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Microsoft Details macOS Vulnerability That Could Bypass SIP

Microsoft has provided details on a new macOS vulnerability, one that could be used to bypass System Integrity Protection (SIP).

SIP is a key component in macOS security, ensuring the system cannot run unauthorized code or applications. According to Microsoft, a bug in the macOS migration process could be used to bypass SIP altogether.

The company outlined its findings in a blog post:

A new vulnerability, which we refer to as “Migraine” for its involvement with macOS migration, could allow an attacker with root access to automatically bypass System Integrity Protection (SIP) in macOS and perform arbitrary operations on a device.

Microsoft’s entire blog post outlining the steps they took to find and evaluate the vulnerability is a very lengthy read. However, there are several potential ramifications:

• A SIP exploit can be used to create undetectable malware.
• SIP exploits provide a path “for attackers to gain arbitrary kernel code execution.”
• SIP exploits can allow hackers to enable rootkits and bypass anti-tampering measures.
• Such exploits can be used to bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) policies.

Microsoft has already notified Apple, and a fix was included in the May 18, 2023 security update. Needless to say, all users should update immediately.

Microsoft Details macOS Vulnerability That Could Bypass SIP
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FTC’s Ring Settlement Shows Why Companies Don’t Respect User Privacy

Consumers who wonder why companies don’t respect user privacy should look to the FTC’s settlement with Ring as Exhibit A.

For those that don’t remember, Ring made a slew of privacy missteps that involved abysmal security, hacked cameras, and selling identifiable customer data to third-party companies. In some instances, strangers used hacked cameras to talk to children in customers’ homes. What’s more, there have been instances of Ring employees improperly accessing user videos.

Predictably, the company faced legal action as a result of its negligence, with the FTC announcing a settlement. In a decision that is sure to disappoint many customers, the FTC settled with Ring for a paltry $5.8 million.

Interestingly, the FTC lays out the scope of Ring’s negligence in a blog post, saying the company “gave its employees and hundreds of Ukraine-based third-party contractors up-close-and-personal video access into customers’ bedrooms, their kids’ bedrooms, and other highly personal spaces – including the ability to download, view, and share those videos at will.”

The FTC outlined more of the real-world consequences:

How serious was the invasion of consumers’ privacy? In many cases, bad actors took advantage of the camera’s two-way communication functionality to harass and threaten people whose rooms were monitored by Ring cameras, including kids and older adults. Describing their experiences as terrifying and traumatizing, customers reported numerous instances of menacing behavior emanating from voices invading the sanctity of their homes via Ring:

• An 87-year old woman in an assisted living facility was sexually propositioned and physically threatened;
• Several kids were the object of hackers’ racist slurs;
• A teenager was sexually propositioned;
• Hackers cursed at women in the privacy of their bedrooms;
• A hacker threatened a family with physical harm if they didn’t pay a ransom in Bitcoin; and
• A hacker told a customer they had killed the person’s mother and issued the bone-chilling warning “Tonight you die.”

One Ring employee put it this way: “Unwittingly, we aid and abet those [hackers] who breached the data by not having any mitigations in place.”

After outlining the scope of Ring’s misbehavior, it’s no doubt hard for many to fathom how the settlement could come in at a mere $5.8 million, a sum that is less than a drop in the buck for Ring and its parent company, Amazon.

Until regulators get serious about protecting user privacy by making it too expensive for companies to abuse it, be ready for far more Ring-like scenarios.

FTC’s Ring Settlement Shows Why Companies Don’t Respect User Privacy
Matt Milano

WebProNews
Harnessing the Power of User-Generated Content for Brand Advocacy

In the era of social media and digital connectivity, user-generated content (UGC) has proven to be a powerful tool for brand advocacy. From customer reviews and testimonials to photos and videos, UGC offers a wealth of authentic, relatable, and influential content that impacts a brand’s reputation, reach, and customer engagement. 

Almost any company can take advantage of it. For example, by integrating user-generated content into a learning management system, an LMS development company brings a huge benefit to the corporate training experience, engaging the employees and facilitating cooperation. It turns the education process into a collaborative experience rather than a lonely journey.

