Published January 8, 2025 9:00am EST close 'CyberGuy': Preventing this insidious email forwarding scam that will drain your bank account Tech expert Kurt Knutsson says business email compromise scams are a serious threat. With our lives so intertwined with digital communication these days, the threat of email fraud is something we all need to take seriously. Recently, Teresa W. shared a scary experience that underscores the dangers of business email compromise (BEC)."I almost lost many thousands of dollars through an internet fraud scam. I got a call from our personal banker who said she saw nearly all the money in our business account being withdrawn. She said she got an email from me along with the money wiring directions. I told her I didn't send that and she said my email came from me directly to her. I said to stop everything and I will get to the bottom of it."Apparently the thieves got hold of a wiring instruction paper from my email, which they hacked into. They created a rule in Outlook to bypass me if anything came from them and go straight to the banker. They changed the wiring instructions to go into their account but thank goodness our banker alerted me so I could get to the bottom of it. Too close for comfort!"This incident highlights a sophisticated scam where cybercriminals gain access to legitimate email accounts and use them to deceive others into transferring funds. Teresas quick action, combined with her banker's vigilance, prevented a significant financial loss, but it serves as a wake-up call for many businesses.Enter the giveaway by signing up for myfree newsletter. "Youve been hacked!" written on laptop home screen (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What is business email compromise (BEC)?Business email compromise (BEC) is a form of cybercrime that targets companies engaged in wire transfer payments and other financial transactions. The FBI reports that BEC scams have caused billions in losses globally. These scams exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities, making them particularly insidious. A hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How the scam worksEmail hacking: Scammers often gain access to email accounts throughphishing attacks, where they trick users into revealing their login credentials or by deploying malware that captures sensitive information.Email rule creation: Once inside the account, scammers can create rules in email clients like Outlook that redirect or hide specific emails. This means that any communication related to fraudulent activities may go unnoticed by the victim.Impersonation: The scammer impersonates the victim and sends emails to contacts, such as banks or vendors, requesting urgent wire transfers or sensitive information.Execution: The scammer provides convincing details and urgency in their requests, making it appear as though the email is genuinely from the victim. They may use specific language or references only known to the victim and their contacts. A hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Real-life implicationsThe consequences of BEC scams can be devastating for businesses. In addition to direct financial losses, companies may face reputational damage, loss of customer trust and potential legal ramifications. For small businesses like Teresa's, which may not have extensive cybersecurity measures in place, the impact can be particularly severe. Illustration of security on a computer (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Proactive steps to avoid being a victim of BEC scamsTo combat BEC and similar scams, businesses must adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity.1) Have strong antivirus software: Use reputable, up-to-date, strong antivirus software to check your system. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.2) Use strong passwords:Ensure passwords are complex (a mix of letters, numbers and symbols) and unique for each account.Make sure to create strong, unique passwords. Consider using apassword manager to generate and store complex passwords.3) Enable two-factor authentication: Where possible, enable multifactor authentication.This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.4) Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on your financial accounts, email accounts and social media for any unusual activity. If you think scammers have stolen your identity, consider identity theft protection here.Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account.They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.One of the best parts of using some services is that they might include identity theft insurance ofup to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where aU.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses.See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.5) Invest in personal data removal services: Using a data removal service can be an effective additional step to protect your personal information after a potential BEC scam. These services locate and remove your information from various online platforms, databases and data brokers. By eliminating unnecessary or outdated information, data removal services minimize your online presence, making it harder for scammers to find and exploit your data.While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.Check out my top picks for data removal services here.6) Regularly update security questions: Change security questions and answers periodically to enhance protection.7) Regularly review email rules: Check for unauthorized changes in email settings that could indicate compromise.8) Disable auto-forwarding: Unless absolutely necessary, turn off auto-forwarding features to prevent sensitive information from being sent elsewhere without your knowledge.9) Verify requests: Always verify any financial requests through a secondary communication method (e.g., a phone call) before proceeding with transactions.10) Limit access: Restrict access to financial information and transactions only to those who need it within your organization.11) Contact professionals: If youre unsure about any steps or if the situation seems severe, consider reaching out to a professional IT service.12) Report the incident: Report the scam to your local authorities and theFederal Trade Commission in the U.S.13) Create alias email addresses: My top recommendation to avoid being inundated with spam emails is to use analias email address.An alias email address is an additional email address that can be used to receive emails in the same mailbox as the primary email address. It acts as a forwarding address, directing emails to the primary email address.In addition to creating throwaway email accounts for