Google‘s AI-powered note-taking tool NotebookLM is now available globally. The tool, which the company calls a research and writing assistant, also adds support for Google Slides and websites as sources. It is getting more powerful as well, thanks to Gemini 1.5 Pro, the latest version of Google’s LLM (large language model) that powers the paid version of the Gemini AI chatbot.
NotebookLM gets more powerful with Gemini 1.5 Pro support
Google launched NotebookLM to help researchers, students, and everyone else organize their notes and learn more about a specific topic. You can upload Google Docs, PDFs, and text files and the AI tool will instantly become an expert in that material. You can then ask it anything about those topics, beyond what your files contain. It’s a handy free tool to use when exploring something new.
Since its launch in August 2023, Google has upgraded NotebookLM with various new capabilities. It can now have a spirited discussion between two AI speakers on any given topic, like a podcast. The latest update makes the tool smarter and more useful. You can now ask NotebookLM to summarize a Google Slides presentation or give it a web URL to explain its content in detail.
With Gemini 1.5 Pro’s native multimodal capabilities, it can answer questions about images, charts, and diagrams in your sources. Its responses also include citations to images and supporting passages in your sources, so you can double-check the AI-generated content. Additionally, NotebookLM can convert files into useful formats like FAQs, Briefing Docs, or Study Guides for a high-level understanding.
Google has also increased the number of sources users can upload to a notebook or project. It’s a ten-fold increase from 5 to 50. Each source can be 500,000 words long—that’s a lot of information to learn about any topic from scratch. Note that NotebookLM is a closed system. It cannot search the web for additional information. It will take your file and teach you more about it from its knowledge.
The AI tool is now available globally in more than 100 languages
All of these additions make NotebookLM more useful for researchers and students. Fittingly, Google has expanded the AI tool’s availability to over 200 countries and territories around the world. The platform’s UI is available in 107 languages, while it can read and identify documents or websites in 38 languages. Google may add support for more languages in the coming months. You can access NotebookLM here.
Over a year ago, OpenAI launched the ChatGPT app for iPhone, and it’s been steadily churning out updates to enhance user experience ever since. The newest update is no different – it now lets you use the app in the background.
Talking to ChatGPT while using other apps
The ChatGPT iPhone app now allows you to chat with ChatGPT while using other apps. This update brings ChatGPT one step closer to being your go-to digital assistant on your phone.By default, this new multitasking feature of ChatGPT is turned off, so you will have to activate it manually. Here’s how:
Make sure your ChatGPT app is updated to the latest version.
Open the app’s settings by tapping your name at the bottom of the sidebar.
Scroll down and switch on Background Conversations.
ChatGPT adds “Background Conversations” in its latest update.
It allows you to keep the conversation going even if you are using other apps or your screen is off.
Once you’ve turned on background conversations, you can start a voice chat with ChatGPT, leave the app, and continue talking. This makes it function a lot like an assistant, similar to Siri.Speaking of Siri, we’re just days away from Apple announcing an official partnership with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT-style intelligence to iOS 18 and possibly debuting a new and improved Siri.
No matter what Apple unveils next week regarding a partnership with OpenAI, the ongoing improvements to the ChatGPT app, making it more useful on iPhone, are a positive development, especially for the company.
As OpenAI leases its AI to Apple, powering Siri with ChatGPT, there must be some exclusive perks for the latter if the company wants iOS users to stick with it and even subscribe. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make much sense – why bother downloading and using ChatGPT if Siri has all of its best features?
If Siri with ChatGPT integration becomes the go-to option for Apple users, it could draw people away from the standalone ChatGPT app, especially for less creative tasks. Therefore, it’s either that ChatGPT will offer exclusive perks and also OpenAI could benefit from Apple’s extensive user base to improve ChatGPT further, or Apple made such an appealing deal with OpenAI that the AI company couldn’t resist what the tech giant brings to the table.
With Apple set to unveil the revamped Siri in just a few days, we’ll soon find out what all the buzz is about.
