Million-Dollar Crypto Scam that leaves investors empty-handed

0
[ad_1]

In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, the ever-looming threat of Rug Pulls has once again taken center stage. 

Check Point’s Threat Intel Blockchain system, a vigilant guardian of the blockchain realm, recently uncovered a meticulously executed scheme that swindled nearly $1 million from unsuspecting investors. 

The Threat Intel Blockchain system sounded the alarm on an ongoing Rug Pull event, exposing the malevolent actor orchestrating this financial caper.

Exploiting the fervor surrounding cryptocurrency, the perpetrator deftly lured in victims, capitalizing on the allure of the latest trends and creating tokens such as GROK 2.0.

This sophisticated scam unfolded in multiple stages, from the creation of fake tokens to the manipulation of liquidity pools, simulated trading activities, and the eventual extraction of funds.

Scan Flow
Document
Free Webinar

In the upcoming webinar, Karthik Krishnamoorthy, CTO and Vivek Gopalan, VP of Products at Indusface demonstrate how APIs could be hacked. The session will cover: an exploit of OWASP API Top 10 vulnerability, a brute force account take-over (ATO) attack on API, a DDoS attack on an API, how a WAAP could bolster security over an API gateway

  1. Fabricating Deceptive Tokens: To ensnare unsuspecting investors, deceptive tokens like GROK 2.0 were meticulously crafted to resemble trending topics, effectively cloaking their fraudulent nature closely.
  1. Injecting Funds into the Liquidity Pool: To establish an illusion of legitimacy and activity, funds were injected into the token pool, creating a smokescreen of a thriving and vibrant token.
  1. Fictitious Trades: To further entice investors and perpetuate the illusion of genuine trading activity, the scammer meticulously executed simulated trades, creating the semblance of a dynamic market.
  2. Artificially Inflating Token Value: Through a series of large-scale trades, the scammer artificially inflated the token’s value, duping investors into believing in its perceived high demand and worth.
  3. Enticing Unsuspecting Investors: Capitalizing on the fabricated attractiveness of the token, unsuspecting users were drawn into the scam, unknowingly investing their funds.
  4. Draining Liquidity: Once a substantial number of investors were hooked, the scammer initiated the final phase of the scheme, withdrawing liquidity from the token pool and leaving victims with worthless assets.

Delving into the technicalities, the scammer utilized two smart contracts to trade and pump the token volume, executing functions like simulated trading and artificially boosting token volume through Uniswap Router.

This Rug Pull incident is a stark reminder of the importance of awareness and due diligence. 

Check Point researchers, committed to safeguarding the crypto community, actively monitor domains associated with the identified scammer’s wallet address and similar threats.

Stay informed, stay vigilant.

Experience how StorageGuard eliminates the security blind spots in your storage systems by trying a 14-day free trial.


[ad_2]
Source link

Google reveals new Maps features to protect against fake content

0
[ad_1]

Google made a lot of changes to Maps to prevent people from submitting policy-violating content to its app. Considering that more than 300 million people share their experiences on Google Maps yearly, this feels like a very important mission for the Mountain View company.

Today, Google announced three new ways it plans to stop fake content from being submitted. The first one involves constant monitoring of contributed content and detecting any unusual patterns.

When such content is detected, Google promises to act fast and implement protections to prevent further abuse, such as taking down the fake content or temporarily disabling new contributions.

Furthermore, Google says that it’s now focusing on preventing abuse ahead of sensitive moments like elections or other important events. The company is proactively protecting places during times when there’s an uptick in off-topic and unhelpful content by limiting the ability for people to suggest edits to phone numbers, addresses and other factual info to help avoid the spread of misinformation.

Last but not least, Google will not allow Maps reviews for specific places like prisons and police stations. These places benefit from longer-term protections since user contributions are consistently unhelpful, harmful, or off-topic.

If a user is trying to write a review for a prison on Google Maps, they will be met with a notification banner that informs them the functionality is turned off with a link to learn more about the company’s policies.


[ad_2]
Source link

117 Vulnerabilities Discovered in Microsoft 365 Apps

0
[ad_1]

Microsoft 365 Apps is a suite of productivity tools that includes the following apps and services offered by Microsoft through a subscription service:-

  • Microsoft Teams
  • OneDrive
  • SharePoint
  • PowerPoint
  • Outlook
  • Word
  • Excel
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft OneNote
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Skype for Business
  • Power BI
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Microsoft Lists
  • Yammer
  • Microsoft Project
  • Skype 

Hackers often target these applications because they are widely used in business environments, providing a large potential attack surface, and successful compromises can provide access to sensitive information and corporate networks.

