This Chrome extension can help protect you from the worst online threats

Check Point has launched a new extension for Google Chrome called ZoneAlarm Web Secure Free that provides users with free protection against phishing attacks, malicious downloads and dangerous websites.

The new solution is an advanced Google Chrome extension that can help keep users safe online from multiple threats while they search and browse the web.

When a user adds the ZoneAlarm Web Secure Free extension to Chrome, ZoneAlarm Safe Search becomes their default search engine. The search engine utilizes Check Point's ThreatCloud database, which contains up-to-date global threat intelligence, to scan search results and rate them according to their potential risk.

Phishing and malware protection

ZoneAlarm's Web Secure Free also protects users' credentials against phishing attacks by using ZoneAlarm Zero-Phishing. The technology scans all websites before allowing users to input any personal information while also alerting them to any attempts to steal their personal data.

Check Point's new free security solution also utilizes ZoneAlarm's Threat Extraction technology to enable users to safely download documents from emails and the web. Threat Extraction automatically removes any suspect or malicious code from documents in seconds to ensure that an extracted file is completely safe without disturbing users.

Head of consumer sales at Check Point, Dror Levy explained in a press release that ZoneAlarm Web Secure Free can help protect users from the recent surge in coronavirus-related scams online, saying:

“Cyber-criminals are always looking for ways to target consumers and often play on genuine public fears, as seen recently with the rise of malicious spam relating to 2019-nCoV disease. We’ve found that Coronavirus-related domains are 50% more likely to be malicious than other domains. Since the beginning of January, over 16,000 new coronavirus-related domains were registered and since the end of February 2020 the average number of new domains is almost 10 times more than found in previous weeks. Special offers are also being sold over the dark net under special offers with “COVID19” or “coronavirus” as discount codes. Utilizing solutions like ZoneAlarm’s Web Secure Free means users are protected from such prevalent threats, with the best enterprise-grade technologies keeping them secure while browsing.”

  • We've also highlighted the best VPN services
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Save 40% on Peak Design’s awesome camera bags and backpacks

San Francisco-based company Peak Design began life on Kickstarter, and quickly gained a massive fan following. And no wonder: it has some beautifully designed bags that can be customized to suit any purpose, and the company’s clips and straps go a long way in making that happen.

Every aspect of Peak Design bags are well thought-out – construction, material, functionality and usability. The bags are then tested thoroughly before they go on sale. Every bag in the Peak Design catalog can go from boardroom to holiday, with the ability to carry laptops, clothes or camera gear with just a few sturdy clips.

The bags aren’t cheap, though, so for those who’ve been lusting after a Peak Design carrier, this might be a good chance to snag yourself an Everyday Backpack or an Everyday Messenger, and pocket some savings in the process. 

Note that the 40% discount is on the original V1 options of the bags, although there is 20% off on all other Peak Design products, except its travel tripod. The sale ends April 6.

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Huawei open-sources TensorFlow competitor MindSpore

Huawei has announced that its framework for AI app development MindSpore is now open source and available on GiHub and Gitee.

The lightweight suite is similar to Google's TensorFlow and Facebook's PyTorch as it lowers the barrier to entry for developers looking to add AI to their apps.

Chief scientist at Huawei MindSpore and an IEEE Fellow, Professor Chen Li explained how MindSpore can scale across devices in a press release, saying:

"MindSpore natively adapts to all scenarios across the device, edge, and cloud. We implement AI Algorithms As Code through on-demand collaboration for easier model development, and provide cutting-edge technologies, and co-optimization with Huawei Ascend AI processors to improve runtime efficiency and computing performance. We also support other processors such as GPU and CPU."

MindSpore

MindSpore already has the backing of a number of partners including the University of Edinburgh, Peking University, Imperial College London and the robotics startup Milvus.

