Latest news with #China-backed
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's $30 million UK farmhouse flip raises eyebrows — lived there only a month
Ellen DeGeneres (67) and her wife Portia de Rossi (52) bought a historic stone farmhouse in the U.K. in June 2024 for $20 million. The farmhouse is called Kitesbridge Farm and is located in the posh countryside area of The Cotswolds, home to many celebrities. Even though they spent just one month living there, they're now listing it for $30 million — raising eyebrows online and in the media. Ellen said they are moving because Portia needed more space for her horses, which they had flown to the UK after deciding to settle there full time. Ellen explained, 'Portia couldn't live without her horses… We needed a home that had pastures and horse facilities', as per the Wall Street Journal report. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Others Data Science Digital Marketing Finance Artificial Intelligence Leadership Management Degree PGDM others MBA Data Science Project Management CXO Data Analytics Product Management healthcare Design Thinking Operations Management Public Policy Healthcare Cybersecurity Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India Starts on undefined Get Details ALSO READ: Foreign nationals trapped? Xi Jinping's exit bans raise alarm over travel risks in China When they bought Kitesbridge Farm, it was 'tired' and needed work, said their listing agent Andrew Barnes. Ellen paid $3.3 million over the asking price just to secure it quickly. A massive team of about 70 workers was hired to finish the renovation in just 10 weeks, though contractors originally estimated 18 months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo Faced trouble with locals & council Locals objected to Ellen's extension plans. They feared it might increase flood risks or damage Roman remains nearby. Three councilors raised official objections in February 2024. Some neighbors also worried that her hedge and fencing could block drainage and lead to flooding, as per the New York Post. But the West Oxfordshire District Council said the Roman remains were 200 meters away, and Ellen's work was 'high standard' and acceptable under planning laws, according to the Wall Street Journal report. Live Events Reports later claimed the farmhouse had flooding issues — but Ellen denied it, and agent Barnes confirmed there's never been flooding on the property. The home was described before as 'an eco-farmhouse with rustic modern interiors.' ALSO READ: Massive SharePoint breach, including US nuclear agency - Microsoft links attack to 3 China-backed hackers New house is bigger, flashier Ellen and Portia quickly bought a second estate, just 30 minutes away, with a Malibu-style, modern glass house on a hilltop. The new house is flood-safe, has 5 bedrooms, glass walls, a Japanese courtyard, and fields for horses. Portia's horses now have room to roam, which was their top priority. The old farmhouse they're selling has 6 bedrooms, a party barn with its own pub, a pool, and a gym. It was originally built in the 1700s, offering old-world charm with luxury additions, according to the report by Wall Street Journal. Why did they move to the U.K.? Ellen revealed she and Portia moved to the UK full time after Donald Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election. 'We got here the day before the election… woke up to crying emojis… and we were like, 'We're staying here.'' She confirmed, 'We're selling that [old] house… not the new one. It's a beautiful stone farmhouse if anyone wants it.' FAQs Q1. Why did Ellen DeGeneres sell her UK farmhouse so quickly? Ellen sold the farmhouse just a month after moving in because she and Portia needed a bigger home with space for their horses. Q2. How much is Ellen DeGeneres asking for her UK farmhouse? Ellen is listing the renovated Cotswolds farmhouse for $30 million after buying it for $20 million.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Foreign nationals trapped? Xi Jinping's exit bans raise alarm over travel risks in China
A U.S. citizen who works for the Commerce Department went to China to visit family, but now can't leave the country, reported by The Washington Post. The man reportedly didn't mention on his visa that he worked for the U.S. government, which may have caused the issue. The U.S. State Department confirmed that China blocked a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employee who was visiting China in a personal capacity, according to a spokesperson on Monday The U.S. is closely watching the case and is talking to Chinese officials to fix the situation quickly, said a State Department spokesperson, as per the Reuters report. