Microsoft Spots ‘Malvertising Campaign’ Targeting User and Enterprise Devices

Software giant Microsoft just shared alarming news about a malvertising campaign that attacked both user and enterprise devices.

The tech giant shared how two different websites were offering pirated means for video streaming that would redirect the users to malware, using ads. The number of users impacted was outlined to be in the thousands.

The dangerous advertising campaign affected up to million devices around the globe, in what was called out as an opportunistic attack to steal data, the head of Microsoft’s safety decision mentioned in its latest report.

The firm was also able to trace infections to two different video stream domains and how ads were redirecting people to scam sites showing tech support. This would forward the users to other pages like Dropbox, GitHub, and Discord that were seen hosting this malware.

The company failed to go into the details on what such scam pages looked like, but they were motivating people to install programs that were looting the system and disguised as malware. They could attain user data or even take over their phones or computers, the report shared.

The attack also made efforts to disguise how malicious it was by utilizing signed software certificates when delivering some real files via the starting payload. The first stage of this campaign was outlined to be the middle of January this year. They were digitally signed and featured newly designed certificates. Total of 12 such certificates were outlined, all of which were revoked.

Such attacks were created to deliver another stage of payload that can collect the data from the PC and return it back to the server belonging to the hacker. It would also have the ability to successfully download more malware onto a device that enables hackers to spy on various browsing actions and even communication with active browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

The tech giant also mentioned how they saw the attack first unfold starting early December. The campaign reportedly affected a wide number of companies and industries, alongside user devices. This highlighted different attacks, it shared.

GitHub that is under the ownership of Microsoft seems to now have deleted the pages hosting the malicious campaign. As per Microsoft, it's built-in Defender for Windows can highlight and flag malware that is used for attacks.

Read next: Apple Given Three Month Deadline to Enable Sideloading on iOS Devices in Brazil
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Apple Given Three Month Deadline to Enable Sideloading on iOS Devices in Brazil

Brazil is making it clear to Apple that it needs the tech giant to follow the right anti-trust measures for it to work effectively in the country.

This is why the Cupertino firm was given a 90-day deadline to enable sideloading on iOS devices. The news comes after the EU made the iPhone maker implement serious changes to how the App Store can work for users in the region.

As shared by the Brazilian media outlet called Valor Economico, the country’s federal judge issued a statement on this matter yesterday. They want Apple to open up the entire iOS ecosystem for third-party applications in the country, similar to how it’s functioning across the European Union.

The judge shared how the limitations imposed by the firm on different developers might jeopardize the arrival of new competition in this domain. In November of 2024, we saw another local antitrust regulator in the country rule that Apple could not stop developers from selling material and distributing apps outside the App Store.

The company has just a 20-day deadline to comply with the rules, or else it would get a fine of more than $40K a day. It’s not shocking that Apple chose to appeal the ruling as that gave the tech giant more time to discuss this case. During that moment, Apple shared that such requests to roll out changes at the App Store were not urgent and how it would negatively impact the company’s business model. Meanwhile, in February this year, Apple also had to witness a public hearing in the country regarding the case.

For now, Judge Pablo Zuniga wants Apple to implement the outlined changes by three months. He says that despite what the company has to say, they’ve already complied in other countries in the same way. Therefore, there should be no reason why it cannot do the same in Brazil.

The entire scrutiny against the iPhone maker started after Latin American-based e-commerce firm Mercado Libre blasted the company for making developers provide digital products in apps to their respective apps to utilize Apple’s customized payment means. Other firms like Match, which also has Tinder and Epic Games under its belt, were seen filing a similar complaint against the firm with the regulator from Brazil.

Meanwhile, one spokesperson from Apple explained to the Brazilian media outlet that it only believes in celebrating competition and vibrancy in the market. It is facing competition with different companies wherever it functions. So it’s always reinforcing the commitment it has to users. Moreover, Apple mentioned how such changes will affect the privacy and security of users with iOS devices, so it will be rolling out another appeal against the decision.

Sideloading on iOS is a controversial subject for Apple, and it makes sense why Brazil wants the company to work like how it is now in the EU.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next:

• Terrorism Affects 68 Countries in 2024, With Sahel and Pakistan Among the Hardest Hit

• Top Apps Can't Afford to Ignore Apple Search Ads, Here’s Why
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Terrorism Affects 68 Countries in 2024, With Sahel and Pakistan Among the Hardest Hit

Terrorism is one of the biggest problems in the world right now and is a threat to a lot of countries around the world. The number of countries that experienced terrorism attacks in 2024 rose to 68 as compared to 58 in the previous year. In 2024, 34 countries started going towards better conditions but 45 countries started going towards worse conditions. This is the highest number of countries deteriorating because of terrorism since 2018.

