Threads rolls out new features, including a chronological “Following” feed on iOS and Android

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Threads rolls out new features, including a chronological “Following” feed on iOS and Android
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In today’s increasingly competitive social media landscape, it can be tough to keep up with all the changes and new apps that keep spawning up. Fortunately, Meta is now making our decision-making a bit easier by finally giving us the chronological following feed we have been clamoring for in Threads.
Threads is a new Instagram-based social network launched by Meta earlier this month. The app immediately garnered a ton of attention just as thousands of users signed up in the midst of Twitter (X) enforcing post rate limits in order to combat spam. Having an already existing user base in the form of everyone who already has an Instagram account, it wasn’t difficult for Threads to gain popularity amongst those that were perhaps looking for a Twitter (X) alternative.
However, the “following” feed was noticeably absent from the app in favor of a non-chronological algorithmic feed. This forced users to mute and block accounts they didn’t necessarily want to see on their feed in an attempt to train the algorithm, however futile those efforts may have seemed.

This was confirmed via a post by Mark Zuckerberg earlier today in reply to yet another post requesting the feature. Immediately after, several users began to report that they could see the following tab available in their home feed, as well as follow-up post by the official Threads account in the app.

Note, however, that the following tab isn’t immediately noticeable when you launch the app as it is hidden behind a clever little trick. To see the new feed you will need to either tap on the Threads logo at the top of the feed, or tap on the Home icon on the bottom left. Tapping on either one of these will reveal the new “Following” tab right beside the existing “For You” feed.

In addition, to the new feed, this update introduces new features such as translations, notification filters, an updated follow button, and a way to approve all follow requests at once. The official @threadsapp account also promised new features will be coming. Hopefully, one of these is direct messages, as this has also been high on the list of user requests.


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Hackers Use SMS Alerts to Install SpyNote Malware

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Hackers Use SMS Alerts to Install SpyNote Malware
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Reports indicate that a Smishing campaign was conducted against Japanese Android users under the name of a Japanese Power and Water Infrastructure company. The SMS contains a link to lure victims into a phishing site.

Once the victims click on the link, mobile malware is downloaded, which was discovered to be the SpyNote malware.

The SMS alerts the users about payment problems in the water or power infrastructure to create a sense of urgency and push them to act swiftly.

Smishing Campaign

The smishing campaigns have a different context for users, including suspension of power transmission due to non-payment and suspension notice of water supply due to non-payment.

Suspension notice of Power Transmission (Source: twiiter.com/@Tobilasystems)
Suspension of Water Supply (Source: twiiter.com/@Tobilasystems)

Victims who visit these malicious URLs are prompted to install the SpyNote malware.

SpyNote Malware

The source code of SpyNote was leaked in October 2022, after which it spread wide across cybercriminals and is being used for malicious purposes. SpyNote is capable of exploiting accessibility services and device administrator privileges.

It can also steal device location, contacts, SMS messages, and phone calls. Once the malware is installed, it appears with a legitimate app icon to look real.

When the victims open the application, it prompts them to enable the Accessibility feature.

If the victim grants permission, the application disables battery optimization, which allows it to run in the background, and also grants unknown source installation permission for installing another malware without the user’s knowledge or consent, read the McAfee blog post.

This malware was previously found to be attacking the Bank of Japan in April, in which the malware was distributed in a different method.

Threat actors keep up-to-date information about companies with legitimate reasons to contact their customers.

