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2023 could very well be the biggest year ever for cybercriminals, new figures have claimed.

According to SonicWall’s latest figures, cybercrime is on the rise across the board, but trends are slowly shifting which is something IT security teams should keep in mind. More precisely, hackers are opting for a “slow and low” approach, keeping stealthy while trying to achieve financially-motivated goals.

That being said, the company found that the total malware volume was up 2% in 2022, after three straight years of decline.

Ransomware up in volume

Overall, the entire European continent saw increased levels of malware (10%+), with Ukraine suffering a record 25.6 million attempts. Certain countries, such as the UK (-13%) and Germany (-28%) fared quite well last year. Across the pond, the U.S. experienced 9% lower malware volume, compared to 2021.

Ransomware, arguably one of the most popular attack vectors out there, saw a global decline of 21%, but total volume that surpassed that of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 202. In particular, total ransomware in Q4 (154.9 million) was the highest since Q3 2021.

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But trends seem to be shifting towards IoT malware, whose global volume rose by 87% in 2022, totaling 112 million hits last year. Cryptojacking - hijacking an endpoint to mine cryptocurrency - is yet to show signs of abating, as well. It rose 43% globally last year, which is the most SonicWall threat researchers recorded in a single year. The retail and financial industries were hit the heaviest, with 2810% and 352% increases, respectively.

“The past year reinforced the need for cybersecurity in every industry and every facet of business, as threat actors targeted anything and everything, from education to retail to finance,” said SonicWall President and CEO Bob VanKirk. “While organizations face an increasing number of real-world obstacles with macroeconomic pressures and continued geopolitical strife, threat actors are shifting attack strategies at an alarming rate.” 

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Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping in February 2023 - CNET

These credit cards offer the best rewards rates for your online shopping.

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The upcoming LG G3 OLED uses a Micro Lens Array panel in order to boost brightness, the company has confirmed to TechRadar. It’s rare for LG Electronics to ever confirm what sort of OLED panel it’s using, and it had been extremely cagey about what was in the G3, but the company explained that some sizes (explained below) of the G3 will use so-called '3rd-gen OLED' panels from LG Display – the latter is the part of LG that actually makes OLED screens (its panels are used in almost all the best OLED TVs), and operates separately to LG Electronics, which makes the TVs.

LG has been showing the G3 off at recent events, and the headline news is that the TV looks set to match or even exceed the (perhaps briefly) world's-best brightness of the Samsung S95C, which we measured during the testing time of our early hands-on Samsung S95C review. 

The 55, 65, and 77-inch versions of the G3 appear to use a Micro Lens Array panel (though not the 83-incher) – these are the only sizes of 4K screen that LG Display produces with the technology in. LG recently shared these impressive real-world measurement figures with us for the G3:

First, a caveat: the figures above were taken by LG, not TechRadar. However, we expect the 10% and 100% figures to be close to the figures that we'll get when we test the set, because that's the kind of test we run.

That HDR Vivid reading of over 2,040 nits is pretty unrealistic for real-world viewing scenarios (who is spending this much on a TV and then watching in a weird mode?), but the 1,470 nits for a 10% window in HDR Cinema  (meaning a white block takes up 10% of the screen, in a mode suitable for movie lovers) is right in line with what we measured in the same kind of tests with the Samsung S95C – we got 1,374 nits there.

These numbers, and the presence of an MLA panel ensure the G3 should be able to compete with the Philips OLED+908 and the Panasonic MZ2000 – both of which use Micro Lens Array tech.

The contrast on the LG G3 is next-level stuff – we've seen it in person. (Image credit: Future)

Micro machines

If you’ve not heard of Micro Lens Array before, it’s a new technology that’s set to radically boost the brightness of OLED TVs. MLA uses billions (yes, with a b) of minuscule convex lenses that are placed over the pixels of an OLED panel to boost brightness up to 150% over traditional OLED screens. 

The LG G3 OLED uses Brightness Booster Max tech coupled with ‘META’: a software brightness-boosting algorithm. This is absolutely latest-gen stuff, never-before-seen in TVs until now, and the LG G3 will be the first on the market with it this year. (Sadly, the LG C3 won't get this technology.)

The presence of Micro Lens Array isn’t the G3’s only noteworthy new feature, though. Processing improvements include AI Super Upscaling to reduce noise when upscaling content; an improved Tone Mapping Pro feature that now analyzes the picture in 20,000 different zones to improve contrast handling; and an HDR Expression Enhancer that adjusts contrast differently depending on whether the part being processed is in the background or foreground of a picture. 

The screen of the G3 OLED gets a further boost with the addition of Super Anti Reflective coating, which LG claims reduces reflections around 25% compared to last year’s LG C2 OLED. This is likely the same technology that impressed us so much in the Philips OLED+908, because it's part of the OLED panel – you may see it referred to as 'Vanta Black' elsewhere.

