WhatsApp is constantly upping its game with frequent updates and features that keep users engaged. The most recent additions include the globally rolled-out Channels feature and a new AI assistant, joining the ranks of its Meta siblings, Facebook and Instagram. Now, there’s yet another feature in the pipeline.According to the go-to source for WhatsApp updates, WABetaInfo, the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.21.12 update, accessible on the Google Play Store, spilled the beans on a forthcoming chat events feature. This feature allows users to schedule events for a specific date and time, sharing the details with all group members. Currently, in testing, it’s exclusively available to a select group of WhatsApp Beta users.
Image Credit–WABetaInfo
In the upcoming update, a new action in the chat share menu will sport an events shortcut. Users can create events with specific names and set reminders in the conversation, a handy tool for planning group activities or keeping personal reminders in check.
It’s worth noting that these message events are end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that only the conversation participants can access them. Currently, this feature seems to be tailored for community group chats. Whether the events can be shared outside the group remains to be seen.
Once an event is created, it’s automatically added to the group conversation, requiring all participants to update WhatsApp to the latest version to view and accept the new group invite event.
This chat events feature is likely to be well-received by WhatsApp’s massive user base of 2.7 billion, eliminating the need for using other apps like Google Calendar, for example, for event planning. The continuous addition of features like this probably aims at positioning WhatsApp as an all-in-one platform, evidenced by its recent introduction of Flows—a new in-app purchase service for buying products and services directly.
Three new vulnerabilities have been discovered in Junos OS: password disclosure, MAC address validation bypass, and Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition. The severity of these vulnerabilities ranges between 5.3 (Medium) to 6.1 (Medium).
Juniper Networks has released patches and security advisories for addressing these vulnerabilities. It is worth mentioning that there was a command injection vulnerability previously discovered in the SRX and EX series firewalls that affected more than 15,000 firewalls worldwide.
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Vulnerability details
This vulnerability can be exploited by an authenticated threat actor with shell access to execute the ‘file copy’ command on the Junos OS evolved, which allows viewing passwords supplied on the CLI command line.
These credentials can later be used by threat actors for various malicious purposes, which include unauthorized remote access to vulnerable systems. The severity of this vulnerability has been given as 5.9 (Medium).
Products
Affected versions
Fixed in Versions
Juniper Networks Junos OS Evolved
All versions prior to 20.4R3-S7-EVO;21.1 versions 21.1R1-EVO and later;21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S5-EVO;21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S4-EVO;21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S4-EVO;22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S2-EVO;22.2 versions prior to 22.2R2-EVO.
Junos OS Evolved: 20.4R3-S7-EVO, 21.2R3-S5-EVO, 21.3R3-S4-EVO, 21.4R3-S4-EVO, 22.1R3-S2-EVO, 22.2R2-EVO, 22.3R1-EVO, and all subsequent releases
This particular vulnerability exists in insufficient validation in MAC address validation used blocking MAC addresses not intended to reach the adjacent LANs. This vulnerability allows a network-adjacent threat actor to bypass MAC address checking, causing a loop and congestion condition.
The severity of this vulnerability has been given as 6.1 (Medium). However, this vulnerability exists in the Junos OS Evolved: PTX10003 Series routers.
Products
Affected versions
Fixed in Versions
Junos OS Evolved on PTX10003 Series
All versions prior to 21.4R3-S4-EVO;22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S3-EVO;22.2 version 22.2R1-EVO and later versions;22.3 versions prior to 22.3R2-S2-EVO, 22.3R3-S1-EVO;22.4 versions prior to 22.4R2-S1-EVO, 22.4R3-EVO;23.2 versions prior to 23.2R2-EVO.
Junos OS Evolved: 21.4R3-S4-EVO, 22.1R3-S3-EVO, 22.3R2-S2-EVO, 22.3R3-S1-EVO, 22.4R2-S1-EVO, 22.4R3-EVO, 23.2R2-EVO, 23.3R1-EVO, and all subsequent releases.
This is a Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerability, which allows network-based authenticated threat actors to flood the system with multiple telemetry requests, which could cause the Junos Kernel Debugging Streaming Daemon (jkdsd) process to crash, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
Furthermore, this denial-of-service condition persists due to the continued receipt and processing of multiple telemetry requests, which repeatedly crashes the jkdsd process. The severity of this vulnerability has been given as 5.3 (Medium).