When Microsoft introduced support for SketchUp (SKP) files in June 2022, it unintentionally revealed 117 vulnerabilities in Microsoft 365 apps.

The cybersecurity analysts at the ThreatLabz research team discovered all these vulnerabilities.

Document
Free Webinar

In the upcoming webinar, Karthik Krishnamoorthy, CTO and Vivek Gopalan, VP of Products at Indusface demonstrate how APIs could be hacked. The session will cover: an exploit of OWASP API Top 10 vulnerability, a brute force account take-over (ATO) attack on API, a DDoS attack on an API, how a WAAP could bolster security over an API gateway

Technical analysis

However, to catalog the 117 vulnerabilities, Microsoft assigned the following CVE IDs:-

Besides this, due to these vulnerabilities, Microsoft temporarily disabled SketchUp in June 2023. Microsoft 365 got SketchUp file support in 2022, a new 3D file format. But, unlike other 3D formats, it’s new, and new features like this can bring security risks.

Reverse engineering is key for cybersecurity, letting experts analyze code to uncover and address potential vulnerabilities.

In Microsoft 365, MSOSPECTRE.DLL handles 3D file parsing. Researchers probed vulnerabilities in SketchUp format in version 16.0.16026.20000 (Jan 2023). Using IDA Pro, functions with ‘SU’ prefix were found in MSOSPECTRE.DLL, revealing SketchUp C APIs from SketchUp SDK. 

Combining reverse engineering and dynamic debugging, researchers identified Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::ImportToAsset3D as the SKP parsing function in Microsoft 365.

Microsoft fixed Zscaler-discovered vulnerabilities in April and May 2023:-

  • CVE-2023-28285
  • CVE-2023-29344

However, a ThreatLabz analysis found a bypass in CVE-2023-29344’s patch, prompting Microsoft’s response via CVE-2023-33146.

The CVE-2023-29344 patch was released to fix FreeImage vulnerabilities in May 2023, and the following version is the patched version of MSOSPECTRE.DLL:-

Patch disabled MFC-type SKP file support due to reported vulnerabilities. Incomplete fix, as FreeImage library vulnerabilities persist with VFF-type SKP files.

Comparison of SketchUpModelReader..ReadModel before and after the patch (Source - Zscaler)
Comparison of SketchUpModelReader..ReadModel before and after the patch (Source – Zscaler)

The PoC crafted SKP VFF-type template with SketchUp and embedded zip. The extracted zip was analyzed with the 010 Editor, revealing the image in the materials folder.

Moreover, this approach enabled analysts to reproduce 97 CVE-2023-29344 patch vulnerabilities in Microsoft 365 apps. Since the CVE-2023-33146 was assigned for bypassing the patch, that’s why Microsoft disables SketchUp file insertion in Office docs in response.

Microsoft update (Source - Zscaler)
Microsoft update (Source – Zscaler)

Wrapper functions

Here below, we have mentioned all the Wrapper functions:-

  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::CountEntities
  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::ExportEntities
  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::ExportComponentInstance
  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::ExportFaces
  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::GetMaterial
  • Spectre::Transcoder::SkpUtils::GetTextureId
  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::GetTexture
  • Spectre::Transcoder::ImporterSKP::AddFacesGeometry

Real-World Cases

  • Microsoft Office SKP file parsing `CVertex` object use-after-free vulnerability
  • Microsoft Office SKP file parsing TIFF image integer overflow vulnerability
  • Microsoft Office SKP file parsing uninitialized memory vulnerability
  • Microsoft Office SKP File parsing BMP image out-of-bounds write vulnerability
  • Microsoft Office SKP File parsing PICT image out-of-bounds write vulnerability

Recommendations

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

  • Make sure to prioritize security audits.
  • Ensure blackbox fuzzing for third-party libraries to avoid vulnerabilities.
  • Always keep Microsoft 365 apps updated with the available latest version.

Experience how StorageGuard eliminates the security blind spots in your storage systems by trying a 14-day free trial.


[ad_2]
Source link

Xiaomi MIX Flip to arrive with one of Qualcomm’s best chips

0
[ad_1]

The Xiaomi MIX Flip is expected to arrive next year. This will be the company’s very first clamshell foldable, by the way. Now, a new piece of info has revealed the chip that will fuel the Xiaomi MIX Flip, and it comes from Qualcomm.

