Telegram incorporates chatbots into Telegram Business accounts
03/04/2024Telegram Business has announced the addition of chatbots among its features aimed at streamlining communication between companies and their clientele. The new automated assistants on this instant messaging application are designed to provide information automatically in response to predictable inquiries. This recent development was announced through the company's official blog, where Telegram also explained that the chatbots also have the option to provide links that direct customers to booking or order tracking. Additionally, these new automated assistants from Telegram Business are also capable of offering welcome messages and absence notifications, useful for informing customers, for example, about holiday closures. Telegram explains that thanks to this new feature of Telegram Business, user companies will be able to enhance their brand presence and foster lasting relationships with their customers by leveraging the power of automation along with personalized communication.
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Roku warns of unauthorized access to hundreds of its customers' accounts
19/03/2024A Roku investigation, the company that manufactures media streaming devices running Roku software to access all kinds of streaming content, has revealed unauthorized access to hundreds of its users' accounts, "likely due to compromised login credentials obtained from third-party sources unrelated to Roku," they said. According to the company itself, these credentials were used to access Roku accounts, where changes were made, including attempts to purchase streaming subscriptions. However, in an official statement, Roku said that any sensitive personal data such as full payment account numbers could not be accessed. The affected accounts were secured and required password resets, as well as the cancellation of unauthorized subscriptions. Roku has announced that it will refund its users for all unauthorized charges. "What can I do if I can't access Roku? Roku has reset all passwords for accounts affected by these unauthorized accesses, so if we are holders of one of them, we may not be able to access it in the usual way. To regain access, we should go to my.roku.com and use the "Forgot your password?" option. Additionally, the company recommends reviewing subscriptions and devices linked to the Roku account from the Roku account Dashboard."
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Detected a Trojan that emulates the WhatsApp account and fraudulently manages subscriptions to payment sites
17/10/2022Kaspersky researchers has reported that YoWhatsApp advertised on Snaptube and Vidmate, two of the most popular download platforms at the moment, is actually a Trojan capable to issuing paid subscriptions and stealing WhatsApp accounts. YoWhatsApp would act as a mod of the original messaging program, offering new functions that the official service does not allow, such as wallpapers, personalized fonts for chats and password-protected access to conversations, .... As Kaspersky researchers have explained, when a user installs YoWhatsApp on a device, it’s forced to log in to they real application account, and in this moment, Triada Trojan is activated, downloaded and executed on the terminal. Once this is done, the Trojan is capable of accessing the user's real WhatsApp account credentials, steal all the data, having already detected unauthorized subscriptions to paid subscriptions. Kaspersky recommends to install, only, Apps from official stores and reliable sources and they have insisted on the need to check always the permissions granted to each application. Installing an antivirus is another recommended measure.
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Mozilla allows the simultaneity of accounts in their VPN service
09/02/2022Mozilla has expanded the functionalities of the VPN function in Firefox, and from from now, will allow users to protect their browsing from different accounts. This function will prevent users from having to open new windows or applications to access their digital work tools and will not mix them with those for personal use. The new functionality allows is prepare to create containers with specific tabs that can be related to different environments, such as personal, work, shopping, banks and social networks, and even customize them with a different color and logo. Once this is done, the browsing histories and the 'cookies' of the pages, for example, will remain isolated from each other, offering an additional layer of privacy by protecting the browsing activity and allowing a different exit server to be set in a different location for each one of the containers. In addition, from now it will becomes possible for the same person to be register in two accounts in the same service. This new functionality of Mozilla VPN is first launched for the version for Android and iOS mobiles, and in September it will be available for desktop computers.
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Xiaomi
XiaomiIn little more than 10 years, the Chinese multinational Xiaomi has become a giant in the electronics industry. It is a really impressive trajectory if we take into account that in this short period of time it has put itself on a par with companies like Apple, Samsung or Huawei. Xiaomi, has realized that the world is a big market, and it does not stop expanding. It is now an Internet company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an Internet of Things (IoT) platform at its core. Its sales are growing steadily and it continues an unstoppable race to innovate and achieve a high-quality user experience and operational efficiency.
