December 2024 Newsletter
Posted By: Mark Wednesday 15th January 2025 Tags: AI, Artificial Intelligence, cyber attacks, cyber crime, Cyber Fraud, Cyber Security, Data Breach, Data Leak, Data Protection, Google, job vacancy, Newsletter, ransomwareThis month: Salt Typhoon Hack on US telecoms, Cyber Threat predictions for 2025, is Google search getting worse, the ongoing battle between WordPress.org and WP Engine, Tuvalu’s ‘digital twin’, plus job vacancies at LaneSystems.

Salt Typhoon Hack Compromises U.S Telecoms
It was recently disclosed that telecommunications companies in the United States of America have been compromised, likely for several years, by Salt Typhoon, a Chinese-linked hacking group.
What Is The Salt Typhoon Hack
The Salt Typhoon hack, linked to China’s Ministry of State Security, has compromised several major U.S. telecommunications companies, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Lumen Technologies (formerly CenturyLink). The hackers gained access to over 100,000 routers and were able to geolocate individuals and record phone calls, particularly targeting government officials and presidential campaigns. The attack was aimed at collecting intelligence on government targets, particularly around Washington, D.C.
Timeline of the Salt Typhoon Hack
2020: The Salt Typhoon hacking group, believed to be linked to China’s Ministry of State Security, begins its cyber-espionage activities.
2022: The group starts targeting U.S. telecom companies, exploiting vulnerabilities in network devices.
October 2024: The Salt Typhoon hack is publicly disclosed. Major telecom companies like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile are confirmed to be victims. The hackers gain access to routers and switches, compromising sensitive data.
November 2024: The U.S. government forms a multi-agency team to address the hack. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) considers imposing regulations on telecom companies to enhance cybersecurity.
December 2024: The White House urges telecom companies to adopt stronger cybersecurity measures and use encrypted messaging apps. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issues guidance on protecting communications.
Are Networks Safe After The Salt Typhoon Hack?
Despite AT&T and Verizon declaring their networks secure, there remains uncertainty about whether the Salt Typhoon hackers have been completely expelled from all networks. U.S. cyber security agencies, including CISA, NSA, and FBI, have issued a joint report addressing the situation and recommending to companies and individuals how they should currently secure their communications until further information is known.
An official FBI spokesperson said:
“Since the FBI first identified specific malicious activity targeting the sector, we’ve identified that PRC-affiliated cyber actors have compromised networks of multiple telecom companies to enable multiple activities”
“First, the actors have stolen a large amount of records, essentially they stole data about where, when, and who individuals were communicating with.”
“Second, much more narrowly, the actors compromised private communications of a limited number of individuals who are primarily involved in the government or political activities. This would contain call and text content,”
“As a third vector, the actors copied certain information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders.”
Impact on Government Position on Encryption
The Salt Typhoon hack has significantly influenced the U.S. government’s stance on encryption. While the U.S. government was no different to many other governments, including the UK’s, in wanting encrypted communications options to provide ‘backdoors’ for monitoring ‘illegal activity’, in response to the hack, federal officials have emphasised the importance of using encrypted messaging apps to protect sensitive communications. The FBI, NSA, and CISA have jointly recommended that individuals and organisations use end-to-end encryption to safeguard their data.
The government is also considering regulatory measures to enforce stronger cybersecurity practices among telecom companies. This shift highlights the growing recognition of encryption as a critical tool for national security and privacy protection.
The Salt Typhoon hack has highlighted the vulnerabilities within telecommunications infrastructure and the need for enhanced cybersecurity practices to safeguard sensitive data and communications. We haven’t heard the end of this saga, and the consequences will be more far-reaching than for critical infrastructure within U.S. borders.

LaneSystems News
Job Vacancy – Service Desk Technician
Join our expanding support team as a Service Desk Technician and embark on an exciting career journey! As the first point of contact for our diverse client portfolio in industries like engineering, construction, accountancy, and auto mechanical engineering, you’ll provide top-class IT support.
Full time position with salary up to £27,000 a year.
