Netherlands Archives

TrendTechie

December 8, 2025

Торренты и пиратство в разных странах

Amnezia's team has received user feedback about VPN limitations for downloading torrents, attributed to legal frameworks in server-hosting countries rather than technical issues. VPN services face abuse reports from hosting providers when torrents are downloaded, leading to traffic restrictions. Specialized B2B servers, like Amnezia's Swiss P2P server, are more expensive but located in countries with lenient torrent laws. In 2024, visits to pirate sites reached 216 billion globally, with the U.S. leading at 26.7 billion visits. All major jurisdictions prohibit the distribution of copyrighted content, but penalties for piracy vary by country. - **Switzerland**: Allows personal downloading from illegal sources for personal use; uploading is prohibited. - **Netherlands**: Personal copying from illegal sources banned since 2014. - **Germany**: Intentional copyright infringement can lead to fines or imprisonment; enforcement often results in civil actions. - **France**: Increased efforts to block pirate sites; penalties include fines and potential criminal charges. - **Canada**: Notice-and-Notice model with rare fines for piracy. - **India**: Both sharing and downloading torrents are illegal; courts can issue injunctions against unknown infringers. - **United Kingdom**: Strict anti-piracy measures with civil lawsuits and potential prison sentences. - **United States**: Stringent laws with civil lawsuits for piracy; criminal cases are rare. - **Singapore**: Criminal liability for serious copyright infringement. - **Japan**: Illegal downloading can lead to prison or fines; severe penalties for sharing. - **Thailand**: Distributing pirated content is illegal; penalties vary by violation type. - **Vietnam**: Laws against piracy exist, but enforcement is rare. - **Turkey**: Prohibits downloading and sharing pirated content; enforcement focuses on commercial piracy. - **Portugal**: Prohibits downloading from copyright-violating sources; piracy levels remain high. - **Russia**: Civil lawsuits for damages are pursued, but individual users are rarely targeted. Overall, while anti-piracy laws are strict, enforcement is often lax, leading to a low likelihood of legal repercussions for torrent downloading in many regions, except in Germany and Japan.

Winsage

December 5, 2025

Microsoft Silently Fixes 8-Year Windows Security Flaw

Microsoft addressed a critical vulnerability in Windows, identified as CVE-2025-9491, which had existed for nearly eight years and allowed cybercriminals to conceal malicious commands within .LNK (shortcut) files. This flaw was exploited by state-sponsored hacking groups from countries including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, with evidence of nearly 1,000 malicious shortcut files used in various campaigns. The vulnerability was initially downplayed by Microsoft, which stated it did not require immediate servicing. However, as exploitation increased, Microsoft eventually included a fix in its November 2025 Patch Tuesday updates, which was not publicly announced. The fix allows the entire Target command to be displayed in the Properties dialog, addressing the security risk. Research indicated that around 70% of campaigns exploiting this flaw were focused on espionage and information theft across multiple sectors.

AppWizard

November 21, 2025

This Free App Unlocks AirPods Features on Android Devices

Apple's annual shopping event will take place from November 28 to December 1, featuring deals and exclusive offers in multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and several European nations. Customers can receive an Apple gift card with their purchases, which can be used for future transactions. The event will include a variety of products, such as iPhones, MacBooks, accessories, and services, and will offer a seamless online shopping experience.

Tech Optimizer

November 13, 2025

Emotet: The horse returns to a gallop more dangerous than ever

Emotet is a Trojan Horse malware that emerged in 2014, impacting over 1.6 million devices and originally designed to steal banking credentials. Developed by the MealyBug criminal organization, it evolved into a modular Trojan-dropper, enabling it to download various payloads and act as Malware-as-a-Service on the dark web. Emotet spreads primarily through spam emails, often using malicious Word or Excel files, and has been disseminated via local area networks and password-protected zip folders. The malware operates through botnets categorized into epochs, with Epochs 1, 2, and 3 dismantled in 2021 by a coordinated international operation. Following this, Emotet resurfaced in November 2021 as Epochs 4 and 5, incorporating a Cobalt Strike beacon for enhanced propagation. Recommended precautions include keeping software updated, using two-factor authentication, and educating employees about email threats. Network administrators are advised to block unscannable email attachments, configure specific email filters, and maintain secure backups.

