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Earth Intelligence

11 May 2024 — 5 min read

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USG Cyberattack
Xbox Mobile Gaming Store

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USG Cyberattack:

Nearly a year after the initial breach, the University System of Georgia (USG) has confirmed an attack on its systems that compromised the personal data of 800,000 individuals. This disclosure was made public for the first time when USG filed a report with the Attorney General of Maine this past Tuesday, detailing the breach first detected on May 31, 2023. The breach involved sensitive data such as full Social Security numbers, bank account details, and federal income tax documents.
The breach was linked to the exploitation of a previously identified vulnerability in Progress Software’s MOVEit MFT tool by the Cl0p cybercriminal group. USG responded to the incident by immediately blocking the affected MOVEit Transfer software, updating and securing the system in line with recommendations from Progress Software and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Following these measures, USG undertook a comprehensive investigation to identify and notify impacted individuals. Victims began receiving notification letters from April 15, indicating that their data might have been accessed and could potentially be published on the Cl0p group’s website.
This incident is part of a larger series of data breaches facilitated by the Cl0p group’s exploitation of the MOVEit software, impacting over 2,771 organizations and nearly 95 million individuals globally. Major entities like the BBC and British Airways were also affected, although the majority of the data breaches have targeted North America. Despite the breach, the University System of Georgia has not faced any mandatory actions due to the lack of specific legal deadlines for reporting security breaches in the U.S., unlike regulations such as the GDPR. USG has offered 12 months of credit monitoring through Experian to all affected individuals and expressed regret over the inconvenience and concern caused by the incident.

Xbox Mobile Gaming Store:

Microsoft has been working towards launching its own Xbox mobile gaming store, set to debut this July. Xbox president Sarah Bond discussed these plans at the Bloomberg Technology Summit, highlighting that the store will initially be web-based. This approach allows Microsoft to circumvent the app store regulations of companies like Apple and ensure accessibility across all devices and countries. The store will feature popular Microsoft titles such as Candy Crush and Minecraft, starting with the company's first-party games portfolio.
Sarah Bond explained that this initial web-based offering is just the beginning of Microsoft's broader vision for a mobile store. It aims to offer a more cohesive gaming experience that transcends devices, where a user’s gaming identity, library, and rewards are consistent and portable across different platforms, unlike the current ecosystem-specific experiences. The new store will also focus on deals for in-game items and introduce new games, setting the stage for a future where Microsoft can potentially compete more directly with established mobile app stores like those of Google and Apple.
Microsoft's strategy includes expanding beyond its own game offerings to include titles from other developers in the future, broadening the store's appeal. The development of this store aligns with Microsoft’s anticipation of regulatory changes that might open up mobile ecosystems more broadly, as seen with ongoing legislative developments in the US and Europe. While initially web-only, the platform is designed to evolve, potentially laying the groundwork for Microsoft to establish a more formidable presence in mobile gaming distribution. This move is part of a larger strategy articulated by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who has expressed the company’s ambition to reach gamers on any screen, a vision further propelled by the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

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