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News
Careful! Windows 10’s ‘Check for updates’ button may download beta code
Microsoft reveals that users who manually ask for Windows 10 updates during the latter half of the month may receive code being beta-tested in advance of its official Patch Tuesday.
News
Quora data breach FAQ: What 100 million hacked users need to know
Hackers have stolen information about 100 million Quora users. Here's what they took and what you need to do next.
News
Marriott Starwood hotel data breach FAQ: What 500 million hacked guests need to know
Marriott has announced a database breach affecting some 500 million of its customers. Here's everything you need to know.
News
Now you can sign into your Microsoft Account with your face or a security key—no password needed
Microsoft uses FIDO2 security keys and your device's trusted protection module to let you sign into your Microsoft Account online without using a password.
Updated
If your Windows 10 PC says it’s having activation problems today, here’s why
Problems with Microsoft's activation servers have caused Windows 10 Pro PCs to report themselves as Windows 10 Home, and caused other PCs to pop up an error message claiming that they require activation.
News Analysis
Android security: Why Google’s demands for updates don’t go far enough
Google is forcing some Android phone makers to provide two years of security updates, but it's not as good as you'd think.
Deal
Protect up to five PCs with McAfee Total Protection for just $20 today
McAfee Total Protection excels at securing your PCs. Today you can get a year's coverage for just $20.
News
Google is shutting down Google+ after it exposed user data and neglected to tell anyone
After The Wall Street Journal reported that Google hid a Google+ breach for more than six months, the company announced it was shutting down the service for consumers.
Updated
Facebook account hack FAQ: What happened, how it affects you, and what you should do now
Facebook has announced that at least 50 million users were exposed in a massive security breach. Here's what happened and what you should do to protect your account.
Feature
What to do after a data breach: 5 steps to minimize risk
Website database breaches happen, and while there's little you can do to prevent them you can minimize your exposure. Here's what to do.
News
Newegg confirms credit card information was taken in a sophisticated attack
Electronics retailer Newegg has confirmed that credit card information taken during the last month appears to have been stolen via a JavaScript injection.
Updated
How Microsoft Edge’s hidden WDAG browser lets you surf the web securely
Windows 10 Pro users can use an enterprise-class version of the Edge browser, called Windows Defender Application Guard, for secure surfing. Here's how to use it.
Updated
T-Mobile data breach FAQ: What happened, how it affects you, and what you should do now
T-Mobile has divulged that hackers made off with some personal data in an attack on its servers earlier this week. Here's what the company is saying and how it affects you.
Updated
Solving Spectre and Meltdown may ultimately require an entirely new type of processor
Panelists at the Hot Chips conference debate short- and long-term solutions to Spectre and Meltdown, the two side-channel attacks that leveraged the speculative execution techniques of many modern microprocessors.
Updated
Foreshadow attacks Intel CPUs with Spectre-like tactics (but you’re probably safe)
Intel introduces L1TF or Foreshadow, a new speculative execution attack like Spectre and Meltdown, which targets SGX instructions on Intel's Core chips.
Updated
Dashlane 6: What are the new features, and should you pay the higher price?
Dashlane 6 is out with new features, and the next time you pay for your premium subscription, it will cost a whole lot more than. Is the extra cost worth it?
News
What Chrome’s ‘Not secure’ warning for unencrypted HTTP websites really means
Google Chrome now labels any sites that lack HTTPS encryption as 'not secure,' but that doesn't mean you've been hacked.
News
Chrome gobbles much more RAM due to Google’s ‘Site Isolation’ protection for Spectre CPU flaws
The Site Isolation feature that protects Google's Chrome browser against Spectre CPU attacks is live for 99 percent of users, but it drives up RAM usage significantly.
News
The Humble Cybersecurity Bundle offers everything you need to protect your PC for $15
Humble's PC security software bundle antivirus software, a top-tier password manager, encrypted cloud backup, and more.
News
S5Mark is a ‘VPN’ that is actually a rootkit in disguise, BitDefender says
A new rootkit, Zacinlo, that attacks United States users of Windows 10 has re-surfaced. It's hidden inside a "VPN" that promises to secure your PC.
News
Pornhub launches VPNhub, a VPN service with free, unlimited bandwidth
Pornhub's VPNhub service lets you browse the web—not just adult videos—without ISPs looking over your shoulder.
Updated
That Russia router malware threat might be worse than feared: What you need to know
The FBI recommends rebooting or even resetting your router to avoid sophisticated "VPNFilter" malware by a group tied to Russia. Here's what you need to know.
News
What you need to know about Speculative Store Bypass, the Spectre-like ‘Variant 4’ CPU flaw
Google and Microsoft discovered a new CPU flaw related to Meltdown and Spectre. Take action, but don't panic too much about Speculative Store Bypass.
Opinion
The Google privacy conundrum: Why locking down your data is a hard choice
Google has made it easier to see and control what parts of your data it collects from you, but the decision to make it private is harder than it's ever been.
News
For less than $30 you can get AVG Internet Security 2018 for three PCs at Newegg
AVG Internet Security is a solid anti-virus suite, and now it's really cheap with a checkout code.
