Technology

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As the demand for cybersecurity solutions continues to rise in response to complex threats, iStorage has made a strategic move to boost the encrypted data storage landscape with the acquisition of Kanguru Solutions.

iStorage is probably best known for its PIN-authenticated, hardware-encrypted portable data storage and cloud encryption devices, and Kanguru for offering secure hardware-encrypted devices and advanced duplication and remote management capabilities.

The company says its acquisition will enable iStorage to provide a more comprehensive product lineup, offering customers greater flexibility and security when managing sensitive data across multiple devices.

Enhancing global security offerings

"This acquisition is transformative for iStorage, reinforcing our commitment to delivering ultra-secure, flexible, and affordable data management solutions," noted John Michael, Founder & CEO of iStorage.

"Joining the iStorage family allows us to expand our encryption and storage solutions to a wider audience, especially across North and South America. Together, we will drive innovation and redefine the possibilities in data protection," said Nate Cote, Managing Director of Kanguru.

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• Phishing attacks are becoming more complex and harder to detect
• Attackers are using new techniques such as QR codes and deepfakes
• Some businesses are receiving 36 phishing emails per day

Phishing attacks are consistently on the rise and becoming more sophisticated, as cybercriminals no longer rely solely on basic email schemes, instead incorporating new tactics such as QR code phishing (quishing), AI-powered attacks, and multi-channel phishing to enhance their effectiveness.

A new Egress report has revealed phishing attacks spiked in the second quarter of 2024, with a 28% rise in the number of phishing emails compared to the first quarter.

Phishing attacks are also becoming more sophisticated. Cybercriminals now use a variety of new tactics to bypass secure email gateways (SEGs) and native defenses like Microsoft 365’s security features. In Q2 2024 alone, there was a 52.2% increase in phishing attacks that successfully bypassed SEG detection.

Commodity attacks - a mass-produced threat

One type of phishing that has seen a notable increase in 2024 is commodity attacks. These are mass-produced, malicious campaigns that impersonate well-known brands on a large scale to trick users into clicking on fake promotions, images, or hyperlinks.

The report reveals that during these attacks, organizations experience a staggering 2,700% increase in phishing attempts, with organizations over the 2,000 employee mark would have to deal with over 1,128 phishing emails over 31 days, which is about 36 phishing emails per day. The sheer volume of these attacks can overwhelm many companies' security systems, making it increasingly difficult to prevent every malicious email from reaching an employee's inbox.

One of the methods used to bypass SEG is HTML smuggling, where attackers hide malicious scripts inside HTML attachments. Once opened by the user, the script assembles itself on the victim’s device, bypassing traditional signature-based detection. Another tactic involves embedding phishing links within seemingly legitimate documents or exploiting vulnerabilities in trusted websites to host malware.

Businesses must now implement advanced security measures and foster a culture of awareness to better protect themselves against the growing threat of phishing.

Phishing attacks are increasingly using AI-powered tools to scale their operations. AI allows cybercriminals to automate and personalize phishing campaigns, making them more convincing and harder to detect. Deepfakes and AI-generated chatbots are now major tools of choice for cybercriminals.

These technologies allow attackers to impersonate trusted individuals or organizations, further increasing the likelihood of success. This year, there has been a significant rise in "payloadless" attacks which rely solely on social engineering rather than traditional malicious attachments or links, accounting for nearly 19% of phishing attempts in 2024, up from 5.4% in 2021.

Cybercriminals are also using multi-channel phishing tactics, allowing hackers to target victims across multiple platforms such as email, SMS, and even collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams. This multi-channel approach has become more common in 2024, exploiting the relative lack of security on non-email platforms.

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• Arcane's creators have explained why those councillors died in season 2 episode 1
• The duo say it was "always planned that way"
• There were never any discussions about killing off other Piltover council members

Full spoilers follow for Arcane's season 1 finale and season 2 premiere.

Arcane's showrunners have revealed how they decided who died – and who didn't – as a result of Jinx's explosive attack on Piltover's council chamber.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of Arcane season 2 making its Netflix debut yesterday (November 9), Christian Linke and Alex Yee discussed the process of determining which characters they were going to kill off.

In the season 1 finale, titled 'The Monster You Created', Jinx used her Hextech-powered Fishbones rocket launcher to fire a missile at Piltover's council chamber. At the time, the so-called City of Progress' leaders were meeting to validate Jayce's plan to give Zaun – Piltover's deprived cousin, which deuteragonists Jinx and Vi are citizens of – its independence. In practice, that would mean Zaunites wouldn't be governed by Piltover's council anymore.

Don't worry, Mel and Jayce survived (Image credit: Netflix)

Jinx's attack, though, ends any hopes of Zaun being an independent state. Even worse, the projectile that causes such devastation, as evidenced by season 2's opening scene, kills three Piltovan council members: Irius Bolbok, Torman Hoskel, and, most importantly, Cassandra Kiramman, Caitlyn's mom and Jayce's patron. Meanwhile, Jayce's scientific partner Viktor is severely wounded by the blast, while two other councillors – Shoola and Salo – are also injured, with Salo coming off worse out of the pair when falling masonry paralyzes him from the waist down.

With eight Piltovans, Jayce and his fellow councillor/love interest Mel included, present in the chamber during the attack, any of them could've died in the hit Netflix show's season 1 finale. Of course, thanks to some characters' established history in League of Legends, Riot Games' popular video game franchise that Arcane is based on, at the very least I expected Jayce and Viktor to survive. Indeed, I stated as much in my piece on eight huge questions that Arcane season 2 needs to answer before the animated series ends.

