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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

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andreasc

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July 28, 2023

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

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d, tThe Galaxy Z Flip 5 got announced during Samsung’s second Unpacked event of 2023, and it does bring some improvements over its predecessor. In this article, we’ll compare the two, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Galaxy Z Flip 4. Granted, Samsung did make more design changes on the Flip 5, than it did on the Fold 5, and this phone may even be worth getting just for the cover display changes. More on that soon.

We’ll first list the specs of both smartphones, and will then move to compare them across a number of other categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. That being said, let’s get this party on the road, shall we, there’s a lot to talk about here.

Specs

– Main display: 6.7-inch fullHD+ foldable Dynamic AMOLED (120Hz)
– Cover display: 3.4-inch 720 x 748 Super AMOLED / 1.9-inch 260 x 512 Super AMOLED
– SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy / Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
– RAM: 8GB (LPDDR5X) / 8GB (LPDDR5)
– Storage: 256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0) / 128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras: 12MP (wide, OIS, PDAF, f/1.8 aperture, 1.8um pixel size), 12MP (ultrawide, 123-degree FoV)
– Front cameras: 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size) / 10MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
– Battery: 3,700mAh (25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless), no charger
– Dimensions (unfolded): 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm / 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9mm
– Dimensions (folded): 85.1 x 71.9 x 15.1mm / 84.9 x 71.9 x 15.9-17.1mm
– Weight: 187 grams
– Connectivity: 5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3 / 5.2
– Security: Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS: Android 13 with One UI / Android 12 with One UI (upgradable)
– Price: $999 / $999
– Buy: Amazon / Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Design

Both of these phones are made out of metal and glass, and even though they have a very similar form factor and size, you’ll quickly see the difference between them. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a much larger cover display than the Flip 4. That sheer fact is more than enough to spot it right away. In addition to that, the Flip 5 folds flat unlike the Flip 4. That also makes it look and feel more modern. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is also a bit thinner than its predecessor.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 also has horizontal cameras on the back, to accommodate that cover display that looks like a folder icon. The Flip 4 has vertically-aligned cameras, which is another easy way to differentiate the two. The Flip 5 is also all black on the entire front side of the phone (when folded). On the other hanhe Flip 4 is not, it combines that black portion where the display is with the color of the phone itself.

The two phones are basically identical in terms of dimensions. There is a 0.1-0.2mm difference in terms of height, and slight difference in the thickness department, but that’s basically it. Both smartphones are IPX8 certified for water resistance, and both have thin bezels on the main display, and a centered display camera hole. You will also find flat sides on both smartphones, that goes for all their sides.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Display

Both of these smartphones utilize the same main display, basically. We’re looking at a 6.7-inch panel with fullHD+ (2640 x 1080) resolution. This is a foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is supported here, and the display can go up to 1,200 nits of brightness at its peak. These two panels are basically identical, so if you’ve used the Flip 4, you know exactly what to expect here in terms of image reproduction.

The cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 measures 3.4 inches. It has a resolution of 720 x 748 pixels, and it’s protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2. That is a Super AMOLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 has a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels. The Gorilla Glass Victus+ is included on top of that panel, for protection purposes.

When it comes to the main display, they’re the same in terms of image quality. The Galaxy Z Flip 5’s main display should be more resistant to breakage, though. The cover display on the Flip 5 is much larger, and thus will be much more useful, as Samsung will allow you to use any app on it through Good Lock. The same cannot be said for the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s display, though, it’s simply too small. Some people will probably prefer that, though.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Performance

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. It also includes 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Galaxy Z Flip 4, on the other hand, has 8GB of LPDD5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. So, in terms of performance-related specs, the Flip 5 does have the upper hand across the board, which was to be expected. How do they compare performance-wise, though?

