Popular Reddit apps are going dark amidst API changes

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Popular Reddit apps are going dark amidst API changes
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It’s no secret that Reddit’s recent decision to start charging exorbitant fees for its API access has sparked widespread outrage, resulting in whole communities abandoning the platform. However, despite the protests, it appears that Reddit has finally pulled the plug on API access, as multiple third-party apps have started showing error messages.

Christian Selig, the developer behind the popular Apollo Reddit client, expressed his frustration with Reddit’s demand for an astonishing $20 million per year for API access, equating to $12,000 for every 50 million API requests. Additionally, he also criticized the company’s lack of empathy and willingness to listen, suggesting that Reddit could have made an effort to find a solution that worked for everyone.

However, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has repeatedly defended the company’s proposed changes, stating that the platform was not originally designed to support third-party apps and that they would not reconsider their position. As a result, well-known Reddit apps such as BaconReader and Sync have ceased operations, displaying only an error message stating “Request failed: client error (429).”

Subscription model, the way to go

While the recent API changes have caused the demise of many popular Reddit clients, some apps like Relay are considering adopting a subscription-based model to remain operational. Developer DBrady announced plans to transition to a subscription model in the coming weeks, emphasizing the importance of keeping the subscription price as affordable as possible. However, it is important to note that Relay’s pro version will remain free until they implement the subscription model.

Furthermore, Narwhal, another popular Reddit app, will also adopt a similar subscription-based model, with developer Rick Harrison assuring users that the subscription will cost $4 and $7 and will be ad-free. Additionally, Nara for Reddit is exploring a subscription-based model, but the specific details regarding pricing and implementation are still unclear.

Accessibility apps exempt

Although regular Reddit apps will have to pay for API access, the company has exempted accessibility-focused apps. This means that apps dedicated to assisting users with accessibility needs, such as Reddit for Blind, Luna for Reddit, and Dystopia, will continue to operate for free, ensuring continued accessibility to Reddit content.


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ChatGPT Creator Sued for $3 Billion Over Theft of Private Data

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ChatGPT Creator Sued for $3 Billion Over Theft of Private Data
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In a class action complaint filed on Wednesday, it is claimed that OpenAI and Microsoft stole “vast amounts of private information” from internet users without their permission to train ChatGPT. The case seeks $3 billion in damages.

There is currently a class action lawsuit filed against OpenAI in a California federal court. The lawsuit claims that OpenAI collected 300 billion words from the internet without registering as a data broker or obtaining permission. The lawsuit consists of sixteen unnamed plaintiffs.

CSN

In simple terms, the complaint alleges that OpenAI used “stolen private information, including personally identifiable information, from hundreds of millions of internet users, including children of all ages, without their informed consent or knowledge.”

Microsoft is OpenAI’s major customer and business partner, paying the corporation billions of dollars to license AI technologies.

The businesses allegedly continue to “unlawfully collect and feed additional personal data from millions of unsuspecting consumers worldwide to continue developing and training the products,” according to the report.

Popular AI technologies created by OpenAI and utilized by Microsoft were mentioned in the case, including the language models GPT 3.5 and 4.0, the image model Dall-E, and the text-to-speech model Vall-E.

Data Allegedly Stolen By OpenAI

  • Names
  • Contact information (including phone numbers and email addresses)
  • Email addresses
  • Payment information
  • Social media information
  • Chat log data
  • Usage data, analytics
  • Cookies

“Defendants have been unjustly enriched by their theft of personal information as its billion-dollar AI business, including ChatGPT and beyond, was built on harvesting and monetizing Internet users’ personal data,” the lawsuit states.

“Thus, Plaintiffs and the Classes have a right to disgorgement and/or restitution damages representing the value of the stolen data and/or their share of the profits Defendants earned thereon.”

OpenAI and Microsoft To Adopt Additional Measures

The complaint demands that OpenAI and Microsoft adopt extra measures and stop violating people’s privacy.

 The first step is to make clear what information is being gathered and how it will be utilized. Secondly, according to the plaintiffs, is to adhere to a set of moral standards and make up for the data that was taken.

Finally, the complaint demanded that internet users be given the option to refuse any data gathering and that any unlawful data collection end.

The complaint also refers to the “existential threat” that AI may pose in the absence of “immediate legal intervention.”

It refers to the recent appeals for action by well-known individuals who urged to halt or control the spread of AI systems.

