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Generations of Computer 1st to 5th Explained with Pictures.

The history of computer technology is often used to refer to the origin of all the different generations of computers . From first to fifth each computer generation is characterized by significant technological development in their components, memory , and elements which essentially changed the way these devices work.

Several periods of generation from over the years advanced the technological evolution leads to the creation of today’s modern computer with more complex, more powerful, and increased capability and functionality.

Introduction to Computer Generations

This development period of electronic computing technology is called Computer Generation. There are five generations of computers identified, although the sixth generation could be in development now in the early 21st century.

During the evolutionary timeline, each generation of computers has improved a lot by undergoing considerable changes in their size, type, and functionality.

By analyzing them, one can trace the evolution of computer technology, to see how the computer industry has changed over the years and how great capabilities and software progress has been made by humankind in under a hundred years , as a result, the creation of different generations.

At present, the computer is playing a significant part in human existence because today’s digital computer is being used for every work in each field. If someday an issue occurs in the computer or the server is down, at that point all the work stops. This is how significant it is for technology development!

In this article, I will introduce you to all the generations of computers with pictures by explaining the complete information about their characteristics , names, components , and examples too.

Generations of Computer From 1st to 5th

Let’s discover the series of computer generations in the following list:

1st Generation of Computer (1940-1956)

This first generation of computers was based on vacuum tube technology used for calculations, storage, and control, invented in 1904 by John Ambrose Fleming. The vacuum tubes and diode valves were the chief components of the first generations of computers.

First-generation computers relied on the lowest-level machine language, in order to perform operations, and could only solve a single problem at a point of time.

Magnetic drums were used as the memory in these computers (were very slow in speed). The punched and magnetic tapes were used for the input and output function of the computer in order to display on prints even the results weren’t 100% accurate.

Also, the first generation of computers available was based on the 8-bit microprocessor.

The disadvantages of 1st gen computers are that they were very enormous in size and heavy in weight (made of thousands of vacuum tubes ) , occupying large rooms. Also, once they were kept in one place it was difficult to transfer. Another con like using a decimal number system and many switches and cables.

In addition, they were also very expensive to operate with using a large amount of electricity, the vacuum tubes produced large amounts of heat, so an air conditioner was required for the proper functioning unless a lot of heat can cause a malfunction.

The advantage of the first generation of computers is that they could calculate in milliseconds (about five thousand sums per second.)

The computers of first-generation were managed to use in different fields like weather forecasting, solving mathematical problems, energy tasks, also in space research, military, and other scientific tasks.

In the first generation of computers, the first computer of the world named “ENIAC” (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was discovered by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert in the year between 1943 to 1945.

ENIAC used panel-to-panel wiring and switches for programming, occupied more than 1,000 square feet, used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, and weighed 30 tons.

Characteristics of the 1st Generation of Computer:

• Vacuum tubes and diode valves were used as the main electronic component in the first generation computers.
• Punch cards, paper tape utilized for input and output operations.
• Magnetic drums used for storage.
• Huge in size and weight with a lot of power consumption.
• Very expensive in price also not reliable.
• Computers were programmed with low-level machine language also has low operating speed.

Examples of the first generation of computers are ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) EDSEC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator), EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer), (Electronic delay storage automatic calculator), IBM -701 and IBM 650.

ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer . This computer about 18,000 vacuum tubes used for the calculation result in huge in size, occupied more than 1,000 square feet, and weighed 30 tons. These were the harbingers of today’s digital computers. This first computing machine was designed by people J. P. Eckert, W. Mosley, J. W. Mauchly.

2nd Generation of Computer (1956-1964)

The second generation of computers replaced the vacuum tubes with a reliable component called transistors for manufacturing of computers was invented by William Shockley in 1947.

The transistors were the revolution in the computer field because this component advantaged the 2nd gen computer by increasing the performance, operating speed (hundreds of thousands of operations per second), as well as decreasing the electricity consumption of the computers.

