Ad tracking has been scrutinized (and for a reason) in the past couple of years. And although this is good if you don’t like to be tracked, it has another effect – many social media platforms are now looking into paid subscriptions. And while that isn’t necessarily bad on its own, locking free features behind a paywall is a surprise not many users are pleased to see. Now, Android Police reports that YouTube may be testing reserving high bitrate 1080p resolution to paying users.
YouTube seems to be testing 1080p Premium with enhanced bitrate
One user has spotted the change and shared a screenshot on Reddit. The screenshot shows an option 1080p Premium, which sits on top of a ‘standard’ 1080p option for video resolution.
As Android Police rightfully notes, at first glance this may look like a way to brand full HD videos with higher-than-usual frame rates as reserved for paid subscribers. However, YouTube may be looking into locking 1080p videos in 60 or 120 fps behind this paywall.
Given the fact that the option says “Premium” it isn’t far-fetched to believe it is referring to YouTube Premium, which is the platform’s paid subscription option. Another similar experiment was conducted last year, but there the 2160p60 setting was Premium and the caption read “Tap to upgrade”. But that makes a little bit more sense than, for example, locking 1080 at 60fps behind a paywall. But we’ll see – this is by far info that’s not yet confirmed (and it’s unclear whether it will happen).
Recently, YouTube had a change in CEO as Susan Wojcicki resigned after spending nine years as YouTube’s CEO. Changes in a company’s strategy are inevitable when the head is changed.
YouTube Premium currently costs $12 a month and it gives you access to ad-free videos, background playback, offline video downloading, and YouTube Music Premium. For now, YouTube Music and Premium’s subscription base is growing, and it’s been reported at around 80 million users in Q4, 2022.
All in all, there are interesting things ahead in 2023 for YouTube and YouTube Premium. Of course, it’s early to say whether or not this 1080p Premium will be 60 fps or 120 fps, or something more exclusive… but hopefully the change doesn’t make free features now locked behind a paywall – that would be, let’s just say it, a bummer.
Numerous cybercrime groups, including REvil, Dharma, and Netwalker, have used NLBrute.
A 28-year-old Russian national, Dariy Pankov a/k/a “dpxaker.”, was arrested in the Republic of Georgia on October 4, 2022, and, upon request, extradited to the United States, where he appeared before Magistrate Christopher P. Tuite on 21st February 2023.
Pankov is charged with conspiracy, access device fraud, and computer fraud. The Department of Justice’s press release explains that Pankov was behind the creation of a brute force attack tool known as “NLBrute”.
A brute force attack uses trial-and-error to guess the login credentials of password-protected systems.
Pankov marketed, sold, and had others sell NLBrute, which was used by numerous cybercrime groups, including REvil, Dharma, and Netwalker. He also sold stolen credentials on dark web websites that specialize in the sale and purchase of access to compromised computers.
Dairy Pankov, a.k.a. dpxaker (Image source: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)
Cybercriminals purchased the login information and used it in various malicious campaigns, including tax fraud and ransomware attacks. Pankov obtained more than $350,000 in illicit sales.
Igor Litvak, Pakov’s attorney, told CNN that his client will plead not guilty and maintain his innocence. Pankov faces a maximum sentence of 47 years in federal prison if convicted on all counts. He is currently being held in the Pinellas County Jail outside of Tampa, where he was booked on Monday.
According to local media, a female voice rendered the fake alerts from several radio stations, including Yumor FM, Relax FM, Comedy Radio, Humor FM, and Avatoradio. The false warning announced an air raid and requested the listeners to seek shelter quickly.
Millions of Russian citizens in over a dozen cities were baffled to hear unusual radio alerts, sirens, and text messages this Wednesday morning. These warnings were about missile strikes and air raids on Russia.
However, the Russian government’s Ministry of Emergency Situations later announced that these were fake warnings and blamed hackers for airing false alerts on commercial radio stations.
According to local media, a female voice rendered the fake alerts from several radio stations, including Yumor FM, Relax FM, Comedy Radio, Humor FM, and Avatoradio. The false warning announced an air raid and requested the listeners to seek shelter quickly.
