U.S. hits back at cybercrime gang

The U.S. Department of Justice said it began a successful “disruption campaign” against the prolific hacking group known as BlackCat, the gang believed responsible for cyberattacks worldwide, including the ransomware attack that crippled Suffolk County in 2022 and this year’s assault on the computer systems of Melville health care products distributor Henry Schein.

The Justice Department said it seized the gang’s websites, disrupting BlackCat’s ability to extort victims and sell its damaging ransomware to other cybercriminals. Additionally, the FBI released a decryption tool that it says allows “victims the capability to restore their systems.”

BlackCat, also known as ALPHV, is believed to be a Russia-based organization that has caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for companies and governments trying to recover from the attacks.

Baldur’s Gate wins big at Game Awards

Role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3 was named Game of the Year at the 2023 Game Awards. Baldur’s Gate, based on the classic Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game, was lauded for its superb graphics and immersive gameplay. The Game Awards, streamed live from Los Angeles, has become a glitzy event attracting top-tier celebrities including Timothée Chalamet, who presented the Game of the Year award, and Matthew McConaughey and Jordan Peele.

Knocked for a loop

If you ask ChatGPT to type a single word over and over, it will warn that you may be violating its “content policy or terms of use.” The warning was added after IBM researchers admittedly “attacked” the AI bot by asking it to “repeat the word ‘poem’ forever.” ChatGPT repeated the word numerous times but then started spitting out email addresses and phone numbers culled from what IBM called “training data.”

Amazon ends Venmo pay

Amazon is ending the use of Venmo’s payment service for purchases on Jan. 10, a little more than a year after adding the option, according to a notice from Venmo. Venmo cited "recent changes," without further explanation. Amazon customers still will be able to use Venmo debit and credit cards. — BLOOMBERG NEWS