TikTok introduces Series for eligible creators, enabling them to offer premium content to fans

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TikTok introduces Series for eligible creators, enabling them to offer premium content to fans
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Love it or hate it, TikTok is here. It not only has millions of active users, but it has a high quantity of dedicated creators, who are earning a living through the platform. And it’s difficult to blame tem, because a large user base means high traffic, which in turn means that if you know what you are doing, you can blow up pretty easily. As such, new features being introduced isn’t any sort of surprise, because you need a constant stream of options to keep both viewers and influencers engaged. Enter stage right: TikTok Series. This new feature will be available to eligible creators and will enable them to offer Collections of content, which are essentially locked behind a paywall.

Dedicated fans will be able to purchase said Collections of content and for a “limited time”, TikTok won’t even take its cut out of the profit, in effort to inspire creators to use the option. This may very well be the most risky move that TikTok has ever done though.

But wait, what’s a Collection any way? Well, it’s a series of videos. But the shock factor comes from the fact that a Collection may include up to 80 videos, each of which can be up to 20 minutes long! That’s a huge departure from the typically very short form videos that are prominent on the platform.

Naturally, though, TikTok won’t take any risks and the Community Guidelines are expected to be followed through, even with this premium content. Speaking of which, creators will be able to decide on their own how much a collection should cost. If their followers decide to proceed with the purchase, they can do so through the creator’s profile or from an in-video link, which means that videos promoting Collections are likely inbound.

As of now, we don’t know the exact extent of the “limited time” for which TikTok will refrain from taking a cut from the earnings accumulated through Series. The sum will pretty much stay intact, save for the respective app store taxes.

The Series feature is a direct response to numerous creators’ outcry regarding the income they receive from the platform. TikTok is paying close attention to this feedback, so offering influencers the option to earn their extra income directly sounds like a fair plan.


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Angry Birds might be flying back to the Play Store

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Angry Birds might be flying back to the Play Store
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The Google Play Store lost one of the most popular mobile games on the market, and it was a sad day all around. However, don’t dress in mourning just yet. It appears that Angry Birds could be returning to the Google Play Store. Only, it will have a different name.

In case you didn’t know, Rovio, the company behind everything Angry Birds, announced that it was delisting Angry Birds from the Google Play Store. The company did this because of the game’s impact on the company’s portfolio. Since the original Angry Birds was a product of 2009, it was developed long before the current age of mobile gaming: The Micro-Transaction Dynasty.

As stated before, the original Angry Birds was having a negative impact on the company’s portfolio. The thing is that the original Angry Birds is still the most popular of Rovio’s titles.

When people search for anything Angry Birds, it’s always the first title to come up. Now, this game cost $0.99 to download. The upfront cost discourages most people from buying it. It also pushed away from downloading the other Rovio games. So, think of Angry Birds as a dam keeping potential traffic from reaching Rovio’s other games.

Angry Birds might be returning to the Play Store

A Rovio employee told Axios (via Engadget) that the company could consider reversing the decision. At this point, we don’t know many details about this. The game is currently available on the Apple App Store under the name “Red’s First Flight”. It seems odd that the company opted to keep it for iOS devices.

If Rovio decides to bring it back to the Play Store, there’s a chance that it could return under that name. We’re still in the dark about when (or even if) the game will make it back onto the Play Store. What we do know is that if it does make it back, then it should be a good day. Maybe it would spark some more downloads.


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Ten brands will launch nearly 40 foldable devices in 2023

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Ten brands will launch nearly 40 foldable devices in 2023
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Market research firm Canalys recently estimated that foldable smartphone shipments could more than double this year to reach 30 million units. It appears we will have twice as many different models as well. Industry experts at DSCC (Display Supply Chain Consultants) say as many as ten brands will launch a total of 37 foldable devices in 2023.

According to DSCC, seven companies sold foldable smartphones in 2022: Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo, Motorola, and Vivo. Google, OnePlus, and Tecno will join this roster this year. In Fact, Tecno has already launched its first foldable device. It debuted the Phantom V Fold during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 in Barcelona last week. OnePlus also took to the show to announce that it will launch a foldable smartphone in the second half of the year. Google’s rumored Pixel Fold is expected to arrive later this year too.

Overall, these ten companies will sell as many as 37 different foldable models this year. That’s almost double from 19 foldables sold last year, though most of those were limited to the Chinese market. DSCC also broke down the share of each foldable form factor in 2023. We will reportedly see 16 clamshell folding devices like Samsung’s Flip series, 20 in-folding (book-type) devices like Samsung’s Fold series, and one new out-folding device. Despite the popularity of clamshell models, companies seemingly see more incentive in making in-folding models.