ShinyHunters hacking group has claimed to have breached Ticketmaster, stealing the personal data of 560 million users. The 1.3 TB of stolen data also includes payment details. Learn more about this major cybersecurity incident and its implications.
Update: 12:41 PM Monday, June 3, 2024 (GMT) – Live Nation Entertainment confirms its subsidiary Ticketmaster suffered a data breach after hackers put the data of 560 million users up for sale. Read the latest development here.
The notorious hacker group ShinyHunters has claimed to have breached the security of Ticketmaster-Live Nation, compromising the personal data of a whopping 560 million users. This massive 1.3 terabytes of data, is now being offered for sale on Breach Forums for a one-time sale for $500,000.
The Breach: Details and Implications
ShinyHunters has allegedly accessed a treasure trove of sensitive user information, including full names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, ticket sales and event details, order information, and partial payment card data. Specifically, the compromised payment data includes customer names, the last four digits of card numbers, expiration dates, and even customer fraud details.
ShinyHunters on Breach Forums claiming Ticketmaster data breach (Screenshot: Hackread.com)
The data breach, if confirmed, could have severe implications for the affected users, leading to potential identity theft, financial fraud, and further cyber attacks. The hacker group’s bold move to put this data on sale goes on to show the growing menace of cybercrime and the increasing sophistication of these cyber adversaries.
ShinyHunters’ Sophistication and Recent Activities
ShinyHunters is no stranger to the hacking and cybercrime world. The group is known for its high-profile data breaches and is also the owner and administrator of Breach Forums, a notorious platform for cybercrime activities.
Despite the FBI’s recent efforts to shut down the forum, ShinyHunters managed to reclaim the seized domain, showcasing their technical prowess and resilience against law enforcement actions. This, as reported by Hackread.com, not only resulted in the return of Breach Forums to the dark web but also saw its revival on the clearnet, using the original domain.
Communication and Response
In an exclusive communication with Hackread.com, ShinyHunters revealed that they have attempted to contact Ticketmaster regarding the breach but have yet to receive a response. Hackread.com has reached out to Ticketmaster for a comment, and the article will be updated with any responses or official statements from the company.
Oded Vanunu, Chief Technologist and Head of Products Vulnerability Research at Check Point commented on the issue stating, “The proof provided by the seller on the infamous BreachForum website appears legitimate, although it is yet to be validated. If the information is genuine, this is a huge cache of personal data on more than 560 million worldwide customers.”
“With this, cybercriminals can commit identity theft and financial fraud, launch phishing attacks or take over online accounts. They may also use the data for blackmail, extortion, medical identity theft or credential stuffing which could lead to significant financial losses for customers, damage to credit scores, and an erosion of trust,” Vanunu warned.
“Despite the best efforts by international law enforcement to seize control of BreachForum, the platform continues to re-emerge and aid those looking to buy and sell illicit information. Its bounce-back serves as a reminder of how resilient cybercriminals are, and why we as an industry need to keep pace with them in order to stop the extraction and trading of sensitive data,” he added.
A Troubled Cybersecurity Past
This isn’t Ticketmaster’s first encounter with cybersecurity issues. On January 26, 2023, the company admitted that ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s concerts were disrupted by a bot-driven attack, highlighting vulnerabilities in their ticketing system.
Furthermore, back in January 2021, Ticketmaster was found guilty of hacking into a rival company, Songkick, to obtain confidential information. This criminal activity led to a $10 million settlement paid to the victim company.
That’s not all. Last week, on Thursday, May 23, 2024, the US Justice Department (DoJ) sued Live Nation-Ticketmaster for monopolizing markets across the live concert industry. The lawsuit highlights a pattern of cybersecurity and ethical challenges faced by Ticketmaster over the years.
Users are advised to monitor their financial accounts closely, change passwords, and remain alert about potential phishing attempts. Companies like Ticketmaster must prioritize transparency and swift communication with their users to mitigate the damage and restore trust.