Indicators of Compromise

Command and Control Server

Malware Samples

SHA256 Hash 
075909870a3d16a194e084fbe7a98d2da07c8317fcbfe1f25e5478e585be1954 
e2c7d2acb56be38c19980e6e2c91b00a958c93adb37cb19d65400d9912e6333f 
a532c43202c98f6b37489fb019ebe166ad5f32de5e9b395b3fc41404bf60d734 
cb9e6522755fbf618c57ebb11d88160fb5aeb9ae96c846ed10d6213cdd8a4f5d 
59cdbe8e4d265d7e3f4deec3cf69039143b27c1b594dbe3f0473a1b7f7ade9a6 
8d6e1f448ae3e00c06983471ee26e16f6ab357ee6467b7dce2454fb0814a34d2 
5bdbd8895b9adf39aa8bead0e3587cc786e375ecd2e1519ad5291147a8ca00b6 
a6f9fa36701be31597ad10e1cec51ebf855644b090ed42ed57316c2f0b57ea3c 
f6e2addd189bb534863afeb0d06bcda01d0174f5eac6ee4deeb3d85f35449422 
755585571f47cd71df72af0fad880db5a4d443dacd5ace9cc6ed7a931cb9c21d 
2352887e3fc1e9070850115243fad85c6f1b367d9e645ad8fc7ba28192d6fb85 
90edb28b349db35d32c0190433d3b82949b45e0b1d7f7288c08e56ede81615ba 
513dbe3ff2b4e8caf3a8040f3412620a3627c74a7a79cce7d9fab5e3d08b447b 
f6e2addd189bb534863afeb0d06bcda01d0174f5eac6ee4deeb3d85f35449422 
0fd87da37712e31d39781456c9c1fef48566eee3f616fbcb57a81deb5c66cbc1 
acd36f7e896e3e3806114d397240bd7431fcef9d7f0b268a4e889161e51d802b 
91e2f316871704ad7ef1ec74c84e3e4e41f557269453351771223496d5de594e 

Smishing is one of the social engineering attacks used by threat actors to attack individuals who use SMS for communication. Users of mobile devices are recommended to keep an eye out for these kinds of Smishing campaigns and be vigilant.

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


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Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.0 is coming on August 4

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Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.0 is coming on August 4
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Huawei launched HarmonyOS years ago, and we’re coming around to version 4.0 now, which is coming in August. Huawei confirmed that the new version will become official on August 4 via a cryptic post on Weibo.

Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.0 is coming next month, and we already know the date

The company shared an image of some ArkTS code, and the timing fits, as that’s when Huawei Developers Conference will take place. So, it’ll be announced during Huawei’s conference, as expected.

HarmonyOS 4 0 teaser image 1

HarmonyOS is not only made for smartphones, but for the company’s entire smart ecosystem. It runs on global versions of Huawei smartwatches, though their smartphones are still pre-loaded with EMUI (even though the functionality is basically the same). In China, it’s a different story entirely.

HarmonyOS 4.0 will improve interoperability within the 1+8+N environment, based on teasers. It is already in beta testing, as expected. It will likely be rebranded to EMUI globally, but still, it’s HarmonyOS at its core.

The Huawei Mate 60 series will come with HarmonyOS 4.0 pre-installed, at least in China

The upcoming Huawei Mate 60 series will likely come with HarmonyOS 4.0 pre-installed, in China at least. The global variants will include the EMUI equivalent of HarmonyOS 4.0, basically.

We still do not know when the Mate 60 series will launch exactly, but it’s expected to drop this fall. So, considerably later than HarmonyOS 4.0, which basically guarantees we’ll see it pre-installed.

As many of you know, Huawei is still banned from using Google services on its phones. It’s also prevented to use 5G processors due to the US ban. The company has been pushing its products forward despite that, however.

The Huawei Mate X3 foldable is an outstanding offering that got announced not long ago, and the Huawei P60 series proved to be quite compelling too. It remains to be seen what will Huawei deliver with the Mate 60 series.


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App developers file a $1 billion class action lawsuit against Apple

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App developers file a $1 billion class action lawsuit against Apple
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Apple’s 30% App Store fee has always been a subject of widespread debate, particularly because the company does not allow users to side-load apps like Android. And although the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has mandated Apple to allow sideloading in the 27 EU member states from March 6th, 2024, over 1500 app developers have reportedly filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company’s App Store commission fees are exorbitant and a consequence of its monopolistic control over the app distribution platform.

Leading the lawsuit is Sean Ennis, a professor at the Centre for Competition Policy at the University of East Anglia, who argues that the company’s significant commission fees, ranging from 15% to 30%, have severely hampered business for many developers. As a result, the lawsuit is seeking $1 billion in damages.

“Apple’s charges to app developers are excessive and only possible due to its monopoly on the distribution of apps onto iPhones and iPads. The charges are unfair in their own right and constitute abusive pricing. They harm app developers and also app buyers,” said Ennis.

While Ennis takes the class action lawsuit to the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, with the support of the law firm Geradin Partners, various organizations and governments have long contested Apple’s fee structure. And despite a $100 million lawsuit last year prompting the company to implement several changes, such as removing the $100 developer fees and introducing the Small Business Program to alleviate the burden on smaller developers, many big studios still have to pay a significant cut.

