ZDNet: Slack published more details about a password reset operation that ZDNet reported earlier today. According to a statement the company published on its website, the password reset operation is related to the company’s 2015 security breach. In March 2015, Slack said hackers gained access to some Slack infrastructure, including databases storing user credentials. Hackers stole hashed passwords, but they also…
Tag: PCs
Making the Case For a Microsoft Surface Phone That Runs Android
Zac Bowden from Windows Central makes the case for why Microsoft may want to make a Surface phone that runs Android. An anonymous reader shares an excerpt from the report: While a Surface Phone running Android would never sell to the quantity that Samsung smartphones do (or at least not a first- or second-generation phone), Microsoft could utilize the Surface brand…
How Many Kinds of USB-C To USB-C Cables Are There?
From a blog post: Classic USB from the 1.1, 2.0, to 3.0 generations using USB-A and USB-B connectors have a really nice property in that cables were directional and plugs and receptacles were physically distinct to specify a different capability. A USB 3.0 capable USB-B plug was physically larger than a 2.0 plug and would not fit into a USB 2.0-only…
Microsoft Stirs Suspicions By Adding Telemetry Files To Security-Only Update
An anonymous reader quotes a report from ZDNet: As expected, Windows Update dropped off several packages of security and reliability fixes for Windows 7 earlier this week, part of the normal Patch Tuesday delivery cycle for every version of Windows. But some hawk-eyed observers noted a surprise in one of those Windows 7 packages. What was surprising about this month’s Security-only…
Slashdot Asks: What Do You Do With Your Raspberry Pi?
The Raspberry Pi is a small single-board computer that’s exploded in popularity over the years thanks to its wide array of uses. While it was originally designed to promote the teaching of basic computer science in schools and in developing countries, the computers have been adapted to be used for robotics, media, game and print servers, and even as replacements for…
Millions of Dell PCs Vulnerable To Flaw In Pre-Installed Software
secwatcher shares a report from Threatpost: Millions of PCs made by Dell and other OEMs are vulnerable to a flaw stemming from a component in pre-installed SupportAssist software. The flaw could enable a remote attacker to completely takeover affected devices. The high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2019-12280) stems from a component in SupportAssist, a proactive monitoring software pre-installed on PCs with automatic failure detection…
Linux PCs, Servers, Gadgets Can Be Crashed by ‘Ping of Death’ Network Packets
Artem S. Tashkinov writes: The Register reports that it is possible to crash network-facing Linux servers, PCs, smartphones and tablets, and gadgets, or slow down their network connections, by sending them a series of maliciously crafted packets. It is also possible to hamper FreeBSD machines with the same attack. Patches and mitigations are available, and can be applied by hand if…
The Invention of USB, ‘The Port That Changed Everything’
harrymcc shares a Fast Company article about “the generally gnarly process once required to hook up peripherals” in the late 1990s — and one Intel engineer who saw the need for “one plug to rule them all.” In the olden days, plugging something into your computer — a mouse, a printer, a hard drive — required a zoo of cables. Maybe…
Intel SVP Gregory Bryant Opens Up On Project Athena Laptop Initiative
MojoKid shares a report from HotHardware: Earlier this year, Intel revealed its Project Athena initiative and earlier this month gave us a broad overview on what to expect with future computing designs. Like Centrino (which brought laptops into the Wi-Fi age) and Ultrabooks (which touted the idea of thin and light premium laptops), Project Athena encompasses a collection of technologies and…
South Korean Government Planning Linux Migration as Windows 7 Support Ends
An anonymous reader shares a report: With just seven more months of support left for Windows 7, the South Korean government is planning to migrate to Linux, according to the Korea Herald, which notes that the Interior Ministry will begin “test-running Linux on its PCs, and if no security issues arise, Linux systems will be introduced more widely within the government….