These VPN Apps Are Turning Android Phones into Cybercrime Proxies

A report put out by the Satori threat intelligence team at HUMAN has just published a list of 28 apps on the Google Play Store that can effectively turn Android phones into proxy servers. 17 of these apps are actually VPNs, which people often use in order to circumvent internet blocks or mask their identity with all things having been considered and taken into account. In spite of the fact that this is the case, their phones may actually be getting used to cover up instances of cyber crime.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that these 17 apps were available free of charge, which might make them more enticing to download than might have been the case otherwise. The apps, VPN or otherwise, are as follows:

• Lite VPN
• Anims Keyboard
• Blaze Stride
• Byte Blade VPN
• Android 12 Launcher (by CaptainDroid)
• Android 13 Launcher (by CaptainDroid)
• Android 14 Launcher (by CaptainDroid)
• CaptainDroid Feeds
• Free Old Classic Movies (by CaptainDroid)
• Phone Comparison (by CaptainDroid)
• Fast Fly VPN
• Fast Fox VPN
• Fast Line VPN
• Funny Char Ging Animation
• Limo Edges
• Oko VPN
• Phone App Launcher
• Quick Flow VPN
• Sample VPN
• Secure Thunder
• Shine Secure
• Speed Surf
• Swift Shield VPN
• Turbo Track VPN
• Turbo Tunnel VPN
• Yellow Flash VPN
• VPN Ultra
• Run VPN

These apps contain a monetizing app by the name of LumiApps. The way this works is that a webpage is loaded in the background using the device’s unique IP address which then retrieves data. The data is then sent to companies. It bears mentioning that the use of this app is in line with GDPR, but it also ended up being used to convert devices into proxies.

Image: HumanSecurity

After this report was published, Google ended up removing any and all apps using this monetization platform because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up stopping this campaign in its tracks. These apps are now available again, although they likely don’t contain LumiApps anymore. Google Play Protect is now capable of detecting the use of this SDK, and the presence of these apps indicates that the SDK isn’t present anymore.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, some of these apps were uploaded from diverging accounts. That seems to suggest that the app publisher is trying to circumvent previous bans, and it remains to be seen what Google will end up doing on the matter at hand.

Any user that is using one of the aforementioned apps would do well to delete them as soon as possible. Failing to do so could result in their devices being turned into proxies at this current point in time.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Cyberbullying Increased After the Pandemic, New Report Reveals

A new report by the World Health Organization has just revealed that cyberbullying among school age children increased during the pandemic as well as in its aftermath. Around 17% of the 37,000 youths surveyed in Wales said that they experienced bullying, and overall the survey involved just under 280,000 children, or 279,000 to be precise. These survey respondents hailed from 44 different countries around the world.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 12% of boys experienced bullying in 2018, and this number has now risen to 15%. As for girls, the proportion rose from 13% to 16%. The number was even higher in England, with 19% reporting experiencing bullying in some way, shape or form online. This proportion represented the number that had been bullied within the past two months.

It bears mentioning that 11% also acknowledged that they had cyber bullied someone else in that time period with all things having been considered and taken into account. Over in Scotland, the same percentage reported bullying others online, whereas the ones that experienced bullying was at the 18% mark.

Cyber bullying is a serious concern because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up seriously harming the mental health and wellbeing of children. As a result of the fact that this is the case, studies like these are an essential component of the process by which the matter at hand can be fully understood in its entirety.

More work must be done to educate young people about why cyberbullying is something that they shouldn't be taking part in. The pandemic likely drove this trend due to the reason that children were cooped up at home during lockdowns and didn’t really have anywhere that they could go. With screen time frequently hitting six hours per day and the relative anonymity that comes with online interaction, an increase in cyber bullying appears to be something that’s rather inevitable. At the end of the day, it’s something that needs change all in all.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Google's Battle Against Fraud, Over 270 Million Financially Violating Ads Blocked in 2023

In 2023, Google made a big move to keep its ad space clean and safe. The company’s latest report on ad safety shows that it blocked and got rid of 12.7 million ad accounts because they broke its rules. This number is almost twice as many as the year before. Google also stopped 5.5 billion ads from showing up for the same reason. These ads were not following Google’s guidelines.

The reason this matters is that stopping these bad accounts and ads is important for keeping brands safe and making sure people can shop online without worry. But there’s a tricky side to this. Sometimes, Google might accidentally block ads or accounts that haven’t done anything wrong.

Here’s what Google found last year, it stopped more than 200 million ads that tried to trick people. It blocked over 270 million ads that broke its financial rules. Google also stopped more than 1 billion ads that were harmful, like those spreading malware. The company took major action against more than 395,000 publisher sites, a big increase from the past year.

Google has been updating its rules to fight scams and fraud better. It made 31 changes to its Ads and Publisher policies. Some updates help advertisers avoid showing ads next to content they don’t like. Others help Google stop bad actors more quickly.

Google also started a new policy to limit how much new and unknown advertisers can show ads. Plus, it launched a way for users to see ads from verified advertisers easily. Ai is a big part of Google’s plan to catch bad ads and accounts. Google says AI helps it find and block fraud before it even starts or right away if it slips through. AI and machine learning, especially new technologies, are a key part of checking ads and publisher sites.

