Category: Tech News

Fantom Drives Announces Ultra High Performance VENOM8 NVMe SSD Drives

Fantom Drives, a consumer, prosumer and SMB data storage innovator, today announced VENOM, the company’s high-performance portfolio of NVMe solid state drives for high throughput gaming, virtual reality, 4K/8K video production, and business applications. The new drive models are available in 1, 2 and 4TB drive capacities and feature easy installation with PCIe, Gen 4, Gen3, Gen2, and Gen1 motherboards.

The global Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) market size is expected to reach USD $353.78 Billion at a steady CAGR of 29.5% through 2028, according to latest analysis by Emergen Research. “Growth of NVMe market can be attributed to the rising demand for SSD among various consumers across the globe as it supports low latency and operational performance in differing applications.”

The Fantom Drives™VENOM8 Solid State Drive line with PCIe Gen4 x 4 interface easily ranks as one of the fastest solid state drives available in the consumer market, with industry-leading read and write speeds. In addition to the above listed motherboard compatibilities, VENOM8 models also offer plug-and-play compatibility with PlayStation 5 gaming consoles. Using the latest 3D TLC NAND technology, the VENOM8 line provides video/audio professionals, gamers and business professionals with the highest performance solution possible to run the most intensive games and software.

Features of VENOM8 Drives Include:
•       Hyper performance read/write speeds up to 45X faster than hard drives, 13X faster than SATA SSDs, and 2X faster than previous generation M.2 NVMe drives.
•       Simple installation and compatibility with PCIe, Gen4, Gen3, Gen2 and Gen 1 motherboards.
•       Blazing fast PC and console gaming load time performance with deep gaming library capacity. Load games faster than a stock PS5 SSD drive and store over 100 directly playable games with the 4TB VENOM8.
•       Future-proof SSD storage integrated with 176-Layer 3D NAND technology and SK Hynix DDR4 DRAM Cache. VENOM8 is equipped with TRIM support, SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology), APST, and LDPC ECC algorithm.
•       Extremely high reliability with 3000TBW endurance, 1.6 million hours of MTBF, and an extended 5-Year warranty.
•       Military-grade data security with End-to-End Data Path Protection and AES 256-bit encryption.

Available VENOM8 models include:
•       VM8X10: 1TB Drive – UPC: 749656173378
•       VM8X20: 2TB Drive – UPC: 749656173385
•       VM8X40: 4TB Drive – UPC: 749656173392

“VENOM8 drives provide very performant SSD storage for customers seeking a better gaming, virtual reality, digital video production, or business application experience,” said Hamid Khorsandi, CEO of Fantom Drives. “With zero supply chain delays for immediate availability, our VENOM8 line of drives have shown incredible read/write speeds in testing, making these drives ideal for throughput-intensive consumer applications.”

Those interested in purchasing VENOM8 drives can call 800-800-DISK or find the product at major online retailers, including Amazon.com, Newegg.com, or BHPhotoVideo.com. Additionally, products can be purchased on the Fantom Drive website at: http://www.fantomdrives/venom8.

Pricing and Availability
Consumer pricing for the Fantom Drives VENOM8 drives starts at $124.95 MSRP and adjusts based on the model selected. Channel partners interested in carrying the VENOM8 drive are advised to contact Ingram Micro at:
https://corp.ingrammicro.com/en-us/become_partner/become_reseller.

Jabra expands Connect line with true wireless earbuds engineered for remote working, the Connect 5t.

Today, Jabra, leaders in personal sound and office solutions, announces the Jabra Connect 5t as the third product in Jabra’s Connect series, joining the Connect 4h, a flexible headset, and the Jabra Connect 4s, a portable speakerphone, in a range of products created for those who want to choose their flexible, remote working solutions at retail. The Jabra Connect 5t brings the benefits of true wireless earbuds to the series and promises to be a sound remote-working companion.

In an age where working from home is standard, having the right tools and technology is a top priority for most. According to Jabra’s Hybrid Ways of Working 2022 Global Report, 57% of employees are opting for a flexible work model while 28% are fully remote. With that in mind, the Jabra Connect 5t is engineered for those working from home looking for earbuds for both home working and leisure use.

