Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Swiss VPNs Under Fire: Privacy vs. Security in the Balance

2025-06-06

Proposed changes to Swiss encryption laws are sparking controversy, with increased surveillance obligations requiring companies to collect user data, significantly impacting online privacy. Swiss-based VPNs like Proton VPN and NymVPN are directly affected, with Proton's CEO even threatening to relocate rather than compromise user privacy. Surprisingly, Infomaniak, a Swiss cloud security company, supports the law, arguing that anonymity hinders justice and a balance must be struck. The debate centers around the difference between privacy and anonymity, and the risks of metadata collection. Infomaniak believes metadata (geolocation, timestamps, IP addresses, etc.) aids in crime-fighting, while opponents fear privacy violations and potential misuse. This clash over balancing privacy, security, and anonymity will have significant implications for the global VPN industry.

(www.tomsguide.com)

Tech Swiss Law

Pocket-Sized Powerhouse: A Mobile Workstation Using AR Glasses and a Mini PC

2025-04-12

Tired of lugging a laptop while traveling, the author experimented with a portable workstation combining the lightweight Khadas Mind 2S mini PC, Xreal One AR glasses, and a massive power bank. This setup allowed him to enjoy a dual-monitor-like experience in coffee shops, on airplanes, and even hotel rooms. The AR glasses provided an immersive experience with adjustable transparency and ultrawide display mode. The author details the hardware combination, usage experience, and the overall mobile workflow, discussing the pros and cons of this novel approach to computing.

(www.tomsguide.com)

Tech mobile workstation

Ballista Botnet Exploits TP-Link Router Flaw, Infecting 6,000+ Devices

2025-03-11

A new botnet, Ballista, is exploiting a high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2023-1389) in unpatched TP-Link Archer AX-21 routers, infecting over 6,000 devices. The vulnerability allows remote code execution, enabling Ballista to spread automatically via command injection. The botnet targets manufacturing, medical, services, and technology organizations, predominantly in Brazil, Poland, the UK, Bulgaria, and Turkey, but also impacting the US, Australia, China, and Mexico. Ballista uses a malware dropper and shell script to execute its main binary, establishing a C2 channel to control infected devices and perform DoS attacks and sensitive file reading. Researchers suspect an Italian origin, but the use of Tor networks suggests ongoing development and active evasion techniques.

(www.tomsguide.com)

Tech botnet

Thunderbolt 5: A Quantum Leap in Speed and Capability

2025-01-10

Thunderbolt 5 has arrived in 2024, bringing a significant performance boost to laptops and monitors. Compared to Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5 boasts double the bandwidth (up to 120 Gbps), supports up to 8K displays, and offers up to 240W of charging power. This translates to faster file transfers, support for more powerful external GPUs and AI accelerators, and superior display capabilities. While Thunderbolt 5 ports and cables look similar to Thunderbolt 4, the performance gains are substantial. If you demand top-tier performance, Thunderbolt 5 is worth considering, but its current adoption is still limited, and prices are relatively high.

(www.tomsguide.com)

Hardware interface performance upgrade