The Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a $276 million fine on Meta over its handling of&nbsp;sensitive user data. In the aftermath of the latest announcements, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram will have to pay fines of over $1 billion to the European regulators. Ireland’s privacy watchdog also said that this marks the end of their inquiry which started in April this year after details of over 500 million users were leaked and published online.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/whatsapp-data-leak-phone-numbers-of-nearly-500-million-active-users-on-sale-says-report-538040">Reports of ‘data leak' are based on 'unsubstantiated' screenshots: WhatsApp</a>

Meta has been the subject of a lot of controversy in Europe lately with multiple accusations of mishandling user data and various groups raising privacy concerns regarding the platforms.

In 2019, 533 million users had their data leaked on a private website which included their names, locations and in some cases, email accounts. While the company said that the leak was taken care of, the enquiry was launched by the authorities, and they have been facing a list of fines.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-to-use-new-preferred-term-mpox-for-monkeypox-virus-to-avoid-stigma-538187">WHO to use new preferred term ‘mpox’ for ‘Monkeypox’ virus to avoid stigma</a>

The implementation of General Data Protection Regulation, a European Union-wide law is being considered to be the standard which will be followed for online privacy globally. The fines were a part of the process, and this increased the pressure on Meta – a company facing substantial losses.

In the past one year, Meta has seen a steady dip in revenues with the failure of the Metaverse and it has also sparked rumours of Mark Zuckerberg leaving the company as CEO. The company decided to fire more than 11,000 staff members and said that it will be announcing more job cuts in the future.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a $276 million fine on Meta over its handling of sensitive user data. In the aftermath of the latest announcements, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram will have to pay fines of over $1 billion to the European regulators.

The Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a $276 million fine on Meta over its handling of sensitive user data. In the aftermath of the latest announcements, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram will have to pay fines of over $1 billion to the European regulators. Ireland’s privacy watchdog also said that this marks the end of their inquiry which started in April this year after details of over 500 million users were leaked and published online. Also read | Reports of ‘data leak' are based on 'unsubstantiated' screenshots: WhatsApp Meta has been the subject of a lot of controversy in Europe lately with multiple accusations of mishandling user data and various groups raising privacy concerns regarding the platforms. In 2019, 533 million users had their data leaked on a private website which included their names, locations and in some cases, email accounts. While the company said that the leak was taken care of, the enquiry was launched by the authorities, and they have been facing a list of fines. Also read | WHO to use new preferred term ‘mpox’ for ‘Monkeypox’ virus to avoid stigma The implementation of General Data Protection Regulation, a European Union-wide law is being considered to be the standard which will be followed for online privacy globally. The fines were a part of the process, and this increased the pressure on Meta – a company facing substantial losses. In the past one year, Meta has seen a steady dip in revenues with the failure of the Metaverse and it has also sparked rumours of Mark Zuckerberg leaving the company as CEO. The company decided to fire more than 11,000 staff members and said that it will be announcing more job cuts in the future. (With inputs from agencies)

Meta fined $276 million by Ireland's privacy watchdog over leaked user data

Weeks after Australian telecom giant Optus reported a major data breach, the Anthony Albanese government has announced it will be introducing new legislation in parliament to penalise heavily repeat 'privacy breach' offenders.

Weeks after Australian telecom giant Optus reported a major data breach, the Anthony Albanese government has announced it will be introducing new legislation in parliament to penalise heavily repeat 'privacy breach' offenders. According to a Reuters report, the legislation lays down a plan to increase the maximum penalty for repeated offences to $32 million from the current $1.4 million or 30 per cent of the turnover in the relevant period or three times the value of any benefit obtained through misuse of information. "Significant privacy breaches in recent weeks have shown that the existing safeguards are inadequate. It's not enough for a penalty for a major data breach to be seen as the cost of doing business," said Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. "We need better laws to regulate how companies manage the huge amount of data they collect, and bigger penalties to incentivise better behaviour," he added. Read more: Australia's second-largest telecom company reports major data breach in cyberattack Australia has been plagued by instances of data hacks in recent months. Optus, after the hack, reported that databases containing home addresses, licence numbers, and passport numbers of nearly 40 per cent of the population. The firm stated that the attacker's IP address appeared to switch between countries in Europe. While the Optus incident had barely died down, Australia's biggest health insurer Medibank Private Ltd. also suffered a similar hack. As reported by WION, Medibank, which covers one-sixth of Australians, said the medical information of its customers had been stolen as part of a massive breach of data. Read more: Australia's biggest health insurer Medibank reports huge data breach In the aftermath of the incidents, PM Albanese said he wanted to bring a policy change to protect the customers. "We want to make sure that we change some of the privacy provisions there so that if people are caught up like this, the banks can be let know so that they can protect their customers as well," (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australia to bring legislation for tougher penalties on hackers for data breaches

The data privacy concerns of TikTok users and the threat of their personal data being exposed to hacking and espionage by China refuse to die down and will still be relevant even if the Biden administration inks a security agreement that could spare a total US ban for the video platform.&nbsp; 
 
The continuing threat was detected by former national security officials, lawyers and data security experts as the US justice department reviewed the accord that would keep the popular video-streaming app, owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd., accessible to millions of users in the US, says a Bloomberg report. 
 
TikTok has been under scrutiny since 2019 over concerns that Chinese actors might tap the users’ information for espionage or other harmful purposes. 
 
“They built the whole system in China. Unless they’re going to rebuild the system in the United States at great expense, sooner or later, when something goes wrong, there’s going to turn out to be only one engineer who knows how to fix it. And he or she is likely to be in China,” said Stewart Baker, a national security lawyer at Steptoe &amp; Johnson LLP. 
 
TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter refused to comment on the the company’s discussions with the US government, but said, “We are confident that we are on a path to fully satisfy all reasonable US national security concerns.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-us-mid-term-elections-tiktok-reveals-plan-to-crack-down-on-paid-political-posts-507897">Ahead of US mid-term elections, TikTok reveals plan to&nbsp;crack down on&nbsp;paid political posts</a>

She said some China-based employees would have access to public data posted by users, but they would not have access to private information, reported Bloomberg. “Their use of the public data would be very limited and accessed under the supervision of the oversight board set up by the US government,” she added. 
 
TikTok is routing all its US user traffic through servers maintained by Oracle Corp. and the database giant is auditing the app’s algorithms.&nbsp;However, additional restrictions on how data of US users is stored and accessed will be necessary, and might not resolve security concerns no matter how strong a deal looks on paper, said experts. 
 
Virginia Democrat Senator Mark Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, couldn’t give details but said TikTok has “a big mountain to climb with me to prove the case that it can really be safe.” 
 
“China has a poor track record on protecting the privacy of users. They’ve shown repeatedly the ability to create this surveillance state that ought to scare the dickens out of all of us,” Warner said. 
 
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/300-tiktok-bytedance-employees-worked-for-chinas-propaganda-machinery-report-506863">300 TikTok, ByteDance employees worked for China's propaganda machinery: Report</a> 
 
It’s much harder today to wall off TikTok’s data technically or ban it outright than it was five or six years ago as the popularity of the app has surged, the senator added. 
 
The video-streaming app, which has about 1 billion users but is banned in China, has been under scrutiny since 2019, when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US started reviewing a merger between ByteDance and Musical.ly. 
 
The Biden administration re-opened a national security review of TikTok after former President Donald Trump stopped short of banning the app after ByteDance sought US approval to sell a stake in it to Oracle and Walmart Inc., but the deal didn’t work out. 
 
Nova Daly, a public policy expert, said it’s better to have the foreign company retain ownership of the US company in some instances because it allows for more robust scrutiny of that data but pointed out that it will still be hard to secure the data against theft or use for nefarious purposes. 
 
Lawmakers pressed TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas during a Senate hearing about whether the company would seal off Chinese access to all US data. Pappas said the company has strict controls over access to data and where it’s stored, and wouldn’t give it to the Chinese government. 
 
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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The data privacy concerns of TikTok users and the threat of their personal data being exposed to hacking and espionage by China refuse to die down and will still be relevant even if the Biden administration inks a security agreement that could spare a total US ban for the video platform.

