What’s left of Twitter’s Trust and Safety might be at risk

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What’s left of Twitter’s Trust and Safety might be at risk
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Since Elon Musk took over Twitter in October of last year, he has done everything he can to cut costs. This included laying off thousands of workers, cutting back on services that were redundant, and now that includes not paying the Google Cloud bill.

As reported by the Platformer over the weekend, Twitter has not paid its Google Cloud bill, which is set to renew on June 30. Twitter doesn’t want to renew the deal with Google, and thus is attempting to move everything off of Google’s servers, before the June 30 renewal date, and the effort is apparently “running behind schedule”.

What does this have to do with trust and safety?

Twitter uses Google Cloud to house some of its services that it uses to moderate the platform. The biggest tool on Google Cloud, is the tools that is uses to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The tool is called Smyte, which is a company that Twitter acquired back in 2018. Even before this whole fiasco, Smyte was showing signs of strain, due to Musk’s many cutbacks.

This is really just the latest in platform instability under Musk, since he laid off so many people. Employees say that Smyte crashes at least once a day. In addition to that, Florida Governor Ron Desantis also had trouble announcing his Presidential Bid on Twitter Spaces, due to it crashing. Among other things.

Not to mention that this is not the first bill that Musk has refused to pay. He has also refused to pay the rent for its headquarters in San Francisco. California Property Trust, the owner of the building Twitter HQ is located in, sued the company for failing to pay rent.

It has also been delaying payments to Amazon Web Services, which has led the company to threaten to withhold advertising payments to Twitter. Which is its only real revenue stream these days, since so little people have signed up and paid for Twitter Blue.


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Google’s QR-code scanner is broken for some Pixel users

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Google’s QR-code scanner is broken for some Pixel users
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Ever since Google introduced the new QR-code scanner for Pixel phones with the Android 13 update, it has become a handy addition for users who want to quickly scan a restaurant menu or check the nutritional value of a grocery item. However, after the recent May 2023 update, a significant amount of users have started encountering issues with the pre-installed scanner.

The issue was first brought to light when multiple users started complaining on Google’s support forums and Reddit. According to these users, tapping on the icon opens the scanner, but the camera fails to initiate, resulting in a blank screen. However, it is important to note that the camera works perfectly fine in other apps, indicating that the issue is specific to the scanner itself. Currently, the problem seems to be most prevalent among users of Pixel 5, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 4a 5G devices.

Furthermore, the fact that the issue has persisted for several weeks, and even common troubleshooting steps like restarting the phone or adjusting settings have had no effect, makes it even more frustrating.

Google’s response and fixes

Fortunately, Google has acknowledged the problem and stated that they are diligently working on fixing it. However, if you encounter the same issue, you can contribute to the resolution process by reporting it to the developers. To do so, open the Settings app on your device, go to the About Phone section, find the option labelled “Send feedback about this device,” and report the issue.

Moreover, until Google releases a fix, users can use a few workarounds to address the bug. These include using Google Lens to scan the QR codes and clearing the data of Google Play services. To do this, open the Settings app on your Pixel, go to the Apps section, and click on “See All Apps.” Then, tap the three dots in the top right-hand corner, select “Show System,” and scroll down until you see Google Play Services. Now, access the Storage option and choose “Clear Data.”


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Samsung teaming up with Google to optimize apps for the bigger cover display on the Flip 5

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Samsung teaming up with Google to optimize apps for the bigger cover display on the Flip 5
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The big change made to clamshell foldables this year is a larger external display. Remember when Samsung got criticized for that puny 1.1-inch ticker on the original Galaxy Z Flip? Sure, Sammy hiked it to 1.9 inches last year with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 but Oppo’s Find N2 Flip features a 3.3-inch external screen, the Vivo X Flip sports a 3-inch external screen, and the Motorola Razr+ carries a 3.5-inch Quick View display.

Samsung went back to work and it looks as though the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will come with a 3.4-inch cover display with a cutout for the two cameras. The cutout gives the cover display the look of a folder, but no one will mind considering all of the new capabilities that the screen can handle. And toward that end, SamMobile reports that the mobile industry’s latest love birds, Samsung and Google, are working to optimize Google’s apps for the larger cover display.
Render shows the folder-shaped 3.4-inch cover screen expected on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 - Samsung teaming up with Google to optimize apps for the bigger cover display on the Flip 5

Render shows the folder-shaped 3.4-inch cover screen expected on the Galaxy Z Flip 5

For example, Google and Samsung are believed to be working on a version of Google Maps that will allow Galaxy Z Flip 5 users to use the app to navigate from point “A” to point “B” without having to open the phone. After all, the point of having a larger cover display is to allow users to access apps, notifications, messages, and more without having to flip open the device. Besides Google Maps, other Google apps that could make their way to the larger Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover screen include YouTube and Messages.

