News November 04, 2024
Stephen King hits out at Elon Musk’s ‘pro-Trump disinformation’ on X
As the election approaches, celebrities such as Stephen King and Cardi B have been taking aim at Donald Trump supporter Elon Musk on Twitter. King, a horror writer, has accused Musk of spreading misinformation ahead of the election, noting that Musk has posted 3,000 times on the platform in the last month, many of which are pro-Trump disinformation and outright lies. King also notes that Musk has “skin in the game” as he publicly endorsed Trump on X, donated millions to a Trump Super PAC, appeared at Trump rallies, and offered million-dollar swing state payouts to Trump voters. Musk’s attempts at a retort have been met with laughter from King, who has noted that the author is counting up all of Musk’s posts while saying nothing to dispute his claims.
Save $170 on this space-saving vacuum from Dyson
The Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is on sale for $399.99 at Amazon, down from its usual $569.99 list price. This powerful and lightweight vacuum offers three power modes, including Auto mode, Eco mode, and Boost mode, and a range of tools to make cleaning easier and more efficient. The Motorbar cleaner head is a master multitasker that can deep-clean all floor types and de-tangling hair as it goes. It also comes with a sleek docking station that recharges the battery without any fuss. The Dyson V11 Origin is a great deal at $399.99, but it won’t last forever.
Inside the Massive Crime Industry That’s Hacking Billion-Dollar Companies
On October 20th, a hacker known as Dark X claimed to have stolen personal data from 350 million Hot Topic customers. The data, including email addresses, phone numbers, and partial credit card numbers, was listed for sale on an underground forum the next day. However, it was later revealed that Hot Topic had kicked the hacker out.
The hack is believed to be one of the largest ever against a consumer retailer, and experts attribute it to luck rather than malicious intent. The hacker used login credentials from a developer who had access to Hot Topic’s crown jewels.
This incident is part of a larger underground industry that has made hacking some of the most important companies in the world child’s play. Infostealers, a type of malware designed to pillage passwords and cookies stored in the victim’s browser, have given birth to a complex ecosystem where criminals fulfill different roles.
There are Russian malware coders continually updating their code; teams of professionals who use glitzy advertising to hire contractors to spread the malware across YouTube, TikTok, or GitHub; and English-speaking teenagers on the other side of the world who then use the harvested credentials to break into corporations.
The market has been able to grow and mature so much that now law enforcement action against even one part of it is unlikely to make any lasting dent in the spread of infostealers. Based on interviews with malware developers, hackers who use the stolen credentials, and a review of manuals that tell new recruits how to spread the malware, 404 Media has mapped out this industry. Its end result is that a download of an innocent-looking piece of software by a single person can lead to a data breach at a multibillion-dollar company, putting Google and other tech giants in an ever-escalating cat-and-mouse game with the malware developers to keep people and companies safe.
The infostealer ecosystem starts with the malware itself. Dozens of these exist, with names like Nexus, Aurora, META, and Raccoon. The most widespread infostealer at the moment is one called RedLine, according to cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Having a prepackaged piece of malware also dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for a budding new hacker. The administrator of LummaC2, which Recorded Future says is in the top 10 of infostealers, said it welcomes both beginner and experienced hackers.
Initially, many of these developers were interested in stealing credentials or keys related to cryptocurrency wallets. Armed with those, hackers could empty a victim’s digital wallets and make a quick buck. Many today still market their tools as being able to steal bitcoin and have even introduced OCR to detect seed phrases in images. But recently those same developers and their associates figured out that all of the other stuff stored in a browser—passwords to the victim’s place of work, for example—could generate a secondary stream of revenue.
NYT’s The Mini crossword answers, hints for November 4, 2024
The Mini is a smaller version of The New York Times’ daily crossword, with only a few clues to solve each day. While the full crossword requires more knowledge and patience, The Mini is designed for speed-running and can be frustrating if you get stuck on a tricky clue. However, there are hints and answers available for each day’s puzzle, so you can still enjoy the experience even if you don’t have all the answers.
Pick up the Amazon Echo Pop for under $20
Amazon Echo Pop on sale for $17.99: Get 55% off the list price as of Nov. 4. The Echo Pop is a handy and compact Alexa device that can control music, audiobooks, and podcasts from services like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Music. It also doubles as a smart home hub, so you can use voice control for compatible devices like lights and plugs. With its small size and eco-friendly materials, it’s perfect for small spaces such as bedrooms. This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so act fast to get your hands on one!