News
Intel offloads virus scanning to the GPU for better battery life and performance
Intel announced a new capability of its Core chips, called Accelerated Memory Scanning, that will offload the CPU requirements of virus threat detection to an Intel GPU. Microsoft is the first to take advantage.
Updated
Microsoft’s chip push continues with Azure Sphere: Securing gadgets with chips and Linux
Microsoft's new Azure Sphere security package for billions of IoT devices includes two surprises: a new chip that Microsoft will license, plus its own Linux kernel.
News
AMD rolls out CPU firmware and Windows 10 patches to protect against Spectre exploits
AMD's CPU microcode updates join forces with a new Windows 10 patch to protect against Spectre variant 2—if you can get them.
News
Microsoft adds ransomware protections to make OneDrive and Outlook.com safer
Microsoft has made to several cloud-based protections available to Office 365 users to help fight the spread of malware.
Updated
How to protect your PC from the Meltdown and Spectre CPU flaws
Here's how keep your computer safe from the nasty Meltdown and Spectre CPU security flaws.
News
Intel finishes Spectre patching, some older CPUs won’t receive planned updates
Intel’s marathon of Spectre CPU microcode patches is ending, but some older chips that were promised updates won’t be receiving them.
News
Protect five PCs with Norton Security Deluxe for $20 today
You can get Norton Security Deluxe (boxed or digital) for over 50 percent off at Newegg today.
News
AMD confirms Ryzenfall vulnerabilities, but says they’ll be fixed soon via routine BIOS updates
AMD has issued its response to the Ryzenfall vulnerabilities discovered by CTS-Labs, and it sounds like they can be patched rather routinely.
Updated
AMD’s Ryzen, Epyc security co-processor and chipset have major flaws, researchers claim
A little-known security firm claims that AMD's Ryzen and Epyc architectures are subject to major exploitable flaws. While AMD said it hasn't had time to confirm or deny the claims, two independent firms have confirmed at least some of the vulnerabilities.
News
The state of Android security: Great on Oreo, but most phones are missing out
Google has released its annual Android security support and it's done well to lock down the Play Store and phones running Oreo.
News
Microsoft expands Spectre, Meltdown patches to include Windows 7/8.1, more Intel chips
Add Windows 7, Windows 8.1 to the list of Microsoft operating systems protected against Spectre and Meltdown, as well as the Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake, and Skylake chips from Intel.
News
Intel issues Meltdown/Spectre fixes for Ivy Bridge, Sandy Bridge as patch effort winds down
Intel has issued patches for the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities to PCs using its Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge families of Core microprocessors, leaving just a few niche chips left to patch.
News
Microsoft will host Intel’s Spectre and Meltdown patches on its own site
If you've built a PC using a motherboard from a smaller vendor who doesn't patch regularly, you may not have received a Spectre or Meltdown patch. Microsoft's here to help.
News
Intel quietly releases Spectre fixes for Haswell and Broadwell CPUs
Intel's finally fixed the Spectre fixes for Haswell and Broadwell CPUs, after yanking earlier microcode updates due to instability.
Protect Your iPhone and Your Data
Your iPhone Has Everything in It. How Do You Protect That Information?
The more data your phone carries, the more its value shifts from being a fancy piece of technology to becoming a storehouse of knowledge about you.
Updated
Meltdown and Spectre FAQ: How the critical CPU flaws affect PCs and Macs
The Meltdown and Spectre CPU bugs are very serious, and the fixes can create serious slowdowns in PCs, Macs, and other devices. Here's everything you need to know.
News
Intel ships new Spectre patches: Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake now, Sandy Bridge next
Intel has shipped revised patches for Spectre and Meltdown for its most recent CPU families, including Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake, with a roadmap for what's next.
News
Intel says it’s been hit with 32 separate lawsuits over Spectre, Meltdown
Intel's annual report claims that both customers and shareholders have filed numerous suits claiming they've been harmed by what Intel has or hasn't done regarding Spectre and Meltdown.
News
Don’t panic about the new ‘Prime’ Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits
Researchers discovered new ways to trigger Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits, but existing software patches offer protection.
Feature
How to roll your own VPN server
Using Algo on your Windows PC, you can set up and run a virtual private network on a server you control. This tutorial will walk you through all the steps.
News
Intel releases stable Spectre patches for Skylake PCs, recovering from a bad bout of bugs
After halting Spectre and Meltdown mitigation patches because of instability, Intel feels it's solved the problem, at least for Skylake PCs.
News
PCWorld’s February Digital Magazine: Meltdown and Spectre security flaws
Enjoy the best of PCWorld.com in a curated Digital Magazine for Android and iOS.
News
Microsoft issues emergency Windows patch to disable Intel’s buggy Spectre fix
As Intel warns against installing its latest Spectre patch, Microsoft issues a new patch to remove the older one—along with the ability to toggle protections on and off.
News
Intel’s plan to fix Meltdown in silicon raises more questions than answers
Intel told investors it will ship silicon that patches Spectre and Meltdown in hardware, while reporting record revenue for the fourth quarter of 2017. But Intel's statements leave us with more questions than answers.
News Analysis