Aflac says cyberattack breach could expose personal data of customers
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — A group of cybercriminals hacked into data systems at insurance company Aflac, possibly gaining access to sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and health reports, the company said on Friday.
Aflac, which boasts millions of customers, “identified suspicious activity” and “stopped the intrusion within hours,” the company said.
The company attributed the attack to a “sophisticated cybercrime group” but did not identify the organization.
The cyberattack marks the latest in a string of data breaches targeting insurance companies, including attacks earlier this month against Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Erie Insurance.
“This attack, like many insurance companies are currently experiencing, was caused by a sophisticated cybercrime group. This was part of a cybercrime campaign against the insurance industry,” Aflac said in a statement. The company has opened an investigation into the cyberattack, saying initial findings indicate the cybercriminals deployed “social engineering tactics” or measures that rely on manipulation to gain network access.
Information tied to customers’ insurance claims and personal data may also have been breached in the cyberattack, Aflac said.
“We regret that this incident occurred,” Aflac said. “We will be working to keep our stakeholders informed as we learn more and continue investigating the incident.”
Aflac generated nearly $19 billion in revenue last year, which marked a 1.2% increase over the previous year, according to an earnings release.
Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
(LONDON) — The Nintendo Switch 2 is off to a turbo-charged start, thanks to a little help from Mario and his friends in Mario Kart World, smashing its own sales record by becoming the fastest selling Nintendo game system ever with more than 3.5 million units sold in just four days.
Nintendo sold an estimated 2.7 million units of the original Nintendo Switch in its first month when it launched in March 2017, but have now managed to move over 3.5 million units in just 96 hours, an almost 30% increase in sales in a much shorter period, the company said.
The Japanese company released the latest sales numbers on Wednesday and are aiming to sell 15 million units by March next year, putting them on track to meet or exceed expectations in the coming weeks and months. “Fans around the world are showing their enthusiasm for Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded way to play at home and on the go,” said Nintendo of America President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Bowser. “We are thankful for their response and happy to see the fun they are already having with Nintendo Switch 2 as they explore new features and games that bring friends and family together in new ways.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the next generation console for the company, its first new system release in eight years, and features a larger screen capable of full 1080p high-definition display, a faster processor that allows for enhanced graphics and performance, as well as redesigned magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers with mouse functionality, Nintendo said. The system also debuts the new GameChat2 feature where players can voice or video chat and share game screens with friends online.
“You’ll probably see a first batch of people who can’t live without it,” van Dreunen said. “If you’re a die-hard [Switch] fan, it’s like standing in line for the new Harry Potter book or movie,” Joost van Dreunen, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and writer of the SuperJoost Playlist, a games industry-focused newsletter, told ABC News last week.
“Nintendo is making a carefully calculated bet with the Switch 2 that will pay off,” van Dreunen continued. “While some might have hoped for a more revolutionary device, Nintendo’s evolutionary approach shows deep market understanding … The console’s focus on accessible and social gaming — rather than competing with Microsoft and Sony on technical specs — underscores Nintendo’s commitment to shared experiences for all ages.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 system launched alongside the first brand new Mario Kart game in 11 years called Mario Kart World, featuring an interconnected world where you can drive virtually anywhere with dynamic weather conditions, new game modes and up to 24 drivers at once — the most in the 33-year-old series history.
Nintendo is hoping to build a base, as well as excitement for its new system, ahead of next month’s launch of a new 3D platforming game starring Donkey Kong called Donkey Kong Bananza, which Nintendo says will let players “unleash their inner Kong as they smash and bash their way through a wild, mayhem-packed action adventure.”
After its global launch last Thursday, Nintendo Switch 2 is now available for the retail price of $449.99, and is also available as a bundle with a digital download of “Mario Kart World” for $499.99.
(NEW YORK) — Alphabet’s Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, according to a federal judge.
Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia said in a ruling Thursday that Google had broken the law to build its dominance over the largely invisible system of technology that places advertisements on pages across the web.
“Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” the judge wrote in his ruling. “For over a decade, Google has tied its publisher ad server and ad exchange together through contractual policies and technological integration, which enabled the company to establish and protect its monopoly power in these two markets.”
The Department of Justice had sued Alphabet claiming Google had a monopoly in ad technology that allowed the company to charge higher prices and take a bigger portion of each sale. The Justice Department has said Google should have to sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company’s publisher ad server and its ad exchange.
“We won half of this case and we will appeal the other half,” Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president for regulatory affairs, said in a statement. “The Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition. We disagree with the Court’s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective.”
ABC News has reached out to Alphabet for comment.
Google is now facing the possibility of two different U.S. courts ordering it to sell assets or change its business practices. A trial will be held this April in Washington on the DOJ’s request to make Google sell its Chrome browser and take other measures to end its dominance in online search.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Stocks tumbled in early trading on Friday after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs targeting tech giant Apple and the European Union.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 458 points, or 1.1%, while the S&P 500 declined 1.2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 1.6%.
Shares of Apple fell nearly 3% at the open of trading. European stocks also declined on Friday, as the STOXX Europe 600 index fell nearly 2%.
In a social media post, Trump urged Apple to manufacture iPhones in the U.S., criticizing the company for plans to shift some production to India in an effort to avoid tariffs slapped on China. If Apple fails to shift iPhone manufacturing to the U.S., Trump said, the company would face a 25% tariff.
Minutes later, Trump issued a social media post slamming the European Union over a trade posture that he described as “very difficult to deal with.” In response,Trump said he is “recommending” a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union to begin on June 1.
The market dip erased some gains made in recent weeks as Trump rolled back levies.
Trump last month exempted phones, computers and chips from so-called “reciprocal tariffs” imposed on China-made goods, which at that time amounted to a 125% levy. The move also excluded such products from a 10% across-the-board tariff imposed on nearly all imports.
Last week, Trump temporarily slashed the reciprocal tariffs on China from 125% to 10% as the U.S. and China hold trade negotiations. China still faces 20% tariffs over its role in the fentanyl trade, bringing total levies on Chinese goods to 30%.
The U.S.-China agreement marked the latest softening of Trump’s levies, coming weeks after the White House paused far-reaching “reciprocal tariffs” on dozens of countries. Trump also eased sector-specific tariffs targeting autos, and rolled back duties on some goods from Mexico and Canada.
An array of tariffs remain in place, however, including an across-the-board 10% levy that applies to imports from nearly all countries. Additional tariffs have hit auto parts, as well as steel and aluminum.
Consumers face the highest overall average effective tariff rate since 1934, the Yale Budget Lab found earlier this month.
A growing set of major retailers have warned of possible tariff-driven price hikes, including Nike, Target, Walmart and Best Buy.
