Month: August 2024

Update: August 29, 2024 (07:43 PM ET): Yelp is unsurprisingly not super happy with Google’s response to its lawsuit. We just got a counter-response from Yelp General Counsel Aaron Schur, who attempts to highlight how the company’s case differs from earlier actions pursued against Google:

Google’s statement is misleading. Yelp’s claims have never been pursued in court, let alone thrown out. In 2023, in the government’s antitrust case, Judge Mehta ruled there was a lack of evidence that Google’s degradation of specialized vertical providers, like Yelp, had an anticompetitive effect in general search — but Yelp is not a competitor in the general search market. Yelp’s complaint explains how Google harms competition in the local search and local search advertising markets, including through self-preferencing its own lower-quality offerings and exclusive billion-dollar deals with web browsers and device makers.

Google “Search” may be one of this biggest misnomers in tech, and while Search does actually find stuff for you, it’s evolved to do a whole heck of a lot more over the years. We’re not talking about all the controversy around AI-generated summaries or concerns over it dominating local results, either — right from the Search bar, you can use Google as a tool for a number of basic tasks, like functioning as a calculator. Now we’re checking out the latest progress in that vein, with a fresh look for Search’s timer and stopwatch.

To access either of these, all you need to do is type “timer” or “stopwatch” in the search bar — on either desktop or mobile. While Search already had these time-keeping tools, 9to5Google spotted the recent addition of a splash of color that really helps the tools stand out as something distinct from your regular Search results.

Update, August 29, 2024 (12:10 AM ET): Google Clock’s Timer Starter widget is now rolling out, as Mishaal Rahman spotted. The widget shows 1-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute timers by default, but any other timers you create will also show up.

Original article, August 19, 2024 (02:22 PM ET): Of all the Google apps we rely upon day after day, does any go more underappreciated than Clock? Clock does everything from waking us up in the morning to keeping track of how much longer our dinner’s going to take in the oven. It’s even learned how to predict the weather. Today, we’re giving Clock a little overdue attention as we spot a new widget Google’s got in the works.

In 2023, the healthcare sector continued to face significant challenges with data breaches, exposing sensitive information and highlighting vulnerabilities in cybersecurity practices. Here’s a look at some of the largest healthcare data breaches of the year, reflecting the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks and the critical need for robust data protection measures.

1. Health Systems Group Cyberattack

In one of the most significant breaches of the year, Health Systems Group, a major provider of electronic health record (EHR) services, suffered a massive cyberattack in March. The breach compromised the personal and medical information of over 2 million patients. The attackers exploited a vulnerability in the company’s network, gaining access to patient names, Social Security numbers, medical records, and insurance details. The breach prompted widespread concerns about the security of third-party health data providers and led to a comprehensive review of cybersecurity protocols across the industry.

2. State Health Department Data Leak

In June, a prominent state health department experienced a substantial data leak due to a ransomware attack. This incident affected approximately 1.5 million individuals. The attackers gained access to sensitive data, including health records, mental health information, and contact details. The department’s response included notifying affected individuals and offering free credit monitoring services. The breach underscored the vulnerability of public health systems to cyber threats and the need for enhanced protective measures.

3. MedTech Solutions Breach

MedTech Solutions, a leading medical technology company, faced a significant data breach in August. Hackers targeted the company’s cloud storage systems, extracting the personal health information of around 1.2 million patients. The stolen data included medical histories, treatment plans, and patient demographics. The breach highlighted the risks associated with cloud-based storage solutions and the importance of securing cloud environments against unauthorized access.

4. National Health Network Incident

In September, the National Health Network, which connects numerous healthcare providers and institutions, was hit by a sophisticated cyberattack that affected over 800,000 patients. The breach was attributed to a phishing scheme that led to unauthorized access to multiple provider systems. Compromised data included patient names, medical histories, and prescription information. The incident emphasized the need for enhanced employee training on cybersecurity and more rigorous monitoring of network activities.

5. PharmaCare Systems Attack

PharmaCare Systems, a major player in pharmaceutical data management, reported a severe data breach in November. The attack compromised the information of 700,000 individuals, including prescription histories, personal identification details, and payment information. The breach was attributed to a coordinated attack by a well-known hacking group, leading to a significant disruption in the company’s operations and a major push for improved data encryption and incident response strategies.

Implications and Moving Forward

These breaches underscore a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting the healthcare industry. With the increasing digitization of health records and reliance on electronic systems, the healthcare sector remains a prime target for cybercriminals. The year 2023 has highlighted several critical areas for improvement, including:

•    Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures: Strengthening defenses against ransomware and other cyber threats through advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular security audits.
•    Employee Training: Providing ongoing training for healthcare staff to recognize and respond to phishing attempts and other cyber threats.
•    Incident Response Plans: Developing and regularly updating incident response plans to ensure quick and effective action in the event of a breach.
•    Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to regulatory requirements and industry standards to ensure robust data protection practices.