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Finance Cybersecurity healthcare Management Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Data Science others Leadership Product Management MBA Operations Management MCA Digital Marketing Technology Healthcare PGDM Degree Data Science Public Policy Project Management CXO Data Analytics Others Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Fintech & Blockchain India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta SEPO - IIMC CFO India Starts on undefined Get Details China says it is following the law The Commerce Department, which the Patent Office is part of, didn't respond to questions from reporters yet. The U.S. official's name was not revealed, and it's also unclear if he has been detained. When asked about the case, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said he had no specific details, but added that China follows its laws for all entry and exit cases, during a Tuesday briefing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo ALSO READ: Massive SharePoint breach, including US nuclear agency - Microsoft links attack to 3 China-backed hackers Beijing has often used 'exit bans' to stop people—both Chinese and foreigners—from leaving the country during civil disputes, criminal probes or regulatory issues, according to analysts. Experts also believe these exit bans are sometimes used to pressure foreign countries, or to control local dissent within China, as per the Reuters reports. Live Events More foreign citizens facing exit bans Tensions between the U.S. and China have already been high over things like trade, COVID-19, and Taiwan. In another case, Chenyue Mao, a U.S. citizen and banker for Wells Fargo, has also been banned from leaving China, confirmed by China's foreign ministry on Monday, as per the reports. Chinese officials said Mao is involved in a criminal investigation and must cooperate with the authorities. After Mao's case, Wells Fargo stopped all employee travel to China, a source told Reuters last week. More foreign executives are also being stopped at airports and barred from leaving, showing a wider pattern of rising risk for foreigners traveling to China, according to the report by Reuters. ALSO READ: Kyiv erupts: Massive protests rock Zelensky amid explosive anti-corruption scandal FAQs Q1. Why is a U.S. government employee not allowed to leave China? A U.S. official is reportedly stuck in China after failing to mention his government job on his visa, according to reports. Q2. What are China's exit bans and who do they affect? China uses exit bans to stop both foreigners and locals from leaving during legal or political issues, experts say.
Axios
2 days ago
- Axios
Chinese hackers targeting SharePoint flaw for weeks, Microsoft says
At least three China-based hacking teams have been exploiting a previously unknown flaw in Microsoft SharePoint since at least July 7, the company said in a blog post. Why it matters: Microsoft and security researchers didn't uncover the vulnerability until this past weekend, leaving thousands of customers exposed to potential nation-state hacking. Driving the news: Microsoft said in a blog post Tuesday that it's observed three China-based hacking teams — two of which are based within the Chinese government — attempting to break into companies' networks using the SharePoint flaw. Microsoft tracks those groups under the names Linen Typhoon, Violet Typhoon and Storm-2603. Each cybersecurity company has their own naming convention for hacking teams based on their own internal data and telemetry. Google's Mandiant also said Monday that it has observed at least one China-backed group targeting the SharePoint flaws, but that multiple threat actors have started getting involved. Catch up quick: Over the weekend, Microsoft and several researchers warned about a new flaw in SharePoint servers that only affects those who use the technology on-premise, or on their own servers and not in the shared Microsoft cloud. The vulnerability could allow hackers to access content stored in SharePoint and execute code. Some experts also said they've seen hackers stealing machine keys when they break in, which would allow them to break back-in even after the SharePoint flaw is patched. So far, victims have included the Education Department, national governments in Europe and the Middle East, universities, energy companies and an Asian telecommunications firm, according to news reports. Zoom in: Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon are both government hacker teams that focus on espionage and stealing intellectual property, according to Microsoft. Storm-2603 takes a different approach and is known for stealing machine keys and deploying ransomware onto victims' devices. Microsoft says it's unclear what this hacking group's motives are. The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Google's top security executive links Microsoft SharePoint hack to China, says: We assess that