The framework is able to run on processors, graphics cards and dedicated neural processing units such as the one in Huawei's own Ascend AI chips. MindSpore also has 20 percent fewer lines of codes than other frameworks when dealing with natural language processing models and the company claims that this leads to an average efficiency boost of 50 percent. Additionally, the framework supports parallel training across hardware as well as dynamic debugging which enables developers to isolate bugs while taking less time to train AI models.

One other interesting thing about MindSpore is the fact that it doesn't process any data on its own but instead, ingests gradient and model information that has already been processed. As a result of this, the framework preserves sensitive data even in “cross-scenario” environments while ensuring that models remain robust.

MindSpore currently requires Python 3.7+ to run but the framework will soon support other languages such as C++, Rust and Julia. 

Via VentureBeat

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Apple’s Mac mini, iPad Air and more products are on sale today

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Today’s deals include the latest Apple Mac mini, the iPad Air, the LG G8 ThinQ and more interesting devices from B&H and Amazon

The post Apple’s Mac mini, iPad Air and more products are on sale today appeared first on Pocketnow.

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WireGuard VPN added to Linux 5.6

Linux users now have another choice when it comes to protecting themselves online as WireGuard VPN has been added to the Linux kernel in version 5.6.

Up until now, the fast and flexible VPN, which was designed specifically for Linux implementations, was only available as a third-party addition. However, WireGuard VPN is now available by default with release of Linux 5.6.

In an announcement, president and security researcher at Edge Security, Jason Donenfeld explained that future Linux kernels will have WireGuard built-in by default, saying:

“Earlier this evening, Linus released Linux 5.6, which contains our first release of WireGuard. This is quite exciting. It means that kernels from here on out will have WireGuard built-in by default. And for those of you who were scared away prior by the "dOnT uSe tHiS k0de!!1!" warnings everywhere, you now have something more stable to work with.”

WireGuard VPN

WireGuard was originally developed as a replacement for more complex VPN protocols such as IPsec and OpenVPN as they can often be difficult to implement. It's also harder to audit or verify existing protocols because of their large codebases.

As WireGuard VPN consists of around just 4,000 lines of code, as opposed to the 100,000 lines of code that make up OpenVPN, it is much easier for security experts to review and audit it for vulnerabilities. 

While WireGuard is now available in Linux 5.6, it will still take some time for the kernel to find its way into other popular Linux distros such as Ubuntu, Arch Linux and Linux Mint. 

However, while users of these distros wait for the trickle down effect to occur, WireGuard's existing compatibility with older versions of some Linux distributions will be maintained.

  • We've also highlighted the best VPN services

Via Decipher

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How enterprise VR can empower a remote working world

With an ever-growing gig economy and pressure to achieve carbon neutrality, businesses have had to adapt remote working arrangements to keep pace with behavioural change in the workplace.

The latest IWG Global Workspace Survey reveals that 73% of people in the UK consider flexible working to be the new normal, with 68% of UK businesses reported to have a flexible workspace policy. In the wake of the Covid-19 global pandemic, the disparate workforce is growing rapidly in size. Remote-working, virtual training and digital collaboration is now at the forefront of business leaders' minds. 

Virtual reality (VR) is one of the tools that could help to empower a remote-working culture. With the technology developing at a rapid pace and companies beginning to explore VR’s transformative potential, this ‘futuristic’ technology is making its way into the mainstream.

Training without limits

In a world of increased remote working and vastly reduced business travel, VR offers a vital way of providing interactive, collaborative training. As well as developing workers’ technical skills, VR also has the scope to improve soft skills, such as teamwork and communication, through real-time collaborative training. Some of the key benefits of VR training include:

● Enhanced engagement: As VR technology was originally developed for the video game industry, its central aim is to engage, and it is inherently immersive. Gamification elements can be added to enterprise VR platforms; the introduction of a competitive element can increase employee engagement in the training and improve knowledge retention.

● Collaboration: Multiple employees can be in the same virtual space together from different locations, enabling them to feel socially and emotionally engaged in the training, increasing satisfaction and motivation. Developing effective communication between co-workers is becoming even more important as we move towards a remote workforce.

