Telegram has become profitable for the first time in three years after the introduction of monetization. Pavel Durov has released a long post about the latest successes.
This year, the number of Telegram Premium subscribers has tripled to 12 million. The total revenue for the year exceeded $1 billion.
There is still $500 million in reserve and additional crypto assets. Congratulations.

The guy lost $500k in cryptocurrency due to a Gmail account theft. Hackers convinced him to go through a fake recovery procedure after the "hack" and actually hacked it.
Along with the Gmail account, the attackers gained access to Google Photos. The guy had a seed phrase from a crypto wallet stored there.
+1 argument not to store a seed phrase in the cloud.

OpenAI has announced o3 - their most advanced model yet. Key points:
- Writes working code 1.5 times more efficiently than o1;
- Easily solves PhD-level math problems;
- Passed a logical benchmark that no neural network has passed before.
They will not be opening access right now. They are currently only accepting applications for security tests. Along with o3, a lighter version, o3-mini, will be released.

The new large language model from the Cotype family by MTS AI outperformed GPT4o in understanding Russian texts. The release was mentioned at the Investor Day by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of MTS, Vyacheslav Nikolaev. The neural network will assist in customer support and other scenarios.
In the performance test ranking, GPT4o took first place, but in several benchmarks, it was surpassed by Cotype. Specifically - in general knowledge about the world, understanding of Russian texts, logic, and reasoning.
Cotype has an API built in and is easy to integrate into any software. The model will enter the market in the first half of 2025.

The Nvidia application kills performance in games. Frame rate can drop to 15%.
The most affected games by the running application are those on the Unreal Engine 5, as well as Baldur's Gate 3 and Assassin's Creed Mirage. You can lose up to 20 FPS.
To solve the issue, Nvidia advises disabling "Game Filters and Photo Mode" in the settings.

Unreleased Michael Jackson songs have been unexpectedly found in a warehouse in California.
There are enough tracks for a whole album. On the cassettes are 15 songs, with 12 of them fully ready for release.
The warehouse was previously owned by Jackson's producer, but it was bought out by a policeman who stumbled upon a box of recordings by accident. Now he wants to sell them at auction.

What is QwakMyAgent?

QwakMyAgent is a PowerShell script that is a previously unknown custom module agent for Mythic. When executed, this script sends information about the infected system, periodically receives and processes commands from the server.


The initial infection vector was not detected. It is known that after compromising host systems, attackers established connections with hosts through the WinRM service and executed HTA scripts available via URL links using the system utility mshta.exe.


Experts warn of the possibility of using QwakMyAgent to conduct large-scale cyber attacks on enterprises of any size. To protect against such threats, it is necessary to ensure timely updating of security measures and network security monitoring.

Characteristics of the QwakMyAgent agent:



  • A new Mythic agent that uses PowerShell for its operation.

  • Sends information about the infected system to malicious actors.

  • Receives and executes commands from a remote server.

  • The exact method of agent distribution is unknown.


F.A.C.C.T. company recommends all PowerShell users to take additional security measures to prevent possible infection by the QwakMyAgent agent. It is recommended to use only official and verified script sources, as well as regularly update antivirus databases and software.


Be vigilant and protect your data from cyber threats!

What is the difference between VPS, VDS, and RDP?

In the world of server virtualization, there are several popular technologies such as VPS (Virtual Private Server), VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server), and RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). While they all provide the ability to remotely manage a server, they have their own features and differences.


VPS (Virtual Private Server)


A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a virtualized instance of a server that runs on a shared physical server. Each VPS has its own operating system, resources, and configuration. VPS is typically used for hosting websites, applications, and other services. The user accesses the VPS through SSH or RDP (depending on the operating system).


Example command for connecting to VPS via SSH:


ssh username@hostname

  • Has its dedicated resources

  • More flexible and customizable

  • Can be managed through SSH


VDS (Virtual Dedicated Server)


A Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) is a more powerful and performance-oriented variant of a virtualized server. VDS also runs on a shared physical server but allocates more computational resources and memory for each instance. This makes VDS more suitable for larger projects and applications.


Example command for managing VDS via RDP:


mstsc

  • Allocates more computational resources

  • Suitable for large projects

  • Managed through RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol)


RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol)


Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a remote management protocol that allows a user to connect to a remote computer or server and control it through a graphical interface. RDP is commonly used for remote access to Windows servers.


Example command for connecting to a remote server via RDP:


mstsc /v:hostname

  • Managed through a graphical interface

  • Suitable for Windows servers


So, VPS, VDS, and RDP are different server virtualization technologies, each with its own features and advantages. The choice between them depends on the specific needs of the project and the level of management required by the user.

"What should be done when first connecting to a VPS?"

Connecting to a VPS (Virtual Private Server) is the first step in working with a remote server where you will host your projects. Initial server setup upon the first connection is crucial to ensure the security and efficient operation of your project. In this article, we will discuss the basic steps to take when connecting to a VPS for the first time.


1. Updating the System:


The first step after connecting to a VPS is to update all system packages to the latest versions. Use the following commands to do this:


sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

2. Security Configuration:


To ensure server security, you should take the following steps:



  • Change the SSH port for server connection;

  • Create a new user with admin rights and disable root user access;

  • Configure a firewall to block unnecessary ports;

  • Install and configure Fail2Ban to protect against service attacks.


3. Installing Necessary Software:


Additional software installation may be required to work with your project. For example, for the Apache web server:


sudo apt install apache2

4. Setting Up a Domain Name:


If you plan to use your VPS for hosting a website, you should set up a domain name. Specify the server's IP address in the domain settings with the registrar.


After completing all of these steps, your VPS will be ready to work with your projects. Remember that security and regular system updates play an important role in maintaining the stability and security of server operation.

How to connect to a VPS server?

Virtual Private Servers (VPS) have become one of the most popular hosting solutions for websites and applications. They provide users with the ability to have full control over their server without making significant investments in hardware.


To connect to a VPS server, several steps need to be taken.


Step 1: Accessing the VPS Server


The first step is to access the VPS server via SSH (Secure Shell). You will need the server's IP address, username, and password. An example command to connect to the server:


ssh username@ip_address

Step 2: Entering the Password


After entering the command to connect to the server, the system will prompt you to enter the password. Upon successful password entry, you will be connected to the VPS server.


Step 3: Managing the Server


Now you have full access to the server and can manage it as you see fit. You can install applications, configure settings, and much more.


Connecting to a VPS server via SSH allows you to work with the server remotely and securely, as long as you have internet access. This method is the most secure way to manage a server.


In conclusion, connecting to a VPS server is relatively simple but requires some command line skills. However, once you understand the basic SSH commands, you will be able to easily manage your server and deploy applications on it.