online sign-ups and other circumstances where you would not want to disclose your primary email address, alias email addresses are helpful for handling and organizing incoming communications.Sometimes, it's best to create various email aliases so that you don't have to worry about getting tons of spam mail and having your email eventually stolen in a data breach. An alias email address is a great way for you to stop receiving constant spam mail by simply deleting the email alias address.See my review of the best secure and private email services here.Kurt's key takeawaysThe story shared by Teresa W. serves as a crucial reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our digital communications. The rise of BEC scams not only threatens financial security but also erodes trust in electronic transactions. By implementing robust security measures and maintaining vigilance at all levels of an organization, individuals and businesses can protect themselves from these insidious attacks.What additional measures do you think businesses and government agencies should implement to effectively combat the rising threat of email scams?Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com. Related Topics

A group of black women in Birmingham have initiated a community-led research project that aims to give black mothers total agency over how their perinatal healthcare data is gathered, interpreted and ultimately used.Drawn from Maternity Engagement Action (MEA) an organisation that provides safe spaces and leadership for black women throughout pregnancy, birth and early motherhood the women came together over their shared concern about the significant challenges faced by black women when seeking reproductive healthcare.Through a process of qualitative data gathering entailing discussions, surveys, workshops, trainings and meetings the women developed a participatory, community-focused approach to black perinatal healthcare, culminating in the launch of MEAs See Me, Hear Me campaign.We want policy-makers to see the benefits of community-led research and community driven data and use it in policy development. For there to be real change to the current statistics that black women are 3.7 times more likely to die than white women during perinatal period we need data from the community affected, they said.Our vision is to work collaboratively with research bodies and the black perinatal community to create a model where the intersectional voices of black maternal women are centred, included and amplified in creating and implementing solutions to the issue of black maternal mortality and morbidity.Ultimately, the initiative aims to shift from the current top-down approach that defines black perinatal healthcare, to one where community data and input drives systemic change in ways that better meet the needs of local women instead.Initially motivated by media reports that black women were five times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than their white counterparts during the pandemic, the women started to speak about their own traumatic experiences of seeking perinatal support within Birminghams public health system.In recounting their stories to one another, a number of common experiences emerged. This included facing a lack of continuity and consistency in their care, undermining black womens agency and resulting in staff making assumptions about their birth plans; receiving less quality time with caregivers; being regularly denied pain relief when its requested; not being believed when they raise an issue; and being coerced into unwanted medical interventions, such as C-sections or inductions.Speaking with Computer Weekly, Tamanda Walker a sociologist and founder of community-focused research organisation Roots & Rigour said it was common for women to feel like they were being passed from one part of the service to the next without any say in their treatment, leaving them feeling powerless in the face of it.Many of the women involved were making the very basic point that if they encounter trouble and raise it during the perinatal period, they often dont feel seen or heard by medical professionals, she said, adding that in one case, a woman with a prior mental health condition had to bite her tongue because any expression of distress was perceived as an indication of her mental health problem.That was exacerbated for her because she came from a poorer background, so her fear was, If I show too much distress, my children will be taken away, because Im already known to social services, all the while shes struggling in this labour situation and isnt being heard.In an attempt to reverse these unjust and inequitable healthcare outcomes for pregnant black women, the group collated their experiences into a qualitative data set to use as the basis for further analysis and action. The entire process has been documented in a report published by the MEA.Walker initially connected with the campaign at the Black Thrive Birmingham (BTB) Community Assembly in March 2022, an event focused on exploring how black-led research and data initiatives can put power directly in the hands of black communities.She said the event largely revolved around exploring what it would mean for black communities to own their own data and interpret it for themselves, as well as what it would mean for them to be in a position where they had the power to design solutions in collaboration with the health system to ensure needs were better met.Walker added this led to two years of work that involved the women from MEA gathering their own data on the experiences of local women who had gone through the health system: One of the benefits has been, rather than women holding their own single stories in isolation, feeling as if theyre the only ones experiencing these problems, theyve come together to look at how their stories map onto each other, and to see that theyre not alone and that there are numerous people going through these same experiences.She added while the datafication of peoples lives often risks reducing complex experiences to objective outputs ultimately taking power away from people who are represented by that data and putting it in the hands of who will make those decisions for them and without them melding the data already held by the healthcare system with the qualitative data generated by the campaign gives people the power to tell their own stories.As it developed, the See Me, Hear Me campaign partnered with Connected By Datas Catalysing community campaign initiative, which seeks to act as an startup-style accelerator for organisations or groups looking to leverage data in their social change efforts.Over that six-month programme, they incubated us, they