According to the data from the Global Terrorism Index, Sahel (a biogeographical region in Africa) is the top epicenter for terrorism in 2024 as well as in 2023. 3,885 deaths were reported due to terrorism in the region, which is almost tenfold since 2019. There was a 94% increase in terrorism-related deaths in Niger, with 930 people being dead because of terrorism.

Data also shows that Pakistan (a South Asian country) is the second most affected country by terrorism, experiencing a 45% increase in terrorism-related deaths over the past year, totaling 1,081 fatalities. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has emerged as the fastest-growing extremist organization globally, responsible for 52% of these deaths in Pakistan during 2024.

Terrorist attacks have also increased in Western democracies, with 67 total incidents recorded in Europe in 2024. The most common type of terrorism right now in Europe is lone actor terrorism by teenagers who do not have any ties with terrorist groups. These teenagers consume problematic and terrorism-related content and become radicalized. Gaming environments, the dark web, fringe forums and encrypted messaging apps also play a role in giving rise to teenagers who perform terrorist attacks.

From a broader perspective, terrorism is not just an isolated issue but a consequence of deeper political and economic manipulations. Governments and power players hold a moral responsibility to genuinely combat terrorism, yet history shows that many exploit it for their own agendas. Countries in Africa and Asia, including Pakistan, often find themselves trapped in a cycle of dependency, where their governments and stakeholders serve the interests of global powers rather than their own people.

Many of these nations remain under the influence of economic giants like the United States and other dominant countries. Instead of addressing terrorism at its roots, global stakeholders shape policies that maintain control over weaker states. These governments, in turn, follow orders, often prioritizing external interests over national stability. This dynamic ensures that terrorism remains an ongoing issue rather than a problem to be solved.

The link between corruption and terrorism runs deep. Corrupt political systems create frustration and instability, which in turn fuel extremism. At the same time, terrorism justifies tighter government control and foreign interventions that benefit those in power. The cycle continues because it serves the interests of both local elites and global players. If there were real intentions to eliminate terrorism, efforts would focus on strengthening independent governance, fair economic policies, and reducing foreign exploitation. Instead, terrorism remains a convenient excuse to sustain influence and control over affected regions.

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• Top Apps Can't Afford to Ignore Apple Search Ads, Here’s Why

• Graphic Designers and Content Creators See Profitable Freelance Careers, US and Australia Lead Pay Rates
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Top Apps Can't Afford to Ignore Apple Search Ads, Here’s Why

Many app makers are using Apple Search ads as an ad platform, and many of the professional as well as newer developers are using huge sums of money on ads on the App Store because it gives them good results. So this is making many marketers wonder whether using Apple Search Ads is important or not, if they want to compete in the App Store? The answer is that it isn't that important to use Apple Search Ads, but if you are not using it, you may be at a disadvantage.

Appfigures analyzed 100 top apps on the App Store in the US to see which apps are using Apple Search ads and which apps are not using it. Last time when Appfigures analyzed this, it was found that non-gaming apps (including TikTok, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Photos, NordVPN) use Apple Search ads more than gaming apps. But the situation has changed now because 80 of the top apps and games on the App Store are using Apple Search ads. This means that both gaming and non-gaming apps are using Apple Search Ads and most of them have used it for 30 or less days.

Many games like "Last War: Survival", Royal Match, Monopoly Go, Pokemon Go, and Candy Crush, and almost all games in the top 100 highest grossing apps are using Apple Search ads, which shows how relevant ASA has become. The apps that are not using Apple Search ads are the ones that are spending more on their branding somewhere else, like Hulu, YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, and Disney+.

Read next: Google’s Secret to Staying on Top – 86.94% of Americans Still Use It Daily!
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Google Launches AI Mode on Search Labs for More Advanced Reasoning, Thinking, and Multimodal Capabilities

If you thought Google’s AI Overview was innovative, wait until you see its AI Mode.

The search giant just confirmed its testing AI Mode on Search Labs. The latest search mode goes above and beyond AI overviews with a more immersive Google Search AI interface that has the most advanced features. This includes better reasoning, thinking, and more options for multimodal services.

The company just shared that its AI Overviews would be powered by Gemini 2.0 and how the feature is up for grabs to teens. This means they don’t need to log in to access AI replies starting today.

