Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus

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Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus
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We’ve already compared the best of Google with the best of Apple. In this article, we’ll mix things up a bit. We’ll compare the Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus. In other words, the best of Google is going against… well, one of the devices Apple announced alongside its flagships. The iPhone 15 Plus is not quite a flagship, but it’s rather close to the Pixel 8 Pro’s price tag, and it’s also quite powerful.

As per usual, we’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across other categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. These two phones don’t exactly have much in common, per se, which should make things comparison that much more interesting. Having said that, let’s get down to it, shall we?

Specs

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus, respectively

– Screen size:
6.7-inch Super Actua AMOLED display (flat, 120Hz LTPO, HDR10+, 2,400 nits)
6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display (60Hz, HDR, 2,000 nits)
– Display resolution:
2992 x 1344
2796 x 1290
– SoC:
Google Tensor G3
Apple A16 Bionic
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
6GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
128GB/256GB/512GB
– Rear cameras:
50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 82-degree FoV, 1.2um pixel size, OIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.95 aperture, 125.5-degree FoV, 0.8um pixel size), 48MP (telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, 0.7um pixel size, 5x optical zoom)
48MP (f/1.6 aperture, sensor-shift OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.4 aperture)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
12MP (f/1.9 aperture) + TrueDepth
– Battery:
5,050mAh
4,383mAh
– Charging:
30W wired, 23W wireless, reverse wireless (charger not included)
20W wired, 15W wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions (unfolded):
162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8mm
160.9 x 77.8 x 7.8mm
– Weight:
213 grams
201 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & Face Unlock
Advanced facial scanning
– OS:
Android 14
iOS 17
– Price:
$999+
$899+
– Buy:
Best Buy
Apple

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Design

You’ll immediately notice how different these two phones are, the moment you look at them. They are both made out of metal and glass, and they both have flat displays. That’s basically where similarities end, though. The Pixel 8 Pro has a centered display camera hole. The iPhone 15 Plus, on the flip side, has a pill-shaped camera hole on the front… which is also centered. Both of them have very thin bezels, though, all around.

The Pixel 8 Pro does not have flat sides, unlike the iPhone 15 Plus. Even the sides on Apple’s phone have rounded edges, for comfort’s sake. If we flip the two phones around, you’ll notice even more differences. The Pixel 8 Pro has a camera visor on the back, which connects to the left and right sides of its frame. That camera visor is covered by metal, and it includes three cameras. The iPhone 15 Plus has two cameras on the back, both of which are a part of the camera island placed in the top-left corner.

They have the same display sizes, but slightly different display aspect ratios. The Pixel 8 Pro is a bit taller because of that, but also a bit narrower at the same time. It’s also thicker than the iPhone 15 Plus. The Pixel 8 Pro does weigh 12 grams more than the iPhone 15 Plus, which is not a big difference, but it’s noticeable when you hold them at the same time. Both devices feel quite premium, and they both offer IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Display

The Pixel 8 Pro features a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with a resolution of 2992 x 1344. That panel is flat, and it supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The refresh rate is adaptive, it goes from 1 to 120Hz. HDR10+ content is also supported, and this panel goes up to 2,400 nits of brightness. The display aspect ratio on Google’s flagship is 20:9, while the panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Google Pixel 8 Pro Review AM AH 09

The iPhone 15 Plus, on the other hand, includes a 6.7-inch panel with a resolution of 2796 x 1290. This is a Super Retina XDR OLED panel, and it’s also flat. It supports HDR10 content, and Dolby Vision, but it’s unfortunately stuck at 60Hz. The peak brightness on this panel is 2,000 nits. The display aspect ratio we’re looking at is 19.5:9, and the display is protected by the Ceramic Shield glass.

The bottom line is that both of these displays are really good, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s panel is newer, and has one major advantage. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, while the iPhone 15 Plus is stuck at 60Hz. Most of you will notice the difference while scrolling, and even gaming in some cases. Both displays do look very good, and are very sharp, though. They offer vivid colors, great viewing angles, and deep blacks. They are also well protected.

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Performance

Google’s flagship is fueled by the Google Tensor G3 processor. That is Google’s latest chip, a 4nm processor. Google also included 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM here, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 15 Plus is fueled by the Apple A16 Bionic chip. That’s also a 4nm processor, and it’s not the latest and greatest from Apple, but it’s still great. Google’s chip is technically inferior in terms of sheer power, but it’s tuned to work with Pixels, and has great AI features. The iPhone 15 Plus also includes 6GB of RAM and NVMe storage.

