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Microsoft has issued a warning about an ongoing spear-phishing campaign by a threat actor called Midnight Blizzard, which US and UK authorities previously linked to Russia's intelligence agency. The company said it discovered that the bad actor has been sending out "highly targeted spear-phishing emails" since at least October 22 and that it believes the operation's goal is to collect intelligence. Based on its observations, the group has been sending emails to individuals linked to various sectors, but it's known for targeting both government and non-government organizations, IT service providers, academia and defense. In addition, while it mostly focuses on organizations in the US and in Europe, this campaign also targeted individuals in Australia and Japan. Midnight Blizzard has already sent out thousands of spear-phishing emails to over 100 organizations for this campaign, Microsoft said, explaining that those emails contain a signed Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connected to a server the bad actor controls. The group used email addresses belonging to real organizations stolen during its previous activities, making targets think that they're opening legitimate emails. It also used social engineering techniques to make it look like the emails were sent by employees from Microsoft or Amazon Web Services. If someone clicks and opens the RDP attachment, a connection is established to the server Midnight Blizzard controls. It then gives the bad actor access to the target's files, any network drives or peripherals (such as microphones and printers) connected to their computer, as well as their passkeys, security keys and other web authentication information. It could also install malware in the target's computer and network, including remote-access trojans that it could use to remain in the victim's system even after the initial connection has been cut off. The group is known by many other names, such as Cozy Bear and APT29, but you might remember it as the threat actor behind the 2020 SolarWinds attacks, wherein it had managed to infiltrate hundreds of organizations around the world. It also broke into the emails of several senior Microsoft executives and other employees earlier this year, accessing communication between the company and its customers. Microsoft didn't say whether this campaign has anything to do with the US Presidential Elections, but it's advising potential targets to be more proactive in protecting their systems. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/microsoft-issues-warning-for-ongoing-russia-affiliated-spear-phishing-campaign-120003125.html?src=rss
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A new startup is tackling the environmental impact of disposable earplugs with a mycelium-based alternative. GOB has developed what it claims is the world's first plastic-free, compostable earplug. The need for a sustainable alternative is more pressing than one might imagine: manufacturers currently produce around 40 billion single-use earplugs annually, enough to circle the Earth nearly 100 times if laid end-to-end.Beyond addressing the problem of plastic waste, GOB's mycelium earplugs also focus on health issues associated with traditional earplugs. Made of PVC foam, these may contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, while vinyl chloride, a precursor to PVC, is a known carcinogenic. GOB, meanwhile, uses mycelium foam created by Ecovative's Forager, which can grow 3 million square feet of material a year on one acre of land.According to GOB, the performance of its product matches or exceeds that of traditional foam plugs: AirMycelium foam provides balanced acoustic dampening while maintaining sound clarity. The material also has memory foam-like properties, conforming to a user's ear shape without causing discomfort. When the earplugs reach end-of-life, they're 100% home-compostable and break down into soil nutrients a stark contrast to conventional PVC-based alternatives. The company is currently accepting pre-orders, with shipments expected to begin in early 2025.
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Over the last four years, the Biden administrations antitrust efforts have been notable by their sheer number, with ongoing cases against Apple, Meta, Google and Amazon as well as sparring with tech-adjacent players like Ticketmaster. Bidens team has pushed to prevent giant mergers, increase competition and punish companies (however lightly) for unfair business practices. So how about your next president? We compare Kamala Harris (who seems less aggressive on antitrust than her predecessor) to Donald Trump, whose stint in the White House was also pretty active in the antitrust space. Trump already has strong opinions on some of the biggest players in the tech space too. Mat Smith The biggest tech stories you missed Canons new lens makes it easier and cheaper to shoot 3D VR content Apples AirPods Pro hearing health tools could normalize wearing earbuds everywhere Apple introduces the M4 Pro chip, which finally brings Thunderbolt 5 support Instagram reduces video quality for posts that arent raking in views Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! Apple gives the Mac mini a tiny redesign And, with M4 and M4 Pro chips, a lot of power. Apple Apples refreshed Mac mini is a five-inch by five-inch box, two inches tall, that could be a serious workhorse. Sure, you can equip it with Apples M4 chip, but it can also be configured with an even more powerful M4 Pro model, announced alongside the new mini. So yes, its smaller than what came before it (the M2 iteration was a shorter 7.75-inch square). In fact, its getting down to almost Apple TV sizes. Apple has also finally given us a few front ports: two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. And if you go for the M4 Pro version, which delivers Thunderbolt 5 connectivity for the first time on a Mac, with up to three times the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3, as well as up to 64GB of RAM. That bandwidth will cost you, though. The new M4 Mac mini is on pre-order now, starting at $599 ($499 for education customers), and itll be available in stores on November 9. The M4 Pro model, meanwhile, starts at $1,399. Continue reading. Sony pulls the plug on Concord and shuts down Firewalk Studios Thats how poorly the team shooter was received. Sony has officially killed off Concord and is shuttering the studio behind the game. Concord's servers were taken down just two weeks after the launch of the competitive team shooter from Firewalk Studios, after poor sales. Sony bought the studio only last spring. Continue reading. Watch the trailer for Netflixs Senna biopic The six-parter stars Gabriel Leone. Netflix After the success of docuseries Drive to Survive, Netflix is spotlighting a motorsport great. Senna will show the roots, drive and tragic passing of Ayrton Senna (Gabriel Leone) as he goes from racing go-karts in So Paulo, Brazil, to international superstardom and 41-time Grands Prix winner. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-how-will-the-next-us-president-deal-with-big-tech-111712080.html?src=rss
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