Transistors were far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to get faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient made and possible to reduce the size of computing equipment and ultimately heat reduced and reliability improved.

Computers of second-generation are characterized by the use of the first high-level programming languages, allowing programmers to specify instructions in words. At this time, early versions of COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN languages were developed .

These were the first computers to store their instructions in their memory, which went from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology. During this period, the first computer game name “ Spacewar ” was seen on a PDP-1 computer.

Do you know~ that the oldest abacus was a computing machine designed to calculate thousands of years ago, which is still used in schools today to do calculations.

Also, the concept of Central Processing Unit (CPU), multi-programming operating systems, programming language, memory, and input and output units (I / O units) were developed in the timeline of second-generation computers.

The major disadvantages of Second-generation computers were they still relied on punch cards for input and hard copies for output as well as still it was difficult to move the computers for the reason they were enough large and even some computers needed ACs.

This second generation of computers was first used in the fields like the atomic energy industry and nuclear power plants and other commercial fields.

Characteristics of the 2nd Generation of Computer:

• Computers based on transistors instead of vacuum tubes.
• Magnetic Tape was used to store data.
• Relatively small in size and reduced weight with low energy consumption than 1st gen computers.
• Faster, reliable, and less expensive than the first generation.
• Use of storage devices, printers, and operating systems, etc.
• Higher-level languages like COBOL, ALGOL, SNOBOL, and FORTRAN were developed and used.

Examples of the second generation of computers include IBM 1620, CDC 1604, IBM 7094, UNIVAC 1108, IBM 620, CDC 3600, IBM 4044, Honeywell 400, IBM 1401 Mainframe, and PDP-1 minicomputer. IBM was actively working, producing transistor versions of its computers.

3rd Generation of Computer (1964-1971)

The third generation appeared in the form of integrated circuits (invented by Jack Kilby from 1958 to 1964). An IC (integrated circuit) is consists of many small transistors mounted on chips , which are called semiconductors.

This synchronized chip became an important foundation for the third generation computers when scientists combined hundreds of transistors fit in this circuit result in a more powerful electronic segment called an integrated circuit.

Multiprogramming was implemented (this is when there are several executable programs in memory) at the same time that it diminished their manufacturing costs. In the mid-60s. IBM improved the term “computer architecture”. By the end of the 60s. mini-computers appeared.

This revolutionary innovation allowed to expansion of the processing capacity and memory of the machines.

Instead of punch cards and prints, users interacted via keyboards and monitors , and interacted with an operating system, allowing the device to run various applications at once with a central program that monitored the memory.

As you can see, the first appearance of computer monitors fell on the second generation of computers. The invention belongs to the company IBM, which in 1964 released the commercial display station IBM-2250.

it was used in the system/360 series. The model had a vector monochrome display measuring 12×12 inches, with a resolution of 1024×1024 pixels and a refresh rate of 40 Hz. This invention revolutionized today’s different types of monitors including LCD, LED, OLED monitors.

The invention of IC incredibly decreased the size of computers and made it easy for transportation from one place to another. The working speed and efficiency of this generation of computers were much faster than the previous generation and even cheaper.

High-end languages such as PASCAL, BASIC, FORTRAN – II TO IV, COBOL, ALGOL developed in this generation.

For the first time, they got access to a mass audience allowed computers to penetrate into different spheres of human activity since they were smaller and cheaper. Along these, they turned out to be more specialized (i.e., there were different computers for different tasks).

The 3rd generation of computers was the initial move towards the miniaturization of computers and quickly expanded their scope: control, automation of scientific experiments, data transmission, etc. In addition to being used in the manufacture of radios, TVs, and other similar devices .

Characteristics of the 3rd Generation of Computer:

• In this generation, computers based on Integrated Circuit was more powerful than the transistor.
• The size of the computers was likewise little because the size of the IC being more modest than the circuit size of the transistors.
• More reliable, inexpensive, faster, energy-efficient, as well as very light in weight than 2nd gen computers.
• The first Computer Mouse and Keyboard were appeared and used in the 3rd generation of computers
• Use of new versions of high-level languages like BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN, PASCAL, and ALGOL
• Available for a mass audience and made it possible for general purpose usage.