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A new FakeUpdates campaign targeting WordPress sites has been detected
20/03/2024Over the past few weeks, a new wave of the FakeUpdates malware, also known as SocGholish, has been detected, aimed at WordPress websites. The objective is to lure users into downloading remote access trojans, allowing attackers to take control of their systems. Since its emergence in 2017, FakeUpdates has been one of the most recurring malicious software in the cyber threat landscape. It has previously been associated with cybercriminal groups like Evil Corp, who monetize its use by selling access to infected systems. In this new campaign, cybercriminals are using JavaScript to target WordPress web pages, compromising compromised administrator accounts to introduce altered versions of WordPress plugins. These adulterated versions deceive users into downloading remote access trojans, granting attackers full control over infected devices. What is the most popular type of malware? In addition to the FakeUpdates attack, the threat index from Check Point Research, whose researchers have warned about this new attack, reveals around 200 suspicious content websites directed by ransomware groups. They utilize double extortion tactics to pressure victims into paying immediate ransoms. These attacks have impacted many companies, with the Lockbit3 ransomware being the most utilized by cybercriminals, followed by Play and 8base. The most exploited vulnerabilities by malicious actors include 'Web Servers Malicious URL Directory Traversal,' 'Command Injection Over HTTP,' and 'Zyxel ZyWALL Command Injection,' affecting numerous companies worldwide and allowing attackers to access and manipulate files or execute commands on compromised systems. In Spain, despite a 7% decrease in malware attacks in February, the most sought-after malware includes FakeUpdates, Qbot, and Pandora. In the case of FakeUpdates, it has affected 11.9% of companies in Spain. Mobile Malware In the realm of mobile devices, Anubis remains the most utilized malware in Spain, followed by AhMyth and Hiddad, all designed to compromise the security and privacy of Android device users by collecting confidential information and executing malicious actions.
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Google Business will display recent company posts on social media
18/03/2024Google has introduced a new feature in its Maps app and search engine that allows owners of Google Business profiles (GBP) to showcase the latest posts from their social media accounts. These business profiles are used by companies and organizations to manage their online presence and gather reviews of their services and products. Now, profile owners can add links to various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube to improve their online presence. How to add links to social networks in Google Business To add links to social networks in Google Business, you need to go to the profile editing menu and select the "Social Profiles" option within the Contact tab. Additionally, Google may automatically add social media links to business profiles that meet certain criteria, which can be edited or removed. This update, as explained by Google, aims to provide internet users with a more comprehensive view of company activities beyond the usual reviews and contact information.
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What is Bitcoin Halving and how does it affect the cryptocurrency?
25/02/2024The term "Halving" in the context of Bitcoin refers to a scheduled event in the cryptocurrency protocol, in which the reward for mining blocks is reduced by half. This event occurs approximately every four years and has a significant impact on the supply and demand of Bitcoin. During Halving, the number of new Bitcoins created per block is halved. This implies a decrease in the issuance rate of the cryptocurrency, which in turn can have an effect on the price and volatility of Bitcoin. Many analysts and experts are speculating about the long-term implications of the Halving and its influence on the cryptocurrency markets. Services related to Bitcoin Halving There are various types of services and tools related to Bitcoin Halving that can be beneficial for different actors in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. These services include: 1. Halving analysis and forecast This type of service provides detailed information about the past, present and future of the Bitcoin Halving. Through analysis and forecasting, it helps investors and cryptocurrency enthusiasts make informed decisions on how to position themselves before and after the event. 2. Bitcoin Mining As the reward in Bitcoin decreases, mining this cryptocurrency becomes more challenging. Bitcoin mining services offer solutions and advice to maximize mining efficiency and profitability, even in a low reward environment. 3. Financial advice related to Halving As the issuance rate of Bitcoin slows, investors may need to adapt their investment strategies. Financial advisory services specialized in cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin provide personalized recommendations and analysis to optimize investment performance in this context. 