Pink Drainer Posed as Journalists, Stole $3M from Discord and Twitter Users

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It has been determined that the Pink Drainer hackers have managed to pilfer approximately $3 million from nearly 1,932 victims.

A notorious hacker group known as “Pink Drainer” has been identified as the mastermind behind a series of high-profile Discord and Twitter hacks. Their targets include prominent projects such as Evomos, Pika Protocol, OpenAI CTO, and Orbiter Finance.

According to reports, the hackers have successfully lured users into clicking on phishing links by exploiting compromised Discord accounts, resulting in the loss of valuable assets.

ScamSniffer, an organization dedicated to tracking and combating online scams, has conducted an in-depth investigation and confirmed that Pink Drainer is responsible for the majority of the Discord hacks reported in the past month.

Through the analysis of stolen data across various blockchain networks, including Mainnet, Arbitrum, BNB, Polygon, and Optimism, it has been determined that the group has managed to pilfer approximately $3 million from nearly 1,932 victims.

The Pink Drainer hacking incidents have followed a similar pattern. The group has been employing sophisticated social engineering techniques, often masquerading as journalists from reputable media outlets like Decrypto and Cointelegraph.

Victims were then approached for interviews, which lasted for several days and ultimately required Know Your Customer (KYC) authentication. However, this process was a ruse to embed phishing attacks related to Discord in the final steps.

Pink Drainer Hackers Steal $3M from Discord and Twitter Users
Fake consent form – Stolen funds and number of victims (Image credit: ScamSniffer)

One particular method employed by Pink Drainer involved guiding Discord administrators to open a malicious “Carl verification bot” and directing them to add bookmarks containing malicious code. These bookmarks, when followed, triggered the execution of JavaScript (JS) code capable of stealing the victim’s Discord Token. This token theft granted the hackers unauthorized access to Discord accounts.

After gaining access, Pink Drainer took additional measures to prolong the attack. They removed other administrators, set the malicious account as an administrator, and manipulated the main account to engage in violations that led to it being blocked by Discord. These steps made it challenging to remove phishing messages from Discord servers, further exacerbating the impact on victims.

By analyzing various blockchain data, it has been determined that Pink Drainer successfully stole approximately $2.43 million from Mainnet and $350,000 from Arbitrum. The discovery of Pink Drainer can be attributed to the vigilant efforts of Taylor Monahan, who first identified the hacker group using ScamSniffer’s on-chain monitor bot. One victim, whose NFT assets worth nearly $320,000 were stolen, provided crucial information leading to the resolution of the address that transferred the assets, which was named “pink-drainer.eth.

The recent string of hacks attributed to Pink Drainer serves as a reminder of the evolving threat landscape in the cryptocurrency and online communities. Users must remain cautious and exercise vigilance when interacting with unfamiliar links or providing sensitive information.

In related news, a recent report by blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs indicates a significant drop in crypto-related hacks during the first quarter of 2023. The industry witnessed a 70% decrease in stolen funds, amounting to approximately $400 million across 40 attacks, compared to the same period in 2022. The decline can be partly attributed to legal actions against hackers and the impact of sanctions imposed on the crypto mixer Tornado Cash, which has made it increasingly difficult for criminals to launder their illicit proceeds.

  1. How hackers behind Twitter Bitcoin scam were caught
  2. Atomic Wallet Hit by $35M Theft in Recent Crypto Breach
  3. New malware targets Discord users to steal personal data
  4. Telegram and Discord Bots Delivering Infostealing Malware
  5. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s account hacked with racial slurs

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Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra spotted with 12GB RAM, S9 FE in the works

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Samsung‘s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has popped up on Geekbench ahead of its launch next month. The device will arrive in late July as the company’s latest top-of-the-line flagship Android tablet. The Korean firm also has a base Galaxy Tab S9 and Galaxy Tab S9+ in the works. It is reportedly working on a Galaxy Tab S9 FE as well.

The new Geekbench listing shows the Wi-Fi version of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra (model number SM-X910). The global 5G version bears the model number SM-X916B, while it’s SM-X918U for the US 5G version. The listing confirms that the device will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 “for Galaxy” chipset, the same chipset that powers the Galaxy S23 series. It scored 2,086 points in single-core and 5,686 points in multi-core tests on Geekbench v6.

Samsung has paired the processor with 12GB of RAM, though the tablet may also come in other memory configurations. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra will run Android 13 out of the box. We are expecting the company to ship the device with One UI 5.1.1, a new version of its custom software that is already in development. The current version is One UI 5.1. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 foldables should also debut with One UI 5.1.1 next month.

As said earlier, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra will be accompanied by two more flagship tablets: Galaxy Tab S9 (SM-X710/SM-X716B/SM-X718U) and Galaxy Tab S9+ (SM-X810/SM-X816B/SM-X818U). The latter has already received the FCC certification along with the Ultra. The base model should also pick up FCC approval soon.

