Starting a thriving business in Philly is a way to bring your dreams into reality, whether you’ve always wanted to own a fashion line or provide products that are in demand in your own community. If you’re thinking of building a business in Philly, there are a few tips and tricks to keep close to you every step of the way. The more familiar you are with Philadelphia, its growth, and its evolution, the easier it’ll be for you to set up a shop with the best chances of success.
Choosing the Right Location
According to Enviro USA, Denmark is currently ranked as the cleanest country in the entire world. Any time your dreams consist of opening a thriving company in Philadelphia, you’ll want to take some time to research cleanliness factors, crime rates, and even the number of successful businesses that already exist in areas you consider to be prime real estate. Selecting the right location can mean the difference between having the ability to promote your goods and remaining off the radar of the locals in your community.
Minimize the Risk of Crime
In 2019, residents of Pennsylvania reported more than 39,228 cases of violent crimes, according to the direct FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program unit. Unfortunately, there are many different cities and boroughs that are not considered safe in Philly today, especially when it comes to setting up shops or launching businesses.
But, with the advent of online search engines and live reports of crimes and incidents, it’s now easier than ever to keep an eye on the busiest, cleanest, and safest areas in Philly right from home or even with the use of your smartphone. You can use live updates, published crime statistics, and even input from nearby business owners to determine locations that are ideal for the type of business you’re interested in opening in Philly.
Set Your Business and Brand Apart
You will need to consider how you will be setting your brand apart when you’re operating in Philly, even if you do so online. Creating a designated brand that is unlike any other will help others remember you. Use unique logos and slogans to help others remember your brand name. Consider hosting contests and/or giveaways that will attract attention to your business while also helping you spread the word as you boost sales and the notoriety your business has around Philly at the time.
Create an Online Presence
Connecting to the internet without lag time while gaining access to networks and websites much faster is possible with the use of 5G. Having the internet is one of the best ways to set your business apart, whether you’re offering to fix electronics, repair them, or if you have clothing to sell. The more connected you are to the internet, the easier it will be for you to maximize your reach while spreading the image of your brand. An online presence can include a traditional website, social media page, newsletters, and even a live stream page to promote your products, services, and even items you intend to give away.
The more immersed and engaged you become in Philly, the easier it’ll be for you to build a thriving business of your own, regardless of your preferred and/or designated industry. From selling comic books and retail shirts to offering unique one-of-a-kind street foods, there are many different avenues to consider when you’re looking to build a thriving business in Philly today. The right vision and an understanding of Philly’s culture will go a long way once you make the leap into the world of entrepreneurship. Best of luck in your journey!
Let’s be real—building a WordPress site with traditional page builders can feel like assembling IKEA furniture with missing pieces.
You install a page builder only to find out it doesn’t do half the things you need. So you pile on plugins to fill the gaps, and they end up conflicting with one another.
Your site slows down, SEO takes a hit, and suddenly, you’re knee-deep in subscription fees, support tickets, and messy workarounds.
It’s 2025. We deserve better.
That era of outdated page builders and plugin-heavy setups is over.
Today’s web demands speed, flexibility, and full creative control—minus the bloat and the added costs. That’s where Droip comes in. A new kind of builder made for modern creators.
But what makes it unique? Let’s break it down.
All-in-One Web Building Ecosystem
Droip is a full-fledged, no-code ecosystem that lets you build smarter.
Whether it’s SEO, forms, popups, dynamic content, or even image editing, Droip handles it natively.
Because it’s all native, your site stays lean, fast, and conflict-free. Oh, and your wallet? It stays happy too.
What that means for you:
No surprise costs or upgrade traps.
Faster load times and better performance.
One support team, one solution.
Scales with your business—whether you’re a solo creator or running a full agency.
Pricing: It’s transparent, with no hidden upsells. Check the Pricing page for the details.
To learn how Droip works, watch a quick video overview of Droip in action.
Modern UI With Maximum Control
Let’s start with the UI.
The moment you open the editor, everything feels intuitive.
It’s sleek. It’s modern. It’s not that stiff, clunky layout you’ve seen in other WordPress builders.
Instead, the editor gives you an interface that feels familiar, like the modern major web builders you already know, but packs the kind of power only Droip can deliver.
Everything’s exactly where you expect it to be.
The menu panels are clean and concise. Element settings are instantly accessible.
The UX flows effortlessly from dragging elements to switching panels, it’s all frictionless.
And yes, it also has both dark and light modes for your comfort.
Overall, it provides a clean, smooth workspace designed to help you move fast and build without barriers.
Design Freedom For Everyone
When it comes to design, Droip hands you the keys to total design freedom.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or using predesigned layouts, you have all the flexibility and options.
A Growing Collection of Stunning Templates
Start with Droip’s growing collection of stunning templates, from sleek portfolios to bold business sites. They’re professionally designed, fully customizable, and included in your subscription (no sneaky extra fees)!
Pre-Made Sections, Pages, and Components
Mix and match ready-made sections, pages, and components like contact forms, testimonials, cards, and more. It’s like having a design toolkit at your fingertips. Just drag, drop, customize if needed, and you’re all set.
Turn Figma Designs into Fully Editable Pages—In Seconds
Imagine dragging in your Figma mockup and watching it become a live, editable page in seconds. If you have got your site designed in Figma, you can just copy and paste it into Droip—yes, literally.
The builder instantly converts it into a fully editable, auto-responsive page with a single click. And the best part? It automatically adapts to all breakpoints, including any custom ones you define.
Want to Start from Scratch? Go for It!
If you’re the “I want full control” type, Droip’s intuitive drag-and-drop canvas is all yours. Build pixel-perfect layouts, experiment, and make it yours.
Droip was built with the atomic approach to give you granular control over every aspect of your website. With deep element editing, you can adjust every detail, from typography to layouts, to fit your exact vision.
Native Dynamic Content. No ACF Required.
Managing dynamic content in WordPress usually means extra plugins like ACF. Not anymore.
Droip lets you create, manage, and style dynamic content like listings, directories, and portfolios right out of the box.
Connect your content, customize it visually, and even set dynamic SEO for every item’s detail page. All built-in and all visual.
A Smarter Media Manager That Works Like a Design Tool
Droip’s media manager is not just for organizing images.
You can crop, resize, add filters, or create custom text paths all inside Droip’s powerful native media manager.
Image Editing Tools
One of the standout features of Droip’s media manager is its advanced image editing capabilities.
Edit your images directly within Droip, from basic cropping and resizing to applying advanced filters, without relying on third-party tools.
Text Path Creation
Another innovative feature is the ability to create text paths. This allows you to design text that follows any path or shape for that extra creative edge.
Extensive Icons & Shapes library
Droip has an extensive library of shapes so you can do more than ever.
You can leverage an array of distinctive shapes, customize them to create unique visuals, and effortlessly add them to any part of your website.
Plus, it also houses a vast collection of high-quality icons, all ready to be refined to perfection.
Instant Global Styling Sync with Variables
Most builders make global styling difficult with scattered controls. But this WordPress builder has a dedicated feature called Variables that allows you to save and apply reusable styles across your entire site.
The system is centralized and features a real-time preview, meaning you can update your design in seconds. Say you want to tweak your brand’s primary color. Change it once, and Droip updates every button, heading, and section styled with that variable instantly.
You can also create multiple styling modes, such as light and dark themes, and switch between them with a single click—perfect for seasonal refreshers or theme updates.
Reusable Components with Symbols
Droip also comes with a feature called Symbols, which lets you turn any element along with all of its nested children into a reusable component.
That means if you build something once like a button, a pricing card, or even an entire section, you can reuse it throughout the site
You can even set your global header and footer as Symbols, which makes keeping everything consistent across your site way easier.