“Attention, an air raid warning is being announced. Go to the shelter immediately. Attention, Attention, the threat of a missile strike.”
Today, radio stations across Russia including in Volgograd, Stavropol, Moscow region broadcasted air raid warnings (the video is reportedly from Belgorod)
These bogus warnings were broadcast in ten cities, including Kazan, Tyumen, Pyatigorsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh, Magnitogorsk, Novouralsk, Ufa, and Stary Oskol. Loud sirens followed these warnings, and civilians were urged to seek out air raid shelters. Some people recorded these false warnings on camera.
Locals in the cities where the warnings were broadcast, such as the Kurgan and Belgorod regions, promptly informed citizens that these were false warnings. The ministry noted that the warnings were caused by an attack on a satellite operator’s infrastructure.
Moreover, government officials stated that an unauthorized “tie-in is going in the air,” clarifying that the alarm signals were fake. Authorities claim that the perpetrators could be linked to the Kyiv regime.
A tweet shared by Anonymous with Hackread.com claims that it was the Anonymous hacktivist collective behind the hacking spree.
Earlier, a Denial of Service attack (DDoS attack) disrupted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s address to the nation on state media sites. Ukrainian hackers claimed responsibility for the attack.
“As a result of a hacker attack on the servers of some commercial radio stations in some regions of the country, information was broadcast about an alleged announcement of an air raid warning and a threat of a missile strike,” the ministry’s statement read.
It is worth noting that most stations airing these alerts are owned by Russia’s leading media company, Gazprom-Media. Furthermore, the alerts were aired just two days before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A couple of days back, Samsung released the first software update for the Galaxy S23 series. The rollout began in Europe. But the company has wasted no time to bring it to other regions. The update is now available for Galaxy S23 users in Asia and Africa as well, including in Samsung‘s homeland South Korea. We expect the company to release the update in the US over the next few days.
Galaxy S23 units sold in Europe, Asia, and Africa bear the same model number (SM-S911B for the base model, SM-S916B for the Plus, and SM-S918B for the Ultra). So the updated firmware version for the phones in these regions is the same — S91*BXXU1AWBD. But the South Korean versions ship with the model number SM-S91*N. The latest update comes with firmware version S91*NKSU1AWBD in the country.
The story is similar for Galaxy S23 phones in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China as well. The new Samsung flagships bear the model number SM-S91*0 in these markets. Users are getting the new update with the firmware build number S91*0ZHU1AWBD. But regardless of the firmware version, the latest update for the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra has the same changelog everywhere.
The February update for the Galaxy S23 reaches more markets
Samsung’s changelog for the first firmware release for the Galaxy S23 series doesn’t go into detail. It only states that the package contains some optimizations and the February 2023 Android security patch. The latest SMR (Security Maintenance Release) patches more than 50 vulnerabilities.
Samsung’s security bulletin says seven of those are Galaxy-specific. Those vulnerabilities don’t exist in Android devices from other brands. They patch flaws in Fingerprint TA, Secure Folder, and other systems apps and services.
The remaining 40-odd vulnerabilities patched by this month’s security update are part of Google’s latest ASB (Android Security Bulletin). They patch flaws in Android OS and other partner components. The Android maker labeled five of those as critical vulnerabilities that could potentially allow remote code execution if a threat actor exploited them in the wild. It could pave the way for them to remotely control your phone.
If you are one of the early buyers of Samsung’s latest flagships, you might want to install this update as soon as possible to stay safe from these vulnerabilities. You can go to the Software update menu in the Settings app and tap on Download and install to check for updates manually or wait for a notification prompting you to download the update. For users in the US, we will let you know when Samsung releases the update stateside.
Baseball is back. America’s pastime is starting this month with Spring Training, and then Opening Day in late March. So how can you watch all of the action? Well that is what we are here to tell you.
