News

Experts warn emails sent with sensitive data are still getting delivered unencrypted, and no one gets notifiedMicrosoft 365 sends email in plain text when encryption fails, without alerting the user at allGoogle Workspace still uses insecure TLS 1.0 and 1.1 without warning senders or rejecting messagesMost users assume that emails sent through cloud services are encrypted and secure by default, but this might not always be the case, new research has claimed.A report from Paubox found Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace both mishandle these failures in ways that leave messages exposed, without notifying the sender or logging the failure.“Using obsolete encryption provides a false sense of security because it seems as though sensitive data is protected, even though it really is not,” Paubox said.Default settings quietly undermine encryptionThe problem isn’t just a technical edge case; it stems from how these platforms are designed to operate under common conditions.Google Workspace, the report found, will fall back to delivering messages using TLS 1.0 or 1.1 if the receiving server only supports those outdated protocols.Microsoft 365 refuses to use deprecated TLS, but instead of bouncing the email or alerting the sender, it sends the message in plain text.In both cases, the email is delivered, and no warning is issued.These behaviors pose serious compliance risks, as in 2024, Microsoft 365 accounted for 43% of healthcare-related email breaches.Meanwhile, 31.1% of breached healthcare entities had TLS misconfigurations, despite many of these organizations using “force TLS” settings to meet compliance requirements.But as Paubox notes, forcing TLS does not guarantee encryption using secure versions like TLS 1.2 or 1.3, and fails silently when those conditions are not met.The consequences of silent encryption failures are far-reaching - healthcare providers routinely send Protected Health Information (PHI) over email, assuming tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer strong protections.In reality, neither platform enforces modern encryption when failures occur, and both risk violating HIPAA safeguards without detection.Federal guidelines, including those from the NSA in the US, have long warned against TLS 1.0 and 1.1 due to vulnerabilities and downgrade risks.Yet Google still allows delivery over those protocols, while Microsoft sends unencrypted emails without flagging the issue.Both paths lead to invisible compliance failures - in one documented breach, Solara Medical Supplies paid more than $12 million after unencrypted emails exposed over 114,000 patient records.Cases like this show why even the best FWAAS or ZTNA solution must work in concert with visible, enforceable encryption policies across all communication channels.“Confidence without clarity is what gets organizations breached,” Paubox concluded.You might also likeThese are the best VPNs with antivirus that you can use right nowTake a look at our pick of the best internet security suites availableChina-backed "LapDogs" hackers hijacked hundreds of devices

Streams 4K video, backs up your phone, and still skips cloud storage entirelyThe TerraMaster F4 SSD promises home privacy, but may offload all maintenance responsibility onto the userUp to 32TB of SSD speed sounds impressive, but your router might bottleneck itAs local storage continues to evolve, some brands now offer compact network-attached systems that emphasize privacy, speed, and media versatility.The TerraMaster F4 SSD provides support for up to 32TB of SSD storage using four 8TB SSDs, and supports file systems such as EXT4, BTRFS, exFAT, and NTFS.It bypasses the need for cloud-based platforms by incorporating hardware-level encryption and data segregation for over 20 user accounts.Performance metrics meet household use casesThe device is powered by a quad-core ARM-based Rockchip RK3568 processor clocked at up to 2.0GHz, with hardware decoding support for H.264 and H.265 codecs and resolutions up to 4K@60fps.It also features 8GB of DDR4 RAM, expandable to 32GB using two SODIMM slots.Network capabilities include a 2.5GbE port and a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C interface, while HDMI 2.0 offers 4K display output.TerraMaster F4 SSD can also stream to TVs and tablets using standard protocols like uPnP and DLNA, and support for media servers such as Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby suggests it will be compatible with the majority of home setups.The F4 SSD is built around a 5G Ethernet port, reportedly offering speeds up to five times faster than standard Gigabit connections, supporting high-throughput scenarios.However, in practical terms, users will likely be limited by the speed of their broader home network, not just the NAS hardware.Software features include backup tools (including cloud sync and snapshot), AI photo management, VPN server, and remote access via TNAS.online, which enables downloads and uploads through the cloud.Security features include TRAID, a flexible array system that optimizes space while providing redundancy.It also supports RAID 0/1/5/6/10, JBOD, and includes tools such as S.M.A.R.T., bad block scan, SSD trim, and hot spare management.TerraMaster’s SPC control system is another layer that restricts app access based on verified permissions.The F4 SSD also allows bi-directional syncing with cloud platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox.This hybrid capability, while useful, may seem counterintuitive in a product designed to replace cloud reliance.The NAS also features tool-free SSD installation with a drawer-style enclosure, making drive upgrades accessible to beginners.Cooling is handled by a quiet convection fan system, reportedly keeping standby noise around 19dB, like the TerraMaster D4 SSD. Such silence may be beneficial in noise-sensitive environments like home studios or bedrooms.The system operates on TOS 6.0 and supports up to 128 user accounts, 128 user groups, and 8 shared folder sync tasks.This makes it suitable for advanced home users or small studios needing high-speed, private data access.The TerraMaster F4 SSD is ambitious in scope, but its value will depend on whether users make full use of its features.Via TechPowerUpYou might also likeThese are the fastest SSDs you buy right nowTake a look at some of the best external hard drivesAcer is giving away $240 worth of Google goodies for free with its Chromebooks