Immersive Interactions and Animations
If you have been settling for basic motion, a few hover effects, maybe a fade-in or two, it’s time to achieve more.
Droip has rich interactions and animation capabilities. You can create immersive, responsive experiences that feel polished and purposeful—not just flashy. From hover effects to scroll-based reveals, you’re free to build any web interactions.
And when you’re ready to go beyond simple effects, it has an interaction timeline that gives you a visual playground to choreograph complex, multi-step animations with ease. Paired with the custom timing editor, you can shape how your animation flows down to the finest detail.
Text Animations
It also approaches Text Animations with the same depth and flexibility. You can choose your trigger, select transition styles, and animate at the character, word, or element level.
You can fine-tune every movement, like speed, direction, intensity, delay, and duration, until it’s just right.
Multiple Backgrounds & Effects
Droip offers robust options for layering multiple backgrounds and shadow effects.
You can layer multiple backgrounds from solid colors to gradients (linear, radial, conic) or images for dynamic, vibrant designs.
Combine that with shadow effects for added depth and dimension, and you can create a truly unique visual experience without being limited by pre-set templates.
Droip Apps for Seamless Integrations
Droip has a convenient approach when it comes to connecting integrations.
You can directly install and connect third-party integrations without leaving the builder and automate workflows by integrating essential tools like analytics, email marketing, and customer support.
Native Pop-up Builder
The built-in popup builder also checks all the right boxes, giving you full control over both design and behavior.
Design your pop-ups visually, set visibility conditions, and choose custom triggers, whether it’s a click, scroll, or exit intent. You can position them exactly where you want on the screen.
But that’s not all. You can also customize the appearance with smooth transitions, whether it’s a subtle notification or a full-screen takeover.
Form Builder with Built-in Form Data Manager
Creating forms elsewhere can be a hassle, requiring multiple tools to manage both form design and data collection.
But with this no-code website builder, you can practically design any web form and then access and manage form data with the built-in Form Data Manager.
Whether you’re collecting leads, registrations, or feedback, Droip combines form creation and data management in one place.
Unlimited Breakpoints for Responsiveness
Many builders limit your ability to adjust responsiveness across devices, leaving you with only a few pre-set breakpoints.
Here, however, you can define unlimited breakpoints and fine-tune responsiveness for every screen size, ensuring your design adapts perfectly.
AI-Powered Website Creation
Droip also has AI features to assist and accelerate your entire workflow.
You can instantly generate page structures and layouts, all with a single prompt. It intelligently understands your content and automatically creates optimal layouts, which are neatly structured and easily accessible in the Layers Panel.
And if you need help crafting the perfect copy, it can do that too. It even generates meta titles and descriptions, saving you time while ensuring your site stays optimized for search engines.
Role Manager
Another essential feature for managing your website is the Role Manager.
With the Role Manager in Droip, you can control what users can access and edit within the Droip Editor.
Whether you’re working solo or collaborating with a team, Droip lets you customize who has access to what in a pretty straightforward way.
Accessibility Built-in
Accessibility is often left to external plugins in other platforms. But Droip bakes it right into the experience.
From increasing text size and reducing motion to enabling larger cursors and magnifying content, the builder offers a wide range of built-in tools to offer an inclusive website creation experience. It also includes support for various visual impairments, like color blindness.
It also has a built-in color contrast checker to ensure that your text is readable and your color choices meet accessibility standards.
Dynamic and AI-Powered SEO
For SEO, you get the basics: meta titles, descriptions, and Open Graph tags, all easily editable for every page. Even better, you can generate SEO metadata automatically with AI, saving you time.
But when working with dynamic content, Droip takes SEO a step further.
You can set dynamic SEO, so you don’t have to write SEO data for every single dynamic detail page. Whether it’s a product catalog or course listings, dynamic SEO optimizes the individual detail pages automatically, saving you from manual updates.
No Performance Compromise
With so many powerful features built into the platform, you might wonder if performance takes a hit.
But no.
While other traditional WordPress page builders produce bloated code or excessive scripts, Droip delivers clean, minimal markup so even the most complex site loads fast and smooth.
Automatic Page Audit for Quality Control
Most platforms leave quality control up to you.
But Droip has a Page Audit feature that automatically catches issues before they become problems.
Whether it’s missing alt text, links, or class names, you’ll get a clear report so you can publish with confidence.
Final Verdict
With its packed feature set, slick UI, and native performance, it’s clear that Droip is a complete powerhouse solution at an unbeatable price.
It’s sleek, it’s powerful, and it’s exactly what WordPress has been waiting for.
Where other builders hit their limits, Droip puts you in the driver’s seat, giving you the freedom and tools to craft extraordinary websites.
So, if you’re still patching plugins together and wasting your money, it’s time to try Droip to feel the difference.
The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023 marks a pivotal shift in India’s data protection framework, setting clear guidelines for managing personal data. For the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sectors, which process vast volumes of sensitive customer information, this legislation is not just another compliance requirement but a strategic imperative.
The DPDP Act 2023 strengthens data security, fosters customer trust, and enhances regulatory alignment, making it a cornerstone for a resilient and customer-centric BFSI ecosystem. This blog delves into the critical reasons why this legislation is essential for the sector.
Building Customer Trust and Confidence
In the BFSI sector, trust is the foundation of strong customer relationships. The DPDP Act 2023 enhances this trust by empowering individuals (Data Principals) with greater control over their personal data, including rights to access, rectify, and request erasure under specific conditions. By aligning with the DPDP Act’s principles, BFSI organizations can reinforce their commitment to data privacy and security, strengthening customer confidence.
This proactive approach safeguards compliance and becomes a competitive differentiator in an era where data protection is a key driver of customer loyalty and business growth.
Enhanced Regulatory Compliance
The BFSI sector in India operates within a highly regulated ecosystem, overseen by authorities such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The DPDP Act 2023 complements these existing regulations by establishing a unified data protection framework for the sector.
Ensuring compliance with the DPDP Act helps BFSI organizations meet their legal obligations regarding handling digital personal data. It also mitigates the risks of regulatory penalties and legal repercussions, reinforcing operational resilience and trust.
Strengthening Data Security
Due to the highly sensitive financial and personal data it handles, the BFSI sector remains a prime target for cyberattacks and data breaches. The DPDP Act 2023 reinforces security by requiring Data Fiduciaries (entities processing personal data) to implement robust safeguards to prevent breaches and mandating timely notifications to the Data Protection Board of India and affected individuals in case of an incident.
By adhering to these stringent security requirements, BFSI institutions can enhance cybersecurity resilience, mitigate risks, and safeguard customer trust and brand reputation in an increasingly threat-prone digital landscape.
Promoting Responsible Data Handling
The DPDP Act 2023 enforces key data protection principles, including purpose, data minimization, and storage limitations. For the BFSI sector, this translates to collecting only essential data for defined purposes, retaining it for the necessary duration, and ensuring its accuracy and integrity.
By adopting these responsible data management practices, BFSI organizations can mitigate risks associated with data misuse, strengthen regulatory compliance, and reinforce customer trust. It ensures that personal information is handled with the highest standards of security and diligence.
Enabling Innovation with Safeguards
While prioritizing data protection, the DPDP Act 2023 also acknowledges the need for lawful data processing to drive innovation and service excellence. For the BFSI sector, this enables firms to leverage data for customer insights, risk assessment, and hyper-personalization within a consent-driven framework, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The Act provides a clear legal foundation for responsible data utilization, empowering BFSI organizations to enhance customer experience, optimize decision-making, and accelerate business growth while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Key Aspects of the DPDP Act Relevant to BFSI
Several key provisions of the DPDP Act 2023 are particularly critical for the BFSI sector:
Consent Requirements: BFSI firms must obtain explicit and informed consent from customers before processing personal data, with limited exceptions for legitimate purposes.
