Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze: Which navigation app truly rules the road?

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Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze: Which navigation app truly rules the road?
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While navigation apps are incredibly helpful, their constant GPS usage and background processes can take a toll on your phone’s battery life. And let’s face it, battery life is super important, especially on the road. So, it’s definitely an upside for an app to be battery-sufficient.

 
  • GPS usage: The core function of navigation apps relies on GPS, which consumes significant battery. Frequent location updates further drain the battery
  • Screen brightness: A bright screen, especially during daytime navigation, contributes to battery drain
  • Data usage: Apps that rely on live traffic updates or real-time rerouting require constant data connection, impacting battery life
  • Background processes: Some apps keep background services running even when not actively used, draining battery

It’s a tough call to declare a single winner, given the array of phone models, usage habits, and app versions out there. While there’s no official data, user feedback, and real-world experience shed some light. Generally, some apps tend to be more battery-friendly than others. Out of Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze, here’s the lowdown from most battery drain to least:

  1. Waze: Renowned for its community-driven traffic updates, Waze’s constant background location updates for traffic data gathering and real-time rerouting can be a drain on your battery.
  2. Google Maps: Strikes a good balance between features and battery usage. It might use slightly less battery than Waze, particularly with features like live traffic turned off. However, frequent location updates and high-resolution maps can still eat up some juice.
  3. Apple Maps: Recent updates have amped up Apple Maps’ battery efficiency. User feedback suggests it might be the most battery-friendly option among the trio, especially on iPhones. This could be due to optimizations for Apple devices and potentially less aggressive background processes compared to Waze.
Remember, running the app in the background is an easy way to conserve battery life.

Mobile data usage: Apple or Google?


Every byte counts when you’re surfing on mobile data, and when it comes to its usage, actual consumption can differ based on factors like network speed, map details displayed, and features used (live traffic, rerouting). According to statistics, Apple Maps takes the lead in data usage, with an estimated consumption of 1.83 MB per 20 minutes.
  • Apple Maps: 1.83 MB per 20 minutes
  • Google Maps: 0.73 MB per 20 minutes
  • Waze: 0.23 MB per 20 minutes

Google Maps, on the other hand, uses 0.73 MB. However, data usage can increase with features like live traffic turned on or using high-resolution satellite imagery. Interestingly, Waze, also owned by Google, uses the least amount at 0.23 MB per 20 minutes. This could be because Waze relies more on community-sourced traffic data, potentially reducing the need for extensive data download.

User interfaces: Beauty is in the eye of the scroller


So, let’s talk about something more personal – the user interface. Comparing how the navigation apps look and feel can be a bit of a puzzle since we all have our own tastes. But hey, let’s see how they stack up against each other. First off, let’s check out the pros and cons of the Google Maps interface. If you have any other thoughts, feel free to drop them in the comments.

So, when it comes to Google Maps, there are a few things that come to mind:

Pros:

  • It’s got a clean and familiar layout
  • The map is big and easy to read
  • The search bar is right there for quick destination searches
  • And those traffic updates? They’re right on the map, super clear
Cons:
  • Sometimes, it feels like there’s too much stuff in the menu
  • And the icons are kinda small, so you might need a few extra taps
Now, let’s check out Apple Maps:

Pros:

  • It’s got that sleek, minimalist vibe that fits right in with iOS
  • The map is nice and clean, no clutter
  • Have you seen the 3D Flyover feature? Pretty cool stuff
  • Plus, it’s got clear lane guidance for those tricky highway exits

Cons:
  • You don’t have as much freedom to customize stuff compared to Google Maps
  • And those point-of-interest icons? They could stand out a bit more

And, of course, we can’t forget about Waze:

Pros:
  • The interface is all vibrant and interactive and feels like you’re part of a community
  • You get those real-time traffic updates and user-generated alerts front and center
  • And big buttons make it easy to report stuff like hazards or police sightings

Cons:
  • Sometimes it feels like there’s just too much going on, a bit overwhelming
  • You might need a bit of time to figure out what all the buttons do
  • And the map itself? It’s not always as clear as the others

So, in the end, it really comes down to personal preference. Try them all out and see which one clicks for you. Personally, I’ve got all three on my phone, not because I have to, but because I like to mix things up depending on what I need. But if I had to pick a favorite, it’s gotta be Google Maps, although I own an iPhone. It just gives me all the info I need, plain and simple.

Content and features: The Swiss army knife of apps


When it comes to features and content about different points of interest (POIs), Google Maps is the real MVP. It’s packed with all the goods, like detailed reviews, ratings, photos, and even videos for some restaurants. Plus, you can book reservations or order food straight from the app.

 
Not long ago, Apple Maps stepped up its game with Apple Business Connect, offering similar info and letting businesses update their details. And guess what? iPhone users can now also order food or make reservations right from the card. Now, let’s check out some of the features of Apple Maps:
  • Some cool 3D building visuals in select cities
  • Turn-by-turn navigation with voice guidance
  • Real-time traffic conditions with color-coded overlays
  • Multi-stop routing for planning trips with multiple stops
  • Look Around: A street-level view feature for exploring places virtually
  • Lane guidance for tricky interchanges
  • And hey, it’s all about user privacy – your data stays on your Apple device

Now, onto Google Maps:
  • Everything from Apple Maps, plus more
  • Detailed street maps, high-res satellite imagery, tons of POI info with reviews and pics, and 3D building visuals in many areas
  • Live traffic updates with incident reports and ETAs
  • Extensive public transit directions with real-time info
  • Street View: Take a virtual stroll with panoramic street-level imagery
  • Indoor maps for shopping malls, airports, and big buildings
  • Offline maps for when you’re off the grid
  • Google Assistant integration for voice commands while navigating

And last but not least, let’s take a look at Waze:
  • Get real-time traffic updates straight from the Waze community
  • Speed limit warnings and alerts for upcoming cameras
  • Gas station price comparisons along your route
  • Plus, earn points and badges for contributing reports

Offline navigation: Lost in the no-signal abyss?