As far as regular everyday performance is concerned, they both do a great job. Opening apps, multitasking, consuming multimedia, browsing… anything you can think of, these two phones can handle with ease. Chances are it will stay that way for quite some time, so there’s nothing to worry about. Even when it comes to gaming, both phones do a great job, but the iPhone 15 Plus does have an edge when it comes to the most demanding titles out there. Both phones do get warm while gaming, but not too warm. All in all, chances are you’ll be happy with the performance of both devices.

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Battery

Google’s flagship includes a 5,050mAh battery, while the iPhone 15 Plus packs in a 4,383mAh unit. Apple’s handsets usually have smaller battery packs, and it’s due to how iOS works. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it has worse battery life, and it’s certainly not the case here. The iPhone 15 Plus actually offers outstanding battery life, one of the best ones we’ve experienced in the last year or so.

Getting over the 9-hour screen-on-time mark with the iPhone 15 Plus is easily doable, actually, even going over the 10-hour screen-on-time mark. This smartphone is a great choice if you need great battery life, without a doubt. The Pixel 8 Pro cannot really reach those heights, but its battery life is not bad, not at all. Once the battery settled, we managed to get over the 7-hour screen-on-time mark on a regular basis, even reaching the 8-hour mark at times.

Both smartphones offer support for wired and wireless charging. The Pixel 8 Pro supports 30W wired, 23W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Apple iPhone 15 Plus supports 20W wired, 15W MagSafe and Qi2 wireless, 7.5W Qi wireless, and 4.5W reverse wired charging. One thing to note is that neither of the smartphones ships with a charger in the box, though.

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs Apple iPhone 15 Plus: Cameras

The Pixel 8 Pro includes three cameras on the back, while the iPhone 15 Plus is equipped with two. A 50-megapixel main camera is backed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (126-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). The iPhone 15 Plus has a 48-megapixel main camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV).

Google Pixel 8 Pro Review AM AH 07

The main cameras on both smartphones are really good. That goes for both day and night. The Pixel 8 Pro does do a better job when it comes to HDR situations, though, and the end results are quite different. The Pixel 8 Pro images do pop more and do seem processed, in a good way. The iPhone 15 Plus is trying to keep things closer to real life, which results in different images. Ultrawide cameras do a really good job in good lighting, keeping a similar color balance to the main cameras. The Pixel 8 Pro is a clear telephoto winner, though.

In low light, the Pixel 8 Pro tends to brighten up the scenes a bit more, while the iPhone 15 Plus once again tries to keep things closer to real life. Both do a great job and manage to retain a lot of detail from the shadows. Their ultrawide cameras are also up to the task, while the Pixel 8 Pro easily wins the telephoto category in low light too. The iPhone 15 Plus still has the upper hand in the video department, and that goes for both day and night.

Audio

There are stereo speakers included on both of these devices. Their output is really good, it’s well-balanced. The Pixel 8 Pro’s speakers are a bit louder, but chances are that not many of you will notice that.

Neither phone has an audio jack, but they are both equipped with Type-C ports. So, you can use those to connect your headphones via a wire. If you prefer to go wireless, Bluetooth 5.3 is included on both devices.


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Windows 10 maintains dominance over Windows 11 in 2024

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Windows 10 maintains dominance over Windows 11 in 2024
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It’s been more than two years since Microsoft released Windows 11. However, data shows that Windows 10, which was released to the public in 2015, still continues to outshine its successor, Windows 11, in 2024. According to Statcounter, Windows operating systems accounted for 73% of desktop OS used in 2023, with Windows 10 occupying 67%, significantly surpassing Windows 11’s 27% share. Despite Microsoft’s efforts to convince users to upgrade to Windows 11, its predecessor’s popularity remains robust.

At the beginning of 2023, 11% of users were still on Windows 7, but concerted efforts saw this number reduced to 3% by the end of the year, reports TechRadar. However, when it comes to upgrading to Windows 11, things don’t go the same way. Microsoft will continue to support Windows 10 throughout 2024 and even after that, users will have the option to opt for the paid Extended Security Update for a few extra years. The company also introduced Copilot to its predecessor in November last year.

It might be a good option for devices that will require a hardware upgrade before they can install the latest Windows version. A significant proportion of the users with Windows 10 may very well stick to it in 2024 and probably beyond that as well, which prevents a unified Windows user base.

