Year: 2021

Year: 2021

This Wristband ‘Reads’ Your Thoughts to Make Devices Work
07/13/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

In the future, keyboards and remote controls may be replaced with a more direct way for humans to interact with machines —  hand gestures. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has more.   Camera: Elizabeth Lee Produced by: Elizabeth Lee …

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Tech Giants to Donate COVID Vaccines to Taiwan in China Workaround
07/12/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Taiwanese tech giants Foxconn and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company announced Monday they will each donate five million coronavirus vaccine doses to the government in a deal with a China-based distributor. Taipei has been struggling to secure enough vaccines for its population, and its precarious political status has been a major stumbling block. As Taipei and Beijing accused each

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China Announces New Cybersecurity Industry Strategy
07/12/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

China’s technology ministry Monday announced a three-year action plan to develop the country’s cyber-security industry, which it estimates will be worth more than $38 billion by 2023, according to Reuters. The new strategy by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is being unveiled as Beijing tightens its grip on the country’s technology sector, underscored by

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Hackers Disrupt Iran’s Rail Service with Fake Delay Messages
07/10/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Iran’s railroad system came under cyberattack Friday, a semi-official news agency reported, with hackers posting fake messages about train delays or cancellations on display boards at stations across the country.  The hackers posted messages such as “long delayed because of cyberattack” or “canceled” on the boards. They also urged passengers to call for information, listing

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Biden, Putin Discuss Ransomware Attacks From Russia
07/09/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

U.S. President Joe Biden said he discussed recent ransomware attacks on the U.S. from Russia in a phone call Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.Biden said he told Putin, “I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil, even though it’s not sponsored

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Buddhist Digital Amulets Mark Thai Entry Into Crypto Art Craze
07/09/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Karmic fortune has arrived to the digital art market, with a kaleidoscopic splash of colors and the face of a revered Thai monk offering portable Buddhist good luck charms to tech-savvy buyers.Sales of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) — virtual images of anything from popular internet memes to original artwork — have swept the art world in

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Chinese Social Media Giant WeChat Shuts LGBT Accounts
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

 China’s most popular social media service has deleted accounts on LGBT topics run by university students and nongovernment groups, prompting concern the ruling Communist Party is tightening control over gay and lesbian content.WeChat sent account holders a notice they violated rules but gave no details, according to the founder of an LGBT group, who asked

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Breakthrough Invention Aims to Eliminate Drunk Driving
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A breakthrough safety feature being developed for vehicles is designed to potentially save the 10,000 lives lost to drunk driving in the U.S. each year. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. Camera: Mike Burke    Footage: DADSS Program, WMUR …

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Up to 1,500 Businesses Affected by Ransomware Attack, US Firm’s CEO Says
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world have been affected by a ransomware attack centered on U.S. information technology firm Kaseya, its chief executive said Monday. Fred Voccola, the Florida-based company’s CEO, said in an interview that it was hard to estimate the precise impact of Friday’s attack because those hit were mainly customers of

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Asia Industry Group Warns Privacy Law Changes May Force Tech Firms to Quit Hong Kong
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

An Asian industry group that includes Google, Facebook and Twitter has warned that tech companies could stop offering their services in Hong Kong if the Chinese territory proceeds with plans to change privacy laws. The warning came in a letter sent by the Asia Internet Coalition, of which all three companies, in addition to Apple

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Holiday-Weekend Ransomware Attack Leaves Companies Scrambling
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Businesses around the world rushed Saturday to contain a ransomware attack that has paralyzed their computer networks, a situation complicated in the U.S. by offices lightly staffed at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. It’s not yet known how many organizations have been hit by demands that they pay a ransom in order

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Major Swedish Supermarket Chain Hit by Cyberattack
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

One of Sweden’s biggest supermarket chains said Saturday it had to temporarily close around 800 stores nationwide after a cyberattack blocked access to its checkouts.”One of our subcontractors was hit by a digital attack, and that’s why our checkouts aren’t working any more,” Coop Sweden, which accounts for around 20 percent of the sector, said

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‘Hams’ Head Outdoors for Remote Communication
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Amateur or “ham” radio operators sometimes take their two-way radios to remote locations and talk to people around the world using battery power and portable antennas.  As Mike O’Sullivan reports, they are making friends and preparing for emergencies. Camera: Mike O’Sullivan …

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Ransomware Hits Hundreds of US Companies, Security Firm Says
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A ransomware attack paralyzed the networks of at least 200 U.S. companies Friday, according to a cybersecurity researcher whose company was responding to the incident.  The REvil gang, a major Russian-speaking ransomware syndicate, appears to be behind the attack, said John Hammond of the security firm Huntress Labs. He said the criminals targeted a software

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Chinese Hackers Attacked Afghan Council Network, Cybersecurity Firm Says 
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

As part of a cyberespionage operation targeting Central Asian countries, Chinese hackers recently sought to breach the computer networks of Afghanistan’s National Security Council, researchers at cybersecurity firm Check Point reported.The alleged attack by the Chinese-speaking hacking group known to cybersecurity experts as IndigoZebra is the latest in an operation that goes back as far

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Microsoft Exec Says Targeting of Americans’ Records ‘Routine’
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Federal law enforcement agencies secretly seek the data of Microsoft customers thousands of times a year, according to congressional testimony Wednesday by a senior executive at the technology company.Tom Burt, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for customer security and trust, told members of the House Judiciary Committee that federal law enforcement in recent years has been

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Ukrainian Member of Cybercrime Gang Sentenced in US
06/24/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A Ukrainian hacker was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a notorious cybercrime group that stole millions of credit and debit card details from across the United States, the Department of Justice said Thursday.Andrii Kolpakov, 33, was also ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution after pleading guilty to one count

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US Lawmakers in Marathon Debate on Big Tech Regulation Bills
06/24/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

U.S. lawmakers debated into the night Wednesday over details of legislation aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech firms with a sweeping reform of antitrust laws.The House Judiciary Committee clashed over a series of bills with potentially massive implications for large online platforms and consumers who use them.The legislation could force an overhaul of

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McAfee Antivirus Software Creator Found Dead in Spanish Prison
06/24/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

John McAfee, creator of the McAfee antivirus software, has been found dead in his cell in a jail near Barcelona, a government official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.   Hours earlier, a Spanish court issued a preliminary ruling in favor of the 75-year-old tycoon’s extradition to the United States to face tax-related criminal charges.

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Cyberbullying Trial Tests French Tools to Fight Online Abuse
06/23/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A landmark cyberbullying trial in Paris, involving thousands of threats against a teenager who savaged Islam in online posts, is blazing a trail in efforts to punish and prevent online abuse.It has also raised uncomfortable questions about freedom of expression, freedom to criticize a religion, and respect for France’s millions of Muslims. But most of

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EU Investigates Google’s Advertising Business
06/22/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The European Union announced Tuesday it is once again investigating Google for what could be anti-competitive activities in digital advertising.The investigation will try to determine if Google is harming competitors by restricting third party access to user data that could better target advertising.”We are concerned that Google has made it harder for rival online advertising

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Disruptions in Wi-Fi Waves Could Help Catch Trespassers
06/22/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Home security companies often rely on cameras and motion sensors to catch trespassers, but as VOA’s Tina Trinh discovers, Wi-Fi signals can be a less intrusive way to monitor activity. Produced by: Tina Trinh      …

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