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After last weeks massive ransomware attack shut down machines around the world, the NSA, which knew of the exploit before it was public, became a target for criticism. Microsoft patched the problem before the attack, but its still raised questions about how, and when, the NSA decides to hold on to software vulnerabilities.

The Protecting Our Ability to Counter Hacking Act of 2017

A new bill would help bring accountability to how the NSA deals with those vulnerabilities. Introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz, the Protecting Our Ability to Counter Hacking Act of 2017, or PATCH Act, would establish a legal framework for the process, requiring federal agencies to establish policies on when to share vulnerabilities and, if unclassified, to make those policies widely available.

The law would also legally establish a review board with high-ranking members of the federal government. The board would be chaired by the secretary of homeland security and include agency directors from the intelligence community as well as the secretary of commerce. The law would also require annual reports to Congress on the boards activities.

A version of the governments process, known as "vulnerabilities equities process," has been in place for some time, although its exact details are unclear. A version of the board already exists, but some have criticized the process as opaque, and a law would go some way toward binding the federal government to the system.

The NSA most famously faced criticism for its exploit process in 2014, when Bloomberg reported that the agency had exploited the Heartbleed bug, which exposed vulnerabilities in devices around the world. (The agency denied the report.) Microsoft obliquely criticized the US after the WannaCry ransomware attack last week, calling the incident a wake-up call about vulnerability hoarding.

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The WannaCry ransomware never could have escalated as far as it did without the Shadow Brokers. And the hacker group has just resurfaced.

Themalware has ensnared up to 300,000 computers in more than 150 countries, locking up devices in hospitals, schools and businesses unless they pay up. It's been able to spread quickly by sneaking through an infected computer's network, using an exploit in a standard sharing tool called Server Message Block found in outdated Windows computers.

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Microsoft knew about the software vulnerability that was exploited by a massive cyberattack over the weekend, and had released a fix in March. Bu...

The exploit, codenamed EternalBlue, was first discovered by the NSA, butleaked to the world after the Shadow Brokers stole the agency's hacking arsenal. The group, quiet since August, returned Tuesday with a warning for the National Security Agency and the rest of the world: There are going to be more leaked tools.

"In June, TheShadowBrokers is announcing 'TheShadowBrokers Data Dump of the Month' service," the group wrote in itsopen letter on the Steemit website Tuesday. "Is being like wine of month club."

The hacker group claims that it still has 75 percent of the the US's cyber arsenal, and could release tools that exploit browser, router and phone vulnerabilities, as well as compromised network data from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

The Shadow Brokers originally triedselling off the stolen tools in an auction, but backed down after receiving no bidders. In the Tuesday letter, they said they weren't "interested in stealing grandmothers' retirement money," but wanted to send a message to the Equation Group, ahacking group linked to the NSA.

The Shadow Brokers said they'll release more details about their monthly data dump in June, including how interested subscribers could sign up. And after the massive success of WannaCry's ransomware breach, there's certainly much more demand.

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Cybersecurity experts say North Korea may be to blame for the unprecedented global "ransomware" attack. The hacking has crippled computer systems...

"They've proven that these are highly effective tools in their possession, so people are going to be very interested in purchasing this, especially other criminals," Sean Dillon, a senior security analyst at RiskSense said. "They still have the government's tools, and they want to make money off of it."

It's alreadyearned the hackers behind WannaCry more than $70,000 in just four days. The same EternalBlue exploit has also been used to infect computers withAydlkuzz, malware thatstealthily enslaves your PC to mine for cryptocurrency, according to researchers at Proofpoint.

Once somebody gets the data dump from the Shadow Brokers, Dillon said, the exploits would most likely become public. At the end of the letter, the hacker group hinted the NSA could make all these problems go away if the agency paid up for the tools.

When the Shadow Brokers first put theleaked tools up for sale, they demanded 1 million bitcoins, which then translated to $580 million. Currently, that amount is worth $1.76 billion.

"They can't pay anywhere close to the mark," Dillon said.

