Tech
Beware! Don’t let smishing fraudsters catch you off guard
Fraudulent texts from postal services are now the most common cyber sham hitting phone-users during the pandemic.
How cyber criminals are targeting you through your text messages.
Parcel and Package delivery scams in the form of text messages are one of the most common forms of “smishing”, according to new data.
Smishing is a technique criminals use to target phone-users through texts that impersonate trusted organisations.
Often, these messages contain a link to a fraudulent website that looks very much like a company’s legitimate website.
Questions are then posed to prompt the victim to enter both their personal and financial information.
Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance, says cybercriminals are capitalising on the pandemic, knowing that many consumers will be ordering goods online.
“We are urging people to always stop and think whenever you get a text message out of the blue before parting with your information or money,” Worobec says.
Cyber scammers targeting online shoppers
Data by cybersecurity company Proofpoint which was provided to the banking trade body UK Finance, says recent fraudulent cybersecurity saw millions of mobile users receive deceitful texts from postal delivery services.
The messages claimed a small payment was required from the victim to pay for an unpaid shipping fee.
“Always avoid clicking on links in a text message in case it’s a scam and forward any suspected scam text messages to 7726, which spells SPAM, so that the criminals responsible can be brought to justice,” Worobec says.
The data from Proofpoint also shows that within a 90-day period, 53 percent of fraudulent activity came from smishing attempts claiming to be delivery services.
Another 23 percent of messages claimed to originate from banks and financial institutions.
Worobec urges consumers to take advice from the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign which reminds consumers to stop, challenge and protect themselves from such behaviours.
Sarah Lyons, NCSC Deputy Director for Economy & Society, also encourages mobile-users to be extra vigilant when encountering any suspicious tech messages.
“Scammers and cyber criminals regularly exploit well-known, trusted brands for their own personal gain, and sadly these latest findings bear that out,” Lyons says.
“These scam messages can be very hard to spot, so if you think you’ve already responded to a scam, don’t panic…there’s lots you can do to limit any harm.”
If you believe that you have encountered fraudulent cyber activity, report it to your state or country’s cybercrime security centre.
Written by Rebecca Borg
Tech
Airbus A320 fleet faces software upgrade due to risk
Airbus alerts A320 operators to urgent software fix after JetBlue incident raises safety concerns
Airbus alerts A320 operators to urgent software fix after JetBlue incident raises safety concerns
– Airbus warns over half of A320 fleet needs software fixes due to potential data corruption risks.
– Affected airlines must complete upgrades before next flights, with operational disruptions anticipated during a busy travel season.
Airbus has issued a warning regarding its A320 fleet, indicating that over half of the active jets will require a software fix.
It follows a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways aircraft, where “intense solar radiation” was found to potentially corrupt data crucial for flight control system operation.
The European plane manufacturer stated that around 6,500 jets may be affected. A regulation mandates that the software upgrade must occur before the next scheduled flight.
Operational disruptions for both passengers and airlines are anticipated. The issue arose from an incident on October 30, where a JetBlue flight experienced a computer malfunction that resulted in an uncommanded descent. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, but the malfunction of an automated computer system was identified as a contributing factor.
Airlines, including American Airlines Group, have begun to implement the required upgrades.
The majority of affected jets can receive an uncomplicated software update, although around 1,000 older models will necessitate an actual hardware upgrade, requiring grounding during maintenance.
Hungarian airline Wizz Air has also initiated necessary maintenance for compliance, potentially affecting flights. This announcement has surfaced during a busy travel season in the US, with many facing delays due to other factors as well.
Regulatory Response
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has mandated that A320 operators replace or modify specific elevator-aileron computers. The directive follows the JetBlue incident, where a malfunction led to a temporary loss of altitude.
Airbus’s fix applies to both the A320 and A320neo models, representing a vital response in ensuring aircraft safety.
Tech
China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips in new data centres
China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips, tightening tech control and pushing for domestic AI innovation amid U.S. restrictions.
China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips, tightening tech control and pushing for domestic AI innovation amid U.S. restrictions.
Chinese regulators have moved to block ByteDance from deploying Nvidia chips in newly built data centres, tightening control over foreign technology used by major Chinese tech giants. The decision comes after ByteDance made substantial purchases of Nvidia hardware amid fears of shrinking supply from the United States.
Washington has already restricted the sale of advanced chips to China, allowing only weakened versions into the market. Beijing’s latest move reflects its push to reduce dependence on U.S. technology and accelerate home-grown AI innovation.
The ban places operational and financial pressure on ByteDance, which must now work around a growing pile of Nvidia chips it is no longer allowed to use. Domestic suppliers like Huawei are expected to step in as China intensifies its pursuit of tech self-reliance.
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Tech
OpenAI launches shopping research tool for ChatGPT users
OpenAI launches shopping research tool to enhance e-commerce experience ahead of holiday season spending boost
OpenAI launches shopping research tool to enhance e-commerce experience ahead of holiday season spending boost
– OpenAI’s “shopping research” tool helps users find detailed shopping guides tailored to their preferences.
– Users can access Instant Checkout for purchases while ensuring user chats are not shared with retailers.
Users can customise their guides based on budget, features, and recipients. OpenAI notes that while the tool takes a few minutes to generate responses, users can still use ChatGPT for quicker queries like price checks.
When users ask specific prompts, such as finding a quiet cordless stick vacuum or a gift for a niece who loves art, the shopping research tool will appear automatically. It can also be accessed via the menu.
Shopping Research
OpenAI has been expanding its e-commerce capabilities, with the introduction of the Instant Checkout feature in September, enabling purchases directly through ChatGPT.
Soon, users of the shopping research tool will also be able to use Instant Checkout for making purchases.
OpenAI assures that shopping research results are derived from publicly available retail websites and will not disclose user chats to retailers, although it does warn that inaccuracies may occur in product availability and pricing.
Shopping research is now available to OpenAI’s Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users logged into ChatGPT.
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