At the time of writing this comparison, we did not have enough time to properly review the Flip 5. We did use it, however, for a bit. Based on those impressions, the phone performs great, as expected. It has the same chip as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and the latest RAM and storage chips. It flies through everything with ease. On the other hand, the Flip 4 is not far from it either. To this day the phone offers outstanding performance, and we really can’t complain, even though you’ll see slightly faster app launches on the Flip 5, and things like that. You can’t really go wrong with either, though. Even when gaming is concerned, both smartphones can handle even the most intense games, though they do get quite warm after longer gaming sessions.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Battery

Samsung opted not to improve the battery capacity on the Flip 5. Both of these smartphones include a 3,700mAh battery on the inside. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a bit more power efficient than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, though, so one would expect it to offer better battery life. The Flip 5 does have a larger cover display, though, so that could impact battery life too. We did not use the phone long enough to make our verdict, but the battery life seems to be quite similar to what the Flip 4 offered, if not a bit better, at least thus far.

Another area where Samsung opted not to make any improvements is… charging. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. That’s exactly the same as what the Galaxy Z Flip 4 offers. The Flip 5 also doesn’t include a charger in the box, just like its predecessor, you will find a charging cable in there, though. If you end up using 25W wired charging, both phones can reach a 50-percent charge in about 30 minutes. It’ll take them approximately another hour to jump to 100%.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Cameras

When it comes to cameras, Samsung has decided to keep things… the same. The camera hardware is identical to last year’s model. We’re looking at a 12-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and 1.8um pixel size. OIS is included, as is PDAF. A 12-megapixel ultrawide camera also sits on the back of both phones, and it offers a 123-degree field-of-view. On the front (main display) you’ll find a 10-megapixel selfie shooter. The aperture is slightly different, but everything else seems to be the same here too.

What about camera performance? Well, we’ll talk more about that in our full review, but based on some initial samples, it seems to be very similar to last year’s model. That’s not surprising at all considering the similarities in the software, and the identical hardware. You’re still getting quite saturated images here, which do look pleasing to the eye. Don’t expect them to look close to real life, though.

As is the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Flip 5 does have a tendency of messing up skin tones due to its saturation preferences, and that is especially noticeable later afternoon when the sun is on the way down. Do note that Samsung will likely issue a number of updates in the coming weeks, so the camera performance may see further improvements.

Audio

Both smartphones do include a set of stereo speakers tuned by AKG. There’s not a lot of difference between them, if any. The output is good, the speakers are loud enough, and they’re also detailed enough, even at higher volumes. They’re not the best out there, but they’re not bad at all.

You will not find a 3.5mm headphone jack on either of these two phones. You can always utilize a Type-C port that sits on both smartphones, for wired audio connection purposes. When it comes to wireless connectivity, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, while the Galaxy Z Flip 4 supports Bluetooth 5.2.

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PDF Malware Distribution Has Increased by 500%

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andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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PDF Malware Distribution Has Increased by 500%

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A new edition of the “VirusTotal Malware Trends Report” series, which focuses mostly on “Emerging Formats and Delivery Techniques,” has been published by VirusTotal to understand the nature of malicious attacks better.

A representative subset of user submissions from January 2021 through the end of June 2023 was utilized for creating all the data in this report.

The attackers are increasingly employing new file types and tactics to circumvent detection. Email attachments continue to be a common means to propagate malware.

According to reports, campaigns are linked to reported rises of suspicious PDF files. Even while it seems as though the trend has gradually slowed down, it continues to encounter new campaigns in 2023, with the largest peak of suspicious PDF files ever recorded occurring in June 2023.

Also, attackers started adopting OneNote as a trustworthy substitute for macros in other Office applications in 2023, and antivirus (AV) software was originally taken aback by this new format.

Additionally, there is a rise in the use of ISO files by hackers to disseminate malware, often by attaching them as compressed files that are challenging for security software to analyze.

Emerging Formats and Delivery Techniques

The installation packages for a range of software, including Windows, Telegram, AnyDesk, and malicious CryptoNotepad, are being disguised as ISO files.