4. Development of tools for cryptocurrencies The Bitcoin Halving may generate changes in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, which may require the creation of new tools and solutions. Companies specialized in software development and applications related to cryptocurrencies can provide development and consulting services to adapt to these new demands. Bitcoin: Reward Reduction and Its Implications on the Cryptocurrency Ecosystem Bitcoin, the most famous and valuable cryptocurrency in the world, has periodically experienced an event known as a "reward reduction" or "Halving", which has significant implications on the cryptocurrency ecosystem. In this article, we will explore in depth what Bitcoin reward reduction is and how it affects both miners and investors. What is Bitcoin reward reduction? Bitcoin reward reduction is a scheduled event integrated into the cryptocurrency protocol. It occurs approximately every four years and consists of a halving of the reward miners receive for validating transactions and adding new blocks to the Bitcoin blockchain. Originally, when Bitcoin was launched in 2009, miners received a reward of 50 Bitcoins for each block mined. However, due to the reward reduction process, this amount has decreased over time. In 2012, it was reduced to 25 Bitcoins per block, in 2016 to 12.5 Bitcoins per block, and in 2020 it was reduced again to 6.25 Bitcoins per block. Implications for Bitcoin miners Bitcoin's reward reduction has a significant impact on mining the cryptocurrency. With each reduction, miners receive fewer Bitcoins for their work, which means less direct monetary reward. This may result in some miners leaving the Bitcoin network, especially those with higher electricity and mining equipment costs. On the other hand, those miners who manage to adapt and remain profitable even with a lower reward are rewarded with a larger share of the Bitcoin supply generated through mining. This concentration of Bitcoins in the hands of fewer miners can have effects on the decentralization and security of the network, since the number of active participants in the transaction validation process is reduced. Implications for investors and the price of Bitcoin Bitcoin's reward reduction also has implications for the price and supply of the cryptocurrency. As the issuance of new Bitcoins decreases, the supply in the market reduces. This may lead to higher relative demand if Bitcoin demand continues to grow or remains stable. In previous reward reduction events, a long-term increase in Bitcoin price has been observed. This is because the decrease in the supply of new Bitcoins can lead to greater perceived scarcity and therefore an increase in their value. However, it is important to note that the price of Bitcoin is highly volatile and can be influenced by a variety of external factors, so a continued increase after reward reduction cannot be guaranteed. Bitcoin's reward reduction is a key event in the life of the cryptocurrency and has implications for both miners and investors. As the number of new Bitcoins generated is halved, miners must adapt to remain profitable and the supply of Bitcoin on the market may decrease. However, this event can also have a positive impact on the price of Bitcoin in the long term. It is important to understand and take these factors into account when evaluating investment potential in Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency market in general. Bitcoin and limited supply: a unique combination Bitcoin has captured the attention of the financial world like no other cryptocurrency. One of its most notable features is its limited supply, meaning that only a finite number of bitcoins will be created in the world. This contrasts with traditional fiat currencies, which can be printed at the discretion of governments. How does Bitcoin limited supply work? Bitcoin was designed to have a total supply of 21 million coins. As new blocks are mined by users and added to the Bitcoin blockchain, new coins are generated and distributed as rewards to miners. However, this reward is halved in an event known as "Halving", which occurs approximately every four years. Halving ensures that the rate of issuance of new bitcoins decreases over time, following a predictable mathematical function. Currently, the reward per mined block is 6.25 bitcoins, but this number is expected to reduce further in the future. This controlled scarcity mechanism is a central part of Bitcoin's monetary policy. Advantages of Bitcoin Limited Supply Bitcoin's limited supply has several significant advantages: Sense of scarcity: The limitation in the supply of Bitcoin makes it a scarce and valuable asset. As it approaches its maximum supply, demand and price are expected to increase. Inflation Protection: Unlike fiat currencies, Bitcoin cannot be inflated or devalued at the discretion of governments. Its limited supply protects it from inflation and makes it a safe store of value. Monetary stability: With carefully controlled supply, Bitcoin offers greater monetary stability compared to national currencies, which can be affected by political and economic decisions. Challenges and debates surrounding the limited supply of Bitcoin Despite the advantages, Bitcoin's limited supply has also generated debates and challenges. Some argue that the scarcity of bitcoins could hinder its mass adoption as an everyday currency. Price volatility is also an issue of concern. Furthermore, the fact that only about 80% of all existing bitcoins have been mined raises questions about how the latest bitcoins will be distributed and how this will affect the network and its sustainability in the future. Bitcoin has revolutionized the financial world with its limited supply and unique monetary policy. Controlled and predictable scarcity is an essential part of its design, providing a solid alternative to traditional fiat currencies. Although limited supply can pose challenges and debates, it also offers significant benefits, such as a sense of scarcity, protection against inflation, and monetary stability. As Bitcoin continues to mature and its supply approaches its maximum limit, its value and relevance in the financial world continues to grow, leaving investors and enthusiasts with great anticipation about its future.