Google promises to keep updating its system to fight bad ads. If someone thinks Google was wrong to block their ad, they can ask for another review. Google uses these cases to improve how it checks ads.

Duncan Lennox, a big boss at Google, said that their goal is to stop bad ads and accounts quickly with the help of AI. he mentioned that AI, including new tech, starts most of their checks on ads and sites.

This shows how serious Google is about keeping its ad platform safe and trustworthy, using the latest technology to stay ahead of those trying to break the rules.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

ChatGPT Proves Effective in Cybersecurity Tests, Yet Raises Concerns Over Vulnerability Exploitation

A study by Charles Darwin University has found that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help a lot in fighting cyber crime. The study was done by the professors from the Institute of Energy and Resources of CDU and they published their research in the International Journal of Information Security. The researchers from the university used generative AI for penetration testing known as pentesting. Pentesting is often used by cybersecurity to find weak spots in any system. Pentesting testing was performed on AI by giving it a few assessments and activities and then asking ChatGPT to identify threats. The testing included getting into a computing machine to download some files, analyzing their source codes in web pages, and finding previous or hidden flaws.

Dr. Bharanidharan Shanmugam, who took part in this research, said that they did this study to find if generative AI like ChatGPT can be useful to detect any harmful hacks and the results of the study were somewhat satisfactory. According to Shanmugam, ChatGPT is capable of detecting cyber crimes that are led by specific systems and organizations. During the scanning period, ChatGPT can easily do thorough scanning of the target and can then identify vulnerabilities and cyber crime activities in a system.

• Related: ChatGPT Use Ruins Memory and Academic Performance According to This Study By Pakistani Researchers

Even though ChatGPT has proved to be a great tool during the above phases, it is also capable of exploiting vulnerabilities of the machines. ChatGPT is a revolutionary tool for pentesting but it should also be monitored. If ChatGPT is to be used as a cybersecurity tool, it should be adopted after following some practices and guidelines. By using ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, we can maintain a safe digital environment.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: 85% of People Make Health Decisions Based on YouTube Videos
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

85% of People Make Health Decisions Based on YouTube Videos

Medical or health related content on YouTube is quite a massive industry, and it turns out that a surprisingly high proportion of people are relying on it for the purposes of making their own health decisions. According to a recent study that was published by BMC Public Health, 88% of the people that participated in a survey watched content of this variety on YouTube. 85% of these individuals said that this had some kind of an influence on health related decisions that they made with all things having been considered and taken into account.

On top of all of that, 44% went so far as to say that they rely on these YouTube videos to figure out whether or not they need professional medical care or advice for a given ailment. What's more is that they decide on adopting health practices after watching these videos as well.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 59% of adults are watching health related content on YouTube as of 2022. That is a sharp uptick from the 40% that said the same in 2020, which just goes to show how much influence this rapidly rising genre can end up having on people.

3,000 people were surveyed as part of this study, and it seems to suggest that the proportion may be even higher than previously considered. Such a trend may very well end up being dangerous because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up spreading misinformation. People might potentially believe factually dubious information and make the wrong health related decisions as a result.

15.7% of the people that responded to this survey said that they base their health decisions off of YouTube quite often, indicating that it is a big part of their diagnostic process. With healthcare so far out of reach for such a large chunk of the world, these people may not even have another option apart from relying on whatever information they can get from internet based sources such as YouTube and the like.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: ChatGPT Use Ruins Memory and Academic Performance According to This Study By Pakistani Researchers
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

ChatGPT Use Ruins Memory and Academic Performance According to This Study By Pakistani Researchers

The rise of ChatGPT has made it so that countless students all around the world have turned to it because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making homework a lot easier to do. However, according to a new study found in the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, it appears that this trend is making students a fair bit less intelligent than might have been the case otherwise.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that students are relying on ChatGPT in order to deal with an immense amount of academic pressure. It bears mentioning that this leads to chronic procrastination, a decline in memory recall, as well as a spiraling academic performance.

The study in question was conducted at the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences in Pakistan, and it involved two phases that judged whether or not students used ChatGPT at this current point in time. One interesting thing revealed in this study was that students that craved rewards were somewhat less likely to rely on ChatGPT in some way, shape or form.

Another factoid presented in this report was that students didn’t really seem to mind that ChatGPT was producing substandard or inferior work. This seems to suggest that they are merely trying to do the bare minimum, and that they might be the kinds of students that would find workarounds even if ChatGPT wasn’t available to them.

Students were asked to reveal whether or not they used ChatGPT, and the self reported data may not be quite as accurate as some might hope. In spite of the fact that this is the case, it provides a window into the minds of students who are relying on ChatGPT to get through school. More work will have to be done in order to understand the mechanisms at play here, and there will be further studies conducted that will confirm or refute the facts presented. One thing that remains certain is that ChatGPT has changed the nature of academic performance forever.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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These Are The Ideal Cities for Digital Nomads, Madrid Spain Takes the Lead

With spring right around the corner, tickets to Europe from the US are set to reach their lowest point ever during the year. As a result of the fact that this is the case, many digital nomads will be headed to a series of different destinations all of which have been compiled into a top ten list based on how popular they are. This is based on data from the Digital Nomad Index, and it reveals quite a lot about the state of the digital nomad lifestyle at this current point in time.