The data privacy concerns of TikTok users and the threat of their personal data being exposed to hacking and espionage by China refuse to die down and will still be relevant even if the Biden administration inks a security agreement that could spare a total US ban for the video platform. The continuing threat was detected by former national security officials, lawyers and data security experts as the US justice department reviewed the accord that would keep the popular video-streaming app, owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd., accessible to millions of users in the US, says a Bloomberg report. TikTok has been under scrutiny since 2019 over concerns that Chinese actors might tap the users’ information for espionage or other harmful purposes. “They built the whole system in China. Unless they’re going to rebuild the system in the United States at great expense, sooner or later, when something goes wrong, there’s going to turn out to be only one engineer who knows how to fix it. And he or she is likely to be in China,” said Stewart Baker, a national security lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson LLP. TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter refused to comment on the the company’s discussions with the US government, but said, “We are confident that we are on a path to fully satisfy all reasonable US national security concerns.” ALSO READ | Ahead of US mid-term elections, TikTok reveals plan to crack down on paid political posts She said some China-based employees would have access to public data posted by users, but they would not have access to private information, reported Bloomberg. “Their use of the public data would be very limited and accessed under the supervision of the oversight board set up by the US government,” she added. TikTok is routing all its US user traffic through servers maintained by Oracle Corp. and the database giant is auditing the app’s algorithms. However, additional restrictions on how data of US users is stored and accessed will be necessary, and might not resolve security concerns no matter how strong a deal looks on paper, said experts. Virginia Democrat Senator Mark Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, couldn’t give details but said TikTok has “a big mountain to climb with me to prove the case that it can really be safe.” “China has a poor track record on protecting the privacy of users. They’ve shown repeatedly the ability to create this surveillance state that ought to scare the dickens out of all of us,” Warner said. ALSO READ | 300 TikTok, ByteDance employees worked for China's propaganda machinery: Report It’s much harder today to wall off TikTok’s data technically or ban it outright than it was five or six years ago as the popularity of the app has surged, the senator added. The video-streaming app, which has about 1 billion users but is banned in China, has been under scrutiny since 2019, when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US started reviewing a merger between ByteDance and Musical.ly. The Biden administration re-opened a national security review of TikTok after former President Donald Trump stopped short of banning the app after ByteDance sought US approval to sell a stake in it to Oracle and Walmart Inc., but the deal didn’t work out. Nova Daly, a public policy expert, said it’s better to have the foreign company retain ownership of the US company in some instances because it allows for more robust scrutiny of that data but pointed out that it will still be hard to secure the data against theft or use for nefarious purposes. Lawmakers pressed TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas during a Senate hearing about whether the company would seal off Chinese access to all US data. Pappas said the company has strict controls over access to data and where it’s stored, and wouldn’t give it to the Chinese government. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok security accord fails to douse concerns on breach of US users’ personal details

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd said that its unit Dialog faced a cyber attack that potentially affected 1,000 current and former employees and fewer than 20 clients, weeks after a massive data breach at another Australian unit, Optus.

World Business Watch: Singtel's Dialog unit faces cyber attack weeks after Optus data breach

Toyota Motor Corp on Friday announced that a major leak&nbsp;impacting more than 296,000 of its customers has been detected.

As per a Reuters report, around 296,019, email addresses and contact numbers have been exposed in the leak. Customers that use Toyota's telematics service T-connect, which is a smartphone app service, that allows users to connect to their vehicle via a network. Individuals, who have signed up for the service since July 2017, will have been affected by this.

Watch |&nbsp;Tech Talk: Meta warns of password-stealing phone apps

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The Japanese automaker disclosed that a contractor who developed the T-connect website had accidentally uploaded parts of the source code with public settings. This went undetected from December 2017 to September 15 of this year.

Based on an assessment by security specialists, Toyota stated in a statement that it was impossible to confirm a third-party access from the access history of the data server where the information was stored. Furthermore, the company said that it cannot be completely ruled out either.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ferrari-falls-victim-to-ransomware-attack-7gb-of-its-internal-documents-made-public-522248">Ferrari falls victim to ransomware attack; 7GB of its internal documents made public</a>

However, Toyota claims that there was no possibility that its user's sensitive information like name, contact information or credit card details could have been leaked.

While the carmaker did not report cases of any such information being misused, it said that there exists a possibility of spamming, phishing scams and unsolicited emails being sent to those whose information has been leaked.

(With inputs from agencies)

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You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Toyota Motor Corp on Friday announced that a major leak impacting more than 296,000 of its customers has been detected. As per a Reuters report, around 296,019, email addresses and contact numbers have been exposed in the leak.

Toyota Motor Corp on Friday announced that a major leak impacting more than 296,000 of its customers has been detected. As per a Reuters report, around 296,019, email addresses and contact numbers have been exposed in the leak. Customers that use Toyota's telematics service T-connect, which is a smartphone app service, that allows users to connect to their vehicle via a network. Individuals, who have signed up for the service since July 2017, will have been affected by this. Watch | Tech Talk: Meta warns of password-stealing phone apps The Japanese automaker disclosed that a contractor who developed the T-connect website had accidentally uploaded parts of the source code with public settings. This went undetected from December 2017 to September 15 of this year. Based on an assessment by security specialists, Toyota stated in a statement that it was impossible to confirm a third-party access from the access history of the data server where the information was stored. Furthermore, the company said that it cannot be completely ruled out either. Also read | Ferrari falls victim to ransomware attack; 7GB of its internal documents made public However, Toyota claims that there was no possibility that its user's sensitive information like name, contact information or credit card details could have been leaked. While the carmaker did not report cases of any such information being misused, it said that there exists a possibility of spamming, phishing scams and unsolicited emails being sent to those whose information has been leaked. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

296,000 Toyota customers affected by a data breach that went undetected since 2017

The second-largest telecommunications company in Australia, Optus, suffered a significant cybersecurity breach 12 days ago, and its owner Singapore Telecommunications or Singtel on Monday said it is still trying to estimate the possible cost of the damage caused.

Singtel's statement came amid reports that it might end up paying significant compensation for the theft of sensitive information from 10 million users. Although the telecommunication firm is said to have hired lawyers to assist it, it has not received any official notice of the case, amid reports of a possible class action suit by consumers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-launches-operation-guardian-to-protect-optus-data-breach-victims-521194">Also read |&nbsp;Australia launches 'Operation Guardian' to protect Optus data breach victims</a>

On Monday (October 3), Optus announced that Deloitte had been selected to conduct an impartial, external review of the attack.&nbsp;

The Australian government has demanded that the businesses notify the people affected and said that customers were at risk of financial crimes.

"Singtel is continuing to evaluate the potential financial implications arising from this matter and any material development will be disclosed to the market on a timely basis," the company said in a statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/optus-leak-over-10k-records-posted-online-writer-later-deletes-post-and-apologises-520066">Also read |&nbsp;Optus leak: Over 10K records posted online, purported hacker deletes post and apologises</a>

The Optus chief executive said in a video message that about 2.1 million of its users, out of 10 million, were compromised with their identity numbers revealed. She said that the corporation has notified all 10,000 people that the data has been leaked online and is collaborating with the police.&nbsp;

The law firm Slater &amp; Gordon and Maurice Balckburn stated that they are currently looking into the possibility of filing a case action against Optus to seek compensation for anyone who has been impacted by this incident.

Nearly 40 per cent of Australians have been impacted by this Optus cyber breach.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The second-largest telecommunications company in Australia, Optus, suffered a significant cybersecurity breach 12 days ago, and its owner Singapore Telecommunications or Singtel on Monday said it is still trying to estimate the possible cost of the damage caused.

The second-largest telecommunications company in Australia, Optus, suffered a significant cybersecurity breach 12 days ago, and its owner Singapore Telecommunications or Singtel on Monday said it is still trying to estimate the possible cost of the damage caused. Singtel's statement came amid reports that it might end up paying significant compensation for the theft of sensitive information from 10 million users. Although the telecommunication firm is said to have hired lawyers to assist it, it has not received any official notice of the case, amid reports of a possible class action suit by consumers. Also read | Australia launches 'Operation Guardian' to protect Optus data breach victims On Monday (October 3), Optus announced that Deloitte had been selected to conduct an impartial, external review of the attack. The Australian government has demanded that the businesses notify the people affected and said that customers were at risk of financial crimes. "Singtel is continuing to evaluate the potential financial implications arising from this matter and any material development will be disclosed to the market on a timely basis," the company said in a statement. Also read | Optus leak: Over 10K records posted online, purported hacker deletes post and apologises The Optus chief executive said in a video message that about 2.1 million of its users, out of 10 million, were compromised with their identity numbers revealed. She said that the corporation has notified all 10,000 people that the data has been leaked online and is collaborating with the police. The law firm Slater & Gordon and Maurice Balckburn stated that they are currently looking into the possibility of filing a case action against Optus to seek compensation for anyone who has been impacted by this incident. Nearly 40 per cent of Australians have been impacted by this Optus cyber breach. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Optus leak: Singapore Telecommunications appoints Deloitte to assess data breach

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the country’s federal police will be launching an investigation into the data breach affecting Optus customers. Around 9.8 million customer records were leaked online, and Optus has agreed to pay for the replacement of their passports.

