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Category: Security

Glenn Fleishman 5 comments

Apple Adds Lockdown Mode to Protect Activists and Government Targets

Apple announced it will add an enhanced security mode to this year’s planned operating system updates to deter government-level spyware.

Josh Centers 2 comments

Defending Ukraine: Microsoft’s Early Lessons from Russia’s Cyberwar

While the Russian military attempts to level Ukrainian cities, Russian intelligence agencies have targeted the rest of the world online. Microsoft offers early insights into what its threat intelligence team has learned on the digital front lines.

Glenn Fleishman 59 comments

Why Passkeys Will Be Simpler and More Secure Than Passwords

Passkeys are a new way to log into websites and apps that replaces passwords. The industry-standard passkey technology is simpler and more secure than passwords (even with two-factor authentication), resists phishing, and is built to be compatible across browsers and platforms.

Josh Centers 18 comments

Apple Releases iOS 15.5, iPadOS 15.5, macOS 12.4, watchOS 8.6, tvOS 15.5, and HomePod Software 15.5

In what may be the final release of the iOS 15/macOS 12 cycle to include more than bug fixes and security updates, Apple has updated all its operating systems with some improvements to Podcasts and Wallet, plus bug fixes and security updates.

Adam Engst 25 comments

Bad Apple #5: iCloud Drive Folder Sharing Risks Data Loss

iCloud Drive folder sharing has been around since macOS 10.15 Catalina, which makes it all the less acceptable that someone with whom the folder is shared can delete a file permanently and with only one possible—and unmentioned by Apple—option for recovery.

Josh Centers 7 comments

TipBITS: How to Disable a Known AirTag’s Alerts

Tired of getting unnecessary “AirTag Found Moving With You” alerts when you borrow your spouse’s keys? Here’s how you can disable those alerts, at least for a day.

Adam Engst 58 comments

Another Step Toward a Password-Free Future

Apple, Google, and Microsoft have committed to expanding support for the FIDO Alliance’s passwordless login technology over the course of the coming year. With luck, we’ll see it in the next versions of Apple’s operating systems.

Adam Engst 19 comments

How to Help a Friend Whose Email Has Been Hacked to Send Scams

After receiving three separate scam solicitations from acquaintances whose email accounts had been taken over by scammers, Adam Engst explains how the scam works and what you can do to protect yourself and help others who have been hacked.

Josh Centers 103 comments

Moving from 1Password to KeePass

Josh Centers decided to regain control over his password database by moving from 1Password to the open-source KeePass. He explains the tradeoffs and how to overcome the hurdles of syncing passwords among all your devices.

Rich Mogull 100 comments

Apple’s App Store Stubbornness May Be iOS’s Greatest Security Vulnerability

Apple’s App Store helped make iPads and iPhones the most secure consumer-focused computers ever created. But Apple’s opaque policy enforcement and payment restrictions are now motivating regulators and courts to get involved, which will likely force changes that will damage consumer safety.

Josh Centers 1 comment

The Real Reason Wyze Labs Discontinued Its First-Generation Security Camera

Wyze Labs has finally come clean about why it discontinued its first-generation security camera, and if you’re still using one, you may want to unplug it.

Glenn Fleishman 54 comments

Never Change Your Password

Many websites advise you to change your password routinely. That advice is nearly universally wrong: you should only update a password when there’s a weakness. Why does it persist?

Josh Centers No comments

A New York Times Reporter Tracked Her Husband’s Every Move. Here’s What She Learned

New York Times privacy reporter Kashmir Hill used an AirTag, a Tile, and a GPS device to track her husband’s every move (with his consent). It’s a fascinating story of how well the different products worked and how creepy it felt.

Adam Engst No comments

Apple Explains How It Will Address AirTag Privacy Issues

Media reports of AirTags being abused by criminals have stirred controversy. Apple has published a brief but detailed plan on how it is addressing privacy concerns.

Josh Centers 5 comments

Apple Releases macOS 12.2.1 Monterey, iOS 15.3.1, iPadOS 15.3.1, and watchOS 8.4.2

The latest maintenance updates to Apple’s core operating systems fix a couple of serious bugs and a major security flaw.