New details are continuing to surface about the hacking of US telecom companies by a China-linked group that targeted US officials and campaign staffers. Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that the hackers access was even greater than whats been previously reported, and that the communications of potentially thousands of Americans may have been impacted.
Last week, The New York Times reported that FBI investigators suspected call logs and SMS messages had been accessed by the hacking group, known as Salt Typhoon. The group reportedly targeted the phones of diplomats and government officials, as well as people associated with both presidential campaigns.
Now, The WSJ is reporting that the hackers, who were likely working for a Chinese intelligence agency, spent eight months or more in US telecom infrastructure, and that they may have been able to scoop up the data of thousands of people who were in contact with the targeted individuals.
The Journal confirms earlier reports that the hackers limited their targets to several dozen select, high-value political and national-security figures. But the hackers, who reportedly exploited routers used by telecom firms, had the ability to access the phone data of virtually any American who is a customer of a compromised carrier a group that includes AT&T and Verizon. Both AT&T and Verizon declined to comment on the report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/new-report-details-vast-spying-by-china-linked-telecom-hackers-010347224.html?src=rss
Sony announced that it will stop selling the Airpeak S1 camera drone. Sales of the product will end on March 31, 2025. Sony will also stop selling most of the drone's accessories next year, but replacement batteries and propellers will be available until March 31, 2026. Inspections, repairs and software maintenance will continue through March 31, 2030.
The Airpeak S1 was initially introduced during a virtual presentation at CES in 2021. The drone was intended to capture high-definition footage with Sony's full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens Alpha cameras. It could fly for 12 minutes with a camera attached and achieved a max flight speed of 55.9mph. While the high-end drone would set buyers back about $9,000 even before buying accessories, it had middling to flat-out negative reviews.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/sony-discontinues-its-pricey-airpeak-s1-camera-drone-in-march-234823252.html?src=rss
The Internet Archive is continuing the recovery process after a series of DDoS attacks that took down its servers in early October. On Monday, the nonprofit digital library posted on X that its 'Save Page Now' service has been restored to the Wayback Machine.
Save Page Now is back online via the Wayback Machine: https://t.co/0x24WHlhAcWeb pages archived since October 9 will start being added to @waybackmachine. pic.twitter.com/fbQxXKSRL5 Internet Archive (@internetarchive) November 4, 2024
The Wayback Machine resumed operation in read-only mode on October 14; now users can upload new web pages to record their information and access them later. As the X post notes, the Wayback Machine will begin collecting web pages that have been archived since October 9 when the entire site was taken down.
The October DDoS attacks coincided with the Internet Archive's move to disclose a data breach that saw more than 31 million records taken. Security researcher Troy Hunt, who runs the Have I Been Pwned? service for monitoring compromised accounts, said that the two actions against the Internet Archive were "entirely coincidental" and likely taken by "multiple parties."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/the-internet-archives-wayback-machine-is-fully-back-in-action-with-saving-pages-223736576.html?src=rss
In April 2024, German supermarket chain REWE opened its first 100% vegan store. Now, the brand has shared its findings after six months of operations. The small store (212 square meters/2282 square feet) serves an average of 5,500 customers weekly and offers over 2,700 vegan products nearly double the plant-based selection found in regular REWE locations. So, what are people buying? The ten most popular products include chocolate croissants, franzbrötchen (a regional variation on cinnamon rolls), freshly prepared coconut-almond spreads, cucumbers, bananas, oat-based soft-serve ice cream and deli sandwiches featuring schnitzel alternatives and smoked tofu. While REWE hasn't yet announced plans to roll out additional vegan shops and the store's location near Berlin's Warschauer Bridge, with high foot traffic from nearby offices and public transit, is likely crucial to its viability, the pilot store's early success offers valuable insights for retailers considering plant-based concepts.Unlike REWE's conventional stores, where flexitarians drive plant-based sales as part of mixed shopping baskets, the 'voll pflanzich' location attracts those seeking an all-plant-based shopping experience. Customers have indicated that they enjoy the convenience of not having to read labels to check if a product is vegan, and the store's management has been quick to add new products like a line of tofu seasoning and a potato-based milk alternative. And as the popular pastries and soft-serve ice cream confirm, affordable treats (chocolate croissants are EUR 0.99, franzbrötchen are EUR 1.09) are dependable drivers of customer traffic ;-)
The Mozilla Foundation has made steep cuts to its team. The 30 percent staff cuts will completely eliminate the nonprofit's advocacy and global programs divisions, according to an internal email sent by Mozilla Foundation Executive Director Nabiha Syed. TechCrunch reported on the news, and Mozilla confirmed the cuts in a statement to the publication.
