MacBook Pro and Mac mini
Apple recently introduced the newest MacBook Pro and Mac mini, already available for purchase.
A mover, a maker, a boundary breaker, the MacBook Pro can be supercharged either by an M2 Pro or an M2 Max chip to take its power and efficiency further than ever. The laptop is available in 14- or 16-inch models that can both support video transcoding, video editing, image upscaling, code compiling, photo editing, and motion graphics. While the 16-inch boasts the longest battery life ever in a Mac, both models remain just as fast whether plugged in or running off the battery. Apps should run faster, and most daily tasks won’t require the fans; for heavier workflows, advanced thermal systems will move air at lower fan speeds. Other features include Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion, and a sharp camera along with a studio quality mic and a six-speaker sound system.
The Apple Mac mini is all about the muscle and the hustle. You can choose from the M2 or M2 Pro chip, either of which can support work or play. The mini uses macOS Ventura allowing you to organize your apps and windows while staying focused and moving between tasks. The 7.7-inch-square frame includes unified memory with different configuration options. The device comes with all-flash storage, built-in protections against malware and viruses, and supports a variety of uses from productivity to gaming, audio and video production, or software development.
To learn more details about both devices, or to watch the full announcement, visit here.
Lensa AI
Lensa is a free to download photo-editing app available on iPhone and Android. The viral app takes uploaded photos to create “magic avatars” using your face.
It costs $4 to upload up to 20 photos for editing which can produce 50 avatar images. There is also a monthly subscription available for $8 or an annual subscription at $30. The app can also be used to edit your photos from skin retouching to blurring backgrounds, or to edit videos.
Created by Prisma Labs, the app has been available since 2018, but has more recently gained popularity. Since Lensa is able to use your uploaded photos to train its AI, privacy concerns have started to surface about how user data is being used. While the privacy policy states uploaded photos aren’t used for anything other than to apply filters and effects to them, it does add various ways your information can be used including training neural network algorithms or providing personalized content and information to you, among other ways.
If you’ve already used the app, but have concerns about your data, you can request for personal data to be deleted. To learn more about the app and its terms and conditions to stay safe while using it, visit here.
Protect Against Ransomware
Ransomware attacks have increased in volume over the past year, with widespread repercussions. Attacks can impact a company’s ability to operate, cause business and/or revenue loss, and bring about unexpected costs for remediation. It is important to understand how ransomware attacks work, how to stop them, and above all, the best practices to follow to stay secure and protect yourself against the threats and potential damage of an attack.
First, it is important to patch early and often as the exploitation of unpatched vulnerabilities is a root cause of many cyber incidents. Since malware can rely on security bugs in popular applications, the earlier you can patch endpoints, servers, mobile devices, and applications, the fewer holes are left for criminals to exploit. The second best practice to follow is backing up regularly, as well as keeping a recent backup copy offline and offsite. By encrypting backup data, you won’t have to worry about cloud backups or storage devices, and it can usually be restored using backups. Third, enable file extensions; this will make it easier to spot JavaScript (JS) files and other file types that aren’t commonly sent to you or your users. Along the same lines, number four calls for opening JS files in Notepad to block it from running any malicious scripts while still being able to examine the file’s contents.
The fifth best practice is to not enable macros in document attachments received via email. Microsoft deliberately turned off auto-execution of macros by default years ago as a security measure, so no need to alter the setting. Six, be cautious about unsolicited attachments. Cybercriminals rely on you opening a document to make sure it is legitimate, at which point, it’s too late for you. Seventh on the list includes monitoring administrator rights and consistently checking on who has them, and who no longer needs them. The eighth practice to follow is regulating internal and external network access – don’t leave network ports exposed, use two-factor authentication, and lock down other remote management protocols.
Last but not least, the ninth best practice on the list is the importance of using strong passwords. A weak and predictable password can give hackers an easy way into your network. To learn more details about ransomware attacks and keeping yourself safe, visit here.