did some upskilling for community organisations in understanding what data is, how you might think about a data cycle within community campaigning and organising, how you might design data work thats about social change or certain kinds of interventions, and use that to add rigour and credibility to the change ones pushing for, said Walker.What Ive found in my experience is that when community members that I work with and I work with quite a lot of them beyond this hear the words research and data, theyre like, Thats complicated, thats not for me. As soon as you sit down and get them to tell their stories and get them to click that their story is a kind of data, a load of pennies start dropping, and a load of things become possible.Its just about making what can feel like quite complex topics accessible to people, so that they have an understanding of how they can influence and shape their own realities.Walker noted that because the See Me, Hear Me group were only able to gather a small data sample, the next step is undertaking work to expand the qualitative data set and match it with existing NHS systems data.One of the problems we have is that the system isnt always collecting data, and theyre not always collecting data on ethnicity or more in depth qualitative data about the experiences of women in general, but black women in particular, she said, adding that the plan is to build relationships with the local health system, and negotiate data sharing agreements so that the campaign can make sense of that data themselves.We need to know if ethnicity data is even collected, and then how we marry that with the qualitative data weve collected. If there isnt appropriate collecting of that datathen we need to...work together and think about how we can use that data to drive change together.Walker added that this qualitative, community-led approach will only become more important with the further proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in healthcare settings, given their propensity to reproduce existing social biases.We know AI reproduces bias if its being used in diagnostics or other things. Some of the problems we identified in the current system was a lack of continuity and a lack of human empathy to it, so what does it mean to exist in a world where those kinds of changes might occur and we might be left behind?She added that while AI is great at crunching numbers, theres something about interpreting that data which is intimately tied to who you are, your position, and your power in society that needs to be unpacked. She noted that the technology should be used to free up peoples capacity to do the actual caring, the human piece of the exercise, rather than become the whole exercise.Through her organisation Roots & Rigour, Walker said she is already involved in other projects that are taking a similar community data approach to other issues that affect black communities in the UK, including around disproportionality in the rate of stop and search, and the health risks associated with commercially available black hair products.The idea is to think about how can we secure funding to develop these and we want to build up to a national level the ones that are successful [so] you can begin to get a bigger picture and story of whats going on.Read more about data and ethicsInclusive approaches to AI governance needed to engage public: Technology practitioners and experts gathered at an annual Alan Turing Institute-run conference discussed the need for more inclusive approaches to AI governance that actually engage citizens and workers.DWP fairness analysis reveals bias in AI fraud detection system: Information about peoples age, disability, marital status and nationality influences decisions to investigate benefit claims for fraud, but the Department for Work and Pensions says there are no immediate concerns of unfair treatment.Digital Ethics Summit 2024: recognising AIs socio-technical nature: At trade association TechUKs eighth annual Digital Ethics Summit, public officials and industry figures and civil society groups met to discuss the ethical challenges associated with the proliferation of artificial intelligence tools globally and the direction of travel set for 2025.

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SJVN/ZDNETI travel a lot for business. How much is a lot? Last year, I flew more than 70,000 miles and attended technical and business conferences in Hong Kong, Seoul, Seattle, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, New York City, and Atlanta. Along the way, I earned Diamond status on Delta,Platinum on Marriott Envoy, andDiamond on Hilton. I'll travel at least that much this coming year.Also: CES 2025: The 13 most impressive products so farWhen you do this kind of business travel, you soon realize that besides watching your airline and hotel points carefully, you need to carry exactly what you need in your laptop bag -- and not one thing more.Here's what's in my kit and alternatives, depending on exactly what I'll be doing on any given trip.Laptop bagHeritage Travelware 16-inch Laptop Portfolio Heritage Travelware/ZDNETLet's start with the bag itself. Personally, I use a customized leather laptop bag I picked up in Carmel-by-the-Sea years ago. If I had to replace it today, I'd probably get an$80 Heritage Travelware 16-inch Laptop Portfolio.I've heard good things about the Heritage brand from other road warriors, and at $79.99, it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. It's also roomy and has sufficient pockets to handle a lot of gear.That said, when it comes to laptop bags, everyone is different. Some people even preferlaptop backpacks. If you prefer backpacks, I'd give the $159 Timbuk2 Authority Laptop Backpack Deluxe a try. Ideally, go to a luggage store and try out several to see which will work best for you. Laptop bags are a personal choice.LaptopsAcer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 Convertible Acer/ZDNETI prefer high-powered, large-screen Chromebooks. Why would Mr. Desktop Linux prefer a Chromebook? Because allChromebooks also run Linux. They're also light, and, this is the real winner, when -- not if, when -- something happens to your laptop, all you have to do is buy another Chromebook, and you're back in business as soon as you connect back to the internet.Over the years, I've had laptops stolen, dropped and broken,fried by a surge, and just die for no discernible reason. When that used to happen to me, it was a major disaster. Ever try to restore a Windows or Linux laptop when you're a thousand miles from home? It's not easy. With a Chromebook, it takes me no more than half an hour, and I'm back in business.I'm currently using anAcer Chromebook