Apple has seemingly been caught off-guard by how quickly and how popular the likes of ChatGPT and Google Bard have become. So now, the company is scrambling to get their own AI features out the door.
According to Gurman’s latest edition of the Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple is planning a new, smarter Siri next year, as well as some Generative AI features. Gurman, as usual, is not super in-depth about what to expect from either aspect of this AI endeavor from Apple. Especially since it’s not coming til next year.
However, Gurman did stated that Apple’s senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy, John Giannandrea and senior vice president of software Craig Federighi are apparently leading the AI efforts at Apple. With its vice president of services, Eddy Cue, being involved in the push for AI as well. Giannandrea’s team is reportedly working on a new “smarter version of Siri”. Which isn’t saying much, because right now, Siri is not very smart at all.
Expect to see AI added to everything
As we’ve seen with Google and Microsoft already, Apple is planning to add AI to just about every Apple app they have. This includes auto-generated playlists in Apple Music, and using AI to help with writing and creating slide decks in Pages and Keynotes, among other things. Apple is also reportedly testing the use of generative AI for internal customer service apps within AppleCare.
Generative AI has become a hot buzzword for many of Apple’s competitors. The most recent one being Google. Which launched the Pixel 8 series earlier this month, with plenty of Generative AI features. Including AI Wallpapers, where you can give it a few prompts and then create a number of different wallpapers for your phone. Or Magic Editor, which is able to replace the sky in your photos, remove people and objects and do so much more.
A data breach has exposed sensitive documents related to vehicle seizures by the Irish National Police, potentially impacting thousands of vehicle owners.
A database containing over half a million records (500,000) hosting sensitive information associated with vehicle seizures by the Irish National Police, Garda Síochána was leaked online.
Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler made the discovery and promptly alerted the authorities after finding the unsecured database, highlighting the potential risks to the affected individuals.
The breach involved a non-password-protected database, totalling 521,043 records, which included notices of automobile seizure, destruction notices, release documents, scanned identification documents, insurance investigation inquiries, certificates of vehicle registration, and other pertinent documentation relevant to the detention of vehicles.
Furthermore, the database contained spreadsheets and monthly reports containing extensive vehicle and registration information, names of vehicle owners, contractor details, and other potentially sensitive data, amounting to a substantial 271.8 gigabytes in size.
Under Irish law, when a vehicle is seized, the registered owner must present several documents, including identification, insurance documents, and receipts for taxes and recovery/storage charges.
Given that the database contained an average of 2 to 5 documents for each individual case, it is estimated that approximately 150,000 vehicle owners could be affected by this breach. Fowler’s findings align with the estimation that around 30,000 vehicles are detained each year, as reported in a 2020 article by the Irish Examiner. Notably, the records retrieved from the exposed database span multiple years, dating back to 2017.
According to Fowler’s blog post, at first, it was unclear who owned the database due to the numerous towing and storage companies mentioned in the documents. However, all documents referenced the Garda Síochána. Fowler promptly sent a responsible disclosure notice directly to the Garda, which resulted in the database being secured later that day.
Further investigation revealed that the database was owned by a private technology contractor based in Limerick, Ireland, rather than the Garda Síochána. The contractor quickly responded to the breach, cooperating with Fowler to confirm the security of the records and assess whether any unauthorized parties had accessed them.
While the exposed records are officially related to the Garda’s seizure and storage of vehicles, it’s essential to clarify that the Garda Síochána was not directly responsible for the misconfiguration of the cloud storage repository that led to the data breach.
According to Irish law, the Garda Síochána has the authority to seize and retain vehicles for various reasons, including ensuring road safety, enforcing the law, and complying with road traffic regulations. Seizing, towing, and storing these vehicles are typically outsourced to private towing companies authorized by the Garda.
Within the exposed database, numerous waivers of ownership documents were discovered, where citizens relinquish their vehicles to the police when they cannot pay the fines and storage fees or no longer wish to reclaim their property. Additionally, the breach exposed various Freedom of Information Act request documents that identified other expenses and budget details.
Screenshots from the leaked records (Jeremiah Fowler)
4th Data Security Incident Involving UK Police in 2023
In August of this year, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) experienced a significant security breach, inadvertently disclosing the personal information of its entire workforce, encompassing officers and civilian staff.
On August 27, 2023, a data breach involving an IT contractor affected 47,000 members of the Metropolitan Police Force. This breach exposed the personal details of Met Police officers and staff, comprising names, photographs, ranks, vetting levels, and identification numbers.
In September 2023, a contractor data breach impacted 8,000 officers from the Greater Manchester Police. This breach involved the suspected theft of warrant card details from thousands of officers.
