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Russian REVIL cyber gang disappears after demanding $70M in Bitcoin

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The REVIL ransomware group has mysteriously disappeared from the web without a trace after demanding a $70M ransom payout in Bitcoin

The infamous ransomware group REVIL has mysteriously vanished without a trace.

Websites and other digital infrastructure that belonged to the hackers, who are believed to be from either Eastern Europe or Russia, went dark on Tuesday.

Information security blog Bleeping Computer says ” All REVIL sites are down, including payment sites and data leak pages”.

Biden promises ‘consequences’ for Russian hackers

It’s unclear why the group has gone dark, but it comes after US President Joe Biden told Russia’s President Vladimir Putin that there would be ‘consequences’ if the Kremlin didn’t address the ongoing spate of ransomware attacks.

Biden has previously stressed the importance of addressing hacks, acknowledging their threat to critical infrastructure that is relied on by Americans. However, speculation is still mounting as to why REVIL has suddenly disappeared.

Cybersecurity firm Exabeam told CNN, “this outage could be criminal maintenance, planned retirement, or, more likely, the result of an offensive response to the criminal enterprise’.

REVIL gang demands $70M in Bitcoin ransom

This comes after the group asked for a $70M ransom in Bitcoin from victims of a recent hack. They promised to release a ‘universal decryptor key’ to all victims if anyone was willing to pay the ransom.

The REVIL gang posted a blog entry on its personal website on the dark web taking credit for the audacious cyber attack on MSP providers in the US which they claim affected over a million systems.

“Everyone will be able to recover from the attack in less than an hour,” the post read.

Will the companies pay the ransom?

The general advice from cyber-security experts is to not pay hackers to retrieve their data, because it encourages future attacks.

However, John Hammond from Huntress Labs doesn’t believe the situation is so simple. The cybersecurity firm Huntress Labs Inc is leading the investigation into the attack.

“This is an extremely intricate and tough situation,” he said in a private Twitter message to Ticker reporters.

“You have to make the decision that is best for your business,” he said.

The Kaseya cyber attack

The attack targeted more than 20 managed service providers (MSP). Yesterday, Huntress Labs anticipated the hack had affected more than 1000 businesses, which expectations that the figure would grow based on reports from the providers and a Reddit thread tracking the hack.

“It’s reasonable to think this could potentially be impacting thousands of small businesses,” tweeted John Hammond from Huntress Labs. Hammond says the attack targeted a software supplier called Kaseya.

Biden has sinced called for US intelligence to conduct a “deep dive” into the attacks. “We’re not sure it’s the Russians,” he said. “The initial thinking was, it was not the Russian government, but we’re not sure yet.”

Sweden closes up shop

Another victim of the attack is Sweden, which has seen around 500 supermarkets unable to trade.

Coop Sweden has closed half of its 800 stores after its point-of-sale tills and self-service checkouts stopped working just before the weekend.

The supermarket itself was not targeted by hackers. However, because it uses on of the affected MSPs it too has fallen victim to the attack.

Cybersecurity becomes and international security issue

This comes as the latest in a string of ransomware attacks in recent months, including the attack on JBS. Experts have also attributed the JBS attack to the REvil cyber gang.

It also comes shortly after President Joe Biden signed an executive order to strengthen cybersecurity defences across the US.

William is an Executive News Producer at TICKER NEWS, responsible for the production and direction of news bulletins. William is also the presenter of the hourly Weather + Climate segment. With qualifications in Journalism and Law (LLB), William previously worked at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) before moving to TICKER NEWS. He was also an intern at the Seven Network's 'Sunrise'. A creative-minded individual, William has a passion for broadcast journalism and reporting on global politics and international affairs.

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OpenAI to launch TikTok-like AI video app Sora

OpenAI to launch Sora, an AI-driven social app with TikTok-like features amid TikTok’s regulatory uncertainties

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OpenAI to launch Sora, an AI-driven social app with TikTok-like features amid TikTok’s regulatory uncertainties

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In Short:
– OpenAI is launching Sora 2, a social media app with AI-generated videos, competing with TikTok.
– The app features a unique identity verification system and provides short video content without uploads.
OpenAI is set to unveil Sora 2, a new social media app that imitates TikTok by offering AI-generated video content. The strategy positions OpenAI to directly challenge established platforms in the AI video market.The platform has begun internal testing. Employees have reacted positively, raising productivity concerns among managers. Sora 2 features swipe-to-scroll navigation and offers personalized video recommendations.

