Author Archives: Mariella Moon

Basically all of Maine had data stolen by a ransomware gang

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The state agencies of Maine had fallen victim to cybercriminals who exploited a vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer tool, making them the latest addition to the growing list of entities affected by the massive hack involving the software. In a notice the government has published about the cybersecurity incident, it said the event impacted approximately 1.3 million individuals, which basically make up the state's whole population. The state first caught wind of the software vulnerability in MOVEit on May 31 this year and found that cybercriminals were able to access and download files from its various agencies on May 28 and 29. 

While the nature of stolen data varies per person based on their interaction with a particular agency, the notice says that the bad actors had stolen names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, driver's license and state identification numbers, as well as taxpayer identification numbers. In some cases, they were also able to get away with people's medical and health insurance information. Over 50 percent of the stolen data came from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, followed by the Maine Department of Education.

The state government had blocked internet access to and from the MOVEit server as soon as it became aware of the incident. However, since the cybercriminals were already able to steal residents' information, it's also offering two years of complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to people whose SSNs and taxpayer numbers were compromised. As TechCrunch notes, the Clop ransomware gang that's believed to be behind previously reported incidents, has yet to release data stolen from Maine's agencies.

Clop took credit for an earlier New York City Department of Education hack, wherein the information of approximately 45,000 students was stolen. Cybercriminals exploiting the vulnerability haven't only been targeting the government, though, but also companies around the world. Sony is one of them. There's also Maximus Health Services, Inc, a US government contractor, whose breach has been the biggest MOVEit-related incident, so far. 

The Securities and Exchange Commission is already investigating MOVEit creator Progress Software, though it only just sent the company a subpoena in October and is still in the "fact-finding inquiry" phase of its probe. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/basically-all-of-maine-had-data-stolen-by-a-ransomware-gang-061407794.html?src=rss

Omegle shuts down after 14 years of random chats

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Omegle, a chat service that pairs users with a random person so they can talk via text or video, is shutting down. Leif K-Brooks, who launched the service when he was 18 years old, announced its closure and talked about its humble beginnings, as well as how it grew organically because "meeting new people [is] a basic human need." While he didn't delve into the specific reasons for Omegle's shutdown, he admitted that "some people misused [the service], including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes."

Critics have raised concerns about the website's safety over the past years, with some even calling it a "magnet for pedophiles." In 2021, an American woman sued the website for pairing her with a person who coerced her into sending explicit images for three years, starting when she was just 11 years old. Her legal team said that the way the platform works allows it to become a "hunting ground for predators." Last year, two men in the US were sentenced to federal prison for exploiting children they met on apps, including Omegle, forcing them to perform sexual acts and to send them explicit photos and videos. A BBC investigation also revealed a rise in cases of users exposing themselves on Omegle chat. These users included minors, because while the website is technically meant for use by people 18 and older, it has no age verification in place. 

In his farewell note, K-Brooks said he worked with law enforcement agencies, as well as "the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to help put evildoers in prison where they belong." His website, he said proactively collected evidence against these people and tipped authorities to put them in jail. However, he said the fight against crime is "a never-ending battle" and that the "world has become more ornery" in recent years. He also said that there's been "a constant barrage of attacks on communication services... based on the behavior of a malicious subset of users."

In the end, he found the "existing stress and expense of operating Omegle, and fighting its misuse" to no longer be sustainable, both financially and psychologically. "Frankly, I don’t want to have a heart attack in my 30s," he added. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/omegle-shuts-down-after-14-years-of-random-chats-125007355.html?src=rss

Sony has now sold over 46.6 million PS5 consoles

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Sony has had a blockbuster quarter when it comes to PlayStation 5 sales. The company has sold 4.9 million PS5 units in its second financial quarter ending on September 30, bringing the total number of consoles sold to 46.6 million. It didn't quite reach last year's holiday figures, but it still moved 1.6 million units more than the same period in 2022. To note, Sony couldn't keep up with the demand for the console for quite some time due to the supply chain issues that plagued the tech industry, but it was finally able to ramp up production last year after the shortages had eased up. By July 2023, it announced that it had already sold more than 40 million PS5 consoles since the model came out in November 2020. 