Samsung also has a Galaxy Tab S9 FE in the works

Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in late July may debut three new Galaxy Tab S9 series flagship tablets, but they may not be the only models in the lineup. It reportedly also has a Galaxy Tab S9 FE in the pipeline. The first hint at a possible new FE-series tablet popped up through Geekbench in early April. It was later rumored that Samsung may launch two variants of the new FE tablet.

While we haven’t heard much about the device since, noted tipster Roland Quandt recently claimed that the Korean firm has already begun work on the Galaxy Tab S9 FE. He didn’t share further information, though. Considering the lack of rumors about it, the tablet may arrive later in the year, possibly alongside the Galaxy S23 FE. The new FE phone appears to be slated for a Q4 2023 release. We should get to learn more about these two FE-series devices in the coming months.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra Geekbench


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Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G9 costs $2,199 and pre-orders are live

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Samsung has announced the official price of the Odyssey OLED G9 gaming monitor, and as expected it’s going to be a rather expensive gaming monitor to add to your setup.

You’ll be able to purchase the new Odyssey OLED G9 display for a not so modest price of $2,199. This probably surprises no one given it’s still a 49-inch display with an OLED panel. And given the fact that Samsung’s other Odyssey G9 displays have all been around the same price, give or take a couple hundred bucks.

Still, that never takes away the sting of the high cost. If the cost is within your budget and you’d like to grab one, you can also pre-order the monitor starting today. It’s available from Samsung’s online store as well as retailers like Best Buy.

Samsung offsets the Odyssey OLED G9 price a little if you pre-order

You won’t be saving any money on the monitor itself. But Samsung will give you a gift if you pre-order the monitor between now and launch. That gift of course is a $250 e-gift certificate for the Samsung online store. You also don’t get the gift right away so you can’t use it on the purchase of the monitor.

As Samsung mentioned in its announcement about the monitor reservations last week, it could take up to 35 days before you get the e-gift certificate. The company also clearly states the $250 can’t be used for the monitor. Though perhaps you could use it on the purchase of a second one.

With this ultrawide monitor at your disposal, you’ll see just about every detail you could ever want in all of your games. At stunning Dual Quad High Definition with support for up to a 240Hz refresh rate. If you’ve got the desk space, there’s likely no better way to play games. And there’s a lot of games coming out in the next few months that would look excellent on this monitor.


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Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover display will run ‘some’ full apps

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Companies are perfecting the clamshell foldable phone form factor, and they’re getting close to cracking it. We are currently waiting for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and, according to Sam Mobile, this phone’s cover display will run some full apps.

One issue that people have with clamshell foldables is how tiny their outer displays are. They’re good for displaying notifications and some small widgets. However, you can’t do much more with them. Companies like Samsung and Motorola are trying to change this.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 will run some full apps on its outer display

What’s as important as the ability to unfold your phone is what you can do without even having to open it. According to the report, there will be a short list of full apps that you can use on the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s outer display. What we know is that some of these apps are coming straight from Google.

The list includes apps like Google Maps, Google Messages, and YouTube. These apps are referred to as “optimized”, so they will be suited to work perfectly with the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s display. So, you won’t have to worry about any issues using these apps.

Along with those apps, we also got word that Samsung will provide its own first-party apps optimized for the smaller screen. That’s something to be expected. We are not sure what apps the company is going to optimize, but we can expect that they will be apps core to the smartphone experience.

Mark your calendars!

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is expected to be announced along with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at the end of next month. This is much earlier than the announcement of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4.

Also during the event, we are expecting to see the announcement of the Galaxy Tab S9 series. These will be an improvement over last year’s tablets. There’s not much that we know about these devices, but all will be revealed when Samsung has its next unpacked event.


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Former Samsung executive indicted for stealing chip tech

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Prosecutors have reportedly indicted a former Samsung executive on charges of stealing and leaking company secrets. The suspect is accused to have used the illegally obtained confidential Samsung data to build a copycat chip factory in China. Officials did not reveal the identity of the accused.

According to a Reuters report, the suspect illegally acquired critical information about Samsung’s semiconductor technology when working for the company. They used the data to build a rival chip factory just about a mile (1.5km) away from the Korean firm’s chip manufacturing facility in Xian, China between 2018 and 2019. The attempt failed due to funding issues, but the person ended up with cuffs around their wrists.

“It’s a grave crime that could deal a heavy blow to our economic security by shaking the foundation of the domestic chip industry at a time of intensifying competition in chip manufacturing,” the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement. The defendant, meanwhile, is denying the allegations. They have already been arrested, though. The court has yet to confirm the trial date for the case.

