Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:52 PM on Wednesday, March 25th, 2020
In October of 2019, PyroGenesis announced a $20M contract, in which its technology would be used by one of the biggest high-tech aluminum smelters in the world. Yesterday, the Company received it’s first $1.44M payment of a total of $8M to be received over the next several weeks.
If that wasn’t enough, after already having sold two plasma torch based systems to the US Navy for installation on two aircraft carries, PyroGenesis the Company has already been advised by the US Navy that $13.5M in orders are coming for two more aircraft carriers. Â
To this end, investors will be happy to hear that PyroGenesis has been deemed an essential service, is fully operating with almost all employees working remotely and does not foresee any demand side or supply chain issues hampering the Company’s operations. Â
Finally and perhaps most importantly, CEO Peter Pascali discusses the civil duty reasons behind his $100,000 donation to Quebec healthcare in its fight against COVID-19, as well as, the corporate duty reasons for not laying off a single employees despite a virtual shutdown of the global economy. Â
On all fronts, this is the most powerful interview we have ever produced with a Canadian small cap company. Â
If you are just discovering PyroGenesis (PYR:TSXV) then grab your favourite drink and watch this powerful video …. or listen in via podcast when you want to tune out the world and learn about an incredible company. Â
Please be sure to share this interview with your networks. Thank-you.
“The primary reason I wanted to make this donation was to demonstrate
to the health care workers of Quebec, the doctors, the nurses and
support staff, that the public has their back in our battle against
COVID-19,†said Mr. Pascali. “That we will do all in our power to ensure
that they have the tools to do the job we know they so desperately want
to do properly.â€
At the same time Mr. Pascali called upon Quebec Industry leaders,
sports figures, and other luminaries to support him in this challenge:
“This is a group effort,†he said, “The Government is doing an amazing
job. The health care workers are the unsung heroes in this crisis. Now
it is time to do our part. The tragedy unfolding today has not been seen
on this scale since World War II. This is not the time for us to stand
idly by. Quebec needs you. Your friends and family need you. Above
all, those on the front line, who may be caring for you or a loved one
very soon, need you.â€
Mr. Pascali was quick to note that “As we are starting to hunker down
to weather the storm, and the bars, sports events and restaurants
close, we have each surely saved $10. If each of us donates $10 to the
cause, we will collect well over $50 million.â€
When asked why he chose these institutions for his donations, Mr.
Pascali answered simply, “They represent both French and English sector
hospitals, and quite frankly this virus is oblivious to language,
religion, color, sex or creed. As such I thought it fitting to fund
these institutions. They all have their jobs to do.â€
In conclusion, Mr. Pascali had a special message to some of the
younger, more driven, members of Quebec: “To all those teenagers and
young adults sitting at home who may, or may not, be able to contribute
financially to the extent they would like, there is a lot you can do.
You can make this into a movement by sharing and blogging what we are
trying to do. You may not realize it now, but you are players in a
crisis of historical proportion. You can change its course by working
your magic. You have the power to turn this into a tsunami of support
and save lives with the same effect as if you were a health care
provider on the front lines. These health care providers will not let
you down. Let us not let them down.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:15 PM on Tuesday, March 24th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
This is How Malicious Deepfakes Can Be Beat
The growth of image manipulation techniques is eroding both trust and informed decision-making.
Although it is impossible to ID and prove fakes in real time, we can ascertain which images are truthful.
Software already exists that can verify images’ provenance – the next step will be hardware-based.
Today, the world captures over 1.2 trillion digital images and
videos annually – a figure that increases by about 10% each year.
Around 85% of those images are captured using a smartphone, a device
carried by over 2.7 billion people around the world.
But as image capture rates increase, so does the rate of image
manipulation. In recent years the level and speed of audio visual (AV)
manipulation has surprised even the most seasoned experts. The advent of
generative adversarial networks (GANs) – or ‘deepfakes’ – has captured
the majority of headlines because of their ability to completely
undermine any confidence in visual truth.
And even if deepfakes never proliferate in the public domain, the
world has nevertheless been upended by ‘cheapfakes’ – a term that refers
to more rudimentary image manipulation methods such as photoshopping,
rebroadcasting, speeding and slowing video, and other relatively
unsophisticated techniques. Cheapfakes have already been the main tool
in the proliferation of disinformation and online fraud, which have had
significant impacts on businesses and society.