To be able to reach its sales target of shipping 25 million PS5 units for this financial year, however, Sony will have to sell 16.8 million more units. That's a massive figure, considering it only sold 19.1 million PS5 consoles for the whole financial year of 2022. But according to Reuters, Sony President Hiroki Totoki is confident that the goal is something the company "can attain very easily." The company is likely expecting a boost in sales when its smaller PS5 models come out this month, just in time for people's holiday shopping sprees. 

In addition to its hardware sales, Sony has also reported that it sold 67.6 million games in the second quarter, though only 4.7 million are first-party titles. It will most likely post much higher first-party sales in the next quarter, though, seeing as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 sold 5 million units within its first 11 days, eclipsing the performance of its prequel that sold 9 million copies in 80 days. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-has-now-sold-over-466-million-ps5-consoles-102604943.html?src=rss

Snap lays off 20 product managers to speed up decision-making

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Snap is going through a reorganization and has laid off "nearly 20 product managers," according to The Information. The job cuts follow a string of departures and position shuffling over the past few months. A company spokesperson told the publication that the layoffs were meant to speed up the company's decision-making process, presumably because they'd be cutting out people between lower-level employees and higher-level managers. They're also meant to reduce costs for the company, which could then use the resources for "core priorities."

In its recently announced third quarter earnings report, the company said that its revenue rose by 5 percent to $1.19 billion after two quarters of decline. However, its ad business has yet to recover, and it warned its investors that advertisers are hitting pause on their social media campaigns due to the current situation in the Middle East. According to Campaign, brands have slowed down their advertising activities on various social networks because of the influx of misinformation regarding the Israel-Hamas war. 

This round of layoffs isn't directly linked to any product, though, and no features or offerings are being discontinued as a result. It's also much smaller in scale than the company's layoffs last year, which saw 1,300 employees lose their jobs. That time, Snap also canceled most of its original shows and put its games and mini-apps into maintenance mode. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/snap-lays-off-20-product-managers-to-speed-up-decision-making-071010069.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA ends strike after securing a deal that protects members ‘from the threat of AI’

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The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has officially ended its strike, which lasted for nearly four months, after reaching a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios. In its announcement, it said it was able to secure a contract "valued at over 1 billion dollars" and that it was able to negotiate "above-pattern" compensation increases, as well as "unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI."

The union will release more details about the agreement after its national board looks it over on Friday for "review and consideration." However, generative AI became the sticking point that prevented both parties from being able to strike a deal earlier than this. According to a previous report by The Hollywood Reporter, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) wanted to make AI scans of Schedule F performers — union members earning more than $32,000 per TV episode or $60,000 per film — which they could then keep reusing without having to pay them again. Studios could even continue using the actors' likeness after they pass away without permission from the union or from their estate. Variety says AMPTP has agreed to adjust the language it used for AI in its proposal, which then presumably led to the tentative agreement. 

In September, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) also officially ended its strike after securing a deal with AI provisions it approved of. Under the terms of its new contract, studios can't use generative AI to write or rewrite literary material, and anything it produces cannot be considered source material. Studios can't force writers to use generative AI software unless they want to, and they have to disclose whether materials handed over to a writer include anything generated by AI. Finally, the "exploitation of writers' material to train AI" is explicitly prohibited. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sag-aftra-ends-strike-after-securing-a-deal-that-protects-members-from-the-threat-of-ai-035253314.html?src=rss

Google wants to help you create new smart home automations with AI-generated scripts

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Google is rolling out new features and improvements for Home and Nest, one of which could make it much easier for users to create complex home automations even if they don't know how to code. The company's experimental "help me script" feature leverages the power of generative AI to create home automation scripts from the natural language prompts users type in. They can, for instance, write "when the TV turns on after sunset, dim the living room lights and close the blinds" to instantly generate a script they can use. 