Grab the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra now!

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 are both expected to be introduced in Seoul, South Korea on July 27th during the next Samsung Unpacked event. During the same event, we could see the manufacturer unveil the Galaxy Watch 6, the premium Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, and the Galaxy Tab S9 tablet line which includes the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

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A week in security (June 5 – 11)

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A week in security (June 5 – 11)
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Last week on Malwarebytes Labs:

Stay safe!

Malwarebytes EDR and MDR removes all remnants of ransomware and prevents you from getting reinfected. Want to learn more about how we can help protect your business? Get a free trial below.

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Reddit CEO addressed the community over recent API changes

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Reddit CEO addressed the community over recent API changes
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Reddit CEO Steve Huffman publicly addressed the community on Friday over the company’s recent API policy changes. He made it clear that the proposed API pricing rules would stay, effectively signaling the end of several third-party Reddit apps. Many big names, including Apollo, Reddit is Fun (aka RIF), ReddPlanet, and Sync, have already announced plans to shut down at the end of this month.

This unrest at Reddit began after the company announced plans to charge for its APIs in April. It wanted to block free large-scale use of its data and monetize it with paid APIs. However, the prices it has set are proving a bit too steep for indie developers running third-party clients for Reddit. Christian Selig, the developer of iOS-only Reddit app Apollo says the new API prices would cost the app more than $20 million a year. The operating cost of RIF would also be “in the same ballpark,” even though the app “does not earn anywhere remotely near this number”.

Reddit CEO discussed these API changes during an AMA session

Shortly after these developers announced plans to shut down their apps, Reddit CEO hosted an AMA (ask me anything) session to address the public’s concerns. Unfortunately, he showed no signs of giving concessions to third-party apps. “Reddit needs to be a self-sustaining business, and to do that, we can no longer subsidize commercial entities that require large-scale data use,” he said in his AMA post. “Some apps such as Apollo, Reddit is Fun, and Sync have decided this pricing doesn’t work for their businesses and will close before pricing goes into effect.”

While Huffman mostly avoided questions about Reddit’s relationship with third-party developers, he took a dig at Apollo’s developer. Selig recently said that Reddit accused him of threatening and blackmailing the company, though he didn’t do anything as such. He shared a recording of the audio call with a company representative to prove his side of the story. “His ‘joke’ is the least of our issues,” Huffman said about it. “His behavior and communications with us have been all over the place — saying one thing to us while saying something completely different externally…to the point where I don’t know how we could do business with him.”

One of the biggest complaints of third-party developers along with high API prices is the short window of 30 days Reddit gave them. They had to decide whether or not to keep the app and make necessary changes to it within a month. Huffman acknowledged that it was a “tight timeline”. He added that the company is continuing to work with developers who are willing to stay. “For what it’s worth, this includes many of the apps that haven’t been taking the spotlight this week,” he said.

However, the ReddPlanet developer chipped in saying that they’ve “attempted multiple times to get in contact with Reddit regarding these changes. Every attempt has been ignored. This is a blatant lie”. Several other developers had the same complaint. Huffman responded to one of them, apologizing for the delay. He added that the company will respond to all of them.

The official Reddit app will get new features

With many third-party apps going down, Reddit is focusing on improving the official app. Huffman shared some of the planned new features. “There are a couple of things we are focused on right now: mod tools, specifically an improved mod queue this month and improved mod log, mod mail after; and we’re doing a bunch of work on feeds and comments to make them more cohesive. We are also going to make the official Reddit apps more accessible.”

Speaking of accessibility, Reddit will continue to offer free access to its APIs for “non-commercial, accessibility-focused apps and tools”. However, the Reddit community is still not happy about the company’s handling of third-party apps and developers. Thousands of popular subreddits have gone private indefinitely in protest. It remains to be seen how Reddit responds to this mass outrage.


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Switching your Wear OS 4 smartwatch between devices might be much easier

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Switching your Wear OS 4 smartwatch between devices might be much easier
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Developers and beta testers alike are already getting a taste of the Wear OS 4 smartwatch software. This new software comes with a ton of features and controls that aim to make usage easier for smartwatch users. One such new feature that’d help simplify usage is the ability to switch your smartwatch between various devices without setting it up.

Currently, with Wear OS 3 smartwatches, users wanting to make use of their smartwatch on another device go through a lot. Switching for these users involves setting up the smartwatch with the new device. This isn’t ideal for users that have more than one smartphone they actively make use of.

