Netherlands Archives

Tech Optimizer

May 31, 2025

Authorities Dismantled AVCheck, a Tool For Testing Malware Against Antivirus Detection

Law enforcement agencies from multiple nations dismantled a cybercriminal operation that provided malware testing services to evade antivirus detection. This effort led to the seizure of four domains and their servers, disrupting infrastructure that facilitated ransomware attacks globally. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the disruption of an online software crypting syndicate that helped cybercriminals keep their malware undetected. The seized domains offered counter-antivirus tools and crypting services, allowing criminals to obfuscate malware and gain unauthorized access to systems. Investigators conducted undercover purchases and analyzed services, revealing connections to ransomware groups targeting victims in the U.S. and internationally. The operation, part of Operation Endgame, involved collaboration among the U.S., Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, Ukraine, and Portugal, with the FBI Houston Field Office leading the U.S. investigation. The seizures occurred on May 27.

Tech Optimizer

May 30, 2025

Dutch police takes Counter Antivirus service AVCheck offline

The Dutch Team High Tech Crime, in collaboration with international partners, has dismantled the counter-antivirus service AVCheck, which was used by cybercriminals to make malware undetectable. AVCheck was one of the largest services of its kind, allowing malware developers to test their software against antivirus programs. The operation involved cooperation from the Netherlands, the United States, and Finland, and was executed by the High Tech Crime Team under the National Public Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation not only shut down AVCheck but also gathered evidence against its administrators and users, including those of related services like Cryptor.biz and Crypt.guru. Additionally, a fake login page was launched to deter AVCheck users, and collaborations with antivirus organizations were established as part of Project Melissa. This action is connected to Operation Endgame, which previously targeted other malware services.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

Doritos and Minecraft Movie Mixed Reality Campaign Ends with a Golden Chip

A mixed reality campaign called ‘The Nether Lands’ promoted ‘A Minecraft Movie’ and positioned Doritos as the ultimate movie snack. The campaign was initiated by United Playgrounds, with creative direction from Fitzroy and real-time activation by Livewall, while immersive tech was developed by Beyond. It launched on March 28 with a full-scale Minecraft portal in Amsterdam’s Museumplein, allowing players to collect resources and battle Piglins using their phones for a chance to win an 18-karat gold Dorito chip worth €1,000. The activation expanded to cinemas, train stations, and over 135 DOOH screens in the Netherlands and Belgium, enabling anyone with a bag of Doritos to access an AR-powered Minecraft adventure. The campaign gained global attention, particularly in Times Square and Piccadilly Circus, and was covered by international media. Key results included 400,000 unique interactions, 42.5 million impressions, a 185% lift in association with “movie nights,” and a 27% increase in brand preference.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Rokky interview: tapping global PC markets

PC game publishers are seeking innovative revenue enhancement methods and new audience engagement. Rokky, founded in 2009, has grown from five to around 60 employees and offers a distribution platform that connects game publishers with various digital storefronts, focusing on markets outside Europe. The company collaborates with publishers for content and engages stores for sales, easing the burden on publishers managing multiple relationships. Rokky highlights the potential of untapped markets in China and Asia, where traditional advertising is restricted. They have established connections with local marketing agencies and influencers to navigate these challenges. Andreev advises leveraging influencer partnerships for marketing in China, emphasizing the importance of social media. The grey market poses challenges for publishers, where game keys are resold at inflated prices across regions. Rokky suggests region-locking keys and adjusting pricing strategies based on local economic conditions to mitigate revenue loss from cross-border sales. Andreev envisions a future shift towards seamless activation processes, moving away from traditional key-selling methods to instant activation upon purchase, enhancing the user experience.

Winsage

April 17, 2025

Hackers Exploiting NTLM Spoofing Vulnerability in Wild to Compromise Systems

Cybercriminals are exploiting a vulnerability in Windows systems known as CVE-2025-24054, which involves NTLM hash disclosure through spoofing techniques. This flaw allows attackers to leak NTLM hashes, leading to privilege escalation and lateral movement within networks. It is triggered when a user extracts a ZIP archive containing a malicious .library-ms file, causing Windows Explorer to initiate SMB authentication requests that expose NTLMv2-SSP hashes. Exploitation of this vulnerability began shortly after a security patch was released on March 11, 2025, with campaigns targeting government and private institutions in Poland and Romania. These campaigns utilized spear-phishing emails containing malicious ZIP archives, which, when interacted with, leaked NTLM hashes. The malicious files included various types designed to initiate SMB connections to attacker-controlled servers, allowing for pass-the-hash attacks and privilege escalation. The stolen hashes were sent to servers in several countries, indicating potential links to state-sponsored groups. One campaign involved Dropbox links that exploited the vulnerability upon user interaction. Microsoft has recommended immediate patching, enhancing network defenses, user education, network segmentation, and regular security audits to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.