Side-loading could be the answer

Although the outcome of the lawsuit remains uncertain, considering a similar case in a U.S. court ruled in favor of Apple, the EU’s mandate for Apple to allow sideloading might help developers circumvent the fees. This ruling not only promises to benefit developers by boosting their profit margins, but it could also lead to lower prices for consumers in the long run.


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AMD’s Zen2 Processor Flaw to Steal Sensitive Data

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AMD’s Zen2 Processor Flaw to Steal Sensitive Data
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The CPUs that are based on x86-64 architecture feature XMM registers (128-bit), recently extended to 256-bit (YMM) and 512-bit (ZMM) for greater capacity.

Beyond number crunching, the large registers (YMM and ZMM) are employed in various scenarios, including standard C library functions such as:- 

Tavis Ormandy, a Google security researcher, found a fresh AMD Zen2 CPU vulnerability enabling data theft at 30KB/sec per core, risking passwords and encryption keys.

Zenbleed Flaw

The AMD’s Zen2 processor vulnerability has been tracked as “CVE-2023-20593,” this results from mishandling ‘vzeroupper’ instruction, impacting modern processors’ speculative execution. 

Ormandy found hardware events with fuzzing and performance counters, confirmed via the “Oracle Serialization” approach.

Using this technique, the author exposed CVE-2023-20593 in Zen2 CPUs by spotting discrepancies between randomly generated programs and serialized oracles. 

The flaw allowed optimized data leakage from various system operations, even in virtual machines, isolated sandboxes, and containers.

On May 15, 2023, the researcher informed AMD of the flaw and now released a PoC exploit for CVE-2023-20593. Though written for Linux, the bug impacts all Zen 2 CPUs regardless of the operating system.

Products affected

Here below, we have mentioned all the products that are affected:-

  • AMD Ryzen 3000 Series Processors
  • AMD Ryzen PRO 3000 Series Processors
  • AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series Processors
  • AMD Ryzen 4000 Series Processors with Radeon Graphics
  • AMD Ryzen PRO 4000 Series Processors
  • AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Processors with Radeon Graphics
  • AMD Ryzen 7020 Series Processors with Radeon Graphics
  • AMD EPYC “Rome” Processors

For ‘Zenbleed’-affected CPUs, make sure to apply AMD’s microcode update immediately or await a future BIOS fix from your vendor.

It’s been recommended users set up the “chicken bit” to DE_CFG[9] as a mitigation method, but it causes a CPU performance drop. Detecting Zenbleed exploitation is likely impossible since it’s stealthy, needing no elevated privileges or special system calls.

However, the practical impact of Zenbleed is limited to users with local access and specialized knowledge to exploit it.

But, experts have strongly recommended that users keep their systems updated with the latest security patches and BIOS updates.

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


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Samsung flagships with Exynos processors may return soon

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Samsung flagships with Exynos processors may return soon
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The Snapdragon exclusivity of Samsung‘s Galaxy S flagships may be ending after just one year. Next year’s Galaxy S24 series may use an Exynos chipset in some markets. Samsung will also launch the Galaxy S23 FE, which is expected to debut a few months later, in Exynos and Snapdragon variants.

For the past several years, Samsung shipped its flagship phones with either an Exynos or Snapdragon processor depending on your region. Usually, the US and China got Snapdragon and the rest of the world got the company’s in-house Exynos chip. The latter group of users wasn’t happy with this split as Exynos versions always underperformed their Snapdragon counterparts.

After relentless complaints for years, Samsung finally ditched Exynos and went all in with Snapdragon last year. The Galaxy S23 series is powered by an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 globally. However, rumors are that the company will go back to Exynos as early as next year. A Samsung executive hinted in April that the Galaxy S24 series could ship with an in-house processor.

Another report has now reiterated this possibility. Citing a reliable source, Pocket-lint reports that Samsung is considering returning to Exynos for the Galaxy S24 series. Previous rumors suggested that the Exynos-powered Galaxy S24 may launch in Europe and Southeast Asia. However, some industry experts believe the Korean firm may not take this risk of shipping the Exynos version in major markets like Europe.