The Australian authorities are calling it “Operation Guardian” and according to Reuters, the main aim of this initiative is to protect the affected individuals from “financial fraud and identity theft”.&nbsp;

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The assistant commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Justine Gough unveiled the operation, and made it clear that they will be going through records of all 10,000 victims whose information was&nbsp;leaked from the Optus database. &nbsp;

The leaked information included passports, Medicare, and driver’s licence.&nbsp;

“This will be a long investigation and it involves large data sources, multiple inquiries,” Gough said according to The Guardian. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-appears-in-public-for-first-time-since-sco-summit-521098">Xi Jinping appears in public again, attends wreath laying to mark Martyrs' Day</a>

“This is a complex investigation that will take some time. There are complex datasets. It will involve co-operation with law enforcement from across the globe, potentially, given that we are talking about a type of crime that is borderless,” she added.&nbsp;

Earlier,&nbsp;Albanese asked Optus to pay for the replacement of the passports whose information was leaked, and the company agreed to do so after the leak. “[Optus] will cover the costs of replacing affected customers’ passports. I think that’s entirely appropriate,” Albanese said earlier.&nbsp;

The AFP introduced Operation Hurricane to stop the data from being sold online and although the authorities were successful, Gough said that it will remain operational. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the country’s federal police will be launching an investigation into the data breach affecting Optus customers.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the country’s federal police will be launching an investigation into the data breach affecting Optus customers. Around 9.8 million customer records were leaked online, and Optus has agreed to pay for the replacement of their passports. The Australian authorities are calling it “Operation Guardian” and according to Reuters, the main aim of this initiative is to protect the affected individuals from “financial fraud and identity theft”. Also read | 23 including girl students killed in Kabul educational centre suicide blast The assistant commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Justine Gough unveiled the operation, and made it clear that they will be going through records of all 10,000 victims whose information was leaked from the Optus database. The leaked information included passports, Medicare, and driver’s licence. “This will be a long investigation and it involves large data sources, multiple inquiries,” Gough said according to The Guardian. Also read | Xi Jinping appears in public again, attends wreath laying to mark Martyrs' Day “This is a complex investigation that will take some time. There are complex datasets. It will involve co-operation with law enforcement from across the globe, potentially, given that we are talking about a type of crime that is borderless,” she added. Earlier, Albanese asked Optus to pay for the replacement of the passports whose information was leaked, and the company agreed to do so after the leak. “[Optus] will cover the costs of replacing affected customers’ passports. I think that’s entirely appropriate,” Albanese said earlier. The AFP introduced Operation Hurricane to stop the data from being sold online and although the authorities were successful, Gough said that it will remain operational. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia launches 'Operation Guardian' to protect Optus data breach victims

Messaging app, Signal is said to be a secure service, it's considered the gold standard of privacy but the fact is like many other messaging apps, Signal is also not completely secure. The App whose tag line is say hello to privacy is also vulnerable to hacking incidents.

Tech Talk: Signal messaging app confirms data breach at verification partner Twilio

Italy’s data protection authority has formally warned Chinese-owned app TikTok about an alleged breach of existing European Union rules to safeguard user privacy.

Italy's data protection authority claims of TikTok privacy breach

Hacker claims to have procured personal data of 1 billion Chinese national citizens. As per tech experts, if it's true, it would be one of the biggest data breaches in history.

China’s data breach of over 1 billion people: Key details

The European Union has released a new set of rules with some hefty fines, it bans target advertising that is aimed at children. Data such as religion, gender, race and political opinions will have to be tackled with sensitivity. The act also stop people from giving their personal data to companies online

EU slams tech giants for not doing enough, releases new rules to tackle illegal content

Google warns android users as dozens of Apps found on the Google Playstore have been found to be infected with a software that secretly collects user data. According to a media report, the software was developed by a company linked to US security agencies

Google bans Apps with hidden data-harvesting software from Playstore

The Joint Parliamentary Committee on personal data protection has re-introduced provision of heavy penalties for serious data violations. JPC has suggested fines up to Rs 15 crore, or 4% of global turnover, for major violations. While lesser violations will have a penalty limit of Rs 5 crore, or 2% of the turnover. If this provision becomes law, it will pose a strong deterrent for social media giants and top tech companies. These provisions are in line with the original provisions in the 2019 Data Protection Bill. It is also as per provisions of European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Data Breach: JPC backs stricter provisions, heavy penalties for violations

The top court in Britain has blocked a class action against Google, accused of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users.

The Supreme Court said in a statement that it "unanimously dismisses" the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.4 million people in England and Wales.

The country's first such data privacy case is bound to upset a string of similar claims against technology giants such as Facebook and TikTok, already waiting in the wings.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-wants-to-work-with-the-pentagon-again-despite-employee-concerns-426580">Also read |&nbsp;Google wants to work with the Pentagon again, despite employee concerns</a>

If the court had allowed the lawsuit to proceed, a fine worth 3.2 billion pounds ($4.3 billion) would have been imposed on Google in the hotly-anticipated judgment.

However, Google suffered a major setback after Europe's second-highest court dismissed its challenge to an EU antitrust ruling and 2.42 billion euro ($2.8 billion) fine in a major win for EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager.

The matter could be challenged again, however, if Google decides to turn to the EU's highest court, the European Court of Justice, for a final say.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-collects-data-in-incognito-mode-consumers-allege-in-lawsuit-370408">Also read |&nbsp;Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit</a>

The case centres on Google's shopping service and is one of three against the search engine giant currently moving through the EU's drawn-out appeals system.

The shopping case was the first of a trio of decisions that have seen Google rack up a total of 8.25 billion euros in EU antitrust fines in the last decade.

"The General Court largely dismisses Google's action against the decision of the Commission finding that Google abused its dominant position by favouring its own comparison shopping service over competing comparison shopping services," the Court said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The top court in Britain has blocked a class action against Google, accused of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users. The Supreme Court said in a statement that it "unanimously dismisses" the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.

The top court in Britain has blocked a class action against Google, accused of illegally tracking millions of iPhone users. The Supreme Court said in a statement that it "unanimously dismisses" the legal action brought by campaigners against the US-based tech giant on behalf of 4.4 million people in England and Wales. The country's first such data privacy case is bound to upset a string of similar claims against technology giants such as Facebook and TikTok, already waiting in the wings. Also read | Google wants to work with the Pentagon again, despite employee concerns If the court had allowed the lawsuit to proceed, a fine worth 3.2 billion pounds ($4.3 billion) would have been imposed on Google in the hotly-anticipated judgment. However, Google suffered a major setback after Europe's second-highest court dismissed its challenge to an EU antitrust ruling and 2.42 billion euro ($2.8 billion) fine in a major win for EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager. The matter could be challenged again, however, if Google decides to turn to the EU's highest court, the European Court of Justice, for a final say. Also read | Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit The case centres on Google's shopping service and is one of three against the search engine giant currently moving through the EU's drawn-out appeals system. The shopping case was the first of a trio of decisions that have seen Google rack up a total of 8.25 billion euros in EU antitrust fines in the last decade. "The General Court largely dismisses Google's action against the decision of the Commission finding that Google abused its dominant position by favouring its own comparison shopping service over competing comparison shopping services," the Court said. (With inputs from agencies)

UK's top court blocks class action lawsuit against Google

The popular trading app Robinhood announced Monday that millions of its users had their personal information exposed in a data breach.

World Business Watch: Robinhood app hit by data breach exposing email of 5 million customers

In a recent cyberattack on its servers, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) informed that no financial loss or data breach has been observed, the bank said on Saturday. It did report that the attack impacted “some of the bank’s services”. &nbsp;

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NBP has reported a cyber security related incident which is being investigated. NBP has not observed any data breach or financial loss. No other bank has reported any such incidence. SBP is monitoring the situation closely to ensure safety and soundness of banking system.
— SBP (@StateBank_Pak) <a href="https://twitter.com/StateBank_Pak/status/1454478620131536899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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On Twitter, the central bank announced, “NBP has reported a cybersecurity-related incident, which is being investigated. NBP has not observed any data breach or financial loss.” &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-send-envoy-to-pakistan-as-diplomats-start-work-in-capital-city-islamabad-425114" hreflang="en">Taliban send envoy to Pakistan as 'diplomats' start work in Islamabad</a>

It clarified that no other bank reported such incident. The central bank is also currently monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system. &nbsp;

The bank said it took "immediate steps" to isolate the affected systems. “At this point, no customer or financial data has been compromised,” it stated. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-islamist-group-vows-to-march-to-capital-amid-deadlock-in-talks-with-govt-424929" hreflang="en">Pakistan Islamist group vows to march to capital amid deadlock in talks with govt</a>

In a statement, the bank said, “Remediation efforts are underway using industry-leading subject matter experts including international resources where ever required.” &nbsp;

Currently, the NBP's services to its customers have been disrupted. The NBP said that the bank is making concerted efforts to address the breach. It is confident that essential customer services will be restored by Monday morning. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a recent cyberattack on its servers, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) informed that no financial loss or data breach has been observed, the bank said on Saturday.

