Cyber Attack on Multiple Countries…Again

Another massive cyber attack has made it to multiple countries. The attack is believed to have originated in Ukraine. The ransomware has affected an estimated 64 countries so far, and is mainly targeting businesses. Infected computers show a message saying that all files have been encrypted. And just like the earlier ransomware attack in May, these hackers demand ransom payments in the form of Bitcoin to unlock the owner’s data. According to cybersecurity experts, this type of ransomware has never been seen before.

However, experts reportedly found a “vaccine” against the ransomware early this morning, that could cure individual infected computers. But they still have not found a kill switch, which would stop the computers from spreading the virus to others. Now, everyone is wondering who is behind the latest hack, and why. Some say it could have political motivations or that the hackers just want to cause widespread disruption. But because Ukraine was hit the hardest and its main antagonist is Russia, many people suspect the Kremlin is behind it.

The fast-spreading Petrwrap/Petya ransomware sample we have was compiled on June 18, 2017 according to its PE timestamp. pic.twitter.com/CHUYvsiQ08

— Costin Raiu (@craiu) June 27, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Since finishing college last May, I’ve noticed a post-grad trend of 20-somethings chucking away their TV remotes in favor of online streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Some are just being cheap (can we say student loans) while others simply don’t feel compelled to have both traditional cable and online options. The truth is, millennials just don’t need cable, and new Nielsen figures agree. However, the move away from traditional TV viewing opens the door for innovation, and sometimes, legal battles over those new inventions.

This news shouldn’t be surprising–people have begun to rely more and more heavily on the web for fast and easy news consumption so why not make it a one stop shop for all entertainment? According to the New York Post:

Traditional TV usage — which has been falling among viewers ages 18 to 34 at around 4 percent a year since 2012 — tumbled 10.6 percent between September and January.

This means that there are a lot fewer young adults watching their flat-screens for primetime than four years ago. Surprisingly, only four years ago 21.7 million young people were using cable, but by the end of last month, that figure had fallen to 17.8 million, according to Nielsen counts. As baby boomers age so does cable’s prime demographic, with the median age of the TV audience hitting 50 this year, just north of the traditional target range of 18-49.

In an effort to adapt to the conversion from cable to online, networks have begun to introduce live streaming to their sites, similar to the way HBO launched it’s highly successful extension HBO Go. NBC is the latest company to make the leap. Soon they will be issuing an update for their channel’s iOS and Android apps that will introduce live mobile streaming, although according to The Verge, this will require users to log in with credentials from their TV provider and will only be available in markets where NBC owns the local station.

However, not all streaming sites have proved successful. New York based tech company Aereo took a turn for the worse when the online streaming startup filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November, just months after shutting down operations after facing an arduous Supreme Court battle.

Aereo’s unique approach didn’t sit well with networks. They assigned their users mini broadcast TV antennas that transmitted broadcast signals to individual subscribers, allowing them to avoid paying retransmission fees for broadcasters’ content. Feeling cheated, broadcasters objected to the convenient loophole by filing lawsuits, and the Supreme Court agreed that what Aereo was doing was wrong.

Options like these, even if not all pan out, are extremely enticing for consumers looking to differentiate from the norm and save a couple bucks. I myself have thought about saying goodbye to DVR and making the switch to online, but that lack of universal live streaming options for every network is the only thing holding me back. Under the current model, waiting a day or two for a network to upload the show you want to watch online is often the norm, but ultimately it’s a small price to pay as long as you don’t plan on live tweeting and can stay away from online spoilers (I can avoid neither). With the help of initiatives like NBC’s, that may not be a problem for long.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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A close friend of mine passed away last weekend. My dear friend, Saturday Morning Cartoons, whom I will never forget, was murdered by a group of assassins headed up by cable and streaming video. Perhaps I should have seen it coming. The final life support system of Saturday Morning Cartoons, the CW television station, was finally terminated. The CW decided to invest elsewhere, replacing Saturday Morning Cartoons with a program called “One Magnificent Morning.” Not such a magnificent morning, I think.

So good job, television, you have officially killed childhood. Yes, I concede that kids still have options to get their fix. With Hulu, Netflix, and other methods of streaming shows, it could be argued that they have even MORE options. Some might say that cartoon viewing is only ENHANCED by the ability of children to choose what they want to watch on Sunday morning. I still feel strongly, however, that ending the block of programming we knew and loved known as “Saturday Morning Cartoons” signifies the end of an era.

Before being able to watch whatever we want whenever we want to, there was a little bit more patience and excitement involved. Perhaps this is a stretch, but Saturday Morning Cartoons taught some pertinent life lessons. Because they can decide not just which show they want to watch but which specific episode of that show, kids will no longer learn to expect the unexpected. Life is not always under our control. We cannot determine our lives with the touch of a button on a remote. Saturday morning cartoons kept alive the beautiful air of mystery that is present in real life. What shenanigans are Scooby and the gang going to get into this Saturday? I don’t know. Let’s grab a bowl of Reese’s Puffs and park it in front of the TV to find out. What adventures are Patrick and Spongebob going to have tomorrow morning? Who knows! Let’s enjoy the first part of our weekend by finding out.

No, now things will be quite a bit different. What do we want Tom and Jerry to fight about tomorrow? Let’s browse through the collection of episodes on the Internet and decide. Let’s watch the same episode of Dexter’s Laboratory that we watch EVERY TIME instead of venturing outside of our comfort zones to try something new.

Honestly, kids these days don’t have to learn to deal with anything. As annoying as they were, commercials were a given part of the Saturday morning cartoon-watching ritual. Now, that ritual is a dead and beaten horse. Saturday morning cartoons were not just for the children but for their parents as well. That block of programming specifically set aside for cartoons allowed the perfect time for families to bond. Commercials simply provided a little break for kids and their parents to reflect on the crazy capers that their favorite cartoon characters have gotten into. Now, they can just fast forward and sit in silence the entire episode. How depressing.

So, Saturday Morning Cartoons, you will be gravely missed by me, by children everywhere, by their nostalgic parents, and many others. I am sure I am not alone in saying that I hope you rest in peace. May Scooby, Sonic, Garfield, all the Looney Tunes, and any other cartoon I have failed to mention forever remain in our hearts. Now, please join me in the reception hall for a photo montage of Saturday Morning Cartoon’s long and beautiful life. Refreshments will be served. Thank you.

Marisa Mostek

Marisa Mostek loves globetrotting and writing, so she is living the dream by writing while living abroad in Japan and working as an English teacher. Marisa received her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder and a certificate in journalism from UCLA. Contact Marisa at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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