“I’d be surprised if Samsung decided to return to Exynos for the important European market, but we might see it in some smaller markets to ensure Samsung’s in-house platform stays in the game,” said Ben Wood, Chief Analyst and CMO of CCS Insight. “There’s also likely an element of Samsung wanting to keep Qualcomm on its toes too, which may be what is driving these recent rumors.”

Samsung will use the Exynos 2200 in the Galaxy S23 FE in some regions

Ahead of Galaxy S24, Samsung has one more Galaxy S model lined up for launch. The company is readying the Galaxy S23 FE with plans to debut it later this year. It’s developing Exynos and Snapdragon variants of the new Fan Edition (FE) phone. The device will feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US and Exynos 2200 in other regions. We might hear more about this phone following the Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday. Samsung will launch new foldables, tablets, and smartwatches at the event tomorrow.


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Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds arrive with improved ANC, call quality

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Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds arrive with improved ANC, call quality
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Sony has taken the wraps off the long-rumored WF-1000XM5 TWS earbuds. The new pair of wireless earphones, which are named identically to the WH-1000XM5 over-the-ear headphones, succeed the WF-1000XM4 from 2021. They improve the company’s TWS offerings in several areas, with active noise cancelation (ANC) being the biggest focus.

Sony WF-1000XM5 specs and features

According to Sony, the WF-1000XM5 earbuds mark its “biggest ever step forward in noise canceling.” The result is the best noise-canceling headphones it has ever made. Each bud features three microphones, including dual feedback mics, which improve low-frequency cancellation performance. This enables the bud to capture the ambient sound more accurately.

The Integrated Processor V2 works in tandem with the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN2e to efficiently control the six microphones to deliver unprecedented and adaptive noise-canceling quality. The Dynamic Driver X also helps make it all happen. The Noise Isolation Earbud Tips, which feature a unique polyurethane foam material, reduce noise in the high-frequency range.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds also boast the company’s best-ever call quality. They feature an AI-powered noise reduction algorithm based on Deep Neutral Network (DNN) processing. Other features like bone conduction sensors and wind noise reduction ensure that your voice comes through “crystal clear and natural” in every environment, no matter how noisy it is.

“As a music lover and a music creator, the WF-1000XM5 earbuds really surprised me in terms of bass, clarity, and overall dynamic range,” said renowned singer, actor, and songwriter Miguel (via). I enjoy the ability to personalize and craft my own sound, and these earbuds deliver an authentic music-listening experience. Plus, the noise canceling gets rid of any unwanted noise.”

Thanks to the LDAC codec, these earbuds support High-Resolution Audio Wireless. They also support DSEE Extreme to upscale compressed digital music and 360 Reality Audio to give you a more immersing listening experience. The built-in head-tracking technology adds to the fun. Sony has also added support for Adaptive Sound Control, Speak-to-Chat, Multipoint Connect, Fast Pair, Swift Pair, and digital voice assistant.

The new Sony TWS earbuds are smaller and lighter

All of this while simultaneously making the buds smaller and lighter. The WF-1000XM5 earbuds are 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the WF-1000XM4. This is without compromising on the battery life, though. The new buds are touted to run for up to 12 hours on a single charge (8 hours with ANC). The case can fully charge the buds two times, giving you a total playtime of up to 36 hours. The buds support quick charge and Qi wireless charging.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 TWS earbuds boast an IPX4 rating for water resistance. The company has made the earphones in black and silver colors. The Japanese firm will start selling its latest audio products from August 2023 priced at $299, €319, or £259.

Sony WF 1000XM5 official 2


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‘SIM Swapper’ Pleads Guilty for Hacking Instagram Accounts

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‘SIM Swapper’ Pleads Guilty for Hacking Instagram Accounts
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A 24-year-old man named Amir Hossein Golshan from Downtown Los Angeles has pleaded guilty to hacking into Instagram users’ accounts and using a technique called “SIM swapping” to fraudulently obtain money.

The charges consist of illegally accessing a secured computer to acquire data, a single charge of wire fraud, and another charge of accessing a computer for the purpose of obtaining financial benefits.

According to Attorney, he was taken into federal custody last month due to his criminal activities and violation of the terms of his pretrial release.

He was involved in the theft from April 2019 to February 2023 by executing multiple online schemes to defraud hundreds of users through various online scams and unauthorized intrusions into victims’ digital accounts, including social media account takeovers, Zelle payment fraud, and impersonating Apple support.

Over the course of several years, hundreds of victims have suffered losses amounting to $740,000.