Work from anywhere, anytime

Working remotely should be just as efficient as working from the office, and Jabra’s Connect 5t ensures that with its Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation and wind noise suppression. The earbuds have a combination of inward-facing and outward-facing microphones, cancelling noise from inside and outside of the ear and enabling hybrid working professionals to focus on calls without distraction. The 6-mic call technology also mean high-quality and crisp audio on calls and 6mm speakers can power up your work playlist with rich sound. The earbuds also have SBC, AAC and Qualcomm® aptX™ codecs to enhance the sound even further.

The Connect 5t, based on the recently announced Elite 5 earbuds, lets you stay connected to two devices at once, like a laptop and a smartphone, with its Bluetooth Multipoint feature. For Android or Windows users, the Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair will connect the earbuds in seconds, allowing effortless switching and manoeuvring. With Spotify Tap playback, all the music the user could ever wish for is accessible on tap.

Users can get up to 7 hours in the buds, with up to a total of 28 hours with the included Qi-certified wireless charging case and pad. The fast charge feature gives users an hour of power in ten minutes – perfect for all-day calls.

“We all know the pains of having poor audio quality on calls or from being in a noisy environment. Our vision for the Jabra Connect line is guided by our desire for people to look and sound professional no matter where they are at home. Everyone should have the freedom and ability to work on the go, so the Connect 5t is a perfect addition to empower people,” says Calum MacDougall, SVP at Jabra.

The Jabra Connect line consists of the new Connect 5t, alongside the over-the-head Connect 4h which delivers a different call experience from the PC, as well as the Connect 4s which gives you a professional-grade speakerphone in your home for conference conversations.

Key features of the Connect 5t:

  • 6-mic technology – Clear calls for virtual meetings
  • Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation – Blocks out surrounding noise for better concentration
  • Smart connectivity options – Connect to two devices at one time with the Bluetooth Multipoint connection and enjoy Google Fast Pair and/or Microsoft Swift Pair to be connected in seconds. Spotify Tap gives easy on tap access to music
  • Up to 7 hours battery, 28 hours with the case – All-day work calls. Wireless charging pad included
  • 6mm speakers – Ensures rich, satisfying sounds in and out of office hours
  • Hands-free voice assistants – Google Assistant* and Alexa built-in for hands-free assistance on-the-go
  • Wireless charging pad included

 *Android only

Connect 5t pricing and availability

The Jabra Connect 5t will be available for MSRP £169.99 from select consumer electronics retailers, as well as via jabra.co.uk and Amazon.

Find out more about the Jabra Connect 5t at https://www.jabra.com/connect5t. You can find out more about the other Jabra Connect products via Connect 4h and Connect 4s.

New research unveiled at Dell Technologies Forum reveals Irish businesses see their people as their greatest asset in driving digital transformation

New researched published today at the Dell Technologies Forum in Dublin has shown the vital role that employees play in driving digital transformation projects for business in Ireland. The survey of 200 business and IT leaders in Ireland reveals 74% of Irish respondents regard their people as their greatest asset in unlocking the potential of technology.

 After two years of accelerated digital transformation, half of IT leaders in Ireland say their organisation knows what it takes to digitally transform a workforce, but after such rapid change, many employees are now facing a challenge to keep up the pace. What’s more, eight in ten (80%) believe their organisations underestimate how to engage with their people properly when planning transformation programmes.

The results undertaken by Vanson Bourne for Dell Technologies highlight how the recent period of rapid transformation is leaving businesses and their workforce in need of time to recharge, reflect and refine before embarking on new or iterating on projects. Despite the huge progress and efforts of the past few years, the research highlights how there is still a potential for transformation to stall as 59% of respondents believe it is their people’s resistance to change can lead to failure. While nearly half (49%) say they are still worried that they may be left behind due to a lack of senior vision/authority to now capitalise on the opportunity in front of them.

Commenting on the results of the study, Jason Ward, Vice-President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland, said: “While businesses need breakthrough technologies to transform, harnessing the potential of that technology relies on an engaged and innovative workforce. The results of our Breakthrough study unveiled at today’s Dell Technologies Forum demonstrate this very fact.

“We’ve all seen how employees working remotely and now in a hybrid format have been crucial in driving businesses’ momentum in the progress towards digital transformation. This momentum might be lost if organisations fail to recognise their people’s drive for change and to build on the progress made.