This data theft is estimated to have caused Samsung losses of at least KRW 300 billion (more than $233 million). The accused may not have pulled off the theft alone, though. Prosecutors have reportedly also indicted six other people for their suspected involvement. Among them is an inspection company employee who may have leaked the architectural plan of the company’s semiconductor factory.

Apart from Samsung, the prime suspect in this data theft also worked with another South Korean semiconductor firm SK Hynix, serving as a Vice President. Their tenure or designation at Samsung is not known. But, the report suggests the person held a high-level position at the company. Overall, the person worked in the Korean semiconductor industry for about 28 years.

Prosecutors previously indicted four Samsung employees on similar charges

This isn’t the first case of Samsung employees stealing critical semiconductor technology. In October last year, prosecutors indicted four current and former Samsung employees on similar charges. These indictments are coming amid the South Korean government’s push to strengthen the nation’s semiconductor industry. Prosecutors say these kinds of data thefts jeopardize national economic security.

“We will sternly deal with any leakage of our technology abroad and strongly respond to illegal leaks of domestic companies’ core technologies in semiconductor, automobile, and shipbuilding sectors among others,” Reuters quoted a South Korean police official as saying. The country has launched a nationwide investigation, arresting 77 people involved in 35 cases of suspected corporate spying over the past four months.


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Google Meet wants to keep you safe while walking

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Most people use Google Meet at their desks or in crowded coffee shops. However, some people have to join the meetings on the go using their mobile app. Google Meet might come out with a feature called On-the-Go that will keep you safe while you’re walking.

This feature was discovered through a 9To5Google APK deep-dive. As such, you should take this news with a grain of salt. Code for this feature was discovered deep within the Google Meet app, so, it was not officially announced by Google. As such, the company can take this away at any moment.

Google Meet will launch the On-the-Go feature for when you’re walking

A lot of the time, it’s the user’s responsibility to be safe. However, it doesn’t mean that clever software features can’t help in that regard. According to 9To5Google, if Google Meet discovers that you are walking while on a meeting, the app will prompt you to turn on the On-the-Go feature.

This is essentially a mode to help minimize distractions while you’re in the meeting. There are some meetings that are too important to pass up, and you may find yourself attending the meeting while on your way to the office.

When you activate On-the-Go, the interface will change so that it’s a lot less distracting. For starters, the video feed from the other people in the meeting will disappear so that you’re not constantly having to look at your phone.

Google Meet On the Go

Next, all the function buttons will be enlarged. This will make them much easier to see. In the screenshot, we see the mute, raise hand, audio, and hang-up buttons presented as big bubbly Material You UI elements. Not only are they easy to see, but they comply with your Material You color theme.

You will either activate this mode when Google Meet prompts you or manually through the menu. At this point, we don’t know when or if Google will launch this feature. Hopefully, it does because it seems like a very useful feature


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US Senators introduce bipartisan bills to address AI development concerns

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It’s no secret that ever since the start of the AI revolution with the launch of ChatGPT, the US government has had its concerns regarding the rampant development and transparency in the field. Now, in an effort to address these issues, US senators have recently introduced two bipartisan bills that will focus on increasing transparency in government AI usage and ensuring the US remains competitive in the latest technological advancements.

These bills come after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated he had scheduled three briefings aimed at educating the senators about these AI systems, with the first session focusing on defence and intelligence implications.

“This legislation will better synchronize our national security community to ensure America wins the technological race against the Chinese Communist Party,” said Senator Young.

Disclosing AI usage

Introduced by Senators Gary Peters, Mike Braun, and James Lankford, the first bill focuses on transparency, as it mandates that federal agencies disclose their use of AI when interacting with individuals. Additionally, the bill also includes a provision for individuals to appeal decisions made by AI systems.

“The federal government needs to be proactive and transparent with AI utilization and ensure that decisions aren’t being made without humans in the driver’s seat,” said Senator Braun.

Assessing Global Competition

Meanwhile, the second bill, introduced by Senators Michael Bennet, Mark Warner, and Todd Young, aims to establish an Office of Global Competition Analysis, which would be responsible for assessing the country’s competitive position in AI development, particularly in comparison to China, which has recently intensified its efforts in the field. Additionally, the bill also acknowledges the importance of maintaining a competitive advantage in other key areas, including semiconductors and quantum computing.

“There is no single federal agency evaluating American leadership in critical technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, despite their significance to our national security and economic prosperity,” said Senator Young.


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Manchester Cyber Attack – Hackers Stolen Sensitive Data

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Manchester Cyber Attack

An alarming cyberattack has hit the University of Manchester, and the University confirmed this incident officially on June 9, 2023.

This unfortunate event likely resulted in threat actors’ unauthorized access, raising concerns about potential data exposure.

