global impact Archives

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

WhatsApp down for users across the world

On February 28, WhatsApp experienced a global outage that affected users significantly, with reports of issues increasing from 12 complaints at 3 PM to over 38,000 by 4 PM in the UK. Among users, 56% reported being unable to send messages, 32% faced server connection issues, and 12% encountered problems with the app itself.

AppWizard

August 29, 2024

Telegram founder Pavel Durov facing charges over allowing criminal activity on messaging app

Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris and released on €5 million bail, but is barred from leaving France amid a legal investigation into allegations of criminal activity linked to the platform. He faces serious accusations, including allowing the distribution of child sexual abuse material and facilitating organized crime activities. French authorities claim Telegram has been uncooperative in providing necessary information for the investigation. Durov is facing preliminary charges, suggesting there are substantial grounds to believe a crime has occurred, yet this stage does not automatically lead to a trial. In response to the allegations, Telegram asserts its compliance with EU laws and defends its moderation practices. Durov's arrest has led to protests in Russia, with some officials claiming it is politically motivated. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the arrest is not politically motivated and emphasized the importance of freedom of expression within a legal framework. Telegram, founded by Durov, has nearly a billion users and has faced criticism for its lack of content moderation, leading to exploitation by criminal elements. The German government previously fined Telegram €5.1 million for failing to comply with regulations on illegal content.

Winsage

August 17, 2024

Microsoft Windows Warning —‘Malicious’ New Threat Steals Bitcoin, Ethereum, Crypto From Users

A report from Check Point Research reveals a new malware variant called Styx Stealer, which targets Windows users and is capable of stealing browser cookies, security credentials, and instant messages. This malware exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Defender, allowing it to execute scripts on PCs without security warnings. Styx Stealer is linked to the Agent Tesla threat actor known as Fucosreal and is available for rent online. It primarily targets Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, and has enhanced capabilities for cryptocurrency theft through a technique called crypto-clipping. The malware continuously monitors the clipboard and can substitute wallet addresses during transactions. Despite its sophistication, the developer made a mistake that allowed Check Point to gather intelligence linking Styx Stealer to the Agent Tesla campaign. Users are advised to keep their operating systems updated to protect against this threat.

Winsage

July 19, 2024

Infamous BSOD appears across Windows machines globally as suspected security bug grounds planes, hits health services

A bug in CrowdStrike security software has caused global system outages, affecting industries such as airlines, train companies, and emergency services. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, stating that virtual machines running Windows with the CrowdStrike Falcon agent may encounter the blue screen of death (BSOD) and get stuck in a restarting loop. CrowdStrike has identified and deployed a fix for the issue, but major organizations like Sky News and KLM have experienced outages, with some still working to restore services. CrowdStrike assures that this is not a security incident or cyberattack, but rather a technical fault with a content update for Windows hosts.