Category: Technology

One of the world’s most notorious hackers could finally be in custody. Bleeping Computer reports that ransomware affiliate Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev also known as Wazawaka, Uhodiransomwar, m1x and Boriselcin has been arrested.

Prosecutors have not confirmed if Matveev is under arrest, but reports indicate that Matveev may be the hacker in Russian custody. The Russian state news agency РИА Новости (translated on BlueSky by the Center for Strategic Research’s Oleg Shakirov) reported that the Kaliningrad Interior Ministry and Russian prosecutors sent a case of “a programmer accused of creating a malicious program” to court. An anonymous source with knowledge of the matter confirms that Matveev is the programmer.

Matveev is also wanted on charges in the US for launching attacks on US law enforcement agencies and healthcare organizations as far back as 2020. The US State Department is offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture in May of last year when the Department of Justice filed criminal charges against him. If he’s in Russian custody, the US may not get a chance to prosecute him.

Matveev, a Russian national, has links to ransomware hacking groups such as Hive, LockBit and Babuk. He’s linked to a number of attacks including an April 2021 lockout attack on the systems of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. More than a year later, he allegedly helped launch a Hive ransomware attack on a healthcare NGO in New Jersey.

Attacks from LockBit are particularly destructive and egregious. In late 2022, the group infected the computer systems of 1,400 victims including a Holiday Inn hotel in Turkey. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also placed sanctions against Matveev for his role in several ransomware attacks on US services and critical infrastructure targets. The Justice Department believes Matveev has extracted more than $75 million from his victims in ransom payments.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/russia-arrests-ransomware-attacker-wazawaka-202134431.html?src=rss 

It can be tough to shop for a photographer or videographer during the holidays because there’s so much gear out there, and a lot of it is super expensive. Whether you’ve got someone like that on your holiday gift list, or you’re looking to upgrade some of your own camera gear, Black Friday deals can help make it less burdensome on your wallet. Most of the major camera manufacturers including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon and GoPro are offering substantial discounts this year on a bunch of products, so it’s likely you’ll find something that will fit within your budget. These are the best Black Friday camera deals we found for 2024.

Black Friday action cam and drone deals

GoPro Hero 13 Black accessory bundle for $349 (22 percent off): GoPro’s best deal in my opinion is the Hero 13 Black accessory bundle pack. It not only gives you the company’s awesome video camera with up to 5.3K capture, but two enduro batteries, the “Handler” handle, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB microSD card and a carrying case for the same price as the camera alone. 

DJI Mini 4K drone for $239 (20 percent off): It’s right there in the name, as the DJI Mini 4K can shoot 4K30p or 27K 60p video. That’s not bad at all at this price and quality is surprisingly good. Best of all, it weighs less than 250 grams so you don’t need any kind of a permit to fly it. If you want to get it with extra batteries and a carrying case, the Fly More Combo is also discounted 20 percent to $359. 

DJI Osmo Action 4 action cam for $209 (30 percent off): Even though it was superceded by the Action 5, DJI’s Osmo Action 4 is still a great action cam. It has a relatively large 1/1.3-inch sensor so it’s great in low light, and offers 4K 120p video. You also get DJI’s Rocksteady 3.0 stabilization, long battery life and a nifty magnetic locking system. 

Insta360 Ace Pro action cam for $300 (14 percent off): The Ace Pro is the first action camera with 8K recording, something we’ve still yet to see from GoPro or DJI. Another unique feature is the flip-up selfie screen that eliminates the need for a front screen. This is the lowest price we’ve seen yet for this model. 

Insta360 X4 action cam for $425 (15 percent off): Insta360’s X4 sets the standard for 360 video with up to 8K of resolution, and it’s now on sale at the lowest price we’ve seen yet. Rugged and waterproof, it offers powerful image stabilization, an invisible selfie stick and fun video modes. 

Black Friday mirrorless and compact camera deals

Canon EOS R100 camera with two lenses for $499 (40 percent off): This is one of the best camera deals going right now, letting you pick up Canon’s small but powerful EOS R100 plus two lenses that cover from 18mm up to 210mm (27-315mm full-frame equivalent). Its size makes it ideal for travel and the lens selection will let you shoot anything from people pics to wildlife or bird shots. 

Sony ZV-1 II camera for $698 (22 percent off): The ZV-1 II is an ideal vlogging camera thanks to features like product showcase and background defocus that make it easy for creators to grab the perfect shot. The latest model features a wider zoom lens and more intuitive touchscreen, so it’s better than ever for creators on the go.