Interestingly, DSCC is expecting total foldable shipments to just about reach 20 million units in 2023. It’s unclear if the firm is only considering sales of new models launched this year or 2022 and older devices too. Nonetheless, the foldable market is on the rise and growing rapidly. It may not be long before foldables become mainstream and compete with conventional candy-bar smartphones.

Samsung may finally have some competition in the foldable market

Samsung launched the world’s first globally available foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold in 2019. Since then, the company has gone on to launch seven more foldable devices. It will launch its fifth-gen foldables in the second half of this year. But all this while, the Korean firm hardly faced any competition in the market. As said earlier, most firms limited their initial folding phones to China. But several of them are going global in 2023, giving Samsung more competition.

Canalys recently reported that Samsung captured more than 80 percent of the global foldable market last year. That share may come down to 50-60 percent in 2023. Of course, the company will do its best to fend off the competition. It is introducing a new type of hinge that reduces the crease and makes the devices thinner. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 should also bring camera improvements among other things. The latter is expected to get a bigger external display as well. It remains to be seen who gives Samsung the toughest competition this year.


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Update to iOS version of WhatsApp adds multitasking feature already available on Android

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Update to iOS version of WhatsApp adds multitasking feature already available on Android
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The PiP works like this. When you are engaging in a video call and want to multitask by opening another app, exiting WhatsApp will minimize the video chat and allow it to float above other apps. You can move it around the screen with your finger while the video chat continues and the other app you wanted to open is underneath it. The feature might not work right away and WhatsApp says it will disseminate it over the coming weeks.
WhatsApp adds Picture-in-Picture support for video chat - Update to iOS version of WhatsApp adds multitasking feature already available on Android

WhatsApp adds Picture-in-Picture support for video chat

The update to version 23.3.77 also includes some other new features including the ability to add captions when sending documents to contacts in personal or group chats. You will also be able to use longer group subject names and descriptions when describing a WhatsApp group. Following the update, these names and descriptions can be as long as 2,048 characters which is a huge increase from the prior 512 characters allowed.

Stable-mates Facebook and Instagram allow users to create personalized avatars and now WhatsApp users will be able to do so as well. To create your own avatar, open the WhatsApp app and go to Settings > Avatar > Create Your Avatar. Follow the directions and tap on Done. That’s just the first step. To make your new Avatar the profile picture on WhatsApp, open the app and tap on your profile picture. Then tap on Edit > Edit.
Again, this update is for iOS only since Android users already have Picture-in-Picture capabilities for video chat on WhatsApp. If you want version 23.3.77 of WhatsApp for iOS right away, you can install the version of WhatsApp from the App Store since it already includes the aforementioned features including PiP for video chat.

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Warning issued over Royal ransomware

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Warning issued over Royal ransomware
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In a Cybersecurity Advisory, CISA and the FBI have shared information about Royal ransomware, which despite being rather new has made a real name for itself.

As part of its StopRansomware effort, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published a Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) about Royal ransomware.

Royal ransomware is a Ransomware-as-a-service (Raas) that first made an appearance in January 2022. In September of that year, it began calling itself Royal ransomware, and then in November it really made a name for itself by boldly taking the lead in our monthly statistics.

After November, it handed back top place to Lockbit, but has remained one of the top five most prevalent ransomware strains. 

According to the CSA, the group behind Royal:

  • Have made ransom demands ranging from approximately $1 million to $11 million USD in Bitcoin.
  • Are known to disable anti-virus software on the affected systems.
  • Have targeted numerous critical infrastructure sectors including manufacturing, communications, healthcare, and education.
  • Steal data from infiltrated networks which they threaten to publicize on their leak site to increase the leverage on the victim.

screenshot Royal leak siteRoyal ransomware leak site

The Initial Access Brokers that cater to Royal are reported to gain initial access and source traffic by harvesting virtual private network (VPN) credentials from stealer logs. Other methods that are used to gain initial access to victim networks are:

For those interested, the CSA contains a wealth of Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) and techniques used by Royal to gain persistence and for lateral movement.

How to avoid ransomware

  • Block common forms of entry. Create a plan for patching vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems quickly; disable or harden remote access like RDP and VPNs; use endpoint security software that can detect exploits and malware used to deliver ransomware.
  • Detect intrusions. Make it harder for intruders to operate inside your organization by segmenting networks and assigning access rights prudently. Use EDR or MDR to detect unusual activity before an attack occurs.
  • Stop malicious encryption. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response software like Malwarebytes EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware.
  • Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
  • Write an incident response plan. The period after a ransomware attack can be chaotic. Make a plan that outlines how you’ll isolate an outbreak, communicate with stakeholders, and restore your systems.

Have a question or want to learn more about our cyberprotection? Get a free business trial below.

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Google I/O 2023 begins May 10 in Mountain View

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Google I/O 2023 begins May 10 in Mountain View
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Google I/O, Google’s annual developer conference that the company holds to showcase the latest and greatest in its software and hardware advancements, will return to Mountain View on May 10 for 2023.

Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai officially announced the start date of the conference on Twitter, noting that the event would take place in Mountain View at the Shoreline Amphitheater and online. This isn’t really a departure at all since Google did the same thing last year. Hosting both an in-person event and an online livestream of all the keynote speech. As well as various other talks throughout the day. Worth noting though is that the event this year is probably in-person for press and partners only as it was last year.

This year’s event will be happening one day earlier than last year, putting it just under 65 days out.

What to expect at Google I/O 2023

Google IO 2023 2

So far there’s not much official detail about what to expect from the event since it was just announced. But Google typically holds a separate event for its biggest hardware products in the Fall. So we shouldn’t expect to see anything regarding the next flagship Pixel phones. We could however see something along the lines of the Pixel 7a. And judging by last year, we might also get some information about the next version of Android.

In the past, this is also where Google showed off things like Wear OS 3, the Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro, the Pixel Tablet and more. Registration for the event is already live having opened up on March 7. At the moment the site, which is live, doesn’t have any information about panels or what the topics will be. But you can visit it if you want to see Google’s fun little countdown this year.

And going forward, Google is likely to put up more information the closer it gets to the event date. Including a calendar for attendees to help plan which panels and other things to work into their schedule.


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iPhone SE 4 will use a $40 BOE display

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iPhone SE 4 will use a $40 BOE display
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According to a new report, the Apple iPhone SE 4 will utilize a $40 BOE display. As some of you may recall, a report that surfaced at the end of last month suggested that the iPhone SE 4 is not canceled after all.

The iPhone SE 4 will feature a $40 BOE display it seems

Back in September last year, reports started coming in saying that the phone is not happening. Well, it seems like Apple changed its mind, though we’ll have to wait until next year in order to get the phone.

This time around, things will be much different. The iPhone SE 4 will be a lot larger than its predecessors. Apple will finally ditch the iPhone 8 design. The iPhone SE 4 will be based on the iPhone 14 design, actually.

The device will utilize a 6.1-inch OLED panel

Therefore, it will utilize a 6.1-inch panel, just like the iPhone 14. That display will be provided by BOE if the report is to be believed, and it costs around $40. It will be an OLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate.

By sourcing the display from BOE, Apple is trying to keep the price down, of course. For comparison’s sake, the display that Apple plans to use in the iPhone 15 models and the OLED iPads are set to cost around $100. Those panels will be provided by Samsung Display and LG Display, allegedly.

It could launch in March 2024

Not much is known about the iPhone SE 4, other than its design, and display info. The phone may, however, launch in March 2024. The iPhone SE 3 arrived in March 2022, so it would make sense. We’re only guessing, though.

Now, considering that the iPhone 14 chassis will be used, Apple will probably stick to some of the same components. For example, the phone may utilize the same battery pack. So, we may get a 3,279mAh unit.

We’re not sure what SoC Apple will be using, though. You can expect stereo speakers to be a part of the package, however, and, of course, the latest version of iOS available at the time.


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Update to Apple Store app improves your chances of getting gifted an Apple device you want

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Update to Apple Store app improves your chances of getting gifted an Apple device you want
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Sure, you know all about the App Store on your iPhone because, well, that is where you go shopping for apps. But did you know that there is an Apple Store app? This is where you go to buy Apple products. The app saves you from having to use a mobile browser on your iPhone to visit AppleStore.com. The Apple Store app (again, not to be confused with the App Store app) will allow you to make purchases from the online Apple Store while recommending certain Apple products to you based on the Apple devices you already own.
The app will also show you which accessories are compatible with the Apple products that you already own and will sign you up for a hands-on session at a physical Apple Store. You can even use the app to upgrade to a new iPhone if that is something that you are looking to do. While the Apple Store app is pre-installed on the iPhone, in case it has been somehow uninstalled, it can be downloaded from the App Store by tapping on this link.
The Apple Store app has received an update - Update to Apple Store app improves your chances of getting gifted an Apple device you want

The Apple Store app has received an update

Spotted by MacRumors, version 5.19 of the Apple Store app is now available in the App Store and contains the latest updates. This includes the ability to share your saved list of Apple products that you’re interested in owning with friends and family. This way, if you’re lucky and have generous friends and family members, you might be gifted that Apple device you really want. Your list of saved items will now be accessible from more places on the app.
And with version 5.19 of the Apple Store app, you can work with others to create a shopping list for friends and family. The update also will deliver more information about all of the Apple Store locations and their surroundings. This is the first update for the Apple Store app since November when version 5.18 was released. That update allowed iPhone users to have Memoji engraved on the AirPods or AirPods Pro. This is available exclusively through the Apple Store app.

