Latest news with #onlineSecurity
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Protect All of Your Devices With a Discounted, No-Subscription VPN
The following content is brought to you by PCMag partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation. Online security tools have come a long way, but many still rely on centralized VPNs that can introduce their own risks. The Deeper Connect Mini takes a different approach, offering decentralized VPN (DPN) technology combined with enterprise-grade firewall protection in one compact piece of hardware. Normally $229, the Deeper Connect Mini is now only $179.99. Instead of routing data through third-party servers, the Deeper Connect Mini uses peer-to-peer connections to maintain privacy while minimizing latency and bandwidth throttling. It gives users direct control over their encrypted data streams and allows for unrestricted content access without sacrificing speed or stability. The built-in 7-layer firewall filters traffic at multiple levels, blocking malware, phishing attempts, and other threats before they reach connected devices. Smart routing capabilities optimize traffic paths automatically, while multi-routing allows simultaneous access to multiple regions. Integrated ad blocking removes ads across all browsers, including YouTube, improving load times and reducing data usage. For households with children, one-click parental controls make it easy to restrict access to unsafe content. The device also offers blockchain-based bandwidth sharing, allowing users to contribute idle network resources to Deeper's decentralized ecosystem in exchange for passive income. Unlike most VPNs, the Deeper Connect Mini works with no subscription fees, so you get a lifetime of protection for a one-time cost. Until July 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, a Deeper Connect Mini Decentralized VPN is only $179.99 (reg. $229). Prices subject to change. PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through StackSocial affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
Are we human or are we spammer?
Have you stopped answering the phone to unknown callers? Do you no longer click links in texts? Or have you, at some point, failed to convince a website's anti-spam filter that you are in fact human? Perhaps you answered 'yes' to all three, 'no' to all three, or a mixture. The possibility that a withheld number might contain an invitation to do television makes it too much for my vanity to give that one up. I'll take my chances with the fraudsters. Others have their own bespoke arrangements – calling back unknown numbers, for example – to combat fraud or impersonation. All these habits have the same cause. It is getting harder and harder to prove someone is who they say they are online. Both businesses and households must take ever-greater steps to prove that they, and the people they are dealing with, are really 'people' at all. READ MORE Advances in computing power, in generative AI and in machine learning all give companies and the state greater speed in responding to attacks of one kind or another: but they also give more powerful tools to spammers, fraudsters and bad actors. Our trust in technology – in the texts we receive, the attachments we open, the forms we fill in – is slowly withering as a result. I haven't yet seen a fake news clip or AI-generated video that is good enough to fool a keen observer. (My favourite tells are the ones trained on data so lousy with sexualised images that they are immediately ridiculous. I recently saw a 'war correspondent' supposedly reporting for 'CNN' in a plunging négligée.) But two years ago, ChatGPT wrote only about as well as a student struggling to pass their high school diploma. Now it seems to write at more of an undergraduate level. It won't be long before generative AI will be able to produce video that is indistinguishable from reality to even the most sophisticated viewer. This same ever-improving AI means that things researchers thought impractical a year ago are now possible. Government, in particular, can use it to get faster and better at making decisions and handling data. But the technology will bring casualties in its wake as well and one of them may be ecommerce as we know it. For financial transactions to be both safe and practical online, the ability to verify both who you, and the person you are conducting business with are, is essential. As machines get smarter than humans, or at least, smart enough to fake being human, verification becomes harder and the job of fraudsters easier. The reason why the various tests to 'prove you're a human' online are getting more difficult is that computers are getting smarter. Fooling The problem is that the more barriers you have to erect, the more likely it is that people will grow used to working around them and the more effective fraudsters and other bad actors will become at fooling them. Consumers will trust online and digital transactions less and businesses will behave in riskier ways as cybersecurity asks more and more of employees. The costs involved can be very large. Marks & Spencer is unusual in being incredibly open about the hit – both financial, in the shape of a £300 million blow to profits, and logistical, in that trading is still affected – of the cyber attack they have experienced. Other businesses and organisations, without customers or shareholders to mollify, often treat these breaches as a personal embarrassment. And where the problem hits the headlines, the consequences linger on for much longer. The British Library has not fully recovered from the ransomware attack it experienced two years ago. Hackney Council, in east London, is still feeling the effects of a cyber attack half a decade ago. How can the problem be solved? Some in cyber security fear that the long-term answer is, 'It can't'. History teaches us that the only way knowledge can be unlearnt is through a societal collapse of a kind no one should wish to live through. So simply prohibiting the use of new, smarter machines is a non-starter. The same technological advances allowing us to improve productivity in the regular economy are the ones that make us more vulnerable to cyber attack, more prone to impersonation, and make fake images and video harder and harder to distinguish from the real world. What should we do instead? As smart machines do more and more work in research, bureaucracy and design, one solution to the 'verification problem' may be that anything that requires peer-to-peer checking increasingly returns to face-to-face encounters. The next wave of jobs may not be as cyber experts, but as bank tellers. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Every iPhone owner should be using these privacy settings – but only ONE is essential