Some of the most popular models of the 3rd generation of computers were the ICL 2903, ICL 1900, TDC-B16, IBM 360 and 370, Honeywell 6000, UNIVAC 1108, PDP-8, and PDP-11, which were ideal in their handling multiprocessing capabilities, reliability, and flexibility than previous generations.

4th Generation of Computer (1971-2010)

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits equivalent to about millions of transistors were assembled and brought the whole central processing unit and other fundamental elements of the machine into a small chip called a microprocessor fitted on the CPU socket.

These computers used Very Large Scale Integrated circuits technology also called VLSI technology. After the invention, the microprocessor began to used in computing machines in the fourth and fifth generations of computers.

Within the framework of the considered generation in 1971, the first microprocessor appeared as an unexpected result of Intel’s work on calculator circuits and further development of minicomputers ( PDP-11 ).

The first personal computer and a microcomputer was “ ALTAIR ” developed by the company MITS in 1974. Also, the first microprocessor was the Intel 4004, manufactured in 1971, initially for an electronic calculator. Whereas the computers of the first generation filled an entire room, while now the 4th generation ‘microprocessors’ fit in the palm of the hand.

This generation of computers used an operating system based on the graphical user interface (GUI), which means these numbers were very easy to perform mathematical and logical tasks.

The computers started to utilize high-speed memory systems on integrated circuits with a capacity of several megabytes. Computer performance has increased significantly (hundreds of millions of operations per second).

The high-level language like C, C ++, Java, PHP, Python, Visual Basic,  was utilized to compose programs in the computers of the fourth generation.

The advent of the first personal computers in the mid-70s gave every common user the same computing resources that enormous computers had during the 60s. These computers were made more modest, faster, and less expensive can undoubtedly be put on a table or desk. Which marked the so-called era of personal computers .

Peripheral devices examples , such as mice, joysticks, handheld devices, etc., were developed during this 4th generation. Computers could be connected together in a network to share information with each other, this has played an important role in the birth and development of LAN, Ethernet, and the Internet .

The most popular companies in the world like Intel and AMD were rising. Then again, companies like Microsoft and Apple introduced their operating systems ‘Windows’ and ‘Macintosh’ in the generation of this computer. Because of which the act of multimedia started.

This is the era where personal computers were born, an idea that actually persists today. Also, these were the generation of DEC’s (Digital Equipment Corporation) minicomputers.

Characteristics of the 4th Generation of Computer:

• Computers based on microprocessors and VLSI technology .
• The computers of 4th gen were small in size, lightweight, and almost portable computers.
• The integrating of multi cores in processors like Dual core , Octa core, etc has began.
• The processing speed of this computer generation was much faster and reliable than the previous three generations.
• The size and cost of power supply units has reduced.
• Use of languages ​​like C, C ++, .Net, Java, PHP, Python , Visual Basic.
• Use of GUI Based OS with more memory capacity.
• Accessible to the Internet .
• Due to the low cost of these computers, they were available to every common man.

Desktops, Laptops, Workstations, Tablets, Chromebooks , and Smartphones, are examples of the fourth generation of computers.

Good to Know~ Alan Turing is the father of modern computers born in England in 1912.

5th Generation of Computer (2010-At Present)

Artificial intelligence is the name of the fifth as well as the latest generation of computers based on ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology is the process of integrating or embedding millions of transistors on a single silicon microchip.

Computing in the 5th computer generation is versatile made portable, powerful, lightweight, innovative, comfortable with low electricity consumption . Because of the Internet’s advantages , it extended its limits of use to limits never before suspected.

