Weekly Tech Wrap-Up 4-15-2023, a week where patched zero-day vulnerabilities, Generative AI, Microsoft Patch Tuesday, and ambient computing interested our readers the most. Today, we look back at this week’s ten most engaging stories from the Tech Help Knowledgebase social media feeds. We order the story summaries below by user engagement — the stories our users interacted with the most. Stories are in descending order with the most engaging story first. Our human-curated social media feeds include links to technology news, how-to and help articles, and video tutorials for common issues.
Stories curated for our feeds are from our staff writers or culled from third-party sources that produce content related to the categories covered by our site. See the summaries and links below for this week’s top stories by user engagement. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to interact with our feeds.
Top 10 Most Engaging Stories This Week
1. Apple rushes fixes for exploited zero-days in iPhones and Macs (Help Net Security)
Apple pushed out security updates that fix two actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. One is an out-of-bounds write issue in IOSurfaceAccelerator that can be exploited by a malicious app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The other patches a use-after-free attack in WebKit.
2. Microsoft April 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 1 zero-day, 97 flaws (Bleeping Computer)
Microsoft has released its April 2023 Patch Tuesday update that addresses a total of 98 vulnerabilities, including one zero-day vulnerability. The zero-day vulnerability could allow an attacker to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. Users should apply the updates as soon as possible to protect their systems.
3. Microsoft patches Windows zero-day bug used in ransomware attacks (TechCrunch)
Microsoft has patched a zero-day vulnerability affecting all supported versions of Windows that hackers exploited to launch ransomware attacks. Cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky, warns that financially motivated cyber criminals actively exploit the zero-day vulnerability.
4. ChatGPT vs. Bing vs. Google Bard: Which AI Is the Most Helpful? (CNET)
The article compares three AI language models: ChatGPT, Bing, and Google BARD. CNET tested each model by asking them questions and evaluating their responses based on accuracy, relevance, and helpfulness. They found that ChatGPT was the most helpful AI language model for answering questions and providing relevant information.
5. Generative AI will change the world—but won’t put creative jobs at risk (Fast Company)
Generative AI, which uses machine learning to generate new content such as art, music, and writing, will not put creative jobs at risk. Instead, it will enhance the work of human creators by providing them with new tools and capabilities. The author cites examples of how generative AI is already used in creative fields, such as music production and fashion design, to augment human creativity. The article concludes that while generative AI will change the world, it will not replace the unique skills and perspectives of human creators.
6. “A really big deal” — Dolly is a free, open-source, ChatGPT-style AI model (Ars Technica)
Ars Technica discusses the release of a free and open-source AI model called Dolly, which is similar to the popular chatbot AI model GPT. Dolly generates human-like text responses to prompts using a human-generated data set. The article notes that the release of Dolly is a significant development for the field of AI, as it will allow more researchers and developers to experiment with and improve upon the technology.7. iPhone Hacks: How to Fix the 4 Most Annoying iOS 16 Features (CNET)
7. iPhone Hacks: How to Fix the 4 Most Annoying iOS 16 Features (CNET)
Here are four tips on how to fix some of the most annoying features of iOS 16. The tips include removing the new search button from your iPhone’s home screen, stopping unexpected photo popups on your iPhone screen, keeping from accidentally ending your phone calls, and going back to using old iPhone lock screen notifications.
8. It’s been one year since Elon Musk first offered to buy Twitter (Fast Company)
Fast Company discusses Elon Musk’s offer to buy Twitter a year ago and examines whether he would be capable of turning the platform around. Ex-employees of Musk’s companies and experts in the field suggest that Musk’s leadership style, which is characterized as erratic and impulsive, would not be well-suited to running a social media platform. The article also notes that Twitter faces a range of complex issues, including misinformation, harassment, and content moderation, that would require a more nuanced approach than Musk’s proposed solution of removing bots and trolls.
9. Opera brings its free VPN to iOS to rival Apple and Google’s paid alternatives (TechCrunch)
The Opera browser has introduced its free VPN service to iOS devices, aimed at challenging the paid options from Google and Apple. Opera’s VPN offers unlimited data and claims to keep user data private and secure by not logging any browsing activities. The move could attract more users to the browser, which already offers features such as ad-blockers and crypto-wallets, as privacy concerns continue to be a key issue for internet users.
10. Ambient computing is coming; security teams may not be ready (Venture Beat)
The rise of ambient computing, where technology blends seamlessly into the background of our lives, presents both opportunities and challenges for security teams. While ambient computing promises to enhance our daily lives, the lack of clear boundaries between devices and networks, and the abundance of collected personal data, pose significant security risks. However, many security teams are not yet prepared to address the unique security challenges that ambient computing presents. Organizations must prioritize security by investing in training and resources to stay ahead of potential security threats.
Thank you for visiting Tech Help Knowledgebase to read the Weekly Tech Wrap-Up 4-15-2023, a summary of this week’s ten most engaging stories. If you liked this article, follow us on Twitter @techhelpkb and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep in the loop.
Henry Irvine, Contributing Technology Writer, translates more than a decade of internet technology experience in product and customer relationship management into practical help and how-to content. Look for him on Bay Area trails, music venues, or sausage shacks when he’s not writing. Don’t call him Hank if you see him. Seriously. Hank on Twitter