As the healthcare sector continues to navigate these challenges, the focus on improving cybersecurity will be essential in safeguarding sensitive patient information and maintaining trust in the digital age.

The post Largest Healthcare Data Breaches of 2023 appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

BlackSuit, the ransomware group responsible for the recent outage at CDK Global, has announced that it is compelled to release data on over 950,000 individuals from Young Consulting, now known as Connexure.

The ransomware gang claimed to have breached Connexure’s servers in April 2024, targeting confidential information. The Atlanta-based software firm detected the unauthorized access in May. Despite negotiations between Connexure’s senior management and the attackers, no agreement was reached regarding the ransom.

In July, BlackSuit revealed it possessed sensitive information, including social security numbers, full names, dates of birth, and insurance claim details. The group threatened further data leaks or sales if their demands were not met. The compromised data also includes financial reports, medical records, employee passport numbers, family details, contracts, contact information, and business agreements.

In August 2024, BlackSuit began releasing the stolen information. In response, Connexure announced that affected individuals would receive free credit monitoring services from Cyberscout, available through November 2024. The company, which provides integrated software for marketing and administration, is actively exploring ways to manage the impact of the cyberattack without paying the ransom.

One potential approach is to restore encrypted data from backups and report the incident to law enforcement. The law enforcement cyber units would then work to disrupt the criminals’ databases and destroy the stolen data permanently.

As per an advisory from the FBI and US-CISA issued in March 2024, a forthcoming ransomware variant is set to enter the cybersecurity landscape, marking itself as a rebrand or offshoot of the Royal Ransomware gang, notorious for purportedly amassing around $275 million in 2022.

This marks the fourth malware iteration linked to the Royal Ransomware lineage, joining the ranks of Blackmatter (a derivative of Darkside ransomware), Hunters International (formerly known as Hive), and NoEscape (previously identified as Avaddon).

The post BlackSuit Ransomware targets software firm and steals data of about 950k individuals appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

HUAWEI is tipped to launch the first dual-folding triple-screen foldable phone later this year, but TECNO wants to get in on the action with the Phantom Ultimate 2 concept phone.

The TECNO Phantom Ultimate 2 is a dual-folding triple-screen foldable phone concept. That means it folds into a Z shape when you want to use the 6.48-inch smartphone screen, with one inward-folding hinge and one outward-folding hinge. The Chinese manufacturer says the folded device measures just 11mm thin. Unfurl the device via the two hinges and you’ve got a 10-inch internal display (4:3, 3K LTPO), dwarfing existing foldable phones.

Earlier today, we published a report detailing when Google plans to roll out the Android 15 update for Pixel devices. According to our source, Google won’t roll out Android 15 to Pixel devices next month as they’re working to improve its stability. Instead, Google plans to roll the update out sometime in October, possibly in the middle of the month. The company has just quietly confirmed our report.

A couple of hours ago, the company changed the release notes for the Android Beta Exit update, which is pushed to devices that opt out of the Android beta program. The updated release notes, which have been verified by Android Authority, says that users who are waiting for the Android 15 stable update should “ignore [the downgrade] OTA until Android 15 is available in October.”

Say what you will about AI making it such that you can’t trust anything you see anymore — when it comes to sending video to friends, sometimes dressing things up with a filter is just plain fun. A little earlier this summer, WhatsApp started working on its own AR mode for filters and call effects. Today we’re checking out a couple of the app’s latest beta releases, bringing that in-development AR filter to more testers than ever, plus revealing the latest work towards a new tool for organizing contacts.

The first sign of WhatsApp’s work on its AR filters emerged just about a month ago, when the feature was initially made available to a limited group of beta testers on Android. That development on Android still continues, but now WABetaInfo shares that iOS testers can join in the fun as well, with the new version 24.17.10.74 update.

Everyone has a favorite browser, whether it’s a standard pick like Firefox or a security-focused one like DuckDuckGo or Brave. And, when you settle on a good browser, you tend to stay there for a long time, perfecting your settings to make it feel like home. But when you get comfortable, you start to ignore the new features that might pop up on another browser, possibly making it a better option for you.

I know I’m guilty of that, sticking to Chrome as I bounce from one Android review to another. More recently, though, I’ve been trying out Apple’s Safari on an iPhone 15 to see how well it pairs with the MacBook Air I use every day, and I’ve noticed a few things. There’s definitely room for Google to add to its browser, and here are four things it should pull from Apple.