Verizon Unveils Added Discounts on Home Internet Services for New Wireless Customers - CNET

If you sign up for select, premium 5G mobile plans, you may be able to get broadband service at $25 off.

from CNET https://ift.tt/T8cKfd0

Latest Tech News

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.

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/KOdaChj

Keep Things Running With This $239 Portable Power Station (Save $61) - CNET

Take renewable energy with you everywhere so you can power all of your devices while on the go.

from CNET https://ift.tt/Tz8o1QM

Latest Tech News

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.

READ MORE:

> IBM acquires Randori to help clean up your multicloud security blunders

> VMware is going all-in on multi-cloud

> Almost all experts say multi-cloud needs a serious security upgrade

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.

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/8BPveK7

Latest Tech News

Discord is adding a new tool for moderators to prevent harmful messages from appearing on its platform, and is expanding its Premium Membership subscription. 

The harmful language tool is called AutoMod and it was revealed in a Power Rangers chicken parody on YouTube. Despite the announcement video’s silliness, AutoMod is a rather important upgrade that’ll help take the load off the platform's moderators, especially if they have to run a massive server.

Auto-protect

As briefly mentioned, AutoMod prevents trolls from spamming a chat with hateful language. The way the tool works is moderators first select the words or phrases to ban from the server. Moderators can add the words themselves or grab them off the Commonly Flagged Words list which is split into three categories: Insults and Slurs, Sexual Content, and Severe Profanity. 

Once the words are added, moderators can select from three different responses. They can either prevent the message with the harmful word from being posted, send an alert to moderators, or block the user. Discord also took into account bad actors trying to sneak in words and bypass AutoMod with the Wildcard feature.

Say, for example, a troll is trying to sneak in a swear word by attaching it as the suffix of another. Moderators can use Wildcard by placing asterisks before, after, or around a word to ensure AutoMod picks it up if someone is trying to hide harmful language. Exemptions can be added for moderators, admins, other users, or for entire channels through AutoMod.

When all of this is set up, AutoMod will - true to its name - automatically block and manage the harmful language, taking the load off of moderators.

The tool is currently in beta and can be found under Content Moderation in Server Settings, according to Discord.  You try out AutoMod on the Discord browser app, mobile, Windows, macOS, and Linux. Also, the Commonly Flagged Words list is available in English only.  We asked Discord if the beta is in the US only and when they will add support for other languages, but didn't get a response.

Growing Premium

As for Premium Membership, the company is expanding it to other servers later this summer, but only in the US. Not to be confused with Discord Nitro which adds new features to an account, Premium Memberships are for individual servers.

It allows for certain parts of a server to be behind a pay-wall. Memberships also allow admins to decide the price point of different tiers and what perks people get. In the new update, there is a revamped analytics dashboard that displays more information on revenue, support for custom emojis, and the ability to give free membership trials to community members.

Discord concludes its big update by opening a new Community page to teach moderators how to manage servers. If you’re interested in learning more about Discord, TechRadar has a guide for beginners. 

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/Jwl1NQv

Latest Tech News

Many people think of identity theft as something that only affects public members. But it can also impact businesses of all sizes, from sole traders to the largest corporations. Corporate identity theft is rising, with scammers researching their targets and choosing their moment to strike. The impact can be devastating and potentially lead to mass job losses.

So, how can corporate identity theft be combated?

• We've put together a list of the best business laptops available now
• Keep your devices protected online with the best antivirus software
• Secure your files on the go with one of the best secure drives

What is corporate identity theft?

Security risks to corporations and organizations are often thought to be limited to hackers looking for industrial secrets or ransomware attacks. Increasingly, however, cybercriminals are employing other techniques that target the weak point in every computer network: people.

A common outcome of this, and typically the ultimate aim, is corporate identity theft. Also known as business identity theft, this might be the primary attack vector using a few basic company details or the result of time spent mining data from key individuals.

Why are businesses targeted?

Naturally, it's due to the money involved. Businesses spend a lot of money, cash that can, in theory, be repurposed by criminals—for example, bulk buying supplies, usually with some flexible payment plan. There is an opportunity for a business identity thief to pose as the target company, buy goods (computers, perhaps, or some other hardware easily fenced), and avoid detection until it is too late.

Further, large purchases made under a company account are less likely to be treated with suspicion. While automated payment monitoring services can help domestic users avoid credit fraud, this is less effective for corporations with huge balances and regular purchasing.

(Image credit: wk1003mike / Shutterstock )

Common routes for corporate identity thieves

What approaches do identity thieves use when targeting corporations?