“The proliferation of AI—including Defendants’ products—pose an existential threat if not constrained by the reasonable guardrails of our laws and societal mores,” the complaint says.

“Defendants’ business and scraping practices raise fundamentally important legal and ethical questions that must also be addressed. Enforcing the law will not amount to stifling AI innovation, but rather a safe and just AI future for all”.

So yet, neither Microsoft nor OpenAI have responded to the complaint that has been brought against them. The case has been filed, but it is unclear if the court will allow the legal processes to proceed.

“AI-based email security measures Protect your business From Email Threats!” – Request a Free Demo.


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Samsung confirms Galaxy S21 FE re-launch, promo materials leak

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Samsung confirms Galaxy S21 FE re-launch, promo materials leak
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Samsung has officially confirmed the rumored re-launch of the Galaxy S21 FE in India. The company took to Twitter to tease the device, which will come with a different processor this time around. Leaked promo materials have also hinted at a couple more changes.

The Galaxy S21 FE launched in early 2022 and is already quite old. Samsung has since debuted the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 series flagships, a couple of new foldables, and countless budget and mid-range phones. But in a surprising turn of events, a rumor surfaced a few days back that the company plans to re-launch the so-called affordable flagship in India this month.

The rumor claimed that Samsung would bring the Snapdragon 888 variant of the phone to the South Asian country—the existing Galaxy S21 FE in the region ships with the Exynos 2100 processor. The company has now confirmed these rumors. It recently teased a phone with the Snapdragon 888 processor on Twitter. While Samsung didn’t explicitly name the device, we know what it’s referring to.

“Fast just got faster,” the teaser said. It essentially confirms that Samsung is upgrading an existing phone. The choice of words here also sounds like an admission from the company that the Exynos 2100 isn’t as fast as the Snapdragon 888. As said earlier, the Galaxy S21 FE already ships with the latter processor in several other markets. The Korean behemoth may be looking to clear its inventory from some of those regions.

The Snapdragon 888-powered Galaxy S21 FE in India will come with more changes

Samsung didn’t reveal the launch date of the Snapdragon 888-powered Galaxy S21 FE in India. It simply said that the phone is “coming soon,” without giving us any other information. But leaked promo materials state that the phone will have 256GB of storage on the base variant. There will not be a 128GB model. The company will also sell the device in a new Navy Blue color. It should join the existing options of White, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive.

Rumors are that Samsung will price the new Galaxy S21 FE at ₹49,000 (roughly $600) in India. That’s the same price tag the Exynos 211 variant originally debuted with, though it sold for as low as ₹32,999 (roughly $400) recently. Considering the price of the Snapdragon version, we expect the company to ship the device with newer software (Android 13 out of the box) and give it four major updates. Stay tuned for the official launch in the coming days.


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BlueSky signups skyrocket amidst Twitter’s Rate Limit restrictions

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BlueSky signups skyrocket amidst Twitter’s Rate Limit restrictions
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Ever since Elon Musk acquired Twitter, the platform has gradually descended into dismay with Musk’s erratic changes. However, the platform’s recent decision to limit the number of tweets a user can see in a day could very well be the final nail in the coffin as many users have started to flock towards alternatives like BlueSky, which has had to temporarily halt signups in order to address performance issues.

In a recent statement, the company stated, “We will temporarily pause Bluesky sign-ups while our team resolves the existing performance issues. We will update you on when invite codes will be available again. We are excited to welcome more users to our beta version soon!”

What is BlueSky?

Although similar in interface to Twitter, BlueSky, developed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, differentiates itself by allowing users to customize their algorithms and fine-tune their feeds to display a diverse range of posts. Additionally, the platform also utilizes an in-house, open-source framework called the AT Protocol, which promotes transparency by enabling users to understand its structure and ongoing development.

However, despite being in an invite-only phase, Musk’s recent decisions have caused signups for BlueSky to skyrocket. As a result, BlueSky’s status page currently states that the platform is experiencing “degraded performance,” with posts taking a significant amount of time to load.

Twitter is digging its own grave

While Twitter has always found itself in a slew of controversies, the platform’s decision to block browsing access for unregistered users and implement a temporary ‘view limit’ on the number of posts a user can see per day has sparked widespread outrage. This is because users who previously had unlimited access to tweets are now restricted to 600 tweets per day for unverified accounts, 6000 tweets per day for verified accounts, and a mere 300 tweets per day for new unverified accounts.