It is important to note that three of the most popular cities for these frequent travelers happen to be in Spain. The Digital Nomad visa introduced in this country in December of 2022 taxes just 24% for income up to $645,000, which makes it a much more tantalizing option for nomads than might have been the case otherwise. Here are the ten most popular destinations ranked.

Madrid, Spain

Providing a vibrant cultural tapestry coupled with a low cost of living and access to high speed internet, Madrid has emerged as an excellent option for digital nomads looking to visit Europe. As if that wasn't enough, it also has far better Europe than regions further up north with all things having been considered and taken into account.

Barcelona, Spain

Much like Madrid, Barcelona has a thriving city culture that digital nomads would most certainly be looking to take advantage of. On top of all of that, it has great public transport options along with a low cost of living. Digital Nomad visas for Spain only require you to show an annual income of around $28,000, which many freelancers can manage.

Tampa, Florida

Florida is one of the states in the US that charge the least in taxes. As a result of the fact that this is the case, it has become a bit of a haven for Digital Nomads. The quality of healthcare in this city is also quite high by American standards, and the pleasant climate of Tampa is yet another benefit that brings Digital Nomads in droves.

Las Palmas, Spain

This is yet another city from Spain that many Digital Nomads will be looking to visit. With a beautiful cityscape coupled with white sand beaches just a short walk away, Las Palmas is a great option for Digital Nomads who are interested in an adventurous trip to Spain, as well as those that want to soak up some sun.

Toulouse, France

This is the only French city that made the cut, helped in no small part by the gorgeous architecture that it has to offer. What's more is that this city has an abundance of natural beauty that can be just what a freelancer might need whenever they are trying to get the creative juices flowing, and the aerospace developments happening here are also a factor that may be at play.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Travelers who are on the lookout for a tropical getaway are more than likely going to end up checking out Honolulu. The presence of coworking spaces here is definitely something that suits the freelancer and digital nomad lifestyle, so in a way Honolulu is somehow able to combine the requirements of modern living with tropical beauty.

Lisbon, Portugal

If you are a digital nomad who earns at least $42,000 per year, you might be interested in heading to Lisbon. This city has a thriving culture of coworking spaces that make it an excellent choice for people that work on the go, and the beautiful architecture serves as the cherry on top. Add in the historic tram and it’s rather easy to understand why Lisbon is such a popular destination.

Bari, Italy

This Italian city along the coast offers enchanting views coupled with a dense cityscape that is full of culture. The coast also makes it so that you can get a great deal of seafood that is as fresh as can be, and the dining options provide the beautiful coast in full view.

Bologna, Italy

Anyone that is looking to go to a city for the cuisine will be spoiled for choice if they decide to head to Bologna. There is an academic vibe here that is highly suited to the digital nomad lifestyle.

Rome, Italy

Rome has been one of the greatest cities in the world for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that digital nomads like to head here for a spell, especially when the weather is perfect like in spring. With views of the coliseum outside your window and great cafes downstairs, this city seems like it was made for digital nomads.

City	Ease of compliance	Legal requirement	Taxes	Housing cost	Access to housing	City affordability	Political stability	Safety and security	Internet	Healthcare	Happiness	Cultural attractions	Mobility	Temperature
Madrid	75.58	72.45	64.5	81.61	88.59	78.92	79.69	88.51	74.53	96	85.2	85.32	91.58	59.78
Barcelona	75.58	72.45	64.5	82.94	87.67	78.73	79.69	88.31	73.76	95.83	84.29	81.68	91.52	63.03
Tampa	82.56	82.2	76.27	76.44	67.63	74.23	81.63	84.83	79.93	91.18	87.91	63	90.18	97.78
Las Palmas	75.58	72.45	64.5	88.47	74.77	87.62	79.69	88.41	72.50	95.11	84.86	59.62	93.71	71.70
Toulouse	84.88	79.59	60.24	88.57	77.72	71.25	83.39	87.41	76.92	93.36	88.1	58.79	90.47	57.52
Honolulu	82.56	88.85	68.7	66.72	67.92	59.36	81.63	84.83	79.93	91.8	90.4	55.89	89.99	100
Lisbon	69.77	74.19	54.12	83.53	84.46	84.89	87.55	87.45	72.41	90.86	75.08	81.62	90.81	55.41
Bari	56.98	76.34	55.68	90.94	100	79.39	76.21	83.62	60.31	91.16	84.69	59.05	91.88	50.00
Bologna	56.98	76.34	55.36	88.3	94.99	72.73	76.21	83.62	60.31	95.18	84.69	60.61	90.25	51.10
Rome	56.98	76.34	54.6	85.61	94.6	72.84	76.21	82.33	61.59	92.38	84.69	68.19	88.66	67.40
Athens	67.44	73.21	60.51	86.06	76.98	83.94	71.9	85.59	58.61	83.24	70.5	68.76	88.42	57.62

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World