Will the Houston Astros make it back to the World Series in October? Well, we have over 162 games to find out. The baseball season is quite long, lasting from April (technically, March 30) through September. With the playoffs lasting through October and the World Series at the very end of the month. Last year, we saw the Houston Astros take on the Philadelphia Phillies and win 4-2 in a six-game series. Can they repeat?
When is opening day?
Opening Day is set to take place on March 30, 2023. This year, all 30 MLB teams will be playing on Opening Day. That’s the first time since 1968 that every team has played on Opening Day, which is quite shocking. Here’s the full schedule for Opening Day.
Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals – 1:05 p.m. ET
San Francisco Giants at New York Yankees – 1:05 p.m
Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox – 2:10 p.m.
Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs – 2:20 p.m.
Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays – 3:10 p.m.
Philadelphia Phillies at Texas Rangers – 4:05 p.m.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds – 4:10 p.m.
Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres – 4:10 p.m.
Toronto Blue Jays at St. Louis Cardinals – 4:10 p.m.
Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals – 4:10 p.m.
New York Mets at Miami Marlins – 4:10 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros – 7:08 p.m.
Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics – 10:07 p.m.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers – 10:10 p.m.
Cleveland Guardians at Seattle Mariners – 10:10 p.m.
What channels show MLB games?
The majority of the games are going to be on regional sports networks or RSNs. So depending on where you live, you might be able to get that from YouTube TV, FuboTV or DIRECTV Stream. Bally Sports RSNs for example are only on FuboTV and DIRECTV Stream.
What about the national games? Well, those are typically on Fox, FS1, TBS, ESPN, MLB Network or Apple TV Plus. Fox, FS1, TBS and ESPN are available on most streaming TV platforms. MLB Network is available on many, but not all – for example, YouTube TV just removed it for the 2023 season.
Now when it comes to Apple TV Plus, subscribers can watch Friday Night Baseball each Friday throughout the season. Apple TV Plus has two games each Friday. Some are on at the same time, while others will be doubleheaders.
How to watch the MLB without cable
Now lets talk about how you can watch the MLB without cable. The best option will be MLB.TV, if you want to watch multiple teams. But if you want to watch your home team (and you live in that market), then your local RSN is going to be the best option.
MLB.TV
MLB.TV is great because it allows you to watch every single game throughout the league. But there is one catch. Local games are not available on MLB.TV. That means that if you live in the Seattle market, you can’t watch Mariners games on MLB.TV. So it’s not quite a replacement for having the RSN available that plays the Mariners games. But if you’ve moved, and want to watch the Red Sox in Seattle, then it’s a good option.
MLB.TV is not going to be cheap though. The full season will be $149, or 119 if you want a single team. You can also pay monthly for $25/month, but that comes out to being a lot more expensive. MLB.TV does also include minor league and spring training games.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is my personal favorite for watching sports, even though they don’t have Bally Sports RSNs. YouTube TV does have FOX, FS1, TBS and ESPN however. And as noted before, they have dropped the MLB Network, effective for 2023. So you get the majority of the nationally televised games on YouTube TV.
As far as RSNs go, YouTube TV does have the NBC Sports RSNs, but not Bally Sports. NBC Sports is available in a few markets. One of the best parts of having YouTube TV is that you can record every single game. Since it gives you unlimited cloud DVR.
FuboTV
FuboTV is a service that is built for sports. It has a lot of great sports networks available, but for Baseball, it carries all of the networks. And it has also just added Bally Sports RSNs once again. Though some of those RSNs won’t be available until the baseball season starts in April, so you might miss out on spring training.
FuboTV does start at $74.99, so it is more expensive than YouTube TV. But that does get you over 147 channels, along with 1,000 hours of cloud DVR included. It does offer a free trial which you can check out here.
DIRECTV Stream
DIRECTV Stream also has all of the channels for nationally televised games. And it starts at $74.99 per month as well. However, if you want to get the RSNs that will cost you a bit more. You would need their $99/month plan that includes the RSNs, and that does include Bally Sports.
DIRECTV Stream’s Choice package includes 105 channels, allows you to stream on unlimited devices in your home and gives you unlimited cloud DVR storage like YouTube TV does. You can sign up for DIRECTV Stream here.
