security

Facebook as really stirred the hornet's nest when it comes to privacy matters. Now everyone is scrutinizing privacy policies and putting companies under a microscope. You might not immediately think of Oculus as one such company, but now that it is owned by Facebook, it naturally has come under the spotlight as well. It has just announced some changes to its Privacy Policies in light of the upcoming GDPR changes in Europe. Its FAQ, however, makes it too obvious what really caused the change.

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Microsoft has launched Windows Defender Browser Protection for Google's Chrome browser via an extension. Anyone can download the extension now, adding an extra layer of protection to block malicious websites. The extension, which is free, alerts users when they attempt to load a dangerous website and directs them back toward safety.

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Passwords have become practically useless, even dangerous, thanks to human frailty. That is why tech companies keep on trying to kill the password with two-factor authentication, fingerprints, faces, and even security keys. Working with the Fast Identity Online (FIDO) alliance, Microsoft is updating its Windows Hello security framework to work with the newly ratified FIDO2 security keys. This means that, in the future, Windows computers can be unlocked with a fingerprint tapped on a removable USB key.

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Credit card signatures in the US are finally set to retire, with the card networks putting their foot down over chip-enabled payments. While credit cards with embedded security chips - also known as EMV cards - have become commonplace, the need to still sign a paper slip or a touchscreen was a hangover from the old days of magnetic strip swiping. Now, US retailers are finally getting up to speed with the new technology, though it may not be entirely smooth sailing. Here's what you need to know...

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Uber is doubling down on safety features in an effort to ease rider concerns. The company introduced several new features it plans to launch this year, among them being 911 Assistance and a dedicated Safety Center. As well, Uber says it will be strengthening its driver screening to make sure they continue to meet company standards after being approved as a driver on the platform.

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Amazon's acquisition of Ring has completed, and the retailer is celebrating not with cake but with a price cut on one of the smart doorbell-maker's most popular products. Announced back in February, the deal to acquire smart home device-maker Ring was seen as Amazon attempting to bolster its security and IoT credentials, though the two have worked together before.

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Your Android phone may not be on the level when it tells you it's up to date on software, with security researchers warning that even device-makers releasing relatively timely updates could in fact be missing out security updates. Over the past few years, Google has pushed its OEM partners like smartphone manufacturers to be more aggressive with their updates, but it's been an uphill battle.

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Instagram is currently developing a tool that will enable users to download their account data, a feature that'll mirror the similar "Download your info" tool available on Facebook. The downloadable data will include photos/videos the user has shared on the platform, as well as messages posted and sent. The tool will mark a big change for the company, which historically had made it difficult for users to download their own content.

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Nest has built a name for itself for its sleekly-designed, premium-priced security cameras, thermostats, and other connected home tech, and the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is no different. Latest in the Google-owned company's intelligence-toting cameras, it packs a surprising amount of smarts into an elegant housing.

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Biometrics are everywhere. Almost all smartphones these days, even mid-range ones, have fingerprint scanners. Laptops and convertible tablets are slowly getting there. And while Apple seems to be doing away with them, it is replacing fingerprints with faces, yet another biometric security factor. The only place where this secure authentication method isn’t available is where they matter the most: the Web. But if the World Wide Web Consortium, a.k.a. W3C, has its way, even websites like, well, Facebook will support password-less logins in the near future.

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Facebook's problems continue grow after another data firm has been caught allegedly using the platform to collect user info. According to a recent report that brought the issue to light, Facebook has suspended Cubeyou, a data analytics firm that was allegedly using quizzes to gather information on users. These quizzes were labeled as for "non-profit academic research," but the user data was reportedly shared with marketers.

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Once upon a time, viruses were the bane of the computing industry. They haven’t totally disappeared, they just evolved and took on different forms. Malware is now even spread through malicious links and some can even hold your files for ransom. Microsoft’s software and services still have the notoriety of being the target of such attempts and Redmond is taking a few steps to ensure the safety of its OneDrive and Office 365 users.

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