But all that stress might be coming to an end for smartwatch users, as some beta testers point out. With this new operating system for smartwatches, users would not need to set up their watch to a new device whenever they want to switch devices temporarily. For now, this feature has been noted on a Samsung Galaxy watch running on Wear OS 4 and Samsung One UI Watch 5 software.

The Wear OS 4 smartwatch software might make usage more seamless

The folks at 9to5Google spotted this amazing ability to switch devices without setting up your smartwatch on a device running Wear OS 4. The device in question is a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, and it was also running on the latest One UI Watch 5 software. For now, not all Samsung Galaxy smartwatch users will be able to try out this feature, as it seems to be accessible to only beta testers.

But, with the global rollout of the Wear OS 4 software, more users will be able to sync more than one device to their smartwatch. With this software, there’d be no need to set your smartwatch up on another device. All a user needs to ensure is that the smartphone they’re switching, and the smartwatch have the same Google account.

If they are making use of the same Google account, then there will be no need to set it up over again. All apps they need on their smartwatch will automatically sync across all their devices with the same Google account. This is a great feature and would be a welcomed improvement coming with the Wear OS 4 update.

There has been no news pointing out this feature on other smartwatches. But, users can rest assured knowing that they would also get this feature with the coming Wear OS 4 update coming to their smartwatch. Once available, users will no longer be stuck on using just one smartphone with their smartwatch.


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Public and free WiFi: Can I safely use it?

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Public and free WiFi: Can I safely use it?
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We’ve got into the habit of expecting internet access wherever we go. But data costs can be expensive, and out of your own home often the only WiFi available is public, passwordless and free.

In security, we’ve been trained to carefully contemplate anything that’s free, because, well, often when something is free, you turn out to be the product. So should we be concerned about free Wi-Fi?

A few years ago, we wrote:

“A WiFi connection’s safety depends on its security settings and the source of the WiFi connection. In public, using shared WiFi carries risks. If you have to use public WiFi hotspots, it’s wise to also use a VPN to keep your activity private while you use that connection.  A VPN wraps your network traffic (including web browsing, email, and other things) in a protective tunnel and makes up for any weaknesses in their encryption.”

While this is still basically true, the internet has changed since then. Most websites have switched to HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), which means that any traffic to and from the website you are trying to access is encrypted. That means that it couldn’t be read by anyone trying to intercept the traffic in order to snoop on your data. 

So nowadays, my advice is this: For day-to-day use, I wouldn’t recommend setting up a new banking account over public WiFi, but I wouldn’t fret about using public Wi-Fi for everyday browsing either.

How to reduce public WiFi security risks

In order to see if a website is using HTTPS, check for the padlock symbol in the browser address bar, and make sure the website starts with “https://”.

If you really want to be sure, or you need to do something like set up a bank account, then you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure your traffic when using public WiFi.

By wrapping your traffic in a single, impenetrable tunnel, the best VPN services will keep your data safe from attempts to intercept your communications.

We don’t just report on encryption—we offer you the option to use it.

Privacy risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep your online privacy yours by using Malwarebytes Privacy VPN.


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Galaxy S24 Ultra won’t bring major camera upgrades

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Galaxy S24 Ultra won’t bring major camera upgrades
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Samsung may not offer major camera upgrades with the Galaxy S24 Ultra next year. The 2024 model will reportedly pack the same camera hardware as the current Ultra. Apart from some minor improvements, the rear camera array will remain largely unchanged. There’s no information available about the new Ultra’s selfie camera.

There have been rumors earlier this year that Samsung will equip the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a variable zoom lens. It was said to offer continuous optical zoom at all magnification levels between 3x and 10x. It would effectively do the job of both 3x and 10x zoom cameras that the Korean firm’s recent Ultra flagships feature, and do a better job than both of them.

However, subsequent rumors said Samsung can’t pull this off next year. Instead, it plans to replace the 3x zoom lens with a 5X solution on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. But those hopes were also blown away earlier this month. A noted industry insider claimed that the upcoming Ultra model will get a slightly improved 10x zoom camera and that’s about it. Everything else will carry over unchanged, at least at the back.

Tipster Ice Universe has now reiterated this, citing information from unnamed Korean sources. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will continue to use the same 200MP primary camera found on the current Ultra (Samsung’s ISOCELL HP2 sensor). The ultrawide lens will also use the same 12MP Sony IMX564 sensor. The company upgraded to this sensor from the Sony IMX563 on last year’s Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra will get a slightly improved 10x zoom camera

Coming to the zoom cameras, Samsung will keep the 3x solution unchanged too (Sony’s 12MP IMX754 sensor). The 10x zoom camera, on the other hand, uses a slightly improved Sony IMX754+ sensor. It’s unclear what has changed, though. The tipster says it’s just a “negligible adjustment” of the sensor but fails to give more details. It retains the 12MP resolution. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will also feature a laser autofocus sensor.