The Offline maps feature introduced with iOS 17 (Image Credit–Apple) - Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze: Which navigation app truly rules the road?

The Offline maps feature introduced with iOS 17 (Image Credit–Apple)


When you find yourself without a signal but still need to get to where you’re going, offline maps come to the rescue. Nowadays, not many folks are lugging around paper maps in their cars, so it’s handy that both Apple and Google Maps offer offline map options. With iOS 17, Apple jumped on board by introducing offline maps, allowing users to download maps for use when there’s no connection.


Google Maps has had this feature for a while, which is pretty nifty. It’s great to see both big players offering this option, as it can be a real lifesaver. However, Waze is a bit behind the curve in this department. While it’s got some cool features, like using real-time traffic conditions to find the quickest route, it still doesn’t offer a straightforward offline mode.


Here’s the deal with Waze: It relies on a data connection to do its magic. So, if you’re offline, you might hit a snag. But hey, if you’ve previously looked up info on your area of interest, Waze’s maps might still be available offline. So, it’s not a total bust, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.

The final countdown: Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze?

Image Credit–Waze - Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze: Which navigation app truly rules the road?

Image Credit–Waze


When it comes down to choosing between Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze, it’s all about what works best for you. Personally (as I already mentioned), I’ve got all three on my iPhone, and I use them for different reasons. Google Maps is my trusty sidekick when I need valuable info about places and the most accurate routes in my neck of the woods. If I’m off the beaten path, Google Maps is my go-to.

Now, let’s talk about Waze. It’s got its perks, like keeping me informed about what’s happening on the road ahead. But sometimes, it takes me on routes that are… let’s just say, less than ideal, if they even exist, but that is a story for another time. It’s had its fair share of mishaps, but hey, it can still come in handy when you need to dodge a traffic jam or avoid a speeding ticket. 

As for Apple Maps, it’s my go-to when I just need some background guidance. It’s there when I need it, simple and straightforward.

With so many navigation apps out there, you’re bound to find one that fits your needs like a glove. So, go ahead, explore your options, and find the one that suits you best.


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ZenHammer Attack Exploits Rowhammer Against AMD CPUs

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ZenHammer Attack Exploits Rowhammer Against AMD CPUs
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Another attack has emerged online, demonstrating the notorious Rowhammer’s persistent existence as a threat to processors. The researchers have exploited Rowhammer in the new ZenHammer attack against AMD Zen CPUs.

ZenHammer Attack Targets AMD Zen CPUs

Researchers from ETH Zurich have devised a new attack strategy against AMD processors, demonstrating the continued risk of the well-known Rowhammer vulnerability.

While this vulnerability has long been a threat to Intel CPUs, this time, the researchers exploited it against AMD Zen CPUs, thus calling the attack “ZenHammer.” Since, unlike Intel, AMD chips haven’t been analyzed much regarding Rowhammer, this study holds significance.

Specifically, the researchers conducted the ZenHammer attack against AMD Zen 2 and 3 chips even with deployed Target Row Refresh (TRR) mitigations. For this, they reverse-engineered the DRAM addressing functions in AMD. Once done, they perform the proposed ZenHammer attack and could induce bit flips DDR4/AMD Zen 2 (Ryzen 5 3600X) and Zen 3 (Ryzen 5 5600G) in most test cases, including some success with DDR5 chips on AMD Zen 4 that otherwise boasts resistance to Rowhammer. However, the researchers couldn’t succeed with the Ryzen 7 7700X, which exhibits numerous Rowhammer mitigations.

The researchers shared their study via a detailed research paper scheduled to appear in the USENIX Security 2024 in August 2024, alongside setting up a dedicated web page with ZenHammer’s information. Moreover, the researchers have also shared their ZenHammer fuzzer on GitHub for the users to check whether their DRAM is vulnerable to ZenHammer.

AMD’s Response To ZenHammer

Following this discovery, the researchers responsibly disclosed the issue to AMD in February 2024, going ahead with the public disclosure in March 2024.

In response to the researchers’ report, AMD issued a detailed advisory explaining that it plans to address Rowhammer bit flips on its DDR5 devices. Alongside confirming the inclusion of memory controllers that meet industry-standard DDR specifications, AMD also shared various Rowhammer mitigations to prevent such attacks.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.


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INC Ransomware Hits NHS Scotland, Threatens Leak of 3TB Patient Data

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INC Ransomware Hits NHS Scotland, Threatens Leak of 3TB Patient Data
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INC Ransomware Hits NHS Scotland, Threatens Leak of 3TB Patient Data

The INC Ransomware gang claims a cyberattack on NHS Scotland, potentially compromising 3 terabytes of patient data — The dark web group threatens to leak sensitive medical records unless their demands are met.

