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Microsoft has accidentally leaked a tool that lets users try out every new feature that's in development. It's grabbed the attention of tech enthusiasts but is very much not a good idea for the average user. The tool came to light when Microsoft ... promoted an event called "Bug Bash". Normally that's an internal "all hands on deck" process where developers are told to hold off their normal work for a set period and instead concentrate solely on finding bugs in software. Microsoft opened this process up to members of the Windows Insider program that lets the public access in-development version ... (view more)

The US government plans to spend $100 billion to expand broadband availability in the US. The goal is that all Americans should have access to "affordable" high-speed broadband by 2029. The spending is part of a planned infrastructure bill, so it's ... possible the broadband measures may not survive the legislative process. It's a clear sign that the government views Internet access as a key utility, with the broadband measures coming alongside spending to upgrade water networks and electricity grids. Indeed, a White House explanation directly compares the broadband move to the 1936 Rural ... (view more)

A hacker tried to poison a city's water supply using software designed to remotely control computers. Officials in Oldsmar, Florida say that even if the attack hadn't been spotted, it would have been unsuccessful. The attacker struck a system that ... treats the water supplied to around 15,000 people. Last Friday, they gained access to a control computer for around three to five minutes through TeamViewer, which appears to have been in place to allow remote work. (Source: independent.co.uk ) 100-Fold Lye Increase The computer controlled the levels of some chemicals in the water including ... (view more)

An app designed to make it easier to get on public WiFi has accidentally exposed more than two million WiFi passwords. It appears to be a case of terrible design, rather than pure malice by the app designers. The app is called "WiFi Finder - connect ... to hotspots" and is listed on the Google Play store as having more than 100,000 downloads. In theory the app is part of a project to make using WiFi on the move more convenient. It's designed to be a massive database to which users can add public WiFi networks and the relevant passwords. For example, visitors to a coffee store could add the ... (view more)

Microsoft has criticized Google for revealing details of what the search giant has dubbed a "critical" security flaw in Windows. The two companies dispute whether Google gave Microsoft enough time to fix the problem before going public. The ... controversy lies in the fact that Microsoft has yet to release a fix for the problem and has not even said if one exists. The bug applies to 32-bit editions of Windows and allows an unauthorized local privilege escalation. The effect is to undermine a security feature known as " sandboxing ," which is designed so that if a hacker ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Tim C. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently upgraded to Windows 10 and have a rather perplexing issue. A few days ago I opened my laptop and Windows 10 presented me with a window, asking me if I was using a public or private network. ... I clicked the public network button, not thinking much of it - however, ever since then I cannot connect to my laptop using Remote Desktop (from the PC), nor can I use TightVNC, which is an alternative to Remote Desktop. Also, when I launch some programs (for example, Kodi to play movies), the Windows firewall tells me that the program I just ... (view more)

Microsoft has publicly lashed out at Google for revealing a severe security flaw in Windows 8.1 before it was able to release a fix. The public disclosure has reawakened a longstanding dispute about how to go about reporting security flaws. Comments ... on Google's website suggest that the same bug also affects Windows 7 Professional 64bit, with Service Pack 1; if true, it's equally likely the bug also affects other earlier versions of the Windows operating system, including Windows XP, which is no longer supported by Microsoft and will therefore remain unpatched. The bug involves the way ... (view more)

Facebook wants its users to carry out regular 'privacy checkups' in hopes of winning back trust. The privacy checkup features allows users to choose how much of their personal information is visible to the general public, including photographs, ... email addresses, and smartphone numbers. According to The New York Times, Facebook's new privacy checkup is a response to user and investor concerns that the social networking site's privacy settings are too complicated , making it difficult for many users to protect their personal data. Privacy Checkup to Include Walkthrough of New App ... (view more)

US government officials have flatly denied having any advance knowledge of the Heartbleed bug . The bug, which has already been exploited by hackers, has resulted in exposed social security numbers of the Canada Revenue Agency and other personal ... data. It's estimated that the bug affects approximately six percent of all websites world-wide. Now, it's emerged that US spies who discover security bugs are sometimes allowed to exploit them, rather than warn the public of any imminent dangers. A report by the Bloomberg news agency suggested the National Security Agency (NSA) knew about Heartbleed ... (view more)