Elon Musk defended the decision by citing data scraping activities by AI startups, such as ChatGPT, which utilize Twitter data to train their models. Additionally, he also expressed concerns that this data exploitation was negatively impacting the experience of regular users.


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Brave Browser Limits Local Resources Access To Enhance Privacy

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Brave Browser Limits Local Resources Access To Enhance Privacy
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Taking another step towards better user privacy, Brave browser limits how websites access local network resources. This measure will likely prevent websites from extensive user fingerprinting.

Brave Browser Limits Websites’ Local Resources Access

According to a recent post from Peter Snyder, Brave’s Senior Privacy Researcher and Director of Privacy, the privacy giant has decided to introduce another major privacy upgrade to its Brave browser.

Specifically, the Brave browser will control and manage websites accessing local network resources, starting with version 1.54.

As explained, access to localhost resources is usually unrestricted in most popular web browsers. These localhost resources include data (such as images, files, web pages, etc.) hosted on the device from other software instead of arriving from the web.

This free access empowers websites to perform various actions. For instance, public sites can query local network for user fingerprinting, to access information from other running software, or to test software. These actions may serve both legit or malicious purposes.

Brave limits this free access by extending the Web permissions API to control sites when accessing localhost resources.

Describing all major feature upgrades that the new Brave browser version will exhibit for users’ privacy, the post lists the following.

  • Automatic allowance of localhost resource access requests from a localhost context.
  • Blocking known scripts and sites from accessing local resources.
  • Introducing the “localhost” permission option (for advanced users) to empower the users to allow specific websites for localhost resources.
  • Displaying a list of trusted websites for localhost resource access.

With these gradual steps, Brave strives to enhance users’ privacy without much impact on the overall user experience. The feature will be available to desktop and Android users with Brave browser version 1.54.

This new upgrade is just another part of a broader plan for Brave to protect its users’ online privacy. Earlier this year, Brave also announced browser integration for Tor’s Snowflake feature to help users access the Tor network in a more safe and more private way.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.


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Walmart working on a new Google TV Streaming Stick

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Walmart working on a new Google TV Streaming Stick
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Walmart, in recent years, has been working to build up its onn. brand to rival what Amazon Basics does. Basically giving you cheap electronics, that aren’t always terrible. Walmart has released a couple onn. branded Android TV sticks, and now it looks like a Google TV stick is on the way.

Walmart’s latest streaming stick has passed through the FCC, and now we know what to expect from this streaming stick. While “HDMI Stick” is not explicitly mentioned here, it’s pretty likely that it is one. The FCC mentions that it is a “Full HD Streaming Device Google TV with Bluetooth 5.0”. So that tells us it’s going to be pretty cheap. With only Full HD or 1080p resolution, I’d expect this to be closer to $20.

When could Walmart’s new Google TV stick launch?

The new onn. Streaming stick with Google TV has passed through the FCC, but that doesn’t mean much. There are a lot of products that pass through the FCC that we actually never end up seeing on store shelves. But this one is likely to launch at some point. The only question is, when?

This is likely going to launch very soon. Walmart will want to have this streaming stick on shelves ahead of the holiday season, which is honestly, fast approaching. So I’d expect it sooner rather than later.

Walmart’s option is likely going to undercut Google’s own option – the Chromecast with Google TV – but it will likely be missing some things. It’s unclear what that might be right now, but that might include the ability to Cast, or Google Assistant. We’ll have to see when it actually launches. The Chromecast with Google TV retails for $30, while Walmart’s existing 4K Android TV stick is about $20. So a FHD one should be cheaper, the question is, how much cheaper.


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The Meta Threads app was available on the Google Play Store for a while

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The Meta Threads app was available on the Google Play Store for a while
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Ever since his Twitter takeover, Elon Musk has found new ways to get on the nerves of the platform’s users. This has given tons of users excuses to go try out other new and upcoming platforms. Of recent, a new competitor to Twitter, the Meta Threads app, briefly showed its face on the Google Play Store.

This has drawn the attention of various Twitter users considering new changes to the platform. A few days ago, Elon Musk took to his Twitter account to announce a change to the platform’s services that you can check out in this article. Most users on the platform have kicked against this change, labelling it as a means to force them behind a paywall.

Musk claims to promote free speech on Twitter, but still tries to impose fees on those wanting to share their thoughts. For this reason, most Twitter users are looking out to jump ship and board another vessel. Meta has seen this as an opportunity to scope up the angry tweeps leaving Twitter with their new app.