Stay tuned to Hackread.com for the latest updates on this developing story.
Earlier this week, a cybercriminal group posted an alleged database up for sale online which, it says, contains customer and card details of 560 million Live Nation/Ticketmaster users.
The data was offered for sale on one forum under the name “Shiny Hunters”. ShinyHunters is the online handle for a group of notorious cybercriminals associated with numerous data breaches, including the recent AT&T breach.
Post on BreachForums by ShinyHunters
The post says:
“Live Nation / Ticketmaster
Data includes
560 million customer full details (name, address, email, phone)
Ticket sales, event information, order details
CC detail – customer last 4 of card, expiration date
Customer fraud details
Much more
Price is $500k USD. One time sale.”
The same data set was offered for sale in an almost identical post on another forum by someone using the handle SpidermanData. This could be the same person or a member of the ShinyHunters group.
According to news outlet ABC, the Australian Department of Home Affairs said it is aware of a cyber incident impacting Ticketmaster customers and is “working with Ticketmaster to understand the incident.”
Some researchers expressed their doubts about the validity of the data set:
🚨🚨Thoughts on the alleged Ticketmaster Data Breach 🚨🚨
TLDR: Alert not Alarmed
The Ticketmaster data breach claim has provided BreachForums with the quick attention they need to boost their user numbers and reputation.
While others judged it looks legitimate based on conversations with involved individuals, and studying samples of the data set:
Today we spoke with multiple individuals privy to and involved in the alleged TicketMaster breach.
Sometime in April an unidentified Threat Group was able to get access to TicketMaster AWS instances by pivoting from a Managed Service Provider. The TicketMaster breach was not…
Whether or not the data is real remains to be seen. However, there’s no doubt that scammers will use this opportunity to make a quick profit.
Ticketmaster users will need to be on their guard. Read our tips below for some helpful advice on what to do in the event of a data breach.
You can also check what personal information of yours has already been exposed online with our Digital Footprint portal. Just enter your email address (it’s best to submit the one you most frequently use) to our free Digital Footprint scan and we’ll give you a report.
All parties involved have refrained from any further comments. We’ll keep you posted.
Protecting yourself after a data breach
There are some actions you can take if you are, or suspect you may have been, the victim of a data breach.
Check the vendor’s advice. Every breach is different, so check with the vendor to find out what’s happened, and follow any specific advice they offer.
Change your password. You can make a stolen password useless to thieves by changing it. Choose a strong password that you don’t use for anything else. Better yet, let a password manager choose one for you.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). If you can, use a FIDO2-compliant hardware key, laptop or phone as your second factor. Some forms of two-factor authentication (2FA) can be phished just as easily as a password. 2FA that relies on a FIDO2 device can’t be phished.
Watch out for fake vendors. The thieves may contact you posing as the vendor. Check the vendor website to see if they are contacting victims, and verify the identity of anyone who contacts you using a different communication channel.
Take your time. Phishing attacks often impersonate people or brands you know, and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts.
Consider not storing your card details. It’s definitely more convenient to get sites to remember your card details for you, but we highly recommend not storing that information on websites.
Set up identity monitoring.Identity monitoring alerts you if your personal information is found being traded illegally online, and helps you recover after.
We don’t just report on threats – we help safeguard your entire digital identity
Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Protect your—and your family’s—personal information by using identity protection.
ASUS just launched its first-ever ROG-branded portable gaming UPS, the ROG Mjolnir. Marvel fans, if the name rings a bell with you, yes! It looks exactly like the iconic weapon wielded by a certain Norse god of thunder. Everyone else, the new power station is shaped like Thor’s hammer. Unfortunately, this unique piece of tech isn’t expected to hit the market before 2025.
