FileHippo News

The latest software and tech news

Facebook Reluctantly Offers End-to-End Encryption
In this day and age of privacy invasion–whether committed by hackers or by our own governments–end-to-end encryption in a messaging platform is highly sought after. It has the power to win over long-time devotees to a competing app, for example, as WhatsApp discovered when they unveiled their e-to-e offering.... Read more
iOS10 Is Unencrypted…On Purpose
Apple’s preview of iOS10 revealed something shocking: a lack of encryption on the kernel’s code. Uttering the words “Apple” and “encryption” in the same sentence might raise a few eyebrows, especially in the wake of the now-famous legal battle involving Apple being compelled by a US court to develop... Read more
117 Million LinkedIn Account  For Sale On Dark Web
As this story broke it was hard to know just who was in anyone’s professional network, especially if you haven’t changed your LinkedIn password in the last 4 years. This is the news that more than one hundred million LinkedIn login ids, complete with passwords are apparently being advertised... Read more
FBI Will Not Reveal How It Got Into iPhone
In one of the most high-profile “make the government look inept” cases in recent history, the FBI managed to break into a suspect’s iPhone. Correction: the FBI managed to scrape together enough money to pay a foreign firm to break into the phone. Now, after spending a reported $1.4... Read more
Viber Latest Messaging Platform To Add Encryption
Viber has followed WhatsApp example and is the latest messaging platform to add end-to-end encryption for its users. If the FBI’s debacle involving an iPhone 5 has shown us anything, it’s the tech users do value their privacy. The resentment surrounding the court case to compel Apple to create... Read more
Tech Companies Set To Increase Encryption Protocols
As the ongoing legal battle between Apple and the FBI keeps going on and on,  a host of other Silicon Valley operators have clearly signalled which side of the fence they’re sitting on. Facebook, Google, Snapchat and others are seemingly working on increasing their own encryption methods in the... Read more
Dutch Court Orders Google To Hand Over Fake Reviewers IP Addresses
In the Netherlands, browser giant Google has been ordered to take down the false and abusive reviews that have been linked to attacks on a Dutch nursery. The child care business, which hasn’t as yet been named in court papers, has won a legal case against Google, forcing the... Read more
Avira Scout Browser: Provides A Safer Web Experience
With near-daily headlines about hacking events, data breaches, and new forms of internet scams, it’s a wonder anyone can go online anymore. Sadly, data is already showing that the majority of tech users have resigned themselves to the fact that their identities will probably be compromised, which is backed... Read more
LastPass Update Encrypts Your Online Logins
You know you’re supposed to be doing it, but it’s just such a bother, isn’t it? All that typing and the memorizing and the keeping it all straight…it’s such a hassle. Unfortunately, that’s the all-too-common sentiment behind most internet users and their reluctance to create strong, unique passwords. Heck,... Read more
French Crack Down On Facebook Privacy Violations
The French government is known for some of its more people-centric privacy laws, which is part of the reason so many celebrities choose to make their home in-country. Now, the government is cracking down on some seemingly innocuous terms of service in Facebook’s system, claiming that the current terms... Read more
Who Needs Privacy Anymore? Apparently, No One.
The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is underway in Las Vegas, and it’s already had its fair share of attention. With all eyes in the tech industry turned to the desert for the latest news, innovations, tech announcements, and just plain cool stuff, there’s bound to be some buzz.... Read more
VTech Hack Targets Children’s, Parents’ Data
There were a record number of data breaches in 2014, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, reaching an all-time high of 783 in that one calendar year alone. Previous years’ results were hardly any better, with corporate, retail, and medical data breaches occurring at an alarming rate. But... Read more
Scrapped Windows 10 Update  Available Again After Privacy Issues Fixed
Microsoft has come clean about the action it recently took to pull the eagerly anticipated first major Windows 10 Update According to Microsoft, the Windows 10 Update for November in its original form might have reset four important privacy settings back their original default settings, but without informing the... Read more
Mozilla’s Latest Update Offers Better Security, Privacy
One of the top three web browsers released an update recently, and its creators are touting one of its more sought-after features: enhanced privacy. The developers at Mozilla have upped the security for the latest Firefox update, and they’re feeling pretty good about the results.   One of the... Read more
Feds Demand Apple Unlock iPhone’s Passcode
Apple is taking heat from the US government again, but it’s not over ebooks, patents, or price fixing this time. In the latest battle between the tech giant and the government, now it’s federal law enforcement officials who are demanding Apple unlock an iPhone. Invoking the All Writs Act... Read more
Tor, Ghostery Give You Control Over Your Browsing Privacy
Privacy is a hot topic right now, with the numbers of large-scale hacking events and major data breaches on the rise. One of the chief concerns for tech users of any kind is the tracking of their internet activity, especially with breaches that have recently involved membership accounts on... Read more
ZenMate Chrome Browser Plug-In Adds Layer Of Privacy
Data security and personal privacy are hot topics in the tech world right now. News like the recent AshleyMadison breach–and the hugely embarrassing resulting aftermath, especially for key celebrities–has made even the most basic of tech users think twice about hopping online and browsing around. Fortunately, there are easy-to-use... Read more
SpiderOak Gets An Update, Keeps Same Level Of Privacy
Data privacy and information security have been big news for quite some time, even before Edward Snowden made consumers aware that their cell phone records were being handed over to the government without warrants. But government access, hacking events, and data breaches seem to have done very little to... Read more