Feb 15, 2017 - Technology

Yahoo says email accounts may have been compromised

Josh Hallet / Flickr cc

Yahoo is warning users that their accounts may have been subjected to "malicious activity" between 2015 and 2016, per AP. The news comes in the midst of the company's investigation into a massive security breach that exposed 1 billion users' data — such as email addresses, birthdates, and answers to security questions — several years ago.

In an email to users Wednesday, Yahoo said that based on the information they have collected so far, the company thinks that "forged cookies" — strings of data that enable people to access accounts without re-entering their passwords — were used in the breach. Yahoo has yet to announce how many people were affected, but has said they believe a "state-sponsored actor" is responsible.

Why this matters: The first wave of news surrounding Yahoo's mega-breach threatened the company's proposed deal to sell its core Internet business to Verizon. Earlier today, Bloomberg reported that the deal is still happening, but Verizon has lowered the price by $250 million.

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Updated 5 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. EST: 32,135,220 — Total deaths: 981,660 — Total recoveries: 22,149,441 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m EST: 6,975,980 — Total deaths: 202,738 — Total recoveries: 2,710,183 — Total tests: 98,481,026 — Map.
Politics: House Democrats prepare new $2.4 trillion coronavirus relief package.
Health: Cases are surging again in 22 states — New York will conduct its own review of coronavirus vaccine.
Business: America is closing out its strongest quarter of economic growth.
Technology: 2020 tech solutions may be sapping our resolve to beat the pandemic.
Sports: Pac-12 will play this fall despite ongoing pandemic — Here's what college basketball will look like this season.
Science: Global coronavirus vaccine initiative launches without U.S. or China — During COVID-19 shutdown, a common sparrow changed its song.

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8 hours ago - Sports

Pac-12 will play football this fall, reversing course

A view of Levi's Stadium during the 2019 Pac-12 Championship football game. Photo: Alika Jenner/Getty Images

The Pac-12, which includes universities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington state, will play football starting Nov. 6, reversing its earlier decision to postpone the season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: The conference's about-face follows a similar move by the Big Ten last week and comes as President Trump has publicly pressured sports to resume despite the ongoing pandemic. The Pac-12 will play a seven-game conference football season, according to ESPN.

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Dave Lawler, author of World

9 hours ago - World

Global coronavirus vaccine initiative launches without U.S. or China

Data: Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; Map: Naema Ahmed/Axios

A global initiative to ensure equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines now includes most of the world — but not the U.S., China or Russia.

Why it matters: Assuming one or more vaccines ultimately gain approval, there will be a period of months or even years in which supply lags far behind global demand. The COVAX initiative is an attempt to ensure doses go where they're most needed, rather than simply to countries that can produce or buy them at scale.

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