The growth of image manipulation has made it more difficult to make
sound decisions based on images and videos – something businesses and
individuals are doing at an increasing rate. This includes personal
decisions ranging from purchases on peer-to-peer marketplaces, meeting
people when online dating, or voting; and business decisions, like
fulfilling an insurance claim or executing a loan. Even globally
important decisions are impacted, such as the international response to
images and videos displaying atrocities or egregious violence in
conflict zones or non-permissive areas, and much more.
Each of these very different use cases highlights two contradictory
trends; we rely on images and videos more than ever before, but we trust
them less than we ever have. This is a significant gap that is growing
by the day and has forced government and technologists to invest in
image-detection technology.
Unfortunately, there is no sustainable way to detect fake images in
real time and at scale. This sobering fact will likely not change
anytime soon.
There are several reasons for this. First, almost all metadata is
lost, stripped or altered as an image travels through the internet. By
the time that image hits a detection system, it will be impossible to
reproduce lost metadata – and therefore details like the original date,
time, and location of an image will likely remain unknown.
Second, almost all digital images are instantly compressed and
resized once they are shared across the internet; while some
manipulations are benign (such as recompression), others may be
significant and intended to deceive the content consumer. In either
case, the recompression and resizing of images as they are uploaded and
transmitted makes it difficult, if not impossible, to detect pixel-level
manipulations due to the loss of fidelity in the actual photo.
Third, when an automated or machine-learning-based detection
technique is identified and democratized, bad actors will quickly
identify a workaround in order to remain undetectable.
What makes detection even more difficult is social media, which
disseminates content – fake or real – in seconds. Those intent on
deceiving can inject fake content onto social media platforms instantly.
Even successful debunking would likely be too late to stop the fake
content from spreading, and cognitive dissonance and bias would more
greatly influence consumers’ decisions.
So if detection will not work, how do we arm people, businesses and
the international community with the tools to make better decisions?
Through images’ provenance. If the world cannot prove what is fake, then
it must prove what is real.
Today, technology does exist – such as Controlled Capture, software
developed by my company, Truepic – that is able to both establish the
provenance of images and to verify critical metadata at the point of
capture. This is possible thanks to advances in smartphone tech,
cellular networks, computer vision and blockchain. However, to truly
restore trust in images on a global level, the use of verified imagery
will need to scale beyond software to hardware.
To achieve this ambitious goal, image veracity technology will need
to be embedded into the chipsets that power smartphones. Truepic is
working with Qualcomm Technologies, the largest maker of smartphone
chipsets, to demonstrate the viability of this approach. Once complete,
this integration would allow smartphone makers to include a ‘verified’
mode to each phone’s native camera app – thus putting verified image
technology into the hands of hundreds of millions of users. The end
result will be cryptographically-signed images with verified provenance,
empowering decision-makers to make smart choices on a personal,
business or global scale. This is the future of decision-making in the
era of disinformation and deepfakes.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:09 PM on Tuesday, March 24th, 2020
Announced today that, further to its press release dated February 26th, 2020, the Company has received the first payment of approx. $1.44M under the exclusivity contract with Drosrite International LLC
In addition to the payment received today, PyroGenesis expects to receive further payments, the timing of which has been scheduled to match DI’s cash flow.
As previously disclosed, and as part of this exclusive arrangement between DI and PyroGenesis, DI will pay PyroGenesis approximately, based on current exchange rates, $25M over the next 12 months as well as approx. $3M per year (fixed) for the next two (2) years, together with a variable amount for the subsequent 18 years based on certain international benchmarks.
MONTREAL, March 24, 2020 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://www.pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation†or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, is pleased to announce today that, further to its press release dated February 26th, 2020, the Company has received the first payment of approx. $1.44M under the exclusivity contract with Drosrite International LLC (“DI†or the “Clientâ€).
In addition to the payment received today, PyroGenesis expects to
receive further payments, the timing of which has been scheduled to
match DI’s cash flow.
“The receipt of this first payment marks an important milestone for
PyroGenesis as it triggers the official beginning of the project between
DI and their client, in terms of benchmarks and deadlines,†said Mr. P.
Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “We are also happy to
confirm that the supply chain is intact despite this pandemic. Once
again, we are proud to see the DROSRITE™ technology being adopted by one
of the premier aluminum smelters in the world. It indeed validates
PyroGenesis’ DROSRITE™ technology, as it has become the dross processing
solution of choice to a very credible end-user.â€
As previously disclosed, and as part of this exclusive arrangement
between DI and PyroGenesis, DI will pay PyroGenesis approximately, based
on current exchange rates, $25M over the next 12 months as well as
approx. $3M per year (fixed) for the next two (2) years, together with a
variable amount for the subsequent 18 years based on certain
international benchmarks.
DI is a US based private company duly constituted and existing under
the laws of the State of Delaware, providing state-of-the-art waste
management technologies to the aluminum industry. DI is duly licensed by
PyroGenesis to manufacture, market, sell and distribute DROSRITE™
systems and technology to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and certain other
countries in the Middle East, on an exclusive basis. All DROSRITE™
systems supplied by DI are manufactured in the USA.
About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is the world leader in
the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced
plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing
expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process
equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced
materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental
industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and
technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2
manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage
by remaining at the forefront of technology development and
commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the
way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes,
high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to
the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D
certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded
Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR)
and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”,
“plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”,
“expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which
constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the
Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the
market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the
capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research
and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new
product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the
Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from
time-to-time in the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities
regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com.
Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of
the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
For further information please contact:
Rodayna Kafal, Vice President Investors Relations and Strategic Business Development, Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:40 AM on Tuesday, March 24th, 2020
Announced that following establishment of interoperability between NexaIntelligence tech and Netanomics ORA-pro,
Nexalogy is becoming an affiliate member of the Carnegie Mellon University Center for Informed Democracy and Social Cybersecurity (IDeaS)
TORONTO, March 24, 2020 – Datametrex AI Limited (the “Company†or Datametrexâ€) (TSXV: DM) (FSE: D4G) is pleased to announce that following establishment of interoperability between NexaIntelligence tech and Netanomics ORA-pro, Nexalogy is becoming an affiliate member of the Carnegie Mellon University Center for Informed Democracy and Social Cybersecurity (IDeaS).
Dr. Kathleen Carley, from IDeaS commented “We look forward to working
with Nexalogy. They provide a unique and significant
technology, NexaIntelligence, that will help us understand the spread of
information and disinformation. We are delighted that they will be
affiliates of the Informed Democracy and Social-cybersecurity center
(IDeaS).â€
“Nexalogy is continuing its ‘Land and Expand’ approach to the USA
market and membership in Carnegie Mellon University IDeaS will be a key
component of networking and research collaboration in these efforts,â€
says Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company.
Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure
to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned
subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com).
This news release contains “forward-looking information†within
the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained
herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute
forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information
can be identified by words or phrases such as “mayâ€, “willâ€, “expectâ€,
“likelyâ€, “shouldâ€, “wouldâ€, “planâ€, “anticipateâ€, “intendâ€,
“potentialâ€, “proposedâ€, “estimateâ€, “believe†or the negative of these
terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations
thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions “may†or “willâ€
happen, or by discussions of strategy.
Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors,
uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue
reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information
contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is
based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations and opinions of management
on the date such forward-looking information is made. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
information, whether as a result of new information, estimates or
opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any
material difference between subsequent actual events and such
forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:38 PM on Monday, March 23rd, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
You can go to jail for spreading fake news about Covid-19
As the coronavirus (Covid-19) spreads, so does the misinformation
Recently referred to by the WHO as an “infodemic”, the volume of information that is both true and false has been communicated across all platforms globally
Geraint Crwys-Williams, chief business officer, Primedia Group and acting CEO, Primedia Broadcasting says, “Now, more than ever, the role of accountable and credible media has come to the fore. Government officials and healthcare professionals are using trusted broadcast media and digital platforms of established, verified, media outlets to circulate correct information on Covid-19. There has been a particular focus also on debunking the myths and misinformation in circulation, which is an important role of accountable media as a public service.â€
On Wednesday, the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, set out the Regulations in terms of Section 27 (2) of the Disaster Management Act. According to the Government Gazette, “Any person who publishes any statement, through any medium, including social media, with the intention to deceive any other person about— (a) Covid-19; (b) Covid-19 infection status of any person; or (c) any measure taken by the Government to address Covid-19, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.â€
Despite this, hoaxes are still being posted on social media, and are gaining traction. The most recent fake news post is a Facebook account purportedly belonging to President Cyril Ramaphosa that told South Africans to stay indoors at 10am as helicopters would be spraying chemicals across the country against coronavirus. 8,000 social media users spread that news onwards.
