{"id":374,"date":"2024-05-23T00:06:06","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T00:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tradetrovex.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/23\/microsoft-ai-feature-investigated-by-uk-watchdog-over-screenshots\/"},"modified":"2024-05-23T00:06:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T00:06:06","slug":"microsoft-ai-feature-investigated-by-uk-watchdog-over-screenshots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tradetrovex.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/23\/microsoft-ai-feature-investigated-by-uk-watchdog-over-screenshots\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft AI feature investigated by UK watchdog over screenshots"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A new Microsoft feature that screenshots users\u2019 laptops every two seconds is being investigated by the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office (ICO).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Recall feature will be installed on new Microsoft<\/strong> laptops and is part of their artificial intelligence<\/strong> (AI) programme Copilot+.<\/p>\n

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The feature will record everything a user does by taking screenshots every few seconds. It then allows the user to scroll back through their activity and search.<\/p>\n

However, after security concerns were raised around the feature, the ICO said: \u201cWe are making enquiries with Microsoft to understand the safeguards in place to protect user privacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recall is designed to \u201chelp you easily find and remember things you\u2019ve seen using natural language\u201d, according to Microsoft, using AI and \u201cphotographic memory\u201d.<\/p>\n

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For example, if a user was shopping online and spotted a nice brown leather bag, days later they could search \u201cbrown leather bag\u201d in Recall.<\/p>\n

It would then pull up screenshots of the times they were looking at a brown leather bag, and link them to the websites they were on. It would also search through pictures, documents, presentations and files and pull up anything relevant on their laptop.<\/p>\n

It may even suggest actions the user would want to take in relation to their search.<\/p>\n

However, one cyber security<\/strong> expert described the new feature as a \u201cgrab and go\u201d target for criminals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this feature, suddenly endpoints will become a more lucrative target,\u201d said Muhammad Yahya Patel, lead security engineer at Check Point, a cyber security firm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a one-shot attack for criminals, like a grab and go, but with Recall they will essentially have everything in a single location.\u201d<\/p>\n

Microsoft said the files will all be stored locally on users\u2019 laptops and \u201cnot accessed by Microsoft or anyone who does not have device access\u201d, which should reduce the risk of hackers accessing the files on a cloud-based system.<\/p>\n

However, the files won\u2019t be censored in any way when they\u2019re stored, meaning personal information like visible passwords or visible medical information will be kept in the screenshots.<\/p>\n

If the user\u2019s laptop is hacked<\/strong> into, there are concerns extremely sensitive data could become easily accessible.<\/p>\n

\u201cImagine the goldmine of information that will be stored on a machine, and what threat actors can do with it,\u201d said Mr Patel.<\/p>\n

Charlie Milton, a vice president at cyber security firm Censornet, said the feature increases the risk of scams by potentially allowing hackers to understand their victims\u2019 lifestyles.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a [hacker], the first thing I\u2019ll do is go and look at all the screenshots of what you\u2019ve been doing recently to understand your behaviour,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m going to try and make some money from you, the best way to do that is to pretend to be somebody that you\u2019re likely to transfer money to and have been working with in the last 48 hours, and then tell you that my bank account details have changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would give those malicious actors a really good understanding of user behaviour and recent user behaviour in order for them to influence you. That\u2019s really significant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Microsoft told the BBC a would-be hacker would need to gain physical access to a device, unlock it and sign in before they could access saved screenshots.<\/p>\n

In a blog post about the new feature, Microsoft also said the user \u201cis always in control\u201d and can \u201cdelete individual snapshots, adjust and delete ranges of time in Settings, or pause at any point\u201d. They can also stop the feature recording specific apps and websites.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This post appeared first on sky.com<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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