SIM card swapping: thieves can gain a foothold using this scam. All it requires is to call the mobile network provider to cancel a SIM card and transfer data to a new SIM. Any two-factor authentication protection on corporate accounts sent by SMS can then be intercepted.

Whaling: this is a form of phishing targeted at businesses and organizations. We usually think of phishing as a scam targeted at domestic settings over the home phone or email. However, increasingly, larger targets with a far more significant potential windfall are pursued. For example, fake emails, spoofing websites, and identity theft have been used to access business accounts.

Business Email Compromise: targeting executives and employees concerned with finance and wire transfers, this scam requires careful research by the cybercriminal. All it needs is to gain access to an email account and arrange the diversion of funds under the auspices of an "urgent" payment or transfer. Successful execution can involve phishing and impersonating CEOs, attorneys, high-level personnel, or keyloggers.

 Typical effects of identity theft on a business 

What happens when a business is struck by identity theft? While seen as a "victimless crime" by the perpetrators, this doesn't tell the whole story. Businesses hit by the identity theft can struggle, resulting in:

• Late salary: loss of income can result in difficulty or inability to pay employees, contractors, stakeholders, and partners. The fallout from this can often be redundancies.
• Tax disputes: tax may be unaffordable. Alternatively, if a business identity is used to file a fraudulent return, the tax department will penalize it.
• Lost reputation: once hit by a business identity scam, it can be challenging to be taken seriously in the future. Further, any crimes or underhanded behavior carried out under the business's name will be treated with disdain. As a result, the company could be destroyed.

Further, small business owners can be hit by personal liability. With typically smaller cybersecurity budgets, this can prove devastating.

How to reduce the impact of corporate identity theft

Dealing with corporate identity theft brings many challenges.

1. Increase awareness

Easily accessible information such as revenues, profit margins, company records, and tax IDs can be used to subvert a company's identity. These details cannot be hidden or suppressed in usual circumstances, resulting in an attack vector that cannot be defended. The best solution here is to increase awareness at all levels, particularly those that handle financially sensitive emails and logins.

2. Initiate procedures and stick to them

Corporate identity theft typically involves an email or phone call requesting the transfer of funds. Anything can happen once the system is breached, which is why initiating agreed procedures and protocols for monetary transfer is vital. This way, you reduce the likelihood of a third-party diverting valuable company funds.

3. Enhance system access with biometrics 

Biometric information can step up system security and add an extra level of authentication. While this may not reduce faked emails demanding an urgent transfer, it can help reduce unauthorized access to a network system, e.g., from a third party illegally accessing a procurement system.

4. Reduce who has access to the purse strings

Corporate identity theft often affects businesses with vast budgets across countless directors and senior personnel. No one knows where the money is kept, but they all have access to it, with individual departmental budgets and free rein on spending. Cybercriminals love confusion, and this is the perfect opportunity. 

5. Double-check everything

This is as important for giant corporations as it is for small businesses. Ensure that every email, phone conversation, and bank and business transaction is made with a verified contact. Doing so can considerably reduce exposure to corporate identity theft. Make things too tricky, and cybercriminals will move on to a new target.

(Image credit: Pexels)

Protect your colleagues from corporate identity theft

A risk to everyone you work with, corporate identity theft could result in entire departments being closed, operations pausing, or even the complete collapse of a business. One wrong click on an unsolicited email can unravel everything.

Protection against corporate identity theft is a group effort, so be vigilant, attend regular network security training, and encourage your colleagues to protect themselves and each other from suspicious emails and other phishing techniques.

• We've also highlighted the best identity theft protection

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/oac9Zl4

'Stranger Things': Will Vecna Be in Season 5? - CNET

Here's what Vecna actor Jamie Campbell Bower had to say about it.

from CNET https://ift.tt/xu2QEPm

Latest Tech News

Microsoft has just pushed its June 2022 cumulative update for Windows, including a patch for the dreaded Follina vulnerability.

"Microsoft strongly recommends that customers install the updates to be fully protected from the vulnerability. Customers whose systems are configured to receive automatic updates do not need to take any further action," Microsoft said in its advisory.

Discovered by cybersecurity expert Kevin Beaumont, and dubbed “Follina”, the flaw leverages a Windows utility called msdt.exe, designed to run different troubleshooter packs on Windows. The researcher found that when the victim downloads a weaponized Word file, they don’t even need to run it, previewing it in Windows Explorer is enough for the tool to be abused (it has to be an RTF file, though). 