In a recent cyberattack on its servers, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) informed that no financial loss or data breach has been observed, the bank said on Saturday. It did report that the attack impacted “some of the bank’s services”. NBP has reported a cyber security related incident which is being investigated. NBP has not observed any data breach or financial loss. No other bank has reported any such incidence. SBP is monitoring the situation closely to ensure safety and soundness of banking system. — SBP (@StateBank_Pak) October 30, 2021 × On Twitter, the central bank announced, “NBP has reported a cybersecurity-related incident, which is being investigated. NBP has not observed any data breach or financial loss.” Also Read: Taliban send envoy to Pakistan as 'diplomats' start work in Islamabad It clarified that no other bank reported such incident. The central bank is also currently monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system. The bank said it took "immediate steps" to isolate the affected systems. “At this point, no customer or financial data has been compromised,” it stated. Also Read: Pakistan Islamist group vows to march to capital amid deadlock in talks with govt In a statement, the bank said, “Remediation efforts are underway using industry-leading subject matter experts including international resources where ever required.” Currently, the NBP's services to its customers have been disrupted. The NBP said that the bank is making concerted efforts to address the breach. It is confident that essential customer services will be restored by Monday morning. (With inputs from agencies)

National Bank of Pakistan gets hit by cyberattack, reports no financial loss or data breach

Amazon.Com's live streaming e-sports platform twitch has been hit by a data breach. Reports say an anonymous hacker claimed to have leaked twitch data, including information related to the company's source code, clients, and unreleased games. Twitch confirmed the breach and said its "Teams are working with urgency to understand the extent of this".

Amazon's live streaming e-sports platform gets hit by data breach

Air India on Friday reported a mega data breach compromising nearly 4.5 million passengers. 10 years worth of customer data including passport and credit card details have been compromised in the massive cyber attack.

4.5 million passengers affected in massive cyber attack on Air India

LinkedIn is the latest victim of a massive data breach. Data of 500 million user profiles have been allegedly leaked by cyber criminals.

500 Million LinkedIn users’ data leaked online

Over 22 billion records were exposed worldwide amid 730 publicly disclosed data breaches in 2020, a new report revealed on Friday. 
 
Thirty five percent of breaches were linked to ransomware attacks, resulting in tremendous financial cost, while 14 per cent of breaches were the result of email compromises, according to an analysis of breach data by cyber exposure company Tenable`s Security Response Team (SRT) from January through October last year. 
 
One of the overarching themes of the threat landscape in 2020 was that threat actors relied on unpatched vulnerabilities in their attacks as well as chaining together multiple vulnerabilities as part of their attacks. 
 
"Every day, cybersecurity professionals in India and the rest of the world are faced with new challenges and vulnerabilities that can put their organisations at risk," said Satnam Narang, Staff Research Engineer at Tenable. 
 
"The 18,358 vulnerabilities disclosed in 2020 alone reflects a new normal and a clear sign that the job of a cyber defender is only getting more difficult as they navigate the ever-expanding attack surface," Narang added. 
 
From 2015 to 2020, the number of reported common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) increased at an average annual percentage growth rate of 36.6 per cent. 
 
In 2020, 18,358 CVEs were reported, representing a 6 per cent increase over the 17,305 reported in 2019, and a 183 per cent increase over the 6,487 disclosed in 2015. 
 
"Pre-existing vulnerabilities in virtual private network (VPN) solutions ? many of which were initially disclosed in 2019 or earlier -- continue to remain a favorite target for cybercriminals and nation-state groups," the report mentioned. 
 
Web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are the primary target for zero-day vulnerabilities, accounting for over 35 per cent of all zero-day vulnerabilities exploited in the wild, it added. 
 
"In 2021, it`s essential that we have the tools, awareness and intelligence to effectively reduce risk and eliminate blind spots. It`s only through looking at where we`ve come from that we can effectively plan for what lies ahead," Narang noted.

Over 22 billion records were exposed worldwide amid 730 publicly disclosed data breaches in 2020, a new report revealed on Friday. Thirty five percent of breaches were linked to ransomware attacks, resulting in tremendous financial cost, while 14 per cent of breaches were the result of email compromises, according to an analysis of breach data by cyber exposure company Tenable`s Security Response Team (SRT) from January through October last year.

Over 22 billion records were exposed worldwide amid 730 publicly disclosed data breaches in 2020, a new report revealed on Friday. Thirty five percent of breaches were linked to ransomware attacks, resulting in tremendous financial cost, while 14 per cent of breaches were the result of email compromises, according to an analysis of breach data by cyber exposure company Tenable`s Security Response Team (SRT) from January through October last year. One of the overarching themes of the threat landscape in 2020 was that threat actors relied on unpatched vulnerabilities in their attacks as well as chaining together multiple vulnerabilities as part of their attacks. "Every day, cybersecurity professionals in India and the rest of the world are faced with new challenges and vulnerabilities that can put their organisations at risk," said Satnam Narang, Staff Research Engineer at Tenable. "The 18,358 vulnerabilities disclosed in 2020 alone reflects a new normal and a clear sign that the job of a cyber defender is only getting more difficult as they navigate the ever-expanding attack surface," Narang added. From 2015 to 2020, the number of reported common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) increased at an average annual percentage growth rate of 36.6 per cent. In 2020, 18,358 CVEs were reported, representing a 6 per cent increase over the 17,305 reported in 2019, and a 183 per cent increase over the 6,487 disclosed in 2015. "Pre-existing vulnerabilities in virtual private network (VPN) solutions ? many of which were initially disclosed in 2019 or earlier -- continue to remain a favorite target for cybercriminals and nation-state groups," the report mentioned. Web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are the primary target for zero-day vulnerabilities, accounting for over 35 per cent of all zero-day vulnerabilities exploited in the wild, it added. "In 2021, it`s essential that we have the tools, awareness and intelligence to effectively reduce risk and eliminate blind spots. It`s only through looking at where we`ve come from that we can effectively plan for what lies ahead," Narang noted.

Over 22 billion records exposed in data breaches in 2020: Report

America's Federal Trade Commission(FTC) reached a settlement with Flo Health after it allegedly shared personal user data with third-party marketing services including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-bans-stop-the-steal-phrase-ahead-of-joe-bidens-inauguration-356224">Facebook's </a>analytics division, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-to-pay-ftc-170-million-for-illegally-collecting-sharing-data-from-kids-on-youtube-247626">Google’s</a> analytics division, Google’s Fabric service, AppsFlyer, and Flurry.

The Flo app which tracks period and fertility among women has over 100 million users allegedly included information to third parties on whether users were ovulating.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-has-banned-donald-trump-indefinitely-says-mark-zuckerberg-355214">FTC</a> has proposed Flo Health, Inc to obtain an "independent review of its privacy practices" and get app users’ consent before sharing their health information. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection said: “Apps that collect, use, and share sensitive health information can provide valuable services, but consumers need to be able to trust these apps,” adding,"We are looking closely at whether developers of health apps are keeping their promises and handling sensitive health information responsibly.”

According to the complaint received by the FTC, Flo disclosed sensitive health information, such as a user’s pregnancy to third parties in the form of “app event”.

The FTC alleged that Flo violated the "EU-US Privacy Shield" and "Swiss-US Privacy Shield" frameworks.

The FTC also issued guidance to consumers about health apps, with tips for consumers on how to select and use these types of apps while reducing privacy risks.&nbsp;

The FTC asked Flo to notify affected users about the disclosure of their personal information and instruct any third party that received users’ health information to destroy data.

America's Federal Trade Commission(FTC) reached a settlement with Flo Health after it allegedly shared personal user data with third-party marketing services including Facebook's analytics division, Google’s analytics division, Google’s Fabric service, AppsFlyer, and Flurry.

