Month: August 2024

If you have an Android phone and a Windows PC, then one of the best things you can do to make them work better together is to install Link to Windows on your phone. By installing Link to Windows on your Android phone, you can access a number of its functions through the Windows Phone Link app on your PC, including seeing and sending text messages, making phone calls, controlling music playback, and more. Some features in Phone Link, such as app streaming, are only available if Link to Windows is preinstalled on your Android phone, though. Link to Windows is preinstalled on Galaxy phones running Samsung’s One UI software, for example, but after the One UI 6.0 update, streaming apps from Galaxy phones to Windows PCs became kind of annoying. Fortunately, this is no longer the case thanks to a change in One UI 6.1.1.

After the Android 14 update rolled out to users with Android phones that supported app streaming via Link to Windows, people quickly discovered that the update made streaming apps much more annoying.

The M4 iPad Pro is the first device in the iPad lineup to feature an OLED display. In comparison, the iPad Air and Mini have always been equipped with LCD Liquid Retina displays, which lack the kind of enhanced contrast and deeper blacks that OLED displays provide. This is not surprising, given that the iPad Pro is one of Apple’s top-tier devices, so it’s equipped with the best-in-class tech. But per recent rumors, things might soon change.

According to The Elec, both the iPad Air and Mini might get OLED displays as early as 2026. This is welcome news, given that previous reports suggested a timeline closer to 2028 for this upgrade. The reporting outlet even goes on to specify that Apple could use Samsung as its supplier for OLED panels. We’re unsure whether the two devices will have tandem OLED, but given their lower price points, we’re unlikely to see this advanced form of OLED tech in the base models.

Update, August 7, 2024 (11:02 PM ET): T-Mobile has provided us a statement on the matter:

We’re updating chat support which may have caused some customers to temporarily lose access to the feature. It will be back up and running again shortly.

As ransomware attacks continue to escalate, with cybercriminals demanding hefty ransoms paid in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, there is growing debate over whether banning Bitcoin could be an effective strategy to curb these attacks. While a ban on Bitcoin might seem like a straightforward solution, the issue is far more complex and nuanced. Here’s a closer look at the potential impacts of such a ban on ransomware activities.

The Role of Bitcoin in Ransomware Attacks

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have become the preferred method for cybercriminals to receive ransoms due to their pseudonymous nature and ease of use. The decentralized and borderless characteristics of cryptocurrencies make them ideal for illicit transactions, as they provide a degree of anonymity and can be difficult to trace.

Ransomware operators typically demand payment in Bitcoin because it allows them to quickly receive funds without the scrutiny that traditional banking methods might attract. The anonymity provided by Bitcoin’s blockchain, despite being partially transparent, is a key factor in its appeal to criminals.

Potential Benefits of a Bitcoin Ban

1. Reduced Anonymity: If Bitcoin were banned, it could force ransomware operators to seek alternative methods for receiving payments, potentially making their activities more detectable. Traditional banking systems and other payment methods are subject to regulatory scrutiny and could make it more difficult for criminals to operate without being identified.

2. Increased Difficulty for Criminals: A Bitcoin ban might complicate the operational logistics for ransomware groups, who would have to find and use alternative, potentially less efficient, methods for accepting payments. This could lead to disruptions in their operations and, in some cases, reduce the frequency of attacks.

3. Enhanced Regulatory Oversight: A ban would likely spur greater efforts to enforce and monitor financial transactions. Authorities could focus on other cryptocurrencies that are still operational, or new forms of digital currency, making it harder for criminals to remain anonymous.

Limitations and Challenges of a Bitcoin Ban

1.  Cryptocurrency Alternatives: Even if Bitcoin were banned, ransomware operators could turn to other cryptocurrencies that offer similar levels of anonymity, such as Monero or Zcash. These alternatives are specifically designed to enhance privacy and could be used to circumvent a Bitcoin ban.

2.Technical and Enforcement Difficulties: Enforcing a Bitcoin ban would be challenging given the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin operates on a global network, making it difficult for any single country or jurisdiction to impose and enforce such a ban effectively. Cybercriminals could exploit loopholes or use decentralized exchanges to bypass restrictions.