Nikon Z8 camera for $3,497 (13 percent off): The Nikon Z8 is the most powerful hybrid camera you can get for the money, thanks to the 45.7-megapixel stacked sensor, incredible burst speeds, high image quality and 8K RAW video capture. It stacks up feature-for-feature against Canon’s slightly better R5 II, but currently costs a whopping $800 less.

Canon EOS R8 camera for $1,199 (20 percent off): The R8 has Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition AI, and can shoot bursts at up to 40 fps. It’s equally strong with video, supporting oversampled 10-bit 4K at up to 60 fps.

Panasonic Lumix S9 camera with 20mm-60mm lens $1,498 (17 percent off): This is one of the best deals on a full-frame creator camera that we’ve seen. After testing one recently I found it to be small but powerful, with reliable autofocus, awesome video quality and those famous real-time LUTs so that creators can get the perfect look with no fuss. 

Sony A7 IV camera for $2,098 (16 percent off): Sony’s 33-megapixel A7 IV is the best mid-range mirrorless camera you can get, thanks to a great mix of speed, resolution and video powers. The biggest selling point is the reliable autofocus that ensures you’ll get sharp photos nearly all the time. 

Black Friday camera accessory deals

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 19 Studio $236 (20 percent off): DaVinci Resolve 19 is the best alternative to Adobe’s Premiere Pro for video editing and unlike the latter, doesn’t lock you into a subscription. The latest version offers a host of new AI-powered features like motion tracking and color grading. 

K&F Concept camera sling bag for $32 (16 percent off): If you need to travel light this bag can carry a surprising amount of gear while offering excellent protection and features like a side safety buckle.

Amazon Basics 60-inch lightweight tripod with bag for $19 (27 percent off): This lightweight tripod weighs just 2.7 pounds and has adjustable leg heights and rubber feet. Though small, it can handle any camera and lens combo weighing up to 6.6 pounds.

Lexar Silver Pro SDXC UHS-II 128GB (2 pack) memory card for $54 (26 percent off): This V60 card has enough speed for 4K 60p video capture and can unload files to your computer at a stellar 280 MB/s.

ProGrade Digital 512GB CFexpress 4.0 Type B Gold memory card $140 (30 percent off): This is a solid deal on a mid-range memory card that offers max read/write speeds of 3400 MB/s and 3000 MB/s. 

SanDisk 256GB Ultra microSDXC memory card for $19 (27 percent off): A good compromise between speed and value, it offers speeds up to 150 MB/s for drones, consoles and other devices.

Pixel G1s RGB video light for $56 (30 percent of): Pixel’s G1s RGB video light is a must have for serious shooters, offering both a second illumination source and a colorful background light. Unlike many of the knockoffs, it exudes quality, and this is the lowest price I’ve seen yet. 

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Micro Color Panel $407 (20 percent off): The Micro Color Panel is portable, attractive, well-designed, nice to use and reasonably priced. If you sped a lot of time on color correction, you’ll find it to be a time saver. 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-19-best-black-friday-deals-on-camera-gear-from-nikon-dji-canon-and-others-130004779.html?src=rss 

Riot Games added some new clauses to its Terms of Service that could put some players in hot water for unbecoming behavior that occurs “across the various places that touch their gaming experience.” Players can face penalties, suspensions and even “Riot-wide bans” if they are caught violating these new rules.

The new clauses first appeared on Riot’s Privacy Notice and TOS on Tuesday. Creators have until January 3, 2025 “to adjust their content to adhere to these rules,” according to Riot Games’ announcement.

The new “Off-Platform conduct” rule gives Riot Games the right to issue game penalties when hateful content is brought to their attention. The new clause says Riot Games won’t proactively search for social media for violations. Instead, players can report cases about an offending player’s conduct on a livestream in which one of its games serves as “the background of the content produced.” If Riot determines that the player violated its TOS, Riot could issue a penalty “as if that behavior occurred in-game,” according to the TOS.

The new TOS rules also focus on “stream sniping” in which streamers and players hijack or interrupt another stream’s online sessions. The penalty system for these infractions are still in the “early testing phases” using a limited number of English-speaking Valorant creators.

Repeat offenders of these and other infractrations could result in complete bans from all Riot Games accounts. The new TOS states that Riot can issue multiple penalties and bans for streamers and players who commit “a seriously egregious violation” or “problematic behavior.”

Riot Games has dedicated a lot of time recently to discussing and exploring ways to rein in offensive and ill behavior in its games. Valorant studio head and Riot Games Senior Vice President Anna Donlon acknowledged in May that Riot “absolutely needs to do better” to protect its players laying out new actions they planned to take such as implementing new penalties and increasing support for manual reviews of reports, according to Eurogamer.