America's Federal Trade Commission(FTC) reached a settlement with Flo Health after it allegedly shared personal user data with third-party marketing services including Facebook's analytics division, Google’s analytics division, Google’s Fabric service, AppsFlyer, and Flurry. The Flo app which tracks period and fertility among women has over 100 million users allegedly included information to third parties on whether users were ovulating. The FTC has proposed Flo Health, Inc to obtain an "independent review of its privacy practices" and get app users’ consent before sharing their health information. Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection said: “Apps that collect, use, and share sensitive health information can provide valuable services, but consumers need to be able to trust these apps,” adding,"We are looking closely at whether developers of health apps are keeping their promises and handling sensitive health information responsibly.” According to the complaint received by the FTC, Flo disclosed sensitive health information, such as a user’s pregnancy to third parties in the form of “app event”. The FTC alleged that Flo violated the "EU-US Privacy Shield" and "Swiss-US Privacy Shield" frameworks. The FTC also issued guidance to consumers about health apps, with tips for consumers on how to select and use these types of apps while reducing privacy risks. The FTC asked Flo to notify affected users about the disclosure of their personal information and instruct any third party that received users’ health information to destroy data.

America's FTC reaches settlement with Flo health app after breach in women's health data

Beijing has unveiled a global data security push which aims at establishing global standards on data security.

It is from the same country which is the biggest threat to data security, otherwise why else would India ban 224 Chinese apps and US, Australia and the UK close their doors on Huawei.

Washington is also launching a "Clean Network" program which aims at making the market against free Chinese technology. At least 30 countries have reportedly joined the initiative.

Therefore, what China is doing is countering the global boycott of Chinese tech and painting itself as the torch bearer of data security.

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Beijing's data security push has eight points, each more ironical than the other. China is asking companies to not steal data from other countries using technology, China also wants tech companies to stop obtaining user data illegally.

China says its initiative opposes mass surveillance of other countries using technology.

Beijing says the countries signing up to the data security push should avoid asking companies to provide data without permission.

China's national intelligence law requires companies to hand over data when asked, "support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work," it says.

The irony-laden initiative was announced by China's foreign minister Wang Yi. The Chinese foreign minister took the opportunity to criticise Washington.

"Countries are using security as a pretext to prey on enterprises of other countries," he said.

Wang went on to declare that "such blatant acts of bullying must be opposed and rejected". 
&nbsp;

Beijing has unveiled a global data security push which aims at establishing global standards on data security. It is from the same country which is the biggest threat to data security, otherwise why else would India ban 224 Chinese apps and US, Australia and the UK close their doors on Huawei.

Beijing has unveiled a global data security push which aims at establishing global standards on data security. It is from the same country which is the biggest threat to data security, otherwise why else would India ban 224 Chinese apps and US, Australia and the UK close their doors on Huawei. Washington is also launching a "Clean Network" program which aims at making the market against free Chinese technology. At least 30 countries have reportedly joined the initiative. Therefore, what China is doing is countering the global boycott of Chinese tech and painting itself as the torch bearer of data security. × Beijing's data security push has eight points, each more ironical than the other. China is asking companies to not steal data from other countries using technology, China also wants tech companies to stop obtaining user data illegally. China says its initiative opposes mass surveillance of other countries using technology. Beijing says the countries signing up to the data security push should avoid asking companies to provide data without permission. China's national intelligence law requires companies to hand over data when asked, "support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work," it says. The irony-laden initiative was announced by China's foreign minister Wang Yi. The Chinese foreign minister took the opportunity to criticise Washington. "Countries are using security as a pretext to prey on enterprises of other countries," he said. Wang went on to declare that "such blatant acts of bullying must be opposed and rejected".

Now, China spearheads global data security push

Almost 10 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have been hit by a malware in their cloud computing provider, Blackbaud.

Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of&nbsp;education administration, fundraising, and financial management software in the world.

The hackers focused on information about&nbsp;students and/or alumni. Sensitive information such as&nbsp;phone numbers, donation history and events attended were stolen. However, payment details such as credit card numbers were not exposed, according to BBC.

Mails asking for donation for the universities were sent out to alumni. However, in few of the cases, the threat was extended to&nbsp;staff, existing students and other supporters.

The company, Blackbaud, is being criticised for the way the whole whole situation&nbsp;as handled in their end. The hackers targeted the company in May, but the universities were informed in July.

"In May of 2020, we discovered and stopped a ransomware attack. Prior to our locking the cyber-criminal out, the cyber-criminal removed a copy of a subset of data from our self-hosted environment," Blackbaud said in a statement on their website.

It was further criticised for paying off the hackers ransom amount that has not been disclosed, without talking to the universities or the authorities.&nbsp;Blackbaud claims that paying off the ransom helped them get a&nbsp;"confirmation that the copy [of data] they removed had been destroyed".

While this is not illegal, the universities have not appreciated this step as they claim to have been kept in the dark about this whole situation.

Blackbaud has also claimed that majority of its customers were not affected. However, it has declined to give a complete list of affected universities, claiming that it wants to respect the privacy of its customers.

As of now the aconfirmed list of affected universities is:&nbsp;University of York, Oxford Brookes University, Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of London, University of Reading, University College&nbsp;(Oxford), Ambrose University in Alberta (Canada), Human Rights Watch Young Minds, Rhode Island School of Design in the US and the University of Exeter.

The universities have now sent out an email apologising to the students and the alumni who were affected by the hacking activity.

"My main concern is how reassuring - impossibly so, in my opinion - Blackbaud were to the university about what the hackers have obtained," commented Rhys Morgan, a cyber-security specialist and former student at Oxford Brookes University, whose data was involved.

"They told my university that there is 'no reason to believe that the stolen data was or will be misused'. I can't feel reassured by this at all. How can they possibly know what the attackers will do with that information?"

"I doubt that my university has many details that aren't pretty easily available, but I am more concerned about giving in to the blackmail and blithely accepting the word of the blackmailer that all the data has now been destroyed," Matthew Scott, one of the recipients who received the email&nbsp;told the BBC.

After the whole situation was revealed to the universities,&nbsp;Leeds University said, in a statement: "We want to reassure our alumni that, since being informed by Blackbaud of this incident, we have been working tirelessly to investigate what has happened, in order to accurately inform those affected. No action is required by our alumni community at this time, although, as ever, we recommend that everyone remains vigilant."

Blackbaud will have to participate in investigations for the UK and Canada data authorities&nbsp;as the concernned authorities were informed last weekend, which is weeks after the company noticed the breach in the systems.

UK's Information Commissioner's Office [ICO] said, "Blackbaud has reported an incident affecting multiple data controllers to the ICO. We will be making enquiries to both Blackbaud and the respective controllers, and encourage all affected controllers to evaluate whether they need to report the incident to the ICO individually."

Almost 10 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have been hit by a malware in their cloud computing provider, Blackbaud. Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of education administration, fundraising, and financial management software in the world.

Almost 10 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada have been hit by a malware in their cloud computing provider, Blackbaud. Blackbaud is one of the largest providers of education administration, fundraising, and financial management software in the world. The hackers focused on information about students and/or alumni. Sensitive information such as phone numbers, donation history and events attended were stolen. However, payment details such as credit card numbers were not exposed, according to BBC. Mails asking for donation for the universities were sent out to alumni. However, in few of the cases, the threat was extended to staff, existing students and other supporters. The company, Blackbaud, is being criticised for the way the whole whole situation as handled in their end. The hackers targeted the company in May, but the universities were informed in July. "In May of 2020, we discovered and stopped a ransomware attack. Prior to our locking the cyber-criminal out, the cyber-criminal removed a copy of a subset of data from our self-hosted environment," Blackbaud said in a statement on their website. It was further criticised for paying off the hackers ransom amount that has not been disclosed, without talking to the universities or the authorities. Blackbaud claims that paying off the ransom helped them get a "confirmation that the copy [of data] they removed had been destroyed". While this is not illegal, the universities have not appreciated this step as they claim to have been kept in the dark about this whole situation. Blackbaud has also claimed that majority of its customers were not affected. However, it has declined to give a complete list of affected universities, claiming that it wants to respect the privacy of its customers. As of now the aconfirmed list of affected universities is: University of York, Oxford Brookes University, Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of London, University of Reading, University College (Oxford), Ambrose University in Alberta (Canada), Human Rights Watch Young Minds, Rhode Island School of Design in the US and the University of Exeter. The universities have now sent out an email apologising to the students and the alumni who were affected by the hacking activity. "My main concern is how reassuring - impossibly so, in my opinion - Blackbaud were to the university about what the hackers have obtained," commented Rhys Morgan, a cyber-security specialist and former student at Oxford Brookes University, whose data was involved. "They told my university that there is 'no reason to believe that the stolen data was or will be misused'. I can't feel reassured by this at all. How can they possibly know what the attackers will do with that information?" "I doubt that my university has many details that aren't pretty easily available, but I am more concerned about giving in to the blackmail and blithely accepting the word of the blackmailer that all the data has now been destroyed," Matthew Scott, one of the recipients who received the email told the BBC. After the whole situation was revealed to the universities, Leeds University said, in a statement: "We want to reassure our alumni that, since being informed by Blackbaud of this incident, we have been working tirelessly to investigate what has happened, in order to accurately inform those affected. No action is required by our alumni community at this time, although, as ever, we recommend that everyone remains vigilant." Blackbaud will have to participate in investigations for the UK and Canada data authorities as the concernned authorities were informed last weekend, which is weeks after the company noticed the breach in the systems. UK's Information Commissioner's Office [ICO] said, "Blackbaud has reported an incident affecting multiple data controllers to the ICO. We will be making enquiries to both Blackbaud and the respective controllers, and encourage all affected controllers to evaluate whether they need to report the incident to the ICO individually."

