ICT news

• Canada Bans WeChat, Kaspersky Apps On Government Devices

  30-10-2023 23:40 via news.slashdot.org
  
  Citing an "unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security," Canada banned Chinese messaging application WeChat and Russian antivirus program Kaspersky on government-issued mobile devices. Reuters reports: The ban was announced after an assessment by Canada's chief information officer that Tencent-owned WeChat and applications made by Moscow-based Kaspersky "present an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security," the Treasury Board of Canada, which oversees public administration, said
  
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• Internet Access In Gaza Partially Restored After Blackout

  30-10-2023 23:00 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: After a weekend of almost complete internet blackout, connectivity in Gaza has been partially restored. On Friday, internet monitoring firms and experts reported that access to the internet had significantly degraded in the Palestinian enclave. The local internet service NetStream "collapsed," according to NetBlocks, a firm that tracks internet access across the world. At the same time, IODA, another internet monitoring system, showed outages
  
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• Apple Says BMW Wireless Chargers Really Are Messing With iPhone 15s

  30-10-2023 22:20 via apple.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shares a report: Users have been reporting that their iPhone 15's NFC chips were failing after using BMW's in-car wireless charging, but until now, Apple hasn't addressed the complaints. That seems to have changed as MacRumors reported this week that an Apple internal memo to third-party repair providers says a software update later this year should prevent a "small number" of in-car wireless chargers from "temporarily" disabling iPhone 15 NFC chips.
  Apple reportedly says tha
  
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• FDA Warns of Infection Risk From 26 Big-Brand Eye Drops

  30-10-2023 21:40 via science.slashdot.org
  
  The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to ditch 26 over-the-counter eye drop products found at big retailers -- including CVS, Rite Aid, and Target -- due to a risk of infection. Consumers should not buy any of the products and should immediately stop using them if they've already purchased them. From a report: The products include Target's branded Up & Up Dry Eye Relief Lubricant Eye Drops and Up & Up Extreme Relief Dry Eye, as well as Lubricant Eye Drops and Lubricant Ge
  
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• Hackers Accessed 632,000 Email Addresses at US Justice, Defense Departments

  30-10-2023 21:00 via it.slashdot.org
  
  A Russian-speaking hacking group obtained access to the email addresses of about 632,000 US federal employees at the departments of Defense and Justice as part of the sprawling MOVEit hack last summer, according to a report on the wide-ranging attack obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. From a report: The report, by the US Office of Personnel Management, provides new details about a cyberattack in which hackers exploited flaws in MOVEit, a popular file-transfer tool. Federal cy
  
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• Windows CE Reaches End of Life, If Not End of Sales

  30-10-2023 20:22 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Microsoft's dedicated OS for embedded and pocket devices, Windows CE, has reached the end of its support lifetime. From a report: Windows CE -- and there's never been an official explanation of what the WinCE-inducing name stood for -- debuted in November 1996, just a few months after Windows NT 4, the first version of NT with the Explorer desktop from Windows 95. Earlier this month, as reported by HPC Factor, the last ever version, CE 8, branded Compact Embedded 2013, reached its end of support
  
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• Xbox's New Policy Says Goodbye To Unofficial Accessories

  30-10-2023 19:40 via games.slashdot.org
  
  In a significant development for Xbox users, the era of tinkering with your console to use unapproved accessories is drawing to a close. From a report: Xbox has taken a definitive stance by instituting a new policy that will block the use of unauthorized accessories with its consoles, effective as of November 17. This decision has already begun to reverberate amongst the gaming community, and many have already had a warning about it on their consoles in the form of error message 0x82d60002.
  The
  
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• Western Digital To Split Flash Memory Business

  30-10-2023 19:00 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  Western Digital said on Monday it would spin off its flash memory business that has been grappling with a supply glut after talks of merging the unit with Japan's Kioxia stalled. From a report: The split will leave the data storage products maker with its traditional hard-disk drive business and create two publicly traded firms, giving into demands from activist investor Elliott. The move clears years of uncertainty over Western Digital's flash memory unit that was built through its $19 billion
  
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• Google CEO Tells Court Search Dominance Is Result of 'Fierce Competition'

  30-10-2023 18:20 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai took the stand Monday in the tech giant's antitrust trial, a pivotal moment in a case that could result in major changes to the company's search engine. From a report: Pichai described Google's search dominance as the result of its innovation and early investment in its Chrome browser. "We realized early on that browsers are critical to how people are able to navigate and use the web," Pichai said during questioning by Google lawyer John Schmidtlein.
  "It beca
  
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• The Race To Destroy PFAS, the Forever Chemicals

  30-10-2023 17:40 via science.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shares a report: PFAS stands for "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances," a family of upwards of 15,000 or more human-made and incredibly durable chemical compounds that have been used in countless industrial and consumer applications for decades. Firefighting foams, waterproof hiking boots, raincoats, nonstick frying pans, dental floss, lipstick, and even the ink used to label packaging -- all can contain PFAS. The compounds are ubiquitous in drinking water and soil, even migr
  
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• ChatGPT Plus Members Can Upload and Analyze Files in the Latest Beta

