Intel announced in early January 2018 that it’ll have chips ready within the year for the next generation of WiFi — known as 802.11ax. This new generation is supposed to be faster, of course, but mostly it’s meant to perform better in environments with lots and lots of connected devices; so things like public hotspots, but also your house if you just have a ton of phones and tablets and smart gadgets lying around. Get the latest on this here!
#news #wifi
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"Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant is seemingly everywhere these days, and now it’s arriving on Windows 10 PCs to challenge Microsoft’s built-in Cortana assistant ... This separate integration is different to the partnership that Microsoft and Amazon announced last year." Get the latest here on if and when you can expect Alexa on your PC.
#news #windows Design flaws in processors from leading chipmakers could let attackers access sensitive information. The flaw impacts more than just Windows, Macs and iOS devices and affects most all computers, phones, tablets, watches, smart TVs and the like.
This is a flaw in the computer CPU chips at its most fundamental level and is NOT a virus, so cannot be eradicated by anti-virus or anti-malware software. It will require several levels of fixes to include no less than: the operating system, BIOs, and CPU driver. At this time, no hardware replacements are necessary, just firmware and software fixes. However, due to repair complexity, if not done properly and by a professional, it could render your device completely useless, otherwise known as "bricking". For questions or to have your computer repaired, call The GoTo Tech Guru! How did this happen and what's the fix? #security #news #iphoneipad #chromebook #mac #tv #virus&malware #windows #android This year, we lost some once-iconic products that lost their utility long ago, along with some that probably shouldn’t have existed in the first place. Here’s a rundown of the most notable technology that died in 2017.
#news Did you know that the first laptop computer came out in 1975? You won't believe how much it weighed or the price tag! There have been several versions after this before the invention of what would become today's clamshell design.
See this article for the fun history! #news Apple, Samsung and Huawei are all working on Foldable Phones! One of the current obsticles is the need for better and more flexible screen tech to overcome the current limitations of mechanical design. However, as soon as 2018, you may start seeing foldable phones on the market! Get the latest here!
#news As of January this year, 2018, Google will start to mark websites without HTTPS as non-secure. Because of this, non-secure websites have had their ability to rank for searches on Google severely diminished.
Luckily for those affected by this change in Googles algorithm adding a standard SSL certificate to your site will allow visitors to securely connect to your website. An SSL certificate will secure all the pages on your website to provide you with: • A secure place for visitors to learn about and engage with your business • Increased visibility in search results! • Peace of mind that your business isn’t the next victim of a hacker For more information on SSL, read here. As always, The GoTo Tech Guru is here to help with this and all your IT needs. #security #news The repeal of Net Neutrality ushers in a new chapter of the internet that could eventually transform the way Americans communicate, shop and consume information online. Critics foresee an eventual fracturing of the internet, as some websites and streaming services get a speed advantage over others. And they fear the internet will someday look more like cable TV, with providers acting as gatekeepers, channeling people into bundled packages of websites, apps and services rather than offering unfettered access to the web. Find out here how this heavily disputed issue will affect you!
#news #netneutrality If there's one thing that both sides can agree on, it's that the internet is increasingly central to our lives. Any change to how it's regulated is a hot button issue. Net Neutrality advocates worry how repeal will impact the next Netflix. Upstart companies may struggle to strike deals with providers and pay up to have their content delivered faster. That could fundamentally alter the future internet landscape. So what does this mean and how will if affect you? Get the latest here!
#news #netneutrality The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted this past Thursday, December 14th, to dismantle its Net Neutrality regulations. But that won’t end the fight over rules that prohibit internet service providers from creating fast lanes for some content, while blocking or throttling others. What will happen to the internet as we knew it now? What will happen next? Is the fight over? Read here for the scoop!
#news #netneutrality Police could soon have a device that could catch drivers red-handed. It's called a "textalyzer", modeled after a Breathalyzer. The police would see a screen that logs phone activity like the Facebook app, What's app, text messages and phone calls. Plus, everything has a time stamp. No actual content is revealed. The device can also tell the difference between a voice-activated text and typing. Read here for the full scoop.
#security #news #iphone&ipad #android A new method of hacking devices via Bluetooth has been recently revealed. The potential threat is to for Android, iOS, Windows and Linux devices as well as many common household gadgets often referred to as IoT (Internet of Things) devices. If you're device Bluetooth radio is turned on, even if the device is locked, BlueBorne can hack it!
Get the specifics here! As always, The GoTo Tech Guru is here to help! #security #wifi #virus&malware #news Following a barrage of complaints about “stain damaged Retina Displays” spanning as far back as 2014, Apple announced this week that for the second time since October of 2015, the company will be extending its warranty program offering free screen repairs for select 12-inch MacBook and 2013 or newer MacBook Pro models afflicted by “anti-reflective coating issues.” See what models are eligible to be covered here.