The main objective of the latest fifth-generation computing and effort made by computer researchers is to make them smart by incorporating Artificial Intelligence so as to develop devices that respond to the input of natural language and are capable of learning and self-organizing even in 2022 it is under development.

This new information technology has greatly increased the size and working ability of the microprocessor, which has prompted the use of computers in the various fields of Entertainment, Accounting, Educational institutes , Film-making, Traffic-control, Business applications , and Hospitals, Engineering, Researches, Defense, etc.

That’s why a computer of the 5th generation is also known as the AI (Artificial Intelligence) generation of computers.

Some computers are being intended to do all the work themselves as a human act, behave, and communicate. The best example of this is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based computing machine in the 5th generation of computers “ Sophia ” a robot.

Characteristics of the 5th Generation of Computer:

• The main focus on AI-based computers.
• Computers made of microprocessors based on ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) technology.
• The processing speed is quite high can perform billions of calculations in a second.
• Computers are portable, cheap, reliable, fast, and available in various forms and sizes like a Desktop, Laptop, Smartphone, Smartwatches, etc.
• Invention of the operating system such as Windows, Macintosh and ChromeOS of Chromebooks .
• Multimedia has evolved in this generation by combining Sound, Graphics, or Picture and Text.
• Development of Internet of Things.

Computers of the fifth generation are being made to think like us. For which continuous advancement of technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Robotics, etc. Although the examples of AI computing software such as Chatbots, Windows Cortana, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, Speech recognition, that are being used today.

Classification of the computer by generations

Factors/Reasons for the development of computer generations:

There below are the general factors associated with the development and change in the generations of electronic computers:

• Improvement of the element base,
• Downsizing,
• Technological progress (increased performance, speed, and memory)
• Reduced cost,
• Development of  software ,
• Changes in architecture, expansion of the range of tasks solved by computers,
• Simplification and standardization of hardware.
• Changing the way of interaction between the user and the computer.

How many generations of computers have there been?

There are 5 computer generations till now i.e. vacuum tubes, transistors, integrated circuits, microprocessors, and the last one is artificial intelligence. 6th generation yet to come may be either in the form of quantum computers or developing the existing artificial intelligence technology to a greater extent.

What is the 6th generation of computers?

Electronic computers are usually divided into five generations now and the 6th generation is still in development but has the potential to give birth to the sixth generation of computers may be in the form of quantum computing.

Which is the current modern generation of computers today?

The technologies based on artificial intelligence are the current and the latest generation of computers(5th GEN) today.

What is the historical development of computers according to generation?

In accordance with the methodology for assessing the development of computer technology, the first generation was considered to be vacuum tube computers, the second – transistor computers, the third – computers on integrated circuits, the fourth – using microprocessors, and the fifth generation computers is based on the artificial intelligence.

What is the generation of a colossus computer?

Colossus computer was the first generation of the computer developed and designed by Tommy Flowers at Bletchley Park in the year 1944 with the purpose of cracking Hitler’s codes.

The sixth will also discover in the future since there are some flaws of technology in this generation that will be revived or resolved in the upcoming generation.

It takes much time and research to publish such an article ” Generation of Computer 1st to 5th “ If you liked the insights of the article you can support us by sharing this post on social networks.

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MS Word Cover Page Templates

Download, personalize & print, computer assignment cover pages.

Posted By: admin 22/10/2018

Every student gets an assignment during his study life. Making assignments has great significance in the life of a student. In almost every institute, abilities and knowledge are assessed through assignments, apart from exams. Computer students also get assignments to make. There is a lot of competition in the class since everyone struggles to get maximum marks on the assignment.

Every student desires to make his assignment stand out so that it can compel the teacher to give good marks. Many students make their assignments more catchy and worth reading by adding a cover page.

Students often prepare a cover page for their assignment before submitting it. The use of a cover page puts a positive impression on the mind of the teacher, and he or she is likely to give good marks if the cover page is designed for an assignment.

What is an assignment cover page?