Interestingly, the Apple Store app has garnered only a 3.5-star rating from users.


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PoC Exploit Released For Critical Microsoft Word RCE Bug

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PoC Exploit Released For Critical Microsoft Word RCE Bug
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PoC - Microsoft Word RCE Bug

There has been a proof-of-concept published recently for CVE-2023-21716 that analyzes this vulnerability. This vulnerability has been marked as “Critical” and has been detected in Microsoft Word which permits remote code execution (RCE).

Microsoft’s latest Patch Tuesday release in February patched the vulnerability, preventing it from being exploited. In ‘wwlib.dll’ of Microsoft Office, this RCE flaw was initially discovered by a security analyst, Joshua Drake Last year.

The researcher notified Microsoft immediately of his discovery after sending a technical advisory containing a PoC demonstrating that the vulnerability can be exploited.

The vulnerability could potentially be exploited by a remote attacker to execute code on a compromised system.

EHA

Vulnerability Details

  • CVE ID: CVE-2023-21716
  • CVSS Score: 9.8
  • Severity: Critical
  • Flaw: Remote Code Execution (RCE)

A remote attacker could potentially take advantage of the issue to execute code. As a result, the attacker has the same permissions as the victim, who opened the malicious [.RTF] file with the same privileges.

A malicious file can be delivered to a victim by attaching it to an email, which is perhaps the easiest way to deliver it, but there are many other methods also available.

In an effort to prevent users from falling victim to this kind of attack, Microsoft warns that they do not have to open the malicious RTF document. The attacker can begin exploiting the system simply by loading a version of it in the Preview Pane.

According to the researcher’s findings, the RTF parser incorporated in Microsoft Word possesses a vulnerability to heap corruption. 

This vulnerability is activated when the software is handling a font table denoted by “\fonttbl” that consists of a considerable number of fonts marked by “\f###.”

An attacker could use a properly crafted heap layout to exploit the bug for arbitrary code execution after memory corruption occurs. To demonstrate code execution, the PoC does not launch the Calculator app in Windows to illustrate heap corruption.

The vulnerability does not appear to be exploited in the wild at the present time. At the present time, Microsoft believes that exploiting the issue is unlikely to occur.

Workaround

There is a fix provided by Microsoft for users that are not able to apply the fix. As Microsoft recommends users to read emails in plain text format. However, this fix is unlikely to be adopted since there will be no enhancements or improvements to the user experience.

There is also a workaround that can be used to make sure RTF documents don’t open when they’re from untrusted or unknown sources by enabling the Microsoft Office File Block policy.

In addition to requiring modification of the Windows Registry, this method also comes with some risks. However, there is no doubt that the best way to address this vulnerability is to install a Microsoft security update.

Network Security Checklist – Download Free E-Book


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Play ransomware gang leaks City of Oakland data

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Play ransomware gang leaks City of Oakland data
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After claiming responsibility for attacking the City of Oakland, California, the Play ransomware gang has begun leaking the data it stole.

The Play ransomware gang has begun partially publishing data they stole from the City of Oakland, California. The data were in multiple archive files with a collective file size of 10GB. According to the ransomware gang, the files contain “[p]rivate and personal information data, financial information. IDs, passports, employee full info, human rights violation information.”

“If there is no reaction full dump will be uploaded,” the gang wrote in a comment on their leak site. They also hinted that each file could be used independently.

Play ransomware gang’s leak page for the City of Oakland, California

Following the release of the data, the City of Oakland said in an updated statement:

“While the investigation into the scope of the incident impacting the City of Oakland remains ongoing, we recently became aware that an unauthorized third party has acquired certain files from our network and intends to release the information publicly.

We are working with third-party specialists and law enforcement on this issue and are actively monitoring the unauthorized third party’s claims to investigate their validity.”

The City of Oakland, California was attacked four weeks ago, bringing several City services to a standstill. This pushed Interim City Administrator G. Harold Duffey to declare a state of emergency. The Play ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack.

How to avoid ransomware

  • Block common forms of entry. Create a plan for patching vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems quickly; disable or harden remote access like RDP and VPNs; use endpoint security software that can detect exploits and malware used to deliver ransomware.
  • Detect intrusions. Make it harder for intruders to operate inside your organization by segmenting networks and assigning access rights prudently. Use EDR or MDR to detect unusual activity before an attack occurs.
  • Stop malicious encryption. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response software like Malwarebytes EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware.
  • Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
  • Write an incident response plan. The period after a ransomware attack can be chaotic. Make a plan that outlines how you’ll isolate an outbreak, communicate with stakeholders, and restore your systems.

Have a question or want to learn more about our cyberprotection? Get a free business trial below.

GET STARTED


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