Microsoft has added a new security tool to its Edge browser. Called Scareware Blocker, it is designed to detect and prevent attacks that fall under scareware. Good to know: Scareware attacks use pressure to get users to do something that they should not. Common types are warnings about viruses found or that data has been…
Author: Martin Brinkmann
0-click attack promises to narrow down a user’s location geographically
Internet users have a few weapons in their arsenal when it comes to disguising their location. Some have good reasons for wanting to do that, from making sure that activity cannot be traced back to them to watching streaming content that is available only in other regions, or paying less for certain goods and services….
NoBloatBox is another app to take care of preinstalled Windows apps in bulk
When you install Windows or start a PC for the first time that comes preinstalled with Windows, there is a high chance that you have dozens of apps installed already on the system before the first sign in. Some of these apps are all-time classics, like Notepad or Calculator. Others are not liked nearly as…
Windows 11 is getting a better battery indicator on the taskbar finally
When you use a mobile Windows device, you see a battery icon on the taskbar that ideally should indicate the remaining battery live before the device needs to be charged. Problem is, this icon is so bad on Windows, that it is barely workable. To get a true reading, it is necessary to hover the…
Google Search: mobile results get simplified URL views
The URL, which is the site address of webpages, offers essential information to Internet users. It allows Internet users to verify that they are on the right website or verify links before they are visited. The details: Google announced that it is stripping the address of results on Google Search on mobile so that only…
Brave Search: raise or discard domains in search for custom results
Brave launched a new search feature today that introduces reranking options. The core idea is to give users of the search engine an option to see more results of websites they like or prefer, and less or nothing at all of sites that they do not like or want to see. This is especially useful…
European Consumer Organization renews criticism of Meta’s “pay-or-consent” policy
Meta’s attempt to appease consumer rights organizations in Europe continues to draw sharp criticism from consumer protection groups. The company introduced a pay-or-consent policy on its main platforms as a response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. The policy gives users of its platforms two options: give Meta consent for advertising and tracking, or…
Like Clockwork, Netflix is rising prices again
Years ago, I predicted that streaming companies would raise subscription prices regularly, maybe even yearly. Today, news broke that Netflix is raising the price of subscriptions again. The details: Here is the new price structure in the United States: This is the first price increase since October 2023, when Netflix increase the price of Premium…
Firefox 134.0.2 is here with a few non-security corrections
Mozilla plans to release a second point update for Firefox 134 later today. Firefox 134.0.2 is another non-security update that addresses a few pressing problems in the browser that had to be fixed early. Most Firefox installations will be upgraded automatically once the update is released. As this does not happen in real-time, some users…
Google Needs to Strengthen Ad Security After Latest Malvertising Incident
A recent incident has shown another security vulnerability in Google’s advertising platform: advertisers can display URLs of legitimate websites in their ads while redirecting clicks to malicious destinations. This deceptive practice has recently been exploited in a concerning incident. Here is what happened. The popular macOS package manager Homebrew became the target of cybercriminals in…