The Irish National Police, Garda Síochána, must now work closely with the private technology contractor responsible for the database to ensure that affected individuals receive proper notification and support in response to this significant data breach. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of data security and the potential risks faced by individuals when their sensitive information is mishandled.
Samsung Week is currently happening over at Samsung.com, where you can save big across all of Samsung’s products. This includes a pretty big discount on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It’s currently listed at $1,049, but with a trade-in you can get an unlocked Galaxy S23 Ultra for just $249.
However, if you are looking to trade-in through a carrier on Samsung’s website, you can get a new Galaxy S23 Ultra for just $20. That’s a pretty incredible deal, and it is very unlikely we’d see anything better happening on Black Friday.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is being called smartphone of the year, which is high praise. Especially since it came out in February. It’s a bit older, but still has all of the same specs as the more recent phones. This includes a 6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz display, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor inside, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There’s also a 5,000mAh capacity battery inside.
Samsung also equipped the Galaxy S23 Ultra with a massive 200-megapixel main camera. As well as two 10-megapixel telephoto sensors that are capable of 3x and 10x optical zoom respectively. And a 12-megapixel ultrawide. Making this a pretty incredible camera here.
You can pick up the Galaxy S23 Ultra from Samsung’s website at the link below.
The rumor mill has been buzzing about whether we would see new iPads this fall. And it looks like we finally have our answer. Which is no. This is the first time that Apple has not released new iPads in the fall, in many, many years. But the good news is, three new iPads are coming in the Spring.
According to Gurman in his Power On Newsletter for Bloomberg, the company is planning to release an iPad 11th-generation, iPad Mini seventh-generation and an iPad Air sixth-generation in March 2024. These are not full redesigns, according to Gurman, but instead smaller iPad changes. That is why we might not see an iPad Pro at this same time. He added that only the “more minor” upgrades appear to be locked down right now. This makes sense, since we are about five months out right now.
What about that weird new Apple Pencil?
Last week, everyone was talking about the new Apple Pencil, for a variety of reasons. It’s a very strange product update from Apple, it doesn’t charge magnetically (but connects magnetically), and instead uses a USB-C port, but it also removed pressure sensitivity. Basically making it a super cheap pencil, even cheaper than the original Apple Pencil which even had pressure sensitivity when it debuted eight years ago.
Well, Gurman has shed some light on that product. He believes that the original Apple Pencil will be discontinued soon, likely when the iPad 9th-generation gets discontinued. As that would be the last Lightning iPad in its lineup, and the only iPad that this new Apple Pencil does not work with. This is actually what I had thought Apple was doing last week, when the product was announced.
Basically, the Apple Pencil lineup is going to be confusing until that old iPad 9th-generation is discontinued. Then it’ll be a $79 Apple Pencil or a $129 Apple Pencil. But that 9th-generation iPad might not be going anywhere anytime soon. As it’s a big seller for education, mostly because of the price.
There’s been a lot of talk about whether Apple would release anything new this year. Or whether the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9/Ultra 2 were the last products of the year. Last week, there were loads of rumors about a new iPad or two coming. Instead, all Apple announced was a new Apple Pencil, which was super confusing.
Now, according to Mark Gurman, in his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, it looks like we could be getting new Macs this month. And yeah, that means within the next week, since it is already October 23.
Gurman stated that Apple is “planning a Mac-centered product launch around the end of this month”. Given the wording of that, it sounds like it’s going to be next and not this week. This could see the launch of a new 24-inch iMac, which is in desperate need of an update. Since the last model came out in 2021 with the M1 chip – it has completely skipped M2, so far. It has been rumored that the new iMac could skip M2 and be the first Mac to come with M3 actually.
Apple Stores are also in short supply of many Mac models
Another thing that Gurman mentioned here is that Apple retail stores are in pretty short supply of the iMac right now. As well as the 13-inch MacBook Pro, as well as 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. With many configurations not arriving until mid-November. This typically points to a new launch.
The weird thing here is that the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro’s were updated earlier this year, to the M2 Pro M2 Max chips. So it’s unlikely that they would get another update in the same year. Gurman said that it would be “unusual, but not inconceivable”. But as for the iMac and 13-inch MacBook Pro, those could see updates this year. However, many are hoping that the 13-inch MacBook Pro just goes away.
Gurman is expecting that the Mac announcement will take place on October 30 or October 31. So we’re looking to see them happening early next week. He does not expect these new Macs to feature any major changes other than new processors. Finally, Gurman reiterated that M3 MacBook Air models won’t be coming until early 2024, and a larger iMac has been tabled until late 2024 or 2025.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted permission to some tech companies to access the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi tethering, The Verge reports.
