Category: In the News

Last week, the FBI issued a warning to iPhone and Android users recommending the use of encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Facebook Messenger instead of traditional texting. The advisory highlighted a security concern, emphasizing the need for these platforms to adopt “responsibly managed” encryption that allows legal access to data through lawful court orders.

The warning comes in the wake of cyberattacks linked to a group known as “Salt Typhoon”, a group related to the Chinese Ministry of State Security, affecting U.S. telecom networks and compromising data security. The FBI stressed the importance of using devices with up-to-date operating systems and robust encryption methods to safeguard against phishing and unauthorized access.

Despite these platforms being recommended for their encryption, the FBI criticized them for not being managed in a way that complies with legal standards. This type of encryption should balance privacy protection with accessibility for law enforcement under court orders.

Discussion continues as the FBI, alongside other law enforcement agencies, expresses concerns over “going dark”—a term used to describe the inability to access encrypted information despite having a legal warrant. This challenge hinders efforts to combat crimes in the digital realm, prompting calls for a reevaluation of encryption practices by tech giants like Apple, Google, and Meta.

As debates over digital privacy and security persist, the outcome hinges on shifting public opinions and legal pressures. The balance between protecting user privacy and ensuring community safety remains a contentious issue in the evolving landscape of technology and law enforcement.

New guidance was recently issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Security Agency, and the FBI to provide advice to healthcare and other vital infrastructure sectors on strengthening their network devices to protect against cyber threats.  

The bottom line is that the FBI is urging tech companies to modify their encryption practices to allow lawful access to encrypted messages, when necessary, while still protecting user privacy. This is to ensure that encryption doesn’t prevent law enforcement from accessing crucial evidence in criminal investigations. The ongoing debate focuses on finding a balance between safeguarding data privacy and meeting legitimate security needs.

For virus removal and protection, data recovery, and secure off-site data backups contact the experts!

Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems delivers professional results for all your computer needs. We design, create, and code various custom software programs and websites. Additionally, we offer superior digital marketing services, including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising. We also repair and support commercial computer infrastructure, build custom systems and servers, and provide secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call (810)224-5252 or email info@cpsmi.com us!

Written by the Digital Marketing Team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/.

The Three Mile Island power plant in Middletown, Pennsylvania, site of the most significant nuclear accident in U.S. history, is set to reopen. The plant will now serve a new purpose—powering Microsoft’s data centers, which are crucial for the company’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence operations.

Constellation Energy, known as the largest producer of clean, carbon-free energy in America, has entered into its most substantial power purchase agreement yet with Microsoft. This partnership is set to provide reliable, carbon-free energy essential for powering industries that are crucial to the U.S.’s economic and technological competitiveness.

Joe Dominguez, president and CEO of Constellation Energy, emphasized the unique capacity of nuclear energy to deliver constant, carbon-free power, crucial for data centers that operate around the clock. The deal is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including the creation of approximately 3,400 jobs and an injection of more than $3 billion in taxes into state and federal coffers. Furthermore, it’s projected to contribute $16 billion to Pennsylvania’s GDP.

The power plant, which will be renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center in honor of the late Chris Crane, former CEO of Constellation’s parent company, is scheduled to reopen in 2028 and will operate under a 20-year agreement.

While nuclear energy provides a carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels, it remains controversial. The reactor at Three Mile Island set to power Microsoft was not involved in the 1979 accident, and before its closure in 2019 due to economic reasons, it was considered one of the safest and most reliable in the grid. This reopening has sparked concerns among state activists about the potential financial burden on taxpayers.

This development marks a significant step in Pennsylvania’s journey toward a sustainable energy future, contributing to both economic growth and environmental preservation.

Please reference the original article at NPR.org.

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Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems delivers professional results for all your computer needs. We design, create, and code various custom software programs and websites. Additionally, we offer superior digital marketing services, including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising. We also repair and support commercial computer infrastructure, build custom systems and servers, and provide secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call (810)224-5252 or email info@cpsmi.com us!

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

Another year has begun, which means there are inevitably new technological trends slated to release throughout time. This year, tech is trending at an exponential pace. Keep an eye on the developments below and watch them grow throughout 2023. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is everywhere, and it will advance even more in 2023. Between software, services, chips, and more, AI will be present in operational efficiencies, adaptive processes, higher performance, and stronger security. The implementation of AI has skyrocketed during the pandemic, especially since they aid in adaptivity and resilience. AI is only expected to grow throughout 2023, embracing effortless drag-and-drop interfaces, meaning no code will be necessary. In the early days of computers, users needed to understand DOS to interact with the machine, but now, everyone uses computers without understanding the technical jargon and background programming. Similarly, AI will soon become more user-friendly and functional without coding knowledge. 

