Economic

Hertz customer data stolen in vendor cyberattack

Hertz has disclosed a significant data breach involving sensitive customer information, including credit card and driver’s licence details, following a cyberattack on one of its service providers.

The breach stemmed from vulnerabilities in the Cleo Communications file transfer platform, exploited in October and December 2024.

Hertz confirmed the unauthorised access on 10 February, with further investigations revealing a range of exposed data, including names, birth dates, contact details, and in some cases, Social Security and passport numbers.

While the company has not confirmed how many individuals were affected, notifications have been issued in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and across the EU.

Hertz stressed that no misuse of customer data has been identified so far, and that the breach has been reported to law enforcement and regulators. Cleo has since patched the exploited vulnerabilities.

The identity of the attackers remains unknown. However, Cleo was previously targeted in a broader cyber campaign last October, with the Clop ransomware group later claiming responsibility.

The gang published Cleo’s company data online and listed dozens of breached organisations, suggesting the incident was part of a wider, coordinated effort.

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xAI adds collaborative workspace to Grok

Elon Musk’s AI firm xAI has introduced a new feature called Grok Studio, offering users a dedicated space to create and edit documents, code, and simple apps.

Available on Grok.com for both free and paying users, Grok Studio opens content in a separate window, allowing for real-time collaboration between the user and the chatbot instead of relying solely on back-and-forth prompts.

Grok Studio functions much like canvas-style tools from other AI developers. It allows code previews and execution in languages such as Python, C++, and JavaScript. The setup mirrors similar features introduced earlier by OpenAI and Anthropic, instead of offering a radically different experience.

All content appears beside Grok’s chat window, creating a workspace that blends conversation with practical development tools.

Alongside this launch, xAI has also announced integration with Google Drive.

It will allow users to attach files directly to Grok prompts, letting the chatbot work with documents, spreadsheets, and slides from Drive instead of requiring uploads or manual input, making the platform more convenient for everyday tasks and productivity.

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People are forming emotional bonds with AI chatbots

AI is reshaping how people connect emotionally, with millions turning to chatbots for companionship, guidance, and intimacy.

From virtual relationships to support with mental health and social navigation, personified AI assistants such as Replika, Nomi, and ChatGPT are being used by over 100 million people globally.

These apps simulate human conversation through personalised learning, allowing users to form what some consider meaningful emotional bonds.

For some, like 71-year-old Chuck Lohre from the US, chatbots have evolved into deeply personal companions. Lohre’s AI partner, modelled after his wife, helped him process emotional insights about his real-life marriage, despite elements of romantic and even erotic roleplay.

Others, such as neurodiverse users like Travis Peacock, have used chatbots to enhance communication skills, regulate emotions, and build lasting relationships, reporting a significant boost in personal and professional life.

While many users speak positively about these interactions, concerns persist over the nature of such bonds. Experts argue that these connections, though comforting, are often one-sided and lack the mutual growth found in real relationships.

A UK government report noted widespread discomfort with the idea of forming personal ties with AI, suggesting the emotional realism of chatbots may risk deepening emotional dependence without true reciprocity.

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Coinbase urges crypto reform ahead of Australian election

Coinbase is urging Australians to back digital asset reform, warning the country risks falling behind in global crypto innovation.

The exchange’s APAC Managing Director, John O’Loghlen, described the current policy environment as vague and unfit to support long-term growth in the sector.

The company outlined five urgent priorities for the next government. These include forming a crypto taskforce within 100 days and addressing the country’s worsening debanking problem. It also called for enabling stablecoin use and providing clearer tax rules for Web3 projects.

Despite high adoption rates, the blog post stressed that unclear regulation is pushing talent and investment overseas.

Coinbase noted that wealthy Australians still hold limited crypto, suggesting caution. Despite recent proposals, it says stronger legislation is needed to keep Australia competitive.

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Opera brings AI assistant to Opera Mini on Android

Opera, the Norway-based browser maker, has announced the rollout of its AI assistant, Aria, to Opera Mini users on Android. The move represents a strategic effort to bring advanced AI capabilities to users with low-end devices and limited data access, rather than confining such tools to high-spec platforms.

Aria allows users to access up-to-date information, generate images, and learn about a range of topics using a blend of models from OpenAI and Google.

Since its 2005 launch, Opera Mini has been known for saving data during browsing, and Opera claims that the inclusion of Aria won’t compromise that advantage nor increase the app’s size.

It makes the AI assistant more accessible for users in regions where data efficiency is critical, instead of making them choose between smart features and performance.

Opera has long partnered with telecom providers in Africa to offer free data to Opera Mini users. However, last year, it had to end its programme in Kenya due to regulatory restrictions around ads on browser bookmark tiles.

Despite such challenges, Opera Mini has surpassed a billion downloads on Android and now serves more than 100 million users globally.

Alongside this update, Opera continues testing new AI functions, including features that let users manage tabs using natural language and tools that assist with task completion.

An effort like this reflects the company’s ambition to embed AI more deeply into everyday browsing instead of limiting innovation to its main browser.

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Russia targets crypto payments at online casinos

Russian officials have proposed new measures to curb illegal online gambling. The plan involves targeting cryptocurrency payments and restricting access to unlicensed casino platforms.