“That’s why it is vital that businesses should take a three-pronged approach. First, provide employees with consistent and safe work experiences, not defined by where they work. Second, help boost productivity by augmenting human capabilities with technology tools that allow employees to focus on what they do best. Lastly, inspiring employees through an empathic culture and authentic leadership. By enabling a people-first approach, Irish businesses can add immeasurable value to their operations and empower innovators across their workforce.”

 

  1. Connectivity

Irish businesses performed tremendous feats to connect, collaborate and conduct business online during the pandemic, with the trend continuing as testified by half of the responders (49%) who believe they’ll be more productive when working and collaborating remotely. But they’re not finished.

Despite working remotely these last two years, 60% of all respondents are not yet experiencing a better work-life balance. As a result, over half of business leaders (52%) believe their staff are wrestling with burnout and/or poor mental health that’s impacting their work.

Over half (55%) of respondents say they need their organisations to provide the necessary tools and infrastructure to work anywhere (along with the autonomy to choose their preferred working pattern). In fact, they worry their people might be left behind because they don’t have the right technology to shift to a highly distributed model (where work and compute are not tied to a central place but occur everywhere).

The technology alone isn’t sufficient. Businesses also need to make work equitable for people with different needs, interests, and responsibilities, including the 78% of respondents that would like their organisation to do any of the following:

  • Clearly define their ongoing commitment to flexible work arrangements and the practicalities of making it work
  • Equip leaders to effectively and equitably manage remote teams
  • Empower employees to choose their preferred working pattern and provide the necessary tools/infrastructure
  1. Productivity

People’s time is limited and there are now too few qualified candidates for open roles. To address these strains, businesses can delegate repetitive tasks to automated processes and free-up people to focus on enriching, higher-value work.

At present, 47% say their work is stimulating and not repetitive. With the opportunity to automate more repetitive tasks, 67% would look forward to learning new, sought-after skills and technologies, like leadership skills, courses in machine learning, or focusing on more strategic opportunities to elevate their role.

However, businesses with limited budgets are concerned they won’t be able to advance their workforce and compete. Approximately half (43%) of respondents fear they’ll be shut out of the highly distributed world because they don’t have the funds to invest in the right technology – this is when an as-a-Service model becomes a favourable option for many businesses.

 

  1. Empathy

At their heart, businesses must build a culture, modelled by empathetic leaders, that treats people as their greatest source of creativity and value.

The research shows there is still work to do and empathy has to inform decision making, from simplifying technology for nearly half (48%) of those who often feel overwhelmed by complex technologies, to tailoring change programs to individuals’ skills (27%) of employees believe their leaders do this.

The research has been the focus of the Dell Technologies Forum in Dublin. The event, which took place at the Convention Centre today, gathered business leaders across Ireland with the aim of helping organisations harness new technologies to unlock new possibilities for growth. Wylie, Cambridge Analytica whistle-blower and Aongus Hegarty, President of International Markets at Dell Technologies were amongst the speakers at the Dell Technologies Forum.

For more information, visit www.dell.com/breakthrough and read our research report.

Bosch launches the Unlimited 7 cordless vacuum cleaner range.

Bosch is set to clean up with the Unlimited 7 cordless vacuum cleaner range. Perfect for households big and small, the super-flexible range is powered by a 3.0 Power For All battery, promising up to 40 minutes’ runtime on just one battery charge. The Unlimited 7 range is made up of three models that differ slightly to suit your needs.

The premium Unlimited 7 ProHome comes with 2 battery packs, effectively giving users a runtime of up to 80 minutes, the Unlimited 7 ProAnimal is ideal for removing pet hair more efficiently, and the Unlimited 7 ProHome in graphite grey, for a sleek look and feel. Prices start from €349.99 with a full list of retailers available on the Bosch website www.bosch-home.ie

With ergonomic features for high convenience and flexibility, users of the Unlimited 7 cordless vacuum cleaner range can choose between three power modes. Eco mode is the most efficient and allows for maximum runtime. Auto mode offers automatic power adjustment, whereby the nozzle adjusts its performance depending on the floor type (carpet or hard floor). And Turbo mode ensures ultimate performance for optimal cleaning results. In tests, for example, dust pickup in Turbo mode on hard floors is measured at more than 99.9 percent.

The Power For All battery is part of one of the largest cross-brand battery systems, and is compatible with many 18V power tools and gardening devices from Bosch as well as other brands including Gardena, Gloria, Wagner and Rapid. This means that if the battery runs out while vacuuming, users can replace it with a battery from a compatible tool or device.