Sling TV
Sling TV is the cheapest option here. It starts at just $40 per month. And with the Sling Orange package, you’ll get access to ESPN and TBS. With Sling Blue you’ll get FOX (in select areas) and FS1. Or you can get both packages for $45 per month.
MLB Network is available as a add-on. In the Sports Extra add-on, you’ll get the SEC Network, ACC Network, Longhorn Network, Pac-12 Network, ESPN-U, ESPNEWS, MLB Network, NBA TV, beinSports, Tennis Channel, NHL Network and the MLB Strike Zone for $11 per month. So to get all of those networks, you’ll need to pay $56 per month. And Sling TV does not have any RSNs.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is another good option here. It does include ESPN, FOX, FS1 and TBS for the national games. But it does not have the MLB Network. It also has some RSNs, but not Bally Sports. So keep that in mind.
Hulu does start at $69.99, which does include ESPN+, as well as 85 of the top cable channels, unlimited screens, the Hulu library and unlimited DVR. You can sign up here.
There’s never a dull moment with TikTok. Even if there are periods of calm, sooner or later, there is always a new conspiracy or dangerous trend that revolves around the dangerously popular social platform. So much so that state officials are politely asking Big Tech to outright ban TikTok.
The company behind the short form video platform doesn’t take this sitting down though. And while they could retaliate and fight this move, they opted for peace and transparency. The company outright invited officials to examine their business and algorithm as closely as they want to.
Now, in an attempt to prove their claim to that invitation, the company has unveiled the integration of a brand new API — Application Programming Interface, think of it as a mini-software that does a specific thing — which provides public data on accounts and content to researchers worldwide.
TikTok has over a billion downloads on GooglePlay alone.
While this includes both state researchers and nonprofit organizations, the worldwide part is a bit of a goal, as the API is currently available in the US only. And is that any wonder, considering that the States is where TikTok gets the most blame, as its popularity is skyrocketing with American youths?
The API has already received feedback from Content and Safety Advisory Councils and that feedback has even been implemented. TikTok public relations states that the company is looking forward to receiving more feedback in the future from nonprofit researchers too.
But what type of data will these researchers have access to? Well, here’s a breakdown:
Public user profile data, like usernames
Public content data, like comments, captions subtitles
Performance data, meaning likes, views and favorites
Public data for keywords and their performance
Not at all malicious or user-threatening. Neat! Basically, this sounds like a compilation of everything that you can find on the platform itself, but presented in a way that does not require weeks of tracking in order to find everything you may need.
The API is live now, and if you are part of a nonprofit organization that may need stats like those mentioned above, the application process is available here. While we can’t say that this will help TikTok leave the deep waters the company has found itself in, we are eager to see how things will go from here on out.
Cybercriminals can breach the security of your home WiFi and potentially cause you significant harm. Your home network may be used by malicious cyber actors to access sensitive, private, and personal data.
The National Security Agency published best practices for securing your home network to assist you in protecting yourself, your family, and your work by engaging in cybersecurity-aware behaviors.
Adopt the Following Mitigations to Your Home Network
Upgrade and update all equipment and software regularly, including routing devices.
Exercise secure habits by backing up your data and disconnecting devices when connections are not needed.
Limit administration to the internal network only.
Checklist To Secure Home Wi-Fi Network
To minimize the danger of compromise, all electronic computing equipment, including computers, laptops, printers, smartphones, tablets, security cameras, household appliances, automobiles, and other “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices, must be secured.
Further, by adopting the most recent version of an OS that is supported for desktops, laptops, and mobile devices, you can make it more difficult for an adversary to obtain privileged access. IoT devices connected to a home network are frequently overlooked but also need updates.
NSA recommends turning on the automatic update feature. Download and install patches and updates from a trusted vendor once a month if automated updates are not possible.
“To maximize administrative control over the routing and wireless features of your home network, consider using a personally owned routing device that connects to the ISP-provided modem/router”, recommends NSA.