Enterprise Spin 514 Convertible Laptop. This Chromebook's heart is the AMD Ryzen 5 3500C processor, paired with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. That's not enough resources for a Windows 10 or 11 machine. For a Chromebook running ChromeOS and Debian Linux 12 Bookworm, it's more than enough to deliver impressive performance. Not bad at all for only $419.The 14-inch Full HD IPS touchscreen display offers crisp visuals and responsive touch input. I like its 16:9 aspect, which has good color reproduction and brightness. Although I rarely use it as a tablet, its 2-in-1 design is handy when I want to use it that way.Unlike way too many laptops these days, this Chromebook has a good selection of ports, including USB-C, USB-A, and an HDMI port. With Wi-Fi 5, I always get reliable wireless connections. I wish, though, that it supportedWi-Fi 7. Battery life is solid. Acer claims you can get up to 10 hours of use, but as it's gotten older, it's down to about 7 hours these days. That said, I run that battery a lot -- 70,000 miles in the air will do that. Dell/ZDNETSometimes, though, I need a full-powered Linux system. For those trips, I take my Ubuntu-Linux-powered Dell XPS 13. This laptop is the latest of a long series of Dell XPS 13 laptops designed for Linux developers by Linux developers.The latest Linux-powered Dell XPS 13 boasts an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU at its heart with Intel Arc Graphics. The built-in graphics show to their advantage on a 13.4-inch Non-Touch FHD+ (1920x1200). Its standout feature is its stunning display with incredibly narrow bezels, offering a nearly borderless viewing experience. The model I'm using comes with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. On it, I'm runningUbuntu Linux 24.04.Also: Dell just look a leap of faith by renaming its entire laptop portfolioAs all its family does, it has a sleek and compact design. It comes with a machined aluminum chassis with carbon fiber and woven glass fiber elements. Its ultralight weight of just 2.8 pounds makes it highly portable.Battery performance on the XPS 13 is solid, with Dell claiming up to 19 hours of useful life. In my experience, though, I typically see around 8-10 hours, depending on the workload and display brightness.It also comes with a pair of USB-C ports. Unfortunately, since the laptop is also powered via a USB-C port, you only have one available most of the time. For networking, it uses an Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7 chipset.This model costs $1,499.99. It's not cheap, but it's hard to beat if you want a Linux laptop built from the ground up.Docking stationStarTech USB-C Docking Station SJVN/ZDNETThese days, laptops never have enough ports. Now, for most people, that's not a big deal. But if you're like me and you've got a lot of peripherals to hook up, such as one different projector after another, you need ports. In particular, you need all the graphic ports -- HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-C video -- you can get. That's where the $179 StarTech USB-C Docking Station comes in.With all those video outputs, it can support triple 4K 30Hz displays or a single 5K 60Hz monitor. With the right cables, I'll never have to worry about an incompatible monitor again -- unless I find someone still using VGA, and that's why I carry HDMI adapters.It also includes 7 USB ports and more:A pair of USB-A 10Gbps1x USB-A 10Gbps with BC 1.2 charging1x USB-C 10Gbps2 USB-A 480Mbps1x USB-C shared 10Gbps & DP Alt Mode video60W Power DeliveryGigabit EthernetA 3.5mm headset/audio portIf you need a lot of different ports on the road, the StarTech is worth every penny.SmartphoneSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Samsung/ZDNETI use two different smartphones. Why? Because I spend at least a month every year traveling internationally. In the States, I use a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra cell phone with all the trimmings. The phone, at $1,049, puts a hurt on my wallet. On the other hand, it's also, as far as I'm concerned, the best high-end smartphone out there today. I'm not the only one who sees it that way. The ZDNET crew agrees that the latesttop-of-the-line Samsung is a great phone.Also:The best phonesOn my Galaxy, I use Verizon. I use that service because it works best in my home in Asheville, North Carolina, and it works well throughout most of the major US cities I travel to. But when I travel internationally, Verizon costs me $12 a day. Ouch! Google/ZDNETSo, when I leave the US, I switch to my Google Pixel Pro 9. This is also an excellent high-end smartphone with an $852.49 price tag. What I really like about it is that I can use Google Fi's Unlimited Plus International Plan with it. With this plan, I pay $65 a month, and I don't have to pay an extra dime for international voice, data, or texting. Better still, I can pause the plan when I'm not traveling out of the country, so I only pay for Google Fi when I need it. Win!Also:The best travel VPNsIn both cases, what I look for in a smartphone is a great camera for when I take photos at an event, excellent Wi-Fi capabilities, and storage. The application I use the most on any phone is Otter.ai. This is the best voice transcription program out there. I use it for hours every trip to transcribe interviews and speeches. I subscribe to the Otter.ai Pro plan. This gives me 1,200 minutes of transcription per month for an annual cost of $100 a year.For journalists, it's become essential software. If you also find yourself needing to take comprehensive notes for your work, I highly recommend it.PowerbankAnker Nano Power Bank 10,000mAh Anker/ZDNETIt doesn't matter how great your electronics are if you can't power them. So, I always take apower bankwith me when I travel. I've used several models over the years. My current favorite is the $39.99 Anker Nano Power Bank 10,000mAh Portable Charger.Also:The best power banksWhat I like about it is that it has both USB-C and USB-A ports. I still carry some older tech gear with me, and that USB-A port has come in handy to keep that stuff powered up. In addition, it has a built-in USB-C cable, which is great when I can't get my hands on a spare USB-C cable.EarphonesSony WH-1000XM5 headphones Sony/ZDNETWhen you fly as much as I do, you learn that nothing makes a long flight as bearable asover-the-ear, noise-canceling headphones. Whether it's a noisy kid in the row behind you or just the unending hum of the jet engines, a good pair of headphones is a must.Also:The best headphonesI'm currently using the $328 Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones. For me, the key features are excellent noise cancellation and great battery life. This