Products
Affected versions
Fixed in Versions
Juniper Networks Junos OS
20.4 versions prior to 20.4R3-S9;21.1 versions 21.1R1 and later;21.2 versions prior to 21.2R3-S6;21.3 versions prior to 21.3R3-S5;21.4 versions prior to 21.4R3-S5;22.1 versions prior to 22.1R3-S4;22.2 versions prior to 22.2R3-S2;22.3 versions prior to 22.3R2-S1, 22.3R3-S1;22.4 versions prior to 22.4R2-S2, 22.4R3;23.1 versions prior to 23.1R2;23.2 versions prior to 23.2R2.
Junos OS: 20.4R3-S9, 21.2R3-S6, 21.4R3-S5, 22.1R3-S4, 22.2R3-S2, 22.3R2-S1, 22.3R2-S2, 22.3R3-S1, 22.4R2-S2, 22.4R3, 23.1R2, 23.2R1, 23.2R2, 23.3R1, and all subsequent
Users of these products are recommended to upgrade to the fixed versions to prevent these vulnerabilities from getting exploited.
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All users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest version of Curl as soon as possible.
Two security vulnerabilities have recently been uncovered in Curl, a widely used open-source command-line tool and library designed for the secure transfer of data over network connections.
The first vulnerability, CVE-2023-38545, is a heap-based buffer overflow in the SOCKS5 proxy handshake that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The second vulnerability; CVE-2023-38546 is a cookie injection vulnerability in Curl that could allow an attacker to insert cookies at will into a running program using libcurl, if a specific series of conditions are met.
The vulnerabilities, originally identified by Qualys, affect all versions of Curl from 7.69.0 to 8.3.0, which are used by millions of users and organizations around the world. Curl is used in a wide variety of applications, including downloading files, sending HTTP requests, and accessing web APIs.
The Curl team has released a patch for the vulnerability in Curl 8.4.0. Users are advised to upgrade to the latest version of Curl as soon as possible.
In addition to upgrading to the latest version of Curl, users can also protect themselves from this vulnerability by disabling the SOCKS5 proxy feature and being careful about which SOCKS5 proxies they use.
If you believe that you may have been exploited by this vulnerability, you should immediately contact your security team.
Nothing got a lot of stick from the public for taking too long to update the Phone (1) to Android 13. It appears the company has learned its lesson, as it is early at work on Android 14. The latest Android version is now available in beta for the Phone (2), with the Nothing OS 2.5 on top. The first-gen model will also get it before the end of the year.
Nothing opens Android 14 beta for the Phone (2)
The first Android 14-based Nothing OS 2.5 beta update is now available for the Nothing Phone (2). Interested users can install it to try out the new features and improvements and help the company refine the experience by providing relevant feedback. Joining the beta program involves a slightly intricate process, but it shouldn’t take long.
Before you start, don’t forget to create a backup of your important files and other data. While the update shouldn’t wipe out your data, you can never be sure with beta software. It may misbehave and force you into a factory reset. Moreover, Nothing says that rolling back your Phone (2) to Android 13 will result in a factory reset too, so creating a backup is a good idea.
If you’re ready, you can proceed with the following steps. Firstly, make sure that your Phone (2) is running Nothing OS version 2.0.3. Now sideload this APK on the phone (since it’s provided by Nothing, it should be safe). Once the APK is installed, open the Settings app on your phone and navigate to System > Update to Beta version. Here, tap on “Check for new version” and follow the on-screen instructions to install Nothing OS 2.5 Beta.
You can report bugs and other feedback to Nothing by heading to Settings > System > Feedback. You may also use the Nothing community. If you find Nothing OS 2.5 too stable to use on your daily driver, you can download the rollback package here. Once downloaded, navigate to Settings > System > Update to Beta version and tap on “Import file.” Select the file you just downloaded and follow the instructions.
This update brings plenty of changes
Nothing OS 2.5 is a major platform update and expectedly brings many changes to the Phone (2). Along with new Android 14 features, we have tweaks and add-ons from Nothing. The company has improved the widgets library interface and added a new photos widget. The screenshot editor menu offers more advanced editing features and quick deletions. You can capture screenshots with a three-finger swipe. The back gesture has been enhanced too.
