Married With Children. Bullitt. The Man Who Fell To Earth. King of the Hill. Quantum Leap. Those things you used to watch are coming back so we can all just feel something.
New original series The Summer I Turned Pretty and The Lake debuted on Prime Video yesterday. Check them out, and peruse a list of the best shows on the streamer.
A hugely popular forms builder plugin for the WordPress website builder with more than a million installations is vulnerable to a high-severity flaw that could allow threat actors complete website takeover.
Ninja Forms has recently released a new patch, which when reverse-engineered, included a code injection vulnerability that affected all versions from 3.0 upwards.
According to Wordfence threat intelligence lead Chloe Chamberland, remotely executing code via deserialization allows threat actors to completely take over a vulnerable site.
"We uncovered a code injection vulnerability that made it possible for unauthenticated attackers to call a limited number of methods in various Ninja Forms classes, including a method that unserialized user-supplied content, resulting in Object Injection," Chamberland said.
"This could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or delete arbitrary files on sites where a separate POP chain was present."
To make things even worse, the flaw was observed being abused in the wild, Wordfence further found.
The patch was force-pushed to the majority of the affected sites, BleepingComputer further found. Looking at the download statistics for the patch, more than 730,000 websites have already been patched. While the number is encouraging, it still leaves hundreds of thousands of vulnerable sites.
Those that use Ninja Forms and haven’t updated it yet, should apply the fix manually, as soon as possible. That can be done from the dashboard, and admins should make sure their plugin is updated to version 3.6.11.
This is not the first time a high-severity flaw was found in Ninja Forms. Roughly two years ago, all versions of the plugin up to 3.4.24.2 were found to have been affected by the Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability. This one could have been used to launch Stored Cross-Site Scripting (Stored XSS) attacks on user's WordPress sites, essentially taking them over.
There are 100 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US, CDC reporting shows, and some people may experience less "classic" monkeypox symptoms. Here's what we know.
The subscription service gives you access to a wide selection of classic games, along with online gaming and other perks. It'll add the Nintendo 64 Pokemon photography adventure next Friday, June 24.
Body detection security features may be coming to a Chromebook near you.
A recently discovered page on the Chromium Gerrit website reveals that body detection features are being worked on for a Chromebook laptop with the code name, “Crota”. Gerrit is a collaboration tool for software developers to come in and review each other’s work, and in this case, Google’s Chromium projects.
Google has expressed interest in the past with “integrated sensor technologies for more personalized experiences” and body detection could be the fruits of that labor.
Not much is known about how Google plans for implementing this security feature or how robust it will be. We did contact Google to see if it would like to make a comment about this project or provide information about it, and will update this post if it responds. However, we can look at other examples of body detection and paint a picture of what Google might be doing.
Advancements in security
Body detection, which is sometimes referred to as human presence detection, is a feature that allows a device to see if a person is standing right in front of it. You can see a demonstration of this technology on YouTube by Lattice Semiconductor. It shows a computer detecting multiple men in front of its camera.
This technology is mainly used for security or quick logins via facial recognition. For example, Lenovo has body detection in several of its laptops like the ThinkPad X1 Nano where it will lock the computer if its user walks or turns away from the screen. Some ThinkPad models sport PrivacyGuard which alerts you if someone is peeking over your shoulder and looking at your screen.
For quick logins, body detection already exists in the form of biometric security. Many phones have fingerprint recognition readers on their backs. And there are laptops out there, like the Surface Pro 8, that support facial recognition via Windows Hello. Not only that, Chromebooks with face unlocking have been teased for about three years now.
It’s also worth pointing out that specialist website Chrome Unboxed has reported in the past that Google is also working on adding “snooping detection” for Chrome OS.
Potential manufacturer
Further details regarding “Crota” hardware are unknown. No one even knows who the manufacturer will be, but it could be Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Wistron. You can see evidence of this if you look at the Gerrit page for the body detection feature, which has an email from Wistron listed in the “signed-off-by” row.
Chrome Unboxed claims that if Wistron is listed that could mean that Dell is involved according to past Chromium Gerrit pages, but this is circumstantial evidence at best. We won’t know until more information is uncovered or leaked. If you’re interested in Chromebooks, TechRadar recently published a list of the best ones for 2022.
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You're sitting comfortably watching TV at home when there is a knock at the door. You answer it to find a police officer with a warrant for your arrest for money laundering.
Despite your protestations and obvious innocence, there is a problem: your digital fingerprints are all over the case. How can this be?
Welcome to the world of ID fraud, the inevitable consequence of identity theft.
