Australia’s Qantas Airways is telling passengers with Dell laptops that they might not be able to recharge their machines in-flight.Earlier this month, Dell issued a recall for 4.1 million laptop computer batteries because of a potential fire hazard. The company received several reports of laptops bursting into flames while charging and tracked the source of the problem to faulty batteries supplied by Sony.Qantas said laptops with batteries that are subject to the recall and that have not yet been replaced can be used on flights, but only on battery power or through the onboard power supply with the batteries removed.Sony is a major manufacturer of Lithium Ion batteries, but to date only Dell has issued such a recall notice. Sony said the problem is related to metallic particles in a critical area of the battery cell, but that the risk of explosion depends on system configuration. Last week, it said its own Vaio laptops were not at risk. On Thursday, Sony said it is investigating a report from the United States that a 4-year-old Sony Vaio computer burst into flames while charging. The computer apparently caught fire on Wednesday morning, and firefighters were called to a residence in Kansas City, according to KMBC-TV.Dell customers can find out more about the recall by visiting the company’s website or by calling toll-free in the United States at 1-866-342-0011, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time. -Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)Related Dell Battery Links:• Dell Provides Enterprises Options With Battery Recall• Sony Battery Issues May Be Larger Than Expected• Fire Hazard Causes Dell Battery RecallKeep checking in at our Security Feed for updated news coverage. Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe