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That’s what happened to one organisation, as detailed by cybersecurity researchers at Sophos, which fell victim to multiple different ransomware attacks within a short period of time. The unspecified target fell victim to three prominent forms of ransomware – LockBit, Hive and BlackCat – with each cyber criminal gang encrypting files and leaving their own ransom demand for a decryption key. According to analysis of the incidents, the first sign of suspicious activity occurred on December 2nd 2021, with an unknown attacker, possibly an initial access broker – a malicious hacker who breaches networks and sells access to other cyber criminals – establishing a remote desktop protocol (RDP) session on the organisation’s domain controller for almost an hour....

How many times have you shared a photo with your non-Apple family member, friend, or coworker, but while the photo was perfectly clear on your end, they received a pixelated portrait? Or, worse yet, they couldn’t even open the image file! The reason for this is actually very simple: HEIF (also known as High-Efficiency Image Files) is Apple’s secretive image format that’s optimized for its proprietary products and nothing else....

Why? Well, let me start with the basics. LG uses organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) for its high-end 4 and 8K TVs. Unlike the more common, and less expensive LEDs, these carbon-based diodes can be adjusted pixel by pixel in luminance from a perfect back to a bright white. The result is you get more contrast from an OLED screen than from any other. And, yes, I include yesteryear’s top plasma TV, the Panasonic TC-P60ZT60 plasma....

MyKings, also known as Smominru and Hexmen, is the world’s largest botnet dedicated to mining cryptocurrencies by free-riding off its victims desktop and server CPUs. It’s a lucrative business that gained attention in 2017 after infecting more than half a million Windows computers to mine about $2.3 million of Monero in a month. Security firm Avast has now confirmed its operators have acquired at least $24.7 million in various cryptocurrencies that have been transferred to Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin accounts....

The auction, handled by LCG Auctions, saw bidding start on February 2 at $2,500. The auction ended on February 19 after 27 bids, with bidding on the final day starting at $24,631. Also: The simple but hidden trick to more iOS and iPadOS update control The sale is the highest price paid at auction for an unopened original iPhone and follows sales of the model for $35,414 in August and $39,339 in October 2022, according to LCG....

Normally, you could expect to pay the better part of $2000 alone for the camera body, but the price is now $1698 with a free lens, saving you roughly $300. The Panasonic Lumix mirrorless camera is a lightweight model suitable for taking photos at events, while you’re traveling, or if you’re a fan of street portraiture. This model, the Panasonic Lumix S5, is equipped with a 24.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor, dual native ISO, an ISO range of 100-51200, two SD card slots, an OLED touchscreen display, and impressive 4K video recording capabilities of 7fps (96MP high-res mode)....

The letter comes a week ahead of a shareholder’s meeting to vote on director, committee member, and executive officer nominees. The independent investigation, conducted by three lawyers from three different law firms, looked into allegations that Toshiba investors were pressured into voting in favour of reappointing Nobuaki Kurumatani as CEO during the company’s annual general meeting last year. Kurumatani stepped down from the CEO post shortly after shareholders, led by Effissimo Capital Management, passed the motion to conduct the independent investigation, with former CEO Satoshi Tsunakawa taking his place....

Also: ZDNET’s LinkedIn fans want a touchscreen MacBook, too Jason Cipriani: “Apple is combining the best of both the Mac and iPad” Microsoft has proven touchscreen computers are a good idea I love Microsoft’s Surface Pro line. I even wrote a love letter to the Surface Pro 8 a while back. It’s the ideal combination of portability and usability, with the touchscreen bringing true benefits to the user experience, while still giving you access to a full PC....

The Morrison government’s recent rush to identify users is based on the assumption that this would reduce online abuse. But according to Kara Hinesley, Twitter’s public policy director for Australia and New Zealand, there are few reasons to think it would work. “The concerns around anonymity in this current debate have been over-simplified, and system design changes cannot solve social problems without actual social change,” Hinesley said. “It’s not clear that anonymity is the primary driver of abusive and antisocial behaviour online....