Malware Distribution Trends

Despite being a relatively ancient strategy, spreading malware using email attachments experienced a rise in popularity as early as 2022.

To better understand the development of defenses and the efficacy of various social engineering approaches, attackers combine the use of well-known distribution routes for malware with new forms.

“We have observed these PDFs being used for various purposes; for example, they could be “weaponized” to exploit a vulnerability, or simply contain a link to a phishing site that requests information”, according to the VirusTotal report.

By 2023, malware that is sent as an email attachment will increasingly be in the OneNote format. In 2023, it emerged as the most potent newcomer attachment format.

It allows attackers to include malicious URLs and other scripting languages, such as JavaScript, PowerShell, Visual Basic Script, and Windows Script, inside the document.

Due to its tremendous adaptability and resourcefulness for attackers, OneNote is now a trustworthy substitute for the traditional usage of macros by attackers in other Office products.

“Malicious OneNote files usually embed a malicious file (vba, html+jscript, PowerShell, or any combination of them) and, as happens with malicious Office attachments, try to convince the victim to allow execution”, reads the report.

Final Thoughts

The security industry must recognize the necessity for alternate file formats for malware transmission, and more effort must be made to thwart these emerging means of infection.

As legitimate websites are frequently used for malware distribution, it is advised that you monitor trends in malware distribution and actively check how your security stack responds to reduce infection risks proactively.

Include all logs to/from allowed legitimate websites in your analysis, and avoid focusing solely on anomalous traffic with your anomaly detection.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Cyber Security News; follow us on GoogleNews, Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Samsung expects foldables to outsell the Galaxy Note this year

Android

andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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Samsung expects foldables to outsell the Galaxy Note this year

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A few years back, Samsung made a massive decision to discontinue the much-loved Galaxy Note series of S Pen-equipped flagship smartphones. The company has since merged it with the Ultra model in the Galaxy S series while giving the Note’s slot in the second half of the year to foldables. It has seemingly turned out to be a smart move. The Korean firm’s mobile chief T.M. Roh has revealed that its foldable phones are on track to outsell the Galaxy Note this year.

“As we speak, they are almost on par,” Roh, the head of Samsung’s mobile division, said about the annual sales figure of the two device categories in a recent interview with CNET. “And the expectation [is] that with the Flip and Fold 5, we will be able to finally surpass that.” Roh made the comments shortly after unveiling the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 foldables during Samsung’s Unpacked event on Wednesday. The event took place in South Korea’s capital city of Seoul.

Samsung discontinued the Galaxy Note to make foldables mainstream

When Samsung first launched the Galaxy Note series in 2011, it was a niche phone for people willing to pay more for extra features such as a bigger screen and S Pen support. Over the years, the Note lineup amassed a strong fanbase, ushering in the era of big-screen smartphones. Samsung kept the Note series separate from the Galaxy S series, giving ample time for both in the market. The latter arrived early in the year, with the Note following in the second half.

However, with Samsung ushering the smartphone industry into the foldable era in 2019, the company had to work out ways to stay ahead of the competition that was about to come. The company found it best to discontinue the Note lineup and reserve the second half of the year for foldables. This happened in 2021 as Samsung pushed to make foldables mainstream. For Note fans, the company re-designed the Galaxy S Ultra to look like Note, even offering the S Pen built-in.

The Galaxy Note 20 series in 2020 was the last in the lineup. It reportedly sold about 12 million units. Last year, Samsung sold ten million foldable smartphones. Roh’s words suggest the company is on its way to selling more than 12 million foldables this year. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, which are now available to pre-order, should make up the vast majority of that figure. The new foldables bring a few notable improvements over their predecessors. They will go on sale on August 11.

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5 best Android tablets on the market today

Tech

andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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5 best Android tablets on the market today

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If you happen to be in the market for a brand-new Android tablet or smartphone, here are some of today’s most popular devices. They are known for having excellent displays, superb cameras, long-lasting batteries, powerful computing capabilities, and much more.