The Xiaomi MIX Flip is expected to include one of Qualcomm’s best processors

According to a tipster from China, the Xiaomi MIX Flip will be fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. That is the second most powerful processor that Qualcomm has to offer. It seems to be more power efficient than the brand new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, though.

The tipster did not mention the Xiaomi MIX Flip by name, but it did say that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will fuel a “small foldable” from the company. That is the only small foldable that has been rumored.

Xiaomi announced three generations of book-style foldables thus far. The Xiaomi Mi MIX Fold, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, and the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3. It’s about time we see a clamshell foldable from Xiaomi.

This is also not the first time that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was mentioned in context with the Xiaomi MIX Flip. We’ve heard whispers of it before, which gives this information more credibility.

A sketch of this phone did surface earlier this year, but we’re not sure it’s legit

In terms of the design, we’re not really sure what will the Xiaomi MIX Flip look like. A sketch did surface a while back, but truth be said, it didn’t look the best. If it ends up being real, however, we do hope the real product will look much better than the sketch itself.

Xiaomi did a good job designing the Xiaomi MIX Fold phones. So,  we do have high hopes for the company’s first clamshell foldable. You can, of course, expect it to have two displays, one foldable, and one cover panel.

That cover panel will have to be rather spacious in order to compete in today’s market. The OPPO Find N3 Flip has a really nice cover display size, as do the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr+.

The Xiaomi MIX Flip is expected to arrive next year, but we still don’t know when exactly.


[ad_2]
Source link

Android 14 rolling out to Galaxy Z Flip 5 & Fold 5 in the US

0
[ad_1]

After the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22, Samsung has now released the Android 14 update for its latest foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are picking up the big update, which introduces One UI 6.0, in the US. A global rollout should be just around the corner.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 receive Android 14

Samsung released the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 update for the Galaxy S23 series in late October. It took a while for the update to be available globally. Earlier this week, the company treated Galaxy S22 users with the long-awaited update. It has now quickly pushed the new Android version to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5.

As of this writing, the latest Samsung foldables picking up Android 14 in the US. More specifically, the update is available for carrier-locked units on Verizon’s network. The new firmware build number for the Fold model is F946USQU1BWK9, while that for the Flip model is F731USQU1BWK9. It shouldn’t be long before Samsung covers both carrier-locked and unlocked units across all networks.

One UI 6.0 is a major update for Galaxy devices. It brings plenty of new features, functional improvements, and other changes, including goodies that are part of Android 14. Samsung has revamped the Quick Settings layout for enhanced usability. The notification panel is getting a UI overhaul too. Switching to text calling is now easier with a Bixby Text Call button on the call screen.

Elsewhere, we have new and improved homescreen widgets, a separate menu for Battery and Device Care settings, and enhanced privacy and security, including an Auto Blocker. One UI 6.0 also brings tons of new camera features and editing tools to Galaxy devices. For models with high-resolution cameras, Samsung has added a dedicated button to quickly change the camera resolution.

Overall, there’s plenty to look forward to in this update. If you’re using the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 in the US or any other country—Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22 also, for that matter—and have yet to receive the Android 14 update, you should soon. As usual, you can check for new updates on your Samsung phone through the Software update menu in the Settings app.

Samsung will soon push the update to more Galaxy devices

Samsung’s Android 14 rollout finally appears to be well and truly underway. The Korean behemoth should soon push the big update to more Galaxy devices. The Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and dozens of other models will receive Android 14 with One UI 6.0 in the coming weeks. We will keep you posted on those releases.


[ad_2]
Source link

Galaxy S23 FE & A54 5G receive Android 14 with One UI 6.0

0
[ad_1]

Samsung‘s Android 14 and One UI 6.0 rollout is well and truly underway. Earlier this week, it released the big update for the Galaxy S22 series along with a wider availability for the Galaxy S23 series. The company followed up with an update for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 in the US. It is now pushing the new Android version to the Galaxy S23 FE and Galaxy A54 5G.

The Galaxy S23 FE gets its first major Android OS update

Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 FE last month with Android 13 onboard. It was an ill-timed release as Android 14 was already official by the time it arrived in the market. A month later, the phone is picking up its first major Android OS update. It will get three more of them, i.e. up to Android 17—the same as the regular Galaxy S23 flagships that debuted in February.