Data Security Obligations: Implementing robust technical and organizational safeguards to protect personal data is mandatory.
Data Breach Notification: Firms must promptly report breaches to the Data Protection Board and affected customers to ensure transparency and accountability.
Data Retention Policies: BFSI entities must establish clear retention policies, ensuring data is stored only for as long as necessary for its intended purpose.
Rights of Data Principals: Organizations must enable customers to access, correct, and request erasure of their personal data through well-defined mechanisms.
Obligations of Significant Data Fiduciaries: Given the high volume and sensitivity of data handled, many BFSI firms will be classified as Significant Data Fiduciaries, requiring additional compliance measures such as appointing a Data Protection Officer (DPO) and conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
Challenges and Opportunities
Implementing the DPDP Act 2023 presents challenges for the BFSI sector, including adapting existing data processing systems, training employees on compliance requirements, and streamlining consent management. However, these challenges also serve as strategic opportunities to enhance data governance frameworks, fortify cybersecurity measures, and foster greater transparency with customers.
By proactively addressing these aspects, BFSI organizations can ensure compliance, strengthen trust, improve operational resilience, and drive long-term business growth in an evolving regulatory landscape.
Conclusion
The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023 is a landmark regulation with far-reaching implications for the BFSI sector in India. The Act fosters a more secure and trustworthy digital financial ecosystem by strengthening data protection, empowering individuals, and enforcing stringent data handling standards. Proactive compliance is not just a legal requirement but a strategic necessity for BFSI institutions to build customer trust, enhance brand reputation, and stay competitive in an evolving digital landscape.
Seqrite offers a comprehensive suite of data protection solutions to help BFSI organizations navigate the complexities of the DPDP Act and ensure robust compliance.
Seqrite Labs APT team has uncovered new tactics of Pakistan-linked SideCopy APT deployed since the last week of December 2024. The group has expanded its scope of targeting beyond Indian government, defence, maritime sectors, and university students to now include entities under railway, oil & gas, and external affairs ministries. One notable shift in recent campaigns is the transition from using HTML Application (HTA) files to adopting Microsoft Installer (MSI) packages as a primary staging mechanism.
Threat actors are continuously evolving their tactics to evade detection, and this shift is driven by their persistent use of DLL side-loading and multi-platform intrusions. This evolution also incorporates techniques such as reflective loading and repurposing open-source tools such as Xeno RAT and Spark RAT, following its trend with Async RAT to extend its capabilities. Additionally, a new payload dubbed CurlBack RAT has been identified that registers the victim with the C2 server.
Key Findings
Usernames associated with attacker email IDs are impersonating a government personnel member with cyber security background, utilizing compromised IDs.
A fake domain mimicking an e-governance service, with an open directory, is used to host payloads and credential phishing login pages.
Thirteen sub-domains and URLs host login pages for various RTS Services for multiple City Municipal Corporations (CMCs), all in the state of Maharashtra.
The official domain of National Hydrology Project (NHP), under the Ministry of Water Resources, has been compromised to deliver malicious payloads.
New tactics such as reflective loading and AES decryption of resource section via PowerShell to deploy a custom version of C#-based open-source tool XenoRAT.
A modified variant of Golang-based open-source tool SparkRAT, is targeting Linux platforms, has been deployed via the same stager previously used for Poseidon and Ares RAT payloads.
A new RAT dubbed CurlBack utilizing DLL side-loading technique is used. It registers the victim with C2 server via UUID and supports file transfer using curl.
Honey-trap themed campaigns were observed in January 2025 and June 2024, coinciding with the arrest of a government employee accused of leaking sensitive data to a Pakistani handler.
A previously compromised education portal seen in Aug 2024, became active again in February 2025 with new URLs targeting university students. These employ three different themes: “Climate Change”, “Research Work”, and “Professional” (Complete analysis can be viewed in the recording here, explaining six different clusters of SideCopy APT).
The parent group of SideCopy, APT36, has targeted Afghanistan after a long with a theme related to Office of the Prisoners Administration (OPA) under Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. A recent campaign targeting Linux systems with the theme “Developing Leadership for Future Wars” involves AES/RC4 encrypted stagers to drop MeshAgent RMM tool.
Targeted sectors under the Indian Ministry
Railways
Oil & Gas
External Affairs
Defence
Phishing Emails
The campaign targeting the Defence sector beings with a phishing email dated 13 January 2025, with the subject “Update schedule for NDC 65 as discussed”. The email contains a link to download a file named “NDC65-Updated-Schedule.pdf” to lure the target.
Fig. 1 – NDC Phishing Email (1)
A second phishing email sent on 15 January 2025 with the subject “Policy update for this course.txt”, also contains a phishing link. This email originates from an official-looking email ID which is likely compromised. National Defence College (NDC) is a defence service training institute for strategic and practice of National Security located in Delhi, operates under the Ministry of Defence, India.
Fig. 2 – NDC Phishing Email (2)
The attacker’s email address “gsosystems-ndc@outlook[.]com”, was created on 10 January 2025 in UAE and was last seen active on 28 February 2025. OSINT reveals similar looking email ID “gsosystems.ndc-mod@nic[.]in” belonging to National Informatics Centre (NIC), a department under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), India. The username linked to the attacker’s email impersonates a government personnel member with cyber security background.
Fig. 3 – Attacker Email
Decoy Documents
The decoy is related to the National Defence College (NDC) in India and contains the Annual Training Calendar (Study & Activities) for the year 2025 for the 65th Course (NDC-65). Located in New Delhi, it is the defence service training institute and highest seat of strategic learning for officers of the Defence Service (Indian Armed Forces) and the Civil Services, all operating under the Ministry of Defence, India.
Fig. 4 – NDC Calendar Decoy [Defence]
Another phishing archive file observed with name “2024-National-Holidays-RH-PER_N-1.zip”, comes in two different variants targeting either Windows or Linux systems. Once the payload is triggered, it leads to a decoy document that contains a list of holidays for the Open Line staff for the year 2024 as the name suggests. This is an official notice from Southern Railway dated 19 December 2023, specifically for the Chennai Division. Southern Railway (SR) is one of the eighteen zones of Indian Railways, a state-owned undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, India.
Fig. 5 – Holiday List Decoy [Railways]
The third infection chain includes a document titled “Cybersecurity Guidelines” for the year 2024, which appears to be issued by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). Headquarted in Mumbai, HPCL is a public sector undertaking in petroleum and natural gas industry and is a subsidiary of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), a state-owned undertaking of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, India.
Another document linked to the same infection is the “Pharmaceutical Product Catalogue” for 2025, issued by MAPRA. It is specifically intended for employees of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in India. Mapra Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. is a pharmaceutical company with headquarters in Mumbai.
Fig. 7 – Catalogue Decoy [External Affairs]
OpenDir and CredPhish
A fake domain impersonating the e-Governance portal services has been utilized to carry out the campaign targeting railway entities. This domain was created on 16 June 2023 and features an open directory hosting multiple files, identified during the investigation.
