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Updated
Stop installing our buggy Spectre CPU firmware fixes, Intel says
Intel is telling users to stop installing CPU firmware patches for Spectre exploits, after most modern PCs fall prey to reboot problems.
The Full Nerd
The Full Nerd episode 39: Meltdown, Spectre, and astronomical graphics card prices
In this episode of The Full Nerd, the gang tackles the Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits and sky-high graphics card prices before answering viewer questions.
Updated
Microsoft patches its earlier Meltdown patch for AMD PCs, allowing them to boot
The emergency Windows 10 Meltdown patch was bricking some AMD PCs, forcing Microsoft to halt its roll-out for impacted systems. Now, Microsoft has patched its patch.
News
Is your PC vulnerable to Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits? InSpectre tells you
Steve Gibson's free InSpectre tool tells you if your PC is patched against the Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits.
News Analysis
Here’s how much the Meltdown and Spectre fix hurt my Surface Book performance
I just patched the Surface Book with the Meltdown and Spectre patches. Here's how much it hurt.
News
AMD processors will get a firmware update for the Spectre CPU exploit, but it’s optional
AMD will patch Ryzen, Threadripper, Epyc, and other CPU firmware to protect against Spectre CPU attacks, but unlike Intel's, they're not critical.
News
Skype taps Whisper’s Signal protocol to test encrypted calls and chats
Microsoft's Skype uses Whisper's Signal protocol to establish Private Conversations for secure end-to-end chats and calls between two devices.
News
Nvidia updates graphics drivers to protect against Spectre CPU attacks
Nvidia's new patches for GeForce, Quadro, and other graphics cards include mitigations for the devastating Spectre CPU exploit.
News
Microsoft tests show Spectre patches drag down performance on older PCs
Microsoft says that an older version of Windows or older Intel silicon will experience a noticeable performance hit when applying a Spectre patch. Intel is less detailed in its performance information.
News
Netgear Armor is a $70 router update that protects your home network with Bitdefender
Armor, Netgear's new subscription-based security service for your home network, will cost $70 a year and is powered by Bitdefender.
News
D-Link’s McAfee-powered AC2600 router aims for network-wide protection
D-Link's DIR-2680 comes with McAfee's embedded security platform to secure your home devices at the network level.
Updated
Intel responds to the CPU kernel bug, claiming its patches will make PCs ‘immune’
Intel acknowledged that a CPU kernel bug, being referred to as a side-channel analysis exploit, has the potential to affect chips from ARM and AMD. Patches for the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities may carry performance penalties of between 0 and 30 percent.
Feature
The 12 biggest hacks, breaches, and security threats of 2017
The biggest security hacks, leaks, and breaches of 2017 may impact your privacy for years to come.
Feature
Best after-Christmas sales: 7 deals worthy of your gift cards
Most of the crazy holiday deals are over, but you can still find a few gems out there if you look around.IT Orchestration by CDW
Less-risky business. Orchestrated by CDW.
News
HP patches hundreds of laptops to remove hidden keylogger
475 HP laptops were discovered to have a keylogger hidden in their Synaptics touchpad software.IT Orchestration by CDW
Basic Training for Enterprise Security
Risks are changing, and you need to be prepared for anything.
IT Orchestration by CDW
Managing Risk in a Connected World
As digital transformation takes hold, organizations must learn what their cybersecurity risks are – and how best to address them.
Feature
What the Kaspersky antivirus hack really means
Popular Moscow-based security firm Kaspersky has been accused of working with Russian intelligence, should you keep running it on your machine? The answer's not so simple.News
NordVPN is offering 3 years of VPN service for $99
U.S. Netflix fans outside of the country should take a good look at this particular deal.
Updated
KRACK Wi-Fi attack threatens all networks: How to stay safe and what you need to know
Researchers have uncovered a Wi-Fi security flaw, dubbed KRACK, that affects nearly any device that uses Wi-Fi, whether or not the network is encrypted. Here's what you can do to stay safe.
Updated
How Intel Core chips and Lenovo PCs could take over two-factor authentication from your phone
Intel's 8th-generation Core chips include the capability to provide a two-factor authentication right from a PC, without a phone. Lenovo now has several PCs that support this feature.
News
KRACK Wi-Fi attacks shouldn’t harm updated Windows PCs
Microsoft quietly updated Windows PCs to keep them safe from the KRACK Wi-Fi security flaw on October 10.Updated
3 billion Yahoo accounts hacked: 5 things you should do to stay safe
If you were one of the 3 billion people with a Yahoo account in 2013, it was hacked. Here's how to stay safe.
Updated
CCleaner hacked with malware: What you need to know
Avast Piriform says that hackers infiltrated its update servers to inject malware into a recent CCleaner release, targeting specific technology companies.
