BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Big regional divide on some energy bill charges
Sharp rises in standing charges on standard electricity bills will see customers face very different cost increases depending on where they live. Customers in South Scotland, Merseyside, North Wales and the South West of England will see the daily payments double from April. Those in London and the East of England will see increases of less than 60%. All consumer bills include a standing charge ... Read more
2022-03-27 20:18:21
US charges four Russians over hacking campaign on energy sector
The US has charged four Russians government employees with cyber-attacks on the global energy sector. They are accused of targeting hundreds of companies and organisations in around 135 countries between 2012-2018. Their activities are said to have caused two separate emergency shutdowns at one facility in Saudi Arabia. The conspiracy then allegedly attempted to hack the computers of a company ... Read more
2022-03-25 20:34:58
Mobile loophole for gaming drivers is closed
A loophole allowing drivers to escape punishment for handheld phone use if they are taking a photo or playing a game has closed in Great Britain. People can now be fined up to £1,000 and receive six points on their licence for scrolling through playlists or taking pictures on a handheld device. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government was taking a "zero-tolerance approach". ... Read more
2022-03-25 20:34:31
Russia hacked Ukrainian satellite communications, officials believe
Russia is believed to have hacked US satellite communications provider Viasat on the day of its invasion of Ukraine. Western intelligence agencies have been investigating the incident and while they have not yet made a public accusation, they believe Russia was behind it. It appears to be the most significant cyber-attack linked to the conflict so far, affecting military, as well as government, ... Read more
2022-03-25 20:34:14
Lapsus$: Oxford teen accused of being multi-millionaire cyber-criminal
A 16-year-old from Oxford has been accused of being one of the leaders of cyber-crime gang Lapsus$. The teenager, who is alleged to have amassed a $14m (£10.6m) fortune from hacking, has been named by rival hackers and researchers. City of London Police say they have arrested seven teenagers in relation to the gang but will not say if he is one. The boy's father told the BBC his family was conc ... Read more
2022-03-24 20:27:00
Ukraine war: Fortnite owner Epic Games raises £37m for humanitarian efforts
Epic Games says it has raised more than $50m (£37m) to aid humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. The Fortnite publisher announced on 21 March it would donate all proceeds from in-game sales, including cosmetic in-game items and virtual currency bought in a shop or online, until 3 April. And Xbox is donating the fee it would usually take on items bought by players in Fortnite. The amount raised so fa ... Read more
2022-03-24 20:26:35
Spotify paid 130 artists more than $5m last year
Spotify has revealed it paid $7bn to music industry rights holders last year, accounting for almost 25% of the industry's total revenues. The news came on the company's Loud And Clear website, which was launched last year with the aim of "increasing transparency" around its payments. The streaming giant said 52,600 artists earned more than $10,000 (£7,500) from Spotify in 2021. Of tho ... Read more
2022-03-24 20:26:02
Hundreds of companies potentially hit by Okta hack
Hundreds of organisations that rely on Okta to provide access to their networks may have been affected by a cyber-attack on the company. Okta said the "worst case" was 366 of its clients had been affected and their "data may have been viewed or acted upon" - its shares fell 9% on the news. It says it has more than 15,000 clients - from big companies, including FedEx, to small ... Read more
2022-03-23 20:48:44
The three Russian cyber-attacks the West most fears
US President Joe Biden has called on private companies and organisations in the US to "lock their digital doors", claiming that intelligence suggests Russia is planning a cyber-attack on the US. The UK's cyber-authorities are also supporting the White House's calls for "increased cyber-security precautions", though neither has given any evidence that Russia is planning a cyber ... Read more
2022-03-23 20:48:24
Ukraine: How crowdsourcing is rescuing people from the war zone
Finding a safe route out of Ukraine is not easy. One challenge facing those looking to escape is to find one that is not under heavy bombardment from Russian forces. The UN says more than three million people have have now fled Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion just over three weeks ago. So how do people actually find safe passage out of the country? One way is via transport arranged ... Read more
2022-03-22 20:03:18