model does a top-notch job of delivering both. It also handles phone calls and the like well with its Bluetooth connection. Unlike many Bluetooth headsets, it works well with and stays connected to my other Bluetooth hardware.Road Wi-Fi routerGL.iNet GL-AXT1800 Slate AX GL.iNet/ZDNETEvery hotel has Wi-Fi, but many make setting up a connection a pain. My answer is to use a travel router. I then hook that device up to the hotel Wi-Fi and use it to connect my laptop, phones, and tablets to the Wi-Fi. This way, I only have to hook up the router, and everything else automatically uses it for its network connection.I had been using a TP-Link TL-WR902AC, but TP-Link devices areno longer trustworthy. So, I've recently replaced it with a GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 Slate AX travel router.Frankly, it's a superior router anyway. It has a pair of LAN Gbps ports and one Gbps gigabit WAN port. For Wi-Fi, it supportsWi-Fi 6. Off my home, a 2Gbps Internet connection delivers an honest gigabit of traffic, which is as good as that protocol can deliver in the real world.Also:The best Wi-Fi routersUnder the hood, the Slate router runs theOpenWRT-embedded Linux distro. Despite that, it's much easier to set up than its TP-Link predecessor. If you want to get fancy with it, though, and, say, set up your own portable file server, you can do that.Last, but never least, it also comes withVirtual Private Networking (VPN)baked in to maximize your privacy. All in all, this $113 travel router is well worth the money.Power adaptersOlcorife Power Strip Olcorife/ZDNETIf you travel internationally a lot, you'll soon get a collection of power adapters. My bag is full of them.Also:The best GaN chargersOne of the best universal ones is the $16.99 Olcorife Power Strip with EU/UK/US Plug Adapters. It's a little bulky, but I'll happily put up with that since I can use it in the UK, most of Europe, and Japan. It also has six power outlets, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port.CablesBAGSMART Electronics Organizer BAGSMART/ZDNETThere is no such thing as enough cables when we are thousands of miles away from home. I always carry half a dozen USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and some oddball cables. Hey, you never know when you'll need a VGA cable!To carry them all, I stuff them in several different bags. If I were more organized, I'd get a BAGSMART Electronics Organizer Small Cable Organizer Bag for $19.99. In fact, now that I think of it, I'll do just that.TabletsiPad Mini 6th-gen Apple/ZDNETI don't use tablets for work, but travel can't be all work and no play. For that reason, I always take a $449 iPad Mini 6th generation and an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite with me. I use the Mini for videos and noodling around on the web, while I use the Kindle for -- you guessed it -- reading e-books.Also:The best tabletsI bought a minimal iPad for $449 because it's just for fun, and I like its size. If I wanted an iPad for work, I'd buy a $559 iPad Air 11-inch (M2). My Kindle, on the other hand, is the top-of-the-line Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32 GB) for $199. Why? Because I read a lot, and I love a battery that can last for days and days.Smart TV device4K Chromecast with Google TV Google/ZDNETI've been usingChromecasts to watch my favorite streaming channelsin hotels since Google first released the devices more than a decade ago. Today, many hotel TVs come with an easy streaming service setup, but I still carry a Chromecast with Google TV (4K).Also:Google Chromecast vs RokuWhy? Well,hotel chains are infamous for poor security. They've improved, but I'd still rather not trust them with my streaming service IDs and passwords, thank you very much. In addition, the hotel TVs only have a handful of streaming channels. If I want to watch, say, the hilarious dark comedy Laid on Peacock while on the road with a Chromecast, I can.Everyone's travel needs are different, but this is what has worked for me with decades of travel experience. I hope it's given you some ideas on how to make your work trips more productive and pleasant.Featured

LokiMarvel RivalsMarvel Rivals season 1 arrives this Friday, January 10, but a select group of high profile creators got their hands on the new content early, and on stream, we got to see things like Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman on display.But we also got a look at the season 1 battle pass, which has a full 10 different skins in addition to all its other items for just $10. Now, thanks to these streams, we have the full roster of skins here, almost all of which are vampire-themed, and you can check out below:Rocket Raccoon - Bounty HunterMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsScarlet Witch - Emporium MatronMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsAdam Warlock - Blood SoulMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsMORE FOR YOUIron Man - Blood Edge ArmorMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsNamor - Savage Sub-MarinerMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsPeni Parker - Blue TarantulaMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsLoki - All-ButcherMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsMoon Knight - Blood Moon KnightMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsMagneto - King MagnusMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsWolverine - Blood BerserkerMarvel RivalsMarvel RivalsAs you can see, its quite the selection. Rivals has also gotten a lot of attention for its first two Reed and Sue skins that will be available in the shop which include an...eye-catching outfit for Invisible Woman specifically. But these ten skins? Only $10 in a game where most skins would be more like $15-20. Quite a deal, and a game like say, Fortnite, does not have that many skins in its battle pass.In addition to all these skins, this is also a battle pass that does not expire if you buy it, so you will be able to unlock them at your own pace in the future. Its a real player-forward system and though Rivals didnt invent it (thank you Halo Infinite) its certainly great to see it employed here.The battle pass also lets you unlock 600 Lattice and 600 Units if you complete it, so you will be well on your way to either next seasons battle pass, or another skin if you want it. Be forewarned though, NetEase has said that future seasons are not going to be as huge as season 1, so we may not get this many skins next time.Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

Effective AI governance is essential for building trust and confidence in AI systems as well as for realizing their full potential for the benefit of society.