Fig. 8 – Open directory
A total of 13 sub-domains have been identified, which function as login portals for various systems such as:
Webmail
Safety Tank Management System
Payroll System
Set Authority
These are likely used for credential phishing, actively impersonating multiple legitimate government portals since last year. These login pages are typically associated with RTS Services (Right to Public Services Act) and cater to various City Municipal Corporations (CMC). All these fake portals belong to cities located within the state of Maharashtra:
Chandrapur
Gadchiroli
Akola
Satara
Vasai Virar
Ballarpur
Mira Bhaindar
Fig. 9 – Login portals hosted on fake domain
The following table lists the identified sub-domains and the dates they were first observed:
Sub-domains
First Seen
gadchiroli.egovservice[.]in
2024-12-16
pen.egovservice[.]in
2024-11-27
cpcontacts.egovservice[.]in
cpanel.egovservice[.]in
webdisk.egovservice[.]in
cpcalendars.egovservice[.]in
webmail.egovservice[.]in
2024-01-03
dss.egovservice[.]in
cmc.egovservice[.]in
2023-11-03
mail.egovservice[.]in
2023-10-13
pakola.egovservice[.]in
pakora.egovservice[.]in
2023-07-23
egovservice[.]in
2023-06-16
All these domains have the following DNS history primarily registered under AS 140641 (YOTTA NETWORK SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED). This indicates a possible coordinated infrastructure set up to impersonate legitimate services and collect credentials from unsuspecting users.
Fig. 10 – DNS history
Further investigation into the open directory revealed additional URLs associated with the fake domain. These URLs likely serve similar phishing purposes and host further decoy content.
hxxps://egovservice.in/vvcmcrts/
hxxps://egovservice.in/vvcmc_safety_tank/
hxxps://egovservice.in/testformonline/test_form
hxxps://egovservice.in/payroll_vvcmc/
hxxps://egovservice.in/pakora/egovservice.in/
hxxps://egovservice.in/dssrts/
hxxps://egovservice.in/cmc/
hxxps://egovservice.in/vvcmcrtsballarpur72/
hxxps://egovservice.in/dss/
hxxps://egovservice.in/130521/set_authority/
hxxps://egovservice.in/130521/13/
Cluster-A
The first cluster of SideCopy’s operations shows a sophisticated approach by simultaneously targeting both Windows and Linux environments. New remote access trojans (RATs) have been added to their arsenal, enhancing their capability to compromise diverse systems effectively.
Fig. 11 – Cluster A
Windows
A spear-phishing email link downloads an archive file, that contains double extension (.pdf.lnk) shortcut. They are hosted on domains that look to be legitimate:
The shortcut triggers cmd.exe with arguments that utilize escape characters (^) to evade detection and reduce readability. A new machine ID “dv-kevin” is seen with these files as we see “desktop-” prefix in its place usually.
Fig. 12 – Shortcuts with double extension
Utility msiexec.exe is used for installing the MSI packages that are hosted remotely. It uses quiet mode flag with the installation switch.
The first domain mimics a fake e-governance site seen with the open directory, while the second one is a compromised domain that belongs to the official National Hydrology Project, an entity under the Ministry of Water Resources. The MSI contains a .NET executable ConsoleApp1.exe which drops multiple PE files that are base64 encoded. Firstly, the decoy document is dropped in Public directory and opened, whereas remaining PE files are dropped in ‘C:\ProgramData\LavaSoft\’. Among them are two DLLs:
Legitimate DLL: Sampeose.dll
Malicious DLL: DUI70.dll, identified as CurlBack RAT.
Fig. 13 – Dropper within MSI package
CurlBack RAT
A signed Windows binary girbesre.exe with original name CameraSettingsUIHost.exe is dropped beside the DLLs. Upon execution, the EXE side-loads the malicious DLL. Persistence is achieved by dropping a HTA script (svnides.hta) that creates a Run registry key for the EXE. Two different malicious DLL samples were found, which have the compilation timestamps as 2024-12-24 and 2024-12-30.
Fig. 14 – Checking response ‘/antivmcommand’
CurlBack RAT initially checks the response of a specific URL with the command ‘/antivmcommand’. If the response is “on”, it proceeds, otherwise it terminates itself thereby maintaining a check. It gathers system information, and any connected USB devices using the registry key:
“SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Enum\\USBSTOR”
Fig. 15 – Retrieving system info and USB devices
Displays connected and running processes are enumerated to check for explorer, msedge, chrome, notepad, taskmgr, services, defender, and settings.
Fig. 16 – Enumerate displays and processes
Next, it generates a UUID for client registration with the C2 server. The ID generated is dumped at “C:\Users\<username>\.client_id.txt” along with the username.
Fig. 17 – Client ID generated for C2 registration
Before registering with the ID, persistence is set up via scheduled task with the name “OneDrive” for the legitimate binary, which can be observed at the location: “C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\OneDrive”.
Fig. 18 – Scheduled Task
Reversed strings appended to the C2 domain and their purpose:
String
Functionality
/retsiger/
Register client with the C2
/sdnammoc/
Fetch commands from C2
/taebtraeh/
Check connection with C2 regularly
/stluser/
Upload results to the C2
Once registered, the connection is kept alive to retrieve any commands that are returned in the response.
Fig. 19 – Commands response after registration
If the response contains any value, it retrieves the current timestamp and executes one of the following C2 commands:
Command
Functionality
info
Gather system information
download
Download files from the host
persistence
Modify persistence settings
run
Execute arbitrary commands
extract
Extract data from the system
permission
Check and elevate privileges
users
Enumerate user accounts
cmd
Execute command-line operations
Fig. 20 – Checking process privilege with ‘permission’ command
Other basic functions include fetching user and host details, extracting archive files, and creating tasks. Strings and code show that CURL within the malicious DLL is present to enumerate and transfer various file formats:
Image files: GIF, JPEG, JPG, SVG
Text files: TXT, HTML, PDF, XML
Fig. 21 – CURL protocols supported
Linux
In addition to its Windows-focused attacks, the first cluster of SideCopy also targets Linux environments. The malicious archive file shares the same name as its Windows counterpart, but with a modification date of 2024-12-20. This archive contains a Go-based ELF binary, reflecting a consistent cross-platform strategy. Upon analysis, the function flow of the stager has code similarity to the stagers associated with Poseidon and Ares RAT. These are linked to Transparent Tribe and SideCopy APTs respectively.
Fig. 22 – Golang Stager for Linux
Stager functionality:
Uses wget command to download a decoy from egovservice domain into the target directory /.local/share and open it (National-Holidays-RH-PER_N-1.pdf).
Download the final payload elf as /.local/share/xdg-open and execute.
Create a crontab ‘/dev/shm/mycron’ to maintain persistence through system reboot for the payload, under the current username.
The final payload delivered by the stager is Spark RAT, an open-source remote access trojan with cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Written in Golang and released on GitHub in 2022, the RAT is very popular with over 500 forks. Spark RAT uses WebSocket protocol and HTTP requests to communicate with the C2 server.
Fig. 23 – Custom Spark RAT ‘thunder’ connecting to C2
Features of Spark RAT include process management and termination, network traffic monitoring, file exploration and transfer, file editing and deletion, code highlighting, desktop monitoring, screenshot capture, OS information retrieval, and remote terminal access. Additionally, it supports power management functions like shutdown, reboot, log-off, sleep, hibernate and lock screen functions.
Cluster-B
The second cluster of SideCopy’s activities targets Windows systems, although we suspect that it is targeting Linux systems based on their infrastructure observed since 2023.
Fig. 24 – Cluster B
The infection starts with a spear-phishing email link, that downloads an archive file named ‘NDC65-Updated-Schedule.zip’. This contains a shortcut file in double extension format which triggers a remote HTA file hosted on another compromised domain:
The machine ID associated with the LNK “desktop-ey8nc5b” has been observed in previous campaigns of SideCopy, although the modification date ‘2023:05:26’ suggests it may be an older one being reused. In parallel to the MSI stagers, the group continues to utilize HTA-based stagers which remain almost fully undetected (FUD).
