The media giant chooses the head of its amusement park business to replace longtime boss Bob Iger. Read...

The proposed changes could disadvantage consumers, deter investors and increase the cost of doing business. Read...

After 17 years, Rice Bowl Burger Bar is shutting up shop. Read...

George Evans doesn’t want sympathy, he just wants his small business to get the same treatment as its larger competitors. Read...

Google recently announced in a statement that it has disrupted the “world’s largest residential proxy network.” It was able to remain undetected for a long time, hijacking innocent users’ private devices (including smartphones, PCs, and smart home devices) and using them as gateways for distributing data. The company explains that a Chinese company called IPIDEA was behind it and, with the help of a US federal court order, Google was able to shut down several websites and backend systems, thereby preventing the network from continuing to operate. In short, a proxy server is like a relay that forwards requests and caches data. For example, suppose an attacker wants to launch a DDoS attack. Instead of attacking with their own traceable devices, the attacker could relay the attacks through a proxy network comprised of smartphones and devices owned by others, thus concealing their own identity. According to Google, millions of devices belonged to IPIDEA’s proxy network, including at least 9 million Android smartphones. How users end up in the proxy network Most users ended up in IPIDEA’s network by installing free apps, games, and desktop software that contained hidden code snippets (known as SDKs) that aren’t recognized as malicious because they don’t restrict the use of the device. They do, however, allow access by third parties. IPIDEA can therefore use these SDKs to turn an affected device into an exit node for its proxy network. They were then able to forward and conceal data unnoticed through the users’ IP addresses. According to Google, Google Play Protect (the Play Store’s internal threat scanner) can reliably detect and block IPIDEA SDKs. However, apps from third-party stores or other unsecured sources aren’t so safe. We’re talking about “over 600 applications across multiple download sources … that enabled IPIDEA proxy behavior.” Is there still a risk? Google emphasizes that shutting down IPIDEA’s network would prevent millions of devices from continuing to be misused as proxies. IPIDEA, on the other hand, told the Wall Street Journal that its services were intended solely for “legitimate business purposes.” The company did not respond to the court order to shut down its network. However, IPIDEA admits that other criminal actors have been able to abuse the network. In 2025, attackers managed to exploit a vulnerability in the network and hijack millions of devices. These were added to a botnet called “Kimwolf,” which was linked to various DDoS attacks. For Android users, it’s particularly important that you never install applications from unknown, unsecure sources. Even apps from seemingly legitimate stores can introduce Trojans. For additional protection, you might want to install an antivirus app on your Android device. Read...

The US president`s comments come as Sir Keir Starmer arrives in Shanghai on the third day of his visit to China. Read...

Steve Gibson was “not comfortable participating in council business where religious or spiritual practices form part of official proceedings”. Read...

Steve Gibson was “not comfortable participating in council business where religious or spiritual practices form part of official proceedings”. Read...

Another big name is leaving Newmarket, but the local business association says things are looking up for the Auckland shopping district. Read...

Microsoft said this week that it expects Surface and Windows revenue to fall as a result of the ongoing shortages of memory in the PC market. Microsoft chief financial officer Amy Hood told analysts that revenue in its More Personal Computing segment, which includes the Surface devices, should fall to between $12.3 billion and $12.8 billion, from the $14.3 billion that the company reported during the quarter. Windows OEM and devices revenue should decline in the low teens, she said. “The range of potential outcomes remains wider than normal, in part due to the potential impact on the PC market from increased memory pricing,” she said. Microsoft also reported that the surge in PC buying due to transition away from Windows 10 has ended as PC makers sell through their inventory. Windows revenue should fall by 10 percent, Hood said. PC makers have already warned about rising prices, especially Dell and Lenovo. Microsoft did not say that it was raising PC prices, however — still, as we have noted, the continuing rise of RAM prices means the impact to PC consumers tends to remain a mystery. A day later, however, and Microsoft’s stock had plunged by 12 percent in a single day, as investors apparently worried about Microsoft’s Azure revenue and dependence on OpenAI. “Capital expenditures were $37.5 billion, and this quarter, roughly two-thirds of our [expenditures] was on short-lived assets, primarily GPUs and CPUs” for the server business, Microsoft’s Hood said. “Our customer demand continues to exceed our supply.” Overall, Microsoft reported net income of $38.5 billion, up 60 percent from a year ago, on revenue of $81.3 billion for its second fiscal quarter and the fourth calendar quarter of 2025. Read...