The cover page of an assignment that tells the reader about the content included in the assignment, the name of the student, and many other details is known as the assignment cover page. This is considered beneficial for the reader since it gives a clear idea of what he is going to read. A student of the computer can create a computer assignment cover page to know what has been covered by the assignment.

What are the elements of an assignment cover page?

Generally, an assignment cover page includes:

• Details about students, such as name, class, section, and roll number
• Subject-related information such as subject name, code, chapter number, name, and topic name
• Due date of submitting the assignment
• The date on which the assignment is being submitted.
• If the extension applies to the assignment submission, mention the details regarding it
• The total length of words.

Although it is not compulsory, a student may add a statement regarding intellectual property. In this statement, a student claims that the assignment’s content is his work and that he has not committed plagiarism.

He can confirm that he has checked the assignment for plagiarism, and he also allows the institute to check the plagiarism through any electronic means. The student should also write in this section that he read the policies of the institute before assignment submission.

What are the benefits of a computer assignment cover page?

The key benefits of the assignment cover page are:

• An assignment cover page lets the reader know about the content of the assignment
• The cover page includes the name of the student and subject, that tells right away to whom this assignment belongs.
• An attractive cover page makes a good impression on the reader, compels the reader to read the assignment and shows appreciation for the student for putting serious effort and investing time in creating a cover page along with the assignment
• An assignment cover letter not only reflects the assignment but is also a representative of the student who creates it. A decent and attractive assignment will surely reflect the decency of the student.

See the following list and download the design that you like. Cheers!!

This computer assignment cover page is simple yet elegant, enclosing the details of the assignment in a dotted-line border. A lighter-tone background and bold heading are enough to appeal to the reader towards the assignment title and its subject. The name of the submitting student can be easily mentioned beneath the assignment name, while the details of the subject title are provided at the bottom. The stroke of blue color puts grace on the cover page and adds value to the assignment.

Cover page format: MS Word 2007 | 2010 | 2013 File Size: 5 MB License: [ Only for personal use ]

Here is another cover page that is bold and bright. The color red grabs attention while providing all the assignment details in mid-center alignment. This alignment highlights the specifics of the assignment evenly, that is, giving details of the assignment heading, its subject, the name of the student, and the date of submission. The graphical lines on the left margin are an important feature of the cover page, hence distinguishing the text and enhancing the look of the cover page itself.

This is a very unique cover page that is eye-catching yet has a professional look. Black being the bold color makes this cover page stand out of the ordinary. The major headline of the computer assignment covers the top portion of the cover page, provided with a black stroke underneath, giving a clear distinction between the rest of the assignment details. Overall, this cover page is well-balanced, giving a strong outlook and hence a strong impression of the work assignment.

Here we go with the fourth cover page. This is all stylish and trendy, providing a blue and yellow color combination on a white background. This cover page goes according to the mood of the youth. As these cover pages are for computer assignments, they provide a different look and a different perception. It has enclosed the details of the subject, the writer of the assignment, and further important points of the assignment in graphical boxes. This helps the reader to get an exact idea of what the assignment is all about.

Here goes the fifth and last cover page of computer assignments. This is an easy-to-go, simple, yet graceful cover page. The block-line border frames the attention of the reader toward the details of the assignment, mentioning the assignment heading at the top while the subject of the assignment is at the bottom. The background picture, being related to computers, gives it an edge, while the brown color makes it look mature and firm.

Cover page format: MS Word 2007 | 2010 | 2013 File Size: 4 MB License: [ Only for personal use ]

File Size: 4 MB License: [ Only for personal use ]

File Size: 5 MB License: [ Only for personal use ]

File Size: 8 MB License: [ Only for personal use ]

File Size: 6 MB License: [ Only for personal use ]

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If you can believe your eyes and ears —

The many, many signs that kamala harris’ rally crowds aren’t ai creations, but trump's false accusation highlights problems with media trust in the ai age..