"Help me script" lives inside Google Home for the web, and it appears as a panel inside the script editor when users click on "+ Add new." All they have to do is write a prompt, press enter and then copy-paste the script results into the script editor. They'll then have to validate the script to verify that it has no errors and that it's working as intended before saving it to activate the automation. Based on the other potential home automation prompts that Google listed, including "use lights and TVs to make my house look occupied when I arm the security system" and "send me a notification when the doorbell rings but nobody is home," it could be a valuable security tool. It's just a test feature at this point, though, and is only available in Public Preview on Google Home for the web for a limited time only. 

In addition to the generative AI-powered script generator, Google has also announced that expanded controls for compatible smart home devices across different brands are coming to Home's Public Preview soon. The home panel, a Pixel-exclusive that gives users quick access to their smart home controls on their lock screen, is also making its way to other Android 14 devices.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-wants-to-help-you-create-new-smart-home-automations-with-ai-generated-scripts-124008376.html?src=rss

A PS5 early Black Friday deal brings PlayStation DualSense controllers down to $50 each

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The PlayStation Store at Amazon is selling various colors of the Playstation DualSense Wireless Controller for only $50 as part of its early Black Friday deals. You can get the controller for your PS5, which also works for PCs, right now for up to 33 percent off their usual prices. Yes, the models on sale include the colors that typically go for $75 — Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue, Nova Pink, Galactic Purple, Gray Camouflage, Volcanic Red and Cobalt Blue — in addition to the basic $70 white and the Midnight Black controllers. 

The DualSense controller has adaptive L2 and R2 triggers with varying levels of force and tension that change as you interact with your game's environment. It also comes with haptic feedback meant to add a layer of immersion to your gaming sessions. DualSense has a built-in microphone array, so you can chat with friends without a headset, though you can always plug one in through the controller's 3.5mm jack. And if you quickly want switch voice capture on or off, you can simply click the controller's dedicated mute button.

In case you've still yet to buy a PS5, or if you're looking to gift one these holidays, you can get one bundled with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 at a discount, as well. The bundle is selling for $500, down $60 from its regular price. We enjoyed Spider-Man 2 when we reviewed it and found it even better than the first installment. It was action-packed from the beginning, with a gameplay that allows you to quickly swap between Peter Parker and Miles Morales for two different types of Spidey-experiences. We also praised Insomniac for expanding and streamlining the game's combat mechanics. The game is exclusive to the PS5, and you'll get a full game voucher to download it from the PlayStation Network when you purchase this bundle.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstation-dualsense-controllers-fall-to-50-in-early-black-friday-sale-115513371.html?src=rss

Meta will mark political and social ads altered by AI starting next year

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Meta will require advertisers to disclose whether the ads they submit for its websites have been digitally altered, including through the use of AI tools, if they're political or social in nature. Ads that have been digitally altered will be marked as such on Meta's platforms, in the same way some advertisements come with a "Paid for" disclaimer. The company will start implementing the rule in the new year, just as the campaign period for what's expected to be a brutal and divisive 2024 US presidential elections heats up. 

In a blog post, Meta explained that advertisers have to disclose in the advertising flow if they submit a social issue, electoral or political ad with photorealistic images or videos — or one with realistic sounding audio — that was altered to make a real person say or do something they didn't actually say or do. They're also required to tell Meta whether they're submitting an ad with a realistic-looking person that doesn't exist, a realistic-looking event that didn't happen or an altered footage of a real event that truly occurred. If they submit a fake image, video or audio recording of an event that allegedly took place — say, something they created with the help of AI image generators — they have to notify Meta, as well. Advertisers don't need to disclose if they'd only size adjusted, cropped, color corrected and sharpened their ads. 

