by esimantiras

World’s Smallest Pacemaker Goes in Via Syringe — And Dissolves When No Longer Needed

source: nicenews.com  |  image: pixabay.com

Scientists have developed a tiny pacemaker with tiny hearts in mind. A team of engineers at Northwestern University built a device that’s so small it can be inserted noninvasively via syringe and dissolves when it’s no longer needed. That makes it particularly well-suited for newborns with heart defects, who often only need temporary pacing.
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“We have developed what is, to our knowledge, the world’s smallest pacemaker,” bioelectronics pioneer John A. Rogers, who led the device development, told Northwestern Now. “There’s a crucial need for temporary pacemakers in the context of pediatric heart surgeries, and that’s a use case where size miniaturization is incredibly important. In terms of the device load on the body — the smaller, the better.”
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Experimental cardiologist Igor Efimov, who co-led the research, added that for most of the roughly 1% of children born with congenital heart defects, the heart self-repairs within about a week. “But those seven days are absolutely critical,” Efimov said. “Now, we can place this tiny pacemaker on a child’s heart and stimulate it with a soft, gentle, wearable device. And no additional surgery is necessary to remove it.”

​Watch a video of Rogers explaining how it works.​

 

Secret comms in danger as Second Phone Number iOS app leaks user texts

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Secret comms in danger as Second Phone Number iOS app leaks user texts

source: cybernews.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

A virtual phone number iOS app with millions of downloads in the US has exposed its users’ data, including messages, media, and sender and recipient details.

While there are many reasons to have a virtual phone number, privacy is the most common. This is not lost on Second Phone Number app creators, as its App Store description starts with “Need a second phone number for private calls and texts?”

However, users expecting privacy are in for a surprise. The Cybernews research team has found that the popular iPhone app’s misconfigured Firebase instance exposed user details likely not meant for the outside world. Continue reading “Secret comms in danger as Second Phone Number iOS app leaks user texts” →

That water bottle you’re carrying says a lot more than ‘hydration’

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That water bottle you’re carrying says a lot more than ‘hydration’

source: apnews.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

If you like to stay hydrated no matter where you go, chances are you’ve got a reusable water bottle or two. Or 10. (The collectors know who they are.)

Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, fashion trendsetter, hiker, commuter or just an eco-conscious consumer, there’s a bottle out there for you. There are bottles that sterilize themselves. Bottles that remind you when to drink. Bottles designed for sustainability. And bottles transformed by a paintbox of colors and imagery into mini artworks.

Hydration’s become more than a necessity. It’s got a personality. Continue reading “That water bottle you’re carrying says a lot more than ‘hydration’” →

No Small Business Is Too Small For Hackers…

Posted on by esimantiras

Why no small business is too small for hackers – and 8 security best practices for SMBs

source: zdnet.com  |  image: pixabay.com

 

Don’t fall victim to the ‘small target illusion.’ Learn how cybercriminals exploit SMBs so you can fix your security gaps before it’s too late.

have given hundreds of cybersecurity-related webcasts and presentations, written hundreds of cybersecurity-related articles, and been involved in hundreds of one-on-one cybersecurity-related meetings with clients.

Someone will always respond, comment, or protest that their business is too small for a hacker’s attention.

Small target illusion

But none of these folks understand the economics of a hack when it comes to small businesses. There isn’t a random guy out there who’s decided to target your business. Continue reading “No Small Business Is Too Small For Hackers…” →

AI Can Crack Your Passwords Fast…

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AI Can Crack Your Passwords Fast—6 Tips To Stay Secure

 

source: forbes.com (contributed by Steve Page)  |  image: pexels.com

 

Do you think your trusty 8-character password is safe? In the age of AI, that might be wishful thinking. Recent advances in artificial intelligence are giving hackers superpowers to crack and steal account credentials. Researchers have demonstrated that AI can accurately guess passwords just by listening to your keystrokes. By analyzing the sound of typing over Zoom, the system achieved over 90% accuracy in some cases.

And AI-driven password cracking tools can run millions of guess attempts lightning-fast, often defeating weak passwords in minutes. It is no surprise, then, that stolen or weak passwords contribute to about 80% of breaches​.

The old password model has outlived its usefulness. As cyber threats get smarter, it is time for consumers to do the same.

AI Makes Cracking Passwords Easier Than Ever

Gone are the days when a hacker had to manually try “password123” or use basic tools to brute-force your account. Now, AI algorithms can crack passwords with frightening speed and sophistication. For example, according to Security Hero, AI-powered tools like PassGAN can crack 51% of common passwords in less than a minute.

Machine learning models can also automate “credential stuffing” attacks (trying breached passwords on other sites) much faster and more intelligently. Continue reading “AI Can Crack Your Passwords Fast…” →

ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps

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Clickfix:  How to Infect Your PC in 3 Easy Steps

source: krebsonsecurity.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

A clever malware deployment scheme first spotted in targeted attacks last year has now gone mainstream. In this scam, dubbed “ClickFix,” the visitor to a hacked or malicious website is asked to distinguish themselves from bots by pressing a combination of keyboard keys that causes Microsoft Windows to download password-stealing malware. Continue reading “ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps” →

The US Is Considering a TP-Link Router Ban—Should You Worry?

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The US Is Considering a TP-Link Router Ban—Should You Worry?

source: wired.com  |  image: pexels.com

 

Several government departments are investigating TP-Link routers over Chinese cyberattack fears, but the company denies links.

TP-Link is one of the most popular routermanufacturers in the US, but the company is facing a potential ban due to security concerns about its links to China. A December report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that the US Commerce, Defense, and Justice Departments are investigating TP-Link, though no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing has yet emerged.

“We are a US company,” Jeff Barney, president of TP-Link told WIRED, “We have no affiliation with TP-Link Tech, which focuses on mainland China, and we can prove our separateness.” Continue reading “The US Is Considering a TP-Link Router Ban—Should You Worry?” →

ChatGPT’s Deep Research just identified 20 jobs…

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ChatGPT’s Deep Research just identified 20 jobs it will replace. Is yours on the list?

source: zdnet.com (contributed by Artemus founder, Bob Wallace)  |  image: pexels.com

 

After researching 24 sources in seven minutes, ChatGPT came up with the top jobs that might be on the chopping block.

This week, OpenAI launched its Deep Research feature which can synthesize content from across the web into one detailed report in minutes leveraging a version of the company’s latest model, o3. 

This feature is a powerful tool for workers, as it can save them hours by completing research autonomously. But can the technology’s underlying model replace workers? Yes, suggests Deep Research. Continue reading “ChatGPT’s Deep Research just identified 20 jobs…” →

X is blocking links to Signal

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X is blocking links to Signal

source: theverge.com (contributed by FAN, Steve Page)  |  image: pexels.com

Users attempting to add their Signal.me URL to posts, DMs, and bio descriptions are being met with error messages.

X users are currently unable to post links to Signal.me, which are used to quickly and securely send direct messages to Signal users. A variety of failure notifications are being reported when X users attempt to post Signal links on the platform, some of which identify the blocked message as containing spam, harmful content, or malicious activity. Continue reading “X is blocking links to Signal” →