Cleaning convenience

With its multiple accessories, the Unlimited 7 range is designed to clean almost anywhere, from under the sofa to the four corners of the ceiling. It is also ideal for cleaning the inside of any car. With the Nozzle Foot Release, users can easily detach the nozzle from the tube and replace it with other attachments – including the 2-in-1 furniture brush and upholstery nozzle, as well as the crevice nozzle and long flexible crevice nozzle for effective cleaning in hard-to-reach places.

The Unlimited 7 ProAnimal model takes convenience one step further and is perfect for pet owners, with a ProAnimal Brush designed to remove pet hair easily, along with additional accessories for cleaning mattresses, pet baskets and computer keyboards.

Convenience is the key to the Unlimited 7. The Quick Stand function, for example, means that the nozzle and tube stand by themselves while the handheld vacuum is detached and used. Also of note is the Flex Tube, which enables users to clean under low furniture without bending down. Plus, owners no longer need to put the Unlimited 7 back in its docking station or lie it on the floor when they want to take a break. Thanks to the Easy Parking Clip, they can secure it to the edge of their furniture, such as a table or shelf, or the back of a chair.

*Eco mode with non-electrical accessory

For the full list of retailers, please visit: https://www.bosch-home.ie/productlist/vacuum-cleaners/cordless-vacuum-cleaners/unlimited

TP-Link Launches its fastest Omada Access Point to Date EAP670 Allowing Businesses to Reach Wi-Fi Speeds up to 5.4 Gbps

TP-Link, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, today announces the arrival of the new EAP670, the latest blazing-fast AX5400 Ceiling Mount Wi-Fi 6 Access Point in its cloud-managed Omada range.

Available today in the UK, the new Omada EAP670 Access Points enable superior Wi-Fi 6 speeds of up to 5.4 Gbps which enable seamless connections for more devices than any other system before, specially designed for high-density environments that rely on network connectivity. 

Omada EAP670 includes automatic channel selection and transmit power adjustment settings to minimise channel interference from neighbouring Access Points. 

The PoE-powered access points are easy to mount and do not require any electrical wiring. EAP 670 supports both standard 802.3at PoE+ and DC power supply.

EAP670 also comes with a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port to be able to leverage its high performance.

EAP670 also supports 160 MHz channels in the 5 GHz band, which allow to double the data at peak transmission times on a single stream with respect to the use of 80 MHz channels, the maximum channel bandwidth supported in previous models.

The Omada Software Defined Networking (SDN) platform allows for easy management of all network devices such as Access Points, switches, and routers. The system provides completely centralised cloud management of a highly scalable network, controlled from a single interface. The Omada app enables the configuration of settings, network status monitoring, and client management, all from the convenience of a smartphone or tablet.

To find out more, please visit: www.tp-link.com/uk

World’s most popular audio editor receives major upgrades with Audacity 3.2, making audio productions more powerful than ever

Audacity, the world’s leading open source audio editor and recorder, today announces the release of Audacity 3.2 that features real-time effects support, non-destructive editing, VST3 support and plugins, and UX & UI improvements. Supported by parent-brand Muse Group, Audacity 3.2 will seamlessly integrate with audio.com, the Group’s new audio sharing platform, offering quick sharing and cloud storage for Audacity users and creators around the world. The changes in Audacity 3.2 combined with audio.com make the software a more powerful audio production platform.

“Audacity 3.2 represents an important step towards making the open source software a fully-fledged DAW, and the only tool of this calibre available for free and accessible to all,” said Martin Keary, Product Owner at Audacity. “With a new set of features for enhanced performance, Audacity 3.2 is faster and more intuitive, now offering a robust solution for multi-track recording and sophisticated editing and podcast productions”.

Launching alongside Audacity 3.2, audio.com offers an easy way for users to quickly export and publish their creations with a click of a button. Now, creators can benefit from an end-to-end tool that enables them to create and share their work, completing their creative process.

“Audio.com empowers creators to build their own portfolio of original audio,” said Lukas Lyrestam, Head of Product at audio.com. “Creators all over the world can store and share their sounds privately or publicly by either exporting it from Audacity or directly uploading it on audio.com”.