Available information on the Meta Threads app aiming to compete with Twitter

Taking to his Twitter account, a developer by the name of Alessandro Paluzzi showed off the Threads app on the Play Store. The app was only available on the Play Store for a while before it was taken down. But before it was taken down, Alessandro was able to take some screenshots to share with netizens.

From the screenshots, it is clear that this app will sync the user’s Instagram account to their Thread account. In other words, users would be able to log in with their Instagram username. This would be able to attract Instagram users to share their ideas more freely on a new platform without having to open a new account.

Users with Instagram accounts would also be able to connect with their followers on the Threads app. But unlike Instagram, this app will enable users to start conversations or make posts the way they would on Twitter. This involves, liking, commenting on, and sharing threads from other users across the platform.

Users can as well share images with write-ups and also join in on trending conversations. It turns out that this app has been in the works for a while now and will soon be available for public use. The Thread app would be the text-based Instagram platform for sharing your thoughts.

Even if you don’t have an Instagram account, Meta would let you create a Threads app account. So, if you are getting fed up with Twitter, you can anticipate the launch of this new social media platform. More information on the launch date of the Meta Threads app would be available in the coming weeks.


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Hackers use Popular Tools to Deliver Blackcat Ransomware

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Hackers use Popular Tools to Deliver Blackcat Ransomware
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The cybersecurity researchers at Trend Micro recently identified that the Blackcat Ransomware (aka ALPHV) actors are using malvertising tricks to spread fake WinSCP installers via Targeted Attack Detection (TAD) service.

In these advertising campaigns, the threat actors lured their victims by using the cloned web pages of legitimate organizations.

CSN

Google Ads boosts sales by targeting audiences with tailored ads, driving traffic for businesses. 

While in this case, threat actors make use of these platforms to launch malvertising campaigns that exploit keyword hijacking to trap search engine users with malicious ads and distribute malware stealthily.

Blackcat Ransomware Infection Chain

Delaying intervention would have severely impacted the enterprise, considering the threat actors’ acquisition of domain admin privileges and establishment of backdoors, leading to significant consequences.

Infection Chain
Infection chain (Source – Trend Micro)

Upon searching “WinSCP Download” on Bing, the user encounters a deceptive ad promoting the application positioned above the organic search results. Clicking the ad redirects to a suspicious website featuring a tutorial on automated file transfers via WinSCP.

Suspicious site (Source – Trend Micro)

After landing on the initial page, the user is sent to a cloned WinSCP download site:- 

Clicking “Download” initiates an ISO file download from an infected WordPress page:-

  • hxxps://events[.]drdivyaclinic[.]com

While the final payload URL was later switched to the file-sharing service 4 shared by the malicious actor.

Malicious Download Site

Once the victim clicks, they get an ISO file with “setup.exe” and “msi.dll” – the former tempts the user to open it, while the latter acts as the triggered malware dropper.

Malicious Download Site
Download site (Source – Trend Micro)

Upon executing setup.exe, it triggers msi.dll, extracting a Python folder from the DLL RCDATA section, and also functioning as the genuine WinSCP installer for installation.

The process includes installing a trojanized python310.dll and establishing persistence through a run key named “Python” with the following value:-

  • C:\Users\Public\Music\python\pythonw.exe
The run key (Source – Trend Micro)

A modified obfuscated python310.dll file is loaded on successful execution of pythonw.exe. The python310.dll file includes a Cobalt Strike beacon, which establishes a connection to a C2 server.

With Cobalt Strike operational, executing scripts, retrieving tools for lateral movement, and intensifying the compromise becomes effortless.

Tools used

Here below we have mentioned all the tools that are used by the Blackcat Ransomware (aka ALPHV):-

  • Curl
  • PsExec
  • PowerShell commands
  • PowerView
  • BitsAdmin
  • AdFind
  • AccessChk64
  • Findstr
  • PuTTY Secure Copy
  • AnyDesk
  • Python scripts
  • KillAV BAT

Apart from this, ALPHV also employed SpyBoy “Terminator,” it’s a tool that disables EDR and antivirus solutions.

Recommendations

Here below we have mentioned all the recommendations offered by the researchers:-

  • Take necessary steps to educate employees on recognizing and avoiding phishing attacks.
  • Keep a close watch on activities and maintain detailed logs.
  • Set specific criteria to determine what qualifies as regular network traffic for day-to-day operations.
  • Focus on enhancing incident response procedures and improving overall communication efforts.
  • Collaborate with experienced cybersecurity researchers and professionals to get more advanced security improvement ideas.