Top 5 Android tablets you can purchase today

The type of tablet you should invest in depends on what you want your device to do. Also, the cost is one of the most important things you should consider.

Some of these tablets are far more affordable than others, so take your time to shop around at different websites to try and find the best deal. Don’t just buy the first tablet you find on the first website you visit.

Without further ado, here are the five best tablets running on the Android operating system. They include the following popular devices:

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus
OnePlus Pad
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro
Amazon Fire HD Plus

What about Android smartphones?

Some of today’s best Android smartphones are the following:

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (best all-round phone) – currently priced at around £600
Google Pixel 7A (another great all-round Android smartphone for people on a budget) – currently priced at around £365
Samsung Galaxy A54 (perfect mid-range device) – approximately £340
Asus ROG Phone 7 (best top-of-the-range device for mobile gaming) – approx. £765
Fairphone 4 – (most popular eco-friendly smartphone) – approx. £400
OnePlus 11 5G (fastest-charging smartphone) – approx. £534
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (cheapest smartphone that performs really well) – only £150

Other great Android smartphones on the market that you may also want to consider looking into are the Motorola Moto Edge+, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Motorola Think Phone, and the OnePlus Nord 2T.

There’s also the Realme GT 2 Pro, the Xiaomi 13 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S22, and the Redmi Note 11 Pro, to name just a few reliable devices.

I like to play games and watch movies; which smartphones are best?

Whether you like playing graphically demanding, high-end video games like Red Dead Redemption 2, playing 32Red online blackjack, or watching your favourite 4K Ultra HD movies and television shows on streaming sites like Amazon Prime Video or Netflix, some of the best Android smartphones to consider for these activities are the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, and the Black Shark 5 Pro.

All of the Android smartphones and tablets mentioned above are great for playing most games and watching high-quality movies and TV shows.

They are all very good quality, and they all have positive reviews. However, if you can afford it, you’re better off going for the more expensive Android smartphones or tablets because they are slightly better in every way than the cheaper costing devices.

What are the best video games to play on the best Android smartphones?

If you’re looking for games with amazing 3D-rendered graphics and stunning animated sequences to play on your new Android tablet, some of the best games to keep an eye out for in 2023 are the following hit titles:

RDR2 (Red Dead Redemption 2)
Cyberpunk 2077
Mortal Kombat
Dead by Daylight
Need for Speed: No Limits
Dead Trigger 2
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile
Call of Duty Mobile
Nimian Legends: BrightRidge
Asphalt 9 Legends
Fortnite
Grand Theft Auto
Reel Racing 3
ARK: Survival Evolved
Genshin Impact

You can also find plenty of state-of-the-art live dealer games from companies like Evolution Gaming, OnAir Entertainment, and Pragmatic Play. To play these games, and many of the graphically demanding video games mentioned above, in most countries, you must be at least 18 years old.

In other words, check that you are of legal age before attempting to play any of these top games from your Android smartphone or tablet device.

In some countries, you may find that you need to be 19 or 21 to play live dealer games from Evolution Gaming, OnAir Entertainment, and Pragmatic Play. The exact minimum age varies from one jurisdiction to the next.

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WhatsApp begins rollout of instant video messages in chats

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andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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WhatsApp begins rollout of instant video messages in chats

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WhatsApp continues on its quest to revolutionize communication by adding more and more methods to share your thoughts. Now, in addition to its popular voice messages, WhatsApp is adding video to the mix.

The popular messaging app has announced the rollout of instant video messages where its users can easily create and share brief personal videos directly within a chat. This was also shared by Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg by a message on his Instagram channel, followed by a video on how the feature will work.

Source – Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram

Video messages can be up to 60 seconds long, which the company believes is long enough to add a personal touch to users’ interactions and allow them to share their experiences more vividly. They are very easy to use as well, making use of the same button WhatsApp users are already using to send voice messages, employing a neat little trick to switch from audio to video mode.