Do not click, security experts warn.gettyUpdate, Jan. 8, 2025: This story, originally published Jan. 7, now includes details of the new PhishWP WordPress malicious phishing plugin threat and more advice for Gmail users.A newly published analysis has revealed that, across the whole of 2024, click-attacks all but tripled compared to the year before. Forget the recent warning for Chrome, Edge and Safari browsers not to double-click; all email users should now consider not clicking at all. Heres what Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail users need to know.The Ongoing Gmail, Outlook And Apple Mail Click-Attack ThreatA new analysis of phishing attacks published Jan. 07 by Netskope Threat Labs, has revealed that, across 2024, the number of dangerous clicks has increased nearly threefold compared to 2023. Blaming the increase on cognitive fatigue with users being bombarded by so many phishing emails that they become oblivious to the threat, coupled with the evolution of click-attack threats by increasingly confident attackers, Netskope warned that more than 8 out of every 1,000 users were now clicking on the malicious links. This is a massive increase, the researchers said, and represents a significantly bigger threat posed by phishing to people and organizations. Blaming the increase on cognitive fatigue, Ray Canzanese, head of the Netskope Threat Labs, said that the number of people clicking on links is increasing because people are being bombarded with phishing links from all directions: email, social media, ads in search engine results, and all over the web. The use of personal apps, including webmail apps, was also quoted as a significant risk to organizations as well as consumers.Google itself recently warned users of a second wave of cyberattacks, mostly phishing-related, that was hitting email users. Andy Wen, Gmails senior director of product management, said that the attackers are very persistent.MORE FOR YOUPhishWP Threat Moves Phishing Danger Beyond Gmail, Outlook And Apple MailA dangerous development in the phishing attack methodology scenario has now emerged as confirmed in a newly published report from researchers at SlashNext. A WordPress plugin created by malicious actors, PhishWP, does pretty much what it says on the tin: its a phishing kit in a plugin. PhishWP creates fake payment pages that look just like trusted services, such as Stripe, the report said, and even connects with Telegram, sending stolen data to attackers as soon as a victim hits enter, making the attacks faster and more efficient.Consumers and administrators alike are familiar with the WordPress interface, which makes plugins such as PhishWP a higher risk, Mr. Mayuresh Dani, manager of security research at the Qualys Threat Research Unit, said, to make sure that the attackers have time to use the stolen information, the plugin also includes functionality that sends a confirmation email to victims with their order details.PhishWP taps into a legitimate transaction flow by mirroring recognizable checkout sequences and quietly siphoning off sensitive data in real time, Jason Soroko, a senior fellow at Sectigo, said, the immediate forwarding of information equips cybercriminals with the necessary credentials to make fraudulent purchases or resell the stolen datasometimes within minutes of capturing it.Consumer Advice To Mitigate The Click-Attack Threat To Gmail, Outlook And Apple Mail UsersMicrosoft and Apple have tailored advice for their users when it comes to litigating phishing attacks, and Google is no different when it comes to the billions of people using Gmail for their email fix. I would also advise readers, regardless of the email platform they use, to read the excellent advice pages from the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre.The core advice from everyone is the same: dont click on unsolicited links from strangers or untrustworthy sources. Many security experts would say not to click on any links in an email at all, at least not verifying the authenticity if its from someone you know or checking out the destination (beware of link hovering attacks, though) if you dont. Entering the address manually in your browser, or searching Google for the legitimate address, is also an option. Things are more clear-cut with documents and attachments: just say no. Thanks, but no. Unless you are expecting the item and it is from a highly trusted source.