Additionally, Nothing now lets you hide app icons from the app drawer and the home screen. You can customize the double-press of the power button to execute any function. Home Screen and Lock Screen also offer more customization options, including new wallpapers and filters for wallpapers. You can find the full changelog in this official announcement. Nothing has yet to reveal its plans for the stable Nothing OS 2.5 update.
Qualcomm just announced a new entry into its chip line-up, the Snapdragon X Series. This new entry will serve PCs and the chipmaker says that it’ll launch using the Oryon CPU, which will also launch in the future. Possibly, this coming series will succeed the already existing Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3.
The announcement of this coming chip was made a few days ago, and this is the first time Qualcomm is using this naming structure. A few years ago, names like the Snapdragon 888 were in use across the board for various Qualcomm chips. After a while, naming schemes like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 came to be in use across most Qualcomm chips. Now netizens are seeing the birth of something new, the Snapdragon X Series.
This won’t be a mobile processor, but instead, it’ll be a PC chip and it’ll power various laptops that’ll be launched in the future. At the moment, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 is powering already existing laptops. It might be safe to say that the coming X chips will phase out the existing 8cx Gen 3 chips.
The coming Snapdragon X Series with Oryon CPU might give Qualcomm fighting ground in the PC industry
Despite being the largest chip manufacturer in the Android industry, Qualcomm still struggles in a major area. In the PC industry, at the moment, Qualcomm doesn’t have a worthy competitor to give the likes of Intel a run for their money. This doesn’t mean that Qualcomm doesn’t have a chip that is in use on PCs.
Currently, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 processor can be found on certain Windows and is coming to Chrome OS laptops. However, its performance isn’t on par with the competition from Intel and other PC chipmakers. Regardless of the CPU upgrades the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 brought, it wasn’t still able to compete with most chips of its time.
With the coming Snapdragon X Series chip, Qualcomm aims to make some changes. These will be obvious in the performance of the coming chip, hence making it more competitive. One of the notable upgrades that this coming chip will have in comparison with its predecessor is the CPU.
Qualcomm will put the Oryon CPU to use on this coming X Series PC processor. The chipmakers claim that the Oryon CPU will bring a “quantum leap forward in performance and power efficiency.” So not only will this coming chip be performance-oriented, but it’ll also focus on power efficiency.
From this promise, netizens will be eagerly looking out for the Snapdragon X Series launch. The first entry into this chip series will hit the launch stage soon. After this launch, Qualcomm will proceed to work on a successor to join the X Series and also improve performance.
TikTok has been facing scrutiny from the US. Utah is now suing the company, while previously Indiana and Arkansas have brought similar lawsuits to the table, reports Reuters. TikTok is being accused of harming children by making them spend unhealthy amounts of time on its platform.
TikTok in hot waters with the US once again
Back in 2020, the possibility of banning TikTok over security concerns was first introduced. For the three years that followed, though, little has happened on the topic. Now though, we have three separate states aiming to limit TikTok in some capacity, with the latest one being the one from Utah.Right now, the situation with TikTok differs from state to state. Last month, California was aiming to enforce a law meant to protect children when they use the internet, which was blocked by a federal judge. Now, Utah is frowning at TikTok and alleges that the app is exploiting children into checking and watching the app compulsively.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said that TikTok is lying to children and their parents that the app is safe, and there are terrible effects on their mental and physical well-being from spending too much time on the platform.
The lawsuit states that the social media platform uses “highly powerful algorithms and manipulative design features — many of which mimic features of slot machines”.
TikTok currently has more than 150 million users in the US, and has responded to the lawsuit stating that it has “industry-leading safeguards for young people, including an automatic 60-minute time limit for users under 18 and parental controls for teen accounts.”
The investigation by the state is ongoing. Utah is looking for civil penalties alongside an injunction that will prohibit TikTok from violating state law when it comes to deceptive business practices.
The latest stable version of Google Chrome (version 118.0.5993.70) has been released for Mac and Linux.
In contrast, the Windows version has been updated to 118.0.5993.70/.71. This update includes patching almost 20 vulnerabilities, ensuring improved user security.
In addition to the stable version, the extended stable version 118.0.5993.71 for Windows and 118.0.5993.70 for Mac has also been announced to be released in a few days.