Audacity 3.2 features include:

  • Real-time effects: Effects to the waveform can now be adjusted in real-time allowing for more precise editing. The introduction of real-time effects allows users to easily add and remove effects anywhere in the chain, adjust timings, and change the order, all whilst listening to their audio. Now, users can change and edit effects at any stage of a project, making Audacity an easy-to-use multi-track editor and recorder.
  • Non-destructive editing: Designed for more flexibility, non-destructive editing allows users to arrange and tweak clips without impacting their entire sequence. Easily shuffle sounds around and delete, trim and retrieve clips without changes being permanently written into the audio file. Together with real-time and stackable effects, Audacity 3.2 makes it easier to manage multiple tracks and adapt to the user’s workflow.
  • VST3 support: VST3 effects plugins are now supported on Audacity 3.2, providing access to a host of new effects and features. VST3 marks an important milestone in audio technology offering a more streamlined and reliable experience for users.
  • Intuitive improvements to the interface (UX/UI): An improved interface makes editing and recording clips easier and more intuitive. Featuring a sleeker and more consistent set of visuals, users can enjoy a smoother editing experience and increased performance.
  • Cloud storage with audio.com: Users can now directly export files to audio.com and choose to store their work privately or publicly on the cloud. Simply by selecting the ‘share audio’ option in Audacity, creators can set up a free account where they can save their projects for anyone with the link to listen, comment and download.

Audacity 3.2 is available for download at audacityteam.org.

Opensignal: Ireland Mobile Network Experience Report

Opensignal has published its 5G Global Mobile Network Experience Awards report, which names the world’s leading mobile operators across a range of 5G experience categories. While Opensignal does not name any operator as the ‘best’ overall, this week’s report reveals a strong performance from 3, which wins 12 out of 14 categories either jointly or outright.

  • 3 is top for download speeds: Opensignal’s Irish users observed the fastest average download speeds on 3’s network — both for 5G Download Speed and for overall Download Speed Experience. For 5G Download Speed, 3 scored an impressive 237.2 Mbps, 80.6 Mbps (51.5%) faster than second placed eir’s 156.6 Mbps.
  • Our 5G users on eir spent the most time connected to 5G: eir’s winning score of 16.6% gave it a lead of 5.6 percentage points over second placed 3’s 11%. The higher an operator’s score, the more time our 5G users on its network spent with an active 5G connection. Vodafone is in third place with 5.7%.
  • 3 catches up with eir on upload speeds: 3 and eir are joint winners of the 5G Upload Speed and Upload Speed Experience awards, as the two operators’ scores were statistically tied. This is a change from the previous report, when eir was the outright winner for both awards.

Full report here

Outside Ireland

  • T-Mobile US is the 5G Global Winner for both 5G Availability and 5G Reach: this means that our 5G users on T-Mobile US spent the largest proportion of time with an active 5G connection, and they also found a 5G signal in the highest proportion of locations.
  • SK Telecom users clock up the fastest 5G Download Speed in the world: our users observed the fastest average 5G download speeds in the world using SK telecom with an incredibly fast 469.6 Mbps. Both South Korea’s other operators, LG U+ and KT, are 5G Global Leaders for 5G Download Speed, with scores of 429.6 Mbps and 381.9 Mbps, respectively.
  • Two out of three 5G Global Winners for 5G Video Experience are Swedish: due to a three-way statistical tie, our users had the best 5G video streaming experience using Tele2, Telia — both from Sweden — and on Slovenia’s Telemach. Therefore, the three operators are 5G Global Winners for 5G Video Experience with statistically tied scores of 82.8-84.1 points on a 100-point scale.

Full report is here

 

Ireland is the 24th best country to live in, according to Digital Quality of Life Index

The fourth annual edition of the Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) reports that Ireland is the 24th best country to live in regarding digital wellbeing. That is out of 117 countries, or 92% of the global population. Out of the five fundamental digital life pillars, Ireland’s worst score is for internet affordability (ranking 36th globally), and the best is for e-infrastructure (18th). Ireland’s e-government services come 23rd, while e-security and internet quality rank 25th and 35th, respectively. In the face of waging inflation, fixed broadband internet has become less affordable worldwide for the second year in a row, prying the global digital divide even further.

Surfshark’s study evaluates countries based on five fundamental digital wellbeing pillars: internet quality, e-government, e-infrastructure, internet affordability, and e-security. This year, Ireland has made it into the top 30 globally, ranking 24th in the final index and 19th in Europe. 

