Free Republic

Apple today released iOS 13.2.2 which includes bug fixes and improvements for your iPhone. This update: • Fixes an issue that could cause apps to quit unexpectedly when running in the background • Resolves an issue where iPhone may temporarily lose cellular service after a call • Addresses an issue where cellular data may temporarily not be available • Fixes an issue that caused replies to S/MIME encrypted email messages between Exchange accounts to be unreadable • Addresses an issue where using Kerberos single sign-on service in Safari may present an authentication prompt • Resolves an issue where charging may...

"To help identify and prevent fraud, information about how you use your device, including the approximate number of phone calls or emails you send and receive, will be used to compute a device trust score when you attempt a purchase," Apple explained."

This information will likely not be a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to Big Tech’s increasing propensity to violate the privacy of users and use their data for questionable reasons, but here we are. Two days ago, the tech website Venture Beat noticed an eyebrow-raising bit in the latest update to Apple’s privacy policy: "Apple’s promise of transparency regarding user data means that any new privacy policy update might reveal that it’s doing something new and weird with your data. Alongside yesterday’s releases of iOS 12, tvOS 12, and watchOS 5, Apple quietly updated some of its...

Apple Releases iOS 12 Apple today released iOS 12 which brings performance improvements and exciting new features to iPhone and iPad. Photos introduces new features to help you rediscover and share the photos in your library, Memoji—a new, more customizable Animoji—make Messages more expressive and fun, Screen Time helps you and your family understand and make the most of the time spent on devices, Siri Shortcuts deliver a faster way to get things done with the ability for any app to work with Siri, augmented reality becomes even more engaging with the ability for developers to create shared AR...

A HomeKit vulnerability in the current version of iOS 11.2 has been demonstrated to 9to5Mac that allows unauthorized control of accessories including smart locks and garage door openers. Our understanding is Apple has rolled out a server-side fix that now prevent unauthorized access from occurring while limiting some functionality, and an update to iOS 11.2 coming next week will restore that full functionality.The vulnerability, which we won’t describe in detail and was difficult to reproduce, allowed unauthorized control of HomeKit-connected accessories including smart lights, thermostats, and plugs.The most serious ramification of this vulnerability prior to the fix is unauthorized remote control of...

The infection rate in mobile networks – which includes Windows/PC systems connected by dongle and mobile IoT devices – rose “steadily” during the year to hit a new high of 1.35% in October. The vast majority of infections (85%) discovered in mobile networks belonged to smartphones, with Android (81%) the main culprit, followed by Windows/PCs (15%) and 4% linked to iPhones and other mobile devices. Nokia explained: “Many people are surprised to find that Windows/PCs are responsible for a large portion of the malware infections detected when analyzing mobile network traffic. These Windows/PCs are connected to the mobile network using...