Foreign governments could again hack US election systems, but voters might not find out until after the election because no law compels government officials to disclose breaches. A federal policy makes the privacy of breach victims a priority, though Colorado and Iowa require local officials to notify the state about suspected breaches.

Adobe is helping Alexa users get their creative juices flowing with the Inspiration Engine -- a skill that, when prompted, shares inspirational quotes and creative exercises. The skill, which is free, will also display inspiring images on smart devices with screens.

Israeli startup ParKam is aiming to ease the search for parking spots by alerting drivers via their smartphones when parking becomes available. The app, which sells its setup initially to parking operators and bases information on security cameras rather than user input, also allows drivers to pay for parking.

Microsoft is collaborating with computer and chip manufacturers for its Secured-core PC initiative, which includes requirements enabling secure booting, providing firmware flaw protections, and curbing unauthorized data and device access, in an effort to block firmware-level attacks. Secured-core PC will be launched in the Surface Pro X, with other devices from Dell, Dynabook, HP, Lenovo and Panasonic to follow.

The ransomware attack on the computer systems of Jasper County, S.C., has apparently affected 911 and emergency dispatch services, contrary to claims from the County Council chairman. Meanwhile, in Jackson County, Ga., emergency dispatchers were relying on paper logs and printed maps instead of their usual computers, which were taken down by an attack but have now been restored.

German cybersecurity agency BSI has determined that Firefox 68 is the safest browser, using an audit process the agency uses to direct government agencies and private companies to safe browsers. The experts also tested three other browsers -- Google Chrome 76, Microsoft Edge 44 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 -- but did not test Safari, Vivaldi, Opera or Brave.

The data of millions of patients have been leaked by nine medical websites that were not password-protected, researchers found. The owners of the websites were notified, but not all of the vulnerabilities were fixed, thus exposing personal, medical and financial information and putting patients at risk of fraud and identity theft.

Technical vulnerabilities aren't the only weaknesses that put health care IT systems at risk, finds a study by Proofpoint that documents a rise in social engineering attacks, such as phishing. To fend off these attacks, health care organizations should train employees on how to detect malicious emails, invest in email fraud defense technology, isolate risky websites and URLs, and work with a threat intelligence vendor, researchers said.

Verizon customers in several US cities have access to significant new features with the company's upgraded 5G home broadband router, including Wi-Fi 6 with parental control, as well as the functionality of Alexa and the 100,000 skills the smart assistant brings. Customers can install the router without a technician.

Apple is thought to be working on a small, battery-powered tracker tag that can help users find misplaced items via the Find My app. The technology might even include an augmented reality feature that could visually guide users to the location of lost items.