ASUS launches the ROG Mjolnir portable gaming UPS at Computex 2024
Computex 2024 is in full swing in Taipei, Taiwan. The mega computer expo has already given us a solid idea of where the PC industry is headed, with AI becoming integral to all future developments. Amidst all this, ASUS is here with a product that looks like a joke but is real. The ROG Mjolnir, which the company teased at the beginning of April saying that it isn’t an April Fool’s joke, is now official.
IT’S REAL GAMERS! Can you guess what feature we’re gonna add to complete your gaming experience?
It is a massive power station featuring a 768Wh LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) battery. The UPS can run a 700W PC or an RTX 4080 gaming system for about an hour or a 1200W system for 30 minutes. You can expect a much longer backup if you use it to power a regular PC for your office work or web browsing. ASUS claims a superfast switchover time of 10ms when your main power is cut.
The company has equipped the ROG Mjolnir with an LCD screen showing real-time information about its power draw and remaining battery life. The power station features four AC outlet plugs that can deliver a maximum power of 1200W. It also has two USB-C PD ports with 100W PD charging support. Additionally, you get two USB-A Quick Charge ports with up to 16W power output.
This isn’t it, though. The ROG Mjolnir’s handle is a magnetic, detachable torchlight. This is a well-thought-out addition from ASUS—a torchlight is a handy tool when there’s a power cut. The torchlight charges wirelessly when attached to the top surface of the UPS. It boasts Qi 2.0 wireless charging capabilities and is MagSafe compliant, so you can charge your compatible Android phone or iPhone too.
The UPS supports solar charging when outdoors
ASUS made the ROG Mjolnir primarily for gamers. The product has a rugged design that we see on the rest of the ROG lineup. However, you can easily take it outdoors without worrying about its charging. The UPS supports solar charging if you can’t find an AC source. Its charging speed and long-term battery health info are unavailable. ASUS also has yet to reveal its pricing and availability details. Reports say the power station is slated for an early 2025 release.
We all know Microsoft as a tech behemoth that’s not shy about buying out other companies to get ahead. However, this practice has landed it in legal trouble with several governmental bodies due to antitrust concerns. Microsoft had a deal with Inflection AI, and the FTC launched a probe into it to see if it dodged antitrust laws.
When a larger company wants to acquire the talent and resources from another company, it typically acquires it. However, it appears that Microsoft took another approach to getting Inflection AI’s talent. Back in March, Microsoft hired nearly every employee in the company. Along with that, the Redmond company also paid Inflection AI $650 million to acquire the license to its technology. It’s a classic multi-trillion-dollar corporation move.
The FTC launches a probe into the deal Microsoft made with Inflection AI
As you may know, the U.S. FTC keeps an eye on big businesses to make sure that they’re not making it harder for competition to flourish. As such, when a company spends more than $119 million to buy a company, it’s required to report it to the FTC.
The thing is that Microsoft didn’t acquire Inflection AI (technically). It just hired most of its employees and paid it $650 million to license its technology; it’s different… kinda. Let’s face facts, on its surface, it seems that Microsoft pulled this move to acquire the company’s talent and tech without actually buying it. We can guess that, if Microsoft bought Inflection AI, it would have been to the tune of $650 million, the same amount it paid to acquire the license.
Since it’s not an official acquisition, Microsoft didn’t technically need to report it to the FTC and deal with a possible block. If the FTC feels that a deal impacts competition in a market, it will sue to block the deal.
Buying a company without buying it
Now, The FTC is looking into this move that Microsoft pulled to see if the company did this to avoid a possible lawsuit. It launched a probe into this deal. If Microsoft assumes control over the company in the deal, then it could be found in violation of antitrust laws. Hiring the majority of a company’s employees and licensing its tech is essentially buying a company without buying it. The only difference is the ink on the contracts.
Microsoft claims that, while it hired all of its employees, Inflection AI still remains an independent company. It issued a statement to Engadget: “Our agreements with Inflection gave us the opportunity to recruit individuals at Inflection AI and build a team capable of accelerating Microsoft Copilot, while enabling Inflection to continue pursuing its independent business and ambition as an AI studio. We take our legal obligations to report transactions under the HSR Act seriously and are confident that we have complied with those obligations.”
