Anyone with a stake in keeping ahead of cybersecurity assaults and enterprise network intrusions through API vulnerabilities can now tap into expert advisories and security reports. API security company Salt Security last week launched Salt Labs, a now-public forum for publishing research on API vulnerabilities. [More...]

Called Email Protection, the feature will be initially distributed through a waiting list that anyone can add their name to. Consumers chosen from the list will be able to create a personal @duck.com email address. Email sent to the @duck address will be denuded of trackers before being forwarded to a consumer's primary email address. [More...]

In addition to its condemnation of China, the White House announced that the U.S. Justice Department has filed charges against four Ministry of State Security hackers allegedly engaged in a multiyear campaign targeting foreign governments and entities in key sectors, including maritime, aviation, defense, education and healthcare in a least a dozen countries. [More...]

It's been a sweltering summer for those of us on the West Coast of the United States, and keeping power bills down when running air conditioning 24/7 is a challenge. This week, let's highlight technologies you can use to personally respond to the heat problem and deal with a world that is becoming too hot to handle. We'll close with the product of the week: Windows 365. [More...]

Google went live earlier this summer with its new Core Web Vitals algorithm to determine search rankings. With the implementation of Core Web Vitals as a key component of its search algorithm, Google has made a well-considered decision to reward sites that perform the best and that have been specifically designed to create the best experience for users, according to the company. [More...]

After a successful rollout in the U.S. earlier this year, Amazon is expanding support for end-to-end encryption for video captured on its Ring products. Part of what's motivating this is probably setting a higher global standard so wherever Amazon goes, they will be welcome by satisfying stringent local standards," said Brad Russell, vice president of Interpret. [More...]

Ransomware gangs are increasingly turning to specialists to complete their capers on corporations, according to a Dark Net intelligence provider. A report issued by Tel Aviv-based Kela noted that the days when lone wolves conducted cyberattacks from start to finish are nearly extinct, as the one-man show has given way to specialization. [More...]

Intel's Clear Linux* has been on my radar for its ambition to sprint to the head of the pack. While it's certainly not the first distro developed by a tech heavyweight, it's a rare case in which a private company releases a distro with no direct commercial application. It's an experiment to prove what Linux might aspire to. So I took it for a spin. [More...]

Those of us who grew up with Star Trek might remember a device from the series called a replicator. This was a 3D printer of sorts that could create almost anything, ranging from food to weapons, at the touch of a button. Let's talk about our progression to the home-based replicator that could take us to that Star Trek future. Then we'll close with the product of the week from Strauss & Wagner. [More...]

This is the era of drones, and these unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, increasingly are becoming an integral part of everyday life. As drones evolve, industries and governments alike are finding new ways to make use of the emerging tech. TechNewsWorld spoke with several experts to find out how drones are being put into service, and what's on the horizon for their future use. [More...]

Thousands of hacker attacks were launched on a network of smart home devices designed by researchers to assess the risk the gadgets pose to consumers. During the initial week the "honeypot" network was online, 1,017 unique scans or hacking attempts were directed at the devices on the net, which included smart TVs, printers, wireless security cameras and Wi-Fi kettles. [More...]

The Linux Foundation, Amazon, and more than 20 other gaming companies hope to make open-source game playing more of a win-win technology for both developers and players. LF on Tuesday announced an intent to form the Open 3D Foundation to accelerate developer collaboration on 3D games and simulation technology. [More...]

Microsoft recently disclosed that it too was no doubt a victim of the same Russian-based hacker gang responsible for the SolarWinds onslaught. As some of the details surrounding the cyberattack become known, the bleak disclosures might justifiably cause a sniffled gasp indicating that if Microsoft can be breached, what hope is left for everyone else? [More...]

The advantage of using a VR rig without a tether is huge because in a complex movement-oriented game you tend to get tangled in the tether. Let's talk about the Oculus Quest 2 this week and the announcement that this class of products is about to embrace 5G for its next generation. We'll close with the product of the week, a new webcam from Dell that may be perfect for those of us still working from home. [More...]