The Top Three

🏆 THE INDUSTRY’S MOST IMPORTANT STORIES TODAY

🥇 FAKE VMs HIJACK BRAND CLOUD NETWORKS

🦁 A lion in sheep’s clothing: Researchers have uncovered a new tactic by cybercrime group Atlas Lion to target major brands: using stolen employee credentials to enroll attacker-controlled virtual machines (VMs) into a company’s cloud domain — making their malicious infrastructure appear legitimate. In a recent attack, the group sent fake IT helpdesk texts with phishing links to steal usernames, passwords, and MFA codes. They used this information to register their own devices with the company’s MFA app and maintain access. more

• Once inside, they created a Windows VM in their own Microsoft Azure cloud tenant and connected it to the target's domain.

• From there, the group searches internal documentation to find ways to exploit gift card systems, issuing fraudulent gift cards that are then sold on the dark web or cashed out.

• Microsoft $MSFT ( ▲ 1.86% )  reports Atlas Lion can steal up to $100K per day from a single company through these schemes.

🥈 BEREAL’S AD-FREE ERA IS OVER

💰️ BeReal finally had to get real: BeReal, once an anti-ad platform, has launched its ad business in the U.S. under former TikTok exec Ben Moore. With more than 200 international advertisers already on board, BeReal is entering the ad space at a time when TikTok’s future in the U.S. is uncertain, giving the app a chance to attract advertisers looking to shift their social spending. more

• Initial ad products include targeted in-feed ads and takeovers, which provide brands with exclusive ad placement for one day.

• BeReal also released user base data:

  • 85% of its 40 million monthly active users are Gen Z.

  • Top markets include the U.S., Japan, and France.

  • More than 50% of users are active six days a week.

• However, with some stats estimating its user count peaked at around 70 million in 2023, there are signs that it may be struggling to sustain its momentum.

🥉 GOOGLE’S SEARCH DECLINE ISN’T RECOVERING

🔎 The search empire is crumbling: For the first time since 2015, Google’s $GOOGL ( ▲ 2.83% ) global search market share fell below 90% in Q4 2024, with the trend continuing into 2025, except for a brief spike in February to 90.15%. This shift signals growing competition and changing user behaviour. more

• The dip suggests this isn’t just a blip, but a sign of increasing pressure on Google’s once-untouchable position.

• Other search engines are gaining ground, with Yahoo holding 1.33%, Yandex at 2.49%, and privacy-focused DuckDuckGo capturing 0.79% of the market.

Today’s Other News

📰 EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MATTERS

Advertising 📣

• Google announced new PMax updates yesterday:

  • New customer lifecycle goals & reporting: Retention goals are now available, letting you bid more for lapsed customers. Plus, customer acquisition cost reporting can be found in a new column in campaign reporting.

  • Image controls: Automatically source images from landing pages for more variety, and new image enhancements create additional versions of your images.

  • Improved Search controls: The campaign-level negative keyword limit is now increased from 100 to 10,000.

• Yahoo $YHOO ( 0.0% ) is in early talks with investment banks and potential buyers about selling its demand-side platform, sources say. Under current owner Apollo Global Management $APO ( ▲ 1.61% ) , there is growing speculation that Yahoo may divest its ad tech assets, including the DSP. While there has been no formal sales process yet, the discussions suggest increasing interest in ad tech consolidation. Apollo and Yahoo declined to comment. more

• Amazon $AMZN ( ▲ 2.01% )  Sponsored Display is updating its algorithm to improve conversion opportunities for Reach and Page Visit campaigns, aligning them with Conversion campaigns. Advertisers can expect better performance metrics. more

Legal ⚖️ 

• Meta $META ( ▼ 0.5% ) will go to trial against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on April 14, facing allegations that it stifled competition by acquiring early-stage startups like Instagram and WhatsApp. If the FTC wins, Meta could be forced to break up its $1.3 trillion ad business, potentially separating Instagram and WhatsApp from the company. more

  • 🙏 Hail Mary: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been meeting with President Trump ahead of the upcoming antitrust trial, reportedly in an attempt to sway the situation in his favour.

Apps 📲 

• 👵“Back in my day, magazines were in print": People Magazine launched its first standalone app today, featuring a TikTok-like, swipeable interface to appeal to socially savvy, logged-in users. The app pushes a visual-first, image-heavy format, with stories tailored specifically for the app, many of which won't be found on the site or in print. more

  • While monetization isn't the priority yet, e.l.f. Beauty $ELF ( ▼ 0.34% ) is the app's launch sponsor, with ads set to begin the week of April 21. The company is also looking into Instagram-style ad formats and brand integrations.

Social Media 📱

• 🎣 Influencer bait: TikTok is launching an exclusive "Specialized Rewards Program" as Meta ramps up its efforts to poach its creators. The invite-only program will offer selected creators additional monetization opportunities in high-value content categories like Film & TV, Auto, Learning, and Sports. Creators in these niches will earn extra rewards on top of their regular Creator Rewards earnings. more

Commerce 🛒 

• Amazon has reportedly cancelled orders for various products made in China including beach chairs, scooters, and air conditioners, as the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China escalates. The cancellations followed President Trump's April 2 announcement of tariffs on China and more than 180 other countries and territories. more

  • According to the Wall Street Journal, e-commerce consultants working with Amazon vendors confirmed the cancellations, noting that products Amazon buys directly from vendors make up about 40% of its sales, with the remaining 60% coming from independent sellers on its platform. Amazon declined to comment.

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