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Google unveils its new anti-spam measures on Gmail: find out how to protect yourself!

Gmail takes action against spam

In order to combat spam, Google has announced the implementation of new measures aimed at detecting and blocking spam at its origin. Senders will now have to authenticate their emails and provide an easy way to unsubscribe from commercial lists. This initiative aims to better protect Gmail users and reduce the impact of spam on their daily lives.

Email authentication: a promising solution

One of the measures Google has put in place is to require senders to authenticate their emails, thus proving their legitimate origin. Indeed, many bulk senders do not sufficiently secure their systems, which allows spoofers to invade these addresses and send malicious emails. However, the effectiveness of these provisions remains to be evaluated, as Google specifies that many senders already comply with most of these requirements.

How does email authentication work?

  • The sender sends an email with a unique digital signature.
  • The recipient’s mail server verifies the signature using a cryptographic key.
  • If the key matches the one recorded for the sender, the message is considered authentic and delivered to the recipient.
  • If authentication fails, the email is treated as spam.

Email authentication therefore makes it possible to guarantee the origin of messages and their integrity during their transmission. This process limits the risks of phishing and identity theft via email.

Easy unsubscription from commercial lists

In addition to email authentication, Google plans to implement a solution simplifying unsubscription from commercial mailing lists. Senders will need to provide a quick and easy way to unsubscribe from their communications. This measure aims to significantly reduce the number of spam messages linked to unintentional subscriptions and improve the user experience.

How to easily unsubscribe from mailing lists?

  1. Check if the email received contains an unsubscribe link (usually located at the bottom of the message).
  2. Click on this link to access the unsubscribe page.
  3. Follow the instructions provided to confirm unsubscription.
  4. In the event that an email does not provide an unsubscribe link, the user can report the email as spam.

The future of Google’s anti-spam measures

It is still too early to know whether the new measures put in place by Google will be sufficient to effectively combat spam. However, these initiatives go in the right direction by improving the quality of service offered by Gmail and protecting users against unsolicited and malicious emails. As the volume of spam continues to increase, it is essential that businesses and email services work together to find sustainable solutions and build user trust in electronic communications.

plan essentiel

Turnaround! Netflix and Disney+ subscribers will be surprised by the huge price increase! Quickly find out what awaits them…

Netflix plans to increase its premium prices

The Wall Street Journal reports that Netflix is ​​considering raising the price of its premium subscriptions, which currently start at $15.49 in the United States. However, no information has been given as to the extent of this increase or the exact date on which it will be implemented. It seems that the platform is waiting for the actors’ and writers’ strike in Hollywood to end, which could happen soon.

Several countries affected by this price increase

While waiting for the strike to end, several countries will be affected by this increase, notably the United States and Canada. In March 2022, Netflix had already increased its prices in these two countries, while in Europe, the last increase dates back to October 2021.

  • United States and Canada: these two countries will be the first to suffer this new price increase.
  • Europe: the last price increase dates back to October 2021.

Removal of the Essential plan in North America

Separately, Netflix removed the Essential plan in North America this summer, forcing customers to choose between an ad-supported option or premium subscriptions. We can hope that this Essential plan remains available in France for €8.99, but its lifespan could be compromised if the platform increases its prices.

Disney+ is also changing its pricing structure

The American video-on-demand giant is not the only one to revise its prices upwards. From December 1, Disney+ will offer a new price list in France. This maintains the Standard subscription at €8.99, but certain features such as 4K quality or Dolby Atmos audio will disappear.

Consequences of these increases on subscribers and the streaming market

These price increases risk dissatisfying subscribers, who will have to pay more without benefiting from new features in return. It is also possible that other streaming services will follow suit and increase their prices, amid increasingly fierce competition between platforms.

  • Subscribers: they will have to face increasing costs without benefiting from new features.
  • Streaming services: they could follow this upward trend and increase their prices in turn.

Areas for improvement to justify price increases

In order to make these new increases acceptable to subscribers, Netflix and Disney+ could propose concrete improvements in terms of content, accessibility or usability. Here are some suggestions:

  • Content: expand the catalog with new exclusive films and series, offer more local productions.
  • Accessibility: facilitate access to content for visually and hearing impaired people, add new subtitling and dubbing languages.
  • Ergonomics: improve navigation on platforms, promote personalized recommendations, develop sharing features between friends.

These price increases are part of a context of fierce competition in the streaming market, where each player must stand out to retain and attract subscribers. Future announcements from Netflix and Disney+ will therefore be closely scrutinized by users, who will undoubtedly wait for solid justifications for these additional costs.

Watch out for a terrifying iOS malware attack that uses AI to steal faces and hack biometrics!

New threat: iOS malware steals faces to bypass biometrics with AI exchanges

A group of Chinese hackers has developed a new malware called “GoldPickaxe” that poses a threat to the security of iOS mobile device users. This software uses artificial intelligence exchanges to bypass biometrics and steal faces, personal identifiers and phone numbers. Cybercriminals can then use this information to access victims’ bank accounts.

A sophisticated attack

Group-IB researchers have identified at least one victim of this attack, a Vietnamese citizen who lost approximately $40,000 as a result of this deception. What makes this attack special is the use of deepfakes, manipulated videos that can fool the biometric security systems of Southeast Asian banks. The malware masquerades as a government application and primarily targets elderly people. Victims are encouraged to scan their faces, which allows hackers to generate deepfakes from these scans.

The challenge of biometric authentication

This attack highlights the fact that deepfake technologies have reached an advanced level and are capable of bypassing biometric authentication mechanisms. Criminals exploit this weakness and take advantage of the fact that most users are unaware of this threat. Andrew Newell, scientific director at iProov, explains that deepfakes are a tool of choice for hackers because they give them incredible power and control.

How hackers bypass Thai banks

The Bank of Thailand has implemented a policy to combat financial fraud by requiring facial recognition for all important customer actions. However, the GoldPickaxe malware quickly bypassed this security measure. This malware, which appeared three months after the bank’s policy was implemented, presents itself as an application called “Digital Pension” used by elderly people to receive their pension in digital format. Victims are encouraged to scan their face, upload their government ID card and submit their phone number. Unlike other banking malware, GoldPickaxe does not operate on top of a real financial application, but instead collects all the necessary information to bypass authentication checks and manually log into victims’ bank accounts.

Fight against biometric banking trojans

Attacks like this show the need for rapid evolution in the banking industry to deal with growing threats. Banks must implement more advanced security measures, adapted to new technological challenges. Banks are recommended to implement sophisticated monitoring of user sessions and customers to adopt good security practices, including avoiding clicking on suspicious links, verifying the authenticity of banking communications and promptly contacting their bank in the event of suspected fraud.