  30-10-2023 17:00 via slashdot.org
  
  OpenAI is rolling out new beta features for ChatGPT Plus members right now. Subscribers have reported that the update includes the ability to upload files and work with them, as well as multimodal support. From a report: Basically, users won't have to select modes like Browse with Bing from the GPT-4 dropdown -- it will instead guess what they want based on context. The new features bring a dash of the office features offered by its ChatGPT Enterprise plan to the standalone individual chatbot su
  
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• UK Confirms Plans To Bring Crypto Under Stricter Regulation

  30-10-2023 16:20 via news.slashdot.org
  
  The UK government confirmed plans to regulate cryptoasset activities more strictly, bringing them under the same regime as traditional financial services. From a report: The government intends to proceed with legislation in 2024 to implement the changes, according to a Treasury announcement on Monday, responding to a consultation it launched earlier this year. The plans include a mandate for crypto exchanges to write detailed requirements on admission standards and disclosures for token issuers
  
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• Facebook and Instagram To Offer Subscription for No Ads in Europe

  30-10-2023 13:29 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Meta, in a blog post: To comply with evolving European regulations, we are introducing a new subscription option in the EU, EEA and Switzerland. In November, we will be offering people who use Facebook or Instagram and reside in these regions the choice to continue using these personalised services for free with ads, or subscribe to stop seeing ads. While people are subscribed, their information will not be used for ads.
  People in these countries will be able to subscribe for a fee to use our pr
  
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• VMware Releases Advisory for VMware Tools Vulnerabilities

  30-10-2023 13:00 via cisa.gov
  VMware released a security advisory addressing multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-34057, CVE-2023-34058) in VMware Tools. A cyber actor could exploit one of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
  CISA encourages users and administrators to review the VMware advisory VMSA-2023-0024 and apply the necessary updates.
  
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• Biden Signs Executive Order To Oversee and Invest in AI

  30-10-2023 12:46 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  President Joe Biden signed a wide-ranging executive order on artificial intelligence Monday, setting the stage for some industry regulations and funding for the U.S. government to further invest in the technology. From a report: The order is broad, and its focuses range from civil rights and industry regulations to a government hiring spree. In a media call previewing the order Sunday, a senior White House official, who asked to not be named as part of the terms of the call, said AI has so many
  
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• $127 Billion in US Student Loans Now Flagged for Cancellation - About 30% of Planned Amount

  30-10-2023 12:34 via news.slashdot.org
  
  The Wall Street Journal reports that more than three million Americans have now had a total of $127 billion in student loans flagged for cancellation. (Which for 3 million would average out to over $40,000 apiece).
  Interestingly, the article notes this happened despite a set back for forgiveness in America's highest court this June:The high court ruled that the Biden administration couldn't cancel hundreds of billions of dollars for tens millions of student-loan holders, reasoning that the autho
  
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• LIGO Surpasses the Quantum Limit

  30-10-2023 09:34 via science.slashdot.org
  
  Wikipedia defines LIGO as "a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves." (It stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory — that is, measuring the interference caused by superimposed waves.)
  Now Science Alert reports:
  A technique for squeezing light in the arms of LIGO's interferometer has allowed its measurements to cross the quantum barrier.For LIGO, it's a bold new realm of sensitivity, giving the gravitational wave de
  
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• 79% of Developers are At Least Considering a New Job, Survey Finds

  30-10-2023 06:34 via it.slashdot.org
  
  "More developers are looking for or are open to a new job now compared to the last two years," writes Stack Overflow's senior analyst for market research and insights — citing the results of their latest survey of developers in 107 different countries.
  "More than 1,000 developers responded to this year's survey about jobs and 79% are at least considering new opportunities if not actively looking."
  New insights from these survey results show that new tech talent and late-career developers a
  
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• Are Face Masks Effective? CBS News Explains What We Know

  30-10-2023 03:21 via science.slashdot.org
  
  Are face masks effective in stopping virus transmissions? CBS News re-visited the question Sunday on its news show 60 Minutes by sending their chief medical correspondent to interview Linsey Marr, a professor who specializes in aerosol science at Virginia Tech University.Here's a transcript from an excerpt posted on YouTube:60 Minutes: Is there any doubt in your mind that masks prevent the person who's wearing it from getting Covid — or at least, are helpful?
  Professor Marr: I would say th
  
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• When Matthew Perry Met Windows 95

  30-10-2023 01:43 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  Long-time Slashdot reader destinyland writes: In 1994 the TV show Friends premiered, and its first season's high ratings made it the 8th most-popular show. The next year Microsoft released Windows 95 — and filmed a promotional video for it with 25-year-old Matthew Perry and 26-year-old Jennifer Aniston.
  "They'll be taking you on an adventure in computing that takes place in the office of Microsoft chairman Bill Gates," explains the video's narrator, adding "Along the way, they meet a wacky
  
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• G7 Nations Will Announce an 'AI Code of Conduct' for Companies Building AI

  30-10-2023 00:06 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  The seven industrial countries known as the "G7" — America, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, and Britain — will agree on a code of conduct Monday for companies developing advanced AI systems, reports Reuters.
  The news comes "as governments seek to mitigate the risks and potential misuse of the technology," Reuters reports — citing a G7 document.
  The 11-point code "aims to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI worldwide and will provide voluntary guidance for actions by
  
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