3. Impact on Legitimate Users: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have legitimate uses and provide benefits to many individuals and businesses. A ban could disrupt these positive applications, potentially impacting innovation and financial inclusion for the broader population.

4. Shift in Criminal Behavior: Banning Bitcoin might lead to changes in criminal tactics rather than a complete cessation of ransomware attacks. Criminals could adopt more sophisticated techniques, increase their use of privacy-focused technologies, or target different sectors altogether.

Conclusion

While a ban on Bitcoin might have some impact on ransomware activities by reducing anonymity and complicating the process for cybercriminals, it is unlikely to be a panacea. The effectiveness of such a ban would be limited by the existence of alternative cryptocurrencies, the challenges of enforcement, and the potential for criminals to adapt their strategies.

A more comprehensive approach to combating ransomware might involve enhancing cybersecurity measures, improving incident response protocols, increasing international cooperation, and addressing the root causes of cybercrime. In the end, while banning Bitcoin could be a step in the right direction, it should be part of a broader, multi-faceted strategy to tackle the evolving threat of ransomware.

The post Can a Bitcoin Ban Help Stop Ransomware Attacks appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

NHS England has been making headlines since 2017 due to ongoing cyber attacks and ransomware incidents. Recently, the non-profit organization is in the news again, this time because of a £6 million fine related to a 2022 ransomware attack that severely disrupted its digital and social services.

The penalty, imposed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), was directed at Advanced Computer Software Group, the technology service provider for NHS England. The fine was issued because Advanced Computer Software Group failed to safeguard user data during the attack, which resulted in significant data breaches.

Although Advanced Computer Software Group initially sought to shift the blame to NHS England by requesting that the penalty be shared, the ICO denied this request. The ICO clarified that NHS England had outsourced its tech services to the company and was not responsible for the data protection failures.

The attack led to hackers gaining access to NHS’s database, causing the theft of millions of medical records and impacting patient care. The penalty was imposed on Advanced Computer Software Group because it had not implemented crucial multi-factor authentication on its servers.

John Edwards, the Information Commissioner, stated that this incident should serve as a wake-up call for businesses in the UK, highlighting the critical need for investment in cybersecurity.

Earlier this year, NHS England faced another cyber threat from RansomHub, a rebranded ransomware group previously known as Knight. This attack involved file-encrypting malware rented from another criminal organization, Cyclops, which operates on a Ransomware-as-a-Service model. The target in this case was Synnovis, a technology provider that had been working with NHS for 18 months.

Security experts anticipate that Synnovis could face a significant fine as well if it is found to have neglected essential security measures needed to protect NHS’s medical data.

The post Britain NHS Software provider to face Ransomware penalty of £ 6 million appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

When OpenAI launched ChatGPT towards the end of 2022, educators expressed concerns that students would use the platform to cheat on assignments and tests. To prevent this, numerous companies have rolled out AI detection tools, but they haven’t been the best at producing reliable results.

OpenAI has now revealed that it has developed a method to detect when someone uses ChatGPT to write (via The Washington Post). The technology is said to be 99.9% effective and essentially uses a system capable of predicting what word or phrase (called “token”) would come next in a sentence. The AI-detection tool slightly alters the tokens, which then leaves a watermark. This watermark is undetectable to the human eye but can be spotted by the tool in question.

Although Android has long offered apps the ability to use your phone’s entire screen by letting them draw content underneath the status and navigation bars, many apps don’t take advantage of this. There are many reasons why developers have shied away from making their apps go edge-to-edge, but in the upcoming Android 15 update, they’ll have no choice but to do so — or at least, that’s what we thought.

For a bit of context, apps have long been able to go edge-to-edge by implementing a few APIs that tells the OS to draw the app underneath the two “system bars” (ie. the status and navigation bars). The reason that Google didn’t immediately enforce this behavior is that many apps might have UI issues if they were forced to go edge-to-edge. For example, an app might have an interactive element like a floating action button that would overlap with the navigation bar if it went edge-to-edge.