News

Russian hackers are targeting American state and local government networks

Successfully stole data from two servers

Published

October 23, 2020

Shivam Vahia

US national security officials have revelead that Russian hackers are targeting state and local government networks while the presidential elections are in full swing. In two cases, the hackers were able to steal data from the servers.

“Since September 2020, a Russian state-sponsored actor has conducted a campaign against a wide variety of US targets,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said according to a Reuters report.

The American officials have identified the group behind these attacks and it’s called Energetic Bear, a codename used by the cybersecurity industry. The group has multiple names including Berserk Bear, TeamSpy, Koala, and more.

The Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., has rubbished these accusations and said they are “absolutely groundless.” The announcement comes just a few days after US officials told New York Times about increasing cybersecurity threat from Russia as well as Iran amid the looming elections.

The two countries have been mentioned in multiple reports and U.S. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe confirmed their interference. However, the officials added that they had no information to indicate that the elections integrity was affected in any way. Or that the hackers had intentionally tried to disrupt government operations.

The US is on a look out for increasing cybersecurity threats after attempts were made to manipulate the 2016 Presidential Election. The government, as well as private companies, have ramped up their efforts to protect citizens as well as corporate data.

At the forefront of this cyber war are companies like Facebook, Twitter, and ByteDance, who run top social media apps in the country. With the rise in spread of misinformation, hackers and vested interests are constantly trying to change the outcome of the elections by directly manipulating the users.

Gaming

Pre-orders for Ghost of Tsushima on PC are getting cancelled

Because of the PlayStation Network requirement

Published

May 13, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

Excited for the upcoming PC version of Ghost of Tsushima? If you’re looking for a complication-free experience on the platform, Sony has other ideas, especially if you live in a country without the PlayStation Network.

Last week was a bad one for the gaming community. Both Microsoft and Sony made decisions that countered what its users were expecting. Most notably, Sony decided to force Helldivers 2 players to link their PlayStation Network accounts in order to play the game. The massive outcry against the decision ultimately forced the company to backtrack.

However, Sony is still hellbent on fulfilling its PSN dreams. Over the weekend, gamers have noticed that the upcoming version is disappearing from digital storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store.

These platforms have gone even further now. As noted by Eurogamer, Steam and Green Man Gaming are automatically refunding pre-orders for Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut in countries that don’t have support for the PlayStation Network.

Though users in these countries can easily create accounts by setting their country to a supported one, the inability to buy the game presents a new obstacle. The list of countries affected by the decision is still currently unconfirmed, being based on user reports. However, if the Helldivers 2 list is anything to go by, it includes the Philippines and Japan.

Ironically, developer Sucker Punch previously confirmed that players who only want to go through the single-player campaign should have no issue playing without a PlayStation Network account. Sony has seemingly gone further and included single-player gamers into their new ecosystem.

Automotive

All-New Ford Mustang and Territory Sport featured for test drives this weekend

At the SM MOA Concert Grounds

Published

May 10, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

One of the best ways to spend a weekend is to go on a road trip. Understandably, it’s not easy to plan one on the fly. If life’s still got you on a “I need to drive far away” mood, Ford has a nearby treat for you. The All-New Ford Mustang and the new Territory Sport are in the spotlight at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds this weekend.

Melding both the new and the classic together, Ford is featuring both cars at the Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival happening from May 9 through 12 at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds. Anyone can request a drive during the four-day event. The list of drivable vehicles include the Ranger, the Everest, and the Territory.

Plus, anyone who wants to grab a new Ford vehicle can take advantage of special offers during the event, including up to PhP 100,000 in cash discounts. Customers can also learn of Ford’s extensive lineup of perks for its users, such as FordPass, Pickup and Delivery, Express Service, Scheduled Service Plan, Extended Warranty, Emergency Roadside Assistance, and Genuine Parts and Accessories.

The Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival is open from May 9 to 12 from 11am to 9pm.

News

Apple apologizes for anti-creativity iPad Pro ad

Video still up but will no longer be on TV

Published

May 10, 2024

Luigi Leonardo

Ads can get away with a lot of things these days. You might even catch a few that explicitly diss their competition. However, there are rare times when an ad rubs even customers the wrong way. Apple, fresh from releasing new iPads, is backtracking from an ad released for the new lineup.

To celebrate the new lineup, Apple released an iPad-themed ad to promote the devices. The video shows a storeroom’s worth of artist’s tools — including sculptures, musical instruments, and drawing boards — under a pneumatic press. The machine then squishes everything into a pulp. However, instead of showing a featureless mess, the press lifts to reveal… what else but an iPad.

The ad’s message is clear enough. The iPad Pro is powerful enough to accomplish the entirety of human creativity. However, in today’s AI-fueled world, the message misses an important point: AI is constantly threatening the livelihoods of artists worldwide. It doesn’t help that this year’s WWDC will reportedly feature a lot of generative AI.

The company has since apologized for the video. While the ad itself is still up on YouTube, Apple no longer has any plans of broadcasting it on TV.

Though Apple’s message is clear, it’s also evident how the ad ignores the public sentiment on AI in the creative industry. It seemingly says that human flourishing can be squished into a single tablet.