For the record, Macs are not immune from infections of malicious software. This is proof that, “ain’t nobody safe!”

Researchers at Red Canary have discovered that nearly 30,000 Macs in 153 countries have been infected with a new malware strain called Silver Sparrow. Although the delivery of additional payloads has not been observed yet, its forward-looking M1 chip compatibility, global reach, relatively high infection rate, and operational maturity suggests Silver Sparrow is a reasonably serious threat that is uniquely positioned to deliver a potentially impactful payload at a moment’s notice.

A cyborg soldier controlled entirely by AI. A cybernetically enhanced human roaming the streets doing all kinds of jobs for money. These sound like plots out of a movie or video game. That’s because they are! But don’t let fiction fool you. These developments are coming to the real world sooner than you think.

It is always amazing to look back at old sci-fi movies and literature, getting glimpses of what the future may hold regarding technology. Whether it is the tv walls from Fahrenheit 451 or the communicators from Star Trek. So much of our technology today was inspired by the sci-fi genre, but none so intriguing to me as a universal translator. Sci-fi has showcased characters wearing a small device like a hearing aid to automatically shift foreign languages into their own native language.

Have you ever purchased software but asked yourself, “I wonder if there are any known bugs in here and does the company even know?” Well, a little known fact is that they often do. Many websites, organizations, and software developers offer a deal called the bug bounty program. Individuals who participate can receive recognition and compensation for reporting bugs, especially those pertaining to security exploits and vulnerabilities.

When I was a kid, about the only thing I had to worry about when using a computer was dying of dysentery while playing Oregon Trail. The threats that face computer users today, especially children who are not aware of cybersecurity best practices, are far worse than not making it past the Rockies in a video game. We teach our children basic security aspects of using computers and laptops, but often don’t realize that something far more dangerous is lurking in their midst: smartphones.