The French Open is upon us, the second of 2018’s four tennis majors. And on those famous clay courts of Roland Garros, we’re expecting a fierce fortnight of competition. And the best bit…there are loads of free ways that you can live stream the French Open from all corners of the world.

On the Men’s singles side of the competition, Rafael Nadal – quite simply the greatest clay court player in history – is going to be defending his title from last year, and chasing an astonishing 11th win. He’ll be the man to beat in Paris.

Reigning Women’s champ Jeļena Ostapenko will have to face stiff competition in the form of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, the three-time and two-time winners respectively, who both missed last year’s tournament. This one is much tougher to call.

Taking place over the course of two weeks, the French Open is always one of the tennis highlights of the year. Luckily for you, we’ve put together this handy guide so that you can watch it from anywhere in the world with a free live stream.

How to live stream French Open tennis in the UK for free:

The UK’s free-to-air ITV station has the rights to UK coverage this year, meaning that you’ll be able to catch certain matches on ITV1 and 2 and the bulk of the action on ITV4, if you’re near a TV, on the ITV website if that’s more convenient, or on the ITV Hub app if you’re away from home. 

Coverage will also be available on British Eurosport – and if you’re a Virgin TV customer, you’ll be able to see the clay action in Ultra HD 4K for the first time. It’s worth noting that Eurosport is a service you’ll have to have a subscription for.

The alternative is to watch the game on TVPlayer.com, which let’s you channel hop at your convenience. If you can’t live stream the French Open as it happens then TVPlayer Plus will allows you to ‘record’ the matches and watch them later. You’ll need to sign up for a paid account, but the good news there is that the site offers a 14-day free trial so no payment is required. 

Live stream the French Open from anywhere in the world

How to watch the French Open: US live stream

In the US, you’ve got a couple of different options for catching the action, you can either tune into the Tennis Channel or NBC Sports. It’s worth knowing that both of these are paid-for services so in order to watch you’ll need to have a subscription.

If neither of those works for you, there’s always the VPN option for a completely free watch. By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it’s in the UK. It’s really easy to get started with a VPN.

How to watch the French Open: Australia stream

In Australia, your options are slightly more limited, with Fox being the only broadcaster to cover Roland Garros this year. As this is a subscription service, you’ll need to be a paid-up member in order to watch.

Failing that, use of a VPN would allow you to watch the free UK coverage.

The best way to stream the French Open 2018 in Canada

In Canada, it’s a similar deal, you’ve got fairly limited options, it will be covered by TSN and RDS, but again, these are subscription services. 

If you want to watch for free, your best bet is to use a VPN and access the UK (or French coverage if you’re French-speaking) coverage for no cost in the comfort of your own home.

The best way to stream the French Open 2018 in New Zealand

In New Zealand you’re going to be able to catch all the action on Sky NZ, although again, this is a paid service. 

If you want to catch it but don’t have a Sky subscription you can use a VPN to access the free UK coverage. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/how-to-watch-french-open-live-stream-tennis-roland-garros-watch-free-online

As it continues to investigate the VPNFilter malware that’s gripped hundreds of thousands of routers worldwide, the FBI has advised consumers and office managers in the US to reset their network boxes to try and flush out at least part of the malicious code.

“The FBI recommends any owner of small office and home office routers power cycle (reboot) the devices,” the Bureau said in a statement. “VPNFilter is able to render small office and home office routers inoperable. The malware can potentially also collect information passing through the router.”

In other words, the malware can spy on your internet activities or shut down your router entirely. It’s still unclear exactly what the overall purpose of VPNFilter is, or who might be behind it, but the FBI says it’s making progress in shutting its network down.

Are you infected?

There’s still plenty we don’t know about the VPNFilter malware, outside of the obvious fact that it’s a huge problem. Cisco’s security team Talos has said more than 500,000 routers have been hit in over 54 countries worldwide, with a particular focus on the Ukraine.

The devices already identified as under threat include:

• Linksys E1200
• Linksys E2500
• Linksys WRVS4400N
• Netgear DGN2200
• Netgear R6400
• Netgear R7000
• Netgear R8000
• Netgear WNR1000
• Netgear WNR2000
• QNAP TS251
• QNAP TS439 Pro
• TP-Link R600VPN

It’s not immediately clear how many of those devices might be in the US, the UK, Australia or anywhere else, but the FBI statement recommends that anyone with a router at home or in the office performs a reboot cycle. It’s actually good security advice at any time under any circumstances – so probably worth a few minutes out of your day.

The FBI also recommends updating your router with the latest firmware patches issues by the manufacturer, and changing the device passwords from the default ones – again, that’s wise security advance whether or not your router has been infected. If you’re unsure how to do this, check your router’s documentation or look up the details online.

http://www.techradar.com/news/reboot-your-router-now-to-flush-out-malware-says-the-fbi

GDPR has been all over the news recently, as companies of all sizes scrabble to make sure they’re ready for the new regulations.

