Content: Security, AI, New Tech & Other Tech News
Welcome to todays ‘What’s New’ in tech. A roundup of key subjects you should probably know about listed below for your ease of access. If you think we’ve missed a story please email us on queries@ringingtreeit.co.uk and we’ll endeavour to add it.
Security:
Disney “breached”, data dumped online | 3 Minute Read
“A group of cybercriminals going by the handle NullBulge claims to have downloaded the Slack channels used by Disney’s developers.”
How Infostealers Pillaged the World’s Passwords | 4 Minute Read
“Infostealer malware is swiping millions of passwords, cookies, and search histories. It’s a gold mine for hackers—and a disaster for anyone who becomes a target.”
Saboteurs Cut Internet Cables in Latest Disruption During Paris Olympics | 3 Minute Read
“Long-distance cables were severed across France in a move that disrupted internet connectivity.”
Cyber-security firm rejects $23bn Google takeover | 3 Minute Read
“Israeli cyber-security firm Wiz has rejected a $23bn (£17.8bn) takeover offer from Google parent company Alphabet, in what would have been its largest-ever acquisition.”
CrowdStrike backlash over $10 apology voucher | 4 Minute Read
“CrowdStrike is facing fresh backlash after giving staff and firms they work with a $10 UberEats voucher to say sorry for a global IT outage that caused chaos across airlines, banks and hospitals last week.”
ChatGPT reveals search feature in Google challenge | 2 Minute Read
“OpenAI is working on adding new powers to its artificial intelligence (AI) bot, as it seeks to edge out Google as the go-to search engine.”
Poor security let hackers access 40 million voters’ details | 2 Minute Read
“Personal details of millions of UK voters were left “vulnerable to hackers” because passwords were not changed and software not updated, the UK’s data privacy watchdog has found.”
Microsoft Dynamics 365 called out for worker surveillance | 5 Minute Read
“Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides “field service management” that allows customers to monitor mobile service workers through smartphone apps – allegedly to the detriment of their autonomy and dignity.”
DigiCert gives unlucky folks 24 hours to replace doomed certificates after code blunder | 5 Minute Read
“DigiCert has given some unlucky customers 24 hours to replace their SSL/TLS security certificates it previously issued them – due to a five-year-old blunder in its backend software.”
Malaysia is working on an internet ‘kill switch’, says minister | 5 Minute Read
“Legislation for an internet “kill switch” will reach Malaysia’s Parliament in October, according to the country’s minister for Law and Institutional Reform.”
Ransomware gangs are loving this dumb but deadly make-me-admin ESXi vulnerability | 5 Minute Read
“Do you have your VMware ESXi hypervisor joined to Active Directory? Well, the latest news from Microsoft serves as a reminder that you might not want to do that given the recently patched vulnerability that has security experts deeply concerned.”
US claims TikTok shipped personal data to China – very personal data | 5 Minute Read
“The US Department of Justice has alleged that TikTok shipped personal information to China and allowed profiling of the short video app’s users based on their attitudes to some ticklish topics.”
AI:
Wear This AI Friend Around Your Neck | 5 Minute Read
“The latest attempt at an AI-powered wearable is an always-listening pendant. But it doesn’t help you be more productive, it just keeps you company.”
Lawmaker uses AI voice clone to address Congress | 1 Minute Read & 1 Minute Video
“Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton used a artificial intelligence (AI) programme to address the House on Thursday. A year ago, the lawmaker was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, which makes it difficult for her to speak.”
Actors go on strike over video games AI threat | 1 Minute Read
“Major video game makers – like Activision, Warner Bros and Walt Disney – are facing a strike by Hollywood performers over the use of artificial intelligence (AI).”
Meta’s AI safety system defeated by the space bar | 3 Minute Read
“Meta’s machine-learning model for detecting prompt injection attacks – special prompts to make neural networks behave inappropriately – is itself vulnerable to, you guessed it, prompt injection attacks.”
New Tech:
Musk says Tesla to use humanoid robots next year | 2 Minute Read
“Tesla boss Elon Musk says the electric car maker will start producing and using humanoid robots from next year.”
Other Tech News:
iPhone kicked out of China’s top 5 smartphone brands as domestic market bounces back | 2 Minute Read
“For the first time in a while, the top five smartphone vendors in China are all native, with Apple’s position falling to sixth place.”
China ponders creating a national ‘cyberspace ID’ | 2 Minute Read
“Because clearly it’s better for Beijing to know who you are than for every ISP and social service to keep its own records”
Microsoft finds a new way to irritate Windows 11 users – a backup pop-up | 2 Minute Read
“Ads in the Start Menu not annoying enough for you? Hold my beer”
W3C says Google’s cookie climbdown ‘undermines’ a lot of work | 2 Minute Read
“While some celebrate, the World Wide Web Consortium Technical Architecture Group is not happy”
Amazon, you will do a total recall of bad stuff sold through your site, watchdog barks | 3 Minute Read
“Amazon has been ordered by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to take full and proper responsibility for recalling faulty and dangerous products sold by merchants through its website and app.”
Ridesharing makes new and unique mess in Japan’s taxi industry | 2 Minute Read
“Minister accuses cab drivers of gaming algos to score more lucrative fares”