Kyle Orland - Aug 12, 2024 5:18 pm UTC

Donald Trump may have coined a new term in his latest false attack on Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. In a pair of posts on Truth Social over the weekend, the former president said that Vice President Kamala Harris "A.I.'d" photos of a huge crowd that showed up to see her speak at a Detroit airport campaign rally last week.

"There was nobody at the plane, and she 'A.I.’d' it, and showed a massive 'crowd' of so-called followers, BUT THEY DIDN’T EXIST!" Trump wrote. "She’s a CHEATER. She had NOBODY waiting, and the 'crowd' looked like 10,000 people! Same thing is happening with her fake 'crowds' at her speeches."

The Harris campaign responded with its own post saying that the image is "an actual photo of a 15,000-person crowd for Harris-Walz in Michigan."

Aside from the novel use of "AI" as a verb , Trump's post marks the first time, that we know of, that a US presidential candidate has personally raised the specter of AI-generated fakery by an opponent (rather than by political consultants or random social media users ). The accusations, false as they are, prey on widespread fears and misunderstandings over the trustworthiness of online information in the AI age.

It would be nice to think that we could just say Trump's claims here are categorically false and leave it at that. But as artificial intelligence tools become increasingly good at generating photorealistic images , it's worth outlining the many specific ways we can tell that Harris' crowd photos are indeed authentic. Consider this a guide for potential techniques you can use the next time you come across accusations that some online image has been "A.I.'d" to fool you.

Context and sourcing

By far the easiest way to tell Harris' crowds are real is from the vast number of corroborating sources showing those same crowds. Both the AP and Getty have numerous shots of the rally crowd from multiple angles, as do journalists and attendees who were at the event. Local news sources posted video of the crowds at the event, as did multiple attendees on the ground . Reporters from multiple outlets reported directly on the crowds in their accounts: Local outlet MLive estimated the crowd size at 15,000, for instance, while The New York Times noted that the event was "witnessed by thousands of people and news outlets, including The New York Times, and the number of attendees claimed by her campaign is in line with what was visible on the ground."

The Harris/Walz rally in Detroit is buzzing after a performance from the Detroit Youth Choir. #Michigan pic.twitter.com/sdFQvHhG3I — Nora Eckert (@NoraEckert) August 7, 2024

Suffice it to say that this mountain of evidence from direct sources weighs more heavily than marked-up images from conservative commentators like Chuck Callesto and Dinesh D'Souza , both of whom have been caught spreading election disinformation in the past.

Further Reading

It's also important to track down the original source of whatever alleged AI image you're looking at. It's incredibly easy for a social media user to create an AI-generated image, claim it came from a news report or live footage of an event, then use obvious flaws in that fake image as "evidence" that the event itself was faked. Links to original imagery from an original source's own website or verified account are much more reliable than screengrabs that could have originated anywhere (and/or been modified by anyone).

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Hackers may have stolen your Social Security number in a massive breach. Here's what to know.

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: August 19, 2024 / 9:51 AM EDT / CBS News

A new lawsuit is claiming hackers have gained access to the personal information of "billions of individuals," including their Social Security numbers, current and past addresses and the names of siblings and parents — personal data that could allow fraudsters to infiltrate financial accounts or take out loans in their names. 

The allegation arose in a lawsuit filed earlier this month by Christopher Hofmann, a California resident who claims his identity theft protection service alerted him that his personal information had been leaked to the dark web by the "nationalpublicdata.com" breach. The lawsuit was earlier reported by Bloomberg Law.

The breach allegedly occurred around April 2024, with a hacker group called USDoD exfiltrating the unencrypted personal information of billions of individuals from a company called National Public Data (NPD), a background check company, according to the lawsuit. Earlier this month, a hacker leaked a version of the stolen NPD data for free on a hacking forum, tech site Bleeping Computer reported . 

That hacker claimed the stolen files include 2.7 billion records, with each listing a person's full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and phone number, Bleeping Computer said. While it's unclear how many people that includes, it's likely "that everyone with a Social Security number was impacted," said Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at The National Cybersecurity Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes online safety.

