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July 16, 2019 by Vertical Axion
How many apps do you have on your phone?If you’re like most people, you’ve likely got dozens or more. Considering how much storage is available on mobile devices these days, people tend to install apps and when they no longer want them, they don’t bother to uninstall them. Whatever your number is, the statistics recently […]
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July 15, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Not even NASA is immune to hacking. Recently, the American space agency announced that they traced a breach back to April of 2018. That was when a group described as an APT (Advanced, Persistent Threat) breached the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s network via a ‘Raspberry-Pi’ device that was improperly connected to the network. The hackers made […]
July 13, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Did you get your Google Nest Security Camera system used or second hand? If you did, be sure your cameras are running the latest firmware. Recently, the tech review site Wirecutter reported that some older Nest cams allowed their former owners to access camera feeds, even after the devices had been reset to factory settings. […]
July 12, 2019 by Vertical Axion
The city of Riviera Beach, Florida is the latest high-profile victim of a ransomware attack. Recently, the city council voted to pay more than $600,000 to a hacking group to regain access to data that had been locked and encrypted via ransomware nearly a month ago. That is in addition to the $941,000 the city […]
July 11, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Microsoft is continuing to push quietly into new frontiers on the accessibility front. Their most recent effort? The release of four free “Eyes First” games that people who have speech and mobility-related disabilities can play using nothing but eye movements. The new quartet of Windows 10 games, Maze, Double Up, Match Two, and a Tile […]
July 10, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Be advised, according to a recently published Microsoft support document, certain Bluetooth devices may experience pairing and connectivity issues after installing the latest Windows 10 update. The bulletin reads in part, as follows: “These security updates address a security vulnerability by intentionally preventing connections from Windows to unsecure Bluetooth devices. Any device using well-known keys […]
July 9, 2019 by Vertical Axion
The hacker who calls himself ‘Gnosticplayers’ has been busy and prolific. Over the years, he’s sold more than one billion user accounts on the Dark Web. His most recent product is more than ten million user records for the social planning and e-invitations service, Evite. ZDNet researchers first discovered the data for sale on the […]
July 8, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Researchers at the cybersecurity firm Anomali have discovered a completely new type of malware that’s disturbing on several levels. Worse is the fact that the researchers aren’t quite sure what it does. The new strain has been dubbed ‘IPStorm’ by its creators, who at this point, remain unknown. Of interest is the fact that it […]
July 6, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Do you use Evernote Web Clipper for the Chrome web browser? If so, be advised that the developer recently reported that a critical flaw in the extension could allow hackers to access user information from third party online services. Online security company Guardio discovered the flaw and had this to say: “Due to Evernote’s widespread […]
July 5, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Researchers have recently discovered a pair of critical vulnerabilities in Alaris Gateway Workstations. These bring us closer to the tragic day when a hacker will actually be able to kill someone with code. Alaris workstations are used to deliver fluid medications. Given the severity of the flaws, a determined hacker could take full control over […]
July 4, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Great news for inter-operability. Apple has brought their new iCloud app to the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 devices. Even better, the app is designed such that it’s deeply integrated with Windows 10, even allowing you to access iCloud files from inside other Windows apps. The version available on the Microsoft Store is identical to […]
July 3, 2019 by Vertical Axion
The recent hack of the American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA) is having ripple effects around the world. Recently it was reported that as a direct consequence of that hack, Quest Diagnostics (one of the largest diagnostic testing laboratory services in the United States) was breached. This resulted in the exposure of millions of patient records. […]
July 2, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Hackers are always on the lookout for new ways to freshen up time-tested techniques. Where time-tested techniques are concerned, few are older than the humble phishing email. In one form or another, it seeks to trick an unsuspecting user to innocently hand over sensitive information, like usernames and passwords that the hacker can then use […]
July 1, 2019 by Vertical Axion
If you’re not familiar with the term, ‘Steganography’ is the term used to describe the act of hiding code in images and video. It’s a creative strategy that allows hackers to slip past even the most robust defenses. Recently, researchers at Kaspersky have discovered evidence of a novel approach to using steganographic techniques. They were […]
June 29, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Microsoft recently updated their support page and offered additional guidance to network admins as it relates to Office 365’s built-in spam filters. The gist of the update is that they strongly advise against turning the auto-filters off. They provided some additional guidelines if you decide to bypass them for one reason or another. Here are […]
June 28, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Bad news for Android users. Recently, Google discovered that more than two hundred apps on the Play Store had been infected with the ‘BeiTaAd’ plugin. This plugin is the latest in a large and growing collection of advertising libraries that have been misused and abused by advertisers. It should be noted that BeiTaAd didn’t start […]
June 27, 2019 by Vertical Axion
It’s the end of an era. In 2001, Apple introduced iTunes, which transformed the music industry. For the first time ever, it was possible to buy individual songs, transfer files, and automatically sync data. It was safe and secure, and people flocked to it in droves. The truth is that iTunes isn’t so much going away, as […]
June 26, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Chances are good that you or someone you know has had some type of medical testing done by the US Clinical Laboratory, Quest Diagnostics. If that’s the case, then there’s bad news. The company recently announced that they’ve suffered a massive data breach that exposed personal, confidential patient information of more than 11.9 million people. […]
June 25, 2019 by Vertical Axion
A recent report published by nCipher confirms what many business owners have known for a long time. Their employees are the weakest link when it comes to data security. The nCipher report, however, adds a disturbing exclamation point to the data with a few details you’re likely to find shocking. First, fully 71 percent of […]
June 24, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Does your computer contain a Qualcomm wireless network adapter? If so, be aware that Microsoft is warning you that your system may suffer a sporadic loss of Wi-Fi connectivity after installing the Windows 10 update. The update was released in May 2019, stemming from an issue with out-of-date network drivers. If you haven’t yet installed […]
June 22, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Linux systems aren’t targeted by hackers as often as Windows and iOS-based systems, but they’re certainly not immune. Recently, security researchers have discovered a new strain of malware developed by Chinese hackers, specifically for the purpose of targeting Linux-based systems. The new malware has been dubbed ‘HiddenWasp’. It bears a number of features in common […]
June 20, 2019 by Vertical Axion
In the earliest days of the smartphone, there were only a few apps that people could use to perform genuinely useful work. Sure, they were handy for keeping your contacts all in one place and reminding you of appointments, but beyond that, your pickings were fairly slim. That changed quickly with the explosion of apps […]
June 19, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Do you like video games? Are you the kind that can get so lost and involved in your favorite title of the moment that you’re willing to burn vacation days and spend the entire time in a non-stop playing frenzy? It hasn’t happened very often, but there have been a handful of documented cases where […]
June 18, 2019 by Vertical Axion
Do you use the news aggregator service called Flipboard? If so, be aware that the company has recently started notifying its user base that hackers breached their network and had access to their internal systems for approximately nine months. If you haven’t heard from them yet, be on the lookout for an official communication from […]
