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Security – BetaNews

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New Firefox terms of use could push users to Google...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/27

Mozilla has long positioned itself as a champion of privacy and open-source software, but its latest move really makes me worry that the organization could be drifting away from those values. You see, Mozilla has introduced Terms of Use for Firefox for the first time ever. Additionally, there is an updated Privacy Notice. And while Mozilla frames this as a move toward transparency, the actual terms are raising some major red flags for me. Mozilla claims these new terms are necessary due to a

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How cloud security teams should think about AI

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/25

According to estimates from Goldman Sachs, generative AI (GenAI) will constitute 10-15 percent of cloud spending by 2030, or a forecasted $200-300 billion (USD). The public cloud serves as the perfect vessel for delivering AI-enabled applications quickly, cost-effectively, and at scale. For organizations looking to profit from AI’s potential, the path effectively travels through the cloud. For cloud security teams on the ground, however, the impact of AI can seem complicated. Understanding the

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The encryption backdoor debate: Why are we still here?

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/24

Earlier this month, reports emerged that the UK government had pressured Apple, under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, to create a backdoor into encrypted iCloud data. Unlike targeted access requests tied to specific cases, this demand sought a blanket ability to access users’ end-to-end encrypted files. Apple was forced to reconsider its Advanced Data Protection service in the UK, and this latest development raises a fundamental question: Why does the debate over encryption backdoors persist

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The US is not the only country to ban Kaspersky...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/24

Security firm Kaspersky has suffered a dramatic fall from grace in recent years because of its Russian ties. Around the world, concerns have sprung up that the security software actually poses a security risk. In the middle of last year, the US government banned the software from being sold in the country -- or even updated for existing users. Following suit, Australia has also announced a ban, citing a "security risk to the Commonwealth". Fears of "foreign interference, espionage and sabotage" were

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Punycode: The invisible cyber threat hiding in plain...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/19

The internet was conceived to connect the world, and internationalized domain names (IDNs) have certainly helped make that vision a reality. By allowing non-ASCII characters in web addresses, they’ve been pivotal in improving both accessibility and inclusivity. As with any technological breakthrough, cybercriminals have found a way to turn innovation into exploitation. By using Punycode, a system for encoding IDNs, attackers have been able to create their own deceptive domains to mimic trusted

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Microsoft is pushing a security update to Windows 11...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/18

The last round of security updates saw Microsoft release the KB5051987 update for Windows 11. As this patch addresses a number of security issues with the operating system, it is a mandatory update that will be automatically installed for most people. As we’ve seen time and time again, the automatic installation of security updates is a good thing... until it isn’t. And with the KB5051987 update, there are numerous problems that raise the question of whether it is advisable to have Microsoft pushing

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Why it's time to guarantee resilience in our critical...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/15

Software has become central to our daily lives, with nearly every major company relying on it to operate. We are all increasingly dependent on fault free software for almost everything we do -- whether it’s ensuring trains run on time, accessing websites or using online banking. Software has evolved into a form of digital public infrastructure, just as vital as physical infrastructure like roads and utilities. Yet, despite its critical role, software largely goes unmonitored and unregulated. As

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What startups can learn from special forces strategy

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/13

On the battlefield and in the trenches of entrepreneurship, victory comes to those who dare to think unconventionally and act with precision. As a former Green Beret, I've seen firsthand how the principles of unconventional warfare can translate into the business arena. Both demand team building, strategic thinking, and adaptability in dynamic environments. Let's break down the seven-phase model of unconventional warfare and see how it can guide a startup from its inception to market dominance

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Unpatched software: The silent gateway to cyber...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/06

Modern enterprises are under fire from all angles. Attackers have become increasingly sophisticated and persistent in how they target enterprise data and systems. But as the threat landscape has evolved and become more complex, one tried and true method for malicious attackers stands out as a weak point for nearly every enterprise attack surface: outdated software. As much as patch management has advanced in recent years, the fact remains that most organizations struggle to deploy patches

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Microsoft is dropping the privacy protection VPN...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/02/03

Microsoft has very quietly announced that the VPN feature of its Microsoft Defender security tool is going away for anyone unwilling to part with money. In a support document entitled “End of support-Privacy protection (VPN) in Microsoft Defender for individuals”, the company gives very short notice for the dropping of the free tool. When the end of February rolls around, the VPN feature will only be available to users paying for a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription. What does all of this

