Cybersecurity consultant eSentire highlights the latest phishing lures in its "Threat Intelligence Spotlight: Legal Industry" report in collaboration with the International Legal Technology Association. Scams involving Adobe's cloud service and American Express credit cards turn up more in the legal industry than in others, the report states.

This might finally be the year a budget smartphone can be found to rival more expensive models, Scott Gordon writes. He notes that Xiaomi and Huawei are the drivers behind the widespread development of Android devices, which has forced major players such as Samsung to up their game in terms of quality.

Ransomware attacks against cities and towns in recent months have forced police departments, libraries and other public entities to resort to manual operations until systems are restored. More than 40 municipalities across the country have been hit with cyberattacks this year, including 22 simultaneously in Texas.

Google Chrome developers are working on a tool called Password Leak Detection, which is intended to keep passwords safer. The tool compares users' passwords to a database of passwords known to have been compromised in breaches and prompts users to change them if a duplication is detected.

Build the groundwork for cybersecurity by informing every staff member of policies regarding protection of data, recommends IT consultant Jeffery Lauria. "Not having an in-house IT specialist is no excuse for compromising client security," he writes.

Schools are opening for the fall term on the alert for cyberattacks, such as the ones that hobbled three Louisiana school systems and delayed the start of classes by four days in an Alabama district. A study of 17 industries' cybersecurity practices ranked the education sector last in terms of preparedness, but states are beginning to establish school cybersecurity policies and are offering more resources.

No need for a boring dorm room this term. A variety of smart devices can liven things up, including color-changing wall panels and light bulbs, smart speakers, voice-activated microwaves, smart clocks and smart plugs.

Users of LG's ThinQ mobile app will soon be able to issue voice commands to manage Wi-Fi-enabled LG appliances such as air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, washers and dryers. The app, which will be available by the end of the year in the US, also will offer maintenance and operating information.

Users of the Lenovo Smart Clock can now talk to the device without saying, "Hey Google" with the new natural conversation function. The clock also works with Google Assistant-compatible cameras and can display Google Photos.

Amazon's Echo Auto and its deals with BMW and Audi to incorporate Alexa software in certain models reflect the company's ambitions to "get into the car in a big way," industry analyst Mike Ramsey says. With Google and Apple already vying for control of the dashboard, Amazon's biggest challenge may be its lack of a position in the smartphone space, says John Foster of Aiqudo.