In brief: The man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas at the start of the month used ChatGPT to help him plan the attack, Las Vegas police said. OpenAI's tool was instrumental in ensuring the explosion succeeded, offering information on where to source materials and the type of firearm rounds that could ignite them. Active-duty US Army Green Beret Alan Livelsberger, 37, exploded the Cybertruck outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1.In a news conference yesterday, the Las Vegas police department and partners in the ATF and FBI revealed that Livelsberger had asked ChatGPT a series of questions related to his crime over the course of an hour in the days leading up to the blast.Some of the questions Livelsberger asked ChatGPT included where he could source explosives for the blast and what laws he would need to be aware of, where to buy guns in Denver, and the legality of fireworks in Arizona. He also asked how fast a firearm round would need to be fired to ignite the explosives in the truck.Sheriff Kevin McMahill talked about the long-held fears that generative AI could facilitate crimes, calling its use a "game-changer.""We knew that AI was going to change the game at some point or another in all of our lives," said McMahill. "Certainly, I think this is the first incident on US soil where ChatGPT is utilized to help an individual build a particular device to learn information all across the country as they're moving forward." // Related StoriesMcMahill said he was not aware of anything that would have flagged Livelsberger for asking ChatGPT more than 17 questions about firearms and explosions across a one-hour period. His prompts were written in plain English with no use of terms that could evade ChatGPT's safeguards.Livelsberger fatally shot himself just before the truck, which was loaded with 60 pounds of pyrotechnic material, blew up. Officials say the flash from the firearm that Livelsberger used to fatally shoot himself could have triggered the explosion.Despite the location and the use of a cybertruck, law enforcement officials said Livelsberger was not protesting against Donald Trump. One of the notes he left said the country needed to "rally around" the president-elect and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.A spokesperson for OpenAI said that it was "saddened" by the news its technology was used by Livelsberger in this way."We are saddened by this incident and committed to seeing AI tools used responsibly," the spokesperson said. "Our models are designed to refuse harmful instructions and minimize harmful content. In this case, ChatGPT responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against harmful or illegal activities."In 2023, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) warned of the ChatGPT's potential applications when it comes to crime. It highlighted the likes of phishing, fraud, disinformation, and general cybercrime, but there are also concerns that the technology, especially those tools with fewer or no safeguards, could be used to create weaponry, bioweapons, and explosives.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Luke Larsen / Digital Trends $200 laptops are the bread-and-butter of Chromebooks, but its been a long time since weve seen any good offerings at that price.Lost in the sea of press releases and new devices, Asus has quietly announced a new series of Chromebooks at CES 2025 that could finally shake things up for ultra-budget laptops. The Asus CX14 is a budget Chromebook starting at $199 but youd probably never guess that by looking at it.Luke Larsen / Digital TrendsDespite its price, it looks like a fairly modern laptop. Its not overly thick, the bezels arent embarrassingly large, and it even comes in some attractive colors. The exterior has a nice, textured plastic, too. Importantly, it has a 14-inch 1080p display.Recommended VideosOf course, there are compromises. It uses only a three-year-old, dual-core Intel Celeron N4500 processor, for starters. The entry-level model comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage not uncommon for a budget Chromebook. The screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio, only goes up to 250 nits, and is a TN panel. Youll likely notice a drop in quality compared to an IPS panel. It also only has a 720p webcam. Those are all older specs, for sure. But you have to make cuts to get the price down to $200, and those just might be justified compromises to make.RelatedAsus Chromebook CX14 (CX1405CKA)Dimensions12.78 x 8.44 x 0.78 inchesWeight3.06 poundsDisplay14-inch 1080p TN14-inch 1080p TN (touch)CPUIntel Celeron N4500Memory4GB LPDDR4X8GB LPDDR4XStorage64GB eMMC128GB eMMC256GB eMMCWebcam720pBattery42 watt-hourPorts1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 11x USB-C 3.2 Gen 11x HDMI 1.41x 3.5mm audio jackWirelessWi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3Price$199+In addition to a larger 15-inch model, theres also going to be a Chromebook Plus version of the CX14, sporting faster Core i3 and Core i5 processors, as well as starting at 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The webcam gets an upgrade, too, bumped up to 1080p. Those are all requirements of the Chromebook Plus designation.AsusBut heres the thing there are lots of good high-quality Chromebooks out there right now. Thats largely thanks to the Chromebook Plus program.Truthfully, though, the entry-level CX14 is the model Im most excited about. Its about time students dont have to be embarrassed about the laptops they have to carry around.Asus hasnt announced the timing of when exactly these new Chromebooks will be available.