This is a weekly series to highlight the best articles and news stories going on in the Community.
What was your favorite story? What topics would you like to see? Sound off in the comments! :)
Fending Off Privacy Invasion
We asked people in downtown Denver, CO what they are doing to protect their privacy.
Their answers were rather bleak.
Internet users in the U.S. have seen internet privacy protections diminish significantly in the post-9/11 era. In just March of this year, Congress swiftly (and quietly) did away with federal privacy regulations that prevented internet service providers from selling their customers’ browsing histories without consent.
Follow our Threat Blog to stay protected & informed!
Your Windows Has Been Banned malware makes a comeback
A 2nd coming of the malware started in 2016 is upon us.
The 2nd version of the Your Windows Has Been Banned malware, tries to trick victims with a different approach. A message displaying – Your Windows Has Been Banned pops up on the lock screen as the user boots the PC. It then throws up 2 options to choose from,
- Buy a new Windows key for $50
- Delete all the data and effectively make your PC unusable for any future use
Educate yourself so you can protect your friends & family!
Security speak: How smart tech can help make your home safer
Whether it’s in the hardware store or on a specialty site online, it’s surprising to see the number of common household items that have added smart functionality over the past few years. Wi-Fi thermostats allow you to cool down your house on your way home from the beach and anticipate seasonal changes, while smart bulbs can dim when you’re winding down for the day or flash your team’s colors when they’re winning the game.
These smart features can add a big boost to your home security, too. Today’s security systems and smart add-ons can do amazing things, like text you when children arrive home from school, allow you to monitor activity around your home from your tablet on vacation, lock your front door from the road, and use your doorbell to screen your visitors while you relax on the couch.
Get Smarter!
Mastercard is ignoring a critical security flaw
Independent security researcher Yohanes Nugroho has stumbled upon a glaring flaw in the MIGS protocol that allows hackers to spoof the payment system and trick merchants into accepting invalid transactions as successful – without even knowing.
This means that, if successful, hackers would be able to pass on invalid payment transactions as absolutely legitimate proof of payment. While merchants will still have to confirm the transaction, most users rarely ever check their bank accounts before approving the requests – which is exactly why this loophole is so worrisome.
Get the full story and read Mastercard's official comment!
AI Assistants will soon recognize and respond to the emotion in your voice
You know when people say that it’s not what you say, but how you say it that matters? Well, very soon that could become a part of smart assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri. At least, it could if these companies decide to use new technology developed by emotion tracking artificial intelligence company Affectiva.
AI that can understand how you're feeling based on the emotion in your voice will open up whole new areas of personalization.
Digital Trends has the full scoop, just remember to watch your tone.
What was your favorite story of the week?
What stories or topics would you like to see covered next week?
Sound off in the comments and let us know!