The INC ransomware gang has allegedly targeted the National Health Service in Scotland, commonly known as NHS Scotland. In a recent announcement on its dark web leak blog, the ransomware group claimed to have successfully stolen a whopping 3 terabytes of sensitive data. They have threatened to release this data if their demands are not met.

As seen by Hackread.com, the INC ransomware operators provided a “Proof pack” consisting of 14 screenshots. These screenshots appear to display patients’ records such as letters and email exchanges concerning their health, involving doctors and general practitioners (GPs) from various clinics and hospitals across the country.

INC Ransomware Hits NHS Scotland, Threatens Leak of 3TB Patient Data
Screenshot credit: Hackread.com

Who is the INC Ransomware Gang?

The INC Ransomware gang, which emerged in July 2023, is a relatively new threat actor employing various tactics. They are notorious for encrypting a victim’s data and demanding a ransom payment for decryption.

Additionally, they engage in data theft, threatening to publicly leak the stolen information if the ransom isn’t paid. Recent reports indicate a focus on targeting healthcare institutions, intensifying the urgency to pay due to the sensitive nature of the stolen data, such as patient records.

Despite emerging in July 2023, INC attacks have not been widely reported, indicating limited activity. However, they maintain a presence on the dark web, where they leak stolen victim data and possibly communicate ransom demands.

The recent claims of a ransomware attack on NHS Scotland have moved the group into the spotlight within the cybersecurity community, healthcare institutions, and mainstream media. Notably, this incident occurred shortly after NHS Dumfries and Galloway experienced a cyberattack, indicating a concerning trend within the healthcare sector.

INC Ransomware Hits NHS Scotland, Threatens Leak of 3TB Patient Data
INC ransomware gang’s Ransom note (Screenshot: SentinelOne)

What’s Next?

At the time of writing, NHS Scotland has not confirmed the occurrence of the ransomware attack or whether it has experienced a data breach. However, if the institution does acknowledge the cyberattack, patients should prepare for potentially troubling news regarding the security of their information.

Commenting on the news is Erfan Shadabi, a cybersecurity expert at comforte AG told Hackread.com, “The unfortunate cyberattack impacting NHS Scotland might make you question whether healthcare providers are serious about data privacy and security. This news should trigger alarm bells within the healthcare sector. After all, it is difficult to grasp a situation in which 3TB of the most personal and sensitive health information is being stolen.”

“When ransomware attacks hit healthcare institutions, we in data-heavy industries should all take a pause and consider the implications of our cybersecurity choices. The enterprise surely pays a steep price for non-compliance, lax data security measures, and failure to prevent attacks and subsequent data leaks caused by phishing, ransomware, and a host of other attack vectors. However, let’s not lose sight of the end victim, which is the individual whose private and sensitive health data wrongfully becomes public,” Erfan warned.

He advised that “The best way to prevent the pain suffered by the victims is to safeguard sensitive records such as medical information through a data-centric approach to data protection. Data-centric methods such as tokenization replace sensitive data elements with innocuous tokens that maintain the analytic value of the data while obscuring the actual sensitive information itself. It becomes non-identifying and therefore worthless in the hands of threat actors while remaining fully workable by the enterprise. Implementing strong data-centric security is the right prescription for every enterprise.” 

  1. Hackers set up fake NHS website to spread malware
  2. 7TB of Healthcare Data Leak Affects 12 Million Patients
  3. Chinese Malware Targets European Healthcare via USB Drives
  4. NHS data breach exposed sensitive health data of 150,000 patients
  5. Apria Healthcare Discloses Major Data Breach Impacting 1.8M Users

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The Galaxy A55 gets a high repairability score in teardown

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The Galaxy A55 gets a high repairability score in teardown
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The Samsung Galaxy A55 sits fresh in the mid-range Samsung lineup, and it packs quite a few features for the price, including an aluminum frame, a Gorilla Glass Victus+, and more. However, like with any smartphone, its repairability plays a huge role in the whole experience. Well, the Galaxy A55 just got a high repairability score during a teardown.

The Galaxy A55 teardown shows that it’s easy to repair

The Samsung Galaxy A55 recently underwent a teardown journey, and the video offers an inside look at the phone’s components, and why it earns a high repairability score. The sole credit of the Samsung A55 teardown goes to a YouTuber who runs a channel named PBK Reviews.

In the 10-minute long video, the YouTuber begins by removing the SIM tray, which gives us a glimpse of the device’s water resistance visible inside the components. There’s a rubber gasket around the opening to keep water and dust out of the phone. Inside, we see all the bits and bobs that make the Galaxy A55 work, like the camera parts and the NFC antenna. The video even zoomed in on the cameras, showing off their cool features, like how it keeps your photos steady even if your hand isn’t.

And, it wasn’t just the big stuff that got attention. The charging port and the microphone also caught our eyes in the video. In addition, the phone’s clever cooling system — a copper vapor chamber — was revealed, which is what makes things work when the phone gets hot under the collar.

The Galaxy A55 earned an 8.5 out of 10 in repairability

Best of all, the Galaxy A55 got top marks for repairability, scoring an impressive 8.5 out of 10. That means if something goes wrong, it’s not the end of the world. With a little know-how, anyone can fix it up well as new. For better reference, you should note that the Fairphone 5 (2023) scores a staggering 10 out of 10 by iFixit.