Microsoft issued an alert about "active attacks" on server software used by government agencies and businesses late last week. In an alert issued on Saturday, July 19, Microsoft said that the vulnerabilities apply to SharePoint servers used within organizations. The com[any recommended security updates that customers should apply immediately. It added that if customers cannot enable recommended malware protection, they should disconnect their servers from the internet until a security update is available. The attacks are reported to have allowed hackers to extract cryptographic keys from servers run by Microsoft clients. Those keys, in turn, reportedly would let them install anything, including back doors that they could use to return. Now new reports suggest a Chinese link to the attacks. According to a top Google security executive , a China-backed hacking group is behind some of the "active attacks" on Microsoft SharePoint software. 'We assess that at least one of the actors responsible for this early exploitation is a China-nexus threat actor,' said Charles Carmakal , chief technology officer of Google's Mandiant Consulting . However, Carmakal clarified that Mandiant has observed "multiple actors" actively targeting the SharePoint vulnerability. 'It's critical to understand that multiple actors are now actively exploiting this vulnerability,' he said in the statement. 'We fully anticipate that this trend will continue, as various other threat actors, driven by diverse motivations, will leverage this exploit as well.' Google said in an earlier emailed statement that it has also observed hackers using this vulnerability to "install webshells and exfiltrate cryptographic secrets from victims servers." IP addresses inside China detected in Microsoft SharePoint hack by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Another researcher, who spoke to Washington Post on the condition of anonymity, said that federal investigators have evidence of US-based servers linked to compromised SharePoint systems connecting to internet protocol addresses inside China on Friday and Saturday. According to the WAPO report, Piet Kerkhofs, CTO and co-founder of Europe-based Eye Security, highlighted the striking similarities between the recent SharePoint breaches and previous compromises attributed to China-based hacking groups. He further pointed to the exploitation of a vulnerability in Citrix's NetScaler virtual desktop earlier this month, which security researchers observed being leveraged by Chinese actors. He noted the alarming speed with which these freshly discovered vulnerabilities are transformed into weaponized exploits, often within "hours to days." This rapid weaponization mirrors the global compromise of Microsoft Exchange email servers in early 2021, a significant incident involving hackers sponsored by the Chinese government. That widespread exploitation of core Microsoft software has been attributed to a group Microsoft tracks as Silk Typhoon . Silk Typhoon, linked to China's Ministry of State Security, is considered one of the most technically advanced hacking groups globally. The group has reportedly intensified its attacks on sensitive U.S. targets over the past year, having previously breached multiple U.S. federal agencies. More recently, The Post reported that the Silk Typhoon has also successfully infiltrated several ministries across Europe. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Microsoft Sharepoint hack: Tech giant issues warning to governments, companies globally as FBI investigating sensitive data breach
A major security breach involving Microsoft's SharePoint platform has affected government agencies, businesses, and research institutions globally. Exploiting a 'zero-day' vulnerability, the breach impacted US federal and state agencies, universities, and energy companies, with attackers gaining access to sensitive data and systems, as reported by The Washington Post. The breach involved tampering with automated data systems and extracting passwords and cryptographic keys, allowing continued access even after patches. Microsoft has yet to issue a comprehensive fix, leaving victims struggling to secure their systems. SharePoint, a crucial tool for collaboration and document management, is widely used across both commercial and government sectors. The breach has raised concerns about data theft and the long-term security of such platforms. 🚨BREAKING: MICROSOFT HIT BY MASSIVE CYBERATTACK - STATE SECRETS, CRYPTO KEYS, AND GOVT DOCS STOLEN Hackers tore into SharePoint and nuked the vault ripping through U.S. agencies, EU servers, and global telecoms. They stole everything… then vanished. Thousands still haven't… — HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) July 21, 2025 The FBI has confirmed the breach, and investigations are ongoing, with the US government, Canada, and Australia involved, as reported by Reuters. Experts have warned that the ability of hackers to retain access using cryptographic keys poses an ongoing threat. This incident is the latest in a series of security lapses for Microsoft, which has faced criticism over previous breaches, including one involving China-backed hackers in 2023. The breach has spurred a reassessment of the cybersecurity readiness of major tech companies and raised alarms about the protection of critical infrastructure. As cybersecurity teams work to assess the damage, concerns over the timeliness of response persist, especially after budget cuts to incident response teams.
