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Netrunner "Twenty" is a birthday release offering that makes what was good even better. Developers released Netrunner 20.01 on Feb. 23 with the latest stable Debian 10.3 "Buster" base and the KDE Plasma desktop. This release marks the distro's 20th birthday in a way. Code-named "Twenty," the 20.01 release is the 20th upgrade of the Netrunner project over its 10-year history. It is packed with the latest KDE desktop packages, new theme tweaks, and a collection of GTK and Qt/KDE programs. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/397aG8w

We're only two months into a new year and already hundreds of millions of personal records have been compromised, including 123 million employee and customer records from sporting retailer Decathlon and another 10.6 million records of former guests of MGM Resorts hotels. These announcements followed fuel and convenience chain Wawa's revelation that it was the victim of a nine-month-long breach of its payment card systems. Also, Microsoft earlier this month said a data breach spanning 14 years exposed 250 million of its customer records. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2T8bHYn

Facebook is clamping down on ads and misinformation relating to coronavirus. Criticism of social media platforms for spreading fear and confusion about coronavirus is rife. Still, Facebook's decision-making has raised a few eyebrows, as the coronavirus ad restrictions could be interpreted as limiting free speech in a way that is inconsistent with Facebook's general practices. Notably, it has refused to block politicians from spreading misinformation in ads on its platform on the grounds that doing so would hinder free speech. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2T3hVbN

Firefox users in the U.S. are getting an extra measure of privacy protection starting this week. Firefox Desktop Product Development VP Selena Deckelmann heralded the rollout of encrypted DNS over HTTPS, or DoH, by default in Mozilla's browser. The DNS, or Domain Name System, is one of the oldest parts of the Internet. It's how "human-friendly" names are converted to the IP addresses needed to reach a website. Because of the way the Internet was designed decades ago, browsers doing lookups for websites have done so without encryption. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/3c4cQYp

Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Azure Sphere secure IoT service. It first introduced Azure Sphere in 2018, opting to use its own version of a Linux operating system instead of Windows 10 to drive its new Azure Sphere OS to securely connect Internet of Things devices. Azure Sphere is a platform connecting microcontroller units embedded within IoT devices. The platform operates a new MCU crossover class that combines both real-time and application processors with built-in Microsoft security technology and connectivity. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2TeEp8F

Microsoft whetted demand for its Xbox Series X product line with the revelation of some impressive specs for its next-generation gaming console. "It's really going to be a kick in the pants for the industry," said Mark N. Vena, senior analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. "It should provide quite a bit of adrenalin because the specs are really mind blowing." Microsoft has tried to wring every bit of latency out its next-generation Xbox, and it emphasized its commitment to backward compatibility. The Xbox Series X also will support 8K video. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/3a3fjjN

Autonomous car efforts aren't looking very good. It is becoming clear that the five-level ranking system is stupid. The reality is that the definition of "autonomous" is binary: Either the car can drive itself or it can't. The fact is that car makers don't want to take the final step to autonomy -- Level 5 -- because they are afraid of liability. Tesla either is ahead of the pack or suicidal, depending on which side of the liability argument you are on. Tesla either is going to capture an unmatched advantage or go out of business. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2PjkFQ2

If you are tired of distro hopping and want a computing platform that works without drama, check out the latest Freespire Linux release. Freespire, a U.S.-based distribution built on Debian/Ubuntu, is a no-nonsense OS that is uncomplicated to install and use. Freespire is released biannually. Developers on Feb. 11 released the latest MATE edition, the first of two updated versions. KDE will come out soon. Two age-old sayings are apt when it comes to Linux distributions: "Something old is new again," and "What goes around, comes around." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/39TqSdh

Since Android's unveiling in 2007, the platform has stayed true to its commitment to provide open and free source code. The source code is freely available to developers and device manufacturers who can, at their own discretion, install the software without worrying about the hassles of licensing fees. The consequent reduction in fees allows device manufacturers to bring Android devices to the market at significantly lower prices than the competition, with the average price of an Android smartphone almost US$400 cheaper than an iPhone. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2v6F0Bb

A session on the role of emerging technologies in the courtroom was part of last month's New York State Bar Association Annual Meeting in New York City. A panel of local and federal judges, as well as an e-discovery researcher and emerging technology attorney, discussed the use of artificial intelligence in the courtroom. The session addressed the role that AI could play in judicial decision making, where algorithms potentially can predict behavior and outcomes resulting from different legal strategies. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2SMwnFb

Eclypsium has released new research that identifies and confirms unsigned firmware in WiFi adapters, USB hubs, trackpads and cameras used in Windows and Linux computer and server products from Lenovo, Dell, HP and other major manufacturers. Eclypsium also demonstrated a successful attack on a server via a network interface card with unsigned firmware used by each of the big three server manufacturers. The demonstration shows the exposed attack vector once firmware on any of these components is infected using the issues the report describes. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/39KAo2v

A new extortion scheme targets users of Google's AdSense program. The scam threatens to flood a website with bogus traffic until Google suspends the site's AdSense account, unless the owner pays $5,000 in bitcoin to stop the attack, security blogger Brian Krebs reported. The grifters appear to be exploiting a click-fraud crackdown Google launched last summer. The case sounds like a classic threat of sabotage, where an actor attempts to trigger an enforcement action against a publisher by sending invalid traffic to their inventory, Google said. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/37FHOT5

Spurred by everything from environmental concerns to the desire to avoid congested roads, companies are developing, testing, and beginning to implement a wide array of drone delivery systems. A number of practicalities need to be worked out before drone delivery becomes an everyday occurrence -- including regulations and drone technology itself -- but it's likely only a matter of time. "Drone delivery has the potential to radically improve the way we live," said Wing spokesperson Alexa Dennett. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HAPlbu