● Data-led intelligence: VR’s data capture capabilities allow for ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ evaluation that would not be possible using standard methods, tracking things such as user actions and comments made in the training environment. This allows for learner-specific personalisation of training and provides individuals and organisations with detailed feedback. This, in turn, can help companies to review the effectiveness and ROI of their training programmes.

● Improved results: Research by the University of Cambridge’s Cyber-Human Lab has shown that effective VR training can result in faster task completion when compared with standard training. And improved training could have a positive impact on workplace retention, too: research indicates that workers that enjoy their training are more likely to remain with a company.

Making the virtual a reality

Exciting new enterprise VR developments are currently in production or pilot, including advanced learner-specific personalisation and AI avatars that can assist with real-time training.

And as enterprise VR software becomes more sophisticated, it is also becoming increasingly accessible. The cost of hardware is falling, and content is becoming easier to create and customise, opening enterprise VR up to smaller companies without in-house development teams.

Additionally, the emergence of 5G will unlock exciting possibilities for enterprise VR applications. With the additional processing power 5G will provide, training experiences can be customised for the trainee based on their actions or reactions in real-time. Mass adoption of VR for corporate training is no longer a distant dream, but a very close reality.

A virtual future on the horizon

At a time when virtual collaboration and digital connection are rapidly becoming mainstream ways of co-working, VR will be one of the tech tools that takes centre stage. Now is the moment for companies to start exploring the potential of this technology to increase employee engagement, productivity and retention.

With new features in production and the technology becoming more accessible, the tipping point for the mass adoption of VR training is on the horizon. Research suggests that almost three-quarters of small to midsize businesses will be experimenting with immersive technology by 2022. Looking back, we may see 2020 as marking a major shift: a forced trial of mass remote working.

Tom Symonds is CEO of Immerse

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How to watch The Flash online: stream Crisis on Infinite Earths anywhere

If your favorite superhero exists in the Arrowverse, chances are they're once again fighting to save the world as part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, which sees The Flash (née Barry Allen) teaming up with old friends The Green Arrow, Supergirl and more in a bid to save the multiverse. Here's how to watch The Flash online - stream Crisis on Infinite Earths part 3 and all of The Flash season 6 wherever you are.

Originally an Arrow spin-off, The Flash was the second show to launch as part of the Arrowverse and stars Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, a nerdy forensic scientist with the Central City police force who wakes up after being struck by lightning with superhuman speed. 

Soon after, he assembles his iconic red costume and becomes the superhero comic book fans will immediately recognize as The Flash. We don't want to spoil things, as The Flash is one of the absolute best superhero shows going right now, so we'll leave it at that for now.

But we will say that with over 120 episodes aired to date, The Flash is ideal for binge-viewing if you're stuck at home under lockdown - so allow us to explain how to watch The Flash season 6 online and stream Crisis on Infinite Earths from anywhere in the world.

Can I watch The Flash on Netflix?

Yes, but only if you have access to Netflix Canada

It's the one major country where all six seasons of The Flash can be streamed on the popular service, which is great news for those living in the Great White North - and terrible news if you happen to be anywhere else, as geo-blocking will almost certainly prevent you from watching the shows and movies you normally would at home.

Fortunately, there's an easy solution - using a VPN. This clever bit of software allows you repoint your computer back to a location in Canada so you can stream your local Netflix catalogue just like you would from the comfort of your couch. 

Of the many options, our testers rate ExpressVPN as the best option due to its ease of use, fast speeds, and security features - and better still, you can get a 49% discount and 3 months extra FREE if you signup to ExpressVPN today.

Allow us to explain more.

How to watch The Flash from outside your country

Those who already have a streaming service they use to watch The Flash online may find themselves unable to access it when abroad, due to pesky geo-blocking restrictions. Yes, we're aware that most of us aren't going anywhere in the near future, but global travel will one day resume and, god forbid, you may even be stuck abroad during these difficult times.