Quantum Computing
Remember these words: quantum computing. They might seem inconspicuous today, but this technology which uses subatomic particles to form novel processing pathways and information storage is the future of computing. Even the best processors today cannot compete with quantum computers’ ability to solve complex problems swiftly. With government and industry investments poised for growth, hardware and software looks to be progressing upward. 

Cybersecurity
A huge aspect of technology in 2023 will be establishing trust between applications and end-users. Various ways exist to establish secure access depending on the program or instance. This year, a shift in managing trust will enable security mechanisms to function properly. With trust comes a huge responsibility of protecting vital information, so safety must be heightened to accommodate.  

Broadband
High-speed wireless broadband is adapting at lightning speed, with the ability to power augmented reality, whole-home video distribution, telemedicine, gaming, and more. Wi-fi 6E and 7 will use the 6 GHz band, complementing the emerging global 10G. 

Clouds
Cloud infrastructure is already a large part of today’s technology, but in 2023 it is expected to expand even more. Industries such as banking, healthcare, and manufacturing are shifting toward a responsive platform backed by precise options for their specific industry. With an even greater level of adaptability, functionality, and innovation, cloud-based data is edging its way to the top for many businesses. 

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Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

Recently, there was a massive price drop in computer chips. A common question is how these large drops will affect businesses in the surrounding industry. It’s been a bad decade for computer chip makers. That’s not to say there have been no gains – Intel’s profits have steadily climbed during the decade, and AMD has made some money in recent years. But the industry, as a whole, is facing lower prices–leading to a big earnings miss for industry leaders, and slower growth.

What Does It Mean When the Price Falls?

The falling price of computer chips is a sign of the cycle in capital-intensive businesses, as they look to make up for losses by cutting costs and laying off employees. The price of computer chips fell more than 70% over the past decade, and this is happening for a reason.

Continued price drops of computer chips indicate that we are entering a cycle where capital-intensive businesses are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. This is because technology is changing so quickly, and new players are constantly coming up with new ways to do things better and cheaper.

It is not just computer chips that are showing this trend; it is also happening in other industries, like cars and airplanes, which are seeing similar price drops as they become more automated.

The falling price of the computer chip means that companies in which “capital intensive” processes are important will see their profits decline. That’s bad news for investors.

Why Is the Price Falling and What It Means?

• The cost of producing chips has dropped steadily, so manufacturers are able to lower their prices without taking a hit on their profits. This means that consumers have more money in their pockets, which they can put toward other purchases. It also means that companies who need to buy new computers are facing lower prices than they would have otherwise.

• There is more competition in the industry, which means manufacturers are more competitive with each other. In addition, there is more innovation happening in design and production techniques.

• Lastly, the advancement of technology.

Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Technology giants Google and Oracle suffered major power outages after massive heatwaves hit much of the United Kingdom, forcing cooling systems at London data centers to shut down. 

Data centers hold thousands of computers and are the foundation behind hundreds of online services. Since so many computers are processing, a massive amount of heat is generated; therefore, cooling is absolutely necessary. 

Oracle, a huge American database software and technology company, reported overheating issues by stating, “Following unnecessary high temperatures in the UK south (London) region, two cooler units in the data center experienced a failure when they were required to operate above their design limits. As a result, temperatures in the data center began to climb, which caused some systems to shut down as a protective measure.” 

The heatwave was also detrimental for the Google Cloud data center in London. They reported, “There has been a cooling-related failure in one of our buildings.” To prevent damage, machines were shut down, so only a small number of customers were affected. 

Since the data centers are incredibly valuable to customers, they are constructed with plenty of cooling capacity and back-ups. Typically, these large-scale failures do not take place. However, the unprecedented temperatures were a surprise for many. 

Paul Hone of Redcentric, which operates data centers in London, Reading, and Cambridge, said that data centers are designed to withstand hot weather, but the “heatwave’s temperatures would be at the upper end of design expectations for a lot of data center operators.”

Companies such as Microsoft are putting data centers underwater as an experiment to measure reliability and operation. With future data centers potentially being plunged into the ocean, the chances of heat waves affecting them will be minimal. 

