Latest news with #vulnerability
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Urgent warning to iPhone owners to install iOS 18.5 now: ‘Users need to act'
Data experts are urging iPhone users to install the new iOS 18.5 update, which includes a fix to prevent hackers from gaining access to personal content. According to The Mirror, Apple has acknowledged that the most recent software update corrects a significant security gap that could potentially allow hackers to get into personal data such as photos, messages and app information. 'Apple acted fast, but users need to act, too. Updating your device is one of the most important things you can do to protect your private information,' a representative from Safe Data Storage said. 'Tell your parents, your grandparents, your neighbor — anyone with an iPhone. These updates aren't optional anymore — they're your first line of defense.' The latest software fix, which is compatible with iPhone XS models and later, deals with a vulnerability that involves 'processing a maliciously crafted image [that] may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory,' according to Apple. Apple claimed it solved the issue by implementing 'improved input sanitization' and urged that iOS 18.5 'includes important security fixes and is recommended for all users.' There have been no reports of users being manipulated so far, but security experts note that these kinds of vulnerabilities tend to be targeted and misused quickly once it becomes more widely known. 'Many people assume iPhones are immune to serious threats, but no device is immune to a vulnerability like this,' Safe Data Storage explained. 'If someone sends you a seemingly innocent image and your phone hasn't been updated, it could silently wreak havoc or grant intruders access to your private files.' Those who have an iPhone XS or later are being urged to update their phones as soon as possible and to offer assistance to elders or users who aren't as knowledgeable about technology. 'The longer someone delays updating, the longer they leave that door open,' Safe Data Storage warned. 'And many people – especially grandparents or those less tech-savvy – don't realize just how important these updates are.' Safe Data Storage also provided some simple steps to take to enhance your iPhone's day-to-day security: Disable message previews on the lock screen: This prevents sensitive messages from being seen when your phone is unattended. To change this, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages > Show Previews, set to Never. Enable two-factor authentication for Apple ID: This provides extra security and protection, even if someone else has your password. To do this, go to Settings > [your name] > Password and Security, activate Two-Factor Authentication. Restrict app access to personal data: Many apps ask for access to contacts, photos or location without it being a requirement. To alter this, go to Settings > Privacy and Security, then look through each section and change permissions where necessary.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Drama teacher's shocking inappropriate demands of teenage girls that he claimed were part of 'vulnerability' class
A drama teacher is under 'formal investigation' after female students - some just teens - stripped naked in front of their entire class during a so-called 'vulnerability exercise.' Mace Archer, 56, allegedly positioned himself in the director's chair and watched as three women undressed on stage during mandatory midterm performances at Mesa Community College in Arizona. Two of the women stripped down to their underwear, while a third student removed every piece of clothing under the glaring stage lights, according to an investigation by the Arizona Republic. The performance came after a two-year campaign of alleged sexual misconduct that college bosses reportedly ignored. Students described a pattern of inappropriate behavior that included lingering touches, sexual flirtation, and forcing pupils to watch pornographic content during class, as reported by the Arizona Republic. The students even created a secret computer file to document Archer's alleged conduct over more than two years. The document allegedly contained over a dozen anonymous reports of misconduct. Archer allegedly encouraged one woman to 'dive into' her sexual assault experiences during performances, straddled another female student during a classroom demonstration, and showed the entire class a video of an orgy featuring multiple sex acts. 'There were lingering touches on my knees or shoulders,' revealed graduate Brecklyn Hall, who described her experience in the theater program to the outlet. 'My experience isn't nearly as insane as others. But it was really hard being in the class with him.' Despite months of student complaints and at least one formal report to administrators in February, college officials allowed Archer to continue teaching young women. This was after they learned about the shocking stripping exercise that took place during midterms on March 18 and 20. The investigation exposes how Mesa Community College administrators promised to look 'into the learning objectives' of the acting courses but failed to protect students from further alleged abuse. Student Gabrielle Monroe witnessed the horrifying midterm performances in the college's 'black box' theater, where approximately 16 students were forced to attend the mandatory exercise designed to help them 'face their fears.' 'On the first day, two women stripped down to their underwear. The person who got naked was on the second day,' Monroe revealed in shocking detail. 'We all knew what to expect.' One student removed every piece of clothing under the bright stage lights. 'She was just silent. She just took her clothes off,' Monroe described. 'People were kind of shocked, but it was silent. No music, no talking, nothing.' The young woman folded her clothes neatly on a chair, removed her underwear, then briefly put on a robe before the performance mercifully ended within minutes. Monroe revealed that Archer had deliberately prepared students for the stripping, discussing in previous classes how women had removed their clothes for similar assignments in the past. The instructor met individually with students to discuss their 'risk assignment' ideas, with multiple women claiming he specifically targeted younger girls in the class. 'It was mostly the younger, teenage girls in class,' Monroe exposed. 'I have heard from other women that their initial idea was not enough of a fear risk, and he suggested that they remove articles of clothing.' Maricopa Community Colleges spokesperson Lindsey Wilson told the outlet: 'Because this is an active personnel matter, we cannot provide specific details to protect the privacy of those involved.' 'Our colleges take any allegations of misconduct seriously and are committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff.'