So, we’re going to have to wait to see how this turns out. Not only is Microsoft a mega-corporation, but it already has OpenAI’s technology under its belt. How much is the company going to throw its weight around to push ahead in this AI race?
Yesterday, we mentioned an issue with the latest Google Maps beta, causing disruptions in Android Auto navigation. Well, Google wasted no time addressing the problem and is now pushing out an update to resolve it.
A fix for Android Auto issues caused by Google Maps beta is rolling out
The tech giant is pushing out a patch labeled as version 11.132.0101 for the Maps beta to Android Auto devices to address the crashes. It may take some time for your device to receive the update, so it might be wise to steer clear of the Google Maps beta for now.
Earlier this week, the company dropped its newest Maps beta, tagged as version 11.132.0100. But soon after installation, users hit the web to complain that the software messed up their Android Auto consoles. While the app runs fine on an Android phone, transferring its content to your car turns into a mess. The problem affects Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and other Android phones.
Some folks had trouble loading Google Maps on Android Auto | Image Credit – Tiekal/Reddit
But hey, that’s the deal with beta versions. They are still in the works, so it is not surprising if they don’t perform as expected. It’s a risk that all beta users should expect. But the upside is getting to try out cool features before they are officially released, even if it comes with a few bumps along the way.
The North Korean state-sponsored group known as Kimsuky has launched a sophisticated cyber-espionage campaign targeting a prominent weapons manufacturer in Western Europe.
This attack released on LinkedIn, discovered on May 16, 2024, underscores the growing threat state-sponsored cyber actors pose to critical defense infrastructure worldwide.
New Espionage Tools: The Kimsuky group employed novel espionage tools in this campaign, showcasing their evolving capabilities.
Primary Target: The main target of this attack was a Western European weapons manufacturer, highlighting the strategic importance of the defense sector.
Deceptive Lure: The attackers, a well-known military contractor, used the “General Dynamics” brand as a visual lure to deceive their targets.
Attack Vector
The attack began with a spear-phishing email sent to employees of the targeted organization.
Analyze any MaliciousURL, Files & Emails & Configuration With ANY RUN : Start your Analysis
The email contained a malicious JavaScript file attachment named “Safety Manager JD (General Dynamics HR Division II).jse.”
This filename was designed to appear as a legitimate job description document from General Dynamics.
Execution Flow
Upon opening the malicious file, the JavaScript code decoded two base64 data blocks.
The first block displayed a benign PDF file as a decoy, while the second block contained the malicious payload, executed silently in the background.
The decoy PDF described an open position for a system security manager, further adding to the deception.
The malicious file executed two files on the system: A legitimate PDF to distract the user and an executable library containing the espionage tool.
The executable library, encoded with double base64, included functions for remote execution by the attacker.
This tool was designed to evade detection by encrypting many strings and API function names decrypted at runtime.
To ensure persistence, the program created a new service called “CacheDB” with the start=auto parameter and inscribed itself in the system registry key, ensuring it launched every time it rebooted.
The program used a unique identifier to communicate with the command and control (C2) server, employing a User-Agent string that mimicked a legitimate browser.
The espionage tool provided the attacker with several capabilities, including:
Enumerating directories and files and exfiltrating information to the C2 server.
Retrieving the full path of running processes.
Capturing and exfiltrating screenshots.
Establishing socket connections to specified IP addresses.
Executing additional processes and downloading secondary payloads.
Entering a sleep mode for one hour.
Removing itself from the compromised system, including cleaning up registry entries.
Network Infrastructure
The C2 infrastructure initially called back to hxxp://download.uberlingen[.]com/index.php, resolving to 94.131.120[.]80.
This IP address was associated with multiple domains using illegitimate government naming schemes and was hosted on Stark Industries’ infrastructure.
Another IP address, 103.113.70[.]148, shared similar properties, further linking the infrastructure to Kimsuky.
