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Andrew Orr

Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.

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Outlook for iPhone Adds Voice Features With Cortana

An update for Outlook on iPhone adds voice commands powered by Microsoft’s Cortana assistant.

Now Outlook users with an iPhone or iPad can rely on Cortana’s voice capabilities to schedule meetings, search for emails, and read out a reply to an email. Outlook users can hold down the Google-like plus sign icon on iOS (and soon Android), and then tap the microphone icon to “Use Voice” to tell Cortana what to do in Outlook.

App Store: Outlook

JBS USA Pays $11 Million in Ransom After Cyberattack

On Thursday, meat supplier JBS said it paid US$11 million after ransomware attack stopped its operations.

In consultation with internal IT professionals and third-party cybersecurity experts, the company made the decision to mitigate any unforeseen issues related to the attack and ensure no data was exfiltrated.

I wonder if the FBI will recover this ransom as well, like the Colonial Pipeline money.

Mozilla Brings Firefox Redesign to iPhone and iPad

When Mozilla redesigned Firefox for desktop in the version 84 release, it did the same overhaul for the mobile versions.

We’ve rebuilt parts of Firefox in native components, making it feel more iPhone and iPad-like than ever before. You’ll notice design elements that look and work identically to those found in many other apps, so our browser feels instantly familiar. We’ve also taken a major step up in accessibility. Firefox now supports more text sizes and integrates better with screen readers.

Cryptee Updates With Line Spacing, Quick Document Access

Encrypted storage provider Crypt.ee is back with updates like remembering encryption keys, quick access to recent documents, and line spacing in documents.

We’re slowly getting ready to release our paper-mode for Cryptee Docs. It will allow you to work print-accurately on popular paper sizes like A4 / U.S. Letter etc, much like your favorite rich text editors like Microsoft Word™. But we thought perhaps we can release some of these paper-specific features ahead of time.

Fujifilm Fights Ransomware Attack and Works to Restore Servers

Fujifilm was hit by a ransomware attack last week but refuses to pay the ransom. Instead, it’s working to restore its servers with backups.

On 4 June it confirmed a ransomware attack was affecting a “specific network” in Japan and that it shut down “all networks and server systems” while it investigated the “extent and scale” of the attack.

Fujifilm said it would not comment on the amount demanded by the ransomware gang. The company has started bringing its network, servers, and computers in Japan “back into operation” and is aiming to be fully up and running “this week”. It has also restarted some product deliveries, which were particularly hard hit by the cyberattack.

'RockYou2021' is the Biggest Password Leak Ever (So Far)

Someone posted a 100GB text file to a hacking forum recently. It contains 8.4 billion entries of passwords from data leaks and breaches.

Considering the fact that only about 4.7 billion people are online, numbers-wise the RockYou2021 compilation potentially includes the passwords of the entire global online population almost two times over. For that reason, users are recommended to immediately check if their passwords were included in the leak.

“Two times over” sounds like it’s a combination of old and new passwords alike. It’s also good to point out that no usernames or email addresses were included, so an attacker wouldn’t be able to do much with this password list.

$2.3 Million Bitcoin Seized from Colonial Pipeline Hackers

The U.S. Department of Justice seized about US$2.3 million in bitcoin ransom paid to the hackers behind the attack on Colonial Pipeline.

An affidavit filed on Monday said the FBI was in possession of a private key to unlock a bitcoin wallet that had received most of the funds. It was unclear how the FBI gained access to the key.

“unclear how the FBI gained access.” From other sources it sounds like the FBI used a subpoena and gained control over the rented cloud server the hackers were using. Private key sitting on the server, it seems.

Portable Guitar Amp 'AMPBOT' Launches on Kickstarter

AMPBOT is a new product launching on Kickstarter. It’s a portable guitar amp that promises fast plug-and-play access. It works with LES PAUL and Strat style guitars, with five sound effects: Clean, Chorus, Flanger, Metal, and Wah Wah. AMPBOT will last up to 2 hours of playtime thanks to its powerful 5V USB lithium battery and no additional devices are needed. It’s available starting at US$$200 for super early bird backers.