Month: May 2024
A 35-year-old Chinese man has been tagged as the alleged mastermind behind a gargantuan botnet used to steal billions from zombie computers | Fortune
submitted by /u/Itomyperils [link] [comments]
submitted by /u/Itomyperils
[link] [comments]
TikTok preparing a US copy of the app’s core algorithm, sources say
submitted by /u/meadowwhispers [link] [comments]
submitted by /u/meadowwhispers
[link] [comments]
Law enforcement operation takes aim at an often-overlooked cybercrime lynchpin
Officials hope to sever a component crucial to the larger malware landscape.
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)
An international cast of law enforcement agencies has struck a blow at a cybercrime lynchpin that’s as obscure as it is instrumental in the mass-infection of devices: so-called droppers, the sneaky software that’s used to install ransomware, spyware, and all manner of other malware.
Europol said Wednesday it made four arrests, took down 100 servers, and seized 2,000 domain names that were facilitating six of the best-known droppers. Officials also added eight fugitives linked to the enterprises to Europe’s Most Wanted list. The droppers named by Europol are IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smokeloader, Bumblebee, and Trickbot.
Droppers provide two specialized functions. First, they use encryption, code-obfuscation, and similar techniques to cloak malicious code inside a packer or other form of container. These containers are then put into email attachments, malicious websites, or alongside legitimate software available through malicious Web ads. Second, the malware droppers serve as specialized botnets that facilitate the installation of additional malware.
Eat Up, Amazon Prime Customers: You Get Grubhub Plus for Free – CNET
Start paging through those takeout menus: Prime members can get free food delivery via Grubhub Plus from thousands of restaurants.
Start paging through those takeout menus: Prime members can get free food delivery via Grubhub Plus from thousands of restaurants.
Got $16,000? You Can Buy Your Very Own Humanoid Robot – CNET
In a video, the 4-foot, 80-pound robot is shown twirling a baton, flipping toast in a frying pan, and cracking walnuts with its hands.
In a video, the 4-foot, 80-pound robot is shown twirling a baton, flipping toast in a frying pan, and cracking walnuts with its hands.
Spotify now says it will refund Car Thing purchases
Spotify says it has quietly begun offering refunds for its soon-to-be-bricked Car Thing. The company told Engadget on Thursday that, as of last Friday, customers with proof of purchase (like an emailed invoice) can contact customer service and get their money back for the vehicle streaming device.
Spotify has taken some heat for its announcement last week that it will brick every Car Thing device on December 9, 2024. The company described its decision as “part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings” (read: cut costs) and that it lets Spotify “focus on developing new features and enhancements that will ultimately provide a better experience to all Spotify users.”
TechCrunch reports that Gen Z users on TikTok have expressed their frustration in videos, while others have complained directed toward Spotify in DMs on X (Twitter) and directly through customer support. Some users claimed Spotify’s customer service agents only offered several months of free Premium access, while others were told nobody was receiving refunds. It isn’t clear if any of them contacted them after last Friday when it shifted gears on refunds.
Others went much further. Billboard first reported on a class-action lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on May 28. The suit accuses Spotify of misleading Car Thing customers by selling a $90 product that would soon be obsolete without offering refunds, which sounds like a fair enough point.
It’s worth noting that, according to Spotify, it began offering the refunds last week, while the lawsuit was only filed on Tuesday. If the company’s statement about refunds starting on May 24 is accurate, the refunds aren’t a direct response to the legal action. (Although it’s possible the company began offering them in anticipation of lawsuits.)
Regardless, anyone reaching out to customer service with a valid receipt should be offered a refund. If you have tried since then and have been denied, we recommend you contact them again.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-now-says-it-will-refund-car-thing-purchases-193001487.html?src=rss
Spotify says it has quietly begun offering refunds for its soon-to-be-bricked Car Thing. The company told Engadget on Thursday that, as of last Friday, customers with proof of purchase (like an emailed invoice) can contact customer service and get their money back for the vehicle streaming device.
Spotify has taken some heat for its announcement last week that it will brick every Car Thing device on December 9, 2024. The company described its decision as “part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings” (read: cut costs) and that it lets Spotify “focus on developing new features and enhancements that will ultimately provide a better experience to all Spotify users.”
TechCrunch reports that Gen Z users on TikTok have expressed their frustration in videos, while others have complained directed toward Spotify in DMs on X (Twitter) and directly through customer support. Some users claimed Spotify’s customer service agents only offered several months of free Premium access, while others were told nobody was receiving refunds. It isn’t clear if any of them contacted them after last Friday when it shifted gears on refunds.
Others went much further. Billboard first reported on a class-action lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on May 28. The suit accuses Spotify of misleading Car Thing customers by selling a $90 product that would soon be obsolete without offering refunds, which sounds like a fair enough point.
It’s worth noting that, according to Spotify, it began offering the refunds last week, while the lawsuit was only filed on Tuesday. If the company’s statement about refunds starting on May 24 is accurate, the refunds aren’t a direct response to the legal action. (Although it’s possible the company began offering them in anticipation of lawsuits.)
Regardless, anyone reaching out to customer service with a valid receipt should be offered a refund. If you have tried since then and have been denied, we recommend you contact them again.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-now-says-it-will-refund-car-thing-purchases-193001487.html?src=rss
The 2024 Cadillac Lyriq—this EV proves GM messed up dropping CarPlay
Now that it’s been in production for a couple of years, how has the Lyriq matured?
Enlarge / For a while the Lyriq was a rare sight on the road, but now that production has picked up, we decided it was time to get a second impression. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)
We first drove the Cadillac Lyriq a couple of years ago. It was the first of a whole range of new electric vehicles from General Motors built on shared electric powertrain components. Compared to more recent Ultium-based EVs from GM, the Lyriq launch went relatively smoothly, despite pre-production test vehicles. Hype was so great that Cadillac was said to have increased the first year’s production run by almost a factor of 10.
But customers faced a long wait for their orders as the company stumbled at the step where cells get turned into battery packs. Now the production kinks have been worked out, and Lyriqs are becoming a more common sight. So it seemed like a reasonable time to check in on the electric Caddy.
We’ve written quite a lot in the past about the Lyriq’s Ultium powertrain, so I won’t repeat too much detail here. For model-year 2024, the underpinnings remain the same, although our test car is an all-wheel-drive version. (Cadillac only had the rear-wheel-drive variant at the first drive in 2022.) There are a pair of new trims, Tech and Sport—this test car was the top-of-the-line Sport 3, with a $78,295 sticker price (including delivery charge).