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Microsoft wanted hefty fees of up to $1,000 a year from businesses for custom support and protection against attacks like WannaCry, which locks your computer unless you pay the hackers in bitcoin, said the publication, reported CNET on Thursday. While Microsoft finally did make the patch available free of charge to Windows XP machines last Friday, damage had already been done.

The company has since been trying to convince customers, business or otherwise, to switch to its newer and more secure Windows 10, they continued, adding that Despite the lack of cover, plenty of Microsofts customers are still running older software that may still be vulnerable.

A Microsoft spokesman defended the companys actions to CNET, claiming that users have a choice to upgrade and are warned about the security problems of using old software.

Recognizing that for a variety of business reasons, companies sometimes choose not to upgrade even after 10 or 15 years, Microsoft offers custom support agreements as a stopgap measure, said the spokesman to CNET. To be clear, Microsoft would prefer that companies upgrade and realize the full benefits of the latest version rather than choose custom support.

Security experts agree that the best protection is to be on a modern, up-to-date system that incorporates the latest defense-in-depth innovations, they continued. Older systems, even if fully up-to-date, simply lack the latest protections.

Following last weeks WannaCry global attack, which disrupted organizations and services around the world, including Britains National Healthcare Service (NHS), Microsoft criticized the U.S. government for poorly storing cyberweapons, which had been leaked from the National Security Agency (NSA).

The WannaCrypt exploits used in the attack were drawn from the exploits stolen from the National Security Agency, or NSA, in the United States, Microsoft explained in a statement. That theft was publicly reported earlier this year. A month prior, on March 14, Microsoft had released a security update to patch this vulnerability and protect our customers.

While this protected newer Windows systems and computers that had enabled Windows Update to apply this latest update, many computers remained unpatched globally. As a result, hospitals, businesses, governments, and computers at homes were affected, they claimed.

Citingthe recent WikiLeaks releases that included leaked code for CIA programs, Microsoft added thatthis attack provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem, calling it an emerging pattern in 2017.

The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake-up call, they expressed, claiming that government agencies need to take a different approach and adhere in cyberspace to the same rules applied to weapons in the physical world.

Several journalists, however, claimed in articles that Microsoft was just as responsible for the attack as the U.S. government.

By failing to support older versions of its operating system, the IT company provided thehackers that stole the NSAsIT Tomahawk Missile the opportunity they needed, expressed one writer for the Independent, while the Inquirer voiced similar concerns in an article titled Microsoft, its not just the NSA. If you want to kill WannaCry, fix broken Windows.

This week, cybersecurity firm Proofpoint warned that a bigger global attack was on the way.

It uses the hacking tools recently disclosed by the NSA and which have since been fixed by Microsoft in a more stealthy manner and for a different purpose, said Proofpoint, who discovered the Adylkuzz attack.As it is silent and doesnt trouble the user, the Adylkuzz attack is much more profitable for the cybercriminals.

It transforms the infected users into unwitting financial supporters of their attackers, they continued, explaining that Adylkuzz lays low on infected devices and mines the crypto-currency Monero, before sending the financial gain to the perpetrators.

Charlie Nash is a reporterforBreitbart Tech. You can follow himon Twitter@MrNashingtonorlike his page at Facebook.

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Kim Komando helps us to discover the free alternatives to Microsoft Word, Photoshop and more.

For decades, Microsoft Office has dominated homes and businesses around the world.(Photo: Microsoft)

For years, people have grumbled about the price of software. Adobe products have always been expensive, and many customers were agitated when the company shifted to Creative Cloud, which meant a monthly or annual subscription. Meanwhile, Microsoft Office is a staple for computers everywhere, but the price tag often irritates people who just want a decent word processor.

Luckily, there are lots of free substitutes, and there are plenty of reasons people may turn to them. Some folks just cant afford mainstream software. Others are starting new businesses and dont want to invest in expensive programs that they can essentially get for free. Still, others are trying out new media for the first time, such as digital photography, digital audio or video, and they want to learn the basics before buying expensive packages.

