Technology

Comcast says 230,000 customers affected by debt collection data breach

Published

5 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Comcast says 230,000 customers affected by debt collection data breach

Comcast is warning that hackers stole the personal data of more than 230,000 customers during a ransomware attack on a third-party debt collector, according to a court filing. The bad actors targeted a Pennsylvania-based debt collection agency called Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS.)

The attack occurred back in February, but Comcast claims that FBCS initially said that the incident didn’t involve any customer data. FBCS changed its tune by July, when it notified Comcast that customer information had been compromised, according to reporting by TechCrunch.

All told, 237,703 subscribers were impacted by the breach. The attackers were thorough, scooping up names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, Comcast account numbers and ID numbers. Comcast says the stolen data belongs to customers who signed up with the company “around 2021.” It also says it has stopped using FBCS for the purposes of debt collection.

“From February 14 and February 26, 2024, an unauthorized party gained access to FBCS’s computer network and some of its computers,” the filing states. “During this time, the unauthorized party downloaded data from FBCS systems and encrypted some systems as part of a ransomware attack.”

No group has stepped forward to claim credit for the incident. FBCS has only referred to the attacker as an “unauthorized actor.” The debt collection agency was hit hard by this attack, with Comcast customers being just one group of victims. The company says more than four million people were impacted and that the cybercriminals accessed medical claims and health insurance information, in addition to standard identification data.

To that end, medical debt-purchasing company CF Medical confirmed that 600,000 of its customers were involved in the breach. Truist Bank also confirmed it was affected by the attack.

It’s notable that this incident primarily impacts debtors, opening them up to potential scams. Chris Hauk, consumer privacy advocate at Pixel Privacy, told Engadget that “the bad actors that get their paws on this information may use it to pose as debt relief agencies, which many turn to as a way out of their situation, meaning many of the involved debtors may be defrauded out of large sums of money, something they can ill-afford.”

In other words, keep an eye out for suspicious phone calls, emails and texts. This is good advice for anyone, and not just debtors who had data stored with FBCS. After all, it was revealed that hackers stole more than 2.7 billion records from American consumers earlier this year, which likely includes data on everyone who lives in the country.

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Servers computers

Server Rack Overview

Published

1 second ago

October 8, 2024

NewsAdmin

http://foxvalleypcgeek.com/forum

Overview of the server rack in progress at the shop. Finally got everything on rails to make things much easier!

TRENDnet TEG-448WS
ServerIronXL
HP Proliant DL 560
HP Proliant DL 380 G5
APC Smart UPS SUA3000RM2U
Dell Poweredge 2850
HP BL10E G2
Supermicro X10SL7-F-0
IBM X3950

Forum Topic:
http://foxvalleypcgeek.com/forum/topic/34-video-discussion-server-rack-overview/ .

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Technology

Clout Kitchen raises $4.45M for AI gaming pal that mimics content creators

Published

15 mins ago

October 8, 2024

NewsAdmin

Clout Kitchen raises $4.45M for AI gaming pal that mimics content creators

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Clout Kitchen announced today that it has raised $4.45 million in its seed funding round, which it plans to put towards its new creator-powered products and experiences. The first of these is Backseat AI, an AI-powered buddy for League of Legends that the company created with Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp — an AI buddy that can take on the aspect of popular gaming content creators. Clout Kitchen plans to use its funding to expand its team and build out its shared internal tech stack.

Backseat AI is a guide, built to be compliant with Riot Games’ in-game API, that gives players helpful tips on how to better play the game, all spoken by an AI voice twin of a content creator. The product launched for early access testing in June, and the full release costs players $4.99 a month for each creator-specific “buddy” they choose. At present, those buddies include Tyler1 himself, as well as cosplayer and streamer Emily “Emiru” Schunk and professional esports player Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski. It’s aimed at entry-to-mid-level players.

GamesBeat spoke with Clout Kitchen CEO Justin Gorriceta-Banusing about Backseat AI and what it means for gamers and creators alike. Banusing said, “Backseat is a real time buddy for League; it tells you how to play better and commentates on the action in the voice of your favorite creator. We also have visual overlays that provide tips, tricks and stats. Think of it like that friend who cheered us on and helped us get better at your favorite game growing up.”

Playing games with an AI-powered friend

Peak XV’s Surge and a16z Speedrun led the round with AppWorks, Antler, Hustle Fund, Founders Launchpad, Orvel Ventures and several creators participating. Jack Soslow, investment partner at a16z Games, said in a statement, “At a16z, we believe in the transformative power of technology and games to reshape how we connect, create, and experience the world. Clout Kitchen embodies this vision wholly, and we are thrilled to support their journey as they pioneer new ways for fans to engage with the creators and games they love.”

