Link

New Malware Infects Software Pirates and Blocks The Pirate Bay

Andrew Orr ·

Andrew Brandt reports on a new malware campaign that isn’t like your typical malware. This one blocks people from accessing many popular pirating websites.

We weren’t able to discern a provenance for this malware, but its motivation seemed pretty clear: It prevents people from visiting software piracy websites (if only temporarily), and sends the name of the pirated software the user was hoping to use to a website, which also delivers a secondary payload.

Looks like this is aimed more towards Windows users. The malware takes the form of .EXE executables, and may display a message saying the victim is missing an important .DLL file.

Link

GitHub Desktop 2.9 Update Adds M1 Mac Support

Andrew Orr ·

GitHub Desktop was recently updated to version 2.9, and the team shared some of the new features included, such as squash and reorder commits. Users can now download a native build for their M1 Mac.

If a group of commits represents a single unit of work, or if a project requires that each pull request only has one commit, simply drag them on top of one another to squash them together and add a new commit message that captures the whole picture.

Link

The Story of BonziBuddy and its Company’s Demise

Andrew Orr ·

In the third episode of Kernel Panic, Mashable tells the story of one of the first virtual assistants known as BonziBuddy.

Behind the facade of that friendly gorilla, Bonzi Software, the company responsible for BonziBuddy, was collecting private information and contacts from the unsuspecting internet users who downloaded it — and bombarding them with ads and pop-ups that Bonzi would profit from.

Harry Potter and the Curse of Bonzi. If you ever downloaded this purple ape and noticed strange things start to happen, let us know in the comments. Maybe your browser was full of ads, or maybe he whispered into your ear at night, encouraging you to commit securities fraud.

Link

Even With Swift Playgrounds, iPad is Not a Developer’s Tool… Yet

Charlotte Henry ·

At WWDC 2021 Apple unveiled Swift Playgrounds 4 for the iPad. While it is a big step forward, The Verge reported that even when combined with the latest chip, the iPad is not yet a full-blown tool for developers.

Swift Playgrounds 4 isn’t the big announcement the developer community was waiting for. It has significant limits and lacks several advanced tools — debugging and profiling tools, versioning, storyboard integration, support for third-party packages, etc. “Swift Playgrounds is great for experimenting and debugging code, but it is missing many of the features … required to make fuller-fledged apps,” [Quo CEO Tucker] Haas explains. He says the program is “perfect for developing small utility applications, such as a to-do list, but currently incapable of building the next Angry Birds.”

 

Link

Data Leak Exposes Customer Records With CVS Health

Andrew Orr ·

CVS Health recently leaked approximately one billion user records that include email addresses, user IDs, and metadata. The information was discovered in a non-password protected database.

CVS Health acted fast and professionally to secure the data and a member of their Information Security Team contacted me the following day and confirmed my findings and that the data was indeed theirs. I was informed that this was a contractor or vendor who managed this dataset on behalf of CVS Health, but it was confidential as to who the vendor was.

 

MOFT O Combines an iPhone Grip With a Stand
Cool Stuff Found

MOFT O Combines an iPhone Grip With a Stand

Andrew Orr ·

MOFT’s latest product is really clever. It’s called the MOFT O and it’s an iPhone grip that can also function as a stand. It’s MagSafe compatible or seamlessly snaps on any phone via the reusable MOFT Snap Sticker – a patented silicone pad with magnetic-like functionality. The slim multi-disc design object folds into a sturdy three-dimensional phone stand that rotates 360° for 3 viewing angles and snaps off to act as a 90° kickstand for live streaming. It’s available to purchase for US$19.99.

Link

Apple is Coming After Substack and the Email Newsletter Industry

Charlotte Henry ·

At WWDC 202, Apple announced Mail Privacy Protection, which removes tracking pixels from emails. These are used by newsletter services to let the sender see how many people open a message, how often, and when. Thanks to the likes of Substack and Revue, this industry has seen a recent boom, and Chris Stokel-Walker investigated for Wired how Apple’s move might affect them and others.

The decision is made all the more significant when you take into account Apple’s stranglehold on the email ecosystem. Between the iPhone and Apple Mail apps, more than 60 per cent of all email accounts are opened in a piece of software controlled by Apple… The worry among newsletter publishers is that at a stroke, Apple is about to do the same thing to the newsletter industry, removing one of the major benchmarks upon which newsletter advertising is sold – and therefore, the production of newsletters is funded.

TMO Deals

nomadplug 18W World Charger: $74.95

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on nomadplug, a modular 18 watt world charger. It’s safe for use in all 195 countries around the world, and it delivers USB-C charging for your output, with all of those global plug options. This device is $74.95, and it’s available in blue and orange in the deal listing.

TMO Deals

Invisi Mini Selfie Stick: $29.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on the Invisi Mini Selfie Stick. This device extends up to 26-inches, includes an internal battery for triggering the shutter button, can swivel at 90°, and it supports landscape mode. It’s $29.99 through our deal, and it comes in five colors.

Link

Should You Digitize Your ID With iOS 15?

Andrew Orr ·

One of the updates to Apple Wallet in iOS 15 is letting people scan their driver’s license. But is that a good thing?

One major question is how Apple users and law enforcement like TSA agents will actually interact with these digital IDs. If your driver’s license is on your phone, you could potentially have to present your fully unlocked device to a law enforcement agent in a transaction like a traffic stop or at airport security. That could, in turn, expose you to incidental search of your data, social media accounts, or anything else the agent flicks to.