Today’s Tech Sightings: WannaCry Ransom Note Analysis Points to Chinese-speaking Perpetrator Cybersecurity experts continue to comb through evidence to identify the criminals who launched the global ‘WannaCry’ ransomware attack. While initial speculation linked the attackers to North Korea, researchers at cybersecurity firm Flashpoint now say Chinese speakers could be behind the English and Chinese versions […]
‘WannaCry’ Clues Point to China as New Vulnerability Raises Red Flags
Microsoft Conference Digs Deep Into AI; Malawi First to Use OpenTrial
Today’s Tech Sightings: Microsoft Fully Dives Into Artificial Intelligence CEO Satya Nadela kicked off Microsoft’s Build 2017 developer conference in Seattle, Washington, Wednesday, with a call for technological empowerment. The Azure cloud platform and artificial intelligence are part of the company’s push to create smarter interactions between technology and users across multiple devices. The three-day […]
Uber’s Harassment Reality Check; Slack Bug Puts User Accounts at Risk
Today’s Tech Sightings: Uber Case Could Be Watershed for Women in Tech The recent allegations of Uber’s culture of sexism and sexual harassment have put the tech sector and its diversity problems in the spotlight – again. But writer Farhad Manjoo argues the Uber case feels like a watershed that could trigger innovation and new […]
Microsoft Takes on AI Risks; Ex-Googler’s New Concept in Health Care
Today’s Tech Sightings: Microsoft CEO Nadella: ‘Steer AI Away From Replacing People’ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella cautioned tech companies against showcasing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) while undermining workers’ dignity. Speaking at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Nadella said the current AI race seeks to replace humans rather than complement their work. […]
Apple CEO Slams EU; Tech Firms Forge Artificial Intelligence Ethics
Today’s Tech Sightings: Apple’s Tim Cook: EU Ruling on Apple’s Irish Tax ‘Total Political Crap’ Apple CEO Tim Cook described the European Union’s demand that his company pay nearly $14.5 billion in back taxes as “total political crap.” The EU had said Apple was getting illegal state aid in Ireland, whose government is divided on […]
US Congress Targeted With Ransomware; Facebook Denies Censoring Content
Today’s Tech Sightings: Congress Warned About Cybersecurity After Attempted Ransomware Attack on House The U.S. House of Representatives’ technology staff warned legislators that their third-party email apps were increasingly being targeted by malware attacks. In an internal email obtained by TechCrunch, the staff advised legislators that access to YahooMail and Gmail will be blocked on […]
Smart Tech Can Fight Gun Violence; Non-Verbal Autistic Users Get New App
Today’s Tech Sightings: Smart Tech Offers Ways to Reduce Gun Violence Writer Preston Gralla argues that technology might hold the key to helping save some lives from the vicious cycle of gun violence in the United States, so long as gun fanatics can be reigned in. He suggests introducing smart-gun technology with fingerprint readers that […]
Tech Education; Baidu; Elon Musk; Online Hate Speech; Cisco
Today’s Tech Sightings: OECD: Children Need Teachers, Not Computers, to Teach Them The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, says evidence shows that technology is not making children smarter. In a report published Tuesday, OECD education director, Andreas Schleicher, said moderate computer use at school produces better learning results than with children who rarely […]
Kim Jong Un; China Mobile Banking; Android’s ALPs; Privacy
Today’s Tech Sightings: Kim Jong Un Has His Own Cellular Network According to a former technical director at North Korea’s cellular network Koryolink, Kim Jong Un and other high-ranking officials have their own private cellular network to secure their communications. The 3G network, according to the source, has its own algorithms and operating system. Many Apps […]
‘The Interview’ Cyberwar; 3D-Printing Cancer; Apple in Russia
Today’s Tech Sightings: Not Even North Korea Can Stop the Internet Those behind the devastating hack attack that targeted Sony Pictures Entertainment have also threatened violence against theaters showing the movie The Interview. To thwart that group’s effort to prevent people from seeing the picture, which centers around an assassination plot against North Korean leader […]