Tapping on the microphone icon will switch to video mode and holding the button will start to record video. Additionally, a swipe-up feature allows you to record hands-free.

Upon opening a video message in a chat, the video will automatically play without sound, but you can easily enable the audio by tapping on it. To ensure your privacy, video messages are protected with end-to-end encryption, providing a secure communication experience.

The rollout of video messages has already begun, and over the next few weeks, it will become available to all users. This follows the release of a brand new WhatsApp standalone app for Wear OS after years of relying on notifications for users to view their messages on their smartwatch. We hope this trend of releasing timely features continues for WhatsApp as it can only benefit its users, especially when there are so many different messaging app options to choose from.

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Critical Privilege Escalation Flaw Risks 900K+ MikroTik Routers

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andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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Critical Privilege Escalation Flaw Risks 900K+ MikroTik Routers

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Heads up, MikroTik users! The router firm has recently patched a critical-severity privilege escalation flaw affecting over 900,000 MikroTik routers. Users must update their routers immediately with the latest firmware releases to avoid potential exploits.

MikroTik Routers Exhibit A Critical Security Flaw

According to a recent report from VulnCheck, the researchers have found a new way to exploit a critical privilege escalation vulnerability in MikroTik routers.

As explained, the vulnerability is a simple privilege escalation flaw that gives “Super Admin” privileges to an authenticated admin.

Although, it requires authentication, which makes the vulnerability seem difficult to exploit. However, the researchers explained that gaining the credentials is trivial since the devices shipped with the default RouterOS configurations have a built-in “admin” user. Moreover, it has a default blank password, and it never pinged the users to reset the blank password until RouterOS version 6.49.

On top of that, the firmware won’t implement any restrictions for resetting the password, letting the users even proceed with simple passwords that an adversary may easily brute-force. Also, the researchers found the routers lacking brute-force protection measures, enabling the researchers easily exploit the flaw.

The researchers have demonstrated a possible attack scenario in the following video. However, they refrained from sharing a detailed proof-of-concept to prevent mass-scale exploitation attempts.

The vulnerability, CVE-2023-30799, first made it to the news in 2022 when researchers from Margin Research discovered it. The researchers also shared an exploit, “FOISted,” at that time to demonstrate the attack. However, the vulnerability only received the CVE number lately when VulnCheck developed more ways to exploit the flaw.

Specifically, while they used the same FOISted exploit to trigger the flaw, they could attack more devices. Precisely, their strategy makes over 900,000 MikroTik routers (as found exposed on Shodan) vulnerable to attacks.

Patch Deployed From MikroTik

MikroTik patched the vulnerability again, releasing the fix with RouterOS stable v6.49.7 in October 2022. But following VulnCheck’s report demonstrating more ways to exploit, the vendors released the patch with RouterOS Long-term v6.49.8.

Given the severity of the issue, all users must ensure updating their devices with the latest firmware release immediately.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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See how Samsung put the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 to the test

Android

andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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See how Samsung put the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 to the test

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are the company’s latest foldable devices and one question users are probably asking is “how is the reliability of things like the hinge?” Well, Samsung is here to answer some of those questions.

The company has published a video on its official Samsung Newsroom Korea YouTube channel that goes over the “rigorous” reliability tests that each device was subjected to. It’s a rare look into what goes on in the labs when testing these devices. And a potentially great source of information for anyone looking to buy one.

Naturally, people are going to want to know how the screen and hinge hold up. Understandable, since these phones will be folded over and over and over. To that end, one of the many tests that Samsung conducts is a folding test. In one of its labs, rows of Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 phones are lined up and secured into machines to test the folding reliability. These machines then fold the phones and unfold the phones continuously. Samsung says phones are Bureau Veritas tested and certified for 200,000 folds. This test happens at a room temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 degrees Celsius.