Also, for network separation from your more reliable and private gadgets, use modern router features to set up a separate wireless network for visitors.
“To minimize vulnerabilities and improve security, the routing devices on your home network should be updated to the latest patches, preferably through automatic updates. These devices should also be replaced when they reach end-of-life (EOL) for support”, NSA.
Make sure your personal or ISP-provided WAP is capable of Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 to keep your wireless communications private (WPA3). You can use WPA2/3 if any of the devices on your network do not support WPA3.
NSA mentions that to keep wireless communication secure on your home network, use network segmentation. Your wireless network should be segmented at a minimum into your primary Wi-Fi, guest Wi-Fi, and IoT network.
Make sure your personal router can perform the most basic firewall functions. In order to prevent internal systems from being scanned over the network boundary, make sure it has network address translation (NAT). Make sure your router has IPv6 firewall support if your ISP accepts it.
Use security software with anti-virus, anti-phishing, anti-malware, safe surfing, and firewall features for a layered defense.
“Passwords should be strong, unique for each account, and difficult to guess. Passwords and answers to challenge questions should not be stored in plain text form on the system or anywhere a malicious actor might have access. Using a password manager is highly recommended”, NSA.
It is important to disable the ability to perform remote administration on the routing device. Only make network configuration changes from within your internal network.
NSA suggests scheduling weekly reboots of your routing device, smartphones, and computers. Regular reboots help to remove implants and ensure security.
Using a virtual private network (VPN) to remotely connect to your internal corporate network via a secure tunnel is one solution for securely accessing work information. This provides an added layer of security while allowing you to take advantage of services normally offered to on-site users.
Hackers may use email as a method of attack. Use a unique password for each account, avoid clicking attachments or links in unwanted emails, and more. Unless absolutely required, avoid using the out-of-office message option. Use secure email protocols at all times, especially when connected to a wireless network.
“If you must access the Internet while away from home, avoid direct use of public wireless. When possible, use a corporate or personal Wi-Fi hotspot with strong authentication and encryption”, says NSA.
The NSA offered advice on its ‘Information Sheet’ about how to protect wireless devices, phone or video communications, IPsec Virtual Private Networks, as well as how to minimize the dangers associated with location tracking.
Hosting and domain name company GoDaddy says it believes a “sophisticated threat actor group” has been subjecting the company to a multi-year attack campaign.
Hosting and domain name company GoDaddy says it believes a “sophisticated threat actor group” has been subjecting the company to a multi-year attack campaign, the most recent of which occurred in December 2022.
In December, it received complaints about customer websites being periodically redirected to malicious sites. It turned out malware caused the redirection after threat actors compromised GoDaddy’s cPanel shared hosting servers. How the attackers got in remains a mystery.
“As our investigation continued, we discovered that an unauthorized third party had gained access to servers in our cPanel shared hosting environment and installed malware causing the intermittent redirection of customer websites. Once we confirmed the intrusion, we remediated the situation and implemented security measures in an effort to prevent future infections.”
The company also said it believes that previous breaches in March 2020 and November 2021 were part of the multi-year attack campaign from the same threat actor group.
In March 2020, an attacker compromised 28,000 hosting account login credentials belonging to customers and some GoDaddy employees. Then, in November 2021, 1.2 million Managed WordPress hosting environments were compromised. The stolen data included email addresses, original WordPress admin credentials, database credentials, and private keys.
GoDaddy said it’s working on the ongoing issue:
“We are working with multiple law enforcement agencies around the world, in addition to forensics experts, to further investigate the issue. As we continue to monitor their behavior and block attempts from this criminal organization, we are actively collecting evidence and information regarding their tactics and techniques to help law enforcement.”
Make sure your hosting account is secure
If you are using GoDaddy or other hosting services, now is a good time to review your credentials and ensure your account is as locked up as possible. The guideline below is for GoDaddy customers:
Remotely log out of your account. If you think your hosting account has been compromised, doing this will sign you and the possible attacker out from accounts opened on different devices and browsers.