There are also improvements on the audio front. The G3’s sound calibration is now optimised to the specific content you’re watching, with its speakers sporting 9.1.2 virtual sound thanks to AI Sound Pro, and then adjusting depending on whether it's an action movie, quiet drama, and so on. There’s also an Auto Balance Control feature that balances high and low sounds to better fit the TV’s speakers. 

As with other new LG TVs in 2023, the G3 OLED will partly support Disney Plus’ IMAX Enhanced Audio format, as well as support for DTS/DTS: X, though it will only pass these through to one of the best soundbars – it can't handle these formats itself.

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Data stolen from top gaming publisher Activision by hackers has now appeared for download on a popular dark web forum.

The breach, which occurred in December 2022, was confirmed by the videogame publisher several days ago. Now, it looks as if the worst case scenario has become reality.

The data, which the hackers claim was stolen from Activision's instance of the content delivery network (CDN) Azure, apparently includes nearly 20,000 records of employee details, including full names, email addresses, phone numbers and office addresses.  

Contradicting reports

Rather than being sold for a price, the data here is being offered for free to all users of the forum, in the form of a text file. Threat finders FalconFeedsio were the first to report the post on Twitter.

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The initial hack was achieved via an SMS phishing campaign - AKA smishing - to which an HR employee at the firm fell victim, giving away company credentials that allowed for access to its endpoints.

In confirming the breach, an Activision spokesperson told BleepingComputer that "no sensitive employee data" was accessed, although cybersecurity researchers vx-underground, who uncovered the incident, found this to be untrue, as they were privy to the stolen data and messages posted by the hackers on Activision’s Slack workspaces that showed otherwise.

Now the hacker's forum post appears to confirm this beyond doubt. Activision is yet to respond in light of their actions.

Other data stolen in the hack included that related to upcoming games, although Activision said this was not sensitive and at best only related to marketing materials already in the public domain.

Activision also assured that player and customer data remains safe and was not included in the hack. Since no mention of this was made in the hacker's post, it seems as if this is indeed true. 

The free availability of employee data could mean the future bombardment of employees with other malicious campaigns, such as further phishing attacks and identity theft.

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Telus has confirmed it recently discovered a database being sold on the dark web that apparently contained employee contact information as well as other sensitive data. 

The comms giant is currently investigating the matter to see how big the potential breach is, but preliminary reports suggest that no corporate or retail customer data was taken. 

Still, whoever buys the database could wreak serious havoc.

SIM swapping API

The company confirmed the news in a statement to The Register: "We are investigating claims that a small amount of data related to internal Telus source code and select Telus team members' information has appeared on the dark web," Telus spokesperson Richard Gilhooley said.

"We can confirm that to this point our investigation, which we launched as soon as we were made aware of the incident, has not identified any corporate or retail customer data."

So what data was taken? As per the ad posted on BreachForums, the attacker is selling 76,000 unique employee emails, and “internal information” on the employees pulled from the company’s API. Only one entity can purchase the database, for a sum subsequently agreed upon. 

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However in another, seperate post, the publication found the same threat actor offering the entire email database for $7,000, and a payroll database (counting 770 staff members, including high-ranking individuals) for $6,000. 

Perhaps more interestingly, the hacker is also selling Telus’ entire private source code and GitHub repositories, including the SIM swap API, for $50,000. 

This one, experts agree, is particularly worrying. Speaking to The Register, Emsisoft threat analyst Brett Callow explained how the buyer could use the data to run dangerous SIM-swapping attacks: by transferring the phone number associated with an account to a SIM card in their possession, the attackers would be able to bypass multi-factor authentication and other one-time security codes, to gain access to even most protected accounts. 

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Microsoft may be adding a new customization option in an upcoming Windows 11 update – one that could address a feature that a good amount of users find annoying.

According to Twitter user @PhantomOfEarth and reported on by MSPowerUser, the Windows 11 Dev Insider build 25300 contains three strings that make turning off the date and time on the system tray on the right side of the Taskbar an option. Those strings are ‘Hide taskbar clock,’ ‘Hide time and date in the system tray,’ and ‘Turn this on to hide your time and date information in the corner of your taskbar.’ Most likely the setting will be located on the Taskbar, as other settings that configure it are located there. 

However, this is all still mere conjecture at this point. Finding these strings inside the build doesn't guarantee implementation. And even if it was confirmed the feature would be coming to Windows 11, we still don’t have a release date.

What does this mean for Windows 11?

Personally, I find the date and time on the Taskbar one of the most standard and useful features on the OS. It’s extremely convenient to simply glance to the right and see the exact time of day, especially when absorbed in other projects that would otherwise interfere with my concept of time.

However, having more customization options is never a bad thing and, considering it now, Windows 11 is long overdue for some overhauls in that regard. Another feature that could be useful is the ability to display multiple time zones on the Taskbar –handy for work environments that require communication and teamwork between staffers around the world.

There are plenty of other features Microsoft could test out, and if this one does drop and becomes popular, that hopefully means even more options in the future.