So there you have it. Each phone is folded 200,000 times. Samsung tests the phones in other ways too. All to give consumers peace of mind that they can stand up to daily use.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 reliability tests are pretty broad

The folding test is an obvious one to do, since these are foldable phones. It’ll be a natural everyday motion that all users are going to be doing with their devices. But Samsung’s testing goes far beyond just folding.

This includes IPX8 and IPX4 water resistance tests. Which subjects the phones to submersion in water and being pelted with water from numerous high-pressure jets from multiple angles. Samsung also puts each phone type in tumble boxes. A series of other tests includes continuous use of the S Pen on the screen, a drop test, and a steel ball test. Where a small steel ball is dropped onto the unfolded display over and over.

If you’re curious to watch the tests yourself, you can see them in Samsung’s brief video below. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip are both available for pre-order as of this week, and will be launching in the near future.

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X (Twitter) will get audio & video calling soon

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andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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Elon Musk is right in the middle of Twitter rebranding. As many of you know, Twitter is becoming ‘X’, basically. The new logo is here, as is a new name, but the remains of Twitter are still visible. Many new features are also coming to X, including audio and video calling, it seems.

X aka Twitter will get audio & video calling features soon

This information comes from Abhishek Yadav, a tipster. He shared what seems to be a screenshot taken on an iOS device, showing both audio and video calling options. You can see that screenshot below.

It seems like you’ll be able to allow who can call you. You’ll be able to choose between people in your address book, people you follow, people who subscribe to you, verified users, and everyone. You’ll be able to mix and match these options.

We’re not sure if this will be limited to paid subscribers or not

We’re not sure when this feature is coming, though, nor whether it will be available to everyone, or just paid subscribers. Considering this screenshot is already out there, we presume that the feature is coming soon.

This is not the only new feature that is expected to land on X soon, not at all. Elon Musk wants to make ‘X’ into an “everything app”, as he’s inspired by China’s WeChat. He talked about that in the past.

So, a recent report suggested that job listings are coming to X, and then Twitter’s CEO confirmed plans for banking and payment features too. We’re only scratching the surface here.

You can expect X to mark a considerable change for Twitter, as the app will become a lot more versatile, and won’t focus solely on the social media aspect of things. We do expect many more such reports to surface in the near future, so stay tuned.

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Google Maps on Android Auto gets a design tweak that will help drivers on the road

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andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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Google Maps on Android Auto gets a design tweak that will help drivers on the road

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Google Maps is rolling out a new design for the Maps app on Android Auto. The new design adds a sidebar to the Maps experience in your car where controls live.

Previously, map controls were only displayed when you interacted with the map. But with the new design, the controls are always visible in a translucent bar on the left side of the screen.

Source – 9to5Google

This information comes from SmartDroid and 9to5Google, which have been able to replicate this experience as seen in the screenshot above. The new translucent bar’s controls includes zoom, changing the map’s orientation, changing what is said out loud by the assistant, and access to additional settings.

The new design appears to be in its testing stages although some users are already reporting seeing it on Android Auto v10 and v9.9 with Google Maps v11.90. This version isn’t live yet for everyone and it is not yet clear if the new design will be available for older versions of Android Auto.

The new Android Auto design has a very significant benefit: It makes it easier to access map controls while you’re driving since they are now positioned closer to the driver — at least in the U.S. — and you no longer have to fumble around with the touchscreen to find the controls you need. Even if you’re not familiar with the app, this new design makes the most used controls more visible and easier to get to.Note, though, that this view only shows up when the app is taking up the full screen and not when it is using the Coolwalk split-view redesign that Android Auto introduced a few months back. This also follows a redesign of how the Google Assistant appears in your console, showing more consistency with what you see when you use the Assistant on your phone.

That said, this tweak to Maps on Android Auto is a welcome improvement. It makes it easier to use Maps while you’re driving, and it provides a more consistent look and feel across Android Auto apps.

