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News
Gmail can warn you if your account is being trafficked on the dark web
Google is expanding its dark web protection services. Now, if your email is being shared on the Internet's underground, the dark web, Google will tell you.
Feature
Beyond passwords: How to set up passkeys with your Google account
You can now use a passkey instead of a password to log into your Google account. It’s secure, simple, and easy to set up on PC. We show you how.
News
Alert: MSI and Intel software keys are in the wild
After failing to extract a ransom, hackers have posted firmware keys for dozens of MSI products and hundreds that use Intel Boot Guard.
News
Western Digital hacked: Your deeply personal data might be stolen
Western Digital has revealed the extent of a successful data breach from March. It's bad.
News
You won't need a password to use Dashlane's password manager
Google isn’t the only company sticking another dagger into password use this week. Dashlane will soon offer passwordless logins, too.
Feature
RIP passwords: Google accounts now support passkeys
In honor of World Password Day, Google accounts now support passkeys, a secure but simple login method. Here’s how they work, and how to set them up.
Feature
Google Authenticator's long-awaited cloud 2FA feature carries hidden risk
An update to Google Authenticator this week finally enabled backups for your two-factor authentication codes. But the feature comes with a security risk.
News
ChromeOS is getting system-wide camera and microphone toggles
Attention, Google Chrome users! The popular browser will be getting system-wide camera and microphone toggles.
News
Proton Mail now includes an encrypted password manager
Proton Pass is available now for premium Proton Mail subscribers, but will eventually be free for everyone.
News
Used routers are leaking sensitive data. Don't make the same mistake with your PC
Researchers at ESET uncovered corporate IT secrets on secondhand networking gear—and it’s a lesson for those of us at home.
News
Chrome gets its second emergency patch this week
Another Google Chrome patch for a zero-day vulnerability, actively exploited in the wild, is going out to Windows and Mac now.
News
Windows 11's incoming presence sensing options keep apps from spying on you
A new Windows beta build includes a toggle that allows users to manually disable presence sensing.
Feature
Digital fingerprinting: The secret, insidious way you're tracked online
There's a new way to track your activity on the web, without a cookie or an IP address, and it's almost impossible to block.
News
AI can crack most passwords faster than you can read this article
An experiment by cybersecurity firm Home Security Heroes shows that a majority of common passwords can be cracked in under a minute.
News
Don't use public phone chargers, FBI warns
A warning from the FBI's Denver field office says that free public charging stations could be easy targets for hackers.
News
MSI hacked: Watch out for malicious fake software
MSI BIOS firmware and other data was stolen in a recent attack, so the company is asking users to be careful to only download from official sources.
News
IRS-certified free tax filing service caught spreading malware
Pages on eFile.com have been spreading known botnet downloads, and the company has yet to respond to security alerts.
News
Privacy browser from Mullvad VPN and Tor tries to erase your digital fingerprint
The combined project hopes to offer the most security possible, especially when you use it from behind a VPN
Deal
We love Bitdefender Total Security. Today only, get it for $20
Bitdefender comes loaded with top-notch security a ton of awesome features, and you can get it for 78% off in PCWorld's Software Store.
News
Microsoft enlists AI to supercharge PC security and hinder hackers
Security Copilot is Microsoft's AI tool to fight off hackers by identifying and responding to attacks using a specialized security version of the GPT-4 technology found in Bing Chat.
Opinion
Sorry, folks—2FA shouldn’t be treated as optional anymore
In the wake of constant data breaches and even wholesale password manager failures, you need a second line of defense protecting your accounts.
Feature
Password managers: Why I switched from free to paid premium
You get what you pay for, and when it comes to online security, free password managers fall short.
News
Windows PCs reveal hidden 'Acropalypse' screenshot info, but a fast fix is coming
Newly-discovered vulnerabilities in the Windows Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch mean it's possible to view cropped-out parts of images.
