Latest news with #Lithuanian
Winnipeg Free Press
37 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sixteen billion passwords may have been stolen. Here's how to protect yourself
TORONTO – A Lithuanian cybersecurity news outlet says it uncovered a leak of 16 billion passwords that may grant access to Apple, Google, Facebook accounts and more. Cybernews warns the data is 'a blueprint for mass exploitation' because it could give cybercriminals unprecedented access to information that can be used for account takeovers, identity theft and highly targeted attacks. Here's what we know about the leak so far and how people can protect themselves from its repercussions. What do we know about the leak? Cybersecurity experts are strongly speculating that the data was leaked through infostealers, said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at security software firm Check Point. Infostealers are pieces of malware users are duped into clicking on, which then install something on their computer, 'which just kind of sits and listens to the computer while you're typing things from the keyboard.' The malware can detect when you're logging into an account and can copy whatever you've input to send it to a database of credentials hackers compile. 'As a result of that, we end up with these giant repositories on the dark net filled with lists and lists and lists of usernames and passwords and credentials that have been stolen from users all around the world and that are being bought and sold as commodities,' Falzon said. Is all this leaked data new? That's up for debate. Cybernews says 'the data is recent, not merely recycled from old breaches,' but others disagree. 'It's really hard to track the providence of all of it,' Falzon said, because some hackers package data together from several leaks to resell. The only way to figure out how new it is would be to obtain other leaks and cross compare the data. Why is it worrisome? 'If hackers manage to get their hands on your password for Google, Apple, or Facebook, stealing your money and identity may be easier than taking candy from a three-year-old,' Ignas Valancius, head of engineering at cybersecurity company NordPass, said in a press release. That's because hackers use the logins they obtain for credential stuffing — a practice where criminals get access to accounts by inputting stolen login information into websites. If you reuse your passwords across several websites or services, it may mean a hacker can get into your bank account and steal money, your favourite retailer accounts and drain you of your loyalty points or even find your address and birthday and use it for identity theft, Falzon said. How can I find out if my data was in the breach? Figuring out if you've been a victim of the breach would take obtaining the data and searching through it for your credentials. Because only an 'extreme minority' of people have never been breached in general, Falzon said you're always best off assuming your info is part of the leak. What can Canadians do to protect themselves? Cybersecurity experts are unanimous in advising people to change their passwords regularly, especially after leaks to avoid becoming the victim of credential stuffing. But long before a breach happens, they say there are several things people can do to protect themselves. The most obvious is varying your passwords and avoiding reusing them. When you recycle passwords across several websites or services or make them easy to guess, it means hackers won't have much of a struggle accessing many of your accounts. Multifactor authentication can also offer a layer of security. When someone attempts to login to an account, it forces them to enter a code sent by email or text before they can get access. The process helps users thwart hacking attempts. I have so many accounts to keep track of and changing my passwords with every breach is making it hard to remember them all. What can I do? Some cybersecurity experts are fans of password managers. These services create strong, unique passwords for each account you have. Then, the manager stores them in an encrypted account you can quickly access anytime you need to enter a password. However, other experts argue password managers can have varying levels of encryption and warn that if the one you are using is breached, all of your passwords may be vulnerable. So what else can I do? Many experts advise people to use passkeys, when possible. Passkeys are digital credentials able to unlock accounts with a mere flash of your face or fingerprint scan on your phone. They are considered to be more secure than passwords because there is no string of characters, numbers and symbols to memorize, making them harder to hack. They don't need to be changed, can't be stolen by someone guessing or peeking over your shoulder and there's no way to accidentally use one on the wrong website. Not all websites and services accept passkeys but several big players like Apple, Shopify, Microsoft, DocuSign and PayPal do. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sixteen billion passwords may have been stolen. Here's how to protect yourself