"It's a reminder of the importance of protecting yourself, because clearly companies and the government aren't doing it for us," Steinhauer told CBS MoneyWatch.

In a statement posted to its website, NPD said the breach involved a "third-party bad actor that was trying to hack into data in late December 2023, with potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024."

The company added that it is working with law enforcement and government investigators. NPD said it "will try to notify you if there are further significant developments applicable to you."

Here's what to know about the alleged hack. 

What is National Public Data? 

National Public Data is a data company based in Coral Springs, Florida, that provides background checks for employers, investigators and other businesses that want to check people's backgrounds. Its searches include criminal records, vital records, SSN traces and more information, its website says.

There are many similar companies that scrape public data to create files on consumers, which they then sell to other businesses, Steinhauer said.

"They are data brokers that collect and sell data about people, sometimes for background check purposes," he said. "It's because there's no national privacy law in the U.S. — there is no law against them collecting this data against our consent."

What happened with the USDoD hack?

According to the new lawsuit, USDoD on April 8 posted a database called "National Public Data" on the dark web, claiming to have records for about 2.9 billion individuals. It was asking for a purchase price of $3.5 million, the lawsuit claims. 

However, Bleeping Computer reported that the file was later leaked for free on a hacker forum, as noted above. 

How many people have been impacted?

The number of people impacted by the breach is unclear. Although the lawsuit claims "billions of individuals" had their data stolen, the total population of the U.S. stands at about 330 million. The lawsuit also alleges that the data includes personal information of deceased individuals.

Bleeping Computer reports that the hacked data involves 2.7 billion records, with individuals having multiple records in the database. In other words, one individual could have separate records for each address where they've lived, which means the number of impacted people may be far lower than the lawsuit claims, the site noted.

The data may reach back at least three decades, according to law firm Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe, which said on Monday it is investigating the breach.

Did NPD alert individuals about the hack? 

It's unclear, although the lawsuit claims that NPD "has still not provided any notice or warning" to Hoffman or other people affected by the breach. 

"In fact, upon information and belief, the vast majority of Class Members were unaware that their sensitive [personal information] had been compromised, and that they were, and continue to be, at significant risk of identity theft and various other forms of personal, social, and financial harm," the lawsuit claims. 

Information security company McAfee reported that it hasn't found any filings with state attorneys general. Some states require companies that have experienced data breaches to file reports with their AG offices. 

However, NPD posted an alert about the breach on its website, stating that it believes the information breached includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and mailing addresses.

Can you find out if your data was part of the hack?

There are tools available that will monitor what information about you is available on the dark web, noted Michael Blair, managing director of cybersecurity firm NukuDo. Commonly breached data includes your personal addresses, passwords and email, he added.

One such service is how Hofmann, who filed the lawsuit, found out that his information has been leaked as part of NPD breach.

"Make sure to use reputable companies to look that up," Blair said. 

What should I do to protect my information?

Security experts recommend that consumers put freezes on their credit files at the three big credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Freezing your credit is free, and will stop bad actors from taking out loans or opening credit cards in your name. 

"The biggest thing is to freeze your credit report, so it can't be used to open new accounts in your name and commit other fraud in your name," Steinhauer said. 

In its statement, NPD also urged people to put free fraud alerts on their accounts, which "tells creditors to contact you before they open any new accounts or change your existing accounts," it said. You'll have to contact just one of the three credit bureaus to create a fraud alert, and that agency will alert the others.

Steinhauer recommends consumers take several additional steps to protect their data and finances:

• Make sure your passwords are at least 16 characters in length, and are complex. 
• Use a password manager to save those long, complex passwords.
• Enable multifactor authentication, which Steinhauer calls "critical," because simply using a single password to access your accounts isn't enough protection against hackers. 
• Be on alert for phishing and other scams. One red flag is that the scammers will try to create a sense of urgency to manipulate their victims.
• Keep your security software updated on your computer and other devices. For instance, make sure you download the latest security updates from Microsoft or Apple onto your apps and devices. 