Tech Optimizer

March 19, 2025

TotalAV vs Surfshark VPN: Features Comparison Guide

eSecurity Planet maintains editorial independence and may earn revenue through affiliate links. TotalAV is an antivirus solution with basic VPN functionality, while Surfshark specializes in VPN services. TotalAV: - Overall Rating: 2.8/5 - Pricing: 3.7/5 - Features: 2.7/5 - Usability: 3.7/5 - Security: 2/5 - Customer Support: 2.1/5 - Offers essential antivirus protection and basic VPN features, but lacks the capabilities of a dedicated VPN service. Surfshark: - Overall Rating: 4.5/5 - Pricing: 4.8/5 - Features: 4.3/5 - Usability: 5/5 - Security: 4.5/5 - Customer Support: 3.7/5 - Provides advanced features like multihop connections and IP address rotation, with positive customer feedback despite some support challenges. Pricing Comparison: - TotalAV: Premium plan for the first year; renews at a higher rate. - Surfshark: Starter plan at .49/month billed annually. Feature Comparison: - TotalAV includes a kill switch and split tunneling; lacks rotating IP addresses and multi-hop VPN. - Surfshark includes all features of TotalAV plus advanced capabilities. Usability: - TotalAV supports Windows, Mac, iOS, Android; lacks extensive user documentation. - Surfshark supports multiple operating systems and offers training resources. Security: - TotalAV's encryption and audit policies are unclear. - Surfshark uses AES-256 encryption and has undergone multiple independent audits. Customer Support: - TotalAV offers email support; lacks live chat and community forums. - Surfshark provides 24/7 live chat and email support, along with an official Reddit community. Alternatives: - NordVPN starts at .99/month and includes essential and advanced features. - ExpressVPN offers comprehensive features at .32/month. Evaluation Methodology: The comparison was based on pricing, features, usability, security, and customer support.

Winsage

November 27, 2024

How to get the right Hyper-V window size in Windows 11

Ensuring that Hyper-V virtual machines (VMs) operate seamlessly on a Windows 11 desktop requires careful attention to window size, as an incorrectly sized window can hinder user experience and restrict business application capabilities. A window that is too large may obscure parts of the screen, while a window that is too small can lead to application errors or make text and images difficult to read. To select the correct window size, users should identify the resolution of their host display, which can be found in Display Settings. It is advisable not to exceed a resolution of 1920 x 1080, with a minimum recommended resolution of 800 x 600. The default resolution is often set to 1366 x 768. For basic Hyper-V VM sessions, which do not support resizing, users must adjust the video output using PowerShell commands while the VM is powered off. For enhanced Hyper-V VM sessions, which utilize the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), users can select their preferred resolution upon connecting and can easily resize the window during the session, which automatically adjusts the VM's resolution. Enhanced sessions allow for a more dynamic connection, including local clipboard and printer access, and can be configured for Linux VMs with proper setup.

AppWizard

October 23, 2024

Samsung Health now makes it easier to access your health records

Samsung is updating its Health app to improve health information management for users in the United States. The update includes a new health records feature developed with b.well Connected Health, allowing users to access medical records such as vaccination records, hospital visits, and prescription histories. It also provides insights and alerts for preventative care. The medication tracking feature has been enhanced, enabling users to scan medication bottles with their smartphone cameras to add them to their medication list and monitor adherence levels. Additionally, the app includes warnings for over 960 types of allergies and potential medication reactions. A new barcode scanning feature for food items allows users to log products and access nutritional information. This feature is initially available in the U.S. and select European markets, with plans for expansion to more countries.

AppWizard

October 22, 2024

Android Auto 13.1 stable update available with new features

Samsung Health has introduced version 6.28, which includes several new features aimed at enhancing user experience. Key updates include: - Health Records: Users can access medical records from various healthcare providers through a partnership with b.well Connected Health, integrating major EMR systems like Athenahealth, Cerner Health, Epic Systems, and Veradigm. - Medications Tracking: This feature has been upgraded and is expanding from the United States to South Korea and India for better medication management. - Food Intake: A new barcode scanning capability has been added to the Food tracker, allowing users to log food items easily. This feature is initially available in the United States and select European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland. Samsung has partnered with industry leaders to enhance health data integration, medication management, and food tracking capabilities.

AppWizard

October 16, 2024

New Google Play Store Warning—200 Dangerous Apps, 8 Million Installs

There has been a 101% increase in spyware incidents year on year, with researchers identifying 200 dangerous applications in the Google Play Store that collectively had nearly eight million installations. The analysis covered the period from June 2023 to May 2024 and revealed that the financial sector is a primary target, with attacks increasing by 29%. The United States is the top target for cybercriminals, while India leads in mobile malware applications. Google employs various security measures, including Play Protect, to detect and remove harmful apps from the Play Store.