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WhatsApp will soon give you the option to send your media in HD quality by default

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WhatsApp will soon give you the option to send your media in HD quality by default
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WhatsApp is introducing a feature that finally gives its users the ability to choose the default media upload quality. This feature, now available to some beta testers on version 2.24.7.17, puts the power back on the user on how detailed they want their pictures and videos to look when they arrive at the other end.If you have used WhatsApp for any amount of time, or any messaging app for that matter, you surely have gone through the woes of sending an image or video that looks like a blurred mess. This can be quite frustrating, particularly when sharing what could very well be priceless family photos or pivotal moments you’ve captured on video. Thankfully, there will now be a solution to this problem.

Although the quality of images sent via WhatsApp is currently not too terrible when compared to SMS, it is also not in high definition. This new setting option allows you to select between Standard Quality, which is optimized for a smaller file size and quicker sharing, or High Quality, which prioritizes image and video quality to be clearer, but uses twice as much storage. Once selected, this will be the default setting for sending media within the app, unless you use the “document” sharing option that keeps the content in its original quality without any compression.

WhatsApp will soon give you the option to send your media in HD quality by default

Image Source: WaBetaInfo

Accessible within the app’s settings, this option was originally spotted by WaBetaInfo to be in the works in a previous version of the WhatsApp Beta app on the Google Play Store (v2.23.14.10). However, it is now finally available to more users in the latest beta. Unfortunately, gaining access to the WhatsApp beta program at this moment is close to impossible, as the program is always full to capacity. 

This is a major step forward in making your WhatsApp experience more personalized and smooth. As a long-time user of the app, I welcome the option to choose the quality I want my images to be sent in.


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Chinese APT Hackers Attacking Southeast Asian Nations

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Chinese APT Hackers Attacking Southeast Asian Nations
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Cybersecurity researchers at Unit 42 have uncovered a sophisticated cyberespionage campaign orchestrated by two Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups targeting entities and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

This alarming development underscores the escalating cyber threats faced by nations in the Southeast Asian region, highlighting the intricate web of digital espionage activities that continue to challenge global cybersecurity norms.

Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 identified cyberespionage activities by two Chinese hacking groups targeting the region for the past 90 days.

The Attackers:

  • Stately Taurus (aka Mustang Panda): A known Chinese APT group active since at least 2012, targeting government entities, nonprofits, and NGOs globally.
  • Second Unidentified Chinese APT Group: Recently compromised an ASEAN-affiliated entity, with similar activity observed in other member states.

The activity of Stately Taurus:

Coinciding with the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit (March 4-6, 2024), Stately Taurus created two malware packages likely targeting entities in Myanmar, the Philippines, Japan, and Singapore.

The report states that ASEAN-affiliated entities are particularly attractive targets for espionage operations due to their pivotal role in handling sensitive information related to diplomatic relations and economic decisions within the region.

Package 1: The Talking_Points_for_China.zip

          Talking_Points_for_China.zip
          Talking_Points_for_China.zip
  • A ZIP archive containing a renamed, signed anti-keylogging program that sideloads malicious code.
  • Targets attempt to connect to a malicious server (103.27.109.157:433).
  • Similar to a campaign reported by CSIRT-CTI.

Package 2: Note PSO.scr:

  • A screensaver executable targeting Myanmar.
  • Downloads a benign executable (WindowsUpdate.exe) and a malicious DLL (EACore.dll).
  • Attempts to connect to a different C2 server ([invalid URL removed] at 146.70.149.36).

Second Activity: the unidentified Chinese APT Group

  • Unit 42 discovered compromised systems within an ASEAN-affiliated entity linked to the APT group’s command-and-control (C2) infrastructure. 
  • This pattern of network connections has been observed in other government entities throughout the region. 
  • The targeted infrastructure includes IP addresses and domains specifically used for C2 communication. 
A pattern of life: working hours (+08:00 time adjusted).
A pattern of life: working hours (+08:00 time adjusted).
  • Interestingly, the attackers seem to follow a “work schedule” with activity concentrated on weekdays in China Standard Time (UTC+08:00) and a noticeable pause during holidays like Lunar New Year.

Mitigation:

Palo Alto Networks recommends utilizing their various security solutions to help organizations defend against these threats, including:

  • DNS Security and Advanced URL Filtering
  • WildFire threat detection engine
  • Prisma Cloud Defender agents with WildFire integration

Stay updated on Cybersecurity news, Whitepapers, and Infographics. Follow us on LinkedIn & Twitter


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COTI and Civic Partner to Give Users Self-sovereignty of Their Digital Identity

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COTI and Civic Partner to Give Users Self-sovereignty of Their Digital Identity
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COTI, the world’s fastest, lightest, and most secure confidentiality layer on Ethereum, has announced a partnership with Civic, the leading provider of identity management tools for Web3, to ensure full data protection and confidentiality for Civic users. The partnership will see Civic using COTI V2’s confidentiality layer for the Dynamic decentralized identity (DID) offering.

The recent partnership followed closely after COTI announced a community rewards initiative last week. This initiative involved airdropping up to 40 million COTI V2 tokens, currently valued at approximately $10 million, to its Native and ERC-20 $COTI holders.

Shahaf Bar-Geffen, COTI CEO said: “We’re excited to integrate COTI V2s confidentiality layer into Civic’s platform. Civic is an industry leader in the field of identity management tools for Web3, and COTI will continue to partner with industry leaders. We look forward to working with Civic’s professional team to bring Dynamic DID into full production”.