Adds Crwys-Williams, “We urge all South Africans to be mindful of the source of information that they receive. Misinformation does not just cause unnecessary panic; it also puts citizens at risk. We have a duty of care to our employees, our communities and our audience to provide accurate, informative communication to ensure we play our part in reducing, not just the spread of the virus, but of unnecessary panic too.â€
He adds that simply sharing misinformation could make someone complicit in the crime, even though this was not the intention.
“We recommend that South Africans go to their trusted news sources such as credible broadcast, print and online media for updates. The South African Government is being vigilant about ensuring that correct information is being disseminated across these channels. They also have a WhatsApp group on 060 012 3456 that offers up-to-date information – simply type ‘hi’ to be included.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:10 PM on Monday, March 23rd, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp.
aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The
company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job
industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing
an integrated ecosystem. Click here for more information.
Lido Learning pulls in 25% new organic users amid Covid-19
Platform has observed 25% new organic users visiting the website daily since the beginning of March as well as a 2x pull in acceptability and adaptability of users
Company has also initiated a new outreach model which will provide additional data in terms of quantifying demand
Delhi: Online tutoring platform Lido Learning is gaining immense traction with students becoming more digitally inclined amid the social distancing period. Catering to the K-12 market for students from Class 5-9, Lido offers classes in Math, Science and English. The platform has observed 25% new organic users visiting the website daily since the beginning of March as well as a 2x pull in acceptability and adaptability of users. The company has also initiated a new outreach model which will provide additional data in terms of quantifying demand.
While schools, workplaces and even recreational centres have been
shut down with immediate effect, EdTech companies have filled the
education gap for students seamlessly. Hence, students as well as
parents are steering towards digital platforms to bridge the learning
gap.
Continuous learning is imperative for a child’s holistic development
and therefore Lido Learning is a no-brainer solution for students to
continue building upon their skills while also staying safe and
practising social distancing.
While individualized attention towards every student is the need of
the hour, Lido Learning has always ensured that the teacher-student
ratio is always 1:6, ensuring that each of their academic progress is
monitored and built upon individually.
With the Government also promoting online education in recent
announcements, Lido Learning aims to deliver the best learning
experience for each student with state-of-the-art technology, engaging
content involving quizzes and games, coupled with highly-qualified
faculty.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:17 PM on Friday, March 20th, 2020
Announced the launch of a curated COVID-19 Resource Toolkit to help support individuals, employees, employers and governments in managing this crisis by providing access to relevant, current and critical global information
Over the last several weeks, betterU doubled down their efforts in the development of the COVID-19 Resource Toolkit
OTTAWA, March 20, 2020Â — betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OGA) (the “Company” or “betterU”) is pleased to announce the launch of a curated COVID-19 Resource Toolkit to help support individuals, employees, employers and governments in managing this crisis by providing access to relevant, current and critical global information.
The speed in which COVID-19 has hit the world, closing businesses,
cities and countries, has created a global panic and confusion that has
only been compounded by the wave of both social media and the
sensationalism of the media. betterU who is focused on education
realized that their recently launched SaaS Mobile Enterprise solution, Ready-To-Go,
could be adapted to help support the world by curating global content
into one source application that could be made available instantly
across the world in up to 20 languages. Please visit https://readytogo.betteru.ca/ to start the process of downloading the app and getting access to your COVID-19 Resource Toolkit.
Over the last several weeks, betterU doubled down their efforts in
the development of the COVID-19 Resource Toolkit. The Company added
modules into Ready-To-Go that comprised of content, links, fact sheets,
PDFs, videos and graphics to support detailed information on the virus,
live updates, risks of infection, symptoms and treatments, how to
prepare, proper hygiene, self-isolation, managing anxiety and stress,
travel advice, information for children, vulnerable populations, myths
and questions and more! The information has been curated only from
reliable sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centre for
Disease and Protection (CDC), the Canadian Government, many medical
professional and leading global experts.