Several universities in UK, US and Canada hit by malware attack; data lost

Zoom, the video-conferencing app first caught the fancy of all and then almost immediately slid deep into serious safety concerns.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-are-concerns-being-raised-on-zoom-apps-safety-and-security-290208">Also Read: Why are concerns being raised on Zoom app's safety and security?</a>

Just like other social media giants,<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/zoom-pulls-in-more-than-200-million-daily-video-users-during-worldwide-lockdowns-290157"> Zoom </a>too is in the dock for playing truant with user data. The last few days has seen it being pulled up for one issue after the other. It has now admitted to routing calls through China by mistake.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Zoom is based in California's Silicon Valley. It has admitted that it routed some user data through China meaning, calls were allowed to flow through two Chinese data centres.

It travelled via China, especially the video calls by non-Chinese users and calls that took place since February. Zoom admitted it was a mistake. They were reportedly trying to cope with increased traffic as lockdowns began, millions of people flocked to video conferencing platforms like Zoom.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dethroning-whatsapp-tiktok-video-conferencing-app-zoom-tops-download-charts-289800">Also Read:&nbsp;Also Read: Dethroning, Whatsapp, TikTok video conferencing app Zoom tops download charts&nbsp;</a>

Not just people, governments too took to the video platform. The British government used Zoom to host meetings but now, Zoom's security policies are under the scanner.

Users realised that their calls can be easily hacked and anyone can "bomb" a public Zoom meeting, if they know the meeting number much like photo bombing - they can gatecrash a video conference.

They can post shocking images and even intrude into the audio of the call. The host can mute or expel troublemakers but they can come right back with new user IDs. In fact, user profiles were sent to Facebook as part of the "log-in with Facebook" feature, Zoom said it wasn't even aware of this feature.

The platform riddled with so many security issues, Zoom has paused all feature updates for 90 days. Zoom's privacy policy gave it the right to utilize users' personal data and also shared&nbsp;it with third-party marketers.

Zoom quickly rewrote its policy and asserted that it doesn't sell personal data but concerns remain as hackers can steal windows passwords and inject malware. The biggest issue of all is with the encrypting and securing of calls.

Zoom, the video-conferencing app first caught the fancy of all and then almost immediately slid deep into serious safety concerns. Also Read: Why are concerns being raised on Zoom app's safety and security?

Zoom, the video-conferencing app first caught the fancy of all and then almost immediately slid deep into serious safety concerns. Also Read: Why are concerns being raised on Zoom app's safety and security? Just like other social media giants, Zoom too is in the dock for playing truant with user data. The last few days has seen it being pulled up for one issue after the other. It has now admitted to routing calls through China by mistake. Zoom is based in California's Silicon Valley. It has admitted that it routed some user data through China meaning, calls were allowed to flow through two Chinese data centres. It travelled via China, especially the video calls by non-Chinese users and calls that took place since February. Zoom admitted it was a mistake. They were reportedly trying to cope with increased traffic as lockdowns began, millions of people flocked to video conferencing platforms like Zoom. Also Read: Also Read: Dethroning, Whatsapp, TikTok video conferencing app Zoom tops download charts Not just people, governments too took to the video platform. The British government used Zoom to host meetings but now, Zoom's security policies are under the scanner. Users realised that their calls can be easily hacked and anyone can "bomb" a public Zoom meeting, if they know the meeting number much like photo bombing - they can gatecrash a video conference. They can post shocking images and even intrude into the audio of the call. The host can mute or expel troublemakers but they can come right back with new user IDs. In fact, user profiles were sent to Facebook as part of the "log-in with Facebook" feature, Zoom said it wasn't even aware of this feature. The platform riddled with so many security issues, Zoom has paused all feature updates for 90 days. Zoom's privacy policy gave it the right to utilize users' personal data and also shared it with third-party marketers. Zoom quickly rewrote its policy and asserted that it doesn't sell personal data but concerns remain as hackers can steal windows passwords and inject malware. The biggest issue of all is with the encrypting and securing of calls.

Zoom, video-conferencing app admits it routed calls through China by mistake 

The Australian privacy regulator filed a lawsuit against Facebook, accusing the social media giant of sharing the personal details of 300,000 people with political consultant Cambridge Analytica without their knowledge.

The Australian privacy regulator filed a lawsuit against Facebook, accusing the social media giant of sharing the personal details of 300,000 people with political consultant Cambridge Analytica without their knowledge. In the Federal Court lawsuit, the Australian Information Commissioner accused Facebook of breaching privacy law by disclosing 311,127 users' information for political profiling via a survey product, 'This Is Your Digital Life', on its website, reported news agency Reuters. "The design of the Facebook platform meant that users were unable to exercise reasonable choice and control about how their personal information was disclosed," Information Commissioner Angelene Falk said in a statement. The suit sought unspecified damages, adding that each breach of privacy law could draw a maximum penalty of A$1.7 million ($1.1 million). The fine would amount to A$529 billion if the court awarded the maximum for each of the 311,127 instances. A Facebook spokeswoman said the company had engaged "actively" with the Office of the Information Commissioner over the past two years as part of the investigation. "We’ve made major changes to our platforms, in consultation with international regulators, to restrict the information available to app developers, implement new governance protocols and build industry-leading controls to help people protect and manage their data," she said in a statement. "We’re unable to comment further as this is now before the Federal Court." Last July, Facebook was fined a record $5 billion by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission after a probe triggered by the same user personality quiz from 2014 to 2015.

Australian information watchdog sues Facebook over Cambridge Analytica-linked data breach

Google has started phasing out 'cookies' on its Google Chrome browser. Cookies are small pieces of data sent from a website and stored on the user's computer by their web browser while browsing.

Cookies were designed to facilitate websites to remember relevant information or to record the user's browsing activity.

Businesses track their customers using these cookies, and that's what <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-finds-google-system-could-improve-breast-cancer-detection-271720">Google</a> is trying to stop over the next two years. If successful, the move could re-define the consumption of user date online.

According to an official statement, Google is planning to prevent advertising software companies and other organisations from linking their browser cookies with websites they have no jurisdiction over.

<h6><img alt="Cookie" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="399d2829-57fb-4640-b56b-f39330ea8632" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_34.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Cookies were designed to facilitate websites to remember relevant information or to record the user's browsing activity | Twitter user @rustybrick&nbsp;</h6>

&nbsp;

Google's rival Apple underwent a similar change in 2017 with its browser Safari by limiting access and the use of cookies.

Currently, Google Chrome has a clear market monopoly with over 64 per cent of global users preferring the browser over others. This is almost thrice as greater as Safari's share, as reported by tracking company Statcounter.

The announcement was expected by industry insiders for months. However, the two-year goal is a fresh addition that was unheard of, until now.

After the announcement of ''cookie'' removal, shares of many advertising software companies fell. These include Criteo, which witnessed an 8 per cent decline, and Trade Desk Inc, which dropped by 1.4 per cent.

Until now, cookies were not regulated which allowed virtually any company to improve and target specific advertisements on the internet.

With cookies and the user data, it ushered in, users were kept logged into a website for multiple days. Specific target advertisements that are user-oriented are also enabled by cookies. Software vendors provide the information to advertisers who then target and sell.

Ever since the ''cookie'' came into being, and especially in contemporary times where data-breach and data privacy are becoming pertinent discourses, users and regulators have questioned the usage of this data by businesses.

Over the last three years, new privacy laws in California and Europe have triggered changes in the modus operandi of internet businesses.