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Identity fraud (commonly labeled ID fraud) is when a stolen identity is used to commit fraud. In most cases, ID fraud is a financial crime; it takes advantage of the victim's financial position to take out loans and other credit lines in their name.
ID fraud also occasionally relies on impersonation. Thanks to the mass identity theft industry that has sprung up around the internet, impersonation is rare these days. Thanks to the number of ways credit can be applied online, it's largely unnecessary.
ID fraud is often accompanied by money laundering. For example, goods might be paid for using the victim's money, delivered to an address managed by the thief, then sold on.
How They Steal Your Identity
Before ID fraud can be committed, identity theft must first occur. But how do these criminals get their hands on your data?
(Image credit: wk1003mike / Shutterstock )
Phishing
Perhaps the number one reason behind identity theft is the double-pronged attack of phishing and spoofing websites.
The play is simple: you receive a message via email, SMS, or instant, complete with a link you're supposed to click. So it might be for a bank, credit card, or a dating site in the case of instant messaging.
Following the link takes you to an actual copy (a spoof) of the related website. You're asked to log in or confirm some details. These are recorded by scammers and used to steal your identity.
This scam can also be conducted over the phone. For example, an unsolicited caller claims to be from your bank and asks you to confirm your login details; these are then used to conduct ID fraud. The fraudster might even record the call to play back to an automated login service to gain access.
Bag-snatching
The contents of your bag, purse, or wallet can provide easy pickings for an ID thief. Credit cards, debit cards, your phone, and Social Security card can all deliver what the identity thief is looking for.
To stay safe, only take the cards you need. Wear your bag securely across your body, and keep cards, wallets, purses, and everything else out of sight and reach. Remove cards only when paying for goods.
Shoulder surfing
While paying for those goods, be sure to check the proximity of those around you. If a PIN is required at the checkout or an ATM, anyone paying attention can spot what the code is. All it takes then is for your card to be stolen and the PIN used by the ID thief.
Cover your PIN as it is entered to keep the code a secret.
Physical document theft and "dumpster diving"
You must shred old bank statements and letters from your bank or card company. Any personally identifiable paperwork should also be shredded. The reason? All it takes is someone to go through your bins and find valid old documents for your identity to be stolen.
Known as "dumpster diving," this is a tried and tested method to succeed at identity theft. The best solution is to shred your documents, ID cards, and old passports.
The alternative is simply breaking into your home and stealing important documents. Keep bank records, passports, and other identifying documents locked away to combat this.
Have you ever shared too much on Facebook? Unfortunately, the answer is probably "yes." From photos of days out, to where you live, when you're at work, on holiday… it's oversharing. And with the wrong privacy settings set, anyone can learn everything there is to know about you.
Worse, by observing your activity on Facebook, a daily pattern emerges. Criminals could use this to determine when to visit your home and steal those vital documents that you still haven't locked away.
While Facebook oversharing is the main culprit, any social network that encourages you to share every aspect of your life should be used less.
If you shop online with stores like Amazon, there is a good chance that you will save your credit card details in your account. This saves time at the checkout, helping to reduce the time spent shopping. It also keeps you from finding your wallet, getting the card out, then inputting the 16-digit number, your name, and the CVV2 code on the back.
But saving your credit card online can be risky. All it takes is for the online store to be hacked. In addition, if your data isn't stored in an encrypted form, your credit card details are up for grabs. With those, credit card fraud or complete ID fraud can take place.
Take Identity Theft Seriously
Your life is literally out of your hands if you don't take steps to ensure the security of your accounts. But you don't need to feel afraid of this. Treat digital security as you would the safety of your home or car. You lock doors and windows, fit an immobilizer, and maybe an alarm.
Universal vigilance is required to avoid the tricks and traps set by scammers. Thankfully, you can take many of the same steps. For example, lock your accounts with two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access. Set up SMS or email alerts to inform you when spending gets out of control. And sign up for credit monitoring services to catch any new accounts that might have been created in your name.
The critical takeaway is to take identity theft seriously, or else ID fraud will undoubtedly occur.
Identity fraud is a considerable risk that we live with daily. Unfortunately, like death and taxes, it is inevitable, and while you can take every step to protect your data at home, your bank is always possible to get hacked.
So, what happens if your ID has been stolen? How can you tell if you are a victim of ID fraud? And what happens next?
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There is a strong chance that your ID has already been stolen. Over the years, a large number of data breaches have resulted in millions of records of data being leaked on the internet. Bank details, PayPal accounts, social media logins, mortgage applications, even medical records - pretty much every type of data you can think of has been leaked. These events occur thanks to hackers finding vulnerabilities in data servers, exploiting these, and reaping the rewards.