Fig. 26 – Almost FUD stager of HTA
The HTA file contains a Base64 encoded .NET payload BroaderAspect.dll, which is decoded and loaded directly into the memory of MSHTA. This binary opens the dropped NDC decoy document in ProgramData directory and an addtional .NET stager as a PDF in the Public directory. Persistence is set via Run registry key with the name “Edgre” and executes as:
The dropped .NET binary named ‘Myapp.pdb’ has two resource files:
“Myapp.Resources.Document.pdf”
“Myapp.Properties.Resources.resources”
The first one is decoded using Caesar cipher with shift of 9 characters in backward direction. It is dropped as ‘Public\Downloads\Document.pdf’ (122.98 KB), which is a 2004 GIAC Paper on “Advanced communication techniques of remote access trojan horses on windows operating systems”.
Fig. 27– Document with appended payload
Though it is not a decoy, an encrypted payload is appended at the end. The malware searches for the “%%EOF” marker to separate PDF data from EXE data. The PDF data is extracted from the start to the marker, while the EXE Data is extracted after skipping 6 bytes beyond the marker.
Fig. 28 – Extracting EXE after EOF marker
After some delay, the EXE data is dropped as “Public\Downloads\suport.exe” (49.53 KB) which is sent as an argument along with a key to trigger a PowerShell command.
Fig. 29 – Extracting resource and triggering PowerShell
PowerShell Stage
The execution of PowerShell command with basic arguments “-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command” to ignore policies and profile is seen. Two parameters are sent:
After some delay, the encryption key is decoded from Base64, and the first 16 bytes are treated as the IV for AES encryption (CBC mode with PKCS7 padding). This is done to load the decrypted binary as a .NET assembly directly into memory, invoking its entry point.
Fig. 30 – PowerShell decryption
Custom Xeno RAT
Dumping the final .NET payload named ‘DevApp.exe’ leads us to familiar functions seen in Xeno RAT. It is an open source remote access trojan that was first seen at the end of 2023. Key features include HVNC, live microphone access, socks5 reverse proxy, UAC bypass, keylogger, and more. The custom variant used by SideCopy has added basic string manipulation methods with C2 and port as 79.141.161[.]58:1256.
Fig. 31 – Custom Xeno RAT
Last year, a custom Xeno RAT variant named MoonPeak was used by a North Korean-linked APT tracked as UAT-5394. Similarly, custom Spark RAT variants have been adopted by Chinese-speaking actors such as DragonSpark and TAG-100.
Infrastructure and Attribution
Domains used for malware staging by the threat group. Most of them have registrar as GoDaddy.com, LLC.
Staging Domain
First Seen
Created
ASN
modspaceinterior[.]com
Jan 2025
Sept 2024
AS 46606 – GoDaddy
drjagrutichavan[.]com
Jan 2025
Oct 2021
AS 394695 – GoDaddy
nhp.mowr[.]gov[.]in
Dec 2024
Feb 2005
AS 4758 – National Informatics Centre
egovservice[.]in
Dec 2024
June 2023
AS 140641 – GoDaddy
pmshriggssssiwan[.]in
Nov 2024
Mar 2024
AS 47583 – Hostinger
educationportals[.]in
Aug 2024
Aug 2024
AS 22612 – NameCheap
C2 domains have been created just before the campaign in the last week of December 2024. With Canadian registrar “Internet Domain Service BS Corp.”, they resolve to IPs with Cloudflare ASN 13335 located in California.
C2 Domain
Created
IP
ASN
updates.widgetservicecenter[.]com
2024-Dec-25
104.21.15[.]163
172.67.163[.]31
ASN 13335 – Clouflare
updates.biossysinternal[.]com
2024-Dec-23
172.67.167[.]230
104.21.13[.]17
ASN 202015 – HZ Hosting Ltd.
The C2 for Xeno RAT 79.141.161[.]58 has a unique common name (CN=PACKERP-63KUN8U) with HZ Hosting Limited of ASN 202015. The port used for communication is 1256 but an open RDP port 56777 is also observed.
Fig. 32 – Diamond Model
Both C2 domains are associated with Cloudflare ASN 13335, resolved to IP range 172.67.xx.xx. Similar C2 domains on this ASN have previously been leveraged by SideCopy in attacks targeting the maritime sector. Considering the past infection clusters, observed TTPs and hosted open directories, these campaigns with new TTPs are attributed to SideCopy with high confidence.
Conclusion
Pakistan-linked SideCopy APT group has significantly evolved its tactics since late December 2024, expanding its targets to include critical sectors such as railways, oil & gas, and external affairs ministries. The group has shifted from using HTA files to MSI packages as a primary staging mechanism and continues to employ advanced techniques like DLL side-loading, reflective loading, and AES decryption via PowerShell. Additionally, they are leveraging customized open-source tools like Xeno RAT and Spark RAT, along with deploying the newly identified CurlBack RAT. Compromised domains and fake sites are being utilized for credential phishing and payload hosting, highlighting the group’s ongoing efforts to enhance persistence and evade detection.
Yesterday Online PNG Tools smashed through 6.33M Google clicks and today it’s smashed through 6.34M Google clicks! That’s 10,000 new clicks in a single day – the smash train keeps on rollin’!
What Are Online PNG Tools?
Online PNG Tools offers a collection of easy-to-use web apps that help you work with PNG images right in your browser. It’s like a Swiss Army Knife for anything PNG-related. On this site, you can create transparent PNGs, edit icons, clean up logos, crop stamps, change colors of signatures, and customize stickers – there’s a tool for it all. The best part is that you don’t need to install anything or be a graphic designer. All tools are made for regular people who just want to get stuff done with their images. No sign-ups, no downloads – just quick and easy PNG editing tools.
Who Created Online PNG Tools?
Online PNG Tools were created by me and my team at Browserling. We’ve build simple, browser-based tools that anyone can use without needing to download or install anything. Along with PNG tools, we also work on cross-browser testing to help developers make sure their websites work great on all web browsers. Our mission is to make online tools that are fast, easy to use, and that are helpful for everyday tasks like editing icons, logos, and signatures.
Who Uses Online PNG Tools?
Online PNG Tools and Browserling are used by everyone – from casual users to professionals and even Fortune 100 companies. Casual users often use them to make memes, edit profile pictures, or remove backgrounds. Professionals use them to clean up logos, design icons, or prepare images for websites and apps.
You know what they say about playing sounds on a website: don’t. Autoplaying audio is often considered intrusive and disruptive, which is why modern web practices discourage it. However, sound design, when used thoughtfully, can enhance the user experience and reinforce a brand’s identity. So when Arts Corporation approached me to redesign their website with a request to integrate audio, I saw an opportunity to create an immersive experience that complemented their artistic vision.
To ensure the sound experience was as seamless as possible, I started thinking about ways to refine it, such as muting audio when the tab is inactive or when a video is playing. That focus on detail made me wonder: what are some other UX improvements that are often overlooked but could make a significant difference? That question set the foundation for a broader exploration of how subtle refinements in animation and interaction design could improve the overall user experience.
When an Idea is Good on Paper
The client came in with sketches and a strong vision for the website, including a key feature: “construction lines” overlaid across the design.
These lines had to move individually, as though being “pushed” by the moving cursor. While this looked great in concept, it introduced a challenge: ensuring that users wouldn’t become frustrated when trying to interact with elements positioned behind the lines.
After some testing and trying to find ways to keep the interaction, I realized a compromise was necessary. Using GSAP ScrollTrigger, I made sure that when sections including buttons and links became visible, the interactive lines would be disabled. In the end, the interaction remained only in a few places, but the concept wasn’t worth the frustration.
Splitting Text Like There’s No Tomorrow
Another challenge in balancing animation and usability was ensuring that text remained readable and accessible. Splitting text has become a standard effect in the industry, but not everyone takes the extra step to prevent issues for users relying on screen readers. The best solution in my case was to simply revert to the original text once the animation was completed. Another solution, for those who need the text to remain split, would be using aria-label and aria-hidden.