Moreover, the details of these vulnerabilities have not been disclosed by Google.
According to the release notes, the highest severity bug seems to be an Inappropriate implementation in autofill, which was rewarded with $6000.
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Fixed vulnerabilities
There were several vulnerabilities fixed and rewarded. Most of these vulnerabilities were associated with Inappropriate implementation of Fullscreen, Navigation, DevTools, Intents, Downloads, ExtensionsAPI, Autofill, Installer, and Input.
Apart from these vulnerabilities, there were three use-after-free vulnerabilities in Site isolation, Blink history, and cast. In addition, a heap buffer overflow vulnerability was also fixed as part of this stable release.
Source: Google
Additional details about changes in this new build can be found on the log page, as mentioned by Google. Google has recommended its users upgrade to the latest version of Google Chrome to prevent these vulnerabilities from getting exploited.
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Google just announced the new Pixel 8, and this is one of the prettiest phones on the market. Any person who buys this phone would want to keep it that way; however, accidents happen. Fear not, for there are ways to keep your phone looking nice. Here’s a list of some of the best screen protectors for the Pixel 8.
We’ll go over the screen protectors that are either cost-effective, durable, convenient or any combination of those traits. We’ll keep this list updated every month with new items, so you’ll want to check back from time to time.
Lastly, you can pre-order these phones using the links below.
ZAGG – Invisible Shield Glass Elite screen protector for Google Pixel 8
This screen protector is nothing if not premium at $49.99. The ZAGG – InvisibleShield Glass Elite is made from strong tempered glass. If you don’t know what that is, it’s glass that’s been heat-treated to be sturdier than regular glass. This screen protector was tested to be up to 5x stronger than regular glass.
So, if your phone makes contact with a surface, the screen protector will crack before your actual screen. It can give your display a second wind after a fall. Not only is it durable, but you don’t have to worry about your phone not being compatible with your fingerprint. It’s crystal clear, so you’ll be able to use your under-display fingerprint scanner.
When you get the screen protector, you’ll get the EZ Apply installation tray to help you put it on. This is for people who worry about putting the protector on crooked. It gives you peace-of-mind when applying it.
Mr.Shield 3-Pack Screen Protector For Google Pixel 8
If you’re prone to dropping your phone multiple times, then you’ll want to look at this pack, It comes with three screen protectors, which is a nice deal at $6.95. So, if you break the first one, then you’ll have peace-of-mind knowing that you have two more spares. While these screen protectors are affordable, they’re still sturdy.
Just like other top-tier screen protectors, the Mr. Shield screen protectors are made from Japanese 9H tempered glass. This makes them impact-resistant, so you won’t have to be as precious with your phone. They’re not only resistant to impact, but they’re also resistant to scratches.
Mr.Shield took care to also eliminate the rainbow effect that you get with low-quality screen protectors. With those, you’ll see random colors pop up on the screen when you view your phone at certain angles. You won’t get that with these Mr.Shield screen protectors.
This is the screen protector pact to get if you want protection for both sides of your phone. This is a three-pack of screen protectors that are made from sturdy glass, as you can guess. It’s scratch and impact-resistant like other screen protectors. Like other items on this list, it’s fingerprint scanner-friendly, so you won’t have to disable it. This economic $9.99 screen protector set has a lot going for it.
One thing that this pack has over most other packs is the protection for the back. It comes with three glass sheets to protect the rear camera package. During a fall, the screen isn’t the only thing that’s vulnerable. You also risk breaking the glass over the camera. These sheets keep the back protected during a fall. so, the metal on the back can stay pristine.
Spigen Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Pixel 8
This is a great set to buy in general, but it’s amazing to use if you’re into using Spigen’s cases. For $15.99, you get two screen protectors. As you can guess, these protectors are made from strong tempered glass. So, your phone is protected during a fall and you won’t have to worry about scratches. Along with that, these screen protectors come with an oleophobic coating so that you won’t have to worry about fingerprints mucking up your screen.
This is the pack to get if you typically use Spigen cases. This screen protector set is Spigen case-safe. This means that you won’t need to worry about the case you get not fitting properly with the screen protector on. That’s a major plus for people who had to ditch their case because of their screen protector.