Meanwhile, there's the risk of phishing from emails, SMS, and instant messaging. With one wrong click, you're taken to a spoofed website designed to look like a bank or online store, and you end up submitting your details to a scammer.
On top of this, you have the problem of targeted theft, either via purse snatching, dumpster diving (for discarded bank statements and letters), or even direct theft of your documents.
In terms of being involved with a data breach, you can check this by visiting Have I Been Pwned. Enter your email address (check them all if you have more than one) to see if your records have been leaked.
Then change your password.
With regards to ID theft overall, let's take it as read that your identity has been stolen somehow. What happens next?
How to tell if you are an ID fraud victim
We live with the permanent risk of ID fraud. You might not even know if you're a victim. Usually, though, you'll find out when it's too late to do anything about it.
Warning signs of ID fraud include:
Unexplained credit or debit card charges
Missing statements
Declined credit card
Refusal of a new loan
Calls from debt collectors
Other tell-tale signs include the arrival of strange packages (the fraudsters planning to collect them before you spot them on your doorstep, perhaps) and your social media accounts - particularly Facebook - taken over.
The impact of ID fraud is almost always devastating.
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Sapann Design)
What happens when someone steals your identity?
Usually, identity theft occurs wholly online. First, your records are traded and available to crime groups to browse, like a catalog, on the Dark Web. Then, with massive databases available to search for likely targets, automation is used to simultaneously target thousands of potential victims at once. This is how phishing operations work.
However, there are occasions when identity theft happens offline or data gathered from the internet is used in a physical context. For example, rather than pose as you online, an identity thief may claim to be you at a bank or use your details to try and buy a car (perhaps with the help of a counterfeit driving license).
The end game is always to get as much money as possible, as quickly as possible, before moving on, leaving you none the wiser. It is unusual for ID fraud to occur over more than a few weeks - after all, once the credit card statements arrive, the game is up. However, targeted identity theft can occur over a more extended period, particularly for high-income "marks."
Whatever the intricacies of the case, identity theft is highly distressing. Finances are left in tatters, reputations potentially ruined. Long-standing relationships, and marriages, have been damaged and worse by identity theft.
Overcoming identity theft
There are two sides to coping with identity theft:
Rebuilding your finances
Dealing with the emotional impact
Getting your finances back on track is perhaps the most straightforward. Banks, credit card companies, and other creditors have procedures to deal with victims.
Contact your banking company (and other creditors) to report missing cards and fraudulent activity.
Contact credit reference agencies such as Equifax and Experian. They can place an ID fraud alert on your reports.
Victims in the USA should contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to complete the Identity Theft Affidavit and receive verification of the ID theft.
Contact your local police force to report the theft when physical documents have been stolen.
If you have been a victim of ID theft, you should not be liable for the stolen money. ID theft mustn't be down to your own mistakes, which is why it is vital to maintain reasonable security practices.
The emotional impact of identity theft is another matter entirely.
Fortunately, you're not alone. Several services are available for you to contact to help you come to terms with the upheaval that ID fraud places on your life.
If you're in the UK, seek counseling using the Counseling Directory. The Citizens Advice Bureau is also helpful, although its advice may be more instructive than comforting.
(Image credit: Pixabay)
Do not let ID fraud ruin your life
We're almost all victims of identity theft, but not all of us have been hit by identity fraud. Perhaps you've had your credit card stolen or misused - this is bad enough but pales in comparison with the effects of identity fraud.
If you've been an ID fraud victim, you know how much work is required to deal with the crime. There are forms to fill out, phone calls, and weeks of uncertainty. Will the money be refunded? Will the perpetrators be caught? Can you handle the upheaval?
ID fraud might turn your life upside down. Please take advantage of every law enforcement service, banking action line, and counseling resource to help you report, resolve, and get through it.
Various video streaming platforms have their advocates, with Roku and Apple TV hardware, along with Google’s Chromecast, frequently getting the nod from viewers in the know. But Amazon’s Fire TV sticks (and cube and TV) are also major players on the streaming scene, and they have the distinct advantage of integration with the ever-popular Amazon Alexa for everything from voice search to smart home automation.
TechRadar has knocked the Fire TV platform down a notch In previous reviews for having a somewhat confusing and ad-filled interface. Another Fire TV complaint: its search feature turned up unrelated content and also aggressively steered viewers toward options for purchase on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon must have been paying attention, because it just dropped a series of enhancements that aim to streamline the look of the Fire TV interface while improving its search function.
“The recent updates bring Search and My Stuff to the top of our Home page so customers can quickly find content and access their watchlists, rentals, and purchases,” said Joshua Danovitz, Director, Fire TV Experience.