The country has not changed its ranking since last year’s edition. Out of all index pillars, Ireland’s weakest spot is internet affordability, which needs to improve by 780% to match the best-ranking country’s result (Israel’s).

Internet quality in Ireland is above average, and on a global scale fixed broadband internet is better than mobile

Ireland’s internet quality, considering internet speed, stability, and growth, ranks 35th in the world and is 17% better than the global average. Regarding internet speed alone, Ireland’s fixed broadband internet ranks higher than mobile in the global ranking, operating at 124.9 Mbps/s (32nd globally). Meanwhile, the mobile internet comes 38th (63.7 Mbps/s).

Compared to the U.K., Ireland’s mobile internet is 29% slower, while broadband is 17% faster. Since last year, mobile internet speed in Ireland has improved by 33.7% (16.1 Mbps), and fixed broadband speed has grown by 10.7% (12.1 Mbps). In comparison, Singapore’s residents enjoyed mobile speeds up to 104 Mbps/s and fixed to as much as 261 Mbps/s – that’s the fastest internet in the world this year.

Internet in Ireland is moderately affordable compared to global standards, but there’s still room for improvement

Ireland’s internet affordability ranks 36th in the world. Residents can buy 1GB of mobile internet in Ireland for as cheap as 1 minutes 51 seconds of work per month, 4 times more than in U.K.. However, compared to Israel, which has the most affordable mobile internet on the planet (5s per 1GB), Irish work 23 times more. Its affordability decreased since the previous year, making people work 85 seconds more to afford the same mobile internet service.

Fixed broadband costs Irish citizens around 1 hour 43 minutes of their precious working time each month. To afford it, Irish have to work 5 times more than Israeli citizens, for whom the most affordable package costs only 19 min of work monthly. Since last year, broadband internet has become less affordable in Ireland, making people work 3 minutes more to afford fixed broadband internet service.

The global digital divide is now deeper than ever

Globally, broadband is getting less affordable each year. Looking at countries included in last year’s index, people have to work six minutes more to afford broadband internet in 2022. In some countries, such as Ivory Coast and Uganda, people work an average of 2 weeks to earn the cheapest fixed broadband internet package. A similar trend was observed last year. With the current inflation, the pressure on low-income households that need the internet has become even heavier. Surfshark’s study also found that countries with the poorest internet connection have to work for it the longest.

 “While countries with a strong digital quality of life tend to be those of advanced economies, our global study found that money doesn’t always buy digital happiness,” – explains Gabriele Racaityte-Krasauske, Head of PR at Surfshark. “That is why, for the fourth year in a row, we continue analyzing the Digital Quality of Life to see how different nations keep up with providing the basic digital necessities for their citizens. Most importantly, our research seeks to show the full picture of the global digital divide that millions of people are suffering from.”

The best and the worst countries to live in by the digital quality of life

Overall, 7 out of 10 highest-scoring countries are in Europe, which has been the case for the past three years. Israel ranks 1st in DQL 2022 and Denmark is the runner-up in the second place. Germany ranks 3rd, and France and Sweden round up the top five of the 117 evaluated nations. Congo DR, Yemen, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Cameroon are the bottom five countries.

Regionally, the US stands out in the Americas as a country with the highest digital quality of life, while Israel takes the leading position in Asia. Among African countries, people in South Africa enjoy the highest digital life quality. In Oceania, New Zealand takes the lead outperforming Australia in various digital areas this year.

METHODOLOGY

The 2022 DQL research examined more than 7.2 billion people regarding five core pillars and 14 underpinning indicators that provide a comprehensive measure. The study is based on the United Nations open-source information, the World Bank, Freedom House, the International Communications Union, and other sources. This year’s study includes seven (6%) more countries than DQL 2021, most of which are African countries.

 The final 2022 Digital Quality of Life report and an interactive country comparison tool can be found here: https://surfshark.com/dql2022

Criminals are using QR codes to scam people in restaurants!

There has been a massive increase in the use of QR code restaurant menus over the past two years, and now it seems criminals are using this development to scam innocent people out of their money and data.

According to TitanHQ, an Anti Phishing Platform based in Galway and with offices in Connecticut, almost 84% of smartphone users have scanned a QR code at least once, and over 34% scan a QR code once a week. Cybercriminals love popular technologies and focus on them to scam, hack, and cause malware infection.