In addition to critical information about the virus, betterU has
reached out to many of their global educators and partners for
assistance in being able to provide their technology and learning
programs that could support a free solution supporting people now
working from home, to help deal with financial management, their home
working environment, support risks and fear management, effective
communication virtually and much more. The goal is to provide a fully
comprehensive resource toolkit that provides an all-in-one solution that
informs, supports and helps advance personal and business successes in a
time of critical need.
“When betterU approached us about working together on this
important issue, we had already been thinking about the how we could
create something similar, so it was a no brainer for us to join
betterU’s efforts. Our customers, their employees and their families are
very important to us and we are working hard to support them all in
this time of need.†Said Dan Belhassen, President of Neovation Learning Solutions – creators of the OttoLearn Agile Microlearning platform (Ottolearn.com)
betterU, Ottolearn and their education partners are providing these
services and content for free to ensure we can help everyone,
everywhere. betterU is continuing its efforts to bring together global
educators, influencers and more to help support the world.
“These times are not easy, and we are all facing our own
challenges. We need to come together as a community, a country and a
world to support each other the best we can. This is what we thought
could help, and while we know it is not enough, we hope it does support
you.†Said Brad Loiselle, President and CEO of betterU.
About betterU Education Corp.
betterU is an education-to-employment technology company offering an
end-to-end solution leveraging business intelligence to automate
skilling, reskilling and upskilling for companies operating on domestic
and global scales.
betterU has integrated into its platform the content, technology and
support for tailored skills assessments, learning pathways and training
modules from 100+ of the world’s leading online education providers.
betterU’s eco-system includes detailed job, skill, employer, and
educational profiles spanning 3,000+ standardized jobs. betterU’s
integrated platform is the most efficient solution to address evolving
skilling challenges for employers and employees through the employment
lifecycle from entry level to executive. We don’t sell content, we help
build better people.
Led by award-winning Winnipeg entrepreneur Dan Belhassen, the
Neovation Learning Solutions team is committed to providing over 500
clients worldwide (representing nearly a million learners) with “best-in
class†L&D services. Clients reap the benefits of Neovation’s
leading-edge software platforms (SmarterU.com and OttoLearn.com) and
content creation services (Flarelearning.com.) Since 2012, Neovation has
built a diverse and growing team of software developers, instructional
and graphic designers, client care specialists and a sales and marketing
team united with one purpose – to make learning magical for
their clients. OttoLearn.com is Neovation’s agile microlearning platform
that delivers knowledge retention and learner engagement to help
companies improve their training KPIs.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
COVID-19 Resource Toolkit is comprised of content, links, fact
sheets, PDFs, videos and graphics to support detailed information on the
virus, live updates, risks of infection, symptoms and treatments, how
to prepare, proper hygiene, self-isolation, managing anxiety and stress,
travel advice, information for children, vulnerable populations, myths
and questions and courses with more to come.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:12 PM on Thursday, March 19th, 2020
With 165,000 patients, Empower Clinics (CBDT:CSE) (EPWCF:OTCQB)
has a database that almost every medical cannabis and CBD company would
kill for. Patient visits increased 351% in Q4 and 800% in February.
But would Coronavirus social gathering imitations put the clinic network
at risk?
No. In fact, it has had the opposite effect, with the clinics being designated an essential service. Moreover, Empower has had to actually increase operating hours.
Watch this interview with the Company’s CEO, Steven McAuley, who is Six Sigma certified under the quality initiative of legendary GE chairman Jack Welch. We’ve never seen a Six Sigma certified CEO in the Canadian small cap markets. Never …. which also explains how McAuley has been able to guide Empower Clinics through the most disruptive retail environment in recent history. Â
Grab your favourite beverage and settle in to watch what may be your next great small cap investment.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:00 PM on Thursday, March 19th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited
(TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and
Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media
threats. The company announced three $1M contacts in Q3-2019. Click here for more info.
How Coronavirus is Impacting Cyberspace
Hackers were also strategizing to spread fake news to create further confusion
By investigating the dark web marketplace, CYFIRMA uncovered illicit groups selling organic medicine claiming to cure and eradicate the COVID-19 virus
These discussions in the hackers’ communities were carried out in Mandarin, Japanese and English
These are interesting times – the world is witnessing an
unprecedented onslaught of upheavals not just in the ‘real-world’ but
also in the cyber world. We greeted 2020 gingerly knowing the trade war
between the U.S. and China was going to bring about economic uncertainty
but little did we know a global pandemic was upon us, with the
Coronavirus having an impact even on cyberspace.