This way the user hears only the content of the aria-label attribute, not the text within the element.
Scroll-Based Disorientation
Another crucial consideration was scroll-based animations. While they add depth and interactivity, they can also create confusion if users stop mid-scroll and elements appear frozen in unexpected positions.
Example of a scroll-based animation stopped between two states
To counter this, I used GSAP ScrollTrigger’s snap feature. This ensured that when users stopped scrolling, the page would snap to the nearest section naturally, maintaining a seamless experience.
Arrays Start at 5?
Autoplaying sliders can be an effective way to signal interactivity, drawing users into the content rather than letting them assume it’s static. However, they can also create confusion if not implemented thoughtfully. While integrating the site, I realized that because some slides were numbered, users might land on the page and find themselves on the fifth slide instead of the first, disrupting their sense of flow.
To address this, I set sliders to autoplay only when they entered the viewport, ensuring that users always started at the first slide. This not only maintained consistency but also reinforced a structured and intuitive browsing experience. By making autoplay purposeful rather than arbitrary, we guide users through the content without causing unnecessary distractions.
Transition Confusion
Page transitions play a crucial role in maintaining a smooth, immersive experience, but if not handled carefully, they can lead to momentary confusion. One challenge I encountered was the risk of the transition overlay blending with the footer, since both were black in my design. Users would not perceive a transition at all, making navigation feel disjointed.
Example of a low contrast transition overlay
To solve this, I ensured that transition overlays had a distinct contrast by adding a different shade of black, preventing any ambiguity when users navigate between pages. I also optimized transition timing, making sure animations were fast enough to keep interactions snappy but smooth enough to avoid feeling abrupt. This balance created a browsing experience where users always had a clear sense of movement and direction within the site.
Example of a good contrast transition overlay
I Can Feel a Shift
A common issue in web development that often gets overlooked is the mobile resize trigger that occurs when scrolling, particularly when the browser’s address bar appears or disappears on some devices. This resize event can disrupt the smoothness of animations, causing sudden visual jumps or inconsistencies as the page shifts.
To tackle this, I made sure that ScrollTrigger wouldn’t refresh or re-trigger its animations unnecessarily when this resize event occurred by turning on ignoreMobileResize:
I also ensured that any CSS or JavaScript based on viewport height would not be recalculated on a vertical resize on mobile. Here’s a utility function I use to handle resize as an example:
/**
* Attaches a resize event listener to the window and executes a callback when the conditions are met.
*
* @param {Function} callback - The function to execute when the resize condition is met.
* @param {number} [debounceTime=200] - Time in milliseconds to debounce the resize event.
*/
function onResize(callback, debounceTime = 200) {
let oldVh = window.innerHeight;
let oldVw = window.innerWidth;
const isTouchDevice = 'maxTouchPoints' in navigator && navigator.maxTouchPoints > 0;
// Define the resize handler with debounce to limit function execution frequency
const resizeHandler = $.debounce(() => {
const newVh = window.innerHeight;
const newVw = window.innerWidth;
/**
* Condition:
* - If the device is touch and the viewport height has changed significantly (≥ 25%).
* - OR if the viewport width has changed at all.
* If either condition is met, execute the callback and update old dimensions.
*/
if ((isTouchDevice && Math.abs(newVh - oldVh) / oldVh >= 0.25) || newVw !== oldVw) {
callback();
oldVh = newVh;
oldVw = newVw;
}
}, debounceTime);
// Attach the resize handler to the window resize event
$(window).on('resize', resizeHandler);
}
Copy That! Rethinking Contact Links
It was the client’s request to have a simple contact link with a “mailto” instead of a full contact page. While this seemed like a straightforward approach, it quickly became clear that mailto links come with usability issues. Clicking one automatically opens the default email app, which isn’t always the one the user actually wants to use. Many people rely on webmail services like Gmail or Outlook in their browser, meaning a forced mail client launch can create unnecessary friction. Worse, if the user is on a shared or public computer, the mail app might not even be configured, leading to confusion or an error message.
To improve this experience, I opted for a more user-friendly approach: mailto links would simply copy the email to the clipboard and display a confirmation message.
The Takeaway
This project reinforced the importance of balancing creativity with usability. While bold ideas can drive engagement, the best experiences come from refining details users may not even notice. Whether it’s preventing unnecessary animations, ensuring smooth scrolling, or rethinking how users interact with contact links, these small decisions make a significant impact. In the end, great web design isn’t just about visuals, it’s about crafting an experience that feels effortless for the user.
In today’s competitive business environment, leveraging advanced technology is not just advantageous but often essential for staying ahead. From improving operational efficiency to enhancing customer experiences, advanced gadgets play a crucial role in driving business success. Despite the challenges businesses face, such as the statistic that up to 70% of all business partnerships fail, integrating advanced gadgets can mitigate risks and propel growth.
Enhancing Operational Efficiency
One of the primary benefits of advanced gadgets in business is their ability to streamline operations and boost productivity. Whether it’s through automation tools, smart devices, or advanced software solutions, technology empowers businesses to automate repetitive tasks, optimize workflows, and allocate resources more effectively. By reducing manual errors and accelerating processes, businesses can achieve greater efficiency and operational excellence.
Ensuring Workplace Safety
The safety and security of employees and assets are paramount concerns for any business. According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of 3,340 fires occur in offices every year, highlighting the importance of robust safety measures. Advanced gadgets such as smart fire detection systems, CCTV cameras with AI-powered analytics, and automated emergency response systems can significantly enhance workplace safety. These technologies not only detect potential hazards early but also enable swift responses, mitigating risks and minimizing damage.
Navigating Regulatory Compliance
Navigating regulatory requirements and tax obligations is another critical aspect of business operations. For example, in New Jersey, the State Treasury imposes a 6.625% Sales Tax on sales of most tangible personal property, specified digital products, and certain services unless exempt under state law. Advanced gadgets equipped with financial management software can automate tax calculations, ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and facilitate accurate reporting. By reducing the burden of manual compliance tasks, businesses can avoid penalties and optimize financial processes.
Empowering Customer Engagement
Customer engagement and satisfaction are fundamental drivers of business growth. Advanced gadgets such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, personalized marketing automation tools, and AI-powered chatbots enable businesses to deliver tailored experiences and responsive customer service. These technologies analyze customer data in real-time, anticipate needs, and personalize interactions, fostering long-term customer loyalty and driving revenue growth.
Harnessing Data for Strategic Insights
In today’s data-driven economy, insights derived from data analytics can provide businesses with a competitive edge. Advanced gadgets equipped with analytics tools collect, analyze, and visualize data from various sources, offering valuable insights into market trends, customer behavior, and operational performance. By making informed decisions based on data-driven insights, businesses can identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and optimize strategies for sustainable growth.
Improving Decision-Making with Real-Time Analytics
Advanced gadgets are invaluable in empowering businesses with real-time data analytics capabilities. These tools enable organizations to gather and analyze data swiftly, providing deep insights into market dynamics, consumer preferences, and operational efficiencies. By harnessing these insights, businesses can make informed decisions promptly, adapt strategies proactively, and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Real-time analytics not only enhances strategic planning but also optimizes resource allocation, driving sustained growth and competitiveness in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
Conclusion
In conclusion, integrating advanced gadgets into business operations can significantly enhance efficiency, safety, compliance, customer engagement, and strategic decision-making. Despite the challenges highlighted by statistics showing high business partnership failure rates and the prevalence of office fires, advanced technology offers solutions to mitigate risks and drive success. By leveraging automation, enhancing safety measures, ensuring regulatory compliance, empowering customer engagement, and harnessing data-driven insights, businesses can navigate challenges more effectively and capitalize on opportunities in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
As technology continues to evolve, businesses that embrace advanced gadgets not only position themselves for current success but also future-proof their operations against emerging challenges. By investing in the right technology solutions and adapting them to meet specific business needs, organizations can innovate, grow, and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. Embracing the transformative potential of advanced gadgets is not merely advantageous but imperative for businesses striving to achieve sustainable success and leadership in their respective industries.
In today’s rapidly evolving cyber landscape, organizations face an increasing number of sophisticated threats. Consequently, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has never been more critical. Two prominent solutions in this domain are Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR). While both serve essential roles in safeguarding an organization’s digital assets, they cater to different needs and offer distinct functionalities. This article delves deep into the nuances of EDR vs XDR, providing insights into their features, differences, and when to deploy each solution.
What is EDR?
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is a cybersecurity approach that focuses primarily on monitoring and securing endpoint devices such as laptops, desktops, and servers. EDR solutions are designed to detect, investigate, and respond to potential threats at the endpoint level. By employing advanced analytics and automated responses, EDR tools operate under the premise of an “assume breach” mentality. This means they are always on the lookout for suspicious activities, even if the organization believes its systems are secure.
Key Features of EDR
Real-time Monitoring: EDR solutions provide continuous surveillance of endpoint activities, enabling organizations to detect anomalies swiftly.
Automated Response: EDR tools can automatically contain threats, limiting their potential impact before human intervention is required.
Data Collection: These solutions gather extensive data from endpoints, including system logs, file access, and user activities, allowing for thorough investigations.
Threat Intelligence: EDR platforms leverage threat intelligence to enhance their detection capabilities, identifying known threats and emerging vulnerabilities.
Benefits of EDR
Focused Security: EDR is primarily designed to protect endpoints, making it an excellent choice for organizations with significant endpoint exposure.
Cost-effective: For businesses with limited budgets, EDR solutions can provide robust endpoint protection without the higher costs associated with more comprehensive solutions.
Scalability: As organizations grow, EDR solutions can easily adapt to increasing numbers of endpoints and evolving threats.
What is XDR?
Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is a holistic cybersecurity solution that integrates data from multiple security layers, including endpoints, networks, servers, and cloud environments. Unlike EDR, which focuses solely on endpoint devices, XDR aims to provide a comprehensive view of an organization’s security posture by correlating data across various sources. This enables security teams to detect and respond to threats more effectively.
Key Features of XDR
Unified Security Approach: XDR consolidates data from various security tools and platforms, offering a centralized view of threats across the entire infrastructure.
Enhanced Visibility: By analyzing data from multiple sources, XDR provides deeper insights into potential threats, making it easier to identify complex attack patterns.
Automated Threat Response: Like EDR, XDR also employs automation to respond to threats, but it does so across a broader range of data sources.
Cross-domain Detection: XDR is capable of detecting threats that may originate from different areas, such as network traffic, cloud applications, and email systems.
Benefits of XDR
Comprehensive Coverage: XDR’s ability to integrate data from various sources ensures that organizations have a complete view of their security landscape.
Improved Incident Response: By providing a unified view of threats, XDR allows security teams to respond more quickly and effectively to incidents.
Reduced Complexity: XDR simplifies security operations by reducing the number of tools and interfaces security teams must manage.
EDR vs XDR: Key Differences
While both EDR and XDR are essential components of a modern cybersecurity strategy, they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Below is a comparison highlighting the critical differences between EDR and XDR:
Feature
EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)
XDR (Extended Detection and Response)
Scope
Focuses on endpoint devices
Covers multiple security layers
Data Sources
Endpoint-specific data
Integrates data from various sources
Detection Methods
Signature-based and behavioral analysis
Advanced analytics, AI, and data correlation
Threat Detection
Primarily endpoint threats
Advanced threats across all domains
Incident Response
Endpoint-focused
Cross-domain response
Integration
Typically integrated with endpoint tools
Integrates with multiple security solutions
When to Choose EDR
Organizations may opt for EDR solutions under specific circumstances:
Small to Medium-Sized Infrastructure: Businesses with fewer endpoints and primarily endpoint-based threats may find EDR sufficient for their needs.
Budget Constraints: EDR solutions tend to be more cost-effective than XDR, making them ideal for organizations with limited financial resources.
Strong Endpoint Security Posture: If an organization already has robust endpoint security measures in place, EDR can enhance those efforts without overwhelming complexity.
When to Choose XDR
On the other hand, XDR is more suitable for organizations facing different challenges:
Complex IT Environments: Organizations with extensive IT infrastructures that require visibility across endpoints, networks, and cloud applications should consider XDR.
High-Risk Industries: Sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, which are often targeted by sophisticated threats, can benefit from XDR’s comprehensive approach.
Need for Advanced Analytics: Organizations looking to leverage machine learning and AI to identify patterns across multiple data sources will find XDR more advantageous.
The Role of Seqrite EDR and XDR
Seqrite offers advanced EDR and XDR solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of organizations. With a focus on comprehensive endpoint protection and extended visibility, Seqrite’s offerings empower businesses to strengthen their security posture effectively.
Seqrite EDR
Seqrite EDR provides real-time monitoring and automated response capabilities, ensuring that organizations can detect and mitigate threats swiftly. Its user-friendly interface and robust analytics make it a valuable addition to any cybersecurity strategy.
Seqrite XDR
Seqrite XDR enhances threat detection and response capabilities by integrating data from various security layers. This solution empowers organizations to gain deeper insights into their security landscape, facilitating quicker and more effective incident response.
Conclusion
In the ongoing battle against cyber threats, understanding the distinctions between EDR and XDR is vital for organizations looking to enhance their security measures. While EDR excels in endpoint protection, XDR provides a more comprehensive view of an organization’s security posture by integrating data across multiple sources. Depending on the specific needs and challenges faced by an organization, either solution—or a combination of both—can significantly bolster cybersecurity efforts.
By investing in advanced solutions like Seqrite EDR and XDR, organizations can ensure they are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern threat landscape and safeguard their digital assets effectively.
Yesterday Online PNG Tools smashed through 6.34M Google clicks and today it’s smashed through 6.35M Google clicks! That’s 10,000 new clicks in a single day – the smash train keeps on rollin’!
What Are Online PNG Tools?
Online PNG Tools offers a collection of easy-to-use web apps that help you work with PNG images right in your browser. It’s like a Swiss Army Knife for anything PNG-related. On this site, you can create transparent PNGs, edit icons, clean up logos, crop stamps, change colors of signatures, and customize stickers – there’s a tool for it all. The best part is that you don’t need to install anything or be a graphic designer. All tools are made for regular people who just want to get stuff done with their images. No sign-ups, no downloads – just quick and easy PNG editing tools.
Who Created Online PNG Tools?
Online PNG Tools were created by me and my team at Browserling. We’ve build simple, browser-based tools that anyone can use without needing to download or install anything. Along with PNG tools, we also work on cross-browser testing to help developers make sure their websites work great on all web browsers. Our mission is to make online tools that are fast, easy to use, and that are helpful for everyday tasks like editing icons, logos, and signatures.
Who Uses Online PNG Tools?
Online PNG Tools and Browserling are used by everyone – from casual users to professionals and even Fortune 100 companies. Casual users often use them to make memes, edit profile pictures, or remove backgrounds. Professionals use them to clean up logos, design icons, or prepare images for websites and apps.
Carousels are a fairly common UI pattern (there are many excellent carousel and slider examples available on Codrops). While carousel designs vary depending on the use case, the following demos explore how the GreenSock Animation Platform (GSAP) can be used to achieve seamless looping, smooth animations, and ultimately, a better user experience.