Get the full details at: https://uk.indeed.com/job/service-desk-technician-fe43cd02ebc0189e
Job Vacancy – IT Field Technician
Are you a tech-savvy problem solver with a passion for providing exceptional on-site and remote IT support? Join our dynamic team as an IT Field Technician, where you will be a vital part of our successful support team.
Full time position with salary up to £28,000 a year.
Get the full details at: https://uk.indeed.com/job/it-field-technician-0bd13630c2efb5bd
LaneSystems Charity News
As part of our own ongoing charity work, we are continuing to help get Sunderland Citizens Advice fully back up and running since their premises were set on fire during the summer. Their main building is currently without WIFI, so we will be donating equipment and the labour to install this for them. This is an ongoing concern, but currently has an estimated value of £500.

Cyber Threat Predictions for 2025
The Cyber Security world is constantly evolving landscape, with new challenges, new technology and new regulations to consider every year. Threat intelligence experts are constantly monitoring the trends, with the aim of seeing companies collaborate, adapt quickly to rapidly evolving threats, and provide innovative solutions to data protection.
Here are ten cyber threat predictions which are consistently being mentioned by leading industry experts and companies as things to be aware of in 2025.
1. AI-Powered Cyber-Attacks
Cybercriminals will leverage artificial intelligence to launch sophisticated attacks. AI can automate phishing and social engineering attacks, making them more convincing and difficult to detect. AI algorithms can also analyse massive amounts of data to find vulnerabilities in systems, increasing the risk of breaches.
2. State-Sponsored Attacks
Nations like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea will ramp up cyber espionage, information warfare, and cybercrime. These state-sponsored actors target critical infrastructure, government agencies, and private companies to steal sensitive information, disrupt services, and achieve geopolitical goals.
3. Ransomware and Extortion Attacks
Ransomware will continue to be a major threat, with attackers encrypting data and demanding ransom. Extortion techniques will become more sophisticated, involving the exfiltration of sensitive data and threats to release it publicly if demands are not met, increasing pressure on victims to comply.
4. Infostealer Malware and Identity Compromise
Infostealer malware will be used to steal credentials and sensitive data from users. With the rise of hybrid work models and cloud platforms, this malware can compromise personal and corporate accounts, leading to identity theft, financial loss, and unauthorised access to critical systems.
5. Phishing Attacks
Generative AI will enhance the effectiveness of phishing attacks. AI can craft highly convincing and personalised phishing emails that mimic legitimate communications, increasing the likelihood of victims falling for scams and divulging sensitive information.
6. Smart Home Hacking
As smart home devices become more prevalent, they will attract cybercriminals. Vulnerabilities in IoT devices can be exploited to gain unauthorised access to home networks, control devices, and collect personal data, posing risks to privacy and security.
7. Disinformation as a Service
Cybercriminals will offer services to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion. These campaigns can create social unrest, influence elections, and damage reputations, posing significant threats to societal stability and democracy.
8. Total Account Takeover
Hackers will use breached data to gain access to user accounts, leading to total account takeovers. This can result in unauthorised transactions, data breaches, and identity theft, causing significant financial and reputational damage to individuals and organisations.
9. Encryption Challenges
The debate over encryption will intensify, with authorities pushing for backdoors to access encrypted communications. This poses risks to privacy and security, as creating backdoors can also be exploited by cybercriminals and undermine the integrity of encrypted systems.
10. Regulatory Changes
Governments worldwide will implement stricter cybersecurity regulations. Organisations will be required to adhere to comprehensive data protection and privacy standards, which will necessitate significant investments in cybersecurity measures and compliance efforts to avoid penalties.
These threats highlight the need for proactive defense measures and robust data protection strategies to counteract the evolving cyber threat landscape.
If you’re a business in the North East of England and looking for professional and reliable cyber security services, IT consultation, and general IT services to keep your company cyber secure, get in touch. Cybersecurity is a continuous process, and staying proactive is key to safeguarding digital assets.

Is Google Search Getting Worse?