AI Mode is the latest tab on Google Search for those who are a part of the beta testing phase. It just allows you to enter a more AI-like interface. As per Google, AI Mode is useful for questions when more exploration is needed, or when you need to make comparisons and add logic.

It also gives users the chance to explore various topics and attain more comprehensive replies based on AI without people making links and an analysis themselves. AI Mode makes use of a method where queries get fanned out and you see related searches taking place through different subtopics and data sources. As a whole, the results come together as one to produce a reply.

Google mentioned that making use of this method gives searchers more in-depth data than what a classic search would do. It provides more support for things like pictures, voice, and text via these multimodal offerings. At the same time, it provides a more conversational follow-up query that we’ve witnessed inside AI Overviews as well as Gemini.

To access Google’s AI Mode, you need access to Labs. The company shared how it would be providing this to those with the Google One AI Premium subscribers first, and then adding more people after that.

If you’d like to sign up for the testing, you can go to Google Search Labs. If and when successful, you’ll find the AI mode icon right below the home screen’s Search Bar.

The feature will mostly surface relatable links to assist people in finding web pages and material that they didn’t find before. Often. Google will display a new set of links and replies inside AI Mode when compared to what you get on AI Overviews.

Google shared how it was using training models to determine how and when to link and put out the latest data so it’s more useful as well as actionable. Google was asked to display the data within Google Search Console and we hope they can do that soon. Looks like we’re going to have to wait for more widespread access to figure out more details as it’s all very limited at the moment. The real test will be user feedback and hopefully Google can make more tweaks based on that.

Read next: Google’s Secret to Staying on Top – 86.94% of Americans Still Use It Daily!
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google’s Secret to Staying on Top – 86.94% of Americans Still Use It Daily!

According to a study published by SparkToro co-founder Rand Fishkin, 126 unique Google searches are performed every month by American desktop users. On average 56 unique searches per month are performed on Google every month. The study also found some other number of searches performed every month by Americans on Google. Over a third of users pushed past 101 searches every month, revealing an intense search habit, while 36% perform 21-100 and 30% perform 1-20 unique searches per month on Google.

The study also found that 86.94% of Americans use Google’s main website (AKA the default homepage of search giant) to perform searches. 10.62% use Google Images, 1.16% use Google Videos and just a mere 0.64% use Google Maps. A tiny 0.38 percent also use Google News, 0.23% use Google Shopping and 0.04% use Google Web as well, hardly a blip on the radar, but hey, someone’s keeping it alive!.

• Also read: Social Media Trends Across Countries: Who Posts, Who Engages, and What Drives Users?

The study only looks at Google searches which happen in tabs or sections, and not the ones which appear when we click on Google Shopping or News in the default Google search tab. This data shows that AI search engines will impact Google’s dominance, but that doesn't seem to be the case in the near future. Google recently shared its data that its annual searches process more than 5 trillion searches per year (i.e.: 158,548 Searches Every Second), cementing its dominance in the search industry.

Take a look at these charts for more insights: 

Read next: Turn It Off Now! Study Proves Netflix Autoplay Steals Your Time
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Turn It Off Now! Study Proves Netflix Autoplay Steals Your Time

According to a new study by the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, autoplay features on streaming sites like Netflix are shaping our decisions and extending our screen time.

The study talks about turning off autoplay features and the change it could bring in user behavior. Autoplay feature on sites like Netflix stops users from deviating from streaming and this makes them watch things even if they came to the platform to watch only one episode or so.

The study brought on board 76 participants who were moderate to heavy Netflix users. They were divided into two groups, with half of the group with autoplay features turned off and half of the group with autoplay features turned on. The researchers analyzed the viewing patterns of participants over six months, and it was found that the group that had the autoplay feature turned off spent less time watching Netflix. They also took more time to look at their viewing decisions and think about whether they want to watch more content or not.

About 18 minutes of watching time were decreased when the participants had the auto-play feature turned off. One of the participants said that watching Netflix without auto-play made him realize how many episodes he has watched, but if the auto-play feature was turned on, he might not have paid attention. When the auto-play feature is on, it reduces friction and keeps users immersed in whatever they are watching so they do not get any time to make a conscious decision.

A previous research also called the auto-preview feature a “dark pattern” which manipulates users and makes them prioritize the platform over anything. Half of the participants of the study said that they would turn on the auto-play feature again because it is convenient and makes it easier for them to go to the next content. But one-third of the participants also said that they would keep their auto-play feature turned off so they can reflect on how much content they have watched. It is important for streaming platforms to rethink their auto-play feature integration and turn off auto-play in default settings because it is harmful for many people, especially children.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World