Do you own a Samsung GalaxyS9 phone?
If you don't...well, then this doesn't really apply to you.
But if you do, or if you just like cellphone news, you'd be interested to know that they are experiencing a major bug issue.
Some of the phones are actually texting photos to random contacts in the phone. In some cases, the phones are even sending entire photo galleries to contacts.
(If this needs to serve as a warning for you to clean up the contents of your photo gallery, please take 5 minutes and do that now. There's no need for your sweet grandmother to get a picture that was destined for a Tinder hookup.)
Samsung's official forums say it may be due to a T-Mobile update, and people impacted by this update can try to help the situation by updating permissions to their messaging app so it doesn't have access to stored data.
Samsung is continuing to look into the situation.
They sent a statement to USA Today about it all.
"Samsung has reviewed this matter thoroughly these past few days; however, there were no hardware or software issues found to be relevant to this particular case. While there have been no known similar customer reports globally, we will continue to investigate this issue further."
So, until it is all fixed, maybe keep your pics G-rated.
Now, if you're also afraid of cyberthieves going into your phone and taking things that updating your permissions won't protect, @Marc_Saltzman put together a few tips in USA Today to help you protect your data and information.
- Back it up. Back up all of your important information.
- Just use a password. Take the two minutes to set one up.
- Know your apps. Only download them from trusted sources and companies.
- Clear out the crap. Delete texts and emails from unknown people immediately.
- Add an antivirus. It's an easy step that's adds a lot of protection.
- Wipe away. Utilize remote phone wiping apps so you can clear out the data if you lose it.
- Try two-factor. It basically doubles down on your password.
- Browse privately. More than a "Private" or "Incognito" tab, a VPN masks your identity.
On a better note, Samsung Galaxy Note 9's S Pen will have Bluetooth support. Read all about it at CNET
Also, new technology is allowing people to doctor videos and make it appear that people have said things that they never actually did. Read the full Associated Press story at US News
Check out all of @Marc_Saltzman's work at USA Today
Check out Marc's Tech It Out podcast on the KFI Squadcast page!