No one wants to fall victim to ransomware, but a new report from blockchain security firm Chainalysis claims that ransomware payments could be set for a record-breaking year, with criminals raking in close to half a billion dollars just seven months into 2023.
According to the analysis, ransomware payments this year have totaled $449.1 million so far. That’s $175.8 million more than this time last year, suggesting that hackers have doubled down on this method of extracting money from unfortunate victims.
The report focused on ransomware’s deployment on the blockchain, where cryptocurrencies are involved. Already in July 2023, this type of attack has collected almost the entirety of what was lost to similar attacks in the whole of 2022. If this year’s trend continues unabated, ransomware users could steal up to $898.6 million.
So why is ransomware doing so well this year? Chainalysis believes it’s largely down to criminal gangs putting an increased emphasis on targeting “big game” institutions — that is, “large, deep-pocketed organizations,” the report says. Ransomware gangs often extort a percentage of a firm’s revenue, so the larger the organization, the larger the payoff. The most lucrative ransomware strain was Cl0p, for which the median average payment was over $1.9 million.
However, that doesn’t mean that small-scale users are safe from the gangs’ clutches, as Chainalysis explains that “the number of successful small attacks has also grown” in the same time period. Across the board, ransomware profits are up.
Interestingly, the report notes that every other form of cryptocurrency cybercrime, from hacks and dark net marketplaces to scams and child abuse material, was all down compared to 2022, which was a hugely profitable year for cybercrime. In some cases, the drop was significant.
For example, cryptocurrency scams have made $3.3 billion less than they had raked in by this point last year, for a massive drop of 77%. Chainalysis believes this is partly due to two enormous scams — named VidiLook and Chia Tai — ending and running off with user funds. VidiLook alone is believed to have bilked victims out of $120 million. So far, there haven’t been many major scams stepping up to replace them.
Elsewhere, hacks have been another big loser so far in 2023, with total revenue from intrusions falling over $1.1 billion compared to 2022. Put together (and even including the increase in ransomware profits), total crypto crime takings are down $5.2 billion year on year.
That’s an encouraging sign in the fight against cybercrime. That doesn’t mean anyone can be complacent, though. If you want to keep yourself safe, it’s a good idea to install strong antivirus software, use one of the best password managers, avoid clicking risky links, and generally keep your wits about you when browsing the web.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.