Tag: hack

  • Apple warns of security flaw that lets hackers take full control of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks

    Apple warns of security flaw that lets hackers take full control of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks

    To protect against two security loopholes that might let hackers take full access to a user’s iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Apple owners have been warned to update their products immediately.

    Apple stated that there are solid reports suggesting that hackers have already been taking advantage of the flaws in both cases to attack users.

    According to Apple, one of the software flaws affects the kernel, the most core component of the operating system used by all devices. The other has an impact on WebKit, the engine that powers the Safari web browser.

    By accessing the settings menu on a mobile device or the “about this Mac” menu on a computer, users of macOS Monterey can get the update.

    According to experts, a hacker could gain “complete admin access to the device” and “run any code as if they were you, the user,” according to Apple’s explanation of the vulnerability.

    People “in the public spotlight,” such as activists or journalists, who could be the focus of sophisticated nation-state eavesdropping, should pay special attention to updating their software, according to Tobac.

    The vulnerabilities were previously categorised as “zero-day” issues since a fix had been made available for them for zero days prior to the fix’s release. Such flaws are extremely lucrative on the open market, and cyberweapon dealers will pay thousands or even millions of dollars for them.

  • Crypto heist: Hackers steal $100 million from Harmony blockchain bridge

    Crypto heist: Hackers steal $100 million from Harmony blockchain bridge

    A blockchain bridge titled Harmony, which helps in transferring cryptocurrency tokens between each other, recently disclosed that $100 million in digital currency was stolen on Thursday morning from its Horizon bridge.

    Harmony revealed that its Horizon Ethereum Bridge was a victim of a “malicious attack” in a blog post outlining the incident.

    Harmony said that its separate bridge used for bitcoin wasn’t affected by the hack and that its funds and assets are safe. They have notified other exchanges and stopped its bridge “Horizon” to prevent further transactions as the company investigates the heist. 

    In order to track down the hacker and recover the stolen money, the platform has started working with local law enforcement and forensic experts.

    The hack and ransacking of Horizon weren’t the first this year. In March, cybercriminals stole about $620 million worth of cryptocurrency from a network used to process in-game transactions for Axie Infinity, one of the world’s most popular NFT video games.

  • Google to ban call recording apps in the next update

    Google to ban call recording apps in the next update

    From May 11, a new policy of the Google Play Store will prohibit third-party call recording applications from being downloaded.

    Modifications to the Google Play Policy mean that developers’ access to the Accessibility API will be restricted even more. This has been used as a workaround for remote call audio recording, however starting May 11, Google will no longer allow apps on the Play Store to use the Accessibility Service.

    In addition, Google clarified potential misunderstandings about the change in policy through a recent developer webcast.

    Numerous apps allow recording audio from a call without the other party knowing. As a result, this policy change only affects third-party apps on the Play Store. On some devices, several default dialer apps, such as Google Phone, Mi Dialer, and others, have a native call recording feature built-in. The update would not affect the default dialer apps on devices like Pixel and Xiaomi handsets.

    “Remote in this sense refers to call audio recording where the person on the other end is unaware that the recording is taking place,” said Moun Choi, Google content operations lead, during the special developer webinar.

    “Accessibility capability is not necessary to get access to the incoming audio stream if the app is the phone’s default dialer and also pre-loaded”. As a result, there would be no infringement. Because this is a clarification of an existing policy, the new language will take effect on May 11th for all apps”.

    Read more: Netflix loses 200,000 subscribers in Q1 2022, projects deeper losses in Q2

    In other words, you won’t lose functionality if you can record calls using your pre-installed dialer programme. Call recording may not be possible in the future if you use an app downloaded from the Google Play Store.

  • Pak embassy in Serbia tweets against PM Khan, say they have no other option

    Pak embassy in Serbia tweets against PM Khan, say they have no other option

    With inflation crushing the economy of the country, the Pakistan embassy in Serbia tweeted a clip of Saad Alavi’s song, “Aap ne ghabrana nahi hai”.

    Taking to Twitter, the embassy’s official Twitter account tweeted, “With inflation breaking all previous records, how long do you expect @ImranKhanPTI that we government official will remain silent & keep working for you without been paid for past 3 months.”

    “Our children been forced out of school due to non-payment of fees Is this #NayaPakistan?” read the tweet.

    https://twitter.com/PakinSerbia/status/1466647603395928064

    Further stating their grievances with how the people are being treated, the embassy handle tweeted, “I am sorry @ImranKhanPTI, am not left with another option.”

    https://twitter.com/PakinSerbia/status/1466649039785668612

    However, Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad for Foreign Affairs said that the “social media platforms have been hacked.”

  • Frieha Altaf recovers hacked WhatsApp account after 24 hours

    Frieha Altaf has managed to recovered her WhatsApp account, which was hacked on Monday, after almost 24 hours.

    “Got the WhatsApp back,” wrote the PR mogul on social media.

    “These hackers need to be taken to task for their mischief,” she added.

    Frieha, on Monday, had shared that her Whatsapp account has been hacked.

    “Seriously upset! My WhatsApp got hacked and the person is messaging my friends!”, said Frieha, warning her friends to “watch out”.

    “If someone, even a friend’s number, asks you for codes, call your friend to verify if it’s them,” said Altaf. “They just want data. It happened to my buddy in Dubai and I got hacked.”

    WhatsApp has recently been under fire for announcing new terms asking users to agree to let owner Facebook Inc and its subsidiaries collect user data, including their phone number and location. After WhatsApp’s new terms sparked debate on social media, other messaging apps like Telegram and Signal are witnessing a surge in demand.

    In response to the backlash, WhatsApp released an official statement clearing all speculations surrounding the new terms of service and policies.

  • Punjab Textbook Board MD says hacker liked porn video from his Twitter

    Punjab Textbook Board MD says hacker liked porn video from his Twitter

    The chief of Punjab’s books and curriculum regulatory authority refuted accusations of inappropriate online activity and called it “a social media hack”.

    As per reports, Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) Managing Director Rai Manzoor Hussain Nasir took to Twitter to clarify the allegations made regarding inappropriate online activity. He issued a statement in which he said he fired at least 10 employees that were involved in “corruption” and “security breaches on my personal Twitter account”.

    Nasir said he was “accused of liking an immoral picture on Twitter and also of making inappropriate comments on photographs” after he banned at least 100 books on July 23.

    “I deny these allegations emphatically and maintain that I have been the victim of a social media hack. I am making every effort to secure my social media accounts going forward,” he added.

    He said that the PCTB under him had formed 30 committees to review a wide range of books.

    “The 100 books that have been banned contain blasphemous, objectionable content that is anti-Pakistan,” Nasir said, adding that the publishers of those books did not have the required No Objection Certificate (NOC).

    “Also during the past few days, I have dismissed 10 staff members in my office who had been involved in corruption,” he stated, adding that he shared the update as he believed it “to be connected to security breaches on my personal Twitter account”.

    Referring to the online activity on his Twitter account as an “obvious attempt at character assassination”, he said he would continue to lead the PCTB tasks responsibly.

    Last week, Rai Manzoor Hussain faced criticism for ‘liking’ a pornographic video on Twitter after the decision of PCTB of banning 100 books for containing ‘anti-national’ and ‘blasphemous’ content.