TORONTO — A Lithuanian cybersecurity news outlet says it uncovered a leak of 16 billion passwords that may grant access to Apple, Google, Facebook accounts and more. Cybernews warns the data is "a blueprint for mass exploitation" because it could give cybercriminals unprecedented access to information that can be used for account takeovers, identity theft and highly targeted attacks. Here's what we know about the leak so far and how people can protect themselves from its repercussions. What do we know about the leak? Cybersecurity experts are strongly speculating that the data was leaked through infostealers, said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at security software firm Check Point. Infostealers are pieces of malware users are duped into clicking on, which then install something on their computer, "which just kind of sits and listens to the computer while you're typing things from the keyboard." The malware can detect when you're logging into an account and can copy whatever you've input to send it to a database of credentials hackers compile. "As a result of that, we end up with these giant repositories on the dark net filled with lists and lists and lists of usernames and passwords and credentials that have been stolen from users all around the world and that are being bought and sold as commodities," Falzon said. Is all this leaked data new? That's up for debate. Cybernews says "the data is recent, not merely recycled from old breaches," but others disagree. "It's really hard to track the providence of all of it," Falzon said, because some hackers package data together from several leaks to resell. The only way to figure out how new it is would be to obtain other leaks and cross compare the data. Why is it worrisome? 'If hackers manage to get their hands on your password for Google, Apple, or Facebook, stealing your money and identity may be easier than taking candy from a three-year-old," Ignas Valancius, head of engineering at cybersecurity company NordPass, said in a press release. That's because hackers use the logins they obtain for credential stuffing — a practice where criminals get access to accounts by inputting stolen login information into websites. If you reuse your passwords across several websites or services, it may mean a hacker can get into your bank account and steal money, your favourite retailer accounts and drain you of your loyalty points or even find your address and birthday and use it for identity theft, Falzon said. How can I find out if my data was in the breach? Figuring out if you've been a victim of the breach would take obtaining the data and searching through it for your credentials. Because only an "extreme minority" of people have never been breached in general, Falzon said you're always best off assuming your info is part of the leak. What can Canadians do to protect themselves? Cybersecurity experts are unanimous in advising people to change their passwords regularly, especially after leaks to avoid becoming the victim of credential stuffing. But long before a breach happens, they say there are several things people can do to protect themselves. The most obvious is varying your passwords and avoiding reusing them. When you recycle passwords across several websites or services or make them easy to guess, it means hackers won't have much of a struggle accessing many of your accounts. Multifactor authentication can also offer a layer of security. When someone attempts to login to an account, it forces them to enter a code sent by email or text before they can get access. The process helps users thwart hacking attempts. I have so many accounts to keep track of and changing my passwords with every breach is making it hard to remember them all. What can I do? Some cybersecurity experts are fans of password managers. These services create strong, unique passwords for each account you have. Then, the manager stores them in an encrypted account you can quickly access anytime you need to enter a password. However, other experts argue password managers can have varying levels of encryption and warn that if the one you are using is breached, all of your passwords may be vulnerable. So what else can I do? Many experts advise people to use passkeys, when possible. Passkeys are digital credentials able to unlock accounts with a mere flash of your face or fingerprint scan on your phone. They are considered to be more secure than passwords because there is no string of characters, numbers and symbols to memorize, making them harder to hack. They don't need to be changed, can't be stolen by someone guessing or peeking over your shoulder and there's no way to accidentally use one on the wrong website. Not all websites and services accept passkeys but several big players like Apple, Shopify, Microsoft, DocuSign and PayPal do. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
Hamilton Spectator
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Raptors NBA draft: Kasparas Jakucionis seen as a ‘safe' pick if Toronto keeps its No. 9 selection