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Meta warns about the vulnerability in password recovery linked to the recycling of phone numbers
22/02/2024Meta, a leader in social media, has announced that it will not assume responsibility for personal account theft on Instagram and Facebook related to password recovery through the use of recycled phone numbers. The company argues that it lacks control over telecommunications providers and users involved in this practice. Phone number recycling: an overlooked risk in a recent statement Meta revealed its inability to manage personal account thefts that occur when phone numbers are recycled by telecommunications carriers. This common practice among mobile phone companies involves reassigning discarded numbers to new customers, making them owners of a number previously used by another user. In countries like Spain, carriers wait for a period of 30 days before reassigning a number, but the risk persists if users do not unlink the number from digital services or associated platforms, such as social networks and emails. The danger of not unlinking phone numbers from digital accounts When users deactivate a phone number, whether due to a change of carrier or any other reason, carriers must wait before reassigning the number. However, failure to unlink this number from digital services can result in unauthorized access to personal accounts. In many services, linking the phone number is allowed for actions such as resetting passwords. Users, upon receiving a verification code on their number, can complete the login without the need for email validation or a password. This process, though accepted, can lead to unintentional unauthorized access. Meta warns users about the importance of unlinking phone numbers from digital accounts when deactivating them, insisting on the need to update associated information to prevent account theft.
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Less than half of Spaniards change their passwords when they separate from their partner
05/10/2022The email and social network accounts of one in five Spaniards (21%) have been subject to violation by a third party who has changed the passwords without the owner's knowledge or consent, attributing 37% of the victims this wrong use to their ex-partners. This data comes from the recent study carried out by Avast and Dynata on the degree of knowledge that Spaniards have of the passwords of their partners or relatives. In this study more than 2,000 Internet users have participated. Among the most striking results of this survey is that the collaborators who say they still know their ex's passwords, 56% of them has admit that they even know, also, their professional email passwords. 24% of those surveyed also claim that their location has been tracked without their consent due to knowing their password. This behavior, the authors of the study explain, can be considerated as technological abuse, which can be further aggravated by installing spyware or 'stalkwerware' on other people's devices or controlling or harassing someone through home technology.
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DuckDuckGo will offer their temporary or disposable mail service free
14/09/2022After launching the beta version of the new temporary or disposable mail service, 'Email Protection', DuckDuckGo has announced that once tested it is now available free for all users. 'Email Protection' is presented as a solution to be able to have a second 'e-mail' address to use in subscriptions and pages likely to send ‘spam'. Available from the DuckDuckGo mobile app and browsers, the service incorporates privacy protections against link tracking and smart encryption against unencrypted links, and features such as direct response. The accounts that are created through 'Email Protection' as a secondary email will contain the domain @duck.com and among the recommended uses proposed by DuckDuckGo are free trials or registration in services that usually send advertising or spam.
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Google Health will be use to study the impact of mobile phones on our mental health
01/06/2022Spaniards spend an average of 3 hours and 40 minutes a day connected to the mobile. This time multiplied from Monday to Sunday is the same as more than 25 hours a week, according to the Digital Consumer by Generation report. To analyze the impact of all this time of digital consumption on our mental health, a group of researchers from the University of Oregon (United States) has just announced that they will use the Google Health app to analyze how users use their smartphones and discuss how in the future, digitals products and devides can make people happier, without falling into dependency. In their work, they will measure factors such as sleep or physical activity, for which they will also use the data collected by Fitbit, the activity bracelets owned by Google. One of the researchers, Dr. Nicholas Allen, stressed that "some studies similar to the one that we are going to start, usually condem the technology based on their conviction that it must be bad for mental health and well-being." . For this reason, he believes that is not positive to focuses only on the potentially harmful effects of the use of the devices, and also is important to takes into account the benefits that they offer.