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsCall me PrequelChris Hemsworth gives one of his best performancesThe Spider-Man of the momentCillian Murphy and the supporting cast are excellentIts a harrowing tale of disaster at seaTheres a new No. 1 film on top of the most popular movies on Netflix, and its In the Heart of the Sea, a film that will celebrate its 10th anniversary later this year. Weve seen some films come out of nowhere and race to the top of Netflixs standings before, but rarely one that flopped to the extent that this one did. And its failure wasnt because of its quality. In December 2015, Warner Bros. decided to release this film just a week before Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Star Wars sequel broke domestic records with $936 million in North America, while In the Heart of the Sea splashed ashore with only $25 million domestically and $93.9 million worldwide.In this case, In the Heart of the Sea was the wrong movie at the wrong time. But its time has finally come now that fans are rediscovering director Ron Howards historical epic, which is inspired by a true story. Another reason for this films resurgence is that its filled with stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, and Cillian Murphy. Now that the movie has resurfaced, were sharing the reasons why you should watch In the Heart of the Sea on Netflix in January.Recommended VideosWarner Bros. PicturesAlthough the script takes some liberties with the real events and people, its still a largely true account of what happened on the whale-hunting ship, the Essex, in 1820. Its also, in a strange way, a prequel to Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick, one of the most famous novels in American history. Melville was so moved by the account of this tale that he was inspired to write his book. The connections between the two works are so overt that Melville is actually a character in the movie, as portrayed by Black Doves Ben Whishaw.RelatedAs a narrative device, most of the film is related in flashback by Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), one of the few survivors of the Essex disaster. The story checks in on Melville and Nickerson in 1850 from time to time, which actually adds to the emotional impact of the events of the past. The end of the movie even has a callback to Melvilles famous first line of Moby-Dick, Call me Ishmael.Warner Bros. PicturesIn the Heart of the Sea was made after Chris Hemsworth began starring in Marvel movies as Thor, but before he decided to embrace playing a comedic goofball in most of his movies. This film serves as a reminder that Hemsworth has dramatic chops when he chooses to use them. Owen Chase isnt the narrator, but he is arguably the main character of the movie, and many of the scenes take place from his perspective.Chases bitter disappointment at being passed over as captain colors his relationship with the man who got the job, George Pollard Jr. (Benjamin Walker). Pollard also overhears Chases reaction, which sours their relationship from the start. The subsequent contest of wills between these two men almost destroys the ship early in the film. And when their worst instincts land on the same page, they cause even more damage together. Ironically, Chase and Pollard come to a place of mutual respect. All it took was a disaster that may claim their lives.Warner Bros. PicturesTom Holland played the younger Thomas Nickerson just a few months before his debut as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. In a fun coincidence, In the Heart of the Sea hit No. 1 on Netflixs most popular movies on the same day that Hollands engagement with his Spider-Man co-star, Zendaya, was confirmed.Hes a grown man now, but Holland plays up every bit of his youth as Thomas. Hes the youngest member of the crew, and as such, he gets the worst jobs. Because Thomas is the narrator, theres no suspense about his survival. But we do get to see the emotional impact on Hollands face and body language as the ordeal weighs down his character.In the Heart of the Sea Movie CLIP - What Was That? (2015) - Chris Hemsworth Movie HDGleeson might have been a little too old to play Hollands aged counterpart, but he carries that same weight during his scenes with Melville. Hollands version of Thomas doesnt get as much development as Chase, but he definitely feels haunted by the end of his ordeal.Warner Bros. PicturesNina Gold (Game of Thrones), the casting director for In the Heart of the Sea, deserves a lot of credit for surrounding Hemsworth and Holland with either established stars or performers on the rise. Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) co-stars as Matthew Joy, the second mate of the Essex. Fear the Walking Deads Frank Dillane also has a strong performance as Pollards cousin, Henry Coffin. Henry doesnt have a very big part, but you wont forget his standout scene.Michelle Fairley who played Catelyn Stark on Game of Thrones also has a supporting role as Nickersons wife in 1850, and she shares one of the most emotionally affecting scenes in the movie with Gleeson. There isnt really a bad performance in the entire movie, and thats also a credit to the cast and the casting director.Warner Bros. PicturesThe first half of In the Heart of the Sea plays like the spiritual successor to Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World, another underappreciated nautical epic. The arrival of the giant sperm whale which well just call Moby Dick for simplicity is foreshadowed before it actually arrives. When the ship encounters Moby Dick, the movie turns into a more intense tale of disaster and survival at sea.In the Heart of the Sea Movie CLIP - Prepare to Abandon Ship (2015) - Chris Hemsworth Movie HDMany of the actors in this film went on extreme diets to portray the starving sailors stuck in the middle of the ocean for months. Their physical transformations and the realistic makeup used to convey the effects of exposure and dehydration were very convincing. Unlike the Moby-Dick novel, the sailors are less interested in revenge and more invested in staying alive. But they do get one last showdown with the whale before the end.Watch In the Heart of the Sea on Netflix.Editors Recommendations