Month: August 2024
Russian Government Hackers Found Using Exploits Made By Spyware Companies NSO and Intellexa
Google says it has evidence that Russian government hackers are using exploits that are “identical or strikingly similar” to those previously made by spyware makers Intellexa and NSO Group. From a report: In a blog post on Thursday, Google said it is not sure how the Russian government acquired the exploits, but said this is an example of how exploits developed by spyware makers can end up in the hands of “dangerous threat actors.” In this case, Google says the threat actors are APT29, a group of hackers widely attributed to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or the SVR. APT29 is a highly capable group of hackers, known for its long-running and persistent campaigns aimed at conducting espionage and data theft against a range of targets, including tech giants Microsoft and SolarWinds, as well as foreign governments.
Google said it found the hidden exploit code embedded on Mongolian government websites between November 2023 and July 2024. During this time, anyone who visited these sites using an iPhone or Android device could have had their phone hacked and data stolen, including passwords, in what is known as a “watering hole” attack. The exploits took advantage of vulnerabilities in the iPhone’s Safari browser and Google Chrome on Android that had already been fixed at the time of the suspected Russian campaign. Still, those exploits nevertheless could be effective in compromising unpatched devices.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Google says it has evidence that Russian government hackers are using exploits that are “identical or strikingly similar” to those previously made by spyware makers Intellexa and NSO Group. From a report: In a blog post on Thursday, Google said it is not sure how the Russian government acquired the exploits, but said this is an example of how exploits developed by spyware makers can end up in the hands of “dangerous threat actors.” In this case, Google says the threat actors are APT29, a group of hackers widely attributed to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, or the SVR. APT29 is a highly capable group of hackers, known for its long-running and persistent campaigns aimed at conducting espionage and data theft against a range of targets, including tech giants Microsoft and SolarWinds, as well as foreign governments.
Google said it found the hidden exploit code embedded on Mongolian government websites between November 2023 and July 2024. During this time, anyone who visited these sites using an iPhone or Android device could have had their phone hacked and data stolen, including passwords, in what is known as a “watering hole” attack. The exploits took advantage of vulnerabilities in the iPhone’s Safari browser and Google Chrome on Android that had already been fixed at the time of the suspected Russian campaign. Still, those exploits nevertheless could be effective in compromising unpatched devices.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Sweden’s been stealthily using hydrogen to forge green steel. Now it’s ready to industrialise
Deep in Sweden’s icy north sits a small factory where the country’s largest industrial players have been steadily validating a new technology that could clean up one of the dirtiest industries on Earth. Energy giant Vattenfall, steel-maker SSAB, and mining firm LKAB built the facility — located in the small town of Luleå — in 2020, as part of the HYBRIT project. The initiative aims to prove that steel can be made on an industrial scale using hydrogen and clean electricity. “Using hydrogen to produce steel is still in its very early stages,” an SSAB representative told TNW. “It represents…This story continues at The Next Web
Deep in Sweden’s icy north sits a small factory where the country’s largest industrial players have been steadily validating a new technology that could clean up one of the dirtiest industries on Earth. Energy giant Vattenfall, steel-maker SSAB, and mining firm LKAB built the facility — located in the small town of Luleå — in 2020, as part of the HYBRIT project. The initiative aims to prove that steel can be made on an industrial scale using hydrogen and clean electricity. “Using hydrogen to produce steel is still in its very early stages,” an SSAB representative told TNW. “It represents…
This story continues at The Next Web
This Labor Day sale discounts Apple’s MagSafe charging pad to just $29
The Labor Day discounts are coming in hot. Here’s one for Apple’s fantastic MagSafe charging pad. It’s usually $39, but this Amazon sale brings it down to $29. That’s a savings of 26 percent and close to a record low price.
If you haven’t tried a charging pad before, you are in for a treat. There’s a reason this thing made our list of the best iPhone accessories. All you do is plug it in and then plop the device right on top of it. It’ll juice up, thanks to the magic of inductive charging.