#mac #news A new and highly-sophisticated variant of the malicious Panda Zeus malware is capable of exploiting Google’s standard search results to trick unwary consumers into providing their banking credentials over the web, as highlighted in a blog post published by the Cisco-System’s-owned Talos earlier this week.
This malware “poisons” Google’s search engine results using Search Engine Optimization (SEO), essentially so that “fake bank-related results” are shuffled to the top of the first page, according to a FOX News report. Users searching for bank-related information such as branch locations, hours, or to open a new account online are being tricked into clicking a fake and malicious link which ostensibly looks harmless, but ultimately infects their system with the virus. Read here for more information and on how to protect yourself! As always, The GoTo Tech Guru is here to help with this as well as all your I.T. needs! #virus&malware #news For those not familiar with Net-Neutrality, the law prevents Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from dictating the types of content customers can access on the internet. With Net Neutrality, ISPs must treat all traffic sources the same. Net Neutrality creates an even playing field among content providers — both large and small — to the web. And it's great for consumers because they can access everything they want online for no extra charge. So for example, ISPs cannot currently charge Netflix extra for better movie streaming bandwidth. Right now, consumers control what they see online — not ISPs — and that's thanks to Net Neutrality. Read here for more on understanding Net Neutrality.
Without Net Neutrality, which that Trump adminstration is pushing the FCC to undo, an ISP could chose to block or slow speeds to/from certain websites, or give preferable treatment to content that it owned or had partnerships with. Ajit Pai, who was nominated to head the FCC by Trump in January, has said undoing the net neutrality rules was one of his top priorities, arguing that the regulation stifled innovation and was an example of government overreach. What does this mean to you? If you are a business owner, it could likely affect both your website and email, directly. For example: if the company hosting your website and/or email has a dispute with your ISP, the ISP could elect to stop allowing internet traffic from the hosting company and thus your website + email! This would result in your company presence literally falling off the face of the map. No one would see or find your website. All emails sent to you would be returned as deliverable; they would not store up and flood in when/if service was returned. If there is an appeal between the ISP and hosting company with the Government, the ISP and hosting company may not temporarily activate your website and email during the appeal waiting period which could take years. What can you do about it? The plan to roll back Net Neutrality is scheduled to be approved by the Republican-led FCC as early as its Dec. 14 meeting. This means you have 3 weeks to contact your congressman, senator and sign every petition you can get your hands on. Click here for Petitions you can sign! Click here to find your Congressmen by State & Party! Click here to find your Senator by State & Party! DON'T WAIT TO SIGN AS MANY PETITIONS AS POSSIBLE!!! DON'T WAIT TO CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN!!!! DON'T WAIT TO CONTACT YOUR SENATOR!!! #news Is there a need to defragment your SSD like conventional hard drives? To find out why not, read here!
#news The best SSDs can supercharge your PC. Here are picks for the best SSDs, what to look for in an SSD, whether you even need an SSD, and more.
#news Uber announced today, November 8, 2017, the next generating in it's ride-for-hire model: flying cars, called Elevate.
In a speech at the Web Summit in Lisbon today, Uber’s head of product Jeff Holden announced that the company is adding a third city, Los Angeles, to its list of places where it hopes to pilot its aerial taxi service by 2020. LA joins Dallas-Fort Worth and Dubai as cities announced to be working with Uber on the program. Uber has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to create a brand-new air traffic control system to manage these low-flying, possibly autonomous aircraft. Holden argued that even without a demonstrable product, Uber Elevate is indeed closer than many people think. Holden said that Uber wouldn’t have to wait for 2020 before it starts testing things out IRL. The company aims to begin operating a fleet of low-flying helicopters around Dallas-Fort Worth Airport — while working with air traffic controllers to not encroach on their flight paths — as a way to test NASA’s UTM system. Once approved for commercial use, trips could cost as little as $20. See here for more information and to see a video. #news #selfdrivingcars This week, the (Chinese) Malware KeyBoy was discovered again, this time specifically targeting Western countries rather than Far East countries previously. It uses legitimate Microsoft Word documents to piggyback malware that can transparently record keystrokes, take screenshots, gather system information, browse and download files, shutdown and reboot victim machines.
This allows the hacker to steal online passwords in real-time literally as you type them, take screenshots while you review your online bank + financial statements and download any file that's on your computer ... all this without you knowing!! What makes this malware even more tricky is that the Microsoft Word file is actually a valid document that you can open and edit! First, after installing itself, it deletes the original piggybacked file so it's more difficult to trigger a malware warning. Then it disables pop-ups so any warnings your virus or malware prevention software may issue is suppressed. Bottomline: This malware is more difficult to catch and people are lulled into a false sense of security since the Microsoft Word file is a real document. Don't be it's next victim! Contact The GoTo Tech Guru so you are properly protected against KeyBoy! Read more on this malware here. #virus&malware #news Uber already has a home on your phone. Now it wants a place in your purse or wallet. The ride-hailing giant has unveiled a new no-fee, co-branded credit card with British bank Barclays that it hopes becomes a major part of consumers' everyday spending habit.
