Category: iTechnology

Category: iTechnology

$10 Million Rewards Bolster White House Anti-Ransomware Bid
07/15/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The State Department will offer rewards up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of anyone engaged in foreign state-sanctioned malicious cyber activity against critical U.S. infrastructure — including ransomware attacks — and the White House has launched a task force to coordinate efforts to stem the ransomware scourge.The Biden administration is also

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India Internet Law Adds to Fears Over Online Speech, Privacy
07/15/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

It began in February with a tweet by pop star Rihanna that sparked widespread condemnation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of massive farmer protests near the capital, souring an already troubled relationship between the government and Twitter.Moving to contain the backlash, officials hit Twitter with multiple injunctions to block hundreds of tweets critical

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Boris Johnson Promises Measures to Protect Soccer Players from Online Abuse
07/14/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed Wednesday to enact measures to protect British professional soccer players from online abuse. Punishment for someone found guilty of such abuse could include banishment from games. The move comes after online abuse, some of it racist, was directed at three Black players for the English national team who missed their penalty

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This Wristband ‘Reads’ Your Thoughts to Make Devices Work
07/13/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

In the future, keyboards and remote controls may be replaced with a more direct way for humans to interact with machines —  hand gestures. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has more.   Camera: Elizabeth Lee Produced by: Elizabeth Lee …

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Internet Restrictions Hold Back Africa’s Economic Growth, Study Finds
07/13/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A report by a non-profit group says Africa needs to increase internet access to boost its economies, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The advocacy group found that while Africa’s locally routed online traffic has increased, only one in five Africans has internet access.  High taxes and frequent internet shutdowns by some African

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China Announces New Cybersecurity Industry Strategy
07/12/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

China’s technology ministry Monday announced a three-year action plan to develop the country’s cyber-security industry, which it estimates will be worth more than $38 billion by 2023, according to Reuters. The new strategy by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is being unveiled as Beijing tightens its grip on the country’s technology sector, underscored by

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Tech Giants to Donate COVID Vaccines to Taiwan in China Workaround
07/12/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Taiwanese tech giants Foxconn and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company announced Monday they will each donate five million coronavirus vaccine doses to the government in a deal with a China-based distributor. Taipei has been struggling to secure enough vaccines for its population, and its precarious political status has been a major stumbling block. As Taipei and Beijing accused each

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Hackers Disrupt Iran’s Rail Service with Fake Delay Messages
07/10/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Iran’s railroad system came under cyberattack Friday, a semi-official news agency reported, with hackers posting fake messages about train delays or cancellations on display boards at stations across the country.  The hackers posted messages such as “long delayed because of cyberattack” or “canceled” on the boards. They also urged passengers to call for information, listing

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Biden, Putin Discuss Ransomware Attacks From Russia
07/09/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

U.S. President Joe Biden said he discussed recent ransomware attacks on the U.S. from Russia in a phone call Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.Biden said he told Putin, “I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil, even though it’s not sponsored

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Buddhist Digital Amulets Mark Thai Entry Into Crypto Art Craze
07/09/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Karmic fortune has arrived to the digital art market, with a kaleidoscopic splash of colors and the face of a revered Thai monk offering portable Buddhist good luck charms to tech-savvy buyers.Sales of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) — virtual images of anything from popular internet memes to original artwork — have swept the art world in

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Microsoft Exec Says Targeting of Americans’ Records ‘Routine’
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Federal law enforcement agencies secretly seek the data of Microsoft customers thousands of times a year, according to congressional testimony Wednesday by a senior executive at the technology company.Tom Burt, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for customer security and trust, told members of the House Judiciary Committee that federal law enforcement in recent years has been

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Chinese Hackers Attacked Afghan Council Network, Cybersecurity Firm Says 
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

As part of a cyberespionage operation targeting Central Asian countries, Chinese hackers recently sought to breach the computer networks of Afghanistan’s National Security Council, researchers at cybersecurity firm Check Point reported.The alleged attack by the Chinese-speaking hacking group known to cybersecurity experts as IndigoZebra is the latest in an operation that goes back as far

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Ransomware Hits Hundreds of US Companies, Security Firm Says
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A ransomware attack paralyzed the networks of at least 200 U.S. companies Friday, according to a cybersecurity researcher whose company was responding to the incident.  The REvil gang, a major Russian-speaking ransomware syndicate, appears to be behind the attack, said John Hammond of the security firm Huntress Labs. He said the criminals targeted a software

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‘Hams’ Head Outdoors for Remote Communication
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Amateur or “ham” radio operators sometimes take their two-way radios to remote locations and talk to people around the world using battery power and portable antennas.  As Mike O’Sullivan reports, they are making friends and preparing for emergencies. Camera: Mike O’Sullivan …

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Major Swedish Supermarket Chain Hit by Cyberattack
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

One of Sweden’s biggest supermarket chains said Saturday it had to temporarily close around 800 stores nationwide after a cyberattack blocked access to its checkouts.”One of our subcontractors was hit by a digital attack, and that’s why our checkouts aren’t working any more,” Coop Sweden, which accounts for around 20 percent of the sector, said

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Holiday-Weekend Ransomware Attack Leaves Companies Scrambling
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Businesses around the world rushed Saturday to contain a ransomware attack that has paralyzed their computer networks, a situation complicated in the U.S. by offices lightly staffed at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. It’s not yet known how many organizations have been hit by demands that they pay a ransom in order

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Asia Industry Group Warns Privacy Law Changes May Force Tech Firms to Quit Hong Kong
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

An Asian industry group that includes Google, Facebook and Twitter has warned that tech companies could stop offering their services in Hong Kong if the Chinese territory proceeds with plans to change privacy laws. The warning came in a letter sent by the Asia Internet Coalition, of which all three companies, in addition to Apple

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Up to 1,500 Businesses Affected by Ransomware Attack, US Firm’s CEO Says
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world have been affected by a ransomware attack centered on U.S. information technology firm Kaseya, its chief executive said Monday. Fred Voccola, the Florida-based company’s CEO, said in an interview that it was hard to estimate the precise impact of Friday’s attack because those hit were mainly customers of

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Breakthrough Invention Aims to Eliminate Drunk Driving
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A breakthrough safety feature being developed for vehicles is designed to potentially save the 10,000 lives lost to drunk driving in the U.S. each year. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. Camera: Mike Burke    Footage: DADSS Program, WMUR …

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Chinese Social Media Giant WeChat Shuts LGBT Accounts
07/07/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

 China’s most popular social media service has deleted accounts on LGBT topics run by university students and nongovernment groups, prompting concern the ruling Communist Party is tightening control over gay and lesbian content.WeChat sent account holders a notice they violated rules but gave no details, according to the founder of an LGBT group, who asked

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Ukrainian Member of Cybercrime Gang Sentenced in US
06/24/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A Ukrainian hacker was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a notorious cybercrime group that stole millions of credit and debit card details from across the United States, the Department of Justice said Thursday.Andrii Kolpakov, 33, was also ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution after pleading guilty to one count

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US Lawmakers in Marathon Debate on Big Tech Regulation Bills
06/24/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

U.S. lawmakers debated into the night Wednesday over details of legislation aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech firms with a sweeping reform of antitrust laws.The House Judiciary Committee clashed over a series of bills with potentially massive implications for large online platforms and consumers who use them.The legislation could force an overhaul of

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