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Repeated failings at migrant hotel where asylum seeker killed himself exposed
Staff at an asylum hotel where a resident killed himself were 'not appropriately' trained to deal with vulnerable people, a coroner has ruled. Home Office officials in charge of the hotel contract were also unaware that these crucial workers had been subcontracted out. Colombian migrant Victor Hugo Pereira Vargas, 63, was found dead in his room at Boships Lions Farm hotel in Hailsham, Sussex, on 13 October 2023. He had made a desperate attempt to leave the UK just a few weeks earlier, turning up at Gatwick airport and asking immigration officers to put him on a plane. In the weeks before his death, he had told his son several times that he was afraid of being moved to the Bibby Stockholm barge – describing it as a 'maritime prison' – after fellow hotel residents were allegedly sent there. An inquest into his death heard that senior Home Office officials in charge of asylum accommodation, and the person in charge of managing the relevant hotels contract, had no knowledge about who was actually staffing the hotel. Clearsprings Ready Homes, the private firm that holds the Home Office asylum accommodation contract for the south of England, had subcontracted the running of Mr Pereira Vargas's hotel to another company – Crown Lodge Accommodation Limited. This overall contract is valued at £700 million and is expected to rise to £7bn for the decade up to 2029. Clearsprings make a seven percent profit margin on managing asylum accommodation in the south of England, the spending watchdog recently found. Graham King, founder of Clearsprings Ready Homes, has recently debuted on The Sunday Times Rich List with a fortune of £1.015 billion. Crown Lodge then outsourced the staffing of the hotel to a third company, Becker Hoffman Facilities Management Limited, without the knowledge of government officials responsible for overseeing Clearsprings' contract. Mr Pereira Vargas came to the UK by plane from Spain on 4 August 2023 and claimed asylum on arrival. He was taken to the Sussex hotel on the same day and had spent a little over nine weeks there before he inflicted fatal wounds on himself. Former residents of the hotel told the inquest they noticed Mr Pereira Vargas becoming increasingly erratic and paranoid during his time there, reporting he would regularly block his door and express concerns about microphones in his clothing. His former roommate was moved to another room after becoming alarmed by Mr Pereira Vargas's behaviour. But these signs were missed by the inadequately trained staff who were tasked with carrying out welfare checks of migrants, the inquest heard. Under its contract with the Home Office, Clearsprings is required to ensure all staff who interact with asylum seekers are trained in areas including safeguarding and suicide awareness. Steven Lakey, Clearsprings' managing director, told the court the company came to rely on subcontractors as an emergency measure to cope with an unforeseen rapid increase in small boat arrivals shortly before the coronavirus pandemic. The court heard that the Home Office and Clearsprings relied on assurances from Crown Lodge that staff were trained. Crown Lodge told the inquest they relied on similar assurances from Becker Hoffman – but did not seek further verification such as copies of certificates. Becker Hoffman's onsite staff – responsible for checking on resident's welfare once a week – were 'not appropriately trained,' the coroner concluded. One staff member, who conducted the final two welfare checks prior to Mr Pereira Vargas's death, had received no formal training whatsoever. This staff member variously recorded that Mr Pereira Vargas had 'no issues' and was 'in good condition,' which contrasted with testimonies from several fellow residents alarmed by his increasing paranoia. Assistant Coroner Michael Spencer expressed doubt as to whether staff really carried out all their checks as described. One welfare check was recorded to have taken place 'face-to-face' with Mr Pereira Vargas on 25 September, despite records showing he left the hotel the previous day in an attempt to flee the UK, and did not return until the 26th. The court was also told hotel staff did not book a mental health GP appointment requested for Mr Pereira Vargas on 11 September, after he told them he had not slept for three days, until two weeks later – although incorrectly logged that they had done so right away. When Mr Pereira Vargas eventually received a text from the GP to arrange an appointment, he responded in Spanish saying he had no mental health issues. The coroner said that 'it is possible these factors cumulatively contributed to [Mr Pereira Vargas's] decline and death', in addition to his experience of trauma in his home country, his sense of isolation at the hotel, and desperation to leave