Microsoft urges businesses to upgrade from Windows 10 to maintain a unified user base

Concerned about this, Jason Leznek, Windows Servicing & Delivery Principal Product Manager, urged businesses to consider upgrading to Windows 11. Emphasizing the AI advancements in Windows 11, Leznek touted a 250% Return on Investment (ROI) for the platform. The company presented various upgrade options to entice users. It includes a straightforward OS upgrade, complete hardware upgrades for unsupported devices, and the use of virtual machines like Windows 365.

Microsoft’s strategy involves not only nudging users away from Windows 10 but also enhancing the appeal of Windows 11 as we navigate through 2024. The latest major update, 23H2, introduced Copilot directly into the OS, featuring generative AI technology akin to ChatGPT.

Despite Microsoft’s efforts, Windows 11’s growth remained stagnant throughout the summer and into the final months of 2023. The challenge lies in convincing businesses to make the transition to Windows 11. With Windows 10’s continued stability and support until 2025, enterprises seem reluctant to abandon a familiar and reliable platform


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Google Assistant with Bard might be very close to prime time, new code deep dive suggests

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Google Assistant with Bard might be very close to prime time, new code deep dive suggests
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Get ready for a smarter, more versatile Google Assistant. A deep dive into the app’s code reveals exciting details about “Assistant with Bard,” the merger of the classic assistant and Google’s powerful AI, Bard, that was announced back at the Made by Google event earlier this year.
While Google has yet to announce a firm launch date for its AI-enhanced Assistant with Bard, which is expected to fully replace the existing Assistant experience on supported Android devices, a code deep dive performed by 9to5Google has found that work might just be nearly complete on this project. The findings reveal that the Google app has been updated with some new designs, including a look at its popup window and tab switcher. The company is also tweaking its recently launched stocks and finance widget.
The APK teardown also revealed that the Assistant with Bard experience will be prominently placed on the Discover page of the Google Search app. The new button is reminiscent of a physical slider switch and sits at the top of the page, above the Google logo, rather than as part of the existing bottom bar. It is not clear whether this is intended to be a permanent fixture of the Discover tab or a temporary reminder to check out Assistant with Bard if you haven’t already.
9to5Google also managed to enable the actual popup window that you’ll use to submit new prompts/questions to Assistant with Bard. Using the three buttons along the bottom, you can type or speak a message and/or share a photo with the Assistant. This design was first seen in Google’s initial previews of its AI tool at the Pixel 8 event in October.

Credit: 9to5Google

Google Search is also preparing a more prominent message encouraging you to upgrade your Assistant to include Bard AI features. Appearing above the typical Assistant sheet, a new popup suggests a few ways that Assistant with Bard can help you.

Google Assistant with Bard might be very close to prime time, new code deep dive suggests

Credit: 9to5Google

Assistant with Bard is designed to be accessed in the same ways as the existing Assistant, such as by long-pressing the Power button or saying “Hey Google.” It will be interesting to see the final product and how it will mesh with the rest of the Android Operating System or even the Pixel Launcher once it goes live.


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Alexa gets creepy with users via unprompted late-night talks

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Alexa gets creepy with users via unprompted late-night talks
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TikTok user Jess, or @cozylifewithbless, recently shared a video explaining why she had decided to get rid of their Amazon Alexa device after some creepy late-night talks began unprompted. The smart home appliance has been reported doing “creepy things” in the past, and Jess was apparently having none of it.

As current AI models take over the automation industry, products like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant have become outdated and archaic. These products have very limited intelligence and understanding. Thus, these early iterations of smart home products were never as good at their jobs as users wanted them to be.

Alexa started conversing at 1 AM

Jess explains in her video how, when she was out of town, Alexa “kept going off”. The device kept talking to Jess’s husband at one in the morning when he was playing video games. What really rubbed the couple the wrong way was that Alexa was talking without being spoken to. Tools like Alexa and Google Assistant generally do not speak unless prompted to do so directly by a user.

Jess’s husband described the experience as “super, super weird”. During the video, Jess also mentioned how she had been creeped out by Alexa in the past. She talked about how Alexa could recognize her voice when given commands. This, admittedly, is a very common feature of digital assistants. This recent encounter prompted Jess and her husband to get rid of Alexa entirely.

Jess revealed she had replaced Alexa with a kitchen timer, as that was about the only thing the couple used Alexa for. She went on to ask viewers about their opinions on Google Assistant, and if they had experienced anything weird with that.

Creepy Alexa talks often and spooks users

This is by no means the first time something like this has been reported. Back in 2018, there was a period where Alexa devices across multiple households were laughing randomly. This led to many users unplugging their Alexa devices, and many complaints were raised. Only two months ago a user on Reddit posted about their Alexa doing some weird things. Saying Alexa refused to let the lights stay on, and then started singing goodbye. When the owner checked the logs, there were recordings of unidentified people from her own devices.

Instances like this make for some fun and spooky stories but are ultimately just simple glitches. Consumers who have an Amazon Alexa device at home don’t need to worry about an AI uprising just yet.


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Samsung Galaxy A35 leaked in official renders

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Samsung Galaxy A35 leaked in official renders
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Yesterday, we gave you an exclusive look at the Galaxy A55, Samsung’s upcoming premium mid-range smartphone. The device is expected to debut alongside the Galaxy A35 in a few months, which is a slightly less premium offering. So, without wasting much time, we also bring exclusive official renders of the latter courtesy of our trusted, confidential source.

Samsung Galaxy A35 exclusive official renders

Samsung is readying the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 in the same three colors: Awesome Iceblue, Awesome Lilac, and Wesome Navy (shown in a gallery below). The two handsets sport an identical design too. This means the latter features the Key Island button design, which the company introduced with the Galaxy A15 and Galaxy A25 last month. As part of this design, Samsung has created a bulge on the frame to house the power and volume keys on the right side.

The rest of the frame is completely flat and has rounded corners. While there have been rumors about Samsung equipping the Galaxy A35 with a metallic frame, that doesn’t appear to be the case. The renders shared with us by our source don’t feature any antenna lines on the frame, hinting at a plastic build. The renders of the Galaxy A55, which is also rumored to get a metallic frame, do have antenna lines.

The switch from a U-shaped notch on the Galaxy A34 to a punch-hole design on the Galaxy A35 is confirmed, though. The display has thick bezels with the chin thicker than the rest of the bezels. On the back, there’s an identical vertical camera array with no universal housing. As expected, Samsung has equipped the phone with three cameras. The LED flash unit is next to the camera setup. There’s no change to the rear design.

A close look reveals that the Galaxy A35 is slightly thicker than the Galaxy A55. However, the latter has its camera lenses protruding further away from the rear panel. Including the camera thickness, the premium model is bulkier. The camera protrusion of the former is minimal. It would be difficult to tell the difference between the two without seeing the phone up close, though. They are so identical.

The Galaxy A35 may get a much-needed camera upgrade

Rumors say Samsung will equip the Galaxy A35 with a 50MP primary rear camera. It is a much newer sensor and a major camera hardware upgrade over the Galaxy A34’s 48MP unit. However, the rest of the cameras may remain unchanged, including the 13MP selfie shooter. Not much else is known about the new mid-range phone. We expect more leaks about it in the next few weeks, particularly after the Galaxy S24 launch.

Awesome Iceblue:

Awesome Lilac:

Wesome Navy:


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This is what Google Assistant With Bard could look like

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This is what Google Assistant With Bard could look like
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Microsoft has gone all in with AI by claiming that Edge is an AI browser. However, Google is also putting a ton of energy into AI, and we’ve been expecting it to fuse Google Assistant with Bard. Well, a leak has just revealed what Google Assistant with Bard could look like.

In case you don’t know, Google has been planning on powering up the assistant with Bard for a while. While Google Assistant does use some rather great AI, Bard adds a deeper level by using generative AI. It was the company’s flagship AI tool before it unveiled Gemini. There’s a difference between Bard and Gemini, they’re both very powerful AI tools.

A new leak shows us how Google Assistant powered by Bard could look

Since this is a leak, you’ll want to take the information with a grain of salt. We know that Google plans on bringing Assistant with Bard to the market, but there’s no telling exactly how it’s going to look. So, since we’re talking about leaked information, don’t be surprised if anything changes.

We all should be familiar with how Google Assistant looks. The Assistant pops out of a panel at the bottom of the screen. Well, looking at the first screenshot, it appears that Assistant will maintain its bottom panel, but it will look a little bit different.

At the top of the panel, we see the Bard sparkle logo. This means that the brain power behind Assistant will be Bard. You’re still likely to hear the Google Assistant voice that you assigned, but the text will be generated through Bard. In another screenshot, we see the Google app. Above the Google search bar, there seems to be a secondary search bar that also has The Bard sparkle logo. This is most likely a shortcut to access Bard without having to go to the actual website.

