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“Something has gone seriously wrong” — Dual-boot Windows and Linux systems get worrying warning following Microsoft update

Linux users running dual-boot systems with Windows have reported their devices suddenly failed to boot, displaying a worrying “Something went seriously wrong” message. It has since been confirmed that a dodgy security update from Microsoft was to blame for the problem, which was designed to address CVE-2022-2601 as part of the company’s monthly patch release. Consequentially, those with dual-boot systems – machines configured to run both Windows and Linux – found themselves unable to boot into Linux. Microsoft update breaks dual-boot systems The update had been rolled out to fix CVE-2022-2601, a critical vulnerability in the GRUB boot loader used by many Linux distros. It was identified two years ago, and could allow hackers to bypass Secure Boot, a security feature designed to prevent malware from loading during the startup process. Despite the high 8.6 out of 10 rating, the vulnerability wasn’t patched until August 13, 2024. Users affected by the update’s unintended issue saw

Democrats neglect cyber but promise data privacy at DNC

The 2024 US Presidential election cycle has represented a shift in policy away from embracing technology, with both parties staying quiet on any plans to invest or employ cybersecurity strategies. And whilst the Republican party took a more hands-off approach to tech, the Democratic platform appears to have tapped into the growing bipartisan support for regulatory crackdowns on tech giants - a position overwhelmingly supported by American voters . The Democratic manifesto contained just two mentions of cybersecurity. One vowed to combat hate crimes and cyber threats, while the other primarily focused on addressing cyber threats rather than harnessing tech momentum. Managing the Risks of AI The platform notes how the party's candiate, "will continue to address cyber threats by bolstering the capacity of our intelligence communities and leading the development of rules of the road for technologies like artificial intelligence." The platform identified the potential ‘p

These stunning iPhone Photography Award 2024 winners show you don't need an iPhone 16 upgrade after all

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The iPhone 16 Pro rumors might be promising some improved optical zoom and a better wide-angle camera, but the new winners of the iPhone Photography Awards 2024 show you don't need a new iPhone to take great snaps. The competition, now in its 17th year, runs independently of Apple but has become a staple in the smartphone-snapping calendar. It claims to be the world's longest-running iPhone photography competition – and as you'd expect, some fine photos are spread across its 15 categories. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is understandably the most well-represented camera in the awards – it was used for 10 out of the 46 award-winning shots. However, the awards are by no means dominated by new Apple models. The second most popular phones were the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone X , which were used in four winning shots each. A couple of photos were even shot on iPhones that won't even support iOS 18 when it lands next month. First place in the 'Animals' category (shot by C

Google set to face class-action lawsuit over data collection in Chrome

Google will have to answer in court allegations of collecting users’ private information inside its Chrome browser without their permission following a new ruling. A US federal appeals court has reversed a previous dismissal of the case Calhoun v. Google LLC on the basis that the lower court should have assessed “whether a reasonable user reading [Google’s privacy disclosures would think that he or she was consenting to the data collection]. Per The Verge , at the heart of the case is the allegation that Google harvested data on users of Chrome without opting into Chrome Sync - a feature designed to sync bookmarks, passwords and tabs across multiple Chrome clients. Google back in court on appeal The plaintiffs in the case assert that Chrome sent Google their browsing history, IP addresses, and identifying cookies without their say-so. This was previously dismissed on the basis of Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers noting that this behaviour was established in Chrome’s privacy policy,

Watch out Nvidia — AMD is making a major push for data center supremacy with billion-dollar ZT Systems deal

AMD has announced it will acquire AI infrastructure provider ZT Systems in a $4.9 billion cash and stock deal, marking a major milestone in the chipmaker’s plan to challenge Nvidia in the AI data center market. The company says the deal will help accelerate the deployment of its AI solutions and strengthen its position in the growing AI accelerator market, which it predicts will be worth $400 billion by 2027. Buying ZT Systems will also mean AMD will acquire over a thousand design engineers to help boost scale. AMD uses ZT Systems to edge closer to Nvidia AMD CEO Dr Lisa Su emphasized the strategic importance of the deal, noting it would enable the company to integrate its AI hardware, including the Instinct line of AI accelerators and EPYC CPUs, with ZT Systems’ expertise in system design. The goal, she says, is to, "deliver end-to-end data center AI infrastructure at scale with [AMD’s] ecosystem of OEM and ODM partners.” ZT Systems has been a critical player in building

Apple TV Plus renews Bad Sisters for season 2 after the dark comedy scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Bad Sisters is one of the best Apple TV Plus shows with a flawless 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, so it should come as no surprise to hear that it will return for season 2 on Wednesday, November 13. The critically acclaimed dramedy will make its global debut on one of the best streaming services , with the first two episodes dropping on Wednesday, November 13 followed by one episode weekly through Wednesday, December 25 – what a killer Christmas treat! Although Apple TV Plus has become a sci-fi utopia , the streaming platform has become a haven for engrossing drama series like Bad Sisters where "the Irish sense of humor is naturally driven by a delicious darkness," according to our Bad Sisters review. Still killing it. #BadSisters Season 2 premieres November 13.Catch up with Season 1 now streaming on Apple TV+ pic.twitter.com/jSeYTLSBJD August 19, 2024 What is Bad Sisters about and what can we expect from season 2? Sharon Horgan ( Catastrophe ) is one of the m

Quordle today – hints and answers for Monday, August 19 (game #938)

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Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today , NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles. S POILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers. Quordle today (game #938) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today? • The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4 *. * Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #938) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters? • The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is