Streaming was supposed to be ad-free, but now ads are sneaking into paid plans, and free ones are packed with them. What happened? Plus, is Facebook listening through your phone? I’ll cover that, how tech is making us lonelier, and the latest AI threat.
Update Chrome! Patch fixes major bug hackers are exploiting
Google’s Chrome browser is super popular, with nearly 3 billion installations globally. Chrome is relatively safe to use if you’ve set it up correctly. Tap or click here for ways to make it even safer to use.
But you must keep your programs, including web browsers, up to date to fend off newly found cybersecurity threats. Google recently discovered a dangerous zero-day threat to its Chrome browser.
Read on for the latest issue found in Chrome and why you must update immediately.
Here’s the backstory
Google’s Chrome is no stranger to bugs. The tech giant generally sends Chrome updates every few weeks to add helpful new features or patch bugs.
But sometimes, a flaw is so critical that it warrants immediate action. That happened with Chrome recently, as Google rushed out an emergency patch for vulnerabilities that hackers are already exploiting.
The update fixes the eighth zero-day exploit for the browser in 2022, which Clement Lecigne of Google’s Threat Analysis Group discovered last week. The patch brings the browser to version 107.0.5304.121 for Mac and Linux and version 107.0.5304.121/.122 for Windows.
The flaw has the designation CVE-2022-4135, and Google knows that an exploit exists in the wild. That means hackers know about it and could be exploiting the bug now. That’s why you must update ASAP.
As usual, Google didn’t go into detail about the workings of the flaw, as this could put users at risk who haven’t updated yet. But according to Bleeping Computer, the threat could be exploited by cybercriminals to access your information and run arbitrary code.
What you can do about it
Google says that the update is gradually rolling out for everyone over the next couple of days, but there is a good chance that it’s already available to most people in the U.S. and Canada.
Updating Chrome is easy. Here’s how:
Don’t open this email about a 'Zoom conference call' – it’s a ‘sextortion’ scam
Sextortion is a nasty kind of scam that too many people are unfortunately falling for. Most of the time, scammers are bluffing when they claim to have blackmail over their victims — but that hasn’t stopped them from racking up millions of dollars in stolen funds.
Don't open this email - it's a cleverly-disguised 'sextortion' scam
Few things are scarier than a direct threat to you and your family. Whether it comes by email, text, or phone call, an extortion message can feel like a disgusting violation of privacy.
But add sexual blackmail to the mix, and all bets are off. If you’ve ever gotten an email from a hacker claiming they’ve got you on tape watching porn, you know exactly how disturbing “sextortion” scams are. Tap or click here to see why they’re back in the news again.
Facebook's latest threat is crazy
Did you hear about Mark Zuckerberg’s threat to remove all news from Facebook? Here’s why I hope he follows through, in 60 seconds.
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