The University of Manchester has over 10,000 dedicated staff and 45,000 enrolled students. 

This University is UK’s one of the major and most successful public research institutes.

The University of Manchester Cyber Incident

The discovery of a breach in their systems has confirmed the infiltration by an attacker, raising concerns regarding the potential duplication of data.

Moreover, it has been confirmed that University is already working actively with internal security professionals and external support. 

This united collab will address the issue, accurately verify the affected systems, and restore the functionality of the systems in a timely manner.

While apart from this, the University has already informed this incident to the following authorities:-

  • Information Commissioner’s Office
  • National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
  • National Crime Agency

As of now, the members of the University are not mandated to reset their passwords. But it is strongly recommended to maintain a state of high alertness to mitigate phishing attacks.

The University cannot give specific answers yet about who carried out the attack or if any important research or personal information was taken. 

As they are still investigating the whole matter with security experts and assured that they would share all the key updates with the public once they have more information.

Stop Advanced Email Threats That Target Your Business Email – Try AI-Powered Email Security


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A 13-year-old spent almost $65K on mobile games

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We’ve all been obsessed with that new mobile game we downloaded on our phones, and we’ve all spent just a few more dollars on it than we should have. However, one Chinese teen took things a little bit too far. According to a report from Insider (via Phone Arena) a 13-year-old in China spent $64K on mobile games.

$64K on mobile games

Not too long ago, a woman by the name of Gong Yiwang got a call from her daughter’s boarding school. Her teacher was concerned that her 13-year-old daughter was spending a lot of money on mobile games, and her concerns would be correct. Yiwang check the bank account to see that she only had 7¢ left in her account (.5 Yuan).

It turned out that her daughter had spent a whopping $64K (over 450,000 Yuan) on mobile games between January and May. A breakdown of the charges revealed that she spent $16,800 (119,983.92 Yuan) on game accounts, and $30,000 (214,257.00 Yuan) on in-game purchases. The remainder of the money she gave away to peers. The image below shows some of the transactions that she made.

Game transactions

The daughter said that she had no idea where the money came from. However, the investigation found that she had used her mother’s debit card to make the transactions, and she actually deleted her chat and transaction history to cover up her purchases. So, this isn’t a case of a child unknowingly spending a lot of money on transactions. She knew what she was doing.

As for sending money to her peers, in an interview with Elephant News, the Chinese news channel that covered the story, she said “If I didn’t send it to them, they would bother me all day.” So, her friends caught wind of her addiction and capitalized on it.

Her mother has tried to contact the game developers and reclaim the money. As of yet, she has not been able to recover the full amount.

Overarching issue

The story points to an overarching issue that affects kids and young adults getting carried away with spending money on apps. Mobile game addiction exists. Around the world, parents are looking at their bank accounts to discover that their children spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on mobile games.

This is why it’s important to constantly monitor your children when they get access to mobile devices. Also, it’s important to keep an eye on your bank account for any suspicious activities. In the case of Gong Yiwang, this happened over the course of five months. If your child did spend money on games, you will want to catch that as early as you can.


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Here’s how you can avoid the upcoming Paramount+ price increase

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Paramount+ has announced that starting on June 27, everyone’s bills will be going up by a buck or two, depending on the plan you have. So the ad-supported plan will go up to $5.99 per month and the ad-free will be now $11.99 per month. But what if there was a way to avoid that price increase?

Luckily there is. And it’s a simple one, but also only temporary. Basically, before June 27, pre-pay for a year of Paramount+. That will lock you in at the current price of $49.99 for the ad-supported, and $99 for the ad-free tier, for a full year.

Now, you will need to cancel your account, and then create a new one (with a new email) to do this. So it’s not super simple, but hey, that means you aren’t getting the price increase for a full year.

Should you keep Paramount+?

Paramount+ is one of the smaller streaming services out there. It’s the successor to CBS All Access, and using the name of the studio that creates a lot of great content – Paramount Pictures.

On Paramount+, you’ll find a lot of your favorite shows from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and many others. All of the brands from Paramount and Viacom. There’s a ton of great originals available on Paramount+, including Fatal Attraction, Criminal Minds: Evolution, Seal Team, Challenge World Championship and much more.

Paramount+ also has a pretty decent amount of sports. You can stream the NFL, but only games in your local market, unfortunately. It also has the PGA Tour, UEFA Champions League, Serie A, NWSL, Combate Global, Showtime Boxing and more to come.

It also has some great news options available. Local CBS affiliates are available, as well as CBS Mornings and the 24/7 streaming news channel – CBS News.

For about $5 or $6 per month, it’s not too bad of a service, and it is also one of the cheaper ones out there. So it might be worth keeping Paramount+, especially if you can prepay a year of the service and lock in that cheaper price.


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