Getting More Women Into Tech; Millions of Android Devices at Risk

Posted March 8th, 2017 at 1:03 pm (UTC-4)
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Today’s Tech Sightings:

Women perform behind "Glass Celling" during a rally to mark International Women's Day in Tbilisi, Georgia March 8, 2017. (Reuters)

Women perform behind a “Glass Celling” during a rally to mark International Women’s Day in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 8, 2017. (Reuters)

Microsoft, LinkedIn Encourage Girls to Pursue STEM on International Women’s Day

The World Economic Forum notes that only 16 percent of female students graduate from STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curricula. In the U.S., only 26 percent of employees in computer and mathematics jobs are women, according to the Department of Labor. In an effort to boost the numbers, Microsoft and LinkedIn have launched a campaign to encourage more women to go into STEM fields, aided by a tool called Career Explorer, which is designed to inspire women to pursue STEM studies.

Connecting Everything to the Internet: What Could Go Wrong?

Like it or not, Wi-Fi is about to connect every gadget in your life, regardless of how useless or unsafe. Writer Max Eddy argues Internet of Things (IoT) devices are lacking in utility as manufacturers roll them out without regard to privacy or security. But they are unsafe not just because they could be hijacked or compromised, but because manufacturers are siphoning off volumes of user data indiscriminately without being transparent about how this personal information is used and stored.

Hundreds of Millions of Android Devices at Risk

The fallout from Tuesday’s WikiLeaks’ dump of thousands of documents allegedly exposing a trove of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency hacking tools has sent gadget makers scrambling. Apple said it will quickly address all iOS vulnerabilities that supposedly allow the CIA to siphon off data from iPhones and iPads. But Samsung smart TVs and other Android devices are also said to be at risk. Several vulnerabilities still need to be addressed, mostly targeting Android 4.4 and earlier versions. Up to 33.4 percent of all active Android devices run Android 4.4 or older, according to Google.

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Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

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