In recent years, and particularly in 2024, there has been a growing concern among tech experts and users alike about the decline in the quality of Google’s search engine results. Once the undisputed leader in internet search, Google is facing criticism for various factors that have diminished the user experience.
Criticisms of Google Search results
Some of those criticisms include:
Ad Overload
One of the primary complaints is the overwhelming presence of advertising in search results. As Google has increasingly prioritised monetisation, ads often occupy prime real estate ‘above the fold’, pushing organic results further down the page and out of view on page load. This not only disrupts the user experience but also makes it harder for users to find relevant information quickly.
SEO Spam
SEO spam has also become a significant issue. Many higher-ranked pages are optimised primarily for search engines rather than user value, leading to an influx of low-quality content. Articles stuffed with keywords and designed to tick SEO boxes often overshadow more valuable and informative content, frustrating users seeking high-quality information.
AI-Generated Content
The integration of AI-generated content into Google’s search results has further complicated the landscape. While AI aims to provide concise answers, it often results in oversimplified summaries that lack depth. It may even generate incorrect summary information. This has led to a cluttered interface, especially on mobile devices, where AI snapshots dominate the screen and make it difficult for users to navigate traditional search results.
Misleading Design
Google’s design changes have blurred the line between paid ads and organic results, making it harder for users to distinguish between the two. There was once a clear design style difference between the displayed paid results and organically generated search results. Now, it takes a sharper eye to filter the two.
The Challenge of Finding High-Quality Content
A study by German researchers confirmed that Google search results have shown signs of declining quality, with higher-ranked pages often containing lower-quality text. This has exacerbated the issue of finding reliable and valuable information, pushing users to look for alternative methods of content discovery.
Emerging Alternatives to Google Search
Users are increasingly exploring alternative methods to find information online. Here are some options:
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Alternative Search Engines: Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, offers similar features to Google and has been steadily improving its algorithms to provide more relevant results. DuckDuckGo, known for its strong privacy features, does not track user searches and aggregates results from various sources.
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Social Media and Communities: Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and specialized forums allow users to seek advice and answers from real people, offering a more personalized and interactive experience.
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Voice Assistants: Devices like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri provide answers based on voice commands, offering convenience and hands-free information retrieval.
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AI-Powered Tools: AI chatbots and virtual assistants can offer tailored responses and recommendations, reducing the need to sift through multiple search results.
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Curated Content Platforms: Services like Medium, Substack, and curated newsletters provide high-quality content on specific topics, making it easier for users to find reliable information without extensive searching.
The Future of Search Engines
Despite the challenges, search engines are likely to remain a key tool for finding online content. Their efficiency, continuous algorithm improvements, and ubiquity across devices and services make them indispensable for many users. However, the rise of alternative methods highlights the evolving landscape of information discovery. Users, who are already jaded by the clutter of forced, paid-for, results, are increasingly seeking personalised, interactive, and high-quality content experiences that go beyond traditional search engine results.
The digital landscape evolves, and the balance between search engines and emerging content discovery tools will continue to shape the way we find and consume information online.

The Ongoing WordPress.org vs WP Engine Battle
2024 saw a legal battle erupt between WordPress.org and WP Engine which could have major long-term consequences for the future of the largest website Content Management System on the internet.
Background to the Conflict
WordPress.org, the open-source platform behind WordPress, is owned by Automattic, a company led by Matt Mullenweg, one of WordPress’s co-founders. WP Engine is a managed WordPress hosting provider that offers a plug-and-play solution for WordPress websites. WordPress is the most-used content management system (CMS) for building websites. As of 2024, WordPress powers over 43% of all websites on the internet. Its popularity stems from being free and open-source, offering extensive customisation options through themes and plugins, and having a large supportive community.
The conflict began in mid-September 2024 when Matt Mullenweg launched a campaign against WP Engine, accusing the company of not contributing sufficiently to the open-source project and misusing the WordPress trademark. Mullenweg referred to WP Engine as a “cancer to WordPress” and claimed that the company’s use of the “WP” brand confused customers into believing it was part of WordPress.