News
Journalists targeted by USB drives that explode in PCs
A USB drive triggered a hidden explosive charge when it was plugged into a PC — luckily no one was hurt
Deal
Norton 360 Deluxe is the best Windows antivirus. Get it for just $19.99
PCWorld's Software Store is selling the best security software around, Norton 360 Deluxe, for 73% off the usual price.
Opinion
I switched from LastPass to Bitwarden and I'm not going back
After a string of high-profile LastPass security failures, I sought out a less problematic (and cheaper) password manager.
Updated
Don’t use autofill on your password manager—especially if it’s Bitwarden
A Bitwarden feature that automatically fills in login info on recognized websites is vulnerable for exploit, but all password manager users should be careful.
News
Brave Firewall + VPN arrives on Windows
Brave has expanded its Brave Firewall + VPN service from the smartphone to the PC, for just under $10 per month.
News
'Play-to-earn' games are the next target for crypto scammers
Scammers are setting up honey pot games, then draining the connected cryptocurrency wallets.
News
VPN by Google One is coming to all subscribers
All Google One tiers will receive VPN services, complements of Google, and including Windows. Google is adding a dark web report to help track personal information, too.
News
The latest LastPass fail came from an employee's home PC
A key component of the 2022 hack was an employee's home computer that was running vulnerable third-party software.
News
Your voice can be a password. Are you protecting it like one?
AI-based technology that can clone your voice is here. But the feature highlights the vulnerabilities of biometric data when also used for authentication.
News
Phony, malicious Bitwarden ads slip past Google's watch
Google hosted ads that sent users to a fake Bitwarden login site
News
LastPass owner GoTo says hackers stole encrypted backups and keys
The latest breach in November was already pretty bad — turns out it was much worse.
News
35,000 PayPal accounts hacked, and users could've prevented it
PayPal is notifying nearly 35,000 users that their were accounts were breached. But PayPal wasn't hacked; users weren't using unique passwords or two-factor authentication.
News
These fake AMD Radeon drivers reveal a deeper Google problem
Stay sharp: If you’re not vigilant, clicking on a malicious link in search results is all too easy.
News
Watch out for phishing attacks after the latest credit breach
A major security flaw in Experian’s website allowed identity thieves to view full details of your credit cards, loans, and other debt.
News
Fake 'Pokemon NFT' game infects PCs with malware
In a scheme worthy of Team Rocket, two sites hosting fake Pokemon PC games have been spotted spreading remote access programs
Updated
LastPass got hacked again, and this time it affects customers
Update: According to the company's latest communication, LastPass’s recent leak of customer info includes email addresses, IP address info, and even vault data.
News
Update Windows now to patch this under-attack vulnerability
A flaw in Windows' Javascript validation is allowing ransomware to be downloaded — patch it as soon as you can
News
Chrome now supports passkeys, the password killer
Google Chrome has rolled out support for passkeys, a way of authenticating websites and apps, like banks, without passwords.
News
Windows spyware from North Korea steals data from your phone
Spyware traced to North Korean hacking groups has been caught scanning phones that connect to infected PCs.
News
Malware-ridden Chrome extension infects over a million PCs
The latest bit of widespread advertising hijacks is spread over thirty color-focused browser extensions.
News
Microsoft 365 Defender now disrupts ransomware
Microsoft says Microsoft 365 Defender now disrupts ransomware, though that capability doesn't look like it's available for consumers quite yet.
News
Google removes malicious Chrome extensions with 1.4 million users
McAfee found five malicious Chrome extensions with 1.4 million combined users.
News
DuckDuckGo's privacy-focused email service now open for all
The system strips out trackers and offers free alias addresses.
News
Plex hacked: Change your password right now
The roll-your-own streaming server tool Plex has experienced a big hack.
News
Don't plug in that free Microsoft Office USB drive you got in the mail
Surprisingly legit-looking, "free" copies of Microsoft Office are (unsurprisingly) still scams
News
DuckDuckGo will now block Microsoft trackers
After a security researcher found that DuckDuckGo was allowing tracking via Microsoft, DuckDuckGo moved quickly to close the privacy hole.
Updated