The new rules are set to come into force on May 25 2018, meaning your business only has a few more days to ensure it’s compliant.

But what exactly does GDPR entail? Here’s our guide to everything you need to know.

What is GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, (or EU Regulation 2016/679 if you want to be official) is one of the most significant and wide-ranging pieces of legislation passed relating to technology and the internet.

Approved by the European Union in April 2016, and set to come into force in the UK on May 25, GDPR  looks to bring together several existing laws and regulations to harmonize rulings across the EU.    

Primarily, it replaces the UK’s 1984 Data Protection Act and the EU’s Data Protection Directive, which initially came into force in 1995, with new guidelines that are better suited to the modern, technology-dominated world.

The main points of GDPR concern the privacy rights of everyday users and the data they create online, and will affect businesses of all sizes due to their effect on how companies gather, store, and look after their data.

Under GDPR, companies will also need to give explicit notice when collecting the personal data of their customers. This will mean that consent will need to be explicitly given, and that companies will have to detail the exact purpose for which customers’ data will be used.

This personal data will also need to be encrypted by default as part of a process known as pseudonymization, meaning that it can’t be linked to a specific person without being accompanied by extra information.

Personal data applies to a wide range of information – effectively anything that could be used to directly or indirectly identify a person online. This could include names, email addresses, images, bank details, posts on social networking websites, medical information, or even a computer IP address.

Users will also have the right to know exactly what details a company or organization holds about them, and also request that any of this information be deleted if they feel their rights to privacy are being infringed as part of the new ‘right to erasure’.

Companies that suffer data breaches, whether accidental or as part of a cyber-attack, will need to disclose this event to the relevant authorities within 72 hours of it happening, although there’s no requirement to notify users unless instructed.

Who does GDPR apply to?

Put simply, if your business offers goods or services to anyone living within the European Union, GDPR will apply to you.  

This means that companies outside Europe will also need to ensure they’re compliant with the rules, as they could also be subject to fines if found not to be up to speed.

If you have mailing lists for newsletters or promotions, and some of your prospects or customers are EU citizens, GDPR applies to you. 

What do I need to do to be ready for GDPR?

As mentioned above, if you deal with customers within the EU, you’ll need to ensure that the way you gather, store and use their data is GDPR-compliant.

For starters, you’ll need to identify exactly what data you currently own, and the means by which you acquired it. Many organizations may be unaware of the sheer mountain of information they own on their customers – just as their customers might be unaware how much info they have shared.

All the data will need to be properly secured to ensure it remains protected, so it’s definitely worth instigating new policies to limit access to the most precious data to a few key team members. 

You should also be frequently backing up your data, as under GDPR customers are able to request to view exactly what information you have on them at any time.

If your business carries out large-scale data practices, you will also need to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO).

A DPO will be able to take responsibility for much of the heavy lifting when it comes to GDPR, including overseeing compliance and data protection.

Lastly, you’ll need to ensure that all your employees are clued up about what exactly GDPR means. The rules aren’t just the prerogative of the IT department, but could affect everyone in your organization.

What happens if you’re not GDPR-ready?

GDPR is a huge deal, and as such the punishments for non-compliance are significant.

Any organisation found to not be conforming to the new regulations after the May 25 deadline could face heavy fines, equivalent to 4% of annual global turnover, or €20 million, whichever is greater. 

It remains to be seen exactly how GDPR will be monitored, and if fines will be handed out to every company large and small, but for now the best course of action is to prepare as fully as you can.

GDPR latest news and advice

– How will GDPR impact the mobile industry? – Mobile operators are confident that GDPR will be a good thing in their battle against OTT operators…

– GDPR and website operators – the final checklist – With just days to go, make sure your site is GDPR-ready…

– GDPR and its impact on e-commerce providers – GDPR will mean big changes for many businesses – how can you make sure your company is ready?

– Turning GDPR into an experience benefit – A guide to how your business can take advantage of GDPR…

– How to make a website GDPR compliant – Ensure your site is GDPR-ready with these tips…

– GDPR: Is your website compliant with the new regulation? – Make sure you don’t fall foul of the new GDPR rules with this guide…

– GDPR: The foundation for innovation – How can GDPR help benefit your business?

– GDPR compliance countdown: the final checklist – Is your organisation fully prepared for the upcoming GDPR?

– GDPR and the case for ethical data handling – Looking to finalise your GDPR compliance? Here are some top tips…

– New UK data protection laws: everything you need to know for your online life – Taking control of the data flow…

– Changes in European Data Protection Regulation: A look at the GDPR – Overview of the EU initiative to simplify data protection…

http://www.techradar.com/news/what-is-gdpr-everything-you-need-to-know