Today’s Tech Sightings:
FILE – An illustrations shows a man typing on a computer keyboard in Warsaw, Poland. (Reuters)
Symantec: Cyber Extortion Demands Surge as Victims Keep Paying
Hackers are getting bolder as more of their victims are willing to pay hefty sums to free their computers from malicious software, according to cybersecurity firm Symantec. The trend is encouraging cybercriminals to demand increasingly hefty sums from users. The average amount tripled last year to $1,077 from $294 and continues to rise in 2017. Up to 69 percent of targeted devices in 2016 were consumer PCs.
Amazon Wants to Put a Camera and Microphone in Your Bedroom
Amazon’s plan is to rig its voice assistant Echo with cameras and a microphone to help users decide what to wear. When unsure, users can take a picture of their outfit and share it with friends for an opinion. On top of that, a new app called StyleCheck also offers help to style-challenged users. The fate of the personal pictures and data Echo collects remains unclear.
By Age 6, Kids Already Think Boys Are Better in Programming, Robotics
New research from the University of Washington shows that children start adopting stereotypes that boys are better than girls in programming and robotics by the first grade. That includes girls with a strong negative impression about their gender’s tech abilities who also have the least interest in programming and robotics. But further research also suggests a girl can be encouraged to develop skills and more positive attitudes toward computing.
More:
- Siri Inventor Says One Day AI Will Be Used to Upload and Access Our Memories
- Webroot Deletes Windows Files and Causes Serious Problems for Users
- Android’s FalseGuide Malware Victim Count Jumps to 2 Million
- Is ‘Admin’ Password Leaving Your IoT Device Vulnerable to Cyberattacks?
- How IBM Can Avoid the Abyss
- Twitter Is Soaring and Says It’s Seeing Less Abuse
- 700 Million People Are Using Instagram
- FaceApp Apologizes for Building Racist AI
- How to Stop Websites From Asking for Your Location in Browsers
- Can an App Really Track You After You Delete It?
- The Eerie World of Abandoned Computers