In 2019, Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Meta asked the FCC to use the 6GHz band in their wireless devices. The 6GHz band could be used in various products, including AR and VR headsets. Meta is currently at the forefront of developing VR headsets, and Apple also launched its Vision Pro this year to catch up with the competition. With access to the 6GHz band, these tech giants can now push the boundaries of connectivity in their products.
FCC has allowed for “Very Low Power Device Operations,” which means the companies can use 850MHz of the 6GHz band. The new rules, proposed by FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, also let devices “use higher power levels.” The agency will later decide about expanding the 6GHz spectrum used by devices.
FCC allows tech giants to access the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi tethering
It remains to be seen which devices will use the new spectrum. Even the name of the companies that received affirmation is still unknown. However, a report by Bloomberg says mobile virtual or augmented reality devices and in-car connections are eligible to deploy the 6GHz band.
FCC has already shown it supports the use of very low-power devices. The agency previously opened 1,200MHz of the 6GHz spectrum for Wi-Fi routers and client devices like smartphones and laptops.
The new permission for tech companies can lead to a level-up in AR and VR devices. Meta VP of North American policy Kevin Martin said in a statement that the consent will let them “build the next wave of computing.” Martin also regarded the FCC as a “Shining example of a government regulator working with industry early to build for the future.”
While there’s too much hype around VR and AR headsets, their sales are disappointing. Meta reported that its Reality Labs lost a total of $13.7 billion in 2022. The downfall might also continue in 2023.
With a few days gap, Cisco disclosed active exploitation detections for separate zero-days affecting its IOS XE devices. The tech giant pledged to roll out the patches shortly.
Cisco IOS XE Zero-Days Exploited In The Wild
According to a recent post from Cisco Talos, the firm detected active exploitation attempts for two different zero-days affecting its IOS XE devices.
The disclosure first appeared online about a week ago when Cisco admitted detecting active exploitation for a new, unknown vulnerability in the Web User Interface (Web UI) feature of Cisco IOS XE software. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-20198, allowed an adversary to gain elevated privileges on the target device. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker could create normal user access logins or local user accounts.
This vulnerability typically affected Cisco IOS XE devices (both physical and virtual) with the HTTP or HTTPS Server feature enabled. While Cisco couldn’t release an immediate fix for the flaw, they shared a workaround to mitigate it. Specifically, Cisco recommended disabling the HTTP server feature, especially on internet-facing devices. That’s also a huge number, as Shodan search showed about 40,000 devices vulnerable to attacks.
Cisco assigned a critical severity rating to the flaw, with a CVSS score 10.0, as it allowed admin privileges.
Days after this initial disclosure and pledging a fix, Cisco disclosed another zero-day vulnerability under active attack. This time, the vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-20273, enabled an adversary to perform further malicious activities on the target devices. This vulnerability also existed in the Web UI feature but affected a different component.
While the flaw achieved a high severity rating (CVSS 7.2), an attacker may chain it with the previous exploit to inject and execute malicious commands (or implant malware) on the target devices.
Cisco’s post explains the vulnerabilities and exploitation attempts in detail. Until the relevant security fixes arrive, Cisco advised users to secure their devices via the steps recommended in its security advisory.
It seems like Xiaomi could finally bring its foldables to global markets. Based on a new report, the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 will become available outside of China. That would be the first for the company’s ‘MIX Fold’ lineup of devices.
Xiaomi could finally bring its foldables to global markets, starting with the MIX Fold 4
As many of you know, Xiaomi has not released a clamshell foldable just yet. The company did release a number of book-style foldalbes, however. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, the last one in the series, launched back in August.
So, that’s a fairly recent smartphone. Why are we talking about the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 then? Well, because its model number was spotted, based on GSMChina’s report.
The Xiaomi 2405CPX3DC was spotted. The ‘C’ indicates a version for the Chinese market. In addition to that phone, however, the 2405CPX3DG also surfaced. You’ll notice the letter ‘G’ is at the very end here, which suggests a global version of the device.
These two phones allegedly represent the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 launched in August 2022, and the MIX Fold 3 in August 2023. So, will the Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 arrive in August next year?
The Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 could launch in May next year
Well, that’s possible, even though the source seems to think the ‘2405’ numbers in the model number represent a launch date. In other words, May 24, 2024, to be exact. So, it could arrive considerably sooner than we think.
That is possible if Xiaomi plans to push it to global markets. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra launched back in April, while it arrived to global markets in June. So the company may combine the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Xiaomi MIX Fold 4 launches next year.