These leaked images show a few changes in refinements compared to previously. This could mean that Assistant with Bard is close to launching.


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T-Mobile customers can now get Hulu as a free perk

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T-Mobile customers can now get Hulu as a free perk
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Most of us remember how big T-Mobile’s “Netflix On Us” promotion was back when Stranger Things was popping off. Well, T-Mobile offers a handful of streaming services as free perks for being a member, and a company just added one more. If you are a loyal T-Mobile customer, you can get Hulu as a free perk.

Right now, prices for all three of the major carriers are pretty sky-high. These companies know this, so this is why they add other services and perks along with their phone service to help sweeten the deal. However, T-Mobile is the only company that offers free services along with one of their plans. Right now, you can get services such as Apple TV+, Netflix, and MLB.TV.

T-Mobile customers can get Hulu as a free perk

Obviously, plans like these always have a few things to take into consideration. For starters, it looks like T-Mobile is only offering Hulu on its GO5G Next plan. This is the most expensive plan from T-Mobile, costing $105/month. You can knock that down to $100/month by enrolling in auto payments.

As for which version of Hulu you’re getting, you will be getting Hulu with ads. This is the cheapest tier of the platform which costs $7.99/month. Sure, there are ads, but it’s still a great deal considering that you’re getting it for free. T-Mobile will officially offer this plan starting on January 24th. So, we are a couple of weeks away from that.

Right now, we don’t know if this plan will be affected by Hulu’s eventual merger with Disney+. In case you don’t know, Disney+ has been planning on merging with Hulu into one unified app for a couple of months. It’s currently being tested in beta, and we’re not sure how that testing is going at the moment. In any case, it’s not likely that this will affect the content you see on Hulu.


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Microsoft disables ms-appinstaller after malicious use

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Microsoft disables ms-appinstaller after malicious use
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In what might be conceived as one of Microsoft’s new year resolutions, it has disclosed that it’s turned off the ms-appinstaller protocol handler by default. The change is designed to make installing apps easier, but it also makes installing malware easier.

Typically, an app needs to be on a device before it can be installed, which normally means that a user has to download it first. To save time and disk space, Microsoft introduced the ability to install applications directly from a web server, without downloading it first. It relies on links that use the ms-appinstaller URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) scheme, which are handled by App Installer rather than a web browser. When software is installed this way users don’t see SmartScreen or browser warnings about downloaded executables.

Microsoft reports that it observed malicious activity where criminals tricked users into installing malware using ms-appinstaller links, allowing them to bypass mechanisms like SmartScreen that are designed to keep users safe.

Several cybercriminals were found selling a malware kit as a service that abuses the MSIX file format and ms-appinstaller protocol handler. They distribute signed malicious MSIX application packages using websites accessed through malicious advertisements for legitimate popular software.

The abuse was first noticed in November 2023. Several known groups were using it in different scenarios, all of which lead users to landing pages that mimicked legitimate software vendor sites, where the malware was available via ms-appinstaller links or malicious MSIX installers.

Cybercriminals used four different techniques to spread their malware:

  • SEO poisoning. Users who searched for legitimate software applications on Bing or Google were presented with search results for malicious landing pages.
  • Malvertising. Users searching for software were directed to malicious landing pages via search ads mimicking legitimate vendors.
  • Teams messages. Users were sent messages over Microsoft teams linking to malicious landing pages.
  • Social engineering. Microsoft showed an example of an employement opportunity site that tricked visitors into installing malware by saying it was a new PDF reader version that was required in order to view a document.

The criminal groups identified as using these methods were all initial access brokers (IABs). IABs are individuals or organizations that specialise in providing ransomware gangs with access to company networks.

Malicious installers can be spotted by looking at the publisher information in the ms-appinstaller prompt.

Adobe Protected PDF Viewer not published by Adobe, but by Diamondz Consulting Limited
Image courtesy of Microsoft

To manually disable ms-appinstaller on your network, set the Group Policy EnableMSAppInstallerProtocol to disabled.

How to avoid ransomware

  • Block common forms of entry. Create a plan for patching vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems quickly; and disable or harden remote access like RDP and VPNs.
  • Prevent intrusions. Stop threats early before they can even infiltrate or infect your endpoints. Use endpoint security software that can prevent 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 ThreatDown EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware, and ransomware rollback to restore damaged system files.
  • 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.
  • Don’t get attacked twice. Once you’ve isolated the outbreak and stopped the first attack, you must remove every trace of the attackers, their malware, their tools, and their methods of entry, to avoid being attacked again.

