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Submission + - FBI Accessed Encrypted PCs Using Microsoft Recovery Keys (reclaimthenet.org)

Submitted by alternative_right
alternative_right writes: Federal investigators obtained access to encrypted computers for the first time through Microsoft’s own recovery keys, a move that has intensified long-standing concerns about how much control the company retains over user data.

The development emerged from United States v. Tenorio, a fraud case in Guam tied to alleged misuse of pandemic unemployment funds. Investigators believed three laptops contained evidence of the scheme. When they discovered the machines were protected with BitLocker, the encryption system built into Windows, they turned to Microsoft.

Microsoft confirmed that it complied with the FBI’s warrant, saying it provides recovery keys only when required by law. “While key recovery offers convenience, it also carries a risk of unwanted access, so Microsoft believes customers are in the best position to decide how to manage their keys,” a spokesperson said.

Submission + - New Project Announcement: Brax Open_Slate - Android/Linux Tablet (braxtech.net)

Submitted by walterbyrd
walterbyrd writes: Open_Slate is a powerful and private 2-in-1 tablet.

It’s designed as a multipurpose platform that can serve different roles depending on how it’s configured and used:

- A consumer tablet for everyday use
- A productivity device for work and development
- A Linux-capable workstation on ARM
- A privacy-focused alternative to locked-down tablets

Rather than forcing users into a single ecosystem, open_slate is built around choice and control — from hardware design to operating system support.

Submission + - TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users (wired.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: When TikTok users in the US opened the app today, they were greeted with a pop-up asking them to agree to the social media platform’s new terms of service and privacy policy before they could resume scrolling. These changes are part of TikTok’s transition to new ownership. In order to continue operating in the US, TikTok was compelled by the US government to transition from Chinese control to a new, American-majority corporate entity. Called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the new entity is made up of a group of investors that includes the software company Oracle. It's easy to tap “agree” and keep on scrolling through videos on TikTok, so users might not fully understand the extent of changes they are agreeing to with this pop-up.

Now that it’s under US-based ownership, TikTok potentially collects more detailed information about its users, including precise location data. Here are the three biggest changes to TikTok’s privacy policy that users should know about. TikTok’s change in location tracking is one of the most notable updates in this new privacy policy. Before this update, the app did not collect the precise, GPS-derived location data of US users. Now, if you give TikTok permission to use your phone’s location services, then the app may collect granular information about your exact whereabouts. Similar kinds of precise location data is also tracked by other social media apps, like Instagram and X.

[...] Rather than an adjustment, TikTok’s policy on AI interactions adds a new topic to the privacy policy document. Now, users' interactions with any of TikTok’s AI tools explicitly fall under data that the service may collect and store. This includes any prompts as well as the AI-generated outputs. The metadata attached to your interactions with AI tools may also be automatically logged. [...] This change to TikTok’s privacy policy may not be as immediately noticeable to users, but it will likely have an impact on the types of ads you see outside of TikTok. So, rather than just using your collected data to target you while using the app, TikTok may now further leverage that info to serve you more relevant ads wherever you go online. As part of this advertising change, TikTok also now explicitly mentions publishers as one kind of partner the platform works with to get new data.

Submission + - DeVry is turning AI into a general education requirement (nerds.xyz)

Submitted by BrianFagioli
BrianFagioli writes: DeVry University plans to embed AI literacy and skill-building into every course by the end of 2026, effectively turning artificial intelligence into a general education requirement for all students. The career-focused school says AI skills will no longer be limited to tech majors, but taught across business, healthcare, and other programs as a basic workplace competency, similar to email or spreadsheets. DeVry has been building toward this since 2020, gradually expanding automation and machine learning coursework before making AI part of its core curriculum.

The move also leans heavily on AI inside the classroom itself. Every course will include an AI learning assistant for 24/7 support, and students will have access to AI-powered advising and administrative tools. While DeVry frames this as freeing faculty to focus on higher-value teaching, the shift raises questions about how much instruction is being automated. It also highlights a growing divide in higher education, where career schools are moving fast to embrace AI while traditional universities are still debating whether students should be allowed to use it at all.

Submission + - OpenSource project launched to run on rooted Tesla's. (freedomev.com)

Submitted by internet-redstar
internet-redstar writes: The Tesla Hacker, Jasper Nuyens — who uncovered Tesla's 'unconfirmed lane change' last year — now launched at FOSDEM an OpenSource project called 'FreedomEV' to run on top of rooted Tesla's. It adds new features to it such as: 'Hotspot Mode' for in-car WiFi and 'Cloak Mode' to prevent all tracking of your location and more. It hopes to become available for other cars too. Full presentation video can be found here. The github project and the website. He is looking for contributors and support from Tesla.
Security

Submission + - Apache Foundation Attacked, Passwords Stolen (threatpost.com)

Submitted by Trailrunner7
Trailrunner7 writes: Combining a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability with a TinyURL redirect, hackers successfully broke into the infrastructure for the open-source Apache Foundation in what is being described as a "direct, targeted attack." The hackers hit the server hosting the software that Apache.org uses to it to track issues and requests and stole passwords from all users. The software was hosted on brutus.apache.org, a machine running Ubuntu Linux 8.04 LTS, the group said.
Security

Serious Vulnerability In Firefox 2.0.0.12 355

Posted by kdawson from the that-was-quick dept.
Oh, Not Now writes "Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.12, mere hours old, is vulnerable by default to a directory traversal trick, via the view-source mechanism. Although mitigated by the NoScript plug-in, this is quite a serious bug — the default installation is vulnerable from the get-go."
Yahoo!

Yahoo To Reject Microsoft Bid 302

Posted by kdawson from the so-say-sources dept.
Many outlets are echoing a subscribers-only report in the Wall Street Journal that Yahoo's board has decided to reject Microsoft's takeover offer. The NYTimes offers the only other independent reporting so far confirming this claim. The report says that Yahoo will formally reject the offer in a letter on Monday, since they believe it "massively undervalues" the company. Microsoft offered $31 per share, a 62% premium on the stock price at the time, for Yahoo; but the latter believes that no offer below $40 per share is tenable. The AP has some background on Yahoo's options in responding to the bid.

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