DATA is one of the most valuable assets in today's world, and protecting it has become more important than ever. Apple iPhone owners have a variety of easy ways to keep their data safe, but there's only one method that will guarantee a certain level of online security. 1 Proton VPN Anyone using an iPhone - or indeed just browsing on the internet - will leave a 'digital footprint' behind them. Most people realise this is how advertisers can target you with personalised ads and the like, but it's also something that can be exploited by cybercriminals. Apple has rolled out a series of features in recent years to help users safeguard their online activity, but none can match the overall levels of security offered by a VPN such as ProtonVPN. Read on to find out more about the privacy features offered to Apple users, and how they compared to installing a VPN on your iPhone. App Tracking Transparency (ATT) ATT (App Tracking Transparency) is a tool offered by Apple that gives you more control over your data. It was first introduced when iOS 14.5 was rolled out in 2021, and is essentially a new requirement for apps to ask for your permission before tracking your activity. This tracking was previously automatic and allowed apps to collect data about your interests, location, and behaviour. But now apps must show a pop-up asking if you want to 'Allow Tracking.' If you choose not to allow it, the app cannot track you: a little victory for user consent. iCloud Private Relay iCloud Private Relay is a privacy feature for iCloud+ (Apple's premium cloud service) users that protects your browsing in Safari. It works by hiding your IP address and encrypts your DNS requests so websites and internet providers (ISPs) can't track or profile you. The first server, run by Apple, hides your DNS request so even Apple doesn't know which sites you want to visit. The second server, run by a third party, assigns a temporary IP address to mask your real one. Anyone who knows a little about VPNs will find these encryption techniques familiar - but iCloud Private Relay only works in Safari, Apple's browser. Scroll down for further information about how the two services differ. Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) Thought that everything that happens in your inbox stays in your inbox? Wrong. Email senders are able to track your activity via your IP address - but MPP hides this, preventing them from keeping tabs on your online behaviour. It also blocks senders from finding out if and when you've opened their sent email, data which could otherwise be used for marketing purposes. MPP also preloads email content in a way that protects your data, and ensures that email trackers can't gather up information about you. By using MPP, you can stop advertisers and marketers from keeping tabs on your email habits and maintain greater control over your privacy. iCloud Private Relay vs VPN Both iCloud Private Relay and VPNs work to protect your online activity, but do so differently. Private Relay only encrypts Safari traffic, while a VPN encrypts all internet activity on your device. In other words, any app you use is protected by a VPN such as ProtonVPN. A VPN, on the other hand, encrypts everything, making it a better option for securing your entire connection - especially on public Wi-Fi. VPNs also allow you to change your virtual location by choosing servers in different countries. Private Relay only assigns an IP address within your region, so you can't appear to be in another country. That's not ideal if, for example, you want to watch ITV abroad or watch BBC iPlayer abroad. For full protection across all apps and browsers, a VPN is the smarter choice. Why choose Proton VPN? Proton VPN offers strong privacy features and is based in Switzerland, which has strict data protection laws. Unlike iCloud Private Relay, Proton VPN encrypts all your online activity, not just Safari traffic. It also keeps no logs, ensuring users get complete privacy. Proton provides additional services besides a VPN connection: Proton Mail encrypts your emails on your device, so even Proton can't read them. This is more secure than Apple Mail, which doesn't encrypt emails by default. Proton Drive and Calendar fully encrypt your files and events, unlike iCloud, which only offers partial encryption unless you enable Advanced Data Protection. Proton Pass is a password manager with advanced security features like two-factor authentication and zero-knowledge encryption. It works on all devices, not just Apple. Proton's tools are designed to give you complete privacy and security, making it a great choice for protecting your digital life. Proton Free vs Proton Plus vs Proton Unlimited ProtonVPN offers a free service with a basic roster of features, but for added security, it's worth comparing its Plus and Unlimited packages, which start at £3.59 per month. Unlike the random selection of servers in five countries provided with the free package, the two premium plans grant access to 13,000 servers across more than 120 countries. Proton Plus includes all the brand's premium features in a single package, which includes the VPN service, 5GB of encrypted cloud storage, a secure password manager and a private inbox. It's a solid option for those who want streaming support, faster connection speeds and extra security features. Proton Unlimited offers all that along with a range of advanced features, include 15 different private email inboxes, unlimited email aliases and 500GB of cloud storage. Apple users should also check out another iPhone app that offers a secret 'privacy report' to let you know if apps are spying through your microphone or camera.