Share your thoughts on Cybersecurity and get a free copy of the Hacker's Manual 2022. Help us find how businesses are preparing for the post-Covid world and the implications of these activities on their cybersecurity plans. Enter your email at the end of this survey to get the bookazine, worth $10.99/£10.99.

Follina abused in the wild

By abusing this utility, the attackers are able to tell the target endpoint to call an HTML file, from a remote URL. The attackers have chosen the xmlformats[.]com domain, probably trying to hide behind the similar-looking, albeit legitimate, openxmlformats.org domain used in most Word documents.

The HTML file holds plenty of “junk”, which obfuscates its true purpose - a script that downloads and executes a payload. 

Microsoft’s fix doesn’t prevent Office from loading Windows protocol URI handlers automatically and without user interaction, but it does block PowerShell injection, thus rendering the attack useless.

Read more

> Watch out for this dangerous new Microsoft Word scam, Office users warned

> This dangerous Microsoft Office zero-day is now being exploited in the wild

> Windows Follina zero-day now being abused to infect PCs with Qbot malware

As soon as it was discovered, researchers started spotting the flaw being abused in the wild. Among its earliest adopters, allegedly, were Chinese state-sponsored threat actors, mounting cyberattacks against the international Tibetan community. 

"TA413 CN APT spotted ITW exploiting the Follina 0Day using URLs to deliver Zip Archives which contain Word Documents that use the technique," cybersecurity researchers from Proofpoint said two weeks ago. The same company also found Follina being abused by another threat actor, TA570, to distribute Qbot, while NCC Group found it being further abused by Black Basta, which is a known ransomware group.

Via: BleepingComputer

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/OfmQTUM

Latest Tech News

Snowflake has set out plans to help democratize access to machine learning (ML) resources by eliminating complexities for non-expert customers.

At its annual user conference, Snowflake Summit, the database company has made a number of announcements designed to facilitate the uptake of machine learning. Chief among them, enhanced support for Python (the language in which many ML products are written) and a new app marketplace that allows partners to monetize their models.

"Our objective is to make it as easy as possible for customers to leverage advanced ML models without having to build from scratch, because that requires a huge amount of expertise," said Tal Shaked, who heads up ML at Snowflake.

"Through projects like Snowflake Marketplace, we want to give customers a way to run these kinds of models against their data, both at scale and in a secure way."

Access for all

Although machine learning is a decades-old concept, only within the last few years have advances in compute, storage, software and other technologies paved the way for widespread adoption.

And even still, the majority of innovation and expertise is pooled disproportionately among a small minority of companies, like Google and Meta. 

The ambition at Snowflake is to open up access to the opportunities available at the cutting edge of machine learning through a partnership- and ecosystem-driven approach.

Shaked, who worked across a range of machine learning projects at Google before joining Snowflake, explained that customers will gain access to the foundational resources, on top of which they can make small optimizations for their specific use cases.

For example, a sophisticated natural language processing (NLP) model developed by the likes of OpenAI could act as the general-purpose foundation for a fast food customer looking to develop an ML-powered ordering system, he suggested. In this scenario, the customer is involved in none of the training and tuning of the underlying model, but still reaps all the benefits of the technology. 

More from Snowflake Summit

> Snowflake is going all-in on Python

> Snowflake launches App Store-like marketplace for enterprise apps

> Snowflake promises to usher in a 'renaissance' in app development

“There’s so much innovation happening within the field of ML and we want to bring that into Snowflake in the form of integrations,” he told TechRadar Pro. “It’s about asking how we can integrate with these providers so our customers can do the fine-tuning without needing to hire a bunch of PhDs.”

This sentiment was echoed earlier in the day by Benoit Dageville, co-founder of Snowflake, who spoke about the importance of sharing expertise across the customer and partner ecosystem.

“Democratizing ML is an important aspect of what we are trying to do. We’re becoming an ML platform, but not just where you built it and use it for yourself; the revolution is in the sharing of expertise.”

“It’s no longer just the Google’s and Meta’s of this world using this technology, because we’re making it easy to share.”

---

Disclaimer: Our flights and accommodation for Snowflake Summit 2022 were funded by Snowflake, but the organization had no editorial control over the content of this article.

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/jyuMTxw

Latest Tech News

AMD is making fresh overtures to the business community with a rebrand of its popular Radeon PRO Software for Enterprise offering. 