Whatever your reasons, youll find a wide range of software alternatives. In years past, alternative programs usually meant lousy. Youd end up with something buggy, watered-down, and incompatible with other services. Nowadays, thats no longer the case. Many programs are nearly as sophisticated as their expensive inspirations, and some users might argue that these offerings surpass them.

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For decades, Microsoft Office has dominated homes and businesses around the world. The Office suite has everything you need: a word processor, spreadsheets, presentations, and email.

But many customers and college-bound students are surprised when their new Dell or HP doesnt have Office installed. Theyve already shelled out money for a new computer, and now they have to spend another $150 for the software to make it useful.

Thats where LibreOffice comes in. This free, open-source software has what Microsoft Office has, plus some perks, such as templates and extensions. The word processor, called Writer, can handle documents from Microsoft Word, and the rest of the LibreOffice suite can upload and modify files from their corresponding Office programs.Learn more about LibreOffice.

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If youre a professional designer, youve probably invested in heavy-hitting software like InDesign, because that has become the industry standard. But if youre good at making brochures or newsletters, and you dont want to subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud, consider Scribus. The program gives you all kinds of easy-to-use design options, from business cards to magazines.Readmore about Scribus.

(Photo: Stephanie B. Taylor/USA TODAY)

Outlook is very handy for electronic communication, and entire organizations turn to this program to support their email servers. But Mozillas Thunderbird is a free, powerful, lightweight email service that easily rivals its Microsoft counterpart.Read more about Mozilla Thunderbird.

Business owners are going to want the best accounting software. For complex number crunching, youll want something powerful and intuitive, and Quicken and Quickbooks Pro are pretty much that.

Business owners use Quicken and Quickbooks for complex number crunching.(Photo: Intuit)

But for personal finances, you may enjoy AceMoney Lite, a free program that handles investment tracking, bill reminders, and general checkbook balancing. This program is designed for individual households, so you dont get bogged down in abstruse functions you dont need. Click here to get AceMoney Lite.

Theres also GnuCash, which is great for home budgets but can maintain serious bookkeeping as well. If you need a free program for invoicing, accounts receivable, payroll and shipping, GnuCash is equipped to tackle all of these as well.

Adobe Photoshop(Photo: Adobe)

Lets face it: Photoshop is an overwhelming program, and unless youre a graphics pro who is really particular about your photos, or you want to manipulate your images in clever ways, theres no reason to have all those powerful features.

A free alternative is GIMP, which enables you to heavily edit photos, create original artwork, and even help design websites. GIMP will never be as respected as Photoshop, but the software is very impressive and similarly complex.

If its too complex, thats not a problem. There are morefree photo editors that are beginner-friendly.

As more people record their own songs and podcasts, fledgling recording artists all want to know: How do they edit their work to make it presentable? Most people arent satisfied to post raw sound files to the internet, but Pro Tools and Audition are expensive.

The reigning champion, after all these years, is still Audacity. This free, open-source software has helped many people make the transition into digital audio. It doesnt have nearly the options of Pro Tools, but youll learn the basics of setting levels and mixing tracks. For simple projects with strict budgets, Audacity is a great option.

n this film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Colin Firth portrays King George VI in "The King's Speech."(Photo: AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Laurie Sparham)

What do The Kings Speech, Bruce Almighty, and Road to Perdition have in common? They were pieced together with a video editing program called Lightworks. Many Hollywood editors swear by it, and although they used the professional edition, the basic version of Lightworks is available for free.

Considering how expensive video editing software can get, Lightworks is a shocking alternative to blockbuster programs like Avid or Premiere.Read more about Lightworks.

What are some other deals you can find on software necessities? Be sure to listen or download my podcasts, or click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet or computer. From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts.

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Kids are spending an increasing amount of time online, just take a look at Gen Z.However, the internet is not a place one can always count on to keep things age appropriate.

Thankfully, there area number of parental control software programs to help make the web a safer placefor the youngest of eyes. Options for free parental control software are varied, but one of them is sure to suit your needs.