This is the 10th and final part in a series on prospects who could be drafted at No. 9 by the Raptors on June 25. One of the difficulties of nailing NBA draft picks is the lack of experience each teenage selection has limits the information available. A season, maybe two, at an American college hardly provides a long and detailed baseline, leaving teams to work mainly off their own projections. It's not the case with guard Kasparas Jakucioni s, who brings more experience to the process than anyone else touted as a Top 10 selection. Kasparas Jakucionis boasts an impressive combination of size (6'6"), toughness, pace, feel for the game, playmaking, and shot-making prowess. He's an outstanding pick-and-roll player who plays an intelligent and unselfish style, helping him transition from Europe to college. The just-turned 19-year-old has been in the Lithuanian national program, one of the best in the world. He spent two seasons with the vaunted Barcelona program, both in the junior development system and graduating to the EuroLeague senior team and the prestigious Spanish league. And for a taste of the style of play in North America, he's coming off a good year as the point guard at Illinois where he averaged 15.0 points, 4.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds on 44.0 per cent field goal shooting . It's an impressive resume for a youngster sure to be on Toronto's radar heading into Wednesday's NBA draft. 'I like to go to challenges,' Jakucionis told ESPN during the run-up to the draft. 'That's why I moved to Barcelona when I just turned 15 because I thought that it would help me grow a lot more as a basketball player and as a person.' The time at Barcelona gave him a solid grounding in what expectations will come at the NBA level after working with Spanish league stars who have first-hand knowledge. 'Just the experience of working out with pros … Ricky Rubio, Jabari Parker — a lot of ex-NBA guys who were on my team. Just getting advice from them and being with them every day just makes you better overall. You can ask them questions, so you can improve a lot more.' Jakucionis has said. The six-foot-five guard, a teammate of Kitchener's draft-destined Will Riley at Illinois , has a wealth of experience. Comparatively, that makes him one of the more well-rounded players in the top echelon of draft-eligible players. Scouts see him as combo guard, comfortable running a team or playing off the ball. He's considered a creative player, a top-level passer who is a multiple-threat. That may also been his downfall, though. The 200-pounder is good but not great at anything and whether he'll grow into a top-level NBA starter is debatable. He fought an arm injury for most of his one season at Illinois and wasn't a great shooter — just 32 per cent from three-point range — and he has problems with turnovers, although they were chalked up to his over-creative style that NBA teams will temper. Mock drafts , for what they're worth, have Jakucionis right in the thick of consideration for Toronto and the ninth pick. Whether the Raptors need another backcourt youngster who figures to be a backup to start his career is open to debate but with so much chatter churning about possible deals, taking Jakuciounis can't be totally discounted. If some other transaction is going to rob Toronto some of its youth and depth, or if the No. 9 selection is in play in trade talks with teams that need backcourt players, Jakucionis might make sense. What he is, according to reports about him, is a somewhat 'safe' pick, not overly athletic, not particularly blazingly quick or impressively strong. But he's good, no question. And No. 9 picks aren't generally considered automatic starters or contributors and if the Raptors want to continue stockpile talented assets and seeing which one pops, there's a case made for him. There is also a chance the team that takes Jakucionis will get an even more experienced rookie. He's going to get consideration to play for Lithuania at the late-summer EuroBasket because he's so highly-touted by the program. 'I firmly believe Kasparas is the most talented perimeter player and the second most talented guy overall we've had only behind Matas Buzelis,' said Augustas Suliauskas, an analyst with the website BasketNews. 'I even think Jakucionis is the best guard prospect we've had since both Sarunas — Marciulionis and Jasikevicius. Two big names, but I expect huge things from Kasparas.' The NBA Finals winding up, the draft coming next week, free agency in the near future, the start of the FIBA senior season and the rest of the sports world ticking along. Lots of fodder for Ye Olde Mailbag so send along any questions to askdoug@ . Our series on potential picks for the Raptors in the June draft. The ship has sailed Cooper Flagg Dylan Harper VJ Edgecombe Could they fall? Khaman Maluach Tre Johnson Kon Knueppel In the range Derik Queen Collin Murray-Boyles Noa Essengue Canadian content Will Riley
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- General
- Toronto Sun
Hunters refuse Lithuania government request to shoot wild bear in capital