In a blog post wryly titled ‘What’s New for AMD Software: PRO Edition – Wait! What is this?’, the tech firm revealed the new-look PRO edition is designed “to better integrate graphics with CPUs and platform-level features and accelerate performance throughout the entire machine.” 

But the revamp is more than just a svelte 27% reduction in letters. AMD has also launched a new software driver for Radeon PRO professional graphics and announced Maxon Redshift support for the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 graphics card. 

GPU performance boost 

Performance is always paramount - especially for professional-level productions where, daily, the drive for creativity, quality, and efficiency locks horns with the reality of under-powered hardware and seemingly endless render times. 

PRO Edition’s latest driver has been optimized to boost performance on Radeon PRO GPUs and graphic-intensive apps, like VFX software. 

That means “professional users are expected to see quicker times for renderings and video encoding, smoother performance for 3D model interactions, streamlined ray tracing, and graphics-driven computations,” says AMD.  

READ MORE

> AMD’s new Radeon PRO GPU is more sensible than sexy, but that’s no bad thing

> Frame.io brings pro-quality video editing to the home office

> AMD's latest APU could revolutionize supercomputers 

The Santa Clara-based business is also expanding its collaboration with Maxon, first announced at NAB 2022. Maxon has long been a popular software house for post-production artists - and for too long, its tools notably lacked AMD support. Since the partnership began, AMD has said it’s been working closely with Maxon to maximize the software performance on its GPUs.

At the time, AMD representative Gary Davis explained that the partnership was fueled by Maxon’s traditional association with Nvidia. “We worked with them very closely, and with our alliance team, to enable the Redshift rendering engine to be enabled on AMD GPUs,” said Davis.

(Image credit: AMD)

To coincide with the PRO Edition rebrand, AMD has announced Maxon Redshift, the world’s first fully GPU-accelerated renderer, now supports the top-end Radeon PRO W6800 graphics card - with the software’s Progressive rendering able to saturate the GPU’s 32GB to enhance frame buffering and let users manipulate models in real-time. It now means creators using Redshift have even more GPU options to use when crafting pro-level renders.

Elsewhere, the PRO Edition has received a facelift, with a clean, modern home-screen, that brings it more in line with AMD’s consumer software.

AMD Software: PRO Edition is available to download now.

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/hNL1r5R

Latest Tech News

Ultra short throw (UST) projectors are the way to go if you want a big image without taking up much room space, and you prefer not to buy a huge OLED or LCD TV. Philips has ventured into the UST arena before with its Screeneo U3 model, but the company’s new Screeneo U4 appears to strike a much better balance between budget and big picture concerns.

Available exclusively for pre-order on  Indiegogo at the affordable introductory price of €599 / $620, the Screeneo U4, which ships in August, is priced competitively with some of the best portable projectors we’ve reviewed recently such as Samsung's The Freestyle and the Xgimi Halo. Similar to those, it’s a DLP model with a very living room-friendly design, sporting a dark matte aluminum and ABS case with curved edges. This sets it apart from other UST projectors, most of which tend to be overly large and appliance-like.

 

Given the low price, you wouldn’t expect the Screeneo U4 to beam 4K images, though this 1080p-resolution model does accept a 4K/60Hz video input and can handle HDR10 sources. A 0.25:1 throw ratio means you can position it 7.7 inches from a wall or projection screen to get a 60-inch image, and 12 inches away for an 80-inch image. At just 4.8 x 3.2 x 8.8 inches  and 3 pounds, the Screeneo U4 is designed to be portable, while its auto-focus and auto-keystone features instantly dial in a perfectly sharp and correctly positioned picture after setting it down for viewing.

The Screeneo U4’s spec sheet cites brightness for its LED-driven light engine at 400 lumens. Following in the footsteps of Epson in providing detailed specs, Philips’ numbers are for both color and white brightness – something that should have a real-world viewing impact. Other specs cite Rec.709 (HDTV) color space coverage at 108% and light source life at 30,000 hours. Input latency is 30ms, which is impressive for a model not specifically designed as a gaming projector.

Philips' compact Screeneo U4 projector provides both dual HDMI video inputs and Bluetooth audio outputs (Image credit: Philips)

A pair of HDMI inputs on the Screeneo U4 allow for connection of a gaming console and a Roku, Fire TV or other streaming stick, while a USB type-A port can provide power to the latter options. A 2.1 onboard sound system boasting 2 x 15 watts can serve as an audio system, or you can use the Screeneo U4’s dual Bluetooth outputs for an instant audio upgrade by linking to an external Bluetooth speaker or soundbar or wireless headphones (a pair of them, if you want).