Use a password manager, which will help you create long and complicated passwords without having to commit them to memory. Password managers also help you avoid phishing sites by not filling in credential fields if you mistakenly end up on a phishing page you can’t distinguish from the real thing.
Change your Support PIN. You can find this on your GoDaddy Login & PIN page.
Change all your hosting-related email credentials and FTP passwords.
Use two-factor authentication (if you’re not using it already) for that extra layer of protection for your account.
Change the payment methods you have stored in your account, and delete those you don’t use. It would also be good to keep an eye on your bank account transactions and be ready to flag those that are fraudulent.
A recent report claims that Apple iOS 16.5 could be the last significant update before Apple announces iOS 17 at WWDC in June.
Apple recently released the first iOS 16.4 beta with several new features to developers and public testers.
For example, the update includes support for web push notifications, new emojis, and an improved Podcast app. It also comes with a change to prevent iPhone users from accessing the iOS 17 developer beta for free.
However, a recent MacRumors report indicates that Apple is already testing iOS 16.5 internally. “Apple ramped up testing of iOS 16.5 internally this month, according to mounting evidence of the update in our website’s analytics logs,” says Joe Rossignol of MacRumors.
So what should we expect from the forthcoming iOS version? Well, that’s unclear at the moment. However, the publication suggests that it could be any of the previously-announced features, such as:
Apple Card savings account
Apple Music Classical app
iMessage Contact Key Verification
Apple Pay Later
Rossignol also believes that iOS 16.5 could be the last notable update before the iOS 17 announcement in June. So what should we expect from iOS 17?
What to Expect from Forthcoming iOS 17
Earlier in the week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said he hasn’t heard “anything especially game-changing” about iOS 17. However, the WWDC is still in June, and more notable features could leak in the coming months.
That said, the iOS 17 is expected to allow third-party app stores on the iPhone in Europe — following the Digital Markets Act. Gurman claimed in a previous report that Apple could implement the change in a later version of iOS 17.
Besides allowing alternative app stores, iOS 17 could also introduce a new CarPlay standard that integrates deeper with vehicle functions. Brands expected to ship with the next-gen CarPlay include Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, and Volvo.
OnePlus just announced its latest flagship phone, the OnePlus 11. It’s set to make an appearance at MWC along with some other products. While we’re excited about that device, we can’t forget about the mid-ranger that the company is launching. Thanks to MySmartPrice, we have a leak of the OnePlus Nord 3.
OnePlus‘ Nord phones are the company’s mid-range and budget offerings. They consist of a wide range of products, and the most powerful of those devices are the Nord phones without the “N” moniker. The OnePlus Nord 3 is meant to blur the line between a mid-range phone and a flagship phone.
We have a leak of the OnePlus Nord 3
We should be getting close to an official announcement for this phone, as we’ve just gotten a leak of it. In the leak, we see the phone from both the front and the back. Also, it shows the phone in two colors.
Looking at the phone, we see that it will have a similar design to 2021’s OnePlus Nord 2. On the back of the phone, we see the rounded rectangular camera package. In it, we see three sensors along with the flash. We don’t know what they are, but the OnPlus Nord 2 had a 50MP main camera with an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP depth camera. We can probably expect a similar package.
It looks like the phone will have a glass back to give it a more premium feeling. This is the top-tier Nord phone, so that should come as no surprise. Also, we see the OnePlus logo right in the center.
Moving to the front, we see a typical OnePlus sight. The phone has rather thin bezels and there’s a punch-hole in the upper left corner.
Expected specs
The OnePlus Nord 3, based on the rumored specs, looks like it’ll be a powerhouse. Starting off with the display, it might have a large 6.71-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.
As for the internals, it looks like this phone is going to pack a lot of power. It’s expected to use the flagship-grade MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC. That’s MediaTek’s answer to the top-tier Snapdragon processors. It may also have up to 256GB of storage and up to 16GB of RAM.
Rounding out the specs, we expect this phone to have a 5000mAh battery. It may support 80W charging. The leak says that the OnePlus Nord 3 will launch between mid-June and July.