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Google is making it easier to find a safe and...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/29

Take a browse through an app store and you will find that there is no shortage of VPN tools to choose from. But which can you trust? One of the reasons for using a VPN in the first place is to help keep data safe -- but some tools leak information in ways that run completely counter to this. So how do you know which one you should be using? Google has come up with a new way to help guide users towards the safest options, See also: The idea is a very simple one. Google is introducing a new…

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Google launches Identity Check, a new location-based...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/24

Theft of mobile devices is a crime that is not going away any time soon. Phones are now completely central to so many aspects of life, and the theft (or loss) is about much more than the monetary value of the device itself. There is great potential for a thief to gain access to a wealth of information via a stolen phone. This is why the security of mobile devices is so important, and it is why Google is taking steps to limit the impact of theft. A new feature that is starting to roll out is Identity

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If you sign into your Microsoft account on a public...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/23

Microsoft has quietly announced a significant change to the sign in/out process for Microsoft accounts. The change could have massive security implications for many people. As of next month, when you sign into your Microsoft account, you will remain signed in until you opt to sign out manually. At the moment the (arguably more secure) approach sees users signed out automatically after a period of inactivity, helping to protect anyone using a public computer. See also: Microsoft has given no

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7-Zip users need to take action right now to address...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/23

If you are a 7-Zip user, you need to be aware of a serious Mark-of-the-Web bypass vulnerability. The security hole is not new, having been reported way back in October 2024, but details have only just been released about it, and a fix has only just been produced. Unlike many security fixes, however, 7-Zip users will need to be proactive in securing their software. Here’s what you need to know. See also: As is frequently the case with security flaws in software, the issue with 7-Zip has been

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Microsoft’s latest Windows security fixes may not...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/21

The recently released security updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 are proving problematic for some people. Microsoft has acknowledged issues with the KB5049981 and KB5050009 updates on systems with “certain Citrix components installed”. With Windows 10 breathing its last, users will be keen to grab all available security updates before Microsoft abandons it later in the year, so it is good that while there is not yet a proper fix for the problem, a workaround is available. See also: The problem

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Data privacy in 2025: The resurgence of biometric...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/16

The transition from 2024 to 2025 brings a lot of uncertainty, speculation, and hopefully some optimism for the world of data privacy. As technology continued to innovate, securing data grew more complex and consumers grew more concerned over how their information was being used. Regulatory changes are coming soon, with several states providing their own data privacy standards in anticipation of a shifting focus within the U.S. federal government, creating an important inflection point to set the

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Microsoft confirms strange ‘some settings are managed...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/16

If you’ve got BitLocker enabled on your computer and you’re seeing unexpected error messages, you can take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone -- and also that Microsoft is aware of the issue. The problem affects some systems with TPMs (Trusted Platform Module), and it results in a message being displayed that reads: “For your security, some settings are managed by your administrator”. See also: Although Microsoft is yet to reveal the cause of the issue, or give details of a workaround,

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Microsoft will forcibly install the new Outlook app...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/12

While making much of the end of support for Windows 10, practically begging users to move on to Windows 11, Microsoft is sending out some confusing signals. The company has announced that the new Outlook for Windows will be forcibly installed on the aging operating system. Somewhat unusually, the app will be pushed out as part of February’s security updates. This is likely to lead to mixed reactions; some people will be unhappy at having software installed against their will, while others will be

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Apple defends Siri, saying the data it collects is...

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/09

Having agreed to pay out $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging Siri recorded private conversations without consent, Apple has doubled down on its assertion that it has done nothing wrong. In a statement entitled “Our longstanding privacy commitment with Siri”, the company stresses it is committed to protecting user privacy. Referring specifically to Siri as “the most private digital assistant”, Apple insists that it “has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it

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How to unlock innovation safely in the AI revolution

Security – BetaNews ·

2025/01/09

Organizations are caught up in a whirlwind of AI adoption, whilst struggling to ensure their security standards can match up. And as the rush to integrate AI into business processes continues into 2025, the time to safeguard its deployment is now. To-date much of the security discussion around AI has focused on protecting against AI-powered threats. However, an overlooked aspect of AI security lies in the internal workings of AI systems, notably the hidden layers in machine learning models

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