<h6><img alt="Google" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e800b09f-f7f5-4fc2-8c6a-1fc14c5c404d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_45.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;The Google logo is seen January 8, 2020 at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas | AFP</h6>

&nbsp;

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University College London (UCL) and Aarhus University conducted a joint study into the use of cookies. They analysed five companies that offer consent management platforms (CMPs) for cookies used in the UK.

European Union laws demand that consent for cookies should be informed and explicit, however only 11.8 per cent of the sites met the minimal requirements of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) law.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-fines-google-167-million-over-search-engine-ads-269344">France fines Google $167 million over search engine ads</a>

However, Google added that this cookie-blocker would not be enforced until more user-oriented privacy-focused alternatives are available.&nbsp;

If this cookie-elimination becomes a template pan-industry, it would require investment from website operators.

According to financial analysts, this move would have negligible to no effect on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-settles-longstanding-tax-dispute-with-australia-268943">Google's</a> self-operated advertisement business, for the technology giant has multiple others inlays into user data.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Google has started phasing out 'cookies' on its Google Chrome browser. Cookies are small pieces of data sent from a website and stored on the user's computer by their web browser while browsing.

Google has started phasing out 'cookies' on its Google Chrome browser. Cookies are small pieces of data sent from a website and stored on the user's computer by their web browser while browsing. Cookies were designed to facilitate websites to remember relevant information or to record the user's browsing activity. Businesses track their customers using these cookies, and that's what Google is trying to stop over the next two years. If successful, the move could re-define the consumption of user date online. According to an official statement, Google is planning to prevent advertising software companies and other organisations from linking their browser cookies with websites they have no jurisdiction over. Image: Cookies were designed to facilitate websites to remember relevant information or to record the user's browsing activity | Twitter user @rustybrick Google's rival Apple underwent a similar change in 2017 with its browser Safari by limiting access and the use of cookies. Currently, Google Chrome has a clear market monopoly with over 64 per cent of global users preferring the browser over others. This is almost thrice as greater as Safari's share, as reported by tracking company Statcounter. The announcement was expected by industry insiders for months. However, the two-year goal is a fresh addition that was unheard of, until now. After the announcement of ''cookie'' removal, shares of many advertising software companies fell. These include Criteo, which witnessed an 8 per cent decline, and Trade Desk Inc, which dropped by 1.4 per cent. Until now, cookies were not regulated which allowed virtually any company to improve and target specific advertisements on the internet. With cookies and the user data, it ushered in, users were kept logged into a website for multiple days. Specific target advertisements that are user-oriented are also enabled by cookies. Software vendors provide the information to advertisers who then target and sell. Ever since the ''cookie'' came into being, and especially in contemporary times where data-breach and data privacy are becoming pertinent discourses, users and regulators have questioned the usage of this data by businesses. Over the last three years, new privacy laws in California and Europe have triggered changes in the modus operandi of internet businesses. Image: The Google logo is seen January 8, 2020 at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas | AFP Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University College London (UCL) and Aarhus University conducted a joint study into the use of cookies. They analysed five companies that offer consent management platforms (CMPs) for cookies used in the UK. European Union laws demand that consent for cookies should be informed and explicit, however only 11.8 per cent of the sites met the minimal requirements of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) law. Also read: France fines Google $167 million over search engine ads However, Google added that this cookie-blocker would not be enforced until more user-oriented privacy-focused alternatives are available. If this cookie-elimination becomes a template pan-industry, it would require investment from website operators. According to financial analysts, this move would have negligible to no effect on Google's self-operated advertisement business, for the technology giant has multiple others inlays into user data. (With inputs from Reuters)

Third-party cookies on Google Chrome all set to crumble

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security.

Twitter users' phone numbers and email addresses,&nbsp;submitted to allow for account authentication,&nbsp;were matched with advertisers' own data to enable targeted ads.

"When you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes," Twitter said in an online post.

"This was an error and we apologise."

None of the user data was shared with partners outside the company, and it was unclear how many people were affected, the San Francisco-based company said.

The issue was fixed in mid-September, Twitter said.

"We're very sorry this happened and are taking steps to make sure we don’t make a mistake like this again," Twitter said.

Privacy and internet data are hot political topics worldwide, with tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook in the crosshairs of regulators.

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security.

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security. Twitter users' phone numbers and email addresses, submitted to allow for account authentication, were matched with advertisers' own data to enable targeted ads. "When you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes," Twitter said in an online post. "This was an error and we apologise." None of the user data was shared with partners outside the company, and it was unclear how many people were affected, the San Francisco-based company said. The issue was fixed in mid-September, Twitter said. "We're very sorry this happened and are taking steps to make sure we don’t make a mistake like this again," Twitter said. Privacy and internet data are hot political topics worldwide, with tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook in the crosshairs of regulators.

Twitter admits phone numbers meant for security used for ads

Almost the entire population of Ecuador had their personal data leaked online in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-data-leak-three-users-sue-company-in-the-us-126733">major security breach</a>, officials and security experts said Monday.

Data on an estimated 20 million people, including almost seven million minors as well as deceased citizens, was exposed by the breach, the state attorney general's office said.

The data was hosted on an unsecured server run by an Ecuadoran marketing and analytics firm.

"The information that I can share with you at this moment is that this is a very delicate issue, it is a major concern for the whole of the government and the state," said Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo.

The South American nation has a population of 17 million, according to the UN Population Fund.

Ecuadoran authorities said the data was allegedly from a server-based in the United States.

The security company vpnMentor uncovered the breach on the server run by the firm Novaestrat, which included citizens' full names, dates and places of birth, education levels, phone numbers and national identity card numbers.

ZDNet, the cybersecurity website that first reported the breach, said there was even data on the country's president and on Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who applied for asylum in Ecuador and spent years holed up in the country's London embassy before being arrested this year by British police.

As part of his application for asylum, Assange was issued an Ecuadoran identity card.

The security company contacted Ecuador's Computer Emergency Response Team to secure the leaked data, ZDNet said.

Romo said the government was "working on an investigation which will permit us in the coming hours to assess who is responsible for what happened."

"I hope, too, that in the hours to come, the telecommunications ministry will be able to assess more thoroughly technical information about data protection."

Authorities in Ecuador said they had raided Novaestrat's office to collect evidence, including computers and electronic equipment.

The ministry of telecommunications, meanwhile, said it would send a bill on personal data protection to the National Assembly as part of the government's efforts to prevent such leaks. 
&nbsp;

Almost the entire population of Ecuador had their personal data leaked online in a major security breach, officials and security experts said Monday. Data on an estimated 20 million people, including almost seven million minors as well as deceased citizens, was exposed by the breach, the state attorney general's office said.

Almost the entire population of Ecuador had their personal data leaked online in a major security breach, officials and security experts said Monday. Data on an estimated 20 million people, including almost seven million minors as well as deceased citizens, was exposed by the breach, the state attorney general's office said. The data was hosted on an unsecured server run by an Ecuadoran marketing and analytics firm. "The information that I can share with you at this moment is that this is a very delicate issue, it is a major concern for the whole of the government and the state," said Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo. The South American nation has a population of 17 million, according to the UN Population Fund. Ecuadoran authorities said the data was allegedly from a server-based in the United States. The security company vpnMentor uncovered the breach on the server run by the firm Novaestrat, which included citizens' full names, dates and places of birth, education levels, phone numbers and national identity card numbers. ZDNet, the cybersecurity website that first reported the breach, said there was even data on the country's president and on Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who applied for asylum in Ecuador and spent years holed up in the country's London embassy before being arrested this year by British police. As part of his application for asylum, Assange was issued an Ecuadoran identity card. The security company contacted Ecuador's Computer Emergency Response Team to secure the leaked data, ZDNet said. Romo said the government was "working on an investigation which will permit us in the coming hours to assess who is responsible for what happened." "I hope, too, that in the hours to come, the telecommunications ministry will be able to assess more thoroughly technical information about data protection." Authorities in Ecuador said they had raided Novaestrat's office to collect evidence, including computers and electronic equipment. The ministry of telecommunications, meanwhile, said it would send a bill on personal data protection to the National Assembly as part of the government's efforts to prevent such leaks.

Almost entire population of Ecuador has online data leaked

Mariana Krasteva, a 55-year old engineer, is one of more than four million Bulgarians, whose personal data was stolen in the country's biggest-ever cyber breach, leaving her fearful of what fraudsters might do with the information.

Prosecutors have charged the owner of a cybersecurity company and two of his employees with cyber-terrorism over the hacking of the country's tax agency and the theft of the personal and financial records of nearly every working adult.

The three men have denied wrongdoing.

The breach was made public on July 15, after an email with a link to the leaked data was sent to local media, calling the country's cybersecurity "a joke".