AppWizard

November 11, 2025

German healthcare aims to replace faxes and phones with secure mess…

Germany's healthcare system is introducing TI-Messenger, an encrypted messaging service overseen by Germany’s National Digital Health Agency, Gematik, to enhance communication among patients, healthcare professionals, and insurance companies. This service aims to replace traditional communication methods like faxes and phone calls, with initial trials showing significant time savings for medical staff. TI-Messenger, based on the Matrix open network technology standard, is designed to allow secure communication across health institutions while maintaining data control. As of July 15, 2025, it became accessible to all German citizens with public health insurance. A trial in Hamburg demonstrated that pharmacists significantly reduced phone calls by using TI-Messenger. There are two versions of the service: TI Messenger ePA for citizens and TI-Messenger Pro for healthcare professionals, which has not yet seen widespread adoption. Challenges in user adoption exist, with potential solutions including financial incentives and simplified onboarding processes. Future developments may lead to automated responses and improved communication practices, with hopes for collaboration with other European countries using similar technologies.

Winsage

November 10, 2025

Windows 10 ESU enrollment doesn’t work for some users, leaving them vulnerable

Users are experiencing difficulties enrolling in the Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, with error messages indicating unsupported regions. Devices linked to work or school accounts are flagged as needing an organizational ESU license. A workaround involves downloading the Windows 10 ISO and performing an in-place upgrade to resolve enrollment issues.

Winsage

November 3, 2025

Microsoft: Patch for WSUS flaw disabled Windows Server hotpatching

An out-of-band security update, KB5070881, has disrupted the hotpatching feature for some Windows Server 2025 devices. This update was released alongside reports of the CVE-2025-59287 remote code execution vulnerability. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has instructed U.S. government agencies to strengthen their systems against this vulnerability. Microsoft has acknowledged that the OOB update caused some Hotpatch-enrolled Windows Server 2025 systems to lose their enrollment status and has ceased distributing the update to these devices. Those who installed the update will not receive Hotpatch updates in November and December but will get standard monthly security updates. Administrators can install the KB5070893 security update to address the CVE-2025-59287 flaw without disrupting hotpatching. Microsoft has also disabled the display of synchronization error details in its WSUS error reporting system and resolved various issues affecting Windows 11.

AppWizard

November 1, 2025

Dole promotes healthy eating in Minecraft for global campaign

Dole Food Company has partnered with Minecraft to launch a global campaign titled “Make the World a Healthier Place,” promoting healthy lifestyles through education on eating habits, hydration, and nutrition. The campaign will run from October 2025 to March 2026 in countries including the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands, featuring in-store displays and social media activations. Players can unlock a Dole Banana Hoodie for their Minecraft avatar by uploading a Dole Banana sticker or Dole Pineapple tag on a microsite, which will also offer digital content like activity sheets and coloring pages. Dole will release two waves of stickers featuring Minecraft characters, including iconic figures and animals. The campaign will include Minecraft-inspired recipes such as Golden Banana Ingots and Creeper Crusher Smoothies. Dole has seen a year-over-year revenue increase of 14.3%, reaching .4 billion in the second quarter ending June 30.

AppWizard

October 31, 2025

Europa Universalis 5 is an instant grand strategy classic and developer Paradox at its best

Europa Universalis 5 is a grand strategy game set in early modern history, developed by Paradox Interactive, and is scheduled for release on November 4, 2025, for PC. It features familiar mechanics from previous titles, such as production methods from Victoria 3 and ruler dynamics from Imperator, while introducing significant changes like a more tangible population model that affects productivity and military capacity. The game emphasizes strategic depth with a focus on realistic resource management, military costs, and the implications of warfare. Players can govern a vast map with diverse nations and engage with landless nations for unique economic strategies. The AI presents new challenges, and while accessibility features are limited, the game remains approachable for new players.

Winsage

October 31, 2025

China-Linked Hackers Exploit Windows Shortcut Flaw to Target European Diplomats

A China-affiliated threat actor, UNC6384, has been conducting cyber attacks targeting diplomatic and governmental entities in Europe, including Hungary, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Serbia. These attacks exploit an unpatched Windows shortcut vulnerability (CVE-2025-9491) through spear-phishing emails that appear relevant to diplomatic events. The emails deliver malicious LNK files that deploy PlugX malware via DLL side-loading. PlugX is a remote access trojan that allows extensive control over compromised systems and has been linked to another hacking group, Mustang Panda. Microsoft Defender can detect these attacks, and Smart App Control provides additional protection. The LNK file executes a PowerShell command to extract a TAR archive containing a legitimate utility, a malicious DLL, and an encrypted PlugX payload. The size of the malicious artifacts has decreased significantly, indicating ongoing evolution. UNC6384 has also begun using HTML Application files to load external JavaScript for retrieving malicious payloads, aligning with Chinese intelligence objectives regarding European defense policies.