Latest news with #userdata
Al Arabiya
19 hours ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Lawmakers want US Commerce Department to probe Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus
Two US lawmakers on Friday asked the Commerce Department to investigate whether devices sold by Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus in the United States pose security concerns, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Why it matters Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican who chairs a House of Representatives committee on China, and the panel's top Democrat, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, noted that major U.S. retailers sell OnePlus devices for use on two U.S. wireless networks. The lawmakers said a recent analysis by a commercial company provided to the committee indicates that these devices may potentially collect and transmit extensive user data -- including sensitive personal information to servers under Chinese jurisdiction without explicit user consent. Shenzhen-based OnePlus did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Commerce Department also did not immediately comment. Context BestBuy and both sell OnePlus phones for U.S. consumers, which operate on the Verizon and T-Mobile networks, the committee said. The lawmakers asked the department to task its Information and Communications Technology and Services program with investigating OnePlus phones, including to determine user data types collected by OnePlus devices without explicit user consent 'including potential transfers of sensitive personal information and screenshots.' Washington in recent years has cracked down on Chinese telecoms, revoking the authorization for China Telecom's US subsidiary and others to operate in the United States, citing national security concerns. The Federal Communications Commission in November 2022 banned approvals of new telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE as well as telecom and video surveillance equipment from Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Spotify Users Vote to Sell Their Data - Unwrapped DAO and SoloAI Close Historic AI Dataset Deal
Spotify users tokenize their listening data, vote on monetization, and sell it to power AI-generated music with VTuber agents. GEORGE TOWN, KY / ACCESS Newswire / June 27, 2025 / In a groundbreaking move for user data ownership, Unwrapped DataDAO-a community-led collective of Spotify users has successfully voted to license its first dataset to SoloAI, an AI-native platform powering generative entertainment through cutting-edge agent Powering the AI economy with user-owned data Members of Unwrapped pooled their Spotify listening data through the platform, earning tokenized rewards. This pool of data was then governed on-chain, with contributors voting to approve a deal with SoloAI, collectively monetizing their dataset for the first time. The vote passed with an overwhelming 99.48% majority. 'Spotify made over $11 billion last year, built on our data,' said an Unwrapped DataDAO contributor. 'This time, we got paid.' SoloAI is at the forefront of AI-driven entertainment, offering users, regardless of musical background, the ability to effortlessly compose, share, and monetize tracks using AI. The platform integrates AI-powered virtual artists, known as VTuber agents, that can compose, perform, and interact with audiences in real time. 'We're thrilled to partner with Unwrapped DAO,' said a SoloAI spokesperson. 'Access to high-quality, real-time, user-permissioned data is crucial for training our AI models. Collaborating with data collectives like Unwrapped ensures our platform evolves with ethical and innovative data sourcing at its core.' The transaction was executed using Vana's decentralized infrastructure, where users receive VRC-20 Data Tokens in exchange for pooling their data. These tokens provide contributors with programmable control, value share, and on-chain voting rights. They can also be used to grant access to the dataset. 'With VRC-20 tokens, we are creating a new and important economic primitive in the world of AI: turning private user data into a publicly tradable asset,' said Art Abal, Managing Director of the Vana Foundation. 'This unlocks a new era of possibilities for AI advancement and data ownership alike.' This collaboration marks a milestone in the rise of Data Collectives-decentralized groups built around shared user data. Instead of being passively mined for data, users now organize, govern, and profit from their data together. Links Contact InformationArt Abal Managing Director, Vana Foundation SOURCE: Vana Foundation press release
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Lawmakers want US Commerce Department to probe Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus
WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Two U.S. lawmakers on Friday asked the Commerce Department to investigate whether devices sold by Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus in the United States pose security concerns, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican who chairs a House of Representatives committee on China, and the panel's top Democrat, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, noted that major U.S. retailers sell OnePlus devices for use on two U.S. wireless networks. The lawmakers said a recent analysis by a commercial company provided to the committee "indicates that these devices may potentially collect and transmit extensive user data -- including sensitive personal information to "servers under Chinese jurisdiction without explicit user consent." Shenzen-based OnePlus did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- The Sun
Warning to 40million Brits as major mobile brand to DELETE accounts in just weeks – here's what you need to do
A MAJOR mobile brand has issued a warning to millions of Brits with accounts set to be deleted in just weeks if you don't act now. The Korean tech giant is warning users to act now before their accounts are deleted. 3 3 Samsung has sent emails to users warning of an imminent change that will see "inactive accounts" deleted. The accounts at risk of being deleted are used to access native apps on Samsung devices. Following the lead of Google, who warned accounts that were inactive for two years would be deleted, Samsung issued a similar warning. The firm told users that their data could be at risk of being lost in the wake of the changes. While Google announced the change in 2023 Samsung issued their warnings this year. Samsung said accounts that had not been logged into for a period of 24 months would face deletion to protect users data. The policy change will see access to inactive accounts restricted and all data linked to the account deleted. Once gone the account data will not be recoverable so Brits have been urged to act now. Users who received the message have been warned to log into their accounts as soon as possible if they want to avoid losing their data. The warning message issued to users reads: "Samsung is implementing an inactive Samsung account policy to protect the data of users who have not used their account for an extended period of time. Samsung insider reveals top tricks every user needs to know about to save battery and storage "Once this policy is implemented Samsung accounts that have not been logged in to or used for twenty-four months will be considered inactive and will be subject to deletion." Data linked to it should be safe from deletion after users have logged in to their accounts. Previous warnings from the Korean tech firm said accounts would be deleted on July 31. If users have logged into their account at least once in the last 24 months then it should be safe from the deletion. Receiving the warning message likely indicates that your account has been inactive for nearly 24 months and should be logged into if you want it saved. The Galaxy Store and all of Samsung's apps, like Health and Galaxy Wearables, require a Galaxy account to log in. Save your Samsung account Simply log into your Samsung account before 31 July. This will mark the account as active to Samsung, and spare it from deletion. Galaxy users who haven't logged in for a while should receive an email from Samsung notifying them of the change. Though, as 9to5Google notes, that may prove ineffective if the email associated with the account is also inactive. Samsung – a brief history Here's what you need to know... Samsung is a major South Korean company made up of many businesses that operate globally It's known locally as a "chaebol", which means "business conglomerate" It was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company But over several decades, it branched out into food processing, insurance, textiles and retail It wasn't until the late 1960s when Samsung entered the electronics industry – for which it's best known in the west today It also launched businesses in construction and shipbuilding in the 1970s Today, Samsung's most important sources of income are its smartphones and computer chips The firm accounts for around 20 per cent of the South Korea's GDP More than 270,000 staff are employed by Samsung globally 3