Twitch has also taken steps to curb some of its users’ disturbing and damaging behavior. Last year, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy announced new terms for the streaming platform during the opening ceremony for TwitchCon in Las Vegas. The new rules established suspensions and bans for streamers who dox or swat other players and the ability for streamers and moderators to anonymously send warnings to chatters who commit bad behavior during sessions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/riot-games-is-cracking-down-on-players-off-platform-conduct-173303058.html?src=rss 

Meta is said to be planning a fiber-optic subsea internet cable that will span the world and could cost north of $10 billion. The project, which was originally reported by subsea cable expert Sunil Tagare, could be formally announced early next year. However, sources linked to Meta told TechCrunch that the project is in the early stages.

Only a few contractors would be capable of building out that infrastructure and many are tied up with commitments to other customers. If the project does come to fruition, it’s likely to take several years before the cable is laid and switched on.

Meta is said to be the part-owner of more than a dozen subsea networks but this would be the first one that it owns and operates entirely. Google has a few of its own, though Amazon and Microsoft don’t have any dedicated cables and are part owners of others. Meta will reportedly be the sole user of its cable. The company and its services are said to account for about 10 percent of global fixed internet usage (and about 22 percent of mobile traffic).

At this point, Meta generates more revenue from international markets than it does in North America. The cable would give it greater ownership over its infrastructure in the aim of ensuring its services are as stable as possible, though ISPs and mobile providers will still of course be responsible for keeping users’ devices connected. Meta has worked its own Wi-Fi and mobile internet projects, but it wound down the former in 2022.

It’s expected that the cable will run from the US east coast to South Africa then to India and the north coast of Australia before hitting the west coast. All told, the cable could be at least 25,000 miles or so long.

That supposedly safe route would avoid areas where there are said to be “major single points of failure,” according to Tagare. Those include the Red Sea, the South China Sea, Egypt, Marseilles, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. It would also steer clear of many geopolitical hotspots.

Two undersea cables were severed in the Baltic Sea over the couple of weeks. Investigators believe that a Chinese commercial trawler — possibly acting under the influence of Russian intelligence — cut the cables by dragging its anchor along the seabed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-is-reportedly-planning-a-10-billion-globe-spanning-subsea-internet-cable-161613820.html?src=rss 

If someone on your gift list this year is a big techie, you may want to get them something from Apple, Google, Samsung or another big brand. But once you look at the price tags of their most popular devices, you may get discouraged. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a tech gift for someone that has all the cachet of a brand they know and love. These are some of the best gifts you can get from Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies that come in at $100 or less. Remember: you can often find alternatives that are just as good (and sometimes better) than these, but for the people in your life for which brand names really do matter, these gifts will speak to them.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-best-tech-gifts-under-100-from-apple-samsung-google-and-others-130038600.html?src=rss 

I think it’s fair to say you can never own too many SD cards, and thankfully one of the best models available to buy currently is on sale for Black Friday. Amazon has discounted the Samsung Evo Select microSD card. Specifically, the 256GB variant is $4 off its usual $22 price. 

An 18 percent price discount might seem modest, but $18 is a new record low price for the storage device. If you want to avoid shopping on Amazon, Samsung has also reduced the cost of the 256GB model on its website, alongside the 128GB, 512GB and 1TB variants.

Samsung’s Evo Select microSD cards are among the best value you’ll find on the market right now. While there are models that offer faster sequential read and write speeds, it’s hard to argue with the Evo Select line’s mix of performance and affordability. In the case of the 256GB model, the capability to deliver sequential read speeds of up to 160 MB/s is good enough for most tasks. I’ve been using a 128GB Evo Select card in my Switch OLED since the end of last year and have no complaints. Plus, each card comes with a 10-year warranty from Samsung. For $18, that’s a steal if you ask us.

If you’re looking for other storage solutions, I’ll also mention here that Engadget has a roundup of the best Black Friday SSD deals. Check that out if you want to save money on a new NVMe, SD card or external drive.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-black-friday-deal-get-a-256gb-evo-select-microsd-card-for-only-18-133037907.html?src=rss 

If you’ve been patiently waiting to buy a robot vacuum for your home, one of Engadget’s favorites is on sale for Black Friday. Amazon has discounted the Shark AI Ultra by 50 percent to $300. With the price cut, the AI Ultra is only $5 more than it was for Prime Day in July. What’s more, the model that’s on sale comes with a docking station that can store up to 60 days, instead of 45 days, of dirt and debris.