As of this writing, the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 update for the Galaxy S23 FE appears limited to Exynos-powered models in select international markets. The new firmware build number for the phone is S711BXXU1BWK5. The Fan Edition handset should soon pick up the update globally, including in the US where it ships with a Snapdragon chip. The build number may vary but the changelog will remain the same.

Speaking of the changelog, One UI 6.0 brings plenty of changes to the Galaxy S23 FE and other eligible Samsung devices. The Korean firm has updated the system UI for a visual refresh. These include an enhanced Quick Settings layout and a revamped notification panel. The update also improves system animations and transitions for a smoother navigation experience.

Additionally, One UI 6.0 brings new camera features such as enhanced Auto FPS, a dedicated camera resolution button, shutter speed controls, and more. New photo and video editing tools, improved homescreen widgets, and the Bixby Text Call shortcut are some other notable changes. Watch out for the update with all these goodies and more on your Galaxy S23 FE in the coming days.

The Galaxy A54 5G is picking up the big update in the US

Alongside the Galaxy S23 FE, Samsung is pushing the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 update to the Galaxy A54 5G. The premium mid-range handset is picking up the big update in the US, specifically the carrier-locked variant on AT&T’s network (via SamMobile). The updated build number for the phone is A546USQU5BWK4. A wider rollout covering unlocked units in the US and international markets should follow soon.


[ad_2]
Source link

Apple filed two patents to prevent shoulder surfing on iPhones

0
[ad_1]

Apple’s latest privacy-focused feature wants to keep your iPhone safe from prying eyes with new security for tech for the screen. Apple is one of the few tech firms that’s increasingly sensitive to the privacy of its customers. The iPhone maker currently offers unique settings to limit data collection and keep user’s data out of the reach of third parties. And this new tech aims to take that even further.

As reported by Techradar (via AppleInsider), Apple has filed two patents to prevent shoulder surfing. In case you didn’t know, shoulder surfing means another person looks at your phone when entering sensitive data such as passwords or banking details. Apple’s patents aim to solve this problem by adding a new layer of security to iPhones.

Apple wants to keep the iPhone screen safe from prying eyes with new security tech

The first patent would be a “privacy film” that adds a “light-blocking layer” to the iPhone’s screen. This means only the person directly looking at the screen would be able to see the content. Some screen protectors are currently available with such a feature, but adding it to iPhones by default is certainly a welcome addition.

The second patent refers to “displays with adjustable angles of view.” This patent lets users adjust the screen’s view angle and enable “private viewing mode” to prevent another person from seeing what’s on the phone.

While iPhones are the most likely candidates to benefit from the new patents, Apple might also bring them to iPads and MacBooks. The patent disclaimer also notes that Apple has just filed for these technologies, and it’s all on the tech firm to decide whether to include them in its future consumer products.

Apple’s explanation for one of the patents reinforces the speculation that MacBooks or even iMacs might get the new privacy additions. As the patent description reads, “In some situations, such as when a user of a laptop or other device with a display is using the device in public, the wide viewing angle is undesirable as it compromises privacy.”

Apple currently outsources its screen production to LG and Samsung. As Samsung Display has already revealed that Apple’s upcoming device might have a foldable display, hopefully Korean manufacturers can reveal more details about Apple’s new screen technology.


[ad_2]
Source link

Pixel users just got 12 new gorgeous wallpapers

0
[ad_1]

Google really looks after its Pixel users by giving them exclusive goodies. One goody is the collection of curated wallpapers that populate its ever-updating catalog. New entries in this catalog are a rare treat, and they’re always gorgeous photos. Today, Google just added 12 new wallpapers to its Community Lens collection for Pixel users.

If you don’t know what the Community Lens collection is, it’s a collection of wallpapers shot by actual Googlers. The company unveiled this collection back in October 2021, and it’s been pretty popular ever since.

If you own a Google Pixel device, you can access them by holding your finger down on your home screen and tapping on the Wallpaper & Style button. There, you’ll see a page showing a preview of your wallpaper. Tap on the Change Wallpaper button. You’ll see a grid of wallpaper collections that you can look through. Tap on the “Community Lens” category to look through the entire collection of wallpapers.

