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• New phishing email scam impersonating Ledger spotted
• The emails claim the user's Ledger wallet seed phrase was compromised, and asks for confirmation
• Users that provide the seed phrase lose all their money

Criminals are trying to steal cryptocurrency by impersonating hardware wallet firm Ledger and sending phishing emails.

Victims have reported receiving emails pretending to be from Ledger, and claiming that their seed phrase (also known as recovery phrase, or mnemonic seed) is compromised. To protect their digital belongings, the victims are invited to “verify the security” of the recovery phrase through the “secure verification tool”.

The email comes with a “Verify my recovery phrase” button which leads people through an AWS website, to a domain "ledger-recovery[.]info". There, users can enter their recovery phrase, which is then saved on a server and relayed to the attackers.

Providing the right data

A recovery phrase is used to load the contents of a cryptocurrency wallet into a new device, or new software wallet. It usually comes as a series or either 12, or 24 random words. Whoever has access to this phrase, also has access to the funds, so it is absolutely pivotal that these remain offline, hidden, and not shared with anyone.

To make sure they’re getting the real deal, the scammers added several safeguards to the phishing page. The site is limited to 2048 valid words that can be entered as part of the mnemonic seed phrase. Furthermore, whatever the user enters, they will get the response that the seed phrase is wrong - most likely to allow the victims to double down on their entries and thus confirm they have provided the right information.

Phishing emails often used to have poor grammar and spelling and could typically be identified by clumsy, amateurish wording. However, with the introduction of generative AI, that is no longer the case. In this case, though, the clue was in the email address, since it came from the SendGrid email marketing platform. Furthermore, the link redirects through an Amazon AWS website, which should also be a red flag.

It is impossible to know how many people (if any) fell for the trick, but those that did lost their money permanently.

Via BleepingComputer

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Barry Wilmore and Suni Williams will now come home in March at the earliest, to allow SpaceX and NASA engineers to complete development of a new Crew Dragon spacecraft.

• EVO-X1 features AMD Strix Point architecture for enhanced performance
• Unique cubic design optimizes cooling for high-performance components
• Expect higher noise levels with increased processing power

As mini PCs continue to surge in popularity, companies like GMKtec with its NucBox series have been pivotal in driving demand.

The company has now unveiled its first official image of the new EVO-X1, suggesting the device will come with an advanced cooling design and a variety of connectivity features.

The new model distinguishes itself by integrating AMD’s latest Strix Point architecture, allowing it to exceed typical performance benchmarks for mini PCs. Unlike many competitors that prioritize low-power and quiet operation, the EVO-X1 is designed to attract gamers, designers, and power users by offering high-performance options in a small form factor.

Unique and compact design

The EVO-X1 looks to depart from the typical look of mini PCs, as GMKtec has opted for a cubic design taller than usual, a move that could hint at a specialized cooling solution needed to house high-performance components within a small footprint.

Along the front panel, the EVO-X1 features several connectors, including the standard 3.5mm audio jack, USB4 Type-C ports, and two USB 3.2 Type-A slots. Unusually for a mini PC, GMKtec has also included a DisplayPort output, allowing for a streamlined display connection without needing adapters.

The EVO-X1 stands out from similar mini PC models by its integration of AMD’s Strix Point processor, specifically the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. GMKtec plans to push the performance of this chip beyond AMD’s official recommendations, providing users with the option to operate at up to 70 watts.

While AMD suggests a 15 to 54-watt range, the higher power setting could offer a noticeable increase in processing speed and efficiency, though it might come at a cost to noise and temperature levels. GMKtec indicates this setting would be accessible through BIOS, giving tech-savvy users control over whether they prioritize power or quieter operation.

On the GPU end, this device will use the Radeon 890M. GMKtec claims that the EVO-X1 will deliver performance akin to a machine fitted with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. This GPU upgrade could offer notable improvements for users seeking a mini PC that can handle gaming or more graphics-intensive work without needing a separate graphics card. However, as is often the case with manufacturer statements on graphics performance, this claim might need to be approached cautiously until users can put the mini PC through real-world tests.

It is important to note that running the AMD Strix Point processor at 70 watts will require the EVO-X1’s cooling system to work harder, likely pushing the fan to its maximum capacity. This could result in higher noise levels than typical mini PCs, which are often optimized for low-noise performance in small workspaces.

For those prioritizing processing power, the fan noise may be a worthwhile trade-off, but users who prefer a quieter setup may find this aspect less appealing.

GMKtec has yet to disclose the EVO-X1’s price or release date, and we've reached out for further details on pricing, availability, and full specifications.

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At a federal prison in rural Virginia, more than 50 prisoners say they've been abused. But when they try to file a complaint — they're stopped, often by the same guards they say are abusing them.