There is only a tiny number of the protected species in the entire country Published Jun 19, 2025 • Last updated 5 minutes ago • 2 minute read A bear is recorded by a hunters' camera in the Pabrade forests calmly feasting on animal baits in Pabrade, Lithuania, Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Photo by Paulius Peciulis / AP WARSAW, Poland — A young female bear caused a stir after wandering out of the forest and into the leafy suburbs of the Lithuanian capital. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account For two days, the brown bear ambled through the neighborhoods of Vilnius, trotted across highways and explored backyards — all while being chased by onlookers with smartphones and, eventually, drones. The government then issued a permit for the bear to be shot and killed. That did not go down well with Lithuania's hunters who refused, aware that there is only a tiny number of the protected species in the entire country. The Lithuanian Association of Hunters and Fishermen said it was shocked by the government order. The association's administrator, Ramutė Juknytė, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the bear was a beautiful young female who was about 2 years old and did not deserve to be shot. 'She was scared but not aggressive. She just didn't know how to escape the city but she didn't do anything bad,' he said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The organization tracks the movements of bears. It believes there is only five to 10 bears in the Baltic nation, but does not have a precise number. The drama began on Saturday when the bear entered the capital. It was the first time in many years that a bear had entered the city and it became a national story. The animal came within about 4-5 kilometers (about 2-3 miles) of the city center. Since causing a stir with their permit to kill the bear, Lithuanian authorities have been on the defensive. Deputy Environment Minister Ramūnas Krugelis said that a kill permit was issued purely as a precaution in case the bear posed a threat, according to a report by the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT. The hunters proposed a more humane approach: sedation, tracking and relocation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As the debate over the bear's fate unfolded, she took matters into her own paws and wandered out of the city. Juknytė said that the bear was recorded by a camera on Wednesday, peacefully wandering through a forest some 60 kilometers (40 miles) from Vilnius while munching on corn. Brown bears are native to the region and were once common. They were wiped out in Lithuania in the 19th century due to hunting and habitat loss. In recent years they have started reappearing in small numbers, typically wandering in from neighboring countries like Latvia and Belarus, where small bear populations still exist. Bears are protected under Lithuanian and EU law as they are considered a rare and vulnerable species in the region. NHL Soccer Columnists Sunshine Girls Canada
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
A wild bear enters Lithuania's capital. Hunters refuse a government request to shoot the animal
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A young female bear caused a stir after wandering out of the forest and into the leafy suburbs of the Lithuanian capital. For two days, the brown bear ambled through the neighborhoods of Vilnius, trotted across highways and explored backyards — all while being chased by onlookers with smartphones and, eventually, drones. The government then issued a permit for the bear to be shot and killed. That did not go down well with Lithuania's hunters who refused, aware that there is only a tiny number of the protected species in the entire country. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Lithuanian Association of Hunters and Fishermen said it was shocked by the government order. The association's administrator, Ramutė Juknytė, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the bear was a beautiful young female who was about 2 years old and did not deserve to be shot. 'She was scared but not aggressive. She just didn't know how to escape the city but she didn't do anything bad,' he said. The organization tracks the movements of bears. It believes there is only five to 10 bears in the Baltic nation, but does not have a precise number. The drama began on Saturday when the bear entered the capital. It was the first time in many years that a bear had entered the city and it became a national story. The animal came within about 4-5 kilometers (about 2-3 miles) of the city center. Since causing a stir with their permit to kill the bear, Lithuanian authorities have been on the defensive. Deputy Environment Minister Ramūnas Krugelis said that a kill permit was issued purely as a precaution in case the bear posed a threat, according to a report by the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The hunters proposed a more humane approach: sedation, tracking and relocation. As the debate over the bear's fate unfolded, she took matters into her own paws and wandered out of the city. Juknytė said that the bear was recorded by a camera on Wednesday, peacefully wandering through a forest some 60 kilometers (40 miles) from Vilnius while munching on corn. Brown bears are native to the region and were once common. They were wiped out in Lithuania in the 19th century due to hunting and habitat loss. In recent years they have started reappearing in small numbers, typically wandering in from neighboring countries like Latvia and Belarus, where small bear populations still exist. Bears are protected under Lithuanian and EU law as they are considered a rare and vulnerable species in the region.