Fortunately, there's an easy solution to geo-blocking. Downloading a VPN will allow you to watch Crisis on Infinite Earths and every new episode of The Flash no matter where you are. This simple bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access episodes live or on demand just like you would at home.

How to watch The Flash online for free in the US

How to watch The Flash: Stream Crisis on Infinite Earths online in the UK

Watch The Flash online in Australia

How to watch The Flash online in Canada

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Houseparty offers huge reward for proof hacking rumours were smear campaign

App of the minute Houseparty has announced a reward of $1 million to the first person able to share any evidence that rumours linking the app to other accounts being hacked are a part of a paid social media smear campaign.

Houseparty has quickly become a favourite chat app among self-isolating users, with an average of over 2 million people downloads per week in during March, compared to just 130,000 downloads during the same time last month.

However, appeals to uninstall the app have gone viral on social media after several users tweeted that installing Houseparty app resulted in them being locked out of  other apps, including the likes of PayPal, Snapchat, Netflix, and Spotify. 

Houseparty sabotaged

Reacting to these claims, Epic Games, the owner of Houseparty, said the application is secure and was never compromised. It has stated that there is no evidence of the app interfering or hacking other applications that are already installed on the phone. 

The company smells foul play, claiming it received reports that these tweets were a part of a commercial smear campaign to harm the company. 

“We are investigating indications that the recent hacking rumours were spread by a paid commercial smear campaign to harm Houseparty," Epic Games wrote in a tweet.

"We are offering a $1,000,000 bounty for the first individual to provide proof of such a campaign to [email protected]”.

According to a Forbes report, Houseparty does not show any signs of misuse, with the usage permissions being sought by the app were deemed logical and necessary. The app cannot be attributed with the accounts there were compromised, it added.

While no application can be termed 100% safe, experts advise that users should be watchful while granting permissions to a new app and strong passwords should be used while creating/maintaining an online account.

Via: Forbes

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Nvidia might debut GeForce RTX 3000 graphics cards in August

Nvidia has reportedly delayed the launch of its Ampere architecture and GeForce RTX 3000 series graphics cards due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The company was originally poised to launch Ampere, which will move to a new 7nm process and is expected to deliver up to a 75% performance hike compared to its current 12nm Turing architecture, at its GTC conference in March, but Nvidia cancelled the show entirely earlier this month due to the global coronavirus pandemic. 


Tweaktown is reporting that Nvidia now plans debut the Ampere GPU architecture in August this year, with a full launch planned for the newly-rescheduled Computex conference in September.

The architecture will reportedly debut alongside higher-end Quadro RTX offerings, the report notes, while previous rumors suggested Ampere would also initially feature in Nvidia’s data-center focused Tesla accelerator cards.

While bad news for gamers, this is hardly surprising; Nvidia tends to release graphics architectures for professionals and data centers first before the consumer-facing architecture behind GeForce.

Where's GeForce?

Tweaktown claims that following this business-centric launch, Nvidia will launch its consumer-facing GeForce RTX 3000 series graphics cards later in the year. The report notes that Nvidia’s incoming GeForce RTX 3080 and GeForce RTX 3070 graphics cards will both arrive based on the new Ampere GPU architecture “packing some gigantic new performance improvements, and equally as impressive power efficiency.”

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, which will reportedly be up to 40% faster than its predecessor, is also expected to launch by the end of 2020,  complete with 5376 CUDA Cores, a 384-bit memory bus and 12GB of VRAM.

While Covid-19 has affected Nvidia’s launch plans for 2020, it hasn’t impacted the company financially. A separate report in Bloomberg, citing Nvidia management, claims that Team Green has seen a 50% surge in "total gaming hours from its installed base as many students and workers were staying-at-home". 

The company’s data center business, which generated almost a third of revenue in the latest quarter, is also said to be surging due to the rise of people working from home. 

The report also notes that the timing of Ampere GPUs being available to purchase may not have changed. It says "new products" remain on track and are "expected to contribute revenue in the current quarter. 

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