Analysis: when it comes to projectors, smaller can be better

The best 4K projectors in the ultra short throw (UST) category offer an easy way to get an enormous 100-inch or larger image in your living space. And they do so without the inconvenience of having to install a box that beams an image from far away and requires careful control of room lighting to get good picture quality.

While the benefits of UST projectors, which require installation only a few inches from the wall to work their big-screen magic, are undeniable, they are usually unattractive devices bearing more than a passing resemblance to a space heater or other large appliance. 

A few companies like Xgimi with 4K Aura model bring design expertise to the UST projector game, but the Aura is priced at $2,800 – an amount well out of the range of many household budgets. It’s also what you can expect to pay for some 85-inch TVs, and those offer a nearly equivalent big-screen experience but with significantly higher brightness on tap to benefit HDR viewing. 

At just €599 / $620 for an 80-inch picture, Philips’ compact Screeneo U4 seems like just the ticket for casual gaming or sports viewing, or for a family movie night. More to the point, the projector itself is unobtrusive and actually looks good.

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/KM36iAO

10 AirPods Pro Tips to Master Your Wireless Headphones - CNET

Get the most out of your AirPods Pro.

from CNET https://ift.tt/IwQbrtc

Latest Tech News

According to UK Finance, in 2019, unauthorized financial fraud losses across payment cards, remote banking, and cheques totaled £824.8 million. One type of fraud that contributes significantly to this loss is identity theft, which has become a severe problem in recent years. Anti-fraud measures designed to detect identity theft forces fraudsters to find ways to trick individuals, leading to new and constantly evolving fraud typologies that are increasingly difficult to detect and stop.

In account takeover fraud, for example, the criminal uses information stolen through phishing scams to gain access to an individual’s account, make unauthorized payments, or apply for credit. The difficulty in detecting fraud is that it looks like the customer is logging into their account. As a result, the alarm might only be raised when the customer spots abnormal activity on their account.  

Even more challenging to detect is synthetic identity fraud – sometimes called Frankenstein fraud – where criminals create an identity by stitching together factual information stolen from various sources to build a whole new persona. Nurtured over time, fraudsters build legitimacy for the identity, becoming model customers of bank accounts and short-term credit, always paying on time to build their score. Eventually, they ‘cash out’ – simultaneously applying for as much credit as possible, with no intent to pay.

• Here's our list of the best password managers right now
• Check out our list of the best secure password generators around
• Here's our list of the best security keys on the market

According to recent research, account takeover fraud represents 19% of all third-party fraud (where people’s details are stolen), while synthetic ID fraud accounts for 15% of all UK first-party fraud. In other words, they’re massive issues. So how do we go about tackling them?

Digital ID tools

Digital identity tools are a crucial weapon in the fight against identity theft. At a basic level, they use a limited set of attributes, such as name, date of birth, credit bureau data, and electoral roll data, to identify the individual in question and determine the probability of them being genuine. But as we’ve already heard, these can be easily stolen or faked.

This is where cutting-edge technology can help. The latest digital identity tools analyze a broader set of attributes from when the ‘customer’ attempts to log in. These can include behavioral characteristics that check against established patterns of behavior unique to an individual – how they enter their details, how quickly they type, how they hold their device, or physical traits, such as the device they’re using and their location in the world. Measuring these attributes helps companies make a risk judgment even before a successful login and dynamically add additional layers of authentication in milliseconds if there’s any suspicion it’s not the genuine customer.

Other layers of digital security use knowledge-based authentication (KBA), one-time passwords (OTP), and advanced biometrics such as liveness tests and facial recognition to add additional layers of security designed to thwart fraudsters using stolen details. These multifactor authentication methods allow businesses to authenticate people with a much higher probability of success and improve and speed up the experience for genuine customers.

Tackling fraudsters using manufactured identities is trickier, but technology can help. Using artificial intelligence machine learning tools, firms can analyze vast sets of customer data to detect patterns and linkages between common attributes like address and phone number to uncover potential fraud networks that would otherwise remain invisible. 

• Here's our list of the best endpoint protection services available

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/Hgf7YL1

Latest Tech News

Every day you add more and more information to your phone. Each day, it becomes a more complete digital representation of you. Bank accounts, the PayPal app, even password managers - they're all there, along with social media accounts, photos … the list goes on.

The implication is clear. Your phone represents a massive risk to your privacy and your identity. Once stolen, a phone can be mined for data that can then be used to steal your identity, making you a victim of ID fraud.