“AI-based email security measures Protect your business From Email Threats!” – Request a Free Demo.


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Szymon Mordasiewicz Panelem Gospodarstw Domowych GfK

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gfk panel gospodarstw domowych

Twoje gospodarstwo domowe używając aplikacji skanuje codzienne zakupy.

gfk panel gospodarstw domowych

Zdarza się, że nasi dostawcy przedstawią nam jakiś bardzo atrakcyjny produkt w trakcie trwania danej edycji katalogu albo kiedy prace nad nią zostały już zakończone. Wtedy taki upominek zamieszczamy https://www.investorynews.com/zloto-dips-on-profit-podejmowanie-handel-niepewnosc-straty-cap/ w osobnej ofercie prezentowanej najczęściej wyłącznie stronie internetowej. Instytut GfK Polonia jest jedną z największych firm badawczych, działającą na polskim rynku od 1990 roku.

Instytut GfK Polonia

Wcześniej (do końca 2009 roku) osoby uczestniczące w badaniu zapisywały swoje zakupy w papierowych dzienniczkach. Od początku 2010 roku sposób rejestracji stopniowo ewoluował. Dzięki temu urządzeniu badanie jest prostsze i nowocześniejsze Nasdaq Nosedive – Gdzie dalej niż jego poprzednia forma. Paneliści – uczestnicy badania Panel Gospodarstw Domowych – to reprezentatywna próba mieszkańców Polski. Wystarczy tylko zarejestrować się i cierpliwie poczekać na kontakt z naszej strony.

gfk panel gospodarstw domowych

Jeżeli to nie nastąpi natychmiast, to nic straconego – rekrutujemy do badania bez przerwy i jest duża szansa, że w ciągu kilku tygodni przekażemy informacje o kolejnych etapach rekrutacji. Informacje o kupionych produktach, pozyskiwane dzięki nim pozwalają nam określać wzór nawyków zakupowych polskich obywateli. Wystarczy tylko wypełnić formularz zgłoszeniowy i cierpliwie poczekać na kontakt z naszej strony. We wszystkich prowadzonych przez nas projektach wykorzystujemy „jakieś” dane, dlatego chronimy je i skutecznie zapobiegamy ich wyciekowi.

Samsung QN700B 8K Smart TV Now Just $999: Save $600

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Samsung QN700B 8K Smart TV Now Just $999: Save $600
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Best Buy has a pretty incredible deal on the Samsung QN700B 8K TV right now, where you can pick it up for only $999. That’s the cheapest we’ve seen an 8K TV ever, so now is a really great time to pick one up. This is a Neo QLED 8K TV, so it’s a pretty good one to grab.

Samsung QN700B QLED 8K TV – Best Buy

Why you should buy the Samsung QN700B

The Samsung 55-inch QN700B Neo QLED 8K Smart TV is a great option for anyone looking for a high-end TV. It’s currently on sale for $1,499, which is a great deal for a TV of this caliber.

Here are some of the reasons why you should buy the Samsung QN700B:

  • 8K resolution: The QN700B has a 8K resolution, which means that it can display images with up to 33 million pixels. This means that you’ll be able to see even the smallest details in your favorite movies and TV shows.
  • Neo QLED technology: The QN700B uses Neo QLED technology, which provides better contrast and color accuracy than traditional LED TVs. This means that you’ll get a more immersive viewing experience.
  • Smart TV features: The QN700B is a Smart TV, which means that you can access streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. You can also use the TV’s voice assistant to control it with your voice.
  • Design: The QN700B has a sleek and stylish design. It’s made of a thin bezel that makes the TV look more immersive.

If you’re looking for a high-end TV with stunning picture quality, the Samsung QN700B is a great option. It’s currently on sale for $1,499, so don’t miss out on this great deal.

Here are some additional reasons why you should buy the Samsung QN700B:

  • It has a wide viewing angle, so you can enjoy the picture quality from anywhere in the room.
  • It’s compatible with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, which means that you can enjoy HDR content with the best possible picture quality.
  • It has a built-in soundbar, so you don’t need to buy a separate sound system.
  • It comes with a remote control that has voice control capabilities.

Overall, the Samsung QN700B is a great choice for anyone looking for a high-end TV with stunning picture quality and a wide range of features. If you’re in the market for a new TV, I recommend taking a look at the Samsung QN700B.

Samsung QN700B QLED 8K TV – Best Buy


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