After hearing complaints about this problem, Uber is sending Tesla riders a special push notification with instructions on how to open the door. The ride-hailing company is also promoting an instructional video on its social media channels (check out the tweet below). Uber has been offering rides in electric vehicles via its Comfort Electric promotion, which it launched in May in a few cities. Users can simply push a button in the Uber app to request a ride in a premium EV, such as a Tesla, Polestar, or a Ford Mustang Mach-E....

On Tuesday, the Exchequer said that legislation is due to be proposed to force cryptocurrency and crypto services, in general, to adhere to existing financial advertising laws. Cryptocurrencies and crypto assets continue to increase in popularity. The UK government & HMRC have worked to create and enforce taxation rules – with UK holders now expected to pay capital gains tax on their trades – but outside of the legal arena, the general public is still exposed to adverts that may lure individuals into investing into products without fully understanding them....

The airline once known for its penchant for bloodying passengers’ teeth has suddenly evinced an enterprising, yet oddly human attitude toward its customers. Where other airlines have suffered from a myriad of cancellations, United seems to have flown by relatively unscathed. And then there are the little touches. I’m not merely talking of its insistence that all employees get vaccinated – heartening though that was. The airline has also used the pandemic moment to constantly consider what might add, even slightly, to customers’ satisfaction....

Somehow, it’s avoided being the object of too much derision – other than its fanciful claim that it’s so very hard to get Covid on a plane (so, you know, we’ll try and stuff as many passengers in as we can). These days, the airline has led the assault on vaccine recalcitrants by insisting employees get vaccinated or lose their jobs, which seems quite boisterously sane. Yet with confidence comes a certain potential overreach....

The plan was created on Wednesday after US and EU representatives, including US President Joe Biden and European Commission Vice Presidents Valdis Dombrovskis and Margrethe Vestager, met for the first time as part of the new US-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The US-EU Trade and Technology Council launched in June as part of efforts to ensure sensitive technologies are not misused and cyber attacks can be prevented. At the time, the council agreed to create 10 working groups focused on addressing various technological and trade issues....

“On March 1, 2022, the DOJ informed Ericsson that the disclosure made by the company prior to the DPA [deferred prosecution agreement] about its internal investigation into conduct in Iraq in the period 2011 until 2019 was insufficient,” the company said. “Furthermore, it determined that the company breached the DPA by failing to make subsequent disclosure related to the investigation post-DPA.” At the start of the week, a number of reports appeared that alleged the networking giant hid years of bribery and fraud in its Iraq business....

Volvo said it is now aware that “one of its file repositories has been illegally accessed by a third party.” “Investigations so far confirm that a limited amount of the company’s R&D property has been stolen during the intrusion. Volvo Cars have earlier today concluded, based on information available, that there may be an impact on the company’s operation,” Volvo said in a statement. “After detecting the unauthorized access, the company immediately implemented security countermeasures including steps to prevent further access to its property and notified relevant authorities....

Cognizant’s Center for the Future of Work’s recently released survey, entitled ‘The Purpose Gap’, shows that professionals aged between 20 and 40 now value passion for the work they do (59%) over money (49%). Eduardo Plastino, director of the Center for the Future of Work, says the results highlight a big shift in priorities: “Values aren’t static – they’re always evolving. We shouldn’t be surprised if younger people change their preferences....

This week, the SIGGRAPH conference, the annual gathering of 3D technologists and artists, is welcoming a new phenomenon some say is as big a deal as those breakthroughs in 1993. “This year, I believe, is a special SIGGRAPH, it will probably go down in history as one of the most important SIGGRAPHs, and an inflection point,” said Rev Lebaredian, Nvidia’s vice president of Omniverse and simulation technology, in a press briefing in advance of the conference....

In a statement issued on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), the bank noted it increased the software capitalisation threshold before a project from AU$1 million to AU$20 million. “This policy has been applied from 1 October 2020 and will see the group expense a higher portion of its investment spending from first half 2021,” Westpac said. “The higher expense is not treated as a notable item. “This change had no impact to the carrying value of capitalised software at 30 September 2020....

A business line of credit is a good alternative to a traditional loan, especially when unexpected expenses pop up. It’s a hybrid between a credit card and a loan, eliminating the drawn-out underwriting process when you need capital. Small businesses can benefit from having an available line of credit. It’s a revolving line of credit – you’ll be able to access some or all of the credit limit as often as you need, as long as you don’t exceed the limit....