Optimal Compatibility Many find it ideal to have parental control software that can be easily used on any device. The following programs are not only free, but also available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Qustodio Qustodios parental control software is also available on Kindle and Nook. Its free version allows you to set the rules, time schedules, and blocks adult content.

There is a paid version geared towardsolder children that monitors SMS messaging, social media activity, and per-app controls. This all encompassing software covers its bases, making it easy to see why it is one of the most preferred programs.

K9 Web Protection K9 Web Protections parental control software offers what Digital Trends referred to as phenomenal cloud-based filtering. It allows users to block websites by category, and keeps activity reports. Users can set time schedules and override settings with parental passwords when necessary.

OpenDNS Family Shield For parents looking to protect their entire household from unwanted material, Family Shield offers optimal filtering. This parental control softwarefromOpenDNSautomatically blocks flagged domains.

Additionally, this software stands out because it can be applied to your routerit filters all traffic that passes throughsimply by changing the DNS server numbers found in your control panel. By doing so, every device that connects to your network will benefit from the filters.

Kidlogger and Spyrix Free Keylogger Those wanting to be more covert can look to keylogging programs such as Kidlogger and Spyrix Free Keylogger. Though both are considered parental control software, theyre mainly a way to monitor your children after the fact through the tracking of keystrokes, web history, and program use. The phone app version also logs phones calls by number and contact name.

These programs are not be ideal for younger children, but are better suited for parents of teens who want to preventonline bullying or other undesired activity. Working With What Youve Got Computer systems are not a bad place to start your search forbasic parental control software. They provide a convenient and seamless source for restricting and monitoring internet features.

Windows Family Safety Windows 10 requires that you open an account with their Family Safety feature if you wish to access their free parental control software. Features include activity reports, and the ability to block any sites, apps, or games. The software also allows parents to customize the time scheduling and control the childs purchasing activity.

Add to that whiletracking your childs physical location asthey use Windows mobile devices and you have an extremely versatile parental control software built into yourWindows OS system.

MacOS MacOS doesnt have specific parental control software, but it offers more than a few options for parental controls, all of which can be accessed under the Parental Controls pane in System Preferences. These include blocking applications and websites, customizing who your child can message with, and setting time limits.

This system also has thehelpfulability to hide profanity in most content, prohibit the computers built-in camera, and halt any disc-burning. Users can remotely manage parental controls for multiple Macs on a single network, too.

Looking to Browsers Itisnt all that far-fetched an idea that browsers can seamlessly incorporate parental control software. This option works bestfor younger users, as older kids and teens can easily navigatearound it.

Zoodles Zoodles is a kid-friendly web browser essentially keeps the security features within the browser, making it easy for parents to avoid when they are the ones surfing the web.

The browser serves as a walled garden: all of its content is kid-friendly with zero risk of anything inappropriate popping up. By combining filtered browsing and a dedicated web browser, Zoodles is designed to appeal to younger children.

FoxFilter FoxFilter affords users blocking capabilities based on individual keywords and sites while being able to add trusted sites. The softwares sensitivity can be tweaked to scan body content as well as the title and URL.

This add-on can get tricky as it heavily relies on keywordsif one uses too many they may find themselves blocked from most of the internet. However, there is free email support offered for this add-on to help new users learn their way around it. Available on both Google Chrome and Firefox.

LeechBlock for Firefox and Nanny for Google Chrome Productivity control can be a highly valued feature not only for the children but for the adults too and these extensions are the solution in such cases.

LeechBlock for Firefox and Nanny for Google Chrome both block particular sites at specific times of the day. For example, Facebook is typically blocked from noon to 6 p.m.. Additionally, these extensions let parents limit the amount of time their children can access a certain website without having to block the domain entirely.

As technology becomes more incorporated into childrens daily lives, the need for parental control software will only continue to grow. This software is quicklybecoming more user-friendly as they develop better means to help parents protect their children from the dark side of the internet.

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BOSS Magazine | Protect Your Kids With Today's Best Free Parental ... - BOSS Magazine