Apps
Crypto-Miner has been Spreading Through Facebook Messenger
A new cryptocurrency-mining bot, named “Digmine”, that was first observed in South Korea, is spreading fast through Facebook Messenger across the world, Tokyo-headquartered cybersecurity major Trend Micro has warned.
After South Korea, it has since spread in Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, the Philippines, Thailand, and Venezuela. Considering the way this crypto-miner is spreading, it will be reaching other countries pretty soon.
Now, there is a very specific condition for this virus. This only affects the Desktop and Web Browser versions of the Messenger App. According to the firm, if the malware is opened on any other platform, the malware won’t work as intended.
So, what’s “Digmine”? It’s an Autoit coded malware that poses a video file. In actuality, it’s an executable script that sends itself directly to the victim’s Facebook contacts and friends.
Right now, the malware problem has limited itself to just propagating. However, the victims of the attack might have their accounts hijacked at a later time. This functionality’s code is pushed from the command-and-control (C&C) server, which means it can be updated.
The miner itself uses Monero, and its main goal is to stay in the victim’s system for as long as possible. Of course, since this is also a cryptocurrency-miner, it will be looking to spread itself to other users in order to bank a lot of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies.
The malware will also perform other routines such as installing a registry autostart mechanism as well as system infection marker. It will search and launch Chrome then load a malicious browser extension that it retrieves from the C&C server.
The malware is even capable of terminating and restarting Google Chrome in order to ensure the installation of the malicious plug-in. Thankfully, the best way to prevent this from happening is to avoid dubious links and video files sent by your friends and family.
WhatsApp launched dual-account support today. You can switch between accounts in WhatsApp.
Mark Zuckerberg announced the feature on Facebook and said it would soon be available.
People used to need two phones for two WhatsApp accounts. The company now allows two accounts on one phone. App cloning lets users use multiple WhatsApp instances on Xiaomi and Oppo phones.
“Helpful for switching between accounts – such as your work and personal – now you no longer need to log out each time, carry two phones or worry about messaging from the wrong place,” the company wrote in a blog post.
Users can add accounts under Settings > Add Account. Your second SIM or multi-SIM phone is needed for setup. Account-specific notifications and privacy settings are available, the company said.
WhatsApp discouraged fake apps to prevent fraud.
WhatsApp added Android passkey support this week, enabling access without SMS-based two-factor authentication.
X, formerly Twitter, announced today that it will experiment with charging “new unverified” users $1 per year to interact with posts. The company said this test is live in New Zealand and the Philippines and won’t affect existing users.
Users can post, like, repost, reply, bookmark, and quote for that fee. Free users get a read-only account to view posts and follow accounts.
This “Not A bot” program is not a profit driver, according to the company’s support account, but reason is hard to trust. The Elon Musk-owned company claims this program will reduce spam.
We created this new test to improve our already successful efforts to reduce spam, platform manipulation, and bot activity while balancing platform accessibility with the small fee. It does not generate profits, the company said.
The company said it would share spam-fighting program results on its support page.
Musk announced that X will charge “a small monthly payment” to use its service. The test program pays annually, but ethos is the same.
X (then Twitter) started requiring logins to view posts in June. Days later, the platform allowed logged-out users to view posts.
One year after Musk’s $44 billion acquisition, Simialrweb reports X traffic has dropped. The company has taken drastic measures to cut costs and make money.
In an interview last month, CEO Linda Yaccarino predicted X’s 2024 profitability. The former NBCU executive avoided discussing X’s user fees in the interview.
As of now, X only offers a $8 monthly plan. According to recently discovered code, the company may introduce three premium tiers, one ad-free.
Rick Osterloh, Google’s SVP of devices and services, says the Pixel 8 Pro will be the first hardware to run Google’s generative AI models.
At an event today, Osterloh said the Pixel 8 Pro’s custom-built Tensor G3 chip, which accelerates AI workloads, can run “distilled” versions of Google’s text- and image-generating models to power image editing and other apps.
Osterloh said, “We’ve worked closely with our research teams across Google to take advantage of their most advanced foundation models and distill them into a version efficient enough to run on our flagship Pixel.”
Google improved Magic Eraser, its photo-editing tool, to remove larger objects and people smudge-free using on-device models. Osterloh claims that this improved Magic Eraser creates new pixels to fill in shot gaps, producing a higher-quality image.
Osterloh says a new on-device model will “intelligently” sharpen and enhance photo details, improving zoom.
On-device processing benefits audio recording. The Pixel 8 Pro’s recording app will soon summarize meeting highlights.
Gboard will use a large language model on the Pixel 8 Pro to power smart replies. Osterloh claims that the upgraded Gboard will provide “higher-quality” reply suggestions and better conversational awareness.
Osterloh said an update in December will add on-device generative AI features except for Magic Eraser, which appears on the Pixel 8 Pro at launch.
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