Research into the network infrastructure revealed significant overlap with known Kimsuky operations, leading to a high-confidence assessment that Kimsuky is behind this campaign.
This attack is part of a broader pattern of North Korean state-sponsored cyber activities targeting the defense sector.
The attack on the Western European weapons manufacturer highlights the escalating risks and potential geopolitical implications of cyber warfare targeting essential military industries.
As the targeted manufacturer plays a crucial role in the defense supply chain, this incident underscores the need for heightened cybersecurity measures in the defense sector.
The Kimsuky group is expected to continue targeting military and aerospace-related entities worldwide, necessitating ongoing vigilance and monitoring.
Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)
The following IoCs were identified in the campaign:
Scammers love to bank on the good name of legitimate companies to gain the trust of their intended targets. Recently, it came to our attention that a cybercriminal is using fake websites for security products to spread malware. One of those websites was impersonating the Malwarebytes brand.
Image courtesy of Trellix
The download from the fake website was an information stealer with a filename that resembled that of the actual Malwarebytes installer.
Besides some common system information, this stealer goes after:
Account tokens
Steam tokens
Saved card details
System profiles
Telegram logins
List of running process names
Installed browser lists and their version
Credentials from the browser “User Data” folder, Local DB an autofill
Some scammers sell—sometimes illegal—copies of Malwarebytes for prices that are boldly exaggerated.
Others will try and phish you by sending you a confirmation mail of your subscription to Malwarebytes.
And sometimes when you search for Malwarebytes you will find imposters in between legitimate re-sellers. Some even use our logo.
In this case, Google warned us that there was danger up ahead.
The site itself was not as convincing as the advert, and some poking around in the source code told us the website was likely built by a Russian speaking individual.
How to avoid brand scams
It’s easy to see how people can fall for fake brand notices. Here are some things that can help you avoid scams that use our name:
Download software directly from our sites if you are not sure of the legitimacy of the ones offered to you.
Check that any emails that appear to come from Malwarebytes are sent from a malwarebytes.com address.
If you have any questions or doubts as to the legitimacy of something, you can contact our Support team.
We don’t just report on threats—we remove them
Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your devices by downloading Malwarebytes today.
After Samsung announced the Galaxy AI along with the new Galaxy S24 series, the sales rates of its smartphones increased significantly. The Galaxy S series is Samsung’s best-selling Android flagship devices. Earlier this year, the company officially unveiled the Galaxy S24 seriesat the January Unpacked event. Now, we’ve discovered some information that confirms Samsung is officially working on the upcoming Galaxy S25 series. We’ve spotted the Galaxy S25 Ultra in our IMEI database.
Samsung is working on the next flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is in the database with the model number “SM-S938U“. The previous Galaxy S24 Ultra had the model number “SM-S928U”. The “U” in the model number represents the US. For now, we only have this model number. However, we know that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will not be limited to the US market, and it is also available in other regions. This suggests that Samsung is continuing its strategy of expanding its next flagship, the Galaxy S25 series, to international markets.
We don’t have detailed specifications about the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, we can make some predictions for the Galaxy S25 Ultra based on previous models. Chipset differences varying by region will also exist for the Galaxy S25 series. So, the Galaxy S25 Ultra maybe powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset for the Galaxy in the US market. In some countries worldwide, Samsung may launch the new Galaxy S25 series with the Exynos 2500 chipset.
Also, according to reports published by Ice Universe, the Galaxy S25 series could come with a significant camera upgrade. The Galaxy S25 Ultra will allegedly feature a quad-camera setup. The camera lineup should be like this: 200 MP main camera, 50 MP Ultra Wide Angle, 50 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and 50 MP super telephoto with 5x optical zoom.
There is no exact information yet about the official launch and pricing of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, the Galaxy Unpacked event in 2024 took place on January 17. Next year’s Unpacked event could take place on a similar date. We can say that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will attract great attention and set new standards in the smartphone market. Stay tuned.
