Team News

Apple is teasing a mysterious announcement it will make during the first weekend of 2025, January 4 and January 5. The tech giant has run an ad campaign showing scenes from various Apple TV+ shows with the “See for yourself” label superimposed on the image.

But despite the promotions, it’s not clear exactly what Apple plans to announce next week, according to the news. With Apple using the “See for yourself” tag, some believe the company will let everyone watch Apple TV+ for free during the first weekend of the new year.

In 2020, Apple allowed anyone to watch certain Apple TV+ content for free over a limited period of time.

Researchers at Cleafy have discovered a new Android banking trojan called “DroidBot” that steals login information for more than 77 cryptocurrency exchanges and banking apps.

DroidBot has been active since June 2024 as a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) platform. Criminals who want to use DroidBot pay a monthly subscription fee of $3,000.

So far, 17 groups have been identified that used malware for attacks with the help of malware creators. Malware infections have been detected across the UK, Italy, France, Turkey and Germany, but Cleafy warns that there are indications of attempts to spread the malware to new regions.

The developers of DroidBot are most likely Turkish, who provide collaborators with all the necessary tools to carry out attacks. This includes the malware itself, command and control (C2) servers, and a central administrative panel from which they can control their operations, retrieve stolen data, and issue commands.

Malware can record the victim’s keystrokes, display fake login pages through banking application interfaces, intercept SMS messages, especially those containing one-time passwords (OTPs) for banking applications, allow attackers to remotely view and control infected device, execute commands and dim the screen to hide the malicious activity.

DroidBot uses Android access services to track what the victim is doing on the device and simulates swiping and tapping movements.

Among the 77 apps that DroidBot is trying to steal passwords for are Binance, KuCoin, BBVA, Unicredit, Santander, Metamask, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Kraken and Garanti BBVA.

Android users are advised to download apps only from Google Play, review permission requests after installation and check if Play Protect is active on their devices.

iPhone users are being warned about a new identity theft scam that can permanently lock your Apple ID account.

Cybercriminals are sending fake emails to billions of iPhone users, pretending the emails are from Apple.

These emails appear to have been sent by Apple Support, stating that the victim’s account has been suspended and calling for a “prompt response” to the victim.

However, it redirects users to a fake page that can steal their login details and two-factor authentication codes.

The fake emails tell users to click on a link to verify their account, redirecting them to another page that steals their information such as username and password, as well as 2F authentication information.

Once hackers get the credentials, they can immediately access user accounts and digital wallets, and worst of all, the urgency mentioned in the email will trick users into quickly clicking the link without thinking.

The email states that the user has only 24 hours to verify their Apple ID “or it will be blocked forever”.

“Apple will never ask you to sign in to any website or select ‘Accept’ in a 2F authentication dialog. You won’t even have to enter your password, device passcode, or 2F code anywhere,” Apple said.To appear credible, hackers often mention your personal information such as your name or phone number.

Social media company Meta (Facebook, Instagram) has accused the Australian government of rushing to ban social media for under-16s without properly considering the evidence and voices of young people.

Australian politicians who backed the world’s first law say it is necessary to ensure another generation of teenagers do not experience “such harmful content” in the years to come.

The ban, passed by Australia’s parliament on Thursday, just days after a day-long inquiry was held to review 15,000 submissions, has already been described as a test case for what other governments are planning to do.

Despite the bill’s passage, politicians did not unanimously support it, with one independent lawmaker calling it “a 1970s solution to a 2024 problem”. Human rights groups and mental health advocates have also warned it could marginalize young Australians.

So far, most social media companies have said they will comply with the ban, failure to do so would result in fines of up to $50 million. But they expressed uncertainty about how it would be implemented and concerns about its potential impact.

“We are concerned about a process that rushed through the legislation without properly considering the evidence the industry is already doing to ensure age-appropriate experiences and young voices,” said a spokesperson for Meta.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, has already criticized the ban and suggested it was “a backdoor way of controlling internet access for all Australians”.

On Friday, Australian government minister Murray Watt said social media companies should take the ban seriously and realize they have an “interest in maintaining their reputation and their social licence”.

“Between those fines and social pressure, we’ll see how the social networks perform – and if they don’t, we have the opportunity to go after them,” he said.

The ban was supported by Australia’s main opposition party. Shadow communications minister David Coleman said its benefits far outweighed the risks.

“What other generation in history has grown up exposed to content as harmful as this? We can turn our eyes away from it and not talk about it, or we can look it in the face and accept it and do something about it,” Coleman said.

Otherwise, the Human Rights Commission warned that the law could infringe on the rights of young people and reduce their ability to participate in society.