Worried about messing things up when you’re applying the screen protector? Well, this pack has the thing just for you. It’s called the GlasTR AlignMaster, and it’s a tool that will ensure that you line up your screen protector perfectly with your phone. This tool comes with the pack, so you won’t have to get it separately. This is a great deal if you’re a Spigen case fan.
Those looking for additional spares will want to look into this $9.99 pack. It sits apart from most other screen protectors for being made from hybrid film rather than being made from glass. It’s not fully made from glass, it’s made from a mixture of glass and PET. this material has a 7H hardness rating. So it’s not as hard as tempered glass, but it will still offer protection.
The thing about this set is that you get four screen protectors. That’s great for people who tend to drop their phones often. If you manage to break your screen protectors often, reapplying them won’t be an issue. This set comes with a useful alignment tool to help you get the protector back on without much hassle.
Samsung and Massachusetts General Hospital are now partnering up to study mental health using Galaxy Watches. This announcement came following the World Mental Health Day which took place a few days ago. The new partnership between the tech giant and the health institution aims to better understand the relationship between daily routine and mental health.
Around the world today, mental health-related issues are on the rise and there is a need to better understand its causes. Those who face mental health issues often toss it to the side, labelling it as stress, hence not paying attention to it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one out of eight people in the world suffer from a mental health-related condition.
These statistics show that mental health is a very important aspect of overall well-being. For this reason, Samsung and the Massachusetts General Hospital are seeking to better understand how people’s everyday activities can affect their mental health. With the abilities of the Samsung Galaxy Watches, this partnership will be able to track vital data to throw more light on mental health-related issues.
Samsung and the Massachusetts General Hospital are employing Galaxy Watch tech to study mental health
Over the years, lots of people have turned to Galaxy Watches as their go-to smart accessories. These smartwatches do not only pair with users’ smartphones for seamless operation, they also keep a tab on vital health data. This is possible with the use of a tracking sensor on the back of the smartwatches that can check a user’s heart rate, electric heart signals, breathing, steps, and so much more.
Thanks to these sensors, users get vital information on their health and with these they can make necessary improvements. Lots of people have also found Galaxy Watches useful when it comes to keeping track of their workout or sleep routine. Now the Massachusetts General Hospital is going to be using these smartwatches to learn more about mental health.
The health institution will use these watches to better understand how daily routines affect people’s mental health. All the sensors, health, and activity tracking features on the Samsung Galaxy Watches will be important in this research exercise. Gathering these data from various users will help the Massachusetts General Hospital better understand what triggers various mental health conditions.
One of the major questions that this research exercise aims to answer is whether exercise and good heart rates improve mental health. Once this question is answered, the health institution will be able to find solutions to mental health conditions people face today. More information on this research between Samsung and Massachusetts General Hospital will be available in the coming weeks.
Ever wonder what the Photo Sphere feature is on the Google Camera app? Photo Sphere allows a Pixel user to take pictures and have them stitched together to produce 360-degree Street View-style panoramas. The feature debuted back in 2012 on the Nexus 4 and now Google is removing it from Google Camera app version 9.1 which is pre-installed on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
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The feature remains on older Pixel models using the Google Camera app version 9.0 or older. Whether Photo Sphere will be removed once the older phones receive Google Camera app 9.1 is unclear at this point. Even though not too many Pixel users were using Photo Sphere, there are some users who are upset at Google for making this call.
One user wrote on Reddit, “Why in the world would Google remove Photo Sphere? Every time I used it around an iPhone they would be shocked that it’s in the regular camera app. What a disappointment man.” Another Reddit user had only kind words to say about Photo Sphere. “I’m so pissed about this, it’s my favorite camera feature. It captures places unlike anything else.”
While Google didn’t put too much thought into promoting Photo Sphere, about a decade ago it released a video that shows how to use the feature. If you create a worthy 360-degree Photo Sphere photo, you can submit it to Google Maps and you might find it published on the app.
Now that Photo Sphere is getting some attention (although this attention, ironically, is because the feature is being dropped on the Pixel 8 line), those with an older Pixel model who previously ignored Photo Sphere might start using it and discover that it is a feature that they really enjoy using. If you do have a Pixel 7 series phone or older, you still have the opportunity to use Photo Sphere so take some time to create some 360-degree images now just in case the feature is also removed from your Pixel phone.