What does that mean for viewers who depend on a Fire TV Stick, Cube, or TV for their video streaming experience? There are several specific changes to note:
An icon-based navigation bar has replaced the text-based one previously used by Fire TV. Not only does this look better, but it streamlines access to key features like Home, Find, and Live. The updated bar also provides easy access to a user’s favorite apps and their personal profile.
Search and Find features have been combined into a unified content discovery destination. After clicking on the magnifying glass Find icon, viewers will get whisked to a page where they can search for movies and TV shows, as well as browse trending and recommended content categories.
The stodgy Library destination has been replaced with the casual My Stuff. This is the place where viewers can access both their watch lists and rented and purchased content, as well as browse recently launched and regularly used apps.
I reached out to an Amazon spokesperson to check if the Fire TV update addressed our ad-clutter concerns. Here’s the response I received:
“Advertising on Fire TV serves two purposes. The first is content discovery – helping customers find new content that they may not have otherwise seen. The second is ad-supported content, which enables customers to enjoy a larger breadth of free content.”
Amazon's earlier Fire TV interface tended toward clutter.(Image credit: Amazon)
Analysis: is Amazon Fire TV primed for success?
Comparing the screen shot of the new Fire TV interface at the top of this post with the image of the earlier version further down the page, it’s clear that Amazon has made some well-considered tweaks. The new UI is clean, streamlined, and engaging. It also doesn’t appear cluttered with the company’s own content, ad-supported or otherwise, and makes space for offerings from streaming services other than Amazon Prime Video.
Does the updated Search function live up to the hype? That’s something we look forward to checking on our next encounter with a Fire TV streamer, whether in stick, cube, or flat-panel TV form.
For now, let’s say that Fire TV has plenty of competition on the streaming platform front. Roku and Apple TV hardware offerings in particular provide a clean, highly user-friendly screen interface for selecting apps and browsing content. Both also have voice search options that provide consistently good results. I’m not sure why anyone would necessarily select Fire TV over those platforms, unless they were all-in on the Amazon universe – something the company strongly encourages through its Amazon Prime subscription, which gives you free expedited shipping of products bought on the company’s website and then throws in free streaming from Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music.
A main thing that Amazon streaming sticks have going for them is value: at just under $50, the flagship Fire TV Stick 4K Max is competitively priced with Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K, and it’s a relative steal compared with Apple’s pricey Apple TV 4K streaming box. And the Fire TV Stick 4K Max hardly skimps on premium features, offering up Dolby Vision and HDR10+ compatibility plus a speedy processor and Wi-Fi 6 antenna.
Alexa integration on Amazon hardware also provides a built-in advantage over Roku for those who want to dabble in automated activity like lighting, temperature, and security camera control via Fire TV’s Smart Home Dashboard. When you add it all up, Fire TV hardware is offering a lot at a low price, and the company’s efforts to make the user interface and search more neutral and coherent could go far in making it more of a star player.
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Companies worldwide are increasingly embracing a multicloud approach to cloud storage, which could now be the key to business success according to storage firm Seagate.
The company defined firms as either “multicloud mature” or not, with the mature firms being better at managing cloud costs and fostering innovation within the cloud.
Seagate claims these “mature” firms have a host of competitive advantages, including beating their revenue goals by nearly twice as much as their less mature counterparts.
How do multicloud mature firms stack up?
The storage firm’s research suggests that multicloud mature firms are 6.3 times more likely to go to market months or quarters ahead of their competition, and they are almost three times more likely to report that their organization is in a very strong business position.
In addition, Seagate’s report claims these mature firms are more than three times more likely to expect their companies’ valuation to increase five-fold over the next three years.
“When trying to prove the connection between actions and outcomes with research, you never really know if your hypothesis will be borne out,” said Adam DeMattia, Senior Director of Custom Research at ESG. “The report makes it clear that an organization, by its actions, can move the needle both on cloud costs and innovation outcomes.”
He added: “What’s unique in this research is how we see the combination of both taking action on cloud costs and promoting innovation with cloud operations models can be tied back to a dramatic impact on the overarching health of the business.”
It seems many businesses agree with Seagate about the benefits of a multicloud approach. Flexera's new State of the Cloud report revealed that almost all enterprises have embraced multicloud, with 93 percent of companies now using multiple cloud service providers.
Despite IT professionals acknowledging the benefits of multicloud, security risks are still surrounding the technology.
Virtually all (98%) of the security professionals responsible for these multicloud environments report that relying on multiple cloud providers also creates additional security challenges, according to IT security firm Tripwire.
The multicloud space is largely controlled by the select few giants of the cloud hosting world, including Google Cloud, Amazon AWS, and Microsoft Azure.
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