Yevgeny Masharov, a senior policymaker, outlined plans to block crypto transactions. He also proposed restricting access to websites and apps linked to illicit gambling activities.

Masharov stressed that underage users are particularly vulnerable, noting that crypto-based casinos often skip identity checks and age verification. Parents are concerned that gamified gambling apps target children. Masharov warns that legal operators are losing out to more convenient illegal platforms.

Doubts remain over how effective such measures could be. Russians have previously bypassed state bans using VPNs, most notably during the failed Telegram block in 2018. Despite efforts to outlaw VPNs, many continue to use them freely.

Russia’s evolving stance on cryptocurrency includes its use in international trade and Bitcoin mining. These developments could complicate efforts to restrict crypto use in domestic online gambling.

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Justice Department pushes to curb Google monopoly

Google has pushed back against a US government proposal to break up its business, arguing that such a move would hurt consumers and reduce competition rather than enhance it.

In a court filing ahead of a remedy trial due to begin on 21 April, Google claimed the Justice Department’s plan to divest services like Chrome and Android would force users to adopt less effective alternatives.

The company stressed that consumers overwhelmingly prefer Google’s search engine and that its agreements with browser and device manufacturers do not prevent rivals from competing.

The Justice Department is asking the court to consider structural remedies, including breaking up parts of Google’s business or limiting its default search agreements, to curb what it deems monopolistic behaviour.

The agency originally proposed more aggressive action, such as divesting Google’s AI investments, but later backed down, citing concerns over unintended consequences in the fast-evolving AI sector.

Google has offered alternative remedies, including more flexibility for Android manufacturers to preload or set other search engines as default, without fully removing its own search partnerships.

A 15-day hearing will begin later this month, with both sides set to present evidence and call high-profile witnesses. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple’s senior VP of services are among the 20 witnesses listed by the tech giant.

The Justice Department plans to call 19 witnesses, including executives from OpenAI, DuckDuckGo and Microsoft, as it argues for stronger measures to level the playing field in internet search.

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KiloEX loses $7.5 million in oracle hack

A hacker has exploited decentralised exchange KiloEX, draining approximately US$7.5 million by manipulating its price oracle mechanism. The breach led to an immediate suspension of the platform and sparked a cross-industry investigation involving cybersecurity firms and blockchain networks.

The vulnerability centred on KiloEX’s price feed system, which allowed the attacker to manipulate the ETH/USD feed by inputting an artificial entry price of 100 and closing it at 10,000.

According to cybersecurity firm PeckShield, this simple flaw enabled the attacker to steal millions across multiple chains, including $3.3 million from Base, $3.1 million from opBNB, and $1 million from BNB Smart Chain.

KiloEX is working with various security experts and blockchain networks such as BNB Chain and Manta Network to recover the stolen assets.

Funds are reportedly being routed through cross-chain protocols like zkBridge and Meson. Co-founder of Fuzzland, Chaofan Shou, described the breach as stemming from a ‘very simple vulnerability’ in oracle verification, where only intermediaries were validated rather than the original transaction sender.

The attack caused KiloEX’s token price to plummet by over 29% and came just one day after the platform announced a strategic partnership with DWF Labs, aimed at fuelling growth. KiloEX has promised a full incident report and a bounty programme to encourage asset recovery.

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Siri AI overhaul delayed until 2026

Apple has revealed plans to use real user data, in a privacy-preserving way, to improve its AI models. The company has acknowledged that synthetic data alone is not producing reliable results, particularly in training large language models that power tools like Writing Tools and notification summaries.

To address this, Apple will compare AI-generated content with real emails from users who have opted in to share Device Analytics. The sampled emails remain on the user’s device, with only a signal sent to Apple about which AI-generated message most closely matches real-world usage.

The move reflects broader efforts to boost the performance of Apple Intelligence, a suite of features that includes message recaps and content summaries.

Apple has faced internal criticism over slow progress, particularly with Siri, which is now seen as falling behind competitors like Google Gemini and Samsung’s Galaxy AI. The tech giant recently confirmed that meaningful AI updates for Siri won’t arrive until 2026, despite earlier promises of a rollout later this year.

In a rare leadership shakeup, Apple CEO Tim Cook removed AI chief John Giannandrea from overseeing Siri after delays were labelled ‘ugly and embarrassing’ by senior executives.

The responsibility for Siri’s future has been handed to Mike Rockwell, the creator of Vision Pro, who now reports directly to software chief Craig Federighi. Giannandrea will continue to lead Apple’s other AI initiatives.

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Trump-backed WLFI boosts crypto portfolio with SEI token acquisition

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a cryptocurrency project backed by the Trump family, has added 4.89 million SEI tokens to its portfolio. The purchase, valued at approximately $775,000, was made by using USDC transferred from the project’s main wallet.

The move increases WLFI’s growing collection of altcoins, which includes Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and Tron (TRX). WLFI’s total portfolio now includes 11 different tokens, amounting to over $346 million in investments.

Despite this large accumulation, the project has yet to realise any profits, with its portfolio currently down by $145.8 million. Its Ethereum holdings have suffered a particular blow, with losses exceeding $114 million.

The SEI acquisition comes amid growing speculation surrounding the Trump family’s involvement in the crypto market. WLFI’s proposal for a USD1 stablecoin has raised concerns among lawmakers about its potential to replace the US dollar in federal transactions.

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