Google added 12 new Community Lens wallpapers for Pixel users

If you’re a nature lover, then you’ll be right at home with these wallpapers. These new additions are all picturesque shots of Mother Nature’s best. Do you like pictures of icebergs under the aurora borealis during twilight (first one pictured below)? Well, there’s a fantastic picture of that. Maybe pictures of a storm over an empty beach are more your speed (second one pictured below). As you can guess, there’s a picture of that. Below are just a few examples of the whole collection.

The company distributed 12 of these Community Lens wallpapers, so your Pixel phone will look absolutely dashing with one assigned. If you don’t have a Pixel phone, don’t refrain from throwing your phone against the wall in anger; you can directly download these wallpapers to assign to your non-Pixel devices.

You can follow this link and download the files from the gallery. The files will download as WEBP files, but you can open them in a photo editor and export them as JPG or PNG files. You’ll download them in their original high resolutions.


[ad_2]
Source link

Omate unveiled its Ice Ring product with advanced health tracking features

0
[ad_1]

Smart rings are the newest form of tech wearables that are getting more attention from both manufacturers and customers. They’re said to be a cheaper and smaller replacement for smartwatches that offer the same health monitoring features.

While Samsung enhanced the segment with its Galaxy Ring lineup, most smart rings available on the market come from health technology companies. As smart rings are becoming increasingly popular, more companies are launching related products.

The Omate Ice Ring is a rival to the Galaxy Ring

The Chinese company Omate recently unveiled its new smart ring called the Ice Ring. With a design that’s intended to go well with anything. The Ice Ring has a sleek and shiny look that could match any outfit. It’s also made of titanium alloy and weighs 2.9g. The ring has an IP68 rating, which means it is water resistant to a maximum depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. With that in mind you should be able to swim and shower with it so long as it doesn’t pass that half-hour threshold.

Interestingly the battery is quite small for its capacity at only 20mAh. But Omate says that it can last up to 10 days on standby mode and 4-6 days with “normal usage.” The company also offers a bundled magnetic charging cradle that charges the ring from 0 to 100% in 30 minutes. Naturally the Omate Ice Ring has Bluetooth (5.1 specifically) connectivity for pairing.

But the most prominent aspect of the Omate Ice Ring is its advanced health monitoring features. The ring comes with a wide range of health features like sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, and blood oxygen level tracking. It can also monitor stress and blood pressure in addition to tracking your daily activities in different sports modes. It even supports Google Maps and GPS for recording your routes.

The sleep tracking feature on the Omate Ice Ring can monitor Awake, Deep Sleep, Light Sleep, and REM Sleep stages. Then, it analyzes the quality of your sleep by assigning a sleep score between 0 and 100. The product has an app for Android and iOS devices as well. Which stores data related to heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and other activities.

The Omate Ice Ring is now available in six sizes and three colors – Gold, Silver, and Space Black. European customers can place an order for the ring at €199 ($220). It arrives in North America in Q1 2024.


[ad_2]
Source link

Google Bard can now understand the content inside YouTube videos

0
[ad_1]
Google’s Bard is once again getting an very helpful update as part of its experimental extensions. As announced yesterday, Bard’s YouTube extension will now understand what is happening in a specific video, making it possible to ask Bard more in-depth questions about it.
Bard introduced its “Extensions” earlier this year as a way to expand the AI’s knowledgebase to include your info from other Google apps such as Gmail, Drive, Docs, Maps, Hotels, Flights, and YouTube. Enabling these extensions gave Bard permission to access info from these sources to help respond to you and thus give you a more tailored experience.
However, as noted by 9to5Google, Google is combining the previously launched YouTube experiment that allows Premium subscribers to “Ask” questions about a video within the YouTube app, with an update to the Bard YouTube extension. This update will allow you to ask Bard questions about videos that you’re watching, and it will be able to answer them. In the announcement, Google users the following example to explain the new capability: “If you’re watching a video on how to make olive oil cake, you can now ask Bard how many eggs the recipe requires.

Asking Bard to summarize the contents of a YouTube video

This new capability is part of Google’s efforts to make Bard more useful for everyday tasks. Bard is already able to answer questions about a variety of topics, but just like any AI chatbot, it is not perfect. In the example illustrated above, Bard did have trouble discerning that the conversation was happening between two smartphones (a Google Pixel and an iPhone) and not two sisters, as it stated once I asked for more inforation.


That said, this is just the beginning, and the addition of this new feature is a sign that Google is serious about making Bard a valuable tool for its users. Bard is already one of the most advanced AI chatbots available for brainstorming ideas, and as it advances it will become even more handy.


[ad_2]
Source link