Of all the arguments TikTok owner ByteDance could've made to retain ownership and still operate in the US, Freedom of Speech might be the weakest and one it's unlikely to win when it argues its case before the US Supreme Court on January 10.

Look, I'm no legal expert, but even I know that one of the benchmarks for measuring if you are somehow infringing on speech is if there are limited avenues for someone to share similar views.

TikTok is not unique. I love it and use it myself (and TechRadar is very busy on it), but there are other platforms just like it, including Instagram Reels and YouTube shorts (not to mention BlueSky, X, and Threads). They fall far short of TikTok's creative capabilities, but the results are essentially the same: delivering your pithy vertical social videos to a wide, public audience.

Here's what the First Amendment promises:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

It's not a lot of text and is open to interpretation, but I find it hard to see how banning the TikTok app in the US (unless ByDance sells to a US entity) meets any of those benchmarks. Sure, the loss of TikTok would close off one avenue for speech. But social media content is like water; when you seal off one spigot, it freely travels to the next available one.

Not the right dance move

TikTok arguing that this infringes on Freedom of Speech is like me arguing that Twitter (now X) shutting down Vine was a First Amendment violation. Yes, losing the ability to create and share six-second videos on the platform was awful, but I was soon using other tools to create animated unboxings. Eventually, I discovered TikTok, where I post an even wider variety of short videos.

I'm not arguing that I agree with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act and its inclusion of TikTok as a national security threat. I believe the work TikTok and its parent company ByteDance did over the last few years – moving data to the US, hiring a US-based staff to run it, and more transparency – has addressed most of these concerns. I do not trust the Chinese government but have long believed that just having a popular app like TikTok in the US is such a point of pride that China has no interest in undermining it by trying to use TikTok as a wide-scale spying tool.

You might consider my views pollyannish, but perhaps you can agree that this law and TikTok's inclusion are government overreach. Since when is the US government making sweeping rulings about private businesses run on US soil?

No chill

I get that the climate is changing and that the US government has been taking potential action against a broad swath of companies operating in or through enemy nation-states (mostly but not exclusively in China). I'm not sure that's the right approach, either. I'm certainly not a fan of DJI drones potentially being banned in the US.

However, in the case of TikTok, the US Government is ignoring the will of its own people. Back in August, support for the ban was less than a third of those polled by Pew Research. That was a decline from earlier in the year, and it stands to reason that support has slipped even further.

Unfortunately, most legislators and people at the highest level of government figuratively have their fingers in their ears and are working hard to drown out the growing support for a TikTok pardon.

If, as I fully expect, TikTok loses its argument to stay the ban, the clock will start ticking on its departure. There will be a nine-day window between the expected SCOTUS decision and the inauguration of the next president of the United States, Donald Trump, a returning executive who may play the role of unlikely savior.

While Trump has waffled more than a bit on the topic, he most recently expressed some affection for the platform and even entertained TikTok CEO Shou Chew at his Mara Largo estate.

That could be seen as a positive sign. Trump could write an executive order to postpone the ban indefinitely while still maintaining pressure on ByteDance to slow-walk a divesture.

It could happen. Anything could happen. If none of this makes sense, perhaps the following will help.

An Edict from the US Goverment

With apologies to Clement Moore:

'Twas the twilight of TikTok and all through the house,

We paused in swiping to consider and grouse

TikTokers were stirring, all ready to pounce

Its fate hung in the balance for nine justices to pronounce

The platform it hung on the precipice of a ban

SCOTUS will listen and ponder if speech-making feels crammed

Arguments were nestled in briefs that we pled

But the chances of success we less better than dead

Influencers in cosplay and filters that slap

When all that was heard was some pre-presidential snap

A guy in a business suit, his blonde hair a flap

Held his hand to his heart and said

I have warmth for some of that

To the top of the White House, this guy did appear

And he grinned a bit too hard because

It's up to him, I fear

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Average APRs have inched down slightly, but you should focus on lowering your credit card balance as soon as you can.

Users can call or text ChatGPT for recipe suggestions, travel recommendations and more.

Average APRs have inched down slightly, but you should focus on lowering your credit card balance as soon as you can.

A few parts of the country may get a white Christmas in 2024, but the majority will not. And in the future, shifts in weather patterns driven by global warming may make them even less likely.

(Image credit: Nati Harnik)

Listen up, savers: Now's the time to maximize your earnings.

Just $50 scores you a 14-in-1 USB-C docking station that can support dual monitors and much more -- and just in time to go under the tree.

The National Defense Authorization Act passed today, but lawmakers stripped language that would keep the Trump administration from wielding unprecedented authority to surveil Americans.

This charging station adds more outlets to your work-from-home setup, dorm or living room, and it's now $99 at Amazon.