Meta, which already expects some advertisers to run afoul of the new rule, warned that it will reject ads if it determines that they failed to or deliberately didn't disclose that they'd digitally altered their submissions. Further, it said that repeated strikes against the rule "may result in penalties." It has yet to elaborate on the authorization process advertisers have to go through and the safeguards in place to prevent them from gaming the system, but it promised to share more details in the future. 

Politicians and supporters from both sides of the aisle have already raised concerns about the possibility of AI being used to propel election misinformation to new heights this campaign season. There's already an altered video of President Joe Biden that was edited to make him appear as if he was inappropriately touching his granddaughter circulating on Facebook. Meta's Oversight Board opened a case after users appealed to have the video removed, and it's expected to release a decision in the near future. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-will-mark-political-and-social-ads-altered-by-ai-starting-next-year-110033484.html?src=rss

The first Grand Theft Auto VI trailer will arrive in early December

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We may get official details about Grand Theft Auto VI very, very soon. Following a Bloomberg report that said Rockstar Games would announce the next entry in the GTA franchise as early as this week, Rockstar confirmed it would release a trailer for the forthcoming game in early December, as part of its 25th anniversary celebration. It's one of the most anticipated games for the current crop of consoles, especially since the fifth main installment in the series — the second-best selling video game of all time, as Bloomberg notes — came out way back in 2013. 

While Rockstar has yet to launch the title, some fans may have already gotten a glimpse of early-days gameplay footage due to a leak that a hacker uploaded online in 2022. It contained 90 seconds of gameplay from a GTA VI test build, showing one of the two playable protagonists, a female character named Lucia, robbing a store. Another clip showed the other playable character riding the "Vice City Metro," indicating that its story takes place in Rockstar's fictionalized version of Miami. The developer later confirmed the contents of the leak and said that the game's creation would continue "as planned."

Rockstar may reveal GTA VI's release period alongside the trailer next month, but its parent company Take-Two previously hinted that it's coming out sometime in 2024. 

Update, November 8, 2023, 8:15AM ET: This story has been updated to note that Rockstar has confirmed it'll release a trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto game in December.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-grand-theft-auto-vi-trailer-will-arrive-in-early-december-045219564.html?src=rss

Blizzard’s next World of Warcraft expansions make up a three-part saga

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Blizzard is planning an MCU-style future for the World of Warcraft. Chris Metzen, who only recently returned to the company as the executive creative director of Warcraft, has announced that the game's next three expansions will make up a three-part interconnected saga. Since Blizzard typically releases expansions within two years of each other, "The Worldsoul Saga's" story will take years to unfold. The first installment called World of Warcraft: The War Within is slated for release sometime in 2024, followed by World of Warcraft: Midnight and World of Warcraft: The Last Titan in the years after that. 

Warcraft general manager John Hight said the trilogy encompasses "one of the most ambitious creative endeavors ever attempted for World of Warcraft." Each one is a standalone narrative, but they're connected by an overall story arc, he explained. "Alongside these epic adventures, the ongoing quality-of-life feature updates players have come to expect from us since Dragonflight will continue in The War Within, further setting us up for the next 20 years and beyond," Hight added. 

While Blizzard has yet to released an in-depth summary for The War Within, it did share a few pertinent details about the expansion. It will feature an ancient civilization underneath the surface of the planet as it rises in power, while Alliance and Horde heroes experience visions of possible futures, both good and bad. Players can grind until they reach the expansion's level cap of 80, and they can explore a new continent called Khaz Algar. There's also a new unlockable and playable Titan-forged race called the Earthen, new bite-size adventures that can support one to five players called Delves, as well as a new feature dubbed Warbands, which allows players to share banks, reputations and transmogs across characters. 

Fans can already pre-purchase The War Within for $50, and it will also give them instant access to the Dragonflight expansion. The War Within: Heroic Edition, which comes with extras, is available for $70, while the The War Within: Epic Edition that includes beta access to the expansion, along with even more extras, will set them back $90. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blizzards-next-world-of-warcraft-expansions-make-up-a-three-part-saga-154521763.html?src=rss