Legal Action and Escalation
In response, WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic, asking them to withdraw their comments. Automattic countered with its own cease-and-desist letter, accusing WP Engine of breaching WordPress and WooCommerce trademark usage rules. The WordPress Foundation, owned by Mullenweg, also updated its Trademark Policy page, calling out WP Engine for confusing users.
The dispute escalated when WordPress.org imposed a ban on WP Engine’s access to its resources, affecting WP Engine’s ability to provide essential tools, updates, and support for its customers. This ban has had direct implications for WP Engine’s customers, including the inability to update plugins and themes through the dashboard and potential security risks associated with outdated plugins.
Community Response
The WordPress community has been divided over the issue. Contributors to the open-source project and leaders of companies in the ecosystem have spoken out against the fight, calling for governance changes and highlighting concerns about Mullenweg’s lack of accountability.
WP Engine’s customers are advised to stay informed about the dispute, manually update their plugins and themes, regularly back up their websites, and explore alternative hosting providers if necessary. Enterprise website owners are also considering dedicated hosting solutions such as Amazon EC2 on AWS to ensure consistent performance and enhanced security.
Where Things Currently Stand
As we head in to 2025, the legal battle is ongoing. A California District Court judge ordered Automattic to cease blocking WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources and stop interfering with its plugins. However, the conflict is far from over, and it is expected to continue well into 2025 and possibly beyond. There is some uncertainty to the long-term viability and support for the platform, although it maintains a huge market share. Websites caught in the crossfire are understandably concerned about future stability.
The ongoing battle between WordPress.org and WP Engine highlights the complexities of managing an open-source project and the challenges of balancing commercial interests with community contributions. As the legal proceedings continue, the WordPress community remains hopeful for a resolution that supports both the integrity of the open-source project and the interests of its users.

Tuvalu’s Digital Twin
Tuvalu, a small Pacific island nation, is facing an existential threat from climate change, particularly due to rising sea levels. To combat this, Tuvalu is creating a “digital twin” of itself in the metaverse. This initiative, known as the Future Now Project, aims to preserve the nation’s land, culture, and legal rights even if the physical islands become uninhabitable.
The Threat from Climate Change
Tuvalu is made up of nine coral islands, with the highest elevation being about 4 meters above sea level. This low elevation means that even modest sea level rises threaten not just arable land, but entire communities. Experts predict that Tuvalu could disappear into the Pacific Ocean in a matter of decades if climate change continues unabated.
The Digital Twin Initiative
The digital twin project involves digitizing everything from houses and beaches to cultural heritage and personal memories. This virtual replica will serve as a representation of Tuvalu, ensuring that its beauty and culture are preserved for future generations. The project was first announced in 2022 by Tuvalu’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Kofe, via a video speech played at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Simon Said, “Our land, our ocean, our culture are the most precious assets of our people – and to keep them safe from harm, no matter what happens in the physical world, we’ll move them to the cloud”.
The Technology Behind The Digital Twin
Creating a digital twin involves referencing satellite imagery, drone footage, and photos to recreate the physical environment in a virtual space. Technologies such as Unreal Engine 5 and Lumin are used to incorporate real-world physics, animate ocean waves and currents, and accurately capture how light interacts with the island’s white sands and lush palms.
Cultural Preservation
In addition to creating a virtual copy of the islands, the Digital Nation project seeks to back up the nation’s cultural heritage. Citizens have been invited to submit their most valued possessions and memories for digitisation, creating an archive designed to carry the very soul of Tuvalu.
International Recognition and Support
The initiative has gained international recognition and support. Simon Kofe’s speech at COP27 went viral, prompting a flurry of responses online. The project has also engaged concerned citizens from 160 countries, who have interacted with Tuvalu’s advocacy website, Tuvalu.tv.
While the physical reality of Tuvalu may be at risk, the digital twin project ensures that the nation’s values of endurance and resilience continue to live on. The project is a proactive step to maintain Tuvalu’s statehood and maritime boundaries, even if relocation becomes necessary.