The aforementioned duo notwithstanding, though, how did Linke and Yee decide on who, out of the remaining six individuals, would die in one of the best Netflix shows' season 2 premiere?

Piltover's memorial to its deceased council members is unveiled later in episode 1 (Image credit: Netflix)

"I think it was always planned that way [for that trio to die]," Linke said. "It [Jinx's attack] was supposed to bring out Mel's abilities [to shield those in close proximity to her], and it also forced Jayce's hand with what happens with Viktor and how Jayce uses the Hexcore to save his life."

"Hoskel and Bolbok, though..." Yee interjected, before he jokingly added: "There are some big fans on the team for those counselors!"

The time for talk is over.Stream the final season of #Arcane now, only on @netflix. pic.twitter.com/g4EyIjoHyNNovember 9, 2024

Speaking of things that were planned – or, in this case, weren't planned – Linke and Yee also told me that it was "never the plan" for Arcane to run for five seasons on the world's best streaming service. Even if it had, though, I'm convinced that there would be enough plot armor to protect Jayce and Viktor for many more episodes to come. Still, let's all pour one out for Cassandra. I guess we should do likewise for Hoskel and Bolbok, too, even though they continually riled up viewers with their decision-making in season 1.

Anyway, you can expect more exclusives from my chat with Linke and Yee in the days and weeks ahead. For now, read my Arcane season 2 review for more details about the next three episodes, plus my Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained piece for answers to your biggest questions after its first three chapters.

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• LG Electronics wants to expand its B2B offerings
• The goal is to hit $7.5 billion in B2B revenue by 2030
• The tech giant is looking to expand into digital signage and medical monitors

LG Electronics has revealed plans to intensify its focus on the B2B sector as the company seeks to offset declining demand in consumer electronics.

The company's strategy aims to boost its B2B revenue to KRW 10 trillion (approximately $7.5 billion) by 2030, with projections indicating that B2B sales could account for 45% of total revenue by that time. This shift is driven by the stability of B2B operations compared to consumer markets, as well as the potential for long-term customer relationships that foster mutual growth.

LG plans to enhance its offerings in key areas such as digital signage, hospitality solutions, and medical monitors, while also expanding into new sectors like electric vehicle chargers and smart factory solutions.

LG B2B transition

LG’s CEO, Cho Joo-wan has since revealed the company’s ambitious vision of achieving 100 trillion won in annual revenue by 2030. Since Cho took over as CEO in 2021, the company has actively pursued growth in its B2B operations to offset challenges in the consumer segment.

The areas of focus for LG’s B2B expansion include automotive electronics, heating and ventilation systems (HVAC), smart factory solutions, built-in appliances, and mobility technologies. Among its four business divisions, the Business Solutions unit plays a crucial role in driving growth through products such as commercial displays, EV chargers, and robots.

The Business Solutions division will further solidify LG’s position in the commercial display market by enhancing its digital signage portfolio. Since 2019, LG’s information display segment has grown at an average rate of 7% annually, demonstrating consistent demand for its products.

The company’s strategy includes emphasizing premium fine-pitch LED displays, such as All-in-One and Micro LED models. While it plans to introduce new AI-powered Micro LED displays later this year, it also aims to improve its hospitality TVs by adding features such as Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay for better connectivity.

Furthermore, the South Korean manufacturing giant will expand its cloud-based services through the LG Business Cloud platform, while deepening collaborations with global partners like Ricoh to develop enterprise solutions.

LG Electronics is also focusing on new growth opportunities in electric vehicle (EV) charging systems and medical monitors, aiming to become a leading player in both markets. The company has set a goal to capture 8% of the US fast-charger market by 2030 and has opened an EV charger production facility in Texas to support this effort.

It currently offers six types of EV chargers and plans to roll out additional models later this year, including a 350 kW ultra-fast charger for North America and two slower chargers—30 kW and 7 kW—targeted at the European market. LG’s partnership with ChargePoint, a major provider of EV charging solutions in North America, is expected to bolster its product offerings and drive innovation.

In the medical technology sector, LG aims to become one of the top three global providers of medical monitors within the next five years. Despite high entry barriers due to strict medical regulations and high display standards, LG has steadily grown its presence in this niche market.

Since entering the medical monitor space in 2016, the company has expanded its product line at a double-digit annual rate across North America and Europe. LG currently offers 14 different medical monitors, including clinical, diagnostic, and surgical models, along with six types of X-ray detectors (DXDs) in 50 countries.

According to market research firm Omdia, the global medical monitor market is projected to reach $2.5 billion by 2030, presenting LG with significant opportunities for growth.

LG’s ambitious B2B transformation reflects its strategy to adapt to shifting market trends and reduce its reliance on consumer electronics, however, it will face some challenges and will need investments in innovative solutions and strategic partnerships.

In a press conference, Jang Ik-hwan, president of LG Business Solutions Company at LG Electronics said the company is open to mergers and acquisitions to foster its new B2B growth engines.

“Going forward, we will leverage this expertise to offer tailored services and differentiated solutions to our business customers, further cementing our reputation as a trusted partner in the competitive B2B market.”

“LG Business Solutions is seeking to double its current revenue, reaching KRW 10 trillion by 2030…I can’t comment on the exact timing but the company would (again) invest in a new growth business like its investment in Bear Robotics Inc. when we are ready," Jang added.

Via Kedglobal

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