As mentioned, the Shark AI Ultra is one of Engadget’s favorite robovacs; in fact, it’s the model our reviewer thinks most people should buy. The AI Ultra offers reliable cleaning performance, accurate in-home mapping and an app that makes it easy to get the most out of your new vacuum.

Another consideration is the AI Ultra comes with a base station that features a bagless design. In our view, that’s one of the primary reasons to buy Shark’s robovac over competing models. While some of the AI Ultra’s rivals will cost you less upfront, over the lifetime of one of those devices you may end up spending more due to their potential reliance on proprietary garbage bags.

The AI Ultra is also great if you value a vacuum that’s quiet. In our testing, Shark’s model produced significantly less noise than some of the other robovacs Engadget tested. It also did a commendable job of avoiding cat toys and other obstacles, with an object detection feature that allows the robovac to detect things as small as four inches. As long as you don’t need a built-in mop, the Shark AI Ultra is a great purchase, especially at $300 off.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sharks-excellent-ai-ultra-robot-vacuum-is-half-off-for-black-friday-120022146.html?src=rss 

If you’ve been curious to try Meta’s Smart Glasses but their $329 price has put you off from buying a pair, now is a great time to take the plunge; Amazon has discounted a handful of the Wayfarer models by 20 percent and is offering a $90 promotional credit until November 30. Combining the two deals together, it’s possible to buy the glasses for just over $173.

Included in the sale are the Matte Black and Shiny Caramel models, which feature transition lenses. You can save a bit of money by going for a pair with polarized lenses, but if you want to use your new smart glasses indoors, your best bet is to spend a bit more for one of the two colorways mentioned above.

Engadget Senior Editor Karissa Bell reviewed the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in 2023, awarding them a score of 85 at the time. Compared to Meta’s original Ray-Ban Stories glasses, she found the newer wearable was a more polished product. Not only does the new device feature a slimmer frame and charging case, but Meta also managed to improve audio and camera quality. Additionally, the option to livestream to either Instagram or Facebook makes the Meta smart glasses feel genuinely more useful.

Earlier this year, the company released a substantial software update that greatly improved the capabilities of the wearable’s Meta AI. For instance, Meta added a feature that allows users to look at something in their surroundings and ask the software to send a reminder about it. The company also made the AI more conversational. Considering Meta AI was one of the weaker features of the smart glasses when they first arrived in 2023, the update makes it easier to recommend the wearable. As long as you feel like you’ll get enough use out of the Meta Smart Glasses to justify their price, it’s hard to imagine finding a pair for less than they’re on sale for right now.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/metas-ray-ban-smart-glasses-are-20-percent-off-for-black-friday-110053946.html?src=rss 

Canada’s antitrust watchdog is suing Google to force the breakup of the company’s ad tech unit. In a statement published Thursday, during the US Thanksgiving holiday, the Competition Bureau said a “thorough” investigation had found that Google had abused its dominant position in programmatic web advertising to “maintain and entrench its market power.”

Specifically, the watchdog has accused Google of giving its own tools preferential access to online ad inventory. The Competition Bureau alleges the company also took a financial hit on some transactions in an effort to disadvantage rival platforms, and that it even went so far as dictating the terms by which its own customers could do business with competing ad tech companies.

Among other remedies, the Competition Bureau is seeking to force Google to sell two of its ad tech tools. The agency also wants the company to pay a penalty for its behavior.

Google did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment. In a statement it shared with Reuters, Google said the complaint “ignores the intense competition where ad buyers and sellers have plenty of choice.” The tech giant added it is looking forward to arguing its case in court. “Our advertising technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers,” Dan Taylor, vice-president of Global Ads at Google, said separately.

“The Competition Bureau conducted an extensive investigation that found that Google has abused its dominant position in online advertising in Canada by engaging in conduct that locks market participants into using its own ad tech tools, excluding competitors, and distorting the competitive process,” said Matthew Boswell, Canada’s Commissioner of Competition. 

“Google’s conduct has prevented rivals from being able to compete on the merits of what they have to offer, to the detriment of Canadian advertisers, publishers and consumers. We are taking our case to the Tribunal to stop this conduct and its harmful effects in Canada.”

The case comes as Google attempts to fend off a separate attempt by the US Department of Justice to break up the company’s ad business. The two sides made their closing arguments in that case on Monday, and a decision could be announced as early as next week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/canadas-competition-bureau-sues-to-break-up-googles-ad-business-030032969.html?src=rss