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Fundación Telefónica wants to convert the world's first website into a World Heritage Site
27/05/2022Fundación Telefónica is determined that the first website in history, the one of the british computer scientist Bernes-Lee, from 1990, could be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and has announced a campaign to achieve this goal. The action named “ElSitio1155” identifies the Bernes-Lee website as a fundamental piece of the history and culture of humanity. And this is like this, becouse this website, in addition to be the first to exist, marked the birth of the World Wide Web, and also led to the first step to the connected world of today. If recognition is achieved, it would be the first time that UNESCO would do so to a virtual and non-geographical site as usual. Prior to the presentation of its official proposal, Fundación Telefónica has launched a support campaign through its social networks and communication channels to make everyone aware of the importance of this first website in the world, the pioneer of more than 1.9 million websites accounted for on December 31, 2021.
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End-to-end encryption of Facebook Messenger and Instagram delayed until 2023
25/11/2021Security and privacy have become two of the main worries of the new virtual world. Meta, the new name of Mark Zuckerberg's company, has been working on end-to-end encryption system for Facebook Messenger and Instagram platforms and has just reported that finally this protection will not be ready until 2023. The delay, they explain, is due to their effort to ensure that end-to-end encryption will be the protection that all their messaging applications have by default, but at the moment only WhatsApp offers it. This technology means that only the sender and the receiver can know the content of a conversation. It's also known that end-to-end encryption has open the debate about privacy and collaboration with police investigations, specially in cases of child abuse. "As we implement end-to-end encryption, we will use a combination of unencrypted data in our applications, account information, and user reports to keep them secure in a way that protects privacy while assisting in public safety efforts" , has assured the Security director of Meta, Antigone Davis.
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YouTube allows to continue watching a video started on your mobile on your PC
11/10/2021YouTube continues improving and expand its streaming services to allow users to continue watching on the computer a video that they had previously stopped on their smartphones. This function requires having the Google account synchronized and in case of computers it is essential to have Chrome installed. Then, if the user pauses the video while it's playing in the YouTube app for Android or iOS, it will be possible to continue watching it from the same point on the computer. When YouTube is opened on the computer, a pop-up window will show in the lower right corner, with the playback line of the video, right where it was stopped, so the user can keep playing it when he decides.
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Amazon allows you to send gifts without knowing the recipient's address
06/10/2021In the United States, Amazon is testing a new service that allows the costumers to send surprise gifts without knowing the recipient's address. To do it, the buyer, who must be an Amazon Prime user, just has to choose the product on the platform, check the option "Let the recipient provide their address" and provide an email or mobile phone number of the person to whom you want to send the surprise gift. Then Amazon contacts the recipient by either of these two ways and informs him or her that a gift has been sent. To accept the package, the person must have an Amazon account and provide the marketplace his or her postal address so the gift can be delivered. If the person accepts the gift, or its equivalent in a gift card to spend on Amazon, immediately the product will be charged to the buyer's account and a conventional shipping process will start. But, if the person who has received the message informing about the gift does not answert or rejects the shipment, the order will be cancelled, and the person who bought the product will not pay anything. Now, this service is only available in the United States and only works with purchases made via mobile phone.
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Google ads a quick delete button to erase your recent search history
19/07/2021Google has just announced the addition of a quick delete browsing history feature in Chrome. This feature will save users from going to settings to delete the last visits done and with the intention of protection of personal data and privacy. The button is located in Chrome's main menu where you can access through the image of your Gmail account avatar. By clicking on the "Clear last 15 minutes" button, all searches performed in that period will disappear. In addition to this sort of "panic button" for quick deletion, Google also has an "auto-delete" feature, which we can configure to automatically and continuously delete our search history, along with other web and application activity, from our account after three, 18 or 36 months. By default, for new accounts the default automatic deletion option for web and app activity will be 18 months, but you can always choose to update your settings if you wish.
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