• Protect your devices online with the best antivirus software
• These are the best mobile VPN apps around
• We've also put together a list of the best password managers

Protect your smartphone from theft

The first step in minimizing identity theft via your smartphone is to make it difficult to steal.

To begin with, don't leave a phone on view in your car. Instead, use a glove compartment or slip it under a seat. Then, if the phone is out of sight, it isn't a target. The same goes for any device storing personal, identifiable data.

On the street, keep your phone out of view. Don't wave it around; secure it in the inside pocket of your coat. Otherwise, keep it in a secure pouch in your bag, worn securely. Use hands-free Bluetooth earpods to avoid removing the phone to make or receive calls.

You should also be aware of the tactics of street criminals when it comes to stealing phones. They have various tactics to ingratiate themselves into your personal space and help themselves to your belongings. Key examples:

They ask you for the time. While your initial reaction would be to pull out your phone to check, this puts it at risk. So instead, identify a clock you see from your location or keep moving without responding.

You're accosted in a crowded place. This can happen without even realizing it. A key example is a moment on a tube train when people enter and exit, dozens pushing past you all at once. It's a prime opportunity, so keep your phone out of view.

While many of these practices are completely obvious, it is crucial to keep them in mind.

(Image credit: KAUST)

Protect your smartphone secrets

Next, you must ensure that if your phone is stolen, it doesn't reveal anything that an identity thief can use. Various tools and apps can ensure your phone doesn't spill your secrets.

1. Encrypt your phone

Use your phone's full disk encryption option to ensure that data cannot be accessed without the correct authentication. All mobile platforms have an encryption option, so take the time to find out how to activate this. Note that the data cannot be retrieved once encrypted if you forget the phone's password.

2. Secure authentication

Most phones offer facial recognition, a thumbprint scanner, or the option to enter a secure password. Avoid four-digit PINs and shapes, as these leave a grease mark on the screen, which can be used to crack the code. For convenience and reliability, fingerprint or thumbprint security has proved to be the most effective.

3. Use an app-locking tool

If your phone is stolen and access gained, some apps (such as contacts, email, cloud drives, and social networks) will spill your secrets as soon as they're launched. You can set individual passwords for sensitive apps with an app lock installed. You've probably realized that this might prove inconvenient in some scenarios, but overall, it is a good security option.

4. Install an anti-theft app

Tools that detect a change in circumstance can initiate an anti-theft alarm. For example, if a phone is taken off charge, moved, or the SIM card changed without authorization can trigger an alarm. Such apps typically feature the option to disarm the alarm or even send it silently, advising a nominated contact (or all of them) that the phone has been stolen.

5. Find and wipe a stolen phone

Find My Device on Android and Find My for iPhone can be used to wipe a stolen phone remotely. Apps like Cerberus and Prey can also do this and photograph the perpetrator using the phone's camera. You can destroy the data remotely via a web app if your phone is stolen.

All these tools can be used to protect your phone from unauthorized access. If you're reluctant to use any of them, at least use disk encryption and your platform's phone discovery service.

Be aware of phone account identity theft

A whole other type of identity theft surrounds mobile phone use. Phone account identity theft occurs when a cell phone is bought in your name without your knowledge. You might have been a victim of this, or your address might have been used with another person's name. This is a common tactic to take advantage of a superior credit rating and acquire finance to buy a phone.

Phone account fraud happens by stealing a victim's identity in one of two ways:

• Dark Web sites with databases full of stolen account details are visited, details bought, then used to buy a phone, with the bills all charged to the victim.
• Phishing can be employed to trick the victim into divulging personal details required to open an account. These are then taken to a smartphone retailer, accompanied by a fake ID and a phone bought.

This type of identity theft you should be able to spot quickly. When the account statement arrives, get in touch with the mobile phone network and report the contract as fraudulent.

(Image credit: Pexels)

Shield your identity from theft - secure your phone

With so much of your personal information in your pocket, it makes sense to understand the risks and take precautions to secure your phone.

By now, it should be obvious: that protecting your phone is a crucial step in the fight against identity theft. So follow these steps to ensure it never leaves your sight, remains utterly secure from unauthorized access and doesn't leak your data to identity thieves.

• We've also highlighted the best identity theft protection

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/Hdvutjn

Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2022, Tested by an Expert - CNET

I tested the most popular battery-powered electric lawn mowers on the market. When the grass clippings settled, I came up with these top picks.

from CNET https://ift.tt/SNer0JO