COTI V2’s Dynamic DIDs leverage Civic Pass, which is both a verified credential and a non-transferable token in the user’s wallet. Civic Pass can serve as input to meet regulatory requirements like Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC).

A user’s digital identity is the personal record of their data, credentials, and identifiers that exist throughout the Internet. With so much of our lives taking place online, users are growing increasingly aware of the importance of actively managing their digital identities to avoid data breaches, hacks, and non-consensual data monetization. COTI V2’s confidentiality layer allows the data to provide both verification and computation while staying encrypted throughout.

Civic prioritizes user protection, as seen in their recent introduction of a physical ID card for Civic Pass holders. This enables Civic users to prove their identity and minimize the threat of AI-driven identity fraud. The partnership between Civic and COTI represents a major step forward in protecting the digital footprint and credentials of users.

Both COTI and Civic are committed to providing users with full data privacy as they engage with dApps and explore innovative Web3 use cases with confidence. The ability to manage an advanced version of users’ decentralized identity (DID) with COTI V2 will empower dApps to interact with Civic’s identities and query complex insights without accessing sensitive data.

Harnessing the privacy-preserving power of garbled circuits, COTI V2 unlocks Dynamic DID, a powerful upgrade that allows for advanced features like confidential data sharing and complex calculations. Civic will be integrating with COTI V2 across all phases of COTI V2’s development: Devnet, Testnet, and Mainnet, as a design partner

The partnership marks a major step in enabling true self-sovereignty of users’ digital identity as more people enter the Web3 ecosystem. Users can securely store their sensitive information with Civic without having to physically disclose it, while still enabling seamless compliance with regulatory frameworks like Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.

About Civic

Civic is a leading provider of identity management tools for web3, empowering people to easily and privately manage their identities across chains with an on-chain representation of their reusable identity.

The company’s flagship product, Civic Pass, is an integrated permissions tool that helps business customers enable secure access to their on-chain assets. Users may also manage their identity, presence and reputation with a dashboard. Civic aims to be the most trusted on-chain identity tool in the world, used by billions every day. Civic was co-founded in 2015 by Vinny Lingham and Jonathan Smith. For more information, visit: Civic.com.

About COTI

COTI is the fastest and lightest confidentiality layer on Ethereum. Powered by the breakthrough cryptographic protocol Garbled Circuits and secured by Ethereum, COTI introduces the most advanced and compliant solution for data protection on the public blockchain.

Paving the way for the next wave of Web3 innovation and adoption, COTI unlocks a whole new world of use cases, including confidential transactions, Artificial Intelligence, DeFi, decentralized identification, and more. For more information, visit: Coti.io.

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Google just discontinued Pixel 6a, as Pixel 8a is on the horizon

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Google just discontinued Pixel 6a, as Pixel 8a is on the horizon
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Google has discontinued its two-year-old budget Pixel phone, the Pixel 6a. Truth be said, it doesn’t come as surprising given its release in mid-2022 but it doesn’t change the fact that it was one of the best-selling Pixel phones of all time, and its price made a lot of difference. The Pixel 8a is right around the corner, though, so… that’s something to look forward to.

Google bids final goodbye to the Pixel 6a

As first spotted by folks at Droid Life, Google has discontinued the Pixel 6a listing from its official store. Another report from the Canadian tech news site, Mobile Syrup says that it’s not available in Canadian stores either. The same goes for India. That’s why you won’t find it on any pages, and if you try to go to its old link, it will redirect you to the page for the newer Pixel 7a. To answer your query, you can still get the Pixel 6a from other stores such as Amazon or Best Buy. It’s just that Google won’t be selling the phone from now on, presumably.

Google discontinuing the Pixel 6a shouldn’t be bad news, at all

The saying has it, “One [man] phone’s loss is another [man] phone’s gain.” That means we may expect the Pixel 8a to debut sooner. Based on the recent reports, Google’s next affordable Pixel phone could make a debut at the upcoming Google I/O, slated to begin on May 14. As we draw closer to the release date, we’ve come across many such rumors including the mention of a 120Hz refresh rate display, and compatibility with DisplayPort output.

Even before official announcements, unofficial images of the Pixel 8a have surfaced, showing its design. A live photo of the smartphone confirmed a design similar to the Pixel 8. However, there’s some not-so-great news about the Pixel 8a’s price. A report this month suggested it could start at $550, which is $50 more than the Pixel 7a and $100 more than the Pixel 6a. There’s no such reputed claim yet on how much would Pixel 8a cost in other regions.


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CISA Warns of Hackers Exploiting Microsoft SharePoint Server

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CISA Warns of Hackers Exploiting Microsoft SharePoint Server
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Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned about a critical vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint Server, CVE-2023-24955.

This vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizations using the platform. It allows attackers with certain privileges to execute code remotely, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control over the affected systems.

Microsoft SharePoint Server Code Injection Vulnerability – CVE-2023-24955

CVE-2023-24955 is a code injection flaw found in Microsoft SharePoint Server.

An attacker who has obtained Site Owner privileges within the SharePoint environment can exploit this vulnerability.

With these privileges, the attacker can inject malicious code into the server, enabling them to execute commands remotely.

This level of access could lead to a wide range of malicious activities, including data theft, installation of ransomware, or even a complete takeover of the affected systems.

The Urgency of Mitigation

CISA’s alert emphasizes the importance of addressing this vulnerability promptly. Organizations are urged to apply Microsoft’s mitigations according to the vendor’s instructions.

