Phishing attacks increase by more than 100 percent

phishing keyboard hook

Phishing attack volumes increased by 102 percent in the first quarter of 2023 according to a new report from email security and threat detection company Vade.

In the first quarter of this year Vade detected 562.4 million phishing emails, passing the previous quarter's total by 284.8 million. January accounted for the highest volume of phishing emails in Q1 with 488.5 million.

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OpenAI launches bug bounty program to help boost ChatGPT security

OpenAI

As the world goes crazy for AI, many are voicing concerns about the numerous artificial intelligence systems that are rapidly gathering fans. ChatGPT is one of the tools that has exploded in popularity, and now OpenAI, the company behind the system, has launched a bug bounty program to help track down flaws and problems.

The company is calling on "the global community of security researchers, ethical hackers, and technology enthusiasts" to unearth vulnerabilities, bugs and security flaws. With the OpenAI Bug Bounty Program, it is possible to earn anything from $200 to $20,000 for sharing discoveries, with the size of the payment being dependent on the severity of the problem found.

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Microsoft updates Windows Subsystem for Android on Windows 11 with picture-in-picture support

Windows 11 laptop and mobile

For anyone looking to run Android apps and game within Windows 11, Windows Subsystem for Android is a fabulous, and free, alternative to the various emulators that are available. In a new update to the compatibility layer, Microsoft has added support for picture-in-picture mode.

P-in-P is only available in apps that explicitly support it -- the update to Windows Subsystem for Android does not add it to other apps -- and it is something that will serve as an aid to multi-tasking.

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Microsoft is adding ChatGPT support to PowerToys for AI-powered searches

PowerToys ChatGPT

Having just added a registry editing tool to PowerToys, Microsoft is now working on the practically inevitable -- adding ChatGPT support to the utility collection.

This will not take the form of a dedicated new module, rather it will be a plugin. Specifically PowerToys' AI-driven ChatGPT functionality will come courtesy of a PowerToys Run plugin that is currently in development. It is a move that neatly integrates the power of ChatGPT into Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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Get 'Java For Dummies, 8th Edition' for FREE

Java for Dummies

If you’re looking to get started -- or up your game -- with Java, then Java For Dummies is the guide you need.

Learn to write practical, reusable code with the straightforward tutorials and tips in the newest edition of this 'For Dummies' bestseller by Barry Burd, PhD.

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Stealth Browser gives cyber-investigators safe and anonymous access to the dark web

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In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, professionals constantly seek new methods to gather intelligence and stay ahead of cybercriminals. One crucial source of information lies within the dark web, a realm notorious for its potential hazards to both investigators and their organization's infrastructure.

However, dark web intelligence firm Searchlight Cyber has announced a solution to the problem -- Stealth Browser.

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US and UK are the countries most attacked by ransomware

US v UK

In the 12 months from April 2022 to March 2023 the US and UK were the countries that suffered the most ransomware attacks.

However, the latest Malwarebytes ransomware report shows that the USA suffered a little over seven times more attacks in the last twelve months than the UK. It's perhaps not a coincidence that the USA's economic output, measured by gross domestic product (GDP), is also about seven times larger than the UK's.

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Vulnerable cloud attack surface grows almost 600 percent

Weather cloud

A new report from cyber asset visibility and management company JupiterOne shows numbers of enterprise cyber assets have increased by 133 percent year-on-year, from an average of 165,000 in 2022 to 393,419 in 2023.

Organizations have also seen the number of security vulnerabilities, or unresolved findings, increase by 589 percent according to the report which analyzed more than 291 million assets, findings, and policies to establish the current state of enterprise cloud assets, including cloud and physical environments of devices, networks, apps, data, and users.

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Free tool finds sensitive data stored in Google Drive accounts

software scanning

As cloud and SaaS use grows a major challenge for IT, security and compliance teams is the lack of visibility into their organization's SaaS ecosystem.

Metomic is launching a new, free cybersecurity tool that scans Google Drive accounts to find sensitive data and information lurking in Google Docs and files. After entering a Gmail address and password, Google Drive Risk Report will scan the Google Drive connected to the address and, in a matter of seconds, generate a report.

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New Companion Mode lets you use WhatsApp on more than one phone

WhatsApp balls`

If you have ever wanted to use WhatsApp on two or more phones, you will have been disappointed. While Meta has made it possible to be signed into a single WhatsApp account across multiple devices for a while, only one of them can be a phone; the others can be laptops or desktops running the app, or a device signed into the web version of WhatsApp.

But now this is changing. After a period of testing with a small number of users, WhatsApp is now rolling out Companion Mode more widely. This is a new feature that lets you sign into your account on multiple mobiles -- in fact you can use the same account on up to four phones if you want.

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Cybersecurity burnout could lead to workers quitting

stressed worker

Cybersecurity teams are suffering from the economic squeeze with 63 percent of US security professionals having their department's budget cut in 2023 according to research from Pentest as a Service (PtaaS) company Cobalt.

Of those who encountered layoffs or budget cuts, almost all US (95 percent) and EMEA (84 percent) professionals say their role has changed. This has caused many in the US to feel burnt out (61 percent), more than those in EMEA (29 percent).

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Twitter is now owned by X Corp as Elon Musk announces legacy blue checks will vanish in a puff of smoke on 4/20

Twitter logo next to dollars and smartphone

Twitter Inc no longer exists, having been merged into Elon Musk's X Corp. The change was spotted in documents relating to a lawsuit against Twitter, and it continues the CEO's drive to create X, "the everything app".

And having already made a great deal of fuss and noise about killing off "legacy" verification blue checks to force people to buy a Twitter Blue subscription, Musk has announced a new "final date" for their removal. It is 4/20. Because of course it is.

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Data mobility -- why it's a must and how to achieve it [Q&A]

Businessman working with a Cloud Computing diagram

Data is still essential for enterprises, but the rise of hybrid working and the adoption of multi-cloud environments has made data mobility and migration a hot topic.

We spoke to Mark Greenlaw, VP of product strategy for Cirrus Data, to discuss data mobility, what's driving it and how organizations need to adapt.

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Microsoft releases KB5025239 update for Windows 11, adding new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS), security fixes and more

11 key

Microsoft has released the cumulative KB5025239 update for Windows 11 22H2, bringing with it not only security and bug fixes, but also general improvements and new features.

Among the highlights are the addition of the new Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) as a Windows inbox feature. This update also adds new notifications about Microsoft account to the Start menu, improves Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, and provides easy access to the Bing chat experience in Microsoft Edge via the taskbar.

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Samsung's newest PRO Plus memory cards are faster than their predecessors

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Today, Samsung has released refreshed memory cards designed for professionals. The faster PRO Plus microSD and SD cards now offer read speeds up to 180MB/s and write speeds up to 130MB/s. These cards offer the ability to capture 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) and Full HD (FHD) videos and photos, making them an ideal choice for content creators and other professionals, such as photographers and videographers.

The new microSD cards are currently available in capacities up to 512GB, while the full-size SD cards are being offered at a maximum capacity of 256GB. The Samsung PRO Plus memory cards also support a video speed class rating of V30, enabling professionals to quickly move large video files while editing.

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