You can also get a tracking service that will alert you if your data appears on the dark web. 

"You should assume you have been compromised and act accordingly," Steinhauer said. 

• Data Breach
• Social Security

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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Tropical Storm Ernesto: Track where the storm is heading in the latest models

Tropical Storm Ernesto formed Monday as it moved toward the Caribbean islands and the forecast suggest Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands could experience tropical storm conditions beginning Tuesday.

You can track the storm's path with the latest maps and models below and follow along with USA TODAY's coverage of Tropical Storm Ernesto as the fifth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season moves through the Caribbean.

The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and cause flash floods and mudslides but the mainland U.S. could be largely spared from the storm, according to forecasts.

Where is Ernesto heading?

The National Hurricane Center's 11 p.m. ET update Monday indicated that Ernesto could bring tropical storm conditions to parts of the Leeward Islands by early Tuesday, and the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico later in the day.

A tropical storm warning was issued in the area late Monday evening.

Tropical storm Ernesto path tracker

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Tropical Storm Ernesto Spaghetti Models

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Transfer a copy of your photos and videos to iCloud Photos

You can request to transfer a copy of your photos and videos from Google Photos to iCloud Photos.

When you transfer photos and videos to iCloud Photos, they aren't deleted from Google Photos.

You don’t need to download your photos or videos to transfer them. The transfer happens directly from Google to iCloud.

The transfer process might take between several hours and a few days, depending on the size of the photos and videos being transferred.

This service will be available to Apple account holders in over 240 countries and regions around the world. If the service is available for your account, you'll have the option within Google Takeout.

This service isn’t available for child accounts or Managed Apple ID accounts. You can't import photo and video data to iCloud while Advanced Data Protection for iCloud is turned on for your account.

Before you transfer to iCloud Photos

Turn on iCloud Photos

Turn on iCloud Drive

Make sure that you have enough iCloud storage

If you receive a storage error during the transfer, you can manage your iCloud storage or add more storage. Once you have enough storage, request another transfer. The additional transfer request won't add duplicate photo or video files to iCloud Photos.

Supported file types

You can transfer only photo and video files to iCloud Photos. Other file types (such as Motion Photos or Live Photos, or Memories) aren't transferred.

JPEG, HEIC, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and BMP photo file types and most MP4 and MOV video file types can be transferred.

Photo and video files that can’t be transferred to iCloud Photos, including RAW files, are transferred to iCloud Drive.

Photos and videos are transferred in the same resolution that's made available by Google for export.

How to transfer your photos and videos from Google Photos to iCloud Photos

Go to Google Takeout

Follow the instructions to start an export from Google Photos.

Choose "Apple - iCloud Photos" as the destination to transfer and sign in with your Apple ID.

Tap Allow to share permission with Google to add photos and videos to iCloud.

You can check the status of or cancel your transfer on Apple's Data and Privacy page

When you start a transfer and when a transfer is complete, Apple sends email notifications to the email addresses associated with your Apple ID account.

When your transfer is complete

You receive a confirmation email from Apple that your transfer is complete.

Your photos and videos appear in the Photos app in an album called “Import from Google” with the date of the transfer.

If some of your photos or videos are missing from iCloud Photos, check iCloud Drive for a folder called "Import from Google" with the date of the transfer.

Along with the original photo or video file, its associated metadata (including the file name, description, file type, and location) are also transferred.

If you turn off iCloud Photos during the import, the transfer stops and only the photos and videos that have already transferred appear in the Photos app. To transfer the rest of your photo library, turn iCloud Photos back on and make another transfer request.

There might be a delay between the notification from Google that the transfer is complete and when you receive a confirmation email from Apple.

Transfer a copy of your iCloud Photos collection to another service

Learn how to transfer your photos and videos from iCloud Photos to Google Photos

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