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MacBook Air With M2 Chip Arriving 2022, According to Leaker

Charlotte Henry ·

Rumors are swirling about future Apple Silicon and the devices that updated chips will go in. MacRumors picked up on one leak that suggested an M2 going into Macbook Air, which will be released next year.

On Twitter, Dylandkt claimed that a new ‌MacBook Air‌ model is “on track” to launch in the first half of 2022, featuring an ‌M2‌ chip and a more colorful design. They also claimed that the “M1X” chip is being reserved for high-end “Pro” Macs, which could include the MacBook Pro and a larger, more powerful iMac model. Dylandkt’s claim is not entirely new, given that Jon Prosser has previously said that the next-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ will feature a complete redesign, a range of iMac-like color options, and an ‌M2‌ chip. Dylandkt has been resolute in previous comments about the “M1X” being destined for the next-generation MacBook Pro, while the “‌M2‌” will apparently be a lower-end chip for the ‌MacBook Air‌, but it is worth noting that this does not seem to fit very well with the specific thoughts of reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman about Apple’s upcoming custom silicon chips for the Mac.

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Kaspersky’s Password Manager Created Weak Passwords

Andrew Orr ·

Kaspersky Password Manager was caught creating weak passwords that were easy to brute force attack.

We will first see an example of a good password generation method, to explain after why the method used by Kaspersky was flawed, and how we exploited it. As we will see, passwords generated by this tool can be bruteforced in seconds.

After a bit less than two years, this vulnerability has been patched on all versions of KPM. Vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2020-27020.

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Audacity: Users Hit Out Following Privacy Changes

Charlotte Henry ·

Audacity has been very popular free audio software for a long while. However, new owners update the app’s privacy notice on July 2. It includes new data collection provisions and users are not happy, 9to5 Mac reported.

The new owners break down the two main types of data they collect including data for analytics and for legal enforcement. The analytics are limited to more specific information including the OS version, CPU, user country (based on IP), and error codes. The main issue most have with the change is the vague and overarching wording, especially within the legal enforcement section. They list the personal data they collect as, “Data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities’ requests (if any)” without any limitations. That’s a significant change to Audacity after over 20 years of development. Users have not been pleased with this latest change. A large portion of the user base are advocates for privacy, and this vague from concerning change is seen as a betrayal of Audacity’s users and history.

Check Out These New iPhone Battery Wallpapers
Cool Stuff Found

Check Out These New iPhone Battery Wallpapers

Andrew Orr ·

Ben Vessey has released some new iPhone battery wallpapers as part of the Dynamo series. These wallpapers use shortcuts automation to automatically change depending on the state of your battery: Full, Low, and Charging. There are two new packs available: an album pack for music fans based on popular music icons; and a Mac-themed pack inspired by the Apple Macintosh. Each pack includes three sets of wallpapers optimized for the iPhone 6s and later. You install them using iCloud and Shortcuts running on iOS 14, with instructions included in the download.

Podcast

I Want My, I Want My, I Want My ... USB-C! — Mac Geek Gab 879

John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · · Add Comment

It’s a hot one, folks, and we’re not talking about the weather! This episode is chock full of great Cool Stuff Found, answers to your questions, and more. Topics include free tools to keep your Mac running smoothly, a way to get free data on your phone, invoicing solutions for consultants, a quick way to activate your flashlight, free VPNs to use, and much, much more! Press play and enjoy learning five new things with John and Dave, your two favorite geeks!

News

Happy U.S. Independence Day, 2021 Edition

Bryan Chaffin ·

In honor of Independence Day—a U.S. holiday—The Mac Observer is taking off Monday, July 4th. We will return Tuesday, July 7th, with our usual Apple, Mac, iPad iPhone, and Apple Watch news. TMO’s Daily Observations podcast is taking off the holiday, too. See you on Tuesday!

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New Ransomware ‘Tsunami’ Destroying Supply Chains

Andrew Orr ·

The REvil hacking team is back with new malware. Brand new, still developing, but their ransomware called “Tsunami” is wreaking havoc.

The software in question, Kaseya VSA, is popular among so-called managed service providers, which provide IT infrastructure for companies that would rather outsource that sort of thing than run it themselves. Which means that if you successfully hack an MSP, you suddenly have access to its customers. It’s the difference between cracking safety deposit boxes one at a time and stealing the bank manager’s skeleton key.

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Russian Spies Abuse VPNs to Target Organizations

Andrew Orr ·

On Thursday, U.S. and British authorities said that Russia’s military spy agency is using VPNs and Tor to attack governments and private sector targets.

The advisory did not identify any of the targets by name, saying only that they were mainly in the United States and Europe and included government offices, political parties, energy companies, law firms and media organizations.

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Russian officials routinely reject allegations that they employ hackers to spy on rival nations.