Apple’s MagSafe charging pad will work with just about any Apple handset past the iPhone 8, though the internal magnetic locking mechanism only works with the iPhone 12 and later. All this means is it’ll be a bit more finicky to place older handsets. Also, the charging pad isn’t tethered to phones. It powers up the charging cases that ship with most AirPods earbuds.
We loved the powerful internal magnets, which makes phone placement a breeze. The only real downside is that the cable that runs from the pad to a power outlet is on the shorter side, so it may require some furniture rearrangement or the use of an extension cord.
The original $39 asking price was also a sticking point, given that off-brand products are much cheaper. That’s changed with this sale. Why get a third-party charging pad for $25 when you can get the real deal for $29?
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-labor-day-sale-discounts-apples-magsafe-charging-pad-to-just-29-150200016.html?src=rss
The Labor Day discounts are coming in hot. Here’s one for Apple’s fantastic MagSafe charging pad. It’s usually $39, but this Amazon sale brings it down to $29. That’s a savings of 26 percent and close to a record low price.
If you haven’t tried a charging pad before, you are in for a treat. There’s a reason this thing made our list of the best iPhone accessories. All you do is plug it in and then plop the device right on top of it. It’ll juice up, thanks to the magic of inductive charging.
Apple’s MagSafe charging pad will work with just about any Apple handset past the iPhone 8, though the internal magnetic locking mechanism only works with the iPhone 12 and later. All this means is it’ll be a bit more finicky to place older handsets. Also, the charging pad isn’t tethered to phones. It powers up the charging cases that ship with most AirPods earbuds.
We loved the powerful internal magnets, which makes phone placement a breeze. The only real downside is that the cable that runs from the pad to a power outlet is on the shorter side, so it may require some furniture rearrangement or the use of an extension cord.
The original $39 asking price was also a sticking point, given that off-brand products are much cheaper. That’s changed with this sale. Why get a third-party charging pad for $25 when you can get the real deal for $29?
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-labor-day-sale-discounts-apples-magsafe-charging-pad-to-just-29-150200016.html?src=rss
Best Labor Day Phone Deals: Save on Samsung, Apple, Google and More
Get one of our favorite phones without paying full price.
Get one of our favorite phones without paying full price.
Will a New Apple TV Still Launch This Year?
It has been nearly two years since the Apple TV last received a hardware upgrade, so you may be wondering when a new model will be released.
Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV.
In January 2023, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that a new Apple TV was on track for release in the first half of 2024:Beyond the future smart displays and new speaker, Apple is working on revamping its TV box. A new version with the current design is in the works for the first half of next year with a faster processor, the people said.The first half of 2024 passed by without a new Apple TV, so that rumor has expired, and there have been no credible rumors about the device since. As such, it is currently unclear when the next Apple TV will be released.
Apple recently announced that it will be holding a special event on September 9, but the only products firmly rumored to be unveiled then include new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, with no expectation of a new Apple TV so far.
Here is when the previous five Apple TV models were announced:
Third-generation Apple TV 4K: October 2022
Second-generation Apple TV 4K: April 2021
First-generation Apple TV 4K: September 2017
Apple TV HD: September 2015
Third-generation Apple TV: March 2012
Whenever it comes out, the next Apple TV is rumored to feature a faster processor than the current A15 Bionic chip, and even lower pricing. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that the next Apple TV could have a sub-$100 starting price. The current Apple TV starts at $129 in the U.S. with 64GB of storage, and a 128GB model is available for $149.
Both the second-generation (2010) and third-generation (2012) models of the Apple TV were priced at $99 in the U.S. at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the third-generation model to $69, so there is precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV that would better compete with low-priced streaming devices sold by the likes of Amazon and Roku.