This popularity has led to a rise in “QR code phishing” and in the US the FBI even issuing a warning about QR codes, highlighting their use for data phishing. Here is how hackers use QR codes to hack your network and how you can prevent it:

Types of QR Code Phishing Scams

QR codes work by embedding instructions into a black and white dot-based image. They work a little like the barcodes you see on food in a store. A smartphone camera, app, or QR code scanning device scans the QR code. The scan then translates the data into human-readable information.

QR codes usually contain web links or links to media such as videos or links to download an app. This use of links in a QR code provides a cybercriminal with the opportunity to perform phishing.

During the pandemic, many restaurants switched to using QR code menus and have kept them. With a smartphone you can easily access the menu removing the need for  paper menus. The customer simply scans the barcode using their phone’s camera app, and a link to the online menu becomes available.

With a QR code scam the scammer replaces the legitimate menu QR code with a malicious one. Instead of taking the customer to the restaurant website, the fake QR codes takes them to a fake website designed to mimic the real account and have the customer divulge personal data.

QR-Phishing

Quishing is a mashup of QR codes and email phishing. The fraudsters embed a malicious QR code into a legitimate-looking email. A recent example of a quishing attack was a Microsoft Office 365 phishing campaign that used QR codes to steal log-in credentials. Researchers identified spoof Office 365 emails that offered access to missed voicemail messages by scanning a QR code. Scanning the QR code took the user to a fake Office 365 page, which requested credentials to gain access to the message.

QR codes are also being used in various regular scam types, such as tax scams. The UK tax department, HMRC, recently added support for QR codes on their website. However, fraudsters have now used this new feature as a basis for a new QR code tax phishing scam. The spoof HMRC email asks the recipient to scan the code to pay overdue tax. The QR code takes the taxpayer to a spoof site where their financial information is then stolen.

QRL Jacking

This is an older version of the more recent Quishing scam, but one that has phishing implications. QR codes are very convenient for users, and some companies have extended this convenience to their log-in systems, where users scan a QR code to log-in to an account. In QRL Jacking, an attacker navigates to a legitimate site, initiating a session and generating the QR code to log in. The attackers then capture this QR code (for example, using screen scraping) and places this legitimate QR code on a spoof site.

The attacker then uses spear-phishing to target an individual, tricking them into going to the spoof site. The target then uses the captured QR code to log-in; this logs into the original session, thus logging the attacker into the legitimate account. This scam is more challenging to carry out as it is time-sensitive; however, it will be worth the effort if this is a high-value or sensitive account.

QR crypto scams

QR codes are often used to make it more convenient to download a legitimate app. However, they can be used to encourage people to download malicious apps, including crypto-wallets. For example, the QR crypto-quishing scam involves capturing persistent consent (prior authorization) to use the wallet; this allows the fraudster to drain the wallets of cryptocurrency.

Drive-by-QR Code Phishing

Drive-by-downloads of malware are one of the most insidious forms of malware infection. A person must land on an infected site, and a flaw in any software they use can open the door to malware infection. QR code phishers take advantage of drive-by-download opportunities by sending phishing emails with QR codes that take the recipient to an infected website: one scan of the code and their mobile device may become infected with a trojan.

Ways to Prevent QR Code Phishing:

QR codes are one method in a long line of phishers’ favorites. No matter what technology comes along, fraudsters will find a way to exploit it if it is popular. Moreover, a single-point solution cannot capture all possible cyber-attack scenarios. Clever attack chains require a creative response, comprising a mix of security awareness training with advanced AI-enabled spam and content filers.

  1. Know your stuff: Education is key, use behavior-based security awareness training to limit the risks. If you’re worried about your working information, ensure that you include QR code phishing templates in your simulated phishing exercises so employees understand what these phishing emails look like and the different methods used to steal credentials and other data.
  2. Use a DNS filter: This will break the phishing cycle by stopping users from navigating to a malicious website. The DNS filter creates a ‘blocklist’ of URLs, using a dynamic system based on a “threat corpora”, based on the data from millions of subscribers. These data are used to train Machine Learning algorithms. The result is that even emerging malicious URLs are spotted and added to the blocklist.
  3. Apply email filters: Email filters such as SpamTitan use multiple mechanisms to catch difficult-to-detect phishing messages. These mechanisms include advanced AI-based algorithms to spot difficult-to-detect spam.