"The Mozilla Foundation is reorganizing teams to increase agility and impact as we accelerate our work to ensure a more open and equitable technical future for us all," the statement read. "That unfortunately means ending some of the work we have historically pursued and eliminating associated roles to bring more focus going forward." We've reached out to the Foundation and will update if we receive any additional comment.
The Mozilla Foundation is a nonprofit arm under the bigger Mozilla umbrella; Mozilla Corporation is the arm responsible for the Firefox browser. In February, Mozilla announced that about 60 workers would be laid off, primarily on the product development team.
Developing...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/mozilla-foundation-cuts-30-percent-of-its-staff-203951504.html?src=rss
Japanese researchers just sent the worlds first wooden satellite to space, as reported by CNN. LignoSat, named after the Latin word for wood, was developed by Kyoto University and a company called Sumitomo Forestry. It was included in a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and will soon be released into orbit above the Earth.
Why do this? There are two main reasons. First of all, itll be a test as to the durability of wood when faced with the harsh conditions of space. If successful, the researchers plan on making more wooden structures and jettisoning them to the cosmos.
Kyoto University
With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever, said Takao Doi, an astronaut affiliated with Kyoto University. This is the first step in a 50-year plan that includes planting trees and building actual timber houses on the moon and even Mars.
Early 1900s airplanes were made of wood, said Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata. A wooden satellite should be feasible, too.
For those balking at the idea of wooden structures being used in space, consider some of the benefits. The material should actually be more durable in space than on Earth because, well, the endless void doesnt have any water or oxygen. Theres nothing to cause rot and it's very hard for it to catch fire. It even offers fairly decent protection from radiation.
The other reason has to do with all of those other satellites in orbit. The planets currently surrounded by more than 3,000 satellites, not to mention all kinds of affiliated space debris. Wooden satellites would eventually fall back down to Earth and burn up during re-entry.
Metal satellites will (mostly) burn up during the return trip, but not before creating harmful aluminum oxide particles. We dont really have a plan in place for the ever-expanding amount of space junk entombing the planet, so this could help. Doi envisions a scenario in which metal satellites might be banned in the future. In any event, having a log cabin on the moon would be one heck of a good time. There's literally an Apple TV+ show plus about just that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/japan-just-sent-the-worlds-first-wooden-satellite-to-space-194055742.html?src=rss
Kia debuted two new concept vehicles at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas today. The real standout in the company's SEMA announcements is the PV5 concept EV van. Dubbed WKNDR, it's based on Kia's Platform Beyond Vehicles approach to modular design, which the business unveiled earlier this year at CES.
The PV5 uses an adaptable storage solution called Gear Head that can serve multiple functions, including an off-board, sheltered storage space for outdoor gear when the van is stationary. It can be powered by solar panels on top and by the hydro turbine wheels.
Kia also introduced the EV9 ADVNTR concept EV SUV at the event. This is an all-electric vehicle with a custom roof rack and a combination of tires and wheels designed for offroading.
The company did not provide any details about pricing or availability dates in the press release. Based on the limited information we have about Kia's plans for PVB production, the modular WKNDR van probably won't hit the roads (or charge off the roads) until some time next year at the earliest.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/kia-unveils-two-new-ev-designs-including-a-nifty-modular-van-193156344.html?src=rss
While we felt that the Kindle Colorsoft was by and large a solid first stab at a color ereader by Amazon, there has been a problem with the device. After several buyers pointed out that a yellow band was discoloring the bottom of the display, the same issue occurred on our review unit. Now, the company says it's remedying the problem.
A small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display," an Amazon spokesperson told Engadget in a statement. "We take the quality of our products seriously customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund, and were making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward.
For the time being, Amazon has delayed shipments of the ereader while it juggles replacement units and new orders, as The Verge first reported. If you already have a Colorsoft, you can keep using it (as long as you can live with the discoloration) until the company sends a replacement.
