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:
Microsoft down: Outage was caused by cyber attack, company says | 3 Minute Read
“On Tuesday, some of its apps were knocked offline in an intentional cyber attack, Microsoft said in an update. The company’s attempts to stop the hack actually amplified it, it noted.”
CrowdStrike says it’s not to blame for Delta’s days-long outage | 3 Minute Read & attached lawsuit
“The cybersecurity company says Delta declined on-site assistance, and that the airline’s proposed lawsuit contributes to a ‘misleading narrative.”
Fortune 50 biz coughed up record-breaking $75M ransom to halt leak of stolen data | 3 Minute Read
“The underworld outfit, which calls itself Dark Angels, doesn’t go for the shotgun approach a lot of other malware-slinging teams use”
Israeli hacktivist group brags it took down Iran’s internet | 2 Minute Read
“Operating under the name WeRedEvils, the group has been around since at least October 2023, likely as a direct consequence of Hamas’s attack on Israel, which led to the current Gaza war.”
Google gamed into advertising a malicious version of Authenticator | 3 Minute Read
“Scammers have been using Google’s own ad system to fool people into downloading a borked copy of the Chocolate Factory’s Authenticator software.”
AI:
Taco Bell’s drive-thru AI might take your next order | 5 Minute Read
“Parent company Yum! Brands has been testing its “Voice AI” technology at more than 100 Taco Bell drive-thru locations in the US, and now Yum!”
Digital replicas to be banned under proposed AI law | 4 Minute Read
“US lawmakers have introduced a new bill aimed at protecting individuals from AI-generated digital replicas.”
Meta courts celebs like Awkwafina to voice AI assistants ahead of Meta Connect | 4 Minute Read
“Judi Dench, Keegan-Michael Key, and Awkwafina are among multiple “actors and influencers” whose voices could become part of Meta’s AI offering.”
OpenAI won’t watermark ChatGPT text because its users could get caught | 4 Minute Read
“Some ChatGPT users said they’d use ChatGPT less if it included watermarks.”
Say ‘ahhhh’ – AI robots are now gunning for your gums | 4 Minute Read
“Perceptive turns its automated dental dynamo on humans, and Zuck’s dad thinks it’s great”
DARPA suggests turning old C code automatically into Rust – using AI, of course | 5 Minute Read
“Who wants to make a TRACTOR pull request?”
Lights, camera, AI! Real-time deepfakes coming to DEF CON | 3 Minute Read
“Red teamer finds they’re easy to make, which is welcome to produce fodder for detection bots”
AI boom is reshaping the face of cloud infrastructure | 5 Minute Read
“Capex skyrockets as providers prioritize new shiny over traditional server upgrades”
EU AI Act still in infancy, but those with ‘intelligent’ HR apps better watch out | 7 Minute Read
“Users and developers warned to prepare for what’s coming with human resources a focus in ‘high-risk’ category”
New Tech:
Solar-powered device harvests litres of drinking water from thin air | 3 Minute Read
“Breakthrough technology offers solution for arid regions and areas hit by water scarcity”
Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants second patient with brain chip | 3 Minute Read
“The chip records brain activity via 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 flexible leads or “threads”, each thinner than the width of a human hair.”
Battery discovery offers decades-long lifespan | 3 Minute Read
“‘Game-changing’ breakthrough offers new era of commercial batteries with high energy density and radically extended cycle life”
You Won’t Believe What Car Headlights Have in Store | 6 Minute Read
“‘New technology and a drive toward electrified powertrains have converged to create a flashy new car-lighting landscape.”
Intel tacks two years onto Raptor Lake CPU warranty after voltage crash fiasco | 2 Minute Read
“It’s starting to sink in for Chipzilla that it’s losing some credibility”
San Francisco set to ban rent-hiking algorithms used by landlords | 3 Minute Read
“Automated price-fixing software screwing over tenants? Fog off!”
Other Tech News:
Tech CEO says people will enjoy paying a monthly fee to use a mouse. ‘You’re going to really love that.’ | 3 Minute Read
“Logitech’s new CEO has grand ideas for the computer hardware company, and one of them is a “forever mouse” that you’d never have to replace but that you may have to pay for every month.”
Spotify gives up on trying to charge for song lyrics | 2 Minute Read
“‘Spotify has stopped trying to make users pay for song lyrics. After expanding a test that put the feature behind a Premium paywall, Spotify is now reversing the change.”
Google Maps is getting even more like Waze | 2 Minute Read
“‘Google is updating its two navigation apps — Google Maps and Waze — with a slew of new features, including some changes that bring the two closer together.”
Google is expanding ‘school time’ to phones and tablets | 2 Minute Read
“‘Parents can limit calls and message notifications on their child’s phone and tablet during school.”
Net neutrality is on ice | 2 Minute Read
“‘The Supreme Court’s Chevron ruling opened the door for an appeals court to block the FCC’s net neutrality rules.”
Skype goes ad-free, which is unusual for Microsoft | 2 Minute Read
“‘Microsoft has announced an ad-free update for Skype, now headed to testers in the company’s Insider program.”
Two senior board execs leave SAP as restructuring hits the fan | 2 Minute Read
“‘German vendor maintains departures follow increase in job cuts”
Tesla sues maker of ‘highly unsafe’ breakaway EV charging adapters | 2 Minute Read
“‘EVject designed its MagSafe-style adapters for a quick escape, but Tesla argues they can get dangerously hot while charging.”
