ESXiArgs is ransomware that encrypts VMware ESXi virtual machines and demands payments via cryptocurrency. The attackers reveal the infection with a ransom message demanding payment. Here’s a typical example of a ransom: Security Alert!!!We hacked your company successfully All...

The Windows Management Instrumentation Command-Line Utility (WMIC) is a simple tool that allows users to manage their Windows operating system.It runs through the Command Prompt and can access information from Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART), a monitoring system...

Hard drive crashes remain a leading cause of data loss, and while solid-state drives (SSDs) offer better performance and (arguably) better reliability, they’re still a single point of failure.  If an HDD or SSD fails, you lose data — unless...

If you’ve got a large number of U-Matic cassettes, digitization is essential. Like all analog formats, Sony U-Matic tapes degrade over time. Oxidation, which reduces the quality of recorded images and audio, can set in within a few years, though...

Hard drives contain actuator heads that float just above the surface of the platters (discs coated in magnetic material that stores data).  When the actuator heads fail, data is inaccessible — and in many cases, the heads need to be...

If you’re investing in cryptocurrencies, you actually need to be able to access your assets in order to trade them. To that end, you can either store your crypto on your computer in a wallet or use a cryptocurrency exchange....

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major cryptocurrencies seem to be bouncing back from the “crypto winter” bear market.  At the time of writing, 1 bitcoin (BTC) was valued at around $21,290, a dramatic increase from its recent low of $15,760 on...

In March 2022, we posted a detailed breakdown of a 2-terabyte (TB) flash drive available on Amazon for about $40. The drive was a scam, as its actual storage capacity was much lower. While large-capacity flash drives exist, they’re...

Cryptocurrencies use seed phrases, also called recovery phrases, as a sort of master password. If you have the seed phrase, you can restore your crypto assets even if you’ve lost access to your wallet — so if your hard drive...

Following the invasion of Ukraine, activist group Anonymous organized numerous cyberattacks against the Russian Federation. The group’s “Operation Russia” redefined civilian cyberwarfare — and made plenty of headlines along the way.  Some of the attacks have exposed surprising weaknesses in...