Pleads Guilty to SIM Swapping

SIM swapping and social media account takeovers:

SIM swapping, also called SIM splitting, or sim jacking, is a fraudulent technique used by hackers to gain control of your phone number; with your phone number, hackers can take advantage of two-factor authentication to gain access to your bank accounts, social media accounts.

Golshan used this technique and targeted both account users and their online friends by tricking them into sending him money.

 Zelle merchant fraud:

In 2019, Golshan falsely claimed that he could obtain verified Instagram badges for a user’s teenage daughter and convinced her to send $300 through electronic payment.

 Apple Support fraud and NFT/cryptocurrency theft:

Golshan impersonates to gain access to several victims’ Apple iCloud accounts to steal NFTs, cryptocurrency, and other valuable digital property; by this, he earned between $2,000 and $389,000 each.

Through this incident, he was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for a wire fraud count and 5 years for a computer access count.


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OnePlus Ace 2 Pro will offer faster charging than OnePlus 11

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OnePlus Ace 2 Pro will offer faster charging than OnePlus 11
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The OnePlus Ace 2 Pro has paid a visit to China’s 3C certification authority. This certification process revealed that the OnePlus Ace 2 Pro will offer faster charging than the OnePlus 11. It will offer 150W wired charging.

The OnePlus Ace 2 Pro will offer notably faster charging than the OnePlus 11

The phone appeared under the ‘PJA110’ model number, with a ‘VCBEJACH’ power adapter. That power adapter supports charging speeds up to 150W (11V/13.7A). That’s basically everything that was revealed in this certification listing.

OnePlus Ace 2 Pro charging

Having said that, this is not the first time we’re hearing about the OnePlus Ace 2 Pro, not at all. The phone surfaced before, well, its specifications did. This phone will be immensely powerful, actually.

The OnePlus Ace 2 Pro is tipped to offer up to 24GB of RAM, believe it or not. In addition to that, OnePlus will include up to 1TB of storage here. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC will fuel the device.

A 6.74-inch 2772 x 1240 AMOLED display is also expected, and chances are it will be curved. That display will offer a 120Hz refresh rate, and chances are it will offer an adaptive refresh rate at that.

It’ll have three cameras on the back, and a 5,000mAh battery

A 5,000mAh battery was also mentioned in previous rumors. We’re not sure if it will offer wireless charging, however. A 50-megapixel camera (Sony’s IMX890) is expected on the back, along with an 8-megapixel ultrawide unit, and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

We still don’t know when will the phone launch, but considering the number of times info regarding this phone popped up, chances are the launch event is near. OnePlus is expected to confirm something in the near future. Until then, however, all we can do is wait.

The OnePlus Open is probably the most notable release OnePlus will make this year, though, and it’s expected to arrive in Q3 this year. The latest info claims the launch event will take place on August 29.


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iPhone 15 Pro models will likely get price hikes

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iPhone 15 Pro models will likely get price hikes
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The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could get price hikes compared to current-gen models. According to a new report by Bloomberg, the company is trying to decide whether to raise prices or not.

The iPhone 15 Pro models could get price hikes, as expected

A report from last month mentioned that the entire iPhone 15 series will get major price hikes. The report by Bloomberg does not mention the vanilla iPhone 15 series, though. It also does not guarantee we’ll see price hikes.

It’s realistic to expect them, though, considering the state of tech these days. It would be great if Apple kept the current price tags, however. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max start prices are $999 and $1,099. So any increase would push the base iPhone 15 Pro across the $1,000 threshold.

Tim Cook’s statement is also not encouraging. A while back, Apple’s CEO said “I think people are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category”. That could also indicate a price hike.

A report from last month suggested a $200 price hike for both models

Now, a report from last month suggested that both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max could cost up to $200 more than the current-gen models. That’s a major price hike, needless to say.

Let’s hope Apple won’t go that far, in case it opts for a price hike, as that would be a major difference. As a reminder, this year’s ‘Pro’ models will deliver some changes to the table, based on rumors.

They’ll have more powerful internals, but they’ll also debut Type-C on iPhones, as will vanilla models. The ‘Pro’ iPhone 15 models are also expected to include frames made out of titanium, and thinner bezels. The ‘Pro Max’ model will even include a periscope telephoto camera, another first-ever for iPhones.


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