The issue was significant enough that we removed the score from our review until Amazon resolved it. In any case, it's good to see that the company is acting fairly swiftly to take care of the matter.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/amazon-will-fix-the-kindle-colorsofts-yellow-display-discoloration-190143346.html?src=rss
Hori is bringing its officially licensed Steam controller to the good ole US of A. The company listed the gamepad on Amazon, with an availability date of December 16. Preorders are open right now and the controller costs $60.
This Steam-focused gamepad was originally released back in October, but only in Japan. It boasts a big button to pull up the Steam menu and touch sensors on the joysticks for motion controls. It also ships with mappable back buttons. The gamepad connects to a computer, or a Steam Deck, via Bluetooth. To that end, it ships with a USB-A Bluetooth receiver.
Hori says the Steam controller will work for around 12 hours on a full charge, though it can operate while charging via USB cable. The controller menu in Steam also allows for making adjustments, like changing stick sensitivity and gyro controls.
There are a couple of slight omissions. The controller has no rumble functionality, nor does it boast a trackpad or a headphone jack. If you can get over those issues, this looks like a mighty fine way to work through that ever-growing Steam collection. Hori makes good stuff.
As for Valve, it discontinued its own Steam controller back in 2019. That gamepad was notable because it could be configured in a myriad of different ways to suit unique gameplay styles.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/horis-officially-licensed-steam-controller-comes-to-the-us-on-december-16-184221663.html?src=rss
A man allegedly behind a series of corporate cyberattacks is reportedly in custody in Canada. Bloomberg reported on Monday that the suspect, 26-year-old Alexander Connor Moucka, was apprehended by authorities on a provisional arrest warrant on October 30, following a request from the US. The hacks targeted corporate customers of Snowflake, a cloud data partner of AT&T, Live Nation and others.
The hacks targeted over 100 organizations, leading to millions of users personal data theft. In addition to AT&T and Ticketmaster, that list included Lending Tree, Advance Auto Parts and Neiman Marcus. AT&T declined to comment for this story. We also contacted Live Nation but havent heard back. (Well update this story if we do.)
Krebs on Security reported on Tuesday that Moucka is named in multiple sealed indictments from US prosecutors and federal law enforcement agencies. The suspect allegedly nabbed stolen credentials from cybercriminal forums (and similar places), betting that customers had reused the same credentials elsewhere. He is said to have then used those logins to access the accounts of Snowflakes corporate clients and extort them, threatening to sell the data on criminal forums if they didnt pay. AT&T reportedly paid the hacker a $370,000 ransom to delete the records.
Krebs says the online handles Moucka used corresponded to those of a prolific cybercriminal sitting at the intersection of Western, English-speaking cybercriminals and extremist groups that harass and extort minors into harming themselves or others. The report claims Moucka was part of a hacking group called UNC5537 that also included an elusive American, John Erin Binns, currently in Turkey. Binns was behind a 2021 T-Mobile hack that affected at least 76.6 million customers.
Snowflake pointed fingers at its corporate clients for failing to set up multi-factor authentication. We have a broader challenge in the security community and enterprises that a lot of people arent nailing the basics, Snowflakes Chief Information Security Officer Brad Jones told Bloomberg. But Snowflakes apparent failure to require two-factor security sits on equal ground with its customers decisions not to set it up especially with millions of customers information on the line.
Why did AT&T and other companies entrust Snowflake with so much customer data? The wireless carrier hasnt said. Snowflake offers cloud-based data analysis services. In July, AT&T said that nearly all of its customers were affected by the hack, suggesting that almost all of its subscribers were potentially having their data analyzed by a cloud partner of its wireless carrier. A total of 110 million AT&T customers were said to be affected.
Fortunately, AT&T said the breach didnt contain the contents of calls or texts. However, it included the phone numbers each account interacted with and a tally of each customers calls, texts, and call durations. It also contained cell site identification numbers. Cybersecurity expert Javvad Malik told Engadget this summer that the latter could potentially allow for the triangulation of users locations. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/canadian-police-arrest-alleged-hacker-behind-cyberattacks-that-compromised-nearly-all-att-accounts-181838471.html?src=rss