If this rumor turns out to be accurate, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will not be a major upgrade over the Galaxy S23 Ultra, at least not in the camera department. Samsung could still offer meaningful upgrades in other areas. But the device may not be worth moving on to from the current Ultra. We should come across more details about the Galaxy S24 series once Samsung’s down with its next month’s Galaxy Unpacked event.


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2023 is not a good year for Samsung

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2023 is not a good year for Samsung
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Samsung is the largest Android company, and the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t have a bad year. According to a report (via Phone Arena) Samsung is set to have a bad 2023 in terms of smartphone shipments.

This may actually surprise you if you caught wind of the success of the Galaxy s23 Trio. The team of devices was able to sell in pretty high volume, with the Ultra model being the most popular. However, that’s not the only factor that is in play here.

Samsung is having a bad 2023

The company has been through some turbulent times before, so this shouldn’t come as much of a shocker. Between April and June this year, Samsung managed to ship about 55 million units. That’s down a notable amount from 61.5 million units between January and March of this year. Also, Samsung shipped 62.5 million units between April and June last year.

Not only are the numbers bad now, but they may be bad for the rest of the year according to predictions. Last year, Samsung shipped around 260 million units. However, analysts predict that Samsung will ship between 230 million and 240 million units for this year. What makes this worse is that Samsung actually predicted that it would sell 270 million units this year.

The report attributes this to the lower-end and mid-range devices. This mostly refers to the Galaxy A series of phones. The Galaxy S phones are more popular, but the Galaxy A series of phones make up about 70% of Samsung’s total smartphone shipments. This line of devices is seeing sluggish performance, so the company as a whole will see fewer shipments.

Samsung is set to announce the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. This will breathe some life into Samsung’s numbers, as we are all looking forward to these phones. Only time will tell if these phones will help the company out of this situation and help it sustain profitability.


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More MOVEit vulnerabilities found while the first one still resonates

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More MOVEit vulnerabilities found while the first one still resonates
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A security audit of the MOVEit code has revealed more SQL injection vulnerabilities, while victims of the first vulnerability are coming to the surface.

In early June, we reported on the discovery of a critical vulnerability in MOVEit Transfer—known as CVE-2023-34362. 

After the first vulnerability was discovered, MOVEit’s owner Progress Software partnered with third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct further detailed code reviews of the software. Now, Progress says it has discovered multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in the MOVEit Transfer web application that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to gain unauthorized access to the MOVEit Transfer database.

There are no CVEs yet available for the new vulnerabilities, but Progress has released patches.

Users of Progress MOVEit Transfer versions released before 2021.0.7 (13.0.7), 2021.1.5 (13.1.5), 2022.0.5 (14.0.5), 2022.1.6 (14.1.6), 2023.0.2 (15.0.2) should follow the recommendations in the security bulletin about the new vulnerabilities.

This code review was undoubtedly triggered by the severe consequences of the first vulnerability that was exploited by the Cl0p ransomware gang. Cl0p confirmed it was behind these attacks in responses to inquiries by Reuters and BleepingComputer

Cl0p is showing a very different behavior from other ransomware groups. The gang either found or bought the CVE-2023-34362 vulnerability and reportedly started testing it against victims as far back as 2021.

They felt comfortable enough to wait with actively deploying their ransomware, and didn’t launch a large scale campaign until the 2023 Memorial Day weekend in the US. This demonstrates a level of sophistication and planning that we don’t see in other ransomware groups.

Victims of this exploitation wave are plentiful and new ones keep coming forward. All the victims of this attack have been told to contact the Cl0p ransomware group before June 14, 2023 or “face the consequences,” which tends to suggest that their data will be published online.

How to avoid ransomware

  • Block common forms of entry. Create a plan for patching vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems quickly; and disable or harden remote access like RDP and VPNs.
  • Prevent intrusions. Stop threats early before they can even infiltrate or infect your endpoints. Use endpoint security software that can prevent exploits and malware used to deliver ransomware.
  • Detect intrusions. Make it harder for intruders to operate inside your organization by segmenting networks and assigning access rights prudently. Use EDR or MDR to detect unusual activity before an attack occurs.
  • Stop malicious encryption. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response software like Malwarebytes EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware, and ransomware rollback to restore damaged system files.
  • Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
  • Don’t get attacked twice. Once you’ve isolated the outbreak and stopped the first attack, you must remove every trace of the attackers, their malware, their tools, and their methods of entry, to avoid being attacked again.

Malwarebytes EDR and MDR removes all remnants of ransomware and prevents you from getting reinfected. Want to learn more about how we can help protect your business? Get a free trial below.

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