As a reminder, the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro will become official in a couple of days, on October 26. Along with those phones, the company’s new Android skin called ‘HyperOS’ will launch. It will replace MIUI.
Google has been ordered to pay over $1 million to a female exec against her gender bias lawsuit. A New York-based jury found the company guilty of sexual discrimination and awarded the exec over $1 million in punitive damages. A Bloomberg Law report claims that the search engine giant also owes damages to the female employee for pain and suffering.
Google Cloud executive Ulku Rowe was treated differently than her male colleagues
According to the report, Google female cloud executive Ulku Rowe was being treated differently than her male colleagues. The search engine titan now must pay the executive more than $1 million in damages. An eight-person jury decided that Google owes the executive $150,000 for pain and suffering caused by the gender bias treatment. In addition, the company must pay $1 million in punitive damages. Bringing the total compensation for the lawsuit to $1.15 million.
In her gender bias lawsuit, Rowe claimed that she was being treated differently at the company when it comes to compensation. She had a work experience of around 23 years when she joined Google as a cloud executive in 2017. She was hired as a level eight employee. However, the male execs who were hired at the same time were offered the positions at level nine. They were hired at this position despite having lesser experience than her.
Rowe said that Google passed her over for a promotion to vice president for a male employee. Furthermore, her lawsuit mentioned that the man had neither applied or was qualified for the vice president position. She also said that after the lawsuit was filed, Google again denied her promotion to a similar position. Rowe said before the trial started, her time at Google was “overshadowed by what I believe are unfair compensation and treatment due to my gender.”
Rowe’s lawsuit is the first gender discrimination case against Google since 2018 walkouts
Notably, Ulku Rowe’s lawsuit is the first gender discrimination case against the tech giant since mass walkouts in 2018. In that year, around 20,000 Google employees organized a mass walkout. They demanded changes around the brand’s policy of handling sexual harassment and gender discrimination at the work place. After the mass walkout, Goggle promised to improve its response to workplace sexual harassment complaints.
The report also mentioned that Rowe will get the compensation for her gender discrimination lawsuit against Google. However, she didn’t prove that the company paid her less than her male colleagues, in violation of New York law. As a level eight employee, the executive was reportedly paid around $750,00 per year. At the same time, many of the level nine Google employees were making around $1 million a year.
Casio Computer Co., Ltd. has apologized for a data leak due to unauthorized server access.
The server contained the personal information of customers who registered for its educational web service, “ClassPad[.]net.” The leak affected customers both in Japan and abroad.
The company expressed deep regret for the trouble and worry this incident caused its customers and stakeholders.
The company admitted that it failed to prevent the breach, which was a serious violation of its security standards.
The breach was caused by an external cyber-attack that targeted a database in the development environment for “ClassPad[.]net.”
The attackers were able to access and leak the personal information of some of Casio’s customers. However, no other assets besides this database were compromised.
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Background of the Incident
The breach was discovered on the night of Wednesday, October 11, when Casio’s development team noticed a database failure in the ClassPad.net environment.
Upon further investigation, they found that on Thursday, October 12, customers’ personal information outside Japan had been accessed and leaked.
The investigation revealed that some network security settings in the development environment had been turned off due to an operational mistake by the company’s system management department.
The lack of proper operational management and supervision was the main reason for the breach, which allowed an external entity to exploit these weaknesses.
Casio took immediate action to deal with the breach. All databases in the development environment affected by the attack have been made inaccessible from outside the environment.
The incident has been reported to Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission and JUAS, the “PrivacyMark” certification organization.
Casio has consulted with external security experts to conduct further investigations and implement necessary measures. The company is also considering legal actions, including cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Moreover,
Casio is working with the police in their ongoing investigation.
The data breach exposed the following personal information:
Customer names
Customer email addresses
Country/region of residence
Purchasing information (order details, payment method, license code, etc.)
Service usage information (log data, nicknames, etc.)
Credit card information was not stored.
The number of individuals affected by the breach was large:
Customers in Japan: 91,921 items, including 1,108 educational institution customers and individual customers.
Customers outside Japan: 35,049 items from 148 countries and regions.
Casio is contacting all customers whose personal information may have been leaked through email and other means. They have set up a dedicated contact point for inquiries from affected customers.
Service Availability
There was no unauthorized access to the “ClassPad.net” application itself. It is still available for use as normal.
Future measures
In its recent notice, Cisco mentioned that it plans to improve its technical safety management by strengthening its security for network routes and databases.
It will also review its operational procedures and enhance its employee education and training.
And do their best to restore trust and prevent recurrence of such incidents
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