Chinese tech firms such as Tencent can create lifelike virtual avatars of you for a fee. But is it ethical?

Chinese tech firms such as Tencent can create lifelike virtual avatars of you for a fee. But is it ethical?

Earlier this month, I attended Tencent’s Global Digital Ecosystem Summit in Shenzhen, where I got to experience their Digital Human showcase at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. Along with other international media — including journalists from Malaysia and Indonesia — we were introduced to a digital version of Mr Dowson Tong, CEO of … Read more

Inside the meltdown: One thing CrowdStrike and Microsoft can’t fix

Inside the meltdown: One thing CrowdStrike and Microsoft can’t fix

I only saw one Blue Screen of Death on Sunday, July 21, across 15 hours of travel via two of the country’s biggest airports, just two days after a botched software update crippled millions of corporate computers running the Windows operating system. “Maybe things are OK,” I remember thinking as my family took the first … Read more

Be warned: After global tech outage, phishing schemes and scammers may try to exploit you

Be warned: After global tech outage, phishing schemes and scammers may try to exploit you

Efforts to deal with a global tech outage that caused chaos for travellers, hospitals and banks are underway, but it may not be the end of your computer woes: Phishing schemes trying to reel in businesses and individuals are now coming to light. Security specialists are warning to be aware of malicious actors purporting to be tech specialists offering help to recover … Read more

Airlines, banks, health care have operations disrupted in global IT outage

Airlines, banks, health care have operations disrupted in global IT outage

A global tech outage was disrupting operations in multiple industries on Friday, with airlines halting flights, some broadcasters off-air and everything from banking to health care hit by system problems. According to an alert sent by global cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike to its clients and reviewed by Reuters, the company’s Falcon Sensor software is causing Microsoft … Read more

AT&T data breach affected nearly all customers after info downloaded to 3rd-party platform

AT&T data breach affected nearly all customers after info downloaded to 3rd-party platform

The data of nearly all customers of the U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T was downloaded to a third-party platform in a security breach, the company said Friday, as cyberattacks against businesses, schools and health systems continue to spread globally.  The breach, most of which took place over five months in 2022, hit customers of AT&T’s cellular … Read more

House says it didn’t alert MPs targeted in Chinese hack because there was ‘no cybersecurity impact’

House says it didn’t alert MPs targeted in Chinese hack because there was ‘no cybersecurity impact’

Members of Parliament targeted in a suspected China-backed espionage campaign weren’t informed because the attack was thwarted and didn’t affect them, says a spokesperson for the Speaker’s office. The statement comes a day after parliamentarians called out the government for not informing them that they had been targeted for a pixel reconnaissance cyber attack launched … Read more

cyber security: Enabled by AI, phishing becomes quite simple

cyber security: Enabled by AI, phishing becomes quite simple

Nitin’s attempts to schedule an appointment with a doctor he had found online had proved fruitless. He had almost given up on the phone numbers that had popped up in the online search, when he received a call. The person claimed to be from the doctor’s office and asked him to download a mobile application … Read more

India, US to hold homeland security talks

India, US to hold homeland security talks

After a gap of two years, India and the United States are expected to hold the Homeland Security Dialogue on February 28, 2024, officials have said. Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla will lead the talks with his US counterpart. The two sides are expected to discuss cooperation in counterterrorism, cyber security, illegal mobility, extradition, aviation … Read more

Artificial Intelligence to Amplify Global Ransomware Threat, Warns UK Government Agency

Artificial Intelligence to Amplify Global Ransomware Threat, Warns UK Government Agency

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to escalate the global ransomware threat over the next two years, according to a new report released on Wednesday by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a division of GCHQ. The report highlighted that AI is already being exploited in malicious cyber activities and is expected to substantially amplify the … Read more

UK Government’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) Bolsters Global Security with Record Investments

UK Government’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) Bolsters Global Security with Record Investments

The United Kingdom’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) unveiled its 2022 to 2023 Annual Report in a recent government press release, showcasing a significant expansion in its global initiatives. The CSSF, led by the Cabinet Office, focuses on addressing threats to UK national security originating from overseas, particularly conflict, transnational threats and hostile state … Read more