Back in the 1980s, I was a competitive analyst for IBM, and it was one of the most interesting jobs I ever held. The practice largely has died out, but at the time we were like the corporate version of the CIA. Since I'd been an internal auditor as well -- which is somewhat like the corporate version of the FBI -- I was a rarity. Few people serve in both agencies. The downside of the job was that both roles were missioned to provide assessments that generally pissed off powerful people. They were exciting times. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2wjPm0Q

If you want a new Linux distro catering to gaming, check out the Simplicity Linux Gaming release. If you prefer a general-purpose computing platform without a gaming focus, try Simplicity's revamped release. Either way, you will experience a no-nonsense Linux OS that requires no assembly. Simplicity Linux, originating in the UK, is a Devuan-based distribution with Cinnamon as the default window manager desktop environment. Devuan is a fork of Debian Linux that replaces the systemd initialization processes. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2ORFbXF

The American Civil Liberties Union has leveled criticisms agains facial recognition tool developer Clearview for making misleading claims about the accuracy of its product. Clearview apparently has been telling law enforcement agencies that its technology underwent accuracy testing modeled on the ACLU's 2018 test of Amazon's Rekognition facial recognition tool. For that test, the ACLU simulated the way law enforcement used it in the field, matching photos of all 535 members of the U.S. Congress against its database. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HnGAkP

Can social media be saved? Can democracy be saved? The first question may seem less compelling than the second, but to some very worried observers, they are intimately entwined. Social networking -- on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and a host of other online networks -- is the root of all current cultural evils, in the eyes of some critics. However, campaigns to persuade users to withdraw from it have gained little traction. Undeniably, social networks offer positive experiences that are hard to give up. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2w8nLj4

Samsung refreshed its Galaxy smartphone line, introduced a new foldable phone, and upgraded its wireless earbuds offering at its Unpacked event in San Francisco. Its three new flagship phones are all 5G ready. The S20 is priced at $999, while the S20 Plus will sell for $1,199, and the S20 Ultra for $1,399. The S20 is smallest of the trio, with a 6.2-inch display. The Plus' display is 6.7 inches and the Ultra's is 6.9 inches. All the units have three cameras -- wide angle, ultrawide and telephoto -- and the Plus and Ultra have a fourth for AR. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2SjtwDl

Motorola's new foldable Razr phone has been garnering mediocre notices from early reviewers, who tended to find its performance underwhelming for a phone priced at $1,500. Still, it does have personality, which can go a long way in the smartphone market, noted Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research. "We've reached an era where phones are incredibly personal. That's why I think you're going to find a bunch of people who like the Razr. It's radically different from all the other phones that are out there." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2ShpoDG

One of the old sayings is that there are "lies, damned lies and statistics," with the implication being you really can't trust most reported numbers. Still, we've often thought that you could trust rankings. One current set of rankings involves cloud providers. The general impression was that Amazon was first, Microsoft second, and Google third. However, both Google and IBM reported numbers this month -- and surprise. Google isn't third, IBM is -- and IBM eventually should be able to challenge for the No. 1 spot in the cloud. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/37hsrju

After a long delay, a new MakuluLinux LinDoz release is pending last-minute finishing touches and is a week -- if not days -- away, according to developer Jacque Montague Raymer. The new upgrade is designed to make using Linux easier than ever. Recently, Raymer discussed the trials and tribulations he faced in maintaining and advancing his Linux line of distros. He revealed a process that no doubt is similar to what confronts many software developers who step into the crowded and financially challenging field of Linux operating system creation. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2OBTJed

The hands on the iconic "Doomsday Clock" moved to just 100 seconds to midnight last month. That is the closest they have come to the final hour since its creation in 1947. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Science and Security Board, in consultation with the Bulletin's Board of Sponsors, made the unprecedented decision to express the time remaining in seconds rather than minutes when the time was adjusted from 2 minutes to 100 seconds to midnight. The time displayed on the clock has moved closer to midnight in three of the last four years. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2vhuCpV

The open source software movement has evolved dramatically over the past two decades. Many businesses that once considered open source a threat now recognize its value. In spite of increased enthusiasm among enterprises, consumer interest by and large has not materialized. With large companies increasingly embracing open source, what does it mean to be a part of the free and open source software, or FOSS, "community"? Why have consumers been so slow to adopt open source software? Our roundtable of industry insiders tackled those questions. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2UuOzEv

Google misdirected a number of private videos that users of its Google Photos app intended to back up to Google Takeout, sending them instead to strangers' archives. The company emailed affected users to inform them that a technical issue caused the error. Google recommended that affected users back up their content again and delete their previous backup. It said 0.01 percent of users were affected, but it did not indicate whether that percentage applied to Google Photos or Google Takeout users. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2vSnDUW

There is a problem with the Internet of Things: It's incredibly insecure. This is not a problem that is inherent to the idea of smart devices. Wearables, smart houses, and fitness tracking apps can be made secure -- or at least more secure than they currently are. The problem, instead, is one that largely has been created by the companies that make IoT devices. Many of these devices are manufactured by relatively small, relatively new companies with little expertise when it comes to cybersecurity. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/3964T2p

As I write this, the first studies of the Coronavirus outbreak are coming in. The count now exceeds 17,500 cases in 24 countries. There have been more than 360 deaths, almost all in China. Most at risk are older males with pre-existing chronic diseases that weaken their immune symptoms. Women appear to have a higher natural resistance to viruses. The main Coronavirus symptoms are cough, headache, muscle pain and fever. Since it has spread across the world, it can be considered a pandemic. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/37TKk9e