No major design changes have been rumored for the next Apple TV specifically, but Gurman said Apple has considered adding a built-in camera to a future model. tvOS 17 added a FaceTime app to the Apple TV, allowing for users to have video calls by using the rear camera on a connected iPhone or iPad. If the Apple TV gained a built-in camera, users would no longer need to rely on an external device for video calls on the TV.Related Roundup: Apple TVBuyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)Related Forum: Apple TV and Home TheaterThis article, “Will a New Apple TV Still Launch This Year?” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
It has been nearly two years since the Apple TV last received a hardware upgrade, so you may be wondering when a new model will be released.
Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV.
In January 2023, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported that a new Apple TV was on track for release in the first half of 2024:Beyond the future smart displays and new speaker, Apple is working on revamping its TV box. A new version with the current design is in the works for the first half of next year with a faster processor, the people said.The first half of 2024 passed by without a new Apple TV, so that rumor has expired, and there have been no credible rumors about the device since. As such, it is currently unclear when the next Apple TV will be released.
Apple recently announced that it will be holding a special event on September 9, but the only products firmly rumored to be unveiled then include new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, with no expectation of a new Apple TV so far.
Here is when the previous five Apple TV models were announced:
Third-generation Apple TV 4K: October 2022
Second-generation Apple TV 4K: April 2021
First-generation Apple TV 4K: September 2017
Apple TV HD: September 2015
Third-generation Apple TV: March 2012
Whenever it comes out, the next Apple TV is rumored to feature a faster processor than the current A15 Bionic chip, and even lower pricing. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that the next Apple TV could have a sub-$100 starting price. The current Apple TV starts at $129 in the U.S. with 64GB of storage, and a 128GB model is available for $149.
Both the second-generation (2010) and third-generation (2012) models of the Apple TV were priced at $99 in the U.S. at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the third-generation model to $69, so there is precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV that would better compete with low-priced streaming devices sold by the likes of Amazon and Roku.
No major design changes have been rumored for the next Apple TV specifically, but Gurman said Apple has considered adding a built-in camera to a future model. tvOS 17 added a FaceTime app to the Apple TV, allowing for users to have video calls by using the rear camera on a connected iPhone or iPad. If the Apple TV gained a built-in camera, users would no longer need to rely on an external device for video calls on the TV.
This article, “Will a New Apple TV Still Launch This Year?” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
AI Giants Pledge To Share New Models With Feds
OpenAI and Anthropic will give a U.S. government agency early access to major new model releases under agreements announced on Thursday. From a report: Governments around the world have been pushing for measures — both legislative and otherwise — to evaluate the risks of powerful new AI algorithms. Anthropic and OpenAI have each signed a memorandum of understanding to allow formal collaboration with the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, a part of the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. In addition to early access to models, the agreements pave the way for collaborative research around how to evaluate models and their safety as well as methods for mitigating risk. The U.S. AI Safety Institute was set up as part of President Biden’s AI executive order.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
OpenAI and Anthropic will give a U.S. government agency early access to major new model releases under agreements announced on Thursday. From a report: Governments around the world have been pushing for measures — both legislative and otherwise — to evaluate the risks of powerful new AI algorithms. Anthropic and OpenAI have each signed a memorandum of understanding to allow formal collaboration with the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, a part of the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. In addition to early access to models, the agreements pave the way for collaborative research around how to evaluate models and their safety as well as methods for mitigating risk. The U.S. AI Safety Institute was set up as part of President Biden’s AI executive order.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
OpenAI eyes $100 billion+ valuation in new funding round
OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise funds at a valuation of more than $100 billion, significantly higher than its previous $86 billion valuation, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday. Investors include venture capital firm Thrive Capital and Microsoft,
The post OpenAI eyes $100 billion+ valuation in new funding round first appeared on Tech Startups.
OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise funds at a valuation of more than $100 billion, significantly higher than its previous $86 billion valuation, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday. Investors include venture capital firm Thrive Capital and Microsoft, […]
The post OpenAI eyes $100 billion+ valuation in new funding round first appeared on Tech Startups.