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Microsoft Message Queuing Service Flaw Allows DoS Attacks

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andreasc

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July 27, 2023

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Microsoft Message Queuing Service Flaw Allows DoS Attacks

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Reports indicate that there have been three critical flaws including DDoS and Remote code execution discovered in the Microsoft Message Queuing Service (MMQS).

These vulnerabilities existed in the message parser header that allowed unsanitized crafted message-headed inputs in one of the message header fields.

MMQS was developed by Microsoft for enabling separately hosted applications to communicate with each other in a restricted manner that does not affect the system.

MSMQ queues the messages that did not reach the destination and resend them when the destination systems become reachable.

However, Microsoft has released patches for these vulnerabilities.

CVE-2023-28302:

This is an out-of-bounds that exists due to a lack of bounds checks as EodHeader, StreamIdSize, and OrderQueueSize are not validated potentially leading to a Denial-of-Service attack. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is given as 7.5 (High).

CVE-2023-21554:

This is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that exists due to the lack of bound checks in CQmPacket::CQmPacket which reads the message header without proper sanitization.

This could potentially lead to unauthenticated remote code execution. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is given as 9.8 (Critical).

CVE-2023-32057:

This is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that exists due to a lack of bounds when reading message headers that have not performed a sanity check on their data structure.

This could potentially lead to unauthenticated remote code execution. The CVSS Score for this vulnerability is given as 9.8 (Critical).

Technical Analysis

These flaws exist in port 1801, which is the standard TCP port used for MMQS. The incoming message packet consists of required headers and many optional headers.

MQQL.DLL is responsible for parsing these message packets. The message header parser can handle concurrent messages which allows fuzzing.

When researchers injected a custom unsigned DLL into services.exe, an error popped up as the Code Integrity Guard (CIG) blocked the loaded unsigned binary. Untrusted binaries cannot be loaded or executed when the User-Mode Integrity check (UMIC) is enforced.

*CIG blocks unsigned custom DLL (Source: Fortinet)*

As a workaround, the following steps were performed which were done with the help of the documentation provided by Microsoft.

Enable UMCI path exclusions.
Enable UMCI audit mode.
Before the exit of CI!CiInitializePolicy, CI!g_CiDeveloperMode|2 bitmask must be set.
PsProtectedLight must be unset on the target process with the help of EPROCESS.Protection
DisableDynamicCode and AuditDisableDynamicCode must be unset on the target process via EPROCESS.MitigationFlagsValues

After these steps, a custom DLL can be used to install a hook on the service host process which enables the monitoring of creation and termination of the target process.

In addition to this, a debugger must also be installed which will give complete control over the target process.

In order to capture the complete trace of the target process, the Windows Time-Travel-Debugger (TTD) is used. With a little research, researchers were able to craft a structure-aware fuzzer that can align the data in accordance with its format.

BaseHeader, UserHeader, and MessagePropertiesHeader are some of the main headers that must be used in an MSMQ packet. TransactionHeader, SecurityHeader, DebugHeader, SessionHeader are considered as additional headers that can exist along with the main headers.

*The sequence of the Message packet headers (Source: Fortinet)*

However, one of the critical vulnerabilities existed due to one of the message headers that does not have proper sanitization on the message header parser.

The message header parser will check the message packets with the sequence of the headers. This triggers an out-of-bound write vulnerability in the MSMQ.

Fortinet has published a complete report on these vulnerabilities. Microsoft has also released security patches for these vulnerabilities. Users of these services are recommended to update the Microsoft patches for preventing these vulnerabilities from getting exploited.

Protection Signatures

MS.Windows.MSMQ.CVE-2023-21554.Remote.Code.Execution
MS.Windows.Message.Queuing.Service.CVE-2023-28302.DoS
MS.Windows.Message.Queuing.Service.CVE-2023-21769.DoS
MS.Windows.MSMQ.CompoundMessage.Remote.Code.Execution

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