This article is for frontend designers and developers interested in enhancing the functionality and visual appeal of a standard horizontal carousel. Familiarity with JavaScript and basic GSAP methods will be helpful, but anyone looking for inspiration and practical examples may find the following content useful.
What You’ll Learn
Basic carousel implementation using HTML and CSS
How to use gsap.utils.wrap() and horizontalLoop()
Advanced animation techniques, including image parallax and function-based values
Our Basic Carousel
Let’s start with a horizontally scrolling carousel using only HTML and CSS:
It uses scroll snapping and some custom styling on the scrollbar. Nothing fancy, but it works even when JavaScript is disabled.
Note that the HTML above is intentionally concise. However, in production, it’s important to follow accessibility best practices, including using alt text on images and descriptive ARIA attributes for screen reader users.
Building on the Foundation – GSAP Demo 1A
To see how GSAP can enhance a carousel, we’ll explore two different approaches—the first using gsap.utils.wrap(). Wrap is one of several handy utility methods included in gsap.js—no plugin required! Given a min/max range, it returns a value within that range:
gsap.utils.wrap(5, 10, 12); // min 5, max 10, value to wrap 12: returns 7
The example above returns 7 because 12 is 2 more than the maximum of 10, so it wraps around to the start and moves 2 steps forward from there. In a carousel, this can be used to loop infinitely through the slides.
Here’s a simple demo of how it can be applied:
In the HTML, a <nav> block has been added that contains previous/next buttons and progress text:
In the JS, we override the carousel’s scroll-snap-type and display the <nav> block. Since we no longer have a scrollable area, the buttons are necessary to maintain keyboard accessibility. Safari requires tabindex="0" to allow users to tab to them. Additionally, aria-labels are important since the buttons have no visible text content.
We apply the new class to each slide, which effectively stacks them all in the center. We also set the initial opacity: 1 for the first slide and 0 for the rest:
Next, we need a function that transitions to the previous or next slide. changeSlide() is passed a direction parameter of either positive or negative 1. Inside this function, we:
Fade out the current slide
Update the current slide index using gsap.utils.wrap()
Fade in the new current slide
Update the progress text
The different easing on the outro and intro tweens helps prevent excessive overlapping opacity during the crossfade.
Easing and staggers help smooth out and space the movement. The dir parameter modifies the rotationY, adding a subtly unique motion to previous and next actions.
This basic setup can be easily customized further. Animating a clip-path, applying a blur filter, or experimenting with additional 3D transforms could all produce interesting results.
A Different Approach – GSAP Demo 2A
Another way to create a seamless looping carousel with GSAP is to use the horizontalLoop() helper function. Although GSAP helper functions aren’t officially part of the core library, they’re a handy collection of code snippets and shortcuts. They also serve as great learning resources for writing more advanced GSAP code.
This specific helper function animates elements along their x-axis and repositions them once they’re out of view to create an infinite loop. Here’s a basic implementation:
Again, we override the CSS and display the <nav> element. Then we call horizontalLoop(), which takes two parameters: an array of the carousel slides and a config object for setting various options.
const loop = horizontalLoop(slides, {
paused: true, // no auto-scroll
paddingRight: 10, // match the 10px flex gap
center: true, // snap the active slide to the center
onChange: (slide, index) => { // called when the active slide changes
if (activeSlide) {
gsap.to(".active", { opacity: 0.3 });
activeSlide.classList.remove("active");
}
slide.classList.add("active");
activeSlide = slide;
gsap.to(".active", { opacity: 1, ease: "power2.inOut" });
gsap.set(".carousel-nav div", { innerText: `${index + 1}/${slides.length}` });
}
});
The most notable of these options is the onChange callback, where we can write code that executes each time the active slide changes. In this example, we’re removing and adding the “active” class name and tweening the opacity to draw more focus to the center slide.
The helper function returns a timeline with several useful added methods, including next(), previous(), and toIndex(). We’ll use these to add navigation functionality to our previous/next buttons, as well as to the individual slides:
next.addEventListener("click", () => loop.next({ duration: 1, ease: "expo" }));
prev.addEventListener("click", () => loop.previous({ duration: 1, ease: "expo" }));
// each slide can function as a button to activate itself
slides.forEach((slide, i) => {
slide.addEventListener("click", () => loop.toIndex(i, {duration: 1, ease: "expo"}))
});
Finally, we set the initial carousel state by adjusting the opacity of each slide and calling toIndex() with no tween duration, which centers the active slide.
If you’re unfamiliar with function-based values in GSAP, this is an amazing feature—definitely check out that link to learn how they work. Here, we’re iterating through each element with the class name “carousel-slide,” returning an opacity value of 1 for the first slide and 0.3 for the rest.
The remainder of the JS is just the helper function, copied and pasted from the GSAP docs demo. In most cases, you won’t need to modify anything inside it. (We’ll look at an exception in Demo 2C.)
Add Draggable & InertiaPlugin – GSAP Demo 2B
To make the carousel move on drag, we’ll need two plugins: Draggable and the Inertia Plugin. Once those scripts are included, you can set draggable: true in the config object.
In addition to drag behavior, this iteration includes some text animation, with logic to prevent it from running on the first load (plus hover in/out animations on the nav buttons).
onChange: (slide, index) => { // called when the active slide changes
if (activeSlide) {
gsap.to(".carousel h2, .carousel h5", { overwrite: true, opacity: 0, ease: "power3" });
gsap.to(".active", { opacity: 0.3 });
activeSlide.classList.remove("active");
}
slide.classList.add("active");
activeSlide = slide;
// intro animation for new active slide
gsap.timeline({ defaults:{ ease:"power1.inOut" } })
// fade in the new active slide
.to(".active", { opacity: 1, ease: "power2.inOut" }, 0)
// fade out the progress text, change its value, fade it back in
.to(".carousel-nav div", { duration: 0.2, opacity: 0, ease: "power1.in" }, 0)
.set(".carousel-nav div", { innerText: `${index + 1}/${slides.length}` }, 0.2)
.to(".carousel-nav div", { duration: 0.4, opacity: 0.5, ease: "power1.inOut" }, 0.2)
// fade in the text elements and translate them vertically
.to(".active h2, .active h5", { opacity: 1, ease: "power1.inOut" }, 0.3)
.fromTo(".active h2, .active h5", { y:(i)=>[40,60][i] },{ duration: 1.5, y: 0, ease: "expo" }, 0.3)
// skip active slide animation on first run
.progress( firstRun? 1: 0 )
}
Adding Parallax – GSAP Demo 2C
To make the movement more engaging, let’s calculate each slide’s horizontal progress and use it to create a parallax effect.
Until now, we haven’t modified the helper function. However, to calculate slide progress, this version includes one change insidehorizontalLoop().
Now, every time the carousel timeline updates, slideImgUpdate() is called. This function sets each image’s xPercent based on the progress of its parent slide. Progress is 0 when the slide is offstage to the left, and 1 when it’s offstage to the right.
GSAP utility functions mapRange(), interpolate(), and clamp() make the progress calculation much easier. Note, in the CSS, the width of .carousel-slide img is increased to 150%, so there will be enough image for a 50% horizontal movement.
Taking It Further
There are endless ways you could build on these demos, customizing both appearance and functionality. A few ideas include:
Modify how many slides are shown at once—a single, full-frame version could be interesting, as could several smaller slides to create a cover flow effect. In both of those examples, the progress indicator also became a fun area for experimentation.
Additional details could be added by calling custom functions inside the helper function’s onPress, onRelease, or onThrowComplete callbacks. Here’s one more iteration on Demo 2, where the entire carousel shrinks while the pointer is held down.
The carousel could even serve as navigation for a separate animated page element, like on Nite Riot.
If you want the carousel to respond to mouse wheel movements, GSAP’s Observer plugin offers an easy way to handle those events.