Fox News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Massive data breach exposes 184 million passwords and logins
Data breaches are no longer rare events but a persistent problem. We've been seeing regular incidents at public-facing companies across various sectors, including healthcare, retail and finance. While bad actors are certainly to blame, these corporations aren't entirely without fault. They often make it easy for hackers to access user data by failing to protect it properly. A recent example came to light when a cybersecurity researcher discovered an open database containing over 184 million account credentials. Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler has revealed the existence of an open database that contains 184,162,718 million account credentials. These include email addresses, passwords, usernames and URLs for platforms such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Snapchat. The information also covers banking services, medical platforms and government accounts. Most shockingly, the entire dataset was left completely unsecured. There was no encryption, no authentication required and no form of access control. It was simply a plain text file sitting online for anyone to find. Fowler located the database during routine scanning of publicly exposed assets. What he found was staggering. The file included hundreds of millions of unique records containing user credentials linked to the world's largest technology and communication platforms. There were also account details for financial services and official portals used by state institutions. The file was not protected in any way. Anyone who discovered the link could open it in a browser and instantly view sensitive personal data. No software exploit was needed. No password was asked for. It was as open as a public document. Fowler believes the data was harvested using an infostealer. These lightweight tools are favored by cybercriminals for their ability to silently extract login credentials and other private information from compromised devices. Once stolen, the data is often sold on dark web forums or used in targeted attacks. After reporting the breach, the hosting provider quickly removed access to the file. However, the owner of the database remains unknown. The provider did not disclose who uploaded it or whether the database was part of a legitimate archive that was accidentally published. Fowler could not determine whether this was the result of negligence or an operation with malicious intent. To verify the data, Fowler contacted some individuals listed in the records. Several confirmed that the information was accurate. This confirmation turns what might seem like abstract statistics into something very real. These were not outdated or irrelevant details. These were live credentials that could allow anyone to hijack personal accounts in seconds. 1. Change your password on every platform: If your login credentials have been exposed, it's not enough to change the password on just one account. Cybercriminals often try the same combinations across multiple platforms, hoping to gain access through reused credentials. Start by updating your most critical accounts, email, banking, cloud storage and social media, then move on to others. Use a new, unique password for each platform and avoid variations of old passwords, as they can still be predictable. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Our top-rated password manager delivers powerful protection to help keep your accounts secure. It features real-time data breach monitoring to alert you if your login details have been exposed, plus a built-in data breach scanner that checks your saved emails, passwords and credit card information against known leak databases. A password health checker also highlights weak, reused or compromised passwords so you can strengthen your online defenses with just a few clicks. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2025 here. 2. Enable two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is a critical security feature that drastically reduces the risk of unauthorized access. Even if someone has your password, they won't be able to log in without the second verification step, usually a one-time code sent to your phone or an authenticator app. Enable 2FA on all services that support it, especially your email, financial accounts and any service that stores sensitive personal data. 3. Watch for unusual account activity: After a breach, it's common for compromised accounts to be used for spam, scams, or identity theft. Pay close attention to signs such as login attempts from unfamiliar locations, password reset requests you didn't initiate or unexpected messages sent from your accounts. Most platforms allow you to review login history and connected devices. If you see something off, take action immediately by changing your password and revoking suspicious sessions. 4. Invest in personal data removal services: You should also consider a data removal service. Given the scale and frequency of breaches like the one described above, relying on personal caution alone is no longer enough. Automated data removal services can provide an essential extra layer of defense by continuously scanning for and helping eliminate your exposed information from data broker sites and other online sources. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web. 5. Avoid clicking on suspicious links and use strong antivirus software: One of the most common post-breach threats is phishing. Cybercriminals often use information from leaked databases to craft convincing emails that urge you to verify your account or reset your password. Never click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. Instead, visit websites by typing the URL directly into your browser. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. 6. Keep your software and devices up to date: Many cyberattacks exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software. Operating systems, browsers, antivirus programs and even apps need to be updated regularly to patch security flaws. Turn on automatic updates wherever possible so you're protected as soon as fixes are released. Staying current with your software is one of the easiest and most effective ways to block malware, ransomware and spyware from infiltrating your system. Security is not only the responsibility of companies and hosting providers. Users need to adopt better practices, including unique passwords, multifactor authentication and regular reviews of their digital footprint. The careless exposure of over 184 million credentials is not just a mistake. It is an example of how fragile our systems remain when even basic protection is absent. In an era where artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and global connectivity are reshaping technology, it is unacceptable that plain text files containing financial and governmental credentials are still left sitting online. Do you feel that companies are doing enough to protect your data from hackers and other cyber threats? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