The advisory highlights the critical nature of this vulnerability and the potential consequences of failing to secure affected systems.

If mitigations are not available or cannot be implemented, CISA advises discontinuing the product’s use to prevent potential exploitation.

The Unknown Threat of Ransomware

One of the concerning aspects of CVE-2023-24955 is its potential use in ransomware campaigns.

While it is currently unknown whether this vulnerability has been exploited for such purposes, the possibility cannot be ruled out. Ransomware attacks have become increasingly sophisticated and targeted, with attackers constantly seeking new vulnerabilities to exploit.

The nature of this vulnerability, allowing for remote code execution, makes it a prime candidate for inclusion in ransomware operators’ arsenals.

The advisory was issued on March 26, 2024, with organizations given a deadline of April 16, 2024, to apply the necessary mitigations or discontinue using the affected product.

This timeline underscores the situation’s urgency and the need for immediate action to protect against potential exploitation.

The discovery of CVE-2023-24955 in Microsoft SharePoint Server is a stark reminder of the importance of cybersecurity vigilance.

Organizations using SharePoint are strongly encouraged to review their systems, apply the recommended mitigations, and stay informed about potential threats.

As cyber threats evolve, staying ahead of vulnerabilities and taking proactive measures to secure systems is more critical than ever.

Stay updated on Cybersecurity news, Whitepapers, and Infographics. Follow us on LinkedIn & Twitter.


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This Platform Makes Bitcoin Mining Possible Through NFTs

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This Platform Makes Bitcoin Mining Possible Through NFTs
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For most crypto enthusiasts, participating in Bitcoin mining remains a pipe dream – between the technical complexity, expensive hardware, and constant upkeep, it seems out of reach for the average person trying to dip their toes into crypto.

But what if you could earn passive Bitcoin without needing to become an overnight blockchain expert or breaking the bank on specialized equipment? A new platform called GoMining is turning that pipedream into reality for everyday crypto fans.

GoMining leverages non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to open up simple, accessible Bitcoin mining opportunities for the masses. By abstracting away traditional mining barriers through tokenization, the platform makes earning Bitcoin rewards possible for literally anyone with just a few clicks. And importantly, their approach maintains a strong focus on safety and security for users (more on that later).

Curious to learn how GoMining is pioneering the democratization of crypto mining? Read on as we dive into the technicals. We will also uncover how you can try the platform and mine BTC using a 7-day free trial.

What is GoMining?

At its core, GoMining is an infrastructure project with a laser focus on efficient, sustainable Bitcoin mining. The team runs a global network of nine data centers packing a massive amount of collective computing power – we’re talking over two exahashes and counting.

These strategically located mining operations maximize energy efficiency by using proprietary hardware and service centers. In other words, GoMining handles all the heavy lifting of optimizing Bitcoin mining at an enterprise scale.

Now, here’s the neat innovation that opens up access: GoMining developed not one but two avenues for individuals to passively participate in those institutional-grade mining returns.

First, there’s the GoMining Token (GMT) – an exchange-tradeable cryptocurrency representing fractional ownership of hashrate from the GoMining mining infrastructure. Pretty straightforward staking model if you’re familiar with crypto.

But then there’s also the NFT mining rig offerings. These specialized NFTs essentially tokenize specific pieces of GoMining’s real-world mining hardware, allowing holders to collect payouts. When a user purchases an NFT, they start receiving mining rewards directly into their Bitcoin wallet within 24 hours, and these rewards continue daily.

By blending infrastructure scale with tokenized participation models, GoMining aims to finally demystify and democratize Bitcoin mining for the masses. No need to run your own solo rig from your garage anymore!

Problems it solves

For individual miners, GoMining fixes several major headaches:

  • No More Expensive Upfront Costs – GoMining lets anyone purchase fractional mining capability. So rather than investing thousands in your setup, you can start earning with mining NFTs from a significantly smaller budget.
  • It Handles the Technical Complexity – No need to become an expert to participate! GoMining manages all mining operations and logistics for you from their optimized facilities.
  • Low Electricity Costs – GoMining leverages scale across global data centers located in low electricity cost regions, which translates to competitive rewards.
  • Always Up-to-Date Equipment – As mining hardware evolves, GoMining continually upgrades their infrastructure. This means your mining NFTs tap into the latest and most efficient tech automatically.

Virtual Miners: NFTs Explained

Okay, let’s break down these NFTs in a bit more detail. As mentioned, GoMining’s “Virtual Miners” are specialized NFTs that give holders fractional ownership of the platform’s global mining infrastructure.

In plain terms, these NFTs let you earn passive Bitcoin without dealing with the hardware or logistics yourself. By tokenizing mining equipment into digital assets, GoMining opened up access for the everyday crypto fan to participate in heavy-duty rewards previously only possible at an institutional level.

Minting New Virtual Miners

Each time GoMining expands by deploying new physical miners in their data centers, a matching batch of Virtual Miner NFTs gets minted and listed. The ERC-721 blockchain standard ensures each NFT is provably unique and traceable.

When checking out NFT offerings in GoMining’s shop, you’ll notice details around entitled hashrate. This defines how much mining power (TH/s) backings that NFT, which translates to your output. Rather than buying rigs, you’re buying rights to fractional productivity.