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Honor Magic 5 series was unveiled by the company on the first day of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. The flagship lineup from the Shenzen-based company includes Honor Magic 5, and Honor Magic 5 Pro. The smartphone company also unveiled the Honor Magic Vs, which is its first foldable flagship to debut outside China.

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Almost all Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) are under immense stress at work, a new report from Cyble has claimed. 

Asides from the personal consequences, the company notes that for many businesses, this stress hinders a CISO's ability to perform, putting the entire organization at risk.

Cyble's “Implications of stress on CISOs 2023” report, based on interviews with CISOs working in SMBs whose IT teams have up to five people, says that 94% of them are super stressed at work. As a result, two-thirds (65%) don’t perform as well as they would like to. 

Switching jobs

Stress also makes people quit - and three-quarters (74%) of the respondents had at least one team member call it quits in the past 12 months, while half (47%) had multiple people walk out the door. Stress also makes hiring troublesome. More than four in five (83%) have had to compromise on the staff, just to fill the gaps and keep the company running. 

More than a third of CISOs polled for the report said they were looking to find a new employer themselves.

Board members, on the other hand, seem to be showing no understanding of the matter. Four in five (79%) of CISOs said they received complaints from the board about their work not being handled adequately. Almost all (93%) would like to be able to spend more time on strategic work, rather than tactical.  In fact, more than a quarter report spending their workday almost exclusively on tactical/operational tasks.

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What’s more - when they work - they never seem to stop, as 84% had to cancel a vacation, 64% missed a private event, and 90% consistently work more than 40 hours a week - with no break.

To tackle the issue, the vote is unanimous - they need more resources. They need more talent, more tools, and more automation. 

“One of the most eye-opening insights from the report was the fact that more than 50% of the CISOs we surveyed said consolidating multiple security technologies on a single platform would decrease their work-related stress levels,” said Eyal Gruner, Co-founder and CEO, Cynet.

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While most of the gadget world celebrates New Year with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, for the phone world there is Mobile World Congress (MWC), the huge show in Barcelona focused on mobile technology. We're on the ground in Spain covering the latest phone launches and forward-looking technology news, including flashy new devices from Xiaomi and OnePlus, and a race to talk to satellites. 

We've already seen the newest phones from Xioami, the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro, plus the rebadged Xiaomi 13 Lite. These phones made a big splash in Xiaomi's home market of China, and now that they are going global we've gotten a hands-on look. 

We're also expecting news from OnePlus, which has been teasing its OnePlus 11 Concept phone for the MWC show. We should have all the details, including whether this is even a phone we'll be able to buy, before the show is over. 

We're expecting announcements from almost every major phone maker that isn't Samsung, which launched its flagship Galaxy S23 earlier this month, or Apple. Honor and Oppo will both have events and keynote sessions here at the show, so we could hear more from those brands. 

We're also on the lookout for any new surprises. We knew that Bullitt Group would have its satellite-capable Motorola Defy at the show, and the company had some other satellite surprises as well. We'll keep on the lookouot out for any other new mobile phones with an eye on the sky. 

Keep checking back through the week as we update our Mobile World Congress Live Blog continually. We'll have all the news from Spain and the entire mobile world. 

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Welcome to Barcelona, mobile fans! We are on the ground at Mobile World Congress in Spain, the largest mobile technology trade show. We expect plenty of news, and Xiaomi has already kicked things off with a big global announcement. 

The Chinese company will finally be bringing its lauded Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro to global markets. That one inch camera sensor and Leica-branded lens on the Xiaomi 13 Pro will be available in the UK and plenty of markets beyond, though unfortunately it won't find its way to US soil. 

We've gotten hands on with both of Xiaomi's new phones,  as well as the rebadged Xiaomi 13 Lite, a bargain model also getting a global launch. We'll have a more detailed Xiaomi 13 review soon, so keep checking back. 

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Will Xiaomi's big sensor challenge the Galaxy S23 Ultra? The new Xiaomi 13 Pro features the same one inch camera sensor found on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, the Sony IMX 989 sensor module. That phone was good enough that one of our writers called it the best camera phone he'd ever used. 

While Samsung's latest ultra-premium phone far outclasses the Xiaomi 13 Pro in megapixel count, the size of the sensor matters more than the number of pixels. Samsung's sensor measures around 3/4 of an inch diagonally. The Sony sensor on Xiaomi's new phone is one inch, the same size as many professional DSLR cameras. 

Of course, photography is complicated and the sensor is only one part of the equation. Both phones also benefit from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, which includes Qualcomm's image signal processor. 

We'll need to spend quality time with Xiaomi's new 13 Pro before we declare it our favorite camera, but it certainly packs the right specs to take on the champion, and we're please to see it more widely available than Xiaomi's previous camera great. 

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Save $850 on a Stunning 65-Inch LG 4K TV Today Only at Best Buy - CNET

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