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Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

Game consoles, graphics cards, processors, and so much more have been hard to come by lately. The consumer technology industry has suffered a shortage of computer chips, which has impacted the entire global supply. The chip drought has resulted in issues through hundreds of markets such as automotive, cryptocurrency, smartphone, vehicle, television, and a multitude of other technological advancements. 

Samsung CEO DJ Koh forecasted “A serious imbalance in supply and demand of chips.” 

Limited supply, combined with huge demand, created the chip shortage of 2021. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, at-home entertainment boomed. Working from home caused laptop sales to reach their highest in decades. Cryptocurrency started booming, resulting in high demand for a multitude of high-end processors. 

Though gadgets and other technological handhelds have felt the impact first-hand, the automotive industry has been credited with igniting the shortage. In the beginning of the pandemic, automakers ceased orders for processors, anticipating a drop in sales. However, this decision was premature, and vehicle sales rebounded almost immediately. To compensate for the discrepancy, the automotive market attempted to buy back manufacturing, but it was too late. Other sectors were also pushing more production due to high demand. With a maxed-out production capacity, both markets were competing for chip assembly.

Gigantic technology companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Nvida, AMD, Apple, Qualcomm, and more do not actually produce their own processors. TSMC and Samsung build a majority of the world’s cutting-edge semiconductors. Intel is a unicorn in the market, as it manufactures its own processors and has not experienced shortages like its competitors. 

Trying to catch up with production is not as easy as it sounds. Extending production lines can drag on for months, and constructing new facilities can take years, not to mention cost billions of dollars. 

Forecasts show that chip shortages will continue throughout 2022. According to Xiaomi company president Want Xiang said, “The chip supply crunch is still challenging, but the situation will significantly improve in the second quarter, and such supply woes will be fundamentally solved and even revert in the second half of 2022.” 

Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Russia’s Kaspersky Lab cybersecurity firm has been dubbed a national security threat by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC placed Kaspersky on a list of banned entities to ensure it would not continue to be downloaded or used by Americans. 

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “Last year, for the first time, the FCC published a list of communications equipment and services that pose an unacceptable risk to national security, and we have been working closely with our national security partners to review and update this list. Today’s action is the latest in the FCC’s ongoing efforts, as part of the greater whole-of-government approach, to strengthen America’s communications networks against national security threats.”

The Secure and Trusted Communications Network Act requires the FCC to publish and update a list of communication equipment and services that pose an “unacceptable” risk. United States citizens are at the forefront of security and safety guidelines for the FCC. 

Kaspersky is an antivirus and cybersecurity firm with corporate headquarters located in Moscow. In a statement, Kaspersky claimed the FCC’s movement (a continuation of an action started in 2017 under President Trump) is based on unsubstantiated allegations and made on political grounds. 

“Kaspersky provides industry-leading products and services to customers around the world to protect them from all types of cyberthreats,” the company stated. 

Also, the business insists that it does not have any ties with national governments, Russia included.

Are you looking for a recommendation for an antivirus software? Contact the PC experts at CPS today.

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Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com. 

An Android app posing to provide two-factor authentication in the Google Play store has turned out to be malicious. With over 10,000 phones affected, the app was available for 15 days.

The malicious app, called 2FA Authenticator, is no longer available on the Google Play Store. The app description read, “A secure authenticator for your online services, while also including some features missing in existing authenticator apps, like proper encryption and backups.”

In reality, the app was stealing financial information by copying an open-source code from a well-known legitimate app (Aegis Authenticator) and then copying malicious code into their own app. The 2FA Authenticator app was able to pass through the Google Play Store’s security checks but turned malicious once installed on an Android user’s phone or tablet.

Most apps ask for user permission once installed on the smartphone or device. The 2FA Authenticator app requested “critical permission,” which allowed it to execute a number of tasks such as:

• Disabling keyboard lock
• Disabling password security
• Downloading third-party apps (and updates)
• Running in the background after the app is closed
• Placing an overlay on other apps
• Having complete access to user data

Once the 2FA Authenticator app is installed, a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) is downloaded and installed. This trojan, called Vultur, records screens and keystrokes to capture details entered into banking apps. In return, criminals can quickly empty bank accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, and more.

If you or someone you know has installed the 2FA Authenticator app, uninstall it immediately. Contact your banking or financial provider quickly to ensure your accounts have not been compromised and change your passwords.

Hackers got your data? We can help get it back. Contact the virus professionals at Creative Programs and Systems today.

Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.