Tag Archive for: experiences

Tomball experiences ransomware attack; council authorizes city manager to spend money for recovery of city systems, data

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During an emergency City Council meeting Dec. 30, Tomball City Council unanimously authorized City Manager David Esquivel to spend the necessary funds for the recovery of city systems and data following a ransomware attack.

Esquivel said the cost for the recovery of city systems and data is projected to be over $50,000.

“That’s why the authorization was asked for today because we know it’s going to be over $50,000,” Esquivel said in an interview following the emergency meeting.

The ransomware attack took place on the morning of Dec. 20 and affected a majority of the city’s networks, according to a Dec. 30 news release provided by the city.

Esquivel said the interruption in certain services was first noticed by the police department.

“Trying to reestablish some of those things that were not working [is when] we noticed that there was an issue,” Esquivel said.

Emergency services such as 9-1-1, dispatch, police, fire and public works are still operational but there are ongoing issues with the city’s online payment systems. The city is waiving all late fees for utility bills due Dec. 30 as a result, according to the news release.

The city is working with outside law enforcement, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the attack, according to the news release.

“That was the next step,” Esquivel said about notifying outside agencies. “Once we saw that it was that type of issue that we were dealing with, that was the first response because, at that point, it’s an outside attack into our systems so that’s standard protocol.”

The city does not have a timeline for when services and systems will be fully restored, according to the news release.

“It’s going to be one of those [things] where not everything comes back all at once,” Esquivel said. “It’s going to come in stages.”

Esquivel said he cannot comment on whether utility customers’ passwords or credit card information was compromised.

“Getting the network back up is going to be the crucial piece to get that connectivity,” Esquivel said. “Once we have that, getting the software back up and running and different servers and stuff like…

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Web3 and the future of data portability: Rethinking user experiences and incentives on the internet

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Tech conversations are now peppered with a new, contentious buzzword: Web3, and we’re all likely to hear a lot more of it in the coming years. It’s an umbrella term for disparate ideas all pointing in the direction of making the internet more decentralized using blockchain-based applications.

Web3 applications

If Web3 fully materializes, which we believe will happen once a few acute shortcomings are addressed, it is going to have profound implications. Web3 optimists point to decentralized technology’s ability to challenge the power of big internet middlemen like Facebook, Google, and Twitter, while Web3 skeptics understandably struggle to connect the dots on how the current state of Web3 applications could ever truly rival the user experiences and network effects that Web2’s most successful tech companies have built.

Given the current state of Web3 applications (nascent but improving quickly), you won’t need to squint much longer to see the potential of this technological paradigm shift. Web3 means many things to people, but our team finds the most important characteristics of the shift from Web2 to Web3 to be the following:

Data portability was an afterthought in Web2, but it’s a first-class citizen in Web3

There’s nearly no end-user friction involved in porting your data from one service to another in Web3. We shouldn’t underestimate the impact of improved data portability – users’ aversion to friction influences most of our online actions today, so changing the friction involved in switching services or trying new ones.

Web3 is rewiring incentive structures on the web, unleashing user behaviors that directly challenge the advantages incumbents have long enjoyed in Web2

When the friction of users’ porting data from one service to another service approaches zero, companies will need to radically rethink how much value they extract from users without offering comparable incentives to that user. By making data portability virtually frictionless, Web3 has provided the technological foundation to chip away at the moats many large internet businesses rely on today to fend off upstarts.

While Web3 has the potential to reimagine how we use the internet, it also raises…

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The New Galaxy A53 5G: Awesome Mobile Experiences Open to Everyone

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The new Galaxy A series represents the most popular Galaxy smartphone category, leading the democratization of the latest Galaxy innovations.

Galaxy A53 Cover with Strap

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the Galaxy A53 5G to deliver a complete package of the latest Galaxy innovations, offering a holistic mobile experience at a great value. Powered by a brand-new processor, coupled with Galaxy’s signature AI camera, expansive and smooth display, and extended battery life, the new Galaxy A53 5G features 5G connectivity, defense-grade security, an eco-conscious, stylish and slim design, and advanced connected experiences. Plus, Galaxy A53 5G supports continuous One UI and Android OS upgrades and security updates to ensure the user mobile experience is always awesome.

Galaxy A53 5G

“We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the positive impact mobile technology can have on their lives,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Samsung Electronics’ MX (Mobile eXperience) Business. “With the latest Galaxy A series release, we’re making it easier than ever to enjoy Galaxy’s advanced, innovative mobile experience at a great value.”   

Capture an Awesome Shot in Any Situation

Whether you’re creating content or sharing it with your friends, the new Galaxy A53 5G is built with an awesome camera that’s always in reach. The Galaxy A53 5G’s quad-camera system features a 64MP OIS Camera with VDIS technology that takes crisp and steady shots every time. Meanwhile, a high-resolution 32MP front camera delivers great selfies and clear video call experiences.

Fueled by a brand new 5nm processor, Galaxy A53 5G’s innovative AI-powered camera makes every image look awesome – even in low light. Improved Night mode automatically synthesizes up to 12 images at once, so night photos look bright, with less noise. And when you’re filming videos in a low light environment, your phone’s framerate is automatically adjusted to create bright, clear videos.

The enhanced Portrait mode captures depth and subject outlines more accurately with dual cameras and powerful AI. And with Fun mode, moments can be amplified using playful filters and effects that now work with the…

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Idaho County Experiences Network Outages Due to Malware

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(TNS) — County departments continue to operate on a limited basis this week as they deal with Internet and computer network outages caused by malware.

The county’s information technology staff, along with private cybersecurity experts, are working to determine what caused the technical disruption, Commissioner Jack Johnson said.

The FBI has also been notified of the disruption through the county’s insurance provider.


The malware came from an outside source, Johnson said, and the county has hired experts to determine where it came from. He said they expect they will not have answers for a few more days.

IT services and cybersecurity experts are putting safeguards in place to protect personal data and information contained in county records, in addition to investigating what caused this disruption.

“One of the big unknowns is if anything has been put at risk when it comes to personal information,” Johnson said.

Sheriff’s office employees first noticed issues with the county’s Internet and computer networks Saturday morning. The issue has persisted all week, and Johnson said he’s not sure when it’ll be resolved.

County phone lines also went offline for a period of time but have since been restored, Johnson said.

County email addresses are also working. The county has set up Internet hot spot devices in various offices so that some staff members are able to receive and respond to emails.

But departments are operating in limited capacities until this situation is resolved, Johnson said. Residents who need to complete business with the county should call the relevant department to check which services are available.

Along with county departments, the local court system has been affected by this disruption. Eric Wildman, administrative judge for the state’s Fifth Judicial District, issued an order Sunday limiting county court operations.

Under this order, courts in the county will only hold hearings on emergency matters, including in-custody arraignments, in-custody preliminary hearings, civil protection orders, emergency guardianship proceedings, child protection proceedings, adoptions, juvenile detention hearings and civil…

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