Plug In and Start Earning Bitcoin

Once you purchase a Virtual Miner NFT, it gets transferred directly to your crypto wallet. Almost instantly, you’ll start accumulating daily Bitcoin mining rewards every 24 hours. Payout calculations are based on your share of GoMining’s collective hashrate. It’s like owning a slice of an industrial-capacity operation.

As market conditions shift, NFT prices fluctuate but broadly align with mining profitability. You can always sell your NFT later if desired too.

Future-Proofed With Auto-Upgraded Hashrate

As crypto mining hardware keeps advancing, GoMining continually acquires faster and greener rigs to stay competitive. Rather than making you buy new NFTs each upgrade cycle, your existing Virtual Miners can be seamlessly upgraded as well! By burning lower efficiency NFTs, GoMining issues you new tokens representing hashrate from the latest gear. This ensures you stay viable for the long haul.

Why Virtual Miner NFTs Beat DIY Mining

  • Dodges hardware costs and headaches
  • Daily BTC deposits straight to your wallet
  • Hashrate auto-scales to stay optimized
  • Easy tradability provides liquidity

Steps to Start Mining BTC with GoMining NFTs (+ 7 Day Free Trial)

Ready to start earning passive Bitcoin through GoMining’s NFT mining platform? The process is simple:

Step 1: Create Your GoMining Account


Go to app.gmt.io and click “Get Started” in the top right corner. You’ll need to enter a valid email and create a secure password. Make sure to use an email you can access, as you’ll receive verification codes for the next steps.

You can also create an account by connecting your wallet. Current supported wallets include WalletConnect, Trust Wallet, MetaMask, and TON Wallet.

Step 2: Complete KYC Verification

To comply with Anti-Money Laundering regulations, GoMining requires users to complete a quick know-your-customer (KYC) check. Pretty basic stuff in the industry these days thanks to the rapid increase in crypto regulation. 

Getting a photo ID like a driver’s license or passport ready to hand expedites the verification process. You will need to upload a photo of one document, and you will need to take a selfie. You can do this on your desktop, or a mobile device.

Rest assured GoMining uses advanced encryption and access controls to secure the personal data provided. All in all, the KYC process should only take a few minutes

Step 3: Start Your 7 Day NFT Mining Free Trial

GoMining offers new users a 7-day free NFT trial to experience mining rewards firsthand. You’ll receive a demo Virtual Miner NFT with 16 TH/s allocated to your account. Finding the free trial is easy. Just log into your GoMining account and navigate to the “NFT Game” section.


Over the next week, you’ll accumulate real BTC payouts based on that hashrate. Payouts are simply deposited into a virtual wallet during the trial period. You will receive real BTC rewards as if you owned a real NFT – but the only difference is that the rewards are saved to your virtual balance.

To maximize your profits, you need to log in to the platform every day and “Service” your mining rig. To do this, simply come back to the same menu and click the service button and you’re good to go. There will be a countdown timer that tells you how long you need to wait before you can do it again. Each time you service your rig, you will get daily rewards and increase your payout. 

Step 4: Buying Your First Virtual NFT Miner

After testing out Bitcoin mining rewards during the free trial period, it’s time to graduate to your own Virtual Miner NFT connected directly to your wallet.

Start by opening the NFT Marketplace within your GoMining account. Browse through the listings of available Virtual Miners with details on represented hash rates and real-time pricing. Consider factors like:

  • Your overall budget
  • Desired mining power allocation
  • Current market conditions influencing mining profitability

Once you’ve found the perfect Virtual Miner NFT matching your needs and price range, click “Buy Now” to purchase. Confirm the details look accurate on the checkout screen.

After completing the transaction, your new NFT will instantly show in your wallet, while your free trial NFT disabled. Any demo BTC accumulated transfers over plus your first actual rewards. Now you’ll continually collect Bitcoin payouts based on your owned hashrate. 

Step 5: Understanding the ROI

When you first start exploring the site, it can be a little overwhelming to get your bearings and understand all of the lingo. In general, the most important thing you need to keep in mind is the ROI potential.

The good news is that each Virtual Miner comes with a handy toolbar that lets you calculate the predicted ROI of each investment. You can use the slider to see your ROI over various timeframes, and you can also select and deselect the discounts and bonuses from the servicing function we mentioned earlier, as well as the 10% discount from using the native GMT token.

Once you have chosen your parameters, you will see an estimate window like this:

Of course, this is not to be taken as an exact measure. There are plenty of variables at play. This is crypto, after all.

Managing Your Mining

After you’ve started mining with GoMining, there are several ways to manage and optimize your mining operation.

Tracking Performance

Logging into your dashboard gives you a real-time snapshot of what your miners are up to from different angles – your overall network hashrate contribution, total BTC earned, projected future value based on market conditions, yield over time, etc.

Having all this visibility in one place lets you easily track progress, spot trends, and figure out optimal times to make money moves.

Reinvesting to Grow Your Position

A proven investing mantra is letting your money work for you through compound interest. As such, GoMining enables seamlessly upgrading your Virtual Miner NFTs to more powerful models with greater hashrate allotments, earning you more Bitcoin rewards. This multiplier effect accelerates mining revenue through continuous expansion of your infrastructure holdings.

Cashing Out

Whenever you want to realize your mining profits, you can easily withdraw your Bitcoin rewards to an external wallet. GoMining covers the blockchain transaction fees, ensuring you receive your full earnings. Alternatively, you can sell your Virtual Miner NFTs on the secondary NFT marketplace, allowing you to potentially profit from appreciation in the value of your mining power.

