News
Data Of 700 Million LinkedIn Users Is For Sale On The Dark Web
Who would pay for this information, you wonder? Spammers, phishers, and other cybercriminals are definitely the target audience here.
The security team at LinkedIn doesn’t get much rest lately. In April, 500 million of its user’s data was exposed by hackers, and the same data collection technique was apparently used by a dark web user called TomLiner, who is currently selling 700 million LinkedIn user records (92% of all LinkedIn users) in a convenient bundle for just $5,000.
The data collection technique in question is called scraping, which is the act of extracting useful information from a website. Since any public website can be scraped using readily available tools, it wouldn’t be correct to call this incident a breach, as LinkedIn quickly pointed out.
“While we’re still investigating this issue, our initial analysis indicates that the dataset includes information scraped from LinkedIn as well as information obtained from other sources,” said Leonna Spilman, Corporate Communications Manager at LinkedIn. “This was not a LinkedIn data breach, and our investigation has determined that no private LinkedIn member data was exposed.”
So, what data has been exposed? Fortunately, no passwords or dates of birth. Here’s what a sample of one million records published by the scrapper contains:
- Email addresses
- Full names
- Phone numbers
- Physical addresses
- Geolocation records
- LinkedIn username and profile URL
- Personal and professional experience/background
- Genders
- Other social media accounts and usernames
Who would pay $5,000 for this information, you wonder? Spammers, phishers, and other cybercriminals are definitely the target audience here.
Also Read: Is Your Phone Hacked? How To Find Out & Protect Yourself
Having all this information in one place makes it much easier for them to create detailed profiles of their potential victims and launch sophisticated targeted attacks against them. Sure, they could simply scape it by themselves using LinkedIn’s own API (application program interface) just like the seller did, but cybercrime can be so profitable that their time is often more valuable.
If you have a LinkedIn account, then you should assume that your personal information is included in the dataset and act accordingly. More specifically, you should enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and avoid replying to email messages from unknown senders, let alone opening any attachments they may contain.
News
Yango Enhances Yasmina AI For Improved Conversations
The tech company has upgraded its AI assistant to deliver enhanced creativity, deeper conversations, and advanced bilingual translation.
Global technology company Yango Group has announced a significant upgrade to the large language model (LLM) powering its AI assistant, Yasmina. This enhancement allows Yasmina to deliver more accurate, nuanced, and context-aware responses in Arabic and English, improving interactions and user experience across the Middle East region.
The upgrade is part of a phased rollout of YangoAI, the company’s suite of advanced AI technologies specifically adapted to regional needs. As a result, Yasmina now offers 38% more accurate and timely responses in Arabic, made possible by an enhanced ability to analyze web documents. Additionally, unnecessary answer refusals have been reduced by almost 50%, ensuring smoother and more engaging conversational experiences.
One of the most notable new capabilities of Yasmina is its expanded bilingual translation skill. The improved assistant empowers bilingual users, educators, language learners, and content creators to seamlessly translate conversations between Arabic and English, facilitating better communication and understanding.
Beyond translation, Yasmina can now provide highly contextual recommendations for everyday activities and lifestyle choices. Users seeking personalized suggestions — for instance, how to spend a day in Dubai exploring both modern and traditional attractions — will experience enhanced clarity and precision from the assistant.
The assistant’s upgraded functionality also aids users with tasks such as real-time currency conversion, homework support that encourages independent thinking, creative brainstorming, poetry and storytelling, and even providing riddles suitable for children.
Also Read: ALJ & Joby Aviation To Bring Electric Air Taxis To Saudi Arabia
“With more precise and culturally aware responses, along with additional skills, Yasmina’s latest upgrade positions it as a trusted everyday companion,” said Rami Abu Arja, Senior Innovation Marketing Manager at Yasmina, Yango Middle East. “From creative storytelling to translation, we are enriching lives with human-centered AI and making innovation more accessible to all. As the region embraces digital transformation, we continue to enhance our AI assistant, aiming to make it even more helpful, versatile, and relevant”.
YangoAI’s continuous training on region-specific data ensures that Yasmina and other Yango services authentically reflect local culture and user expectations across the Middle East.
Yango Enhances Yasmina AI For Improved Conversations
Whish Money Launches Region’s First Cardless Shopify Checkout
ALJ & Joby Aviation To Bring Electric Air Taxis To Saudi Arabia
GSMA MWC25 Doha To Accelerate Middle East’s Digital Future
Lebanon In Talks With Elon Musk’s Starlink To Enhance Internet Services
MENA Among World’s Fastest-Growing Digital Economies
UAE Introduces Region’s First License For “Finfluencers”
UAE’s Etihad Rail Launches In 2026 — What You Need To Know
Starlink Internet Has Officially Launched In Bahrain
