Search results for "us government"

Tool created to aid cleanup from Microsoft hack in broad use

A tool designed to help businesses protect themselves from further compromises after a global hack of Microsoft email server software has been downloaded more than 25,000 times since it was released last week, the White House’s National Security Council said Monday. As a result, the number of vulnerable systems has fallen by 45%, according to […]

China slams US plan to expel phone carriers in tech clash

China’s government on Thursday called on Washington to drop efforts to expel three state-owned Chinese phone companies from the United States in a new clash over technology and security. The Federal Communications Commission voted Wednesday to begin revoking the companies’ U.S. licenses. It said they are security risks controlled by the communist Beijing government. The […]

US charges Swiss 'hacktivist' for data theft and leaks

The Justice Department has charged a Swiss hacker with computer intrusion and identity theft, just over a week after the hacker took credit for helping to break into the online systems of a U.S. security-camera startup. An indictment against 21-year-old Till Kottmann was brought Thursday by a grand jury in the Seattle-based Western District of […]

Australian police boss suggests app to prove sexual consent

A senior Australian policeman suggested on Thursday a phone app be developed to document sexual consent in a bid to improve conviction rates in sex crime cases. New South Wales state Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said dating apps have brought couples together and the same technology could also provide clarity on the question of consent. […]

White House legal official Tim Wu will put Big Tech under scrutiny

On Feb.  4, Tim Wu, prominent, progressive attorney, sent his last tweet as a private citizen; the next day, the White House announced its decision to place Wu in the National Economic Council (NEC), one of two key advisory boards to President Joe Biden. While Wu has been on board over a month, none of […]

Russia threatens to block Twitter in a month

Russian authorities said Tuesday they would block Twitter in a month if it doesn’t take steps to remove banned content, a move that escalates the Russian government’s drawn-out standoff with social media platforms that have played a major role in amplifying dissent in Russia. Russia’s state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, last week announced it was slowing […]

News Corp strikes Facebook pay deal for Australian news

News Corp and Facebook have reached pay deals for news in Australia three weeks after the government passed laws that would make digital giants help cover the costs of journalism. The New York-based news business that operates mainly in the United States, Britain and Australia said Tuesday it had reached a multi-year agreement with Facebook […]

'It's exhausting.' A year of distance learning wears thin

At first, many schools announced it would last only a couple weeks. A year later, the unplanned experiment with distance learning continues for thousands of students who have yet to set foot back in classrooms. Comfortable homes and private tutors have made it easier for those with access. Expectations are higher at some schools than […]

Oman blocks Clubhouse, app used for free debates in Mideast

Oman has cut off access to the buzzy new audio chat app Clubhouse, the country’s telecommunications regulator confirmed Monday, setting off fears that authorities across the Persian Gulf may censor a rare forum for discussion of sensitive topics in the region. The Omani government has “forbidden the app because it was operating without the proper […]

Despite hacks, US not seeking widened domestic surveillance

The Biden administration is not planning to step up government surveillance of the U.S. internet even as state-backed foreign hackers and cybercriminals increasingly use it to evade detection, a senior administration official said Friday. The official said the administration, mindful of the privacy and civil liberties implications that could arise, is not currently seeking additional […]