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A unique identity verification system allows users to authenticate their likeness for use in AI-generated videos. Users will be notified when their likeness is used in videos, regardless of whether these are published. Video lengths are capped at 10 seconds, with no capability to upload personal content.

The app includes typical social media features like likes and comments, with a user interface that resembles TikTok’s “For You” page.

Strategic Launch

OpenAI’s timing for this launch is strategic, coinciding with uncertainties surrounding TikTok’s U.S. operations. Recent deals aim to transfer majority control of TikTok’s American business to U.S. investors while permitting ByteDance a minority stake.

OpenAI perceives the current turbulence as a unique opportunity to introduce a competitive platform for short-form videos, appealing to users seeking alternatives during this period of regulatory scrutiny.


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Optus CEO under pressure after second emergency outage

Optus under mounting pressure for CEO resignation after second emergency outage affects thousands and raises safety concerns

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Optus under mounting pressure for CEO resignation after second emergency outage affects thousands and raises safety concerns

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In Short:
– Optus faces pressure after a second emergency service outage, affecting 4,500 customers for nine hours.
– Calls for CEO Stephen Rue’s resignation intensify amid scrutiny over network investment and safety mechanisms.
Australian telecommunications company Optus is under increasing pressure to address leadership concerns following a second emergency service outage in ten days.
The incident occurred in Dapto, south of Sydney, where around 4,500 customers were unable to reach Triple Zero emergency services due to a faulty mobile tower for nine hours.Optus confirmed all affected individuals were safe, but the repeated outages have raised significant alarms. The first incident took place on September 18, when a firewall upgrade blocked approximately 600 emergency calls across multiple states for 13 hours, resulting in at least four fatalities.

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Calls for CEO Stephen Rue’s resignation have intensified, with opposition spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh stating that citizens need confidence in the emergency network.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the situation as “completely unacceptable.” The response from Optus has faced criticism, especially regarding the delay in notifying emergency services after the September 18 incident.

Efforts to address the failures are underway, with Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon scheduled to meet with Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched an investigation into the outages.

Governance experts caution that merely replacing leadership will not resolve underlying issues, suggesting that reduced spending on network infrastructure is a contributing factor.

Federal Investigation

New scrutiny has emerged regarding Optus’s network investment, with reports indicating a budget decrease from $850 million in 2024 to $613 million this year.

Concerns have been raised about the absence of critical safety mechanisms, including a reliable system to reroute emergency calls when failures occur.


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Meta intensifies robot development amidst competitive landscape

Meta enters robotics market with strategic partnerships and significant investments amid competition from Tesla, Apple and Google

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Meta enters robotics market with strategic partnerships and significant investments amid competition from Tesla, Apple and Google

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In Short:
– Meta is launching autonomous robots, beginning with a CA-1 AI robot in Germany for domestic tasks.
– The company plans to hire 100 engineers as part of a $60-65 billion AI investment for 2025.
Meta ventures into robotics, joining a market where Tesla’s Optimus robot showcases in controlled settings. Apple is also exploring robotic devices, with planned humanoid concepts by 2027.
Google is advancing robotics via DeepMind with AI models tailored for robotics applications.Banner

Meta recently launched its first autonomous robot in Germany through a partnership with Circus SE, deploying a CA-1 AI robot at its Munich office.

The initiative is part of Meta’s objective to gather data to support its robotics focus on domestic tasks such as cleaning and laundry folding.

Strategic Investment

Industry analysts point to Meta’s software-licensing strategy as crucial in the competitive landscape, where firms often encounter challenges with hardware costs.

By positioning itself to gain from various robotics manufacturers’ successes, Meta utilises lessons from its virtual reality investments, which have seen substantial spending with limited consumer uptake.

The company is set to hire around 100 engineers for its robotics programme within a broader $60-65 billion AI infrastructure investment plan for 2025.

The indicates a strong commitment to integrating AI into physical applications.


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