Our business solutions remove all remnants of ransomware and prevent you from getting reinfected. Want to learn more about how we can help protect your business? Get a free trial below.


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Scammers Selling Twitter (X) Gold Accounts Fueling Disinfo, Phishing

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Scammers Selling Twitter (X) Gold Accounts Fueling Disinfo, Phishing
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Scammers are peddling compromised and newly created Twitter Gold accounts, resulting in scams and disinformation.

Cybersecurity researchers at CloudSEK have published a white paper titled “Gold Rush on the Dark Web: Threat Actors Target X (formally Twitter) Gold Accounts,” highlighting the rise in scam campaigns surrounding Twitter’s new tiered verification system, Gold accounts, introduced in December 2022.

As per the company, cybercriminals are actively selling compromised Twitter accounts, specifically leveraging accounts with the platform’s prestigious “Gold” verification badge. Contrary to their intended use, these badges are typically reserved for high-profile individuals and businesses.

These badges, displayed alongside the familiar blue and grey ticks, enhance visibility and provide exclusive features. The cost to obtain a gold verification badge is $1,000 per month in the U.S. Unfortunately, this exclusivity also makes these accounts lucrative and prime targets for cybercriminals.

The paper, authored by Rishika Desai, discusses the unauthorized acquisition of Twitter Gold accounts, risks like phishing and disinformation campaigns, and the need for strong cybersecurity practices.

CloudSEK researchers discovered a rise in sales of Twitter Gold accounts with verification on dark web forums and marketplaces. These ads are traced back to online shops and their marketing partners, with most detected using Google Dork.

In a particular case, a compromised Twitter Gold account had its primary domain set as abc.com. The latest post was published in 2019. Afterwards, in 2022, a new post emerged, creating a clear link to the purchase of gold from cybercriminals occurring after 2019.

The new post directed users to an alternate domain, ‘ABC.XYZ,’ established just two months ago. Investigation into the passive DNS resolution by CloudSEK suggested the account can spread disinformation, phishing websites, job scams, and crypto scams. These accounts can also be redirected to malware or embedded Trojans.

Additionally, researchers discovered accounts with a gold tick mark subscribed, posting links to malicious domains. The price distributions varied based on the type of account, with fresh homegrown accounts costing $0.30, blue tick accounts costing $35, older accounts costing $1.5, and converted accounts costing $1200-$2000. Blue and gold affiliates cost $150 and $500 per account, respectively.

Threat actors offer 15 inactive accounts per week for conversion into gold subscriptions, resulting in over 720 accounts annually, with sales ranging from USD 1200 to USD 2000 and gold badges ranging from USD 1200 to USD 2000.

Scammers Selling Twitter (X) Gold Accounts Fueling Phishing, Disinformation
Screenshot: CloudSEK

Upon further digging, researchers identified that the compromise methods in this campaign include brute-forcing passwords and malware, while scam tactics include phishing links and disinformation campaigns. All purchases are made through a middleman, ensuring authenticity.

Sellers can boost followers of purchased accounts for as low as USD 135, and buyers can add multiple affiliates for free but must pay USD 50 per affiliate to indicate the sub-account is part or affiliated with the Prime Gold account.

Threat actors often replace unused accounts with their data, preventing the primary user from recovering. Researchers at CloudSEK collected six Twitter Gold-enabled accounts, with followers ranging from 2000 to over 72,000.

The first advertisement for Twitter Gold accounts was traced back to March 2023. The scam indicates that Twitter Gold services are not yet mature enough to handle such incidents, and cybercriminals can become guarantors of deals, creating a huge reseller market behind compromised accounts.

To minimize the risk of the Twitter Gold Buy scam, organizations should close dormant accounts if inactive for an extended period and train and educate employees on workplace cybersecurity practices. They must update password policies, educate them against cracked software, encourage using native password managers instead of web browsers, and install endpoint security software on employee devices to detect malicious software.

  1. SMS-Based 2FA Will Be Limited to Twitter Blue Users
  2. Hacker found using Twitter memes to spread malware
  3. Pink Drainer Posed as Journalists, Stole $3M from Twitter Users
  4. Prominent & verified Twitter accounts hacked to run crypto scam
  5. Scammers bought Twitter ads to run verified badge phishing scam

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