By CYFIRMA RESEARCH
While healthcare workers are battling the COVID-19 virus, countries are in lockdown mode, and the global economy hangs in the balance, another war is raging in cyberspace.
Cyber risks and threats have multiplied with many more attack
vectors, and hackers’ techniques evolving faster than ever, blending
technical prowess with sophisticated social engineering. The current
challenge with the virus pandemic is a test of nations’ and businesses’
preparedness and resiliency on all fronts.
CYFIRMA’s threat visibility and intelligence research
revealed a massive increase of over 600% of cyberthreat indicators
related to the Coronavirus pandemic from February to early March.
Threat indicators are made up of conversations observed and uncovered
in the dark web, hackers’ forums, and closed communities. What our
researchers have seen and heard in these communities do not bode well
for governments and businesses – hackers are hard at work, actively
planning how to leverage this climate of fear and uncertainty to attain
their political and financial objectives.
The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has
sent out alerts on scams tricking people into revealing personal
information or donating to fraudulent charities, all under the pretext
of helping to contain and manage the coronavirus. The Federal Trade
Commission has also warned about similar scams.
CYFIRMA’s research team and
multiple security vendors have reported that threat actors have used
fear tactics to spread malware, including LokiBot, RemcosRAT, TrickBot,
and FormBook.
These hackers’ communities span far and wide, communicating in
Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, English, and Korean, unleashing campaigns
one after another to wreak havoc on unsuspecting nations and
enterprises.
On Dark Web
forums, a group from Hong Kong hatched a plan to create a new phishing
campaign targeting the population from mainland China. The group aimed
to create distrust and incite social unrest by assigning blame to the
Chinese Communist Party.
A deeper analysis of hackers’ conversations also revealed groups from
Taiwan discussing similar phishing and spam campaigns, specifically
targeting influential persons in mainland China to cause further unrest.
Korean-speaking hackers were planning to make financial gains using
sophisticated phishing campaigns, loaded with sensitive data
exfiltration malware and creating a new variant of EMOTET virus (EMOTET
is a malware strain that was first detected in 2014 and is one of the
most prevalent threats in 2019). These hackers were planning to target
Japan, Australia, Singapore, and the U.S.
CYFIRMA’s researchers also observed North Korean hackers targeting
South Korean businesses. The phishing email had the Korean language
title “Coronavirus Correspondenceâ€, tricking recipients into opening
them and launching malware into machines and networks.
With COVID-19, many hacker groups were observed to be using brand
impersonation with fake emails claiming to represent authoritative
bodies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World
Health Organization (WHO). The subject line and content of these emails
were very enticing, offering news updates and cures to the ailment.
We also noticed coronavirus-themed emails designed to look like
emails from the organizations’ leadership team and sent to all
employees.
Embedded with malware that would infect corporate networks, these
phishing attacks deploy social engineering tactics to steal data and
assets.
Other than unleashing cyberattacks to steal data, we also witnessed
the planning of fake websites to sell face masks and other health
apparatus using bitcoin in China, Japan, and the US.
To aggravate matters, hackers were also strategizing to spread fake
news to create further confusion. By investigating the dark web
marketplace, CYFIRMA uncovered illicit groups selling organic medicine
claiming to cure and eradicate the COVID-19 virus. These discussions in
the hackers’ communities were carried out in Mandarin, Japanese and
English.
A
new malware called ‘CoronaVP’ was being discussed by a Russian hacking
community; this could lead to a new ransomware or EMOTET strain,
designed to steal personal information.
Hackers leveraging on the COVID-19 pandemic are motivated by a
combination of personal financial gain as well as political espionage to
cause social upheavals. Threat actors in the world of cybercrimes are
well-equipped with tools, technology, expertise and financing to further
both commercial and political agendas. In our hyper-connected digital
world, cyber-crime is a lucrative business, and we should expect attacks
to be more frequent and more sophisticated as the pandemic continues to
cast a shadow over the global economy.
What we have witnessed in the field of cyber-intelligence has taught
us the importance of staying vigilant, and frequently, the most
dangerous forces at work are those we cannot see.
The importance of relevant and timely threat intelligence cannot be
over-emphasized as early detection of cyber threats could save
organizations from hefty financial penalties and irreversible brand
damage.