The leak has deeply unsettled many in the Balkan country of 7 million, one of the poorest and most corrupt European Union member states.

"What if someone claimed ownership of my apartment? I have to live in constant fear of what may happen," Krasteva said.

Officials have apologised to Bulgarians over the breach but have also admitted the government has to invest more in software and pay more to protect public data.

"Bulgaria spends too little on cybersecurity - we spend about 5 million levs ($2.85 million) per year, which is nothing," deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said.

The tax agency has told citizens there was no immediate risk from fraudsters and has produced a search tool, where people can check whether their records were compromised, but it does not say exactly what was leaked.

The tax agency said the leaked data was fragmented and not sufficient for eventual fraud. It has told banks to be extra vigilant and urged people not to change their ID cards.

Krasteva, however, feels she needs to have new documents to avoid eventual abuse or fraud. "This means spending a lot of time and money," she says.

Mariana Krasteva, a 55-year old engineer, is one of more than four million Bulgarians, whose personal data was stolen in the country's biggest-ever cyber breach, leaving her fearful of what fraudsters might do with the information.

Mariana Krasteva, a 55-year old engineer, is one of more than four million Bulgarians, whose personal data was stolen in the country's biggest-ever cyber breach, leaving her fearful of what fraudsters might do with the information. Prosecutors have charged the owner of a cybersecurity company and two of his employees with cyber-terrorism over the hacking of the country's tax agency and the theft of the personal and financial records of nearly every working adult. The three men have denied wrongdoing. The breach was made public on July 15, after an email with a link to the leaked data was sent to local media, calling the country's cybersecurity "a joke". The leak has deeply unsettled many in the Balkan country of 7 million, one of the poorest and most corrupt European Union member states. "What if someone claimed ownership of my apartment? I have to live in constant fear of what may happen," Krasteva said. Officials have apologised to Bulgarians over the breach but have also admitted the government has to invest more in software and pay more to protect public data. "Bulgaria spends too little on cybersecurity - we spend about 5 million levs ($2.85 million) per year, which is nothing," deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said. The tax agency has told citizens there was no immediate risk from fraudsters and has produced a search tool, where people can check whether their records were compromised, but it does not say exactly what was leaked. The tax agency said the leaked data was fragmented and not sufficient for eventual fraud. It has told banks to be extra vigilant and urged people not to change their ID cards. Krasteva, however, feels she needs to have new documents to avoid eventual abuse or fraud. "This means spending a lot of time and money," she says.

'I live in constant fear': Bulgaria data breach victim

The Federal Trade Commission is set to announce on Wednesday that Facebook Inc has agreed to a sweeping settlement of significant allegations it mishandled user privacy and pay $5 billion, two people briefed on the matter said.

As part of the settlement, Facebook will agree to create a board committee on privacy and will agree to new executive certifications that users' privacy is being properly protected, the people said.

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg will have to certify every three months that the company is properly safeguarding user privacy, a person briefed on the matter said.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the FTC will allege Facebook misled users about its handling of their phone numbers and its use of two-factor authentication as part of a wide-ranging complaint that accompanies a settlement ending the government's privacy probe, citing two people familiar with the matter.

Separately, the US&nbsp;Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to announce a related settlement with Facebook for around $100 million over allegations it failed to disclose risks to investors over its privacy practices. The Wall Street Journal reported the SEC settlement earlier.

The Post also reported the FTC also plans to allege Facebook provided insufficient information to about 30 million users about a facial recognition tool, an issue identified earlier by Consumer Reports.

The settlement comes amid growing concern among US policymakers about the privacy of online users and has sparked calls for new legal protections in Congress. Separately, the US Justice Department said late Tuesday it is launching a broad antitrust probe into the competitive practices of large tech companies like Facebook.

Two people briefed on the matter confirmed the Post report the FTC will not require Facebook to admit guilt as part of the settlement. The settlement will need to be approved by a federal judge and will contain other significant allegations of privacy lapses, the people said.

The fine will mark the largest civil penalty ever paid to the FTC.

The FTC and Facebook declined to comment.

The FTC confirmed in March 2018 it had opened an investigation into allegations Facebook inappropriately shared information belonging to 87 million users with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The probe has focused on whether the data sharing violated a 2011 consent agreement between Facebook and the regulator and then widened to include other privacy allegations.

A person briefed on the matter said the phone number, facial recognition and two-factor authentication issues were not part of the initial Cambridge Analytica probe.

Some in Congress have criticised the reported $5 billion penalties, noting Facebook in 2018 had $55.8 billion in revenue and $22.1 billion in net income. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, said last week the fine should be $50 billion.

While the deal resolves a major regulatory headache for Facebook, the Silicon Valley firm still faces further potential antitrust probes as the FTC and Justice Department undertake a wide-ranging review of competition among the biggest US tech companies. Facebook is also facing public criticism from President Donald Trump and others about its planned cryptocurrency Libra over concerns about privacy and money laundering.

The Cambridge Analytica missteps, as well as anger over hate speech and misinformation on its platform, have prompted calls from people ranging from presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren to a Facebook co-founder, Chris Hughes, for the government to force the social media giant to sell Instagram, which it bought in 2012, and WhatsApp, purchased in 2014.

But the company's core business has proven resilient, as Facebook blew past earnings estimates in the past two quarters. Facebook is set to report earnings on Wednesday.

The Federal Trade Commission is set to announce on Wednesday that Facebook Inc has agreed to a sweeping settlement of significant allegations it mishandled user privacy and pay $5 billion, two people briefed on the matter said.

The Federal Trade Commission is set to announce on Wednesday that Facebook Inc has agreed to a sweeping settlement of significant allegations it mishandled user privacy and pay $5 billion, two people briefed on the matter said. As part of the settlement, Facebook will agree to create a board committee on privacy and will agree to new executive certifications that users' privacy is being properly protected, the people said. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg will have to certify every three months that the company is properly safeguarding user privacy, a person briefed on the matter said. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the FTC will allege Facebook misled users about its handling of their phone numbers and its use of two-factor authentication as part of a wide-ranging complaint that accompanies a settlement ending the government's privacy probe, citing two people familiar with the matter. Separately, the US Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to announce a related settlement with Facebook for around $100 million over allegations it failed to disclose risks to investors over its privacy practices. The Wall Street Journal reported the SEC settlement earlier. The Post also reported the FTC also plans to allege Facebook provided insufficient information to about 30 million users about a facial recognition tool, an issue identified earlier by Consumer Reports. The settlement comes amid growing concern among US policymakers about the privacy of online users and has sparked calls for new legal protections in Congress. Separately, the US Justice Department said late Tuesday it is launching a broad antitrust probe into the competitive practices of large tech companies like Facebook. Two people briefed on the matter confirmed the Post report the FTC will not require Facebook to admit guilt as part of the settlement. The settlement will need to be approved by a federal judge and will contain other significant allegations of privacy lapses, the people said. The fine will mark the largest civil penalty ever paid to the FTC. The FTC and Facebook declined to comment. The FTC confirmed in March 2018 it had opened an investigation into allegations Facebook inappropriately shared information belonging to 87 million users with the now-defunct British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The probe has focused on whether the data sharing violated a 2011 consent agreement between Facebook and the regulator and then widened to include other privacy allegations. A person briefed on the matter said the phone number, facial recognition and two-factor authentication issues were not part of the initial Cambridge Analytica probe. Some in Congress have criticised the reported $5 billion penalties, noting Facebook in 2018 had $55.8 billion in revenue and $22.1 billion in net income. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, said last week the fine should be $50 billion. While the deal resolves a major regulatory headache for Facebook, the Silicon Valley firm still faces further potential antitrust probes as the FTC and Justice Department undertake a wide-ranging review of competition among the biggest US tech companies. Facebook is also facing public criticism from President Donald Trump and others about its planned cryptocurrency Libra over concerns about privacy and money laundering. The Cambridge Analytica missteps, as well as anger over hate speech and misinformation on its platform, have prompted calls from people ranging from presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren to a Facebook co-founder, Chris Hughes, for the government to force the social media giant to sell Instagram, which it bought in 2012, and WhatsApp, purchased in 2014. But the company's core business has proven resilient, as Facebook blew past earnings estimates in the past two quarters. Facebook is set to report earnings on Wednesday.

Facebook to create privacy panel, pay $5 billion to US to settle data breach allegations

Tech giant Amazon is under the radar of the European Union. The antitrust regulators have opened up an investigation into Amazon. The probe will assess if Amazon misuses sensitive data of the independent merchants. Watch this video to know more.

EU to investigate Amazon marketplace

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