GoMining Security 

Let’s talk security – because when money is on the line, protection matters. First of all, it’s worth mentioning that GoMining alleviates many of the security risks associated with traditional mining. Solo miners often have to consent with concerns such as:

  • Hardware Vulnerabilities: Solo home mining rigs can attract hackers looking to infect setups with malware to make off with hard-earned crypto.
  • Technical Knowledge Gaps: Miners who are still getting up to speed with security best practices are vulnerable to making mistakes. Holes in setups expose them to attacks.
  • Physical Risks: Accidents happen, and thievery is always a risk. When operating a mining rig, you need to take both digital and physical security into account. 

GoMining lifts those burdens by handling everything safely in professional data centers, which is certainly a significant benefit when it comes to maintaining peace of mind. 

GoMining Security and Safety Features 

Okay, now we know GoMining takes away those pain points, let’s take a look at some of the safety and security features of the platform itself:

  • Reward Wallet Verification: GoMining employs a rigorous verification process to ensure that you are the owner of the cryptocurrency wallet you provide and so that it can correctly determine where the BTC mining reward should be safely distributed. 
  • CertiK Smart Contract Audit: GoMining has undergone an in-depth audit by CertiK. This evaluation validated the security of the platform’s code and blockchain infrastructure.
  • Two-Factor Authentication 2FA: This adds a critical layer of security to your account, making it significantly harder for bad actors to gain access. 
  • KYC Compliance: GoMining follows industry standard KYC compliance to mitigate fraudulent activity. 

Tips to Enhance Security

While GoMining locks down their systems, it’s important not to forget the role of the user when it comes to ensuring security. Be sure to closely guard account details, and never share your private passwords or seed phrases, even when prompted. As per GoMining, they will never reach out directly and ask for sensitive information.

When purchasing GMT tokens, it’s best to do so through the platform itself, major verified exchanges, or the Trust Wallet application. 

Finally, proactively verify the authenticity of any social media profiles. Cross-check them against GoMining’s official, confirmed channels list.

GMT Tokenomics


As you may have noticed, there are some pretty nice rewards and discounts for using the native GMT token. Let’s take a look at some of the token’s utility:

Fee Discount Token

By paying platform fees in GMT, NFT holders receive a 10% discount reducing overhead costs and boosting mined Bitcoin. This incentive kickstarts regular token circulation.

Deflationary Burn and Under-Mint

When GMT gets spent on fees, tokens get permanently destroyed via burning. Meanwhile, the system mints new GMT representing a significant percentage of the amount burned. This continual burn and under-mint process structurally diminishes circulating supply over time, applying incremental deflationary pressure on GMT.

Reward Redistribution

Of the amount reminted, tokens are distributed across platform incentives like miners, service providers, community grants, liquidity pools, and veToken stakers. This stimulation shares wealth while aligning stakeholders.

Decentralized Governance

Users committing to locking up GMT get veToken status. This earns governance votes steering the DAO’s direction while collecting fee distribution rewards. Aligning stakeholders reduces risks from fragmentation while bringing community oversight.

Closing Thoughts

GoMining is aiming to flip the script on the idea that crypto mining is a highly technical process that only hardcore blockchain experts can pull off. 

By packaging up institutional-grade mining infrastructure into user-friendly NFTs, GoMining opened the door for regular crypto fans to tap into passive income. Now there’s no need to mess with clunky hardware and maintenance – it’s condensed into a few clicks.

At the same time, Gomining has not had to sacrifice viability or efficiency, since all the heavy lifting still happens behind the scenes at a massive scale. Users just get to kick back collecting Bitcoin off the mass output. 

Of course, it’s still important to enter into this with all of the same savvy and diligence as any crypto endeavour. Keep in mind that the market is volatile and that returns are not guaranteed. There are many factors at play, so be sure to do your research so you can find a set-up that works best for your finances and your risk profile. 

With that said, if you have always wanted to try out Bitcoin mining for yourself but have never had the time, energy, or money to set up your rig, Gomining just might be the solution you were looking for. 

FAQs

What blockchains are NFTs issued on?

GoMining NFT collections are issued on both Ethereum (ERC-721 standard) and Binance Smart Chain (BEP-721 standard). Some popular collections include The Greedy Machines, the Khabib Collection, The East Collection, and The North Collection.

What makes GoMining’s NFTs unique?

The NFTs represent fractional ownership of GoMining’s real computing infrastructure actively mining Bitcoin. Owning them entitles holders to daily mining rewards proportional to the hashrate tied to each NFT. They also function as creative digital artworks tradable on marketplaces.

How can I upgrade my NFT’s mining power?

GoMining enables upgrading your NFTs to higher hashrate tiers, increasing potential rewards. Twenty levels exist, with Level 1 representing 1 TH/s and Level 20 maxing at 5000 TH/s. Upgrading costs less than buying a separate NFT at the target level. The higher your current tier, the cheaper upgrading becomes.

What fees apply and is there a way to reduce them?

Daily electricity and maintenance fees get deducted from rewards, but discounts apply:

  • Level Discount: 0.3% – 1.2% off based on total hashrate
  • Service Discount: Up to 3% for clicking a daily button
  • Solo Mining Bonus: Extra off as a platform incentive
  • 10% GMT Discount: When paying fees in native tokens

Activating discounts significantly increases net Bitcoin payouts.

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