the UK. Had there been better welfare checks and assistance accessing a GP, it is possible Mr Pereira Vargas may have engaged and been given treatment, the coroner said, although this could not be certain. He concluded that Mr Pereira Vargas had died from self-inflicted injuries whilst suffering from extreme anxiety and distress, but that it was not possible to conclude whether he had intended to take his own life. Becky Hart of Bhatt Murphy who acted for Mr Pereira Vargas's family said: 'The Home Office has failed to put in place proactive systems to ensure frontline staff in asylum accommodation have been trained in safeguarding and suicide awareness', adding that this remains 'a real and obvious risk to life.' Dame Karen Bradley, chair of the home affairs select committee, a group of MPs who are currently holding an inquiry into asylum contracts, said: 'We are deeply concerned about what the circumstances of this tragic death reveal around the operation of asylum accommodation contracts. 'These contracts come at great cost to the taxpayer. With that comes an expectation of high standards of support and proper oversight to ensure facilities are run correctly. This applies whether services are subcontracted or not.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'This was a tragic incident and our thoughts are with Mr Vargas' family and friends. The health and safety of asylum seekers is a priority and our providers maintain high standards and follow established standard procedures to manage the safety, security and wellbeing of those we accommodate.' A spokesperson for Crown Lodge said: 'We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred. Out of respect for the individual and their loved ones, we will not be commenting further.' Becker Hoffman has ceased trading and no longer provides Home Office accommodation. A solicitor who acted for them during the inquest said that Mr Pereira Vargas had been seen by GPs who did not detect any cause of concern about his mental health, and Mr Pereira Vargas had also declined help from mental health services. Clearsprings declined to comment. Reporting contributed by Liberty Investigates. If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@ or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong artist Doris Ng explores vulnerability and disability at M+
Doris Ng Toi-yee takes out a wooden tray and shows me its contents: wooden pegs, each scrawled with handwritten notes. Some of them are simply names, like 'Marilyn', followed by three hearts. Others contain more ambiguous text: 'Truth is', 'Play', 'Hope', 'Broken', 'Inner Child'. Each one is an audience response from A Collective Imprint: Adjust the Rainbow (2025), a participatory performance that Ng staged in March at Supper Club Hong Kong , in H Queen's. (I co-founded Supper Club but was not involved in this event.) We're at Ng's studio in HART Haus in Kennedy Town, where across the space, a mess of large-scale canvases, performance props, clothes and books evoke a sense of play. In her practice, Ng is interested in vulnerability, connection and 'icebreaker' moments, what she says are embodied in the pegs she extends towards me. Later this year, these interests will take her to London, where she will begin a PhD at Central Saint Martins, studying participatory art, trust building and crip theory, a growing movement that affirms the lived experiences of people with disabilities. But before that, she is staging a performance at M+ 's Asian Avant-Garde Film Festival next weekend. Signage of Reflex #1 (2020). Photo: Jocelyn Tam What's your first memory of making art? My earliest memory is of a colouring book that revealed colours with water. It dictated outcomes, leaving little room for creativity. I grew frustrated, brushing so much water that the paper tore. I was five, and my mother bought me many colouring books. This experience planted the seeds of my desire to embrace spontaneity, push boundaries and challenge controlled frameworks in both life and art. What's your daily studio routine? I wouldn't call it a routine. It's more of a pre-studio ritual that sets the tone for my day. I start by exercising vigorously, grab some orange juice and walk up the stairs. Inside, I burn incense and keep the windows open for fresh air and white noise, no matter what the weather's like.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
I was a successful single mum when I fell hopelessly in love. After six months he moved in... and changed in the most horrific way imaginable. My story should be a warning to every woman: SARAH ANDERSON
It all started 15 years ago at a dinner party. I was single, in my mid-30s, a mother of two children aged six and eight. My marriage had ended two years before, at my instigation, and it had been very difficult and painful. Now that I look back, I can see that I was worried about being on my own and feeling vulnerable.