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Forbes
Google Password Warning—50% Of Smartphone Users Now At Risk
Are you now at risk? Google is on a mission to push users to upgrade the security on their accounts. 'We want to move beyond passwords altogether,' it says, as a tidal wave of password attacks continues to make weekly headlines. Google's advice is to move to passkeys, which link your account security to your device security, meaning no passwords or even two-factor authentication (2FA) codes to steal. But the company's update includes a much more serious warning for most users. At a headline level, Google's new 'Scams and Protections' report, pulled together with Morning Consult, found that 'when it comes to online protection, U.S. consumers turn to traditional security practices such as unique passwords and 2FA.' But it's much worse than it sounds. When asked about 'security practices used for personal online protection,' it turns out that while 60% of U.S. consumers 'use strong, unique passwords,' less than 50% — across all age groups — 'enable 2FA.' In fact, while the use of passkeys varies materially across groups — 40% of Gen-Z and only 26% of Baby Boomers, the adoption rate for 2FA is between 46% and 48% across all generations. That's remarkably consistent and remarkably worrying. All of those users not enabling 2FA should consider themselves at risk. Scams and Protections (June 2025) There are now very few online accounts that don't offer 2FA, albeit there are some notable exceptions, such as Netflix. SMS codes are still the most popular and most persistent form of 2FA, but also the most dangerous. Open to on-device interception or more sophisticated SIM jacking or network attacks. There are better options — but even using SMS is better than not using anything at all. The stats suggest more than half of U.S. consumers do not enable any form of 2FA and rely on just User IDs and passwords. That's the equivalent of leaving your front door unlocked, with a sign saying 'please don't come in.' Relying on passwords alone — given the scale of password breaches and attacks — is almost akin to no security at all. Yes, those passwords are strong and unique and maybe even updated on a regular basis, but once there's a breach, there's a breach. And if an attacker has your combination of User ID and password, then they can hammer other logins with the same. The 2FA adoption rate has stalled. It increased from 33% to 45% between 2017 and 2023, but now remains stuck below 50% even as it's made mandatory on many accounts. Even at an enterprise level, where Microsoft has consistently said 2FA blocks more than 99% of attacks, 'only 57% of global organizations have fully implemented 2FA.' As for what you should use — passkeys are best, given the ease of use and linkage to your device. An authenticator app is next best, again linking to a device but with some risk of interception or socially engineered trickery to get users to share codes. Use whatever form of 2FA is easiest — even SMS if you must, but use something.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Stay anonymous online for five years with this budget-friendly VPN
The following content is brought to you by Mashable partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation. TL;DR: Don't use the internet without protection — AdGuard VPN makes it affordable, with a five-year subscription for just $39.97 ($359.40) through June 1. Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard VPN: 5-Year Subscription $39.97 $359.40 Save $319.43 Get Deal VPNs are a simple way to secure your digital life, but if you're not super techy, it's intimidating to use one for the first time. AdGuard VPN makes it easy, offering your very own encrypted gateway to the web, and right now, a five-year subscription is $39.97 — or just $8 a year — through June 1. Keeping your internet activity safe is vital these days. Even though we can't see them, hackers and internet thieves are everywhere. AdGuard VPN can tighten up your online security, offering an easy way to keep your data secure and your online activities under lock and key. Curious how it works? Once you secure your subscription, you'll enjoy five years of protection. Simply choose from over 70 server locations worldwide, and then browse the web in total anonymity without geographical restrictions. AdGuard VPN's advanced security protocol guarantees you a faster and safer connection. And if you're concerned about your privacy, don't worry — there's a zero-logging policy, which means your personal data will not be collected and all of your internet activities stay private. You can use this VPN on up to 10 devices simultaneously, making it just $4 a device to cover protection for five years. It's compatible with all platforms, iOS, Android, and Google Chrome. Secure your own five-year subscription to AdGuard VPN for just $39.97 now through June 1. StackSocial prices subject to change.
