Apple Moves to Help Protect Your Children Online
Apple released a guide covering its new features that are designed to help keep children safe when using their devices. This includes an easier way of setting up Child Accounts as well as allowing kids (with their parents’ permission) to share their age range with developers so apps only show them age-appropriate content. Apple has also updated its age rating guidelines to include more detail.
Related: How to Create Apple ID for Kids under 13
US Inches Closer to Passing Right-to-Repair Laws in All States
404media reports that all 50 states in the US have either passed, are considering, or have introduced right-to-repair laws. These laws make it easier for ordinary customers to repair their devices by requiring companies, such as Apple, to make parts and manuals available to the general public. It also prevents companies from using “software locks” that restrict users from making repairs themselves. For example, agricultural manufacturer John Deere was forced by right-to-repair laws to stop including software locks on some farming equipment.
The Bottom Line: Right-to-repair laws can only be a benefit to consumers, so we’re hoping more states will pass them in the near future.
Federal Cybersecurity Programs & Consumer Protections Under Threat
Brian Krebs over at Krebs on Security summarized the security and privacy aspects of the first two months of the Trump administration. Some of the actions this administration has taken include laying off 130 staffers at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, ending operations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, stopping enforcement of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and putting a hold on all USAID funding. Suffice it to say that from a purely technical data privacy and security perspective, the situation is alarming.
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Warning to Parallels Users on Mac: Serious Security Bugs
Parallels is a popular Mac program that lets you run a version of Windows on your Mac computer so you can access Windows-only software. Security researcher Mickey Jin claims to have found two serious bugs in Parallels, which he disclosed to the software maker over seven months ago, and they never patched them, so he has gone public on his blog. The bugs allow a potential attacker to gain full access and control over any Mac with Parallels installed, but it is unknown if hackers have exploited the bugs.
The Bottom Line: If you have Parallels installed currently, you may consider isolating that machine or uninstalling Parallels until a patch is released.
Be Careful! New PayPal Phishing Email Comes from a Legitimate Paypal Address
Scammers have figured out a way to send a phishing email that comes from a legitimate PayPal address, tricking users into thinking their accounts have been hacked. Bleeping Computer has done an excellent write-up of this rather clever PayPal scam.
The Bottom Line: If you receive a potentially alarming email from PayPal, do not click any links in the email. Instead, log in to Paypal in a fresh browser tab or through their app to double check your address and recent purchases.
OpenAI Disrupts Misuse of ChatGPT
OpenAI has taken action against accounts that were using ChatGPT to power a surveillance tool and spread “anti-American, Spanish-language articles.” OpenAI claims Meta’s Llama AI model was also used to create the surveillance tool. This is the first time OpenAI has discovered its tools being misused in this way. Head over to eWeek for the full story.
$1.5 Billion Stolen from Bybit Cryptocurrency Exchange
We don’t cover cryptocurrency heists very often because there are so many, but it’s worth the reminder that unregulated currencies are not only prone to speculative investment bubbles and rife with scamming of all kinds, but the exchanges that manage crypto also get knocked over at a rate that would make Bonnie and Clyde blush. The latest hacker heist made off with an eye-watering $1.5 billion in investor assets (mostly Ethereum tokens) managed by Bybit, which is a bit more than usual. Researchers have linked the theft to rogues working for the government of North Korea.
The Bottom Line: If you have any cryptocurrency, be wary of where and how you invest your funds. Be sure you can trust the establishment that manages your crypto.
Antivirus Provider Kaspersky Banned in Australia
Back in 2017, the US banned antivirus software Kaspersky from being installed on government devices and expanded the ban to all US companies and customers in 2024. The ban came after allegations of ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government. Now, Australia is following suit and prohibiting Kaspersky from being installed on government systems.
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