Today’s Tech Sightings:
‘Right to Be Forgotten’ Online Is Poised to Spread
Europe’s highest court’s ruled more than a year ago that search engines had to give Internet users the “right to be forgotten” to help safeguard privacy. But some privacy and free speech advocates expect the controversial “right to be forgotten” to expand beyond Europe’s borders to the United States and other countries.
Don’t Let a Disability Stop You From Using Your Smartphone
Technology has come a long way in providing tools for the disabled to use computers and digital devices. Writer Edward C. Baig offers some useful tools for disabled people to help them use their smartphones.
The Windows 10 Security Settings You Need to Know
Microsoft’s new operating system comes with a lot of settings for information-sharing. Some of them are not so easy to find. But writer Gordon Gottsegen has some tips to track down and turn off some of those features.
Smartphone Battery Life Is Newest Tool to Invade Privacy
It seems like companies are never at a loss in finding ways to invade consumers’ privacy, with or without their permission. A new study from a group of French and Belgian security researchers found that HTML5′s battery status API, which lets websites help their visitors preserve battery power, can be exploited to spy on the private browsing habits of visitors.
China to Set Up Online Police Stations for Internet Security
China is setting up online police stations to boost Internet security, according to the vice minister of China’s Ministry of Public Security, Chen Zhimin. He told the state-run People’s Daily that the stations are designed to sniff out suspect websites used by criminals and help others stay safe.
Apple Promises Fix for OS X Major Security Flaw
Apple said it will patch a recently-discovered vulnerability in its OS X Yosemite operating system. The zero-day flaw allows hackers to modify a hidden configuration file to get access to the targeted computer and inject it with malware.
There Are Now 24,093 Distinct Android Devices
New research from London-based startup OpenSignal found that there are now more Android devices with far too many different versions of the operating system. Google has been working to limit Android fragmentation, but the latest research shows a consistent increase in Android devices since 2012. Different Android devices shot up 28 percent during 2014-2015, with as many as 1,294 distinct manufacturers now in the Android market.
Hackers Can Remotely Steal Fingerprints From Android Phones
Researchers from security firm FireEye have uncovered new ways that hackers could use to remotely steal fingerprints from Android devices equipped with fingerprint sensors. And the company believes the threat level will increase as more devices come equipped with fingerprint sensors.