Banusing said part of the inspiration for Backseat AI was Tyler1 becoming a father, as he wanted a way to keep up with his community without taking time away from his child. “Ultimately, what we do is help solve for the creator scale and time problem. Most creators monetize through ads, content subscriptions (like Patreon, which have the expectation of content releases), and brand deals. These take up time and may not necessarily always align with a creator’s (and their community’s) own interests and style. With AI buddies, we can give every single one of their community a way to interact with their favorite creator that’s distinctly them — all without taking up a creator’s precious time.”

Banusing also added that Clout Kitchen wishes to expand its products into other titles, and with other creators: “As we grow, we want to build more apps like this for other games and verticals — bringing your favorite creators as trusted buddies into everything that you love to do. We’re exploring games like World of Warcraft, as well as non-gaming use cases like fitness. As we say internally ‘”‘all your favorite games, all your favorite people.’”

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Servers computers

Dell PowerEdge XR4000, a high-performance multi-node server built for the edge. 1U node shown.

Published

31 mins ago

October 8, 2024

NewsAdmin

Dell PowerEdge XR4000, a high-performance multi-node server built for the edge. 1U node shown.

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Technology

Apple’s next MacBook Pros might have leaked in Russia

Published

36 mins ago

October 8, 2024

NewsAdmin

Apple’s next MacBook Pros might have leaked in Russia

At least two Russian creators have posted videos in which they unbox what appears to be the next base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip. Apple, which hasn’t announced the laptops yet, is rumored to have a launch planned for November.

Over the weekend, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman pointed to a video posted by the Russian YouTube channel Wylsacom. He points out that the packaging looks the same as the M3 MacBook Pro, down to the wallpaper on the label that Apple tends to change annually.

In the 13-minute video, the host sets up the laptop and runs some Geekbench tests alongside a 2022 MacBook Air. Based on the times and CPU scores shown in the video, these appear to be those benchmarks. Overall, the MacBook Pro shown in the video aligns with expectations of models with spec bumps but no major outward changes.

Then, this afternoon, Gurman highlighted another Russian YouTuber, Romancev768, who also posted a video that they said was of the M4 MacBook Pro. Like the first video, its box has last year’s wallpaper. But this one includes a look at the “About This Mac” screen of the laptop, indicating it has an M4 chip.

Gurman called the potential leak “unprecedented,” a sentiment echoed by leaker ShrimpApplePro, who writes that “some seller” claimed to have 200 MacBook Pros in stock. “This is probably the biggest warehouse leakage I’ve ever seen,” they wrote. ShrimpApplePro had also posted some images last month of apparently leaked 14-inch MacBook Pro packaging:

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Technology

This tiny super cheap $13 PC is barely bigger than an adult pinkie finger and has no OS — and yet this hacker-friendly device packs a display, MicroSD card slot plus Wi-Fi connectivity

Published

57 mins ago

October 7, 2024

NewsAdmin

This tiny super cheap $13 PC is barely bigger than an adult pinkie finger and has no OS — and yet this hacker-friendly device packs a display, MicroSD card slot plus Wi-Fi connectivity

The ESP32-S3 is a powerful microcontroller developed by Espressif Systems, designed primarily for embedded applications that require Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

As spotted by CNX Software, Waveshare has introduced the ESP32-S3-LCD-1.47 (to give it its full, catchy name), a compact USB dongle based on Espressif’s microcontroller. The device integrates wireless connectivity with high-capacity Flash and PSRAM, making it a suitable solution for a wide range of embedded applications, including IoT devices, smart home products, and wearables.

At the core of the device is Espressif’s ESP32-S3R8, a dual-core Tensilica LX7 processor clocked at up to 240 MHz. It also includes 512KB of RAM, 8MB of PSRAM, and 16MB of Flash memory, along with a 1.47-inch TFT LCD screen, offering a resolution of 320×172 pixels. The display is driven by the ST7789 controller, making it well-suited for running small GUI applications like those built with the LVGL open-source library.

Advanced power management

Connectivity options on the ESP32-S3-LCD-1.47 include 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0, which support mesh networking and long-range communication. It also offers expansion capabilities through two 9-pin headers, enabling GPIO, UART, and power pin connections for added versatility in development projects. The device also includes a microSD card slot, providing external storage for files and images.

One of the standout features of the ESP32-S3-LCD-1.47 is its power management. The microcontroller supports multiple low-power modes, such as light and deep sleep, which allows developers to create energy-efficient applications. It can be programmed using the ESP-IDF framework or Arduino IDE, so it’s accessible to both professionals and hobbyists.

While similar ESP32-S3 boards like the LILYGO T-HMI exist, the compact USB-dongle form factor of the ESP32-S3-LCD-1.47 makes it an interesting option for those seeking a development board with an integrated display.

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.47 is available for purchase through Waveshare’s official store for $12.99 plus shipping. Additional information and a setup guide can be found on the Waveshare Wiki page.