Updated
Equifax hack: How to know if you’re affected
After a data breach at Equifax, highly sensitive personal data for 143 million Americans are in the hands of hackers. Here's how to know if you're affected.
News
Amazon is selling Norton Security Deluxe for $20 today
Norton's Security Deluxe for Windows or Mac is still one of the best security products—and right now, it's available for a good price.
Updated
Lenovo’s Superfish bloatware scandal reveals a sneaky tactic we thought Microsoft had started
The VisualDiscovery Superfish adware that Lenovo loaded on to thousands of laptops not only slowed browsing but also used a sneaky opt-in practice that Microsoft later used with Windows 10.
News
VPNs have a trust issue: Here’s what TunnelBear did about it
TunnelBear's third-party security audit helped the VPN service fix vulnerabilities and prove its seriousness about protecting its customers.
News
AV-Comparatives’ anti-phishing results for 2017 put Avast, Bitdefender, Fortinet, and Kaspersky on top
AV-Comparatives recently released some test results for 2017 looking at the best protection for phishing, parental control, and the effectiveness of free vs. paid software.
News
Kaspersky’s stellar antivirus finally goes free
Kaspersky's premium antivirus goes free after topping independent testing charts for years.Updated
How to remove ransomware: Use this battle plan to fight back
Ransomware has exploded onto the PC, including the recent Petya and NotPetya outbreak. We'll show you what to do to avoid it, remove it, and—if necessary—even negotiate with its authors.
Security Measures
Keyloggers: Beware this hidden threat
Your every keystroke can easily be monitored by legitimate and illegitimate software lurking within your PC or phone.
News Analysis
How to secure your CMS without patching
In as little as four hours, the bad guys can reverse engineer a software patch for an open-source content management system (CMS) and build an exploit capable of turning millions of websites into spammers, malware hosts or DDoS attackers. A German project aims to beat the bad guys to it, without a patch.
News Analysis
It’s time to upgrade to TLS 1.3 already, says CDN engineer
Businesses dragging their heels over rolling out TLS 1.2 on their website might have an excuse to delay a little longer: Version 1.3 of the TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption protocol will be finalized later this year, and early deployments of it are already under way.
Security Measures
Cybersecurity insurance: A new answer to online crime
Insurance companies see a lucrative opportunity in the rise of cyberbullying, hacking, ransomware, and revenge porn.News Analysis
HPE highlights innovation in software-defined IT, security at Discover
At its Discover conference this week, HPE is pulling back the curtains on firmware security and advances in software-defined IT aimed to reduce costs and increase system flexibility for its users and help it stay ahead of competitors in next-generation infrastructure.News
Any website can crash your Windows 7 or 8 PC with these four characters
A website with an image directory that uses $MFT in its name is enough to crash Windows 7 and 8 PCs.
IT Orchestration by CDW
Why You Need A Comprehensive Security Assessment
Detecting and fixing security holes before they're exploited yields broad savings.World Beyond Windows
Fight ransomware by running Windows in Linux as a virtual machine
You can minimize the damage caused by malware by running Windows in Linux as a virtual machine. A virtual machine's isolation helps keep you out of trouble. Here's how to do it.News
Wanawiki is the WannaCry fix that might save affected PCs—if you work fast
A new tool, calleed wanawiki, helps defeat the WannaCry ransomware on older Windows PCs by reconstructing the unlock key.
News
Shadow Brokers tease more Windows exploits and cyberespionage data
A group of hackers that previously leaked alleged NSA exploits claims to have even more attack tools, as well as intelligence gathered by the agency on foreign banks and ballistic missile programs.Updated
2 easy ways to child-proof your Android or iOS device
Android and iOS devices both have parental controls, but here are ways you can quickly and temporarily lock down your handset, without having to take a deep dive into the Settings menu.News
Digital signature service DocuSign hacked, users hit with malicious emails
Digital signature service DocuSign said Monday that an unnamed third-party had got access to email addresses of its users after hacking into its systems.News
The WannaCry ransomware might have a link to North Korea
As security researchers investigate last Friday’s massive attack from the WannaCry ransomware, they’ve noticed clues that may link it with a North Korean hacking group that has been blamed for attacking banks across the world.
News
Paying the WannaCry ransom will probably get you nothing. Here’s why.
Last Friday’s massive WannaCry ransomware attack means victims around the world are facing a tough question: Should they pay the ransom? Those who do shouldn't expect a quick response — or any response at all. Even after payment, the ransomware doesn’t automatically release your computer and decrypt your files.Updated
Old Windows PCs can stop WannaCry ransomware with new Microsoft patch
Users of old Windows systems can now download a patch to protect them from this week’s massive ransomware attack, including those on Windows XP.News
WannaCry attacks are only the beginning, experts warn
As the WannaCry ransomware attack evolves, more cybercriminals are likely to attempt to profit from the vulnerability it exploits and similar flaws in the future.News