Get the scoop here! #news This fantastic initiative by Samsung called the ‘Safety Truck’ had a huge video display on the back to allow drivers to see ahead of the truck. This is extremely helpful when the cars want to overtake the truck. Inspired by high rate of fatal car crashes in Argentina, we would love to see this project introduced elsewhere. See the video here!
#news Design limitations of the Tesla Model S's Autopilot played a major role in the first known fatal crash of a highway vehicle operating under automated control systems. The direct cause of the crash was an inattentive Tesla driver's over reliance on technology. Read this article for the details.
#selfdrivingcars #news To ensure that you have as secure an experience as possible, Google is rolling out a trio of important changes to Chrome -- for Windows users, at least. It will detect unwanted software that might be bundled with downloads, and provides help with removing it.
Separately, Chrome now has built-in hijack detection which should be able to detect when user settings are changes without consent. This is a setting that has already rolled out to users, and Google says that millions of users have already been protected against unwanted setting changes such as having their search engine altered. But it's the Chrome Cleanup tool that Google is particularly keen to highlight. A redesigned interface makes it easier to use and to see what unwanted software has been detected and singled out for removal. By teaming up with ESET, Google says it has been able to make the tool even more effective. Read here to get the scoop. As always, The GoTo Tech Guru is here to help make your life easier! #news #windows #virus&malware A new breed of Android ransomware has been discovered that hits victims with a double whammy. DoubleLocker not only encrypts data as all ransomware does, it also changes the PIN on the target device.
DoubleLocker was discovered by security researchers at ESET. They say that the ransomware abuses Android accessibility settings, and is the first to use a double-lock approach. Based on previously released banking malware, it is though that a test version of DoubleLocker could have been in the wild since as early as May. Despite the banking roots, the ransomware is focused purely on extracting money from victims as a ransom -- it is not capable of accessing banking details stored on a phone or tablet. DoubleLocker spreads as a fake version of Adobe Flash Player, and it uses a clever trick to ensure that it gets activated -- enabling accessibility services and then setting itself as the default home app. Once active, DoubleLocker will first change the device's PIN to a random number. It is not stored on the target device, so there is no way to determine what it is. This is the first incentive for a victim to pay a ransom, and once this has been paid, the PIN can be remotely reset. Encrypting data using AES encryption algorithm, appending the extension ".cryeye" is the second incentive. If you have a backup of your data, it is possible to remove the ransomware without having to cough up any money. Otherwise, it will be next to impossible without wiping your phone to factory settings, which will result in loss of everything that is on your phone. But not all is lost as most data these days, such as Gmail and Contacts are actually stored in the cloud and can be easily resync'd with your reset phone. For other possible options on recovering your phone without your Pin, read this blog article: What if You Forget your Android Phone's Password? Learn more here or call The Go To Tech Guru for assistance! #news #android #virus&malware Several security flaws in the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) protocol were recently disclosed, which can reportedly expose any wireless device. An attacker within range of a victim can exploit these weaknesses using Key Reinstallation Attacks (KRACKs). Attackers can use this attack technique to read information that was previously assumed to be safely encrypted by easily getting your Wi-Fi password. This can be abused to steal sensitive information such as credit card numbers, passwords, chat messages, emails, photos, and so on. The attack works against all modern protected Wi-Fi networks. Depending on the network configuration, it is also possible to inject and manipulate data. For example, an attacker might be able to inject ransomware or other malware into websites or seemingly legitimate files you may download.
The weaknesses are in the Wi-Fi standard itself, and not in individual products or implementations. Therefore, any correct implementation of WPA2 is likely affected. To prevent the attack, users must update affected products as soon as security updates become available. Note that if your device supports Wi-Fi, it is most likely affected. Microsoft has already released a patch for Windows, so be sure to update your computer! Versions include: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2016. You can find every patch for KRACK here. Use the following methods to protect yourself: 1. Do NOT use Wi-Fi in public or other dense areas such as office / apartment / condo buildings. 2. Use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. 3. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 4. Use your phone data instead of Wi-Fi. 5. Use HTTPS instead of HTTP urls. You can add a HTTPS Everywhere browser extension to Google Chrome, Firefox or Opera. There’s no need to configure it, so anybody can do it. In most cases, this extension will allow HTTP urls to use HTTPS instead. Read here for the gory details. As always, The GoTo Tech Guru is here to help protect you. #security #virus&malware #windows #wifi #news |
Blog AuthorI love technology and how it enhances our lives! Just think, without the Apollo moon missions, we might not have calculators! Imagine!! Archives
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