In this article, we would like to explore how brands can leverage user-generated content to foster brand advocacy and strengthen their relationship with their target audience.

Keep reading to learn more!

The Rise of User-Generated Content

With the prevalence of social media platforms and the democratization of content creation, user-generated content has experienced a tremendous surge. Consumers are now actively participating in the content creation process, sharing their experiences and opinions about companies and their products. This rise of UGC has been fueled by many factors, including the trust and authenticity associated with content created by real customers.

Let us showcase the benefits that user-generated content can bring to your company if you use it wisely.

Building Trust and Authenticity

Traditional advertising has become less effective in gaining consumers’ trust. People are increasingly skeptical of brand messaging and seek more authentic experiences. User-generated content provides an opportunity for companies to tap into the credibility and relatability of real customers. When users create and share content about a brand, it carries a level of trust and authenticity that traditional advertising simply cannot replicate.

Engaging and Empowering Brand Advocates

Within every customer base, there are brand advocates who are passionate about a particular brand or product. They can become powerful allies in generating user-generated content. Brands can identify and nurture these advocates, providing incentives and rewards for creating and sharing UGC. By engaging with them and fostering a sense of community, companies can empower their most loyal customers to become ambassadors for their brands.

Showcasing Customer Experiences

User-generated content allows brands to showcase real-life customer experiences. Whether it’s through photos, videos, or written testimonials, UGC provides a platform for customers to share their stories. By leveraging it, companies can demonstrate the benefits and features of their products in a more authentic and relatable manner. This helps potential customers envision themselves using the product and fosters trust in the brand.

Amplifying Reach and Brand Awareness

One of the key advantages of user-generated content is its potential for reach and virality. UGC is highly shareable, and when customers create and share content about a brand, it extends the brand’s reach to their social networks. Brands can harness the power of UGC by creating user-generated campaigns, encouraging the use of specific hashtags, and collaborating with influencers and ambassadors. These strategies help increase brand visibility, reach new audiences, and enhance awareness.

Enhancing Customer Engagement

User-generated content encourages active participation and interaction from customers. Companies can leverage UGC by organizing contests, challenges, and campaigns that prompt customers to create and share their content. This not only increases engagement but also fosters a sense of community and strengthens the bond between the brand and its customers. By responding to and acknowledging UGC, companies demonstrate their appreciation and build long-lasting relationships with their clients.

UGC as Social Proof

User-generated content serves as social proof for a brand’s products and services. When potential customers see real people sharing their positive experiences with a brand, it validates the brand’s credibility and fosters trust. Brands can incorporate UGC into their product pages, marketing materials, and social media platforms to provide social proof and reinforce their value proposition.

Managing and Moderating User-Generated Content

While user-generated content offers numerous benefits, it is important for companies to establish guidelines and policies to maintain quality and brand alignment. More specifically, they should monitor and moderate UGC to ensure it aligns with their values and resonates with their target audience. Additionally, brands need to be prepared to respond to negative or inappropriate UGC effectively, addressing concerns and maintaining a positive image.

Measuring Success and ROI

To evaluate the effectiveness of UGC campaigns, brands should define key performance indicators (KPIs) and track relevant metrics. Engagement metrics, reach, sentiment analysis, and conversion rates are some of the indicators that can help measure the success of UGC efforts. By analyzing the data and feedback, companies are able to make informed decisions, iterate their UGC strategies, and optimize their impact.

Best Practices for UGC Campaigns

To maximize the potential of user-generated content, we recommend following these best practices:

• Set clear objectives and identify the target audience for UGC campaigns.
• Provide clear guidelines and instructions for UGC creation.
• Regularly evaluate and iterate UGC strategies based on data and feedback.

Wrapping Up

User-generated content has revolutionized brand advocacy, offering companies an authentic and influential way to engage with their customers. By leveraging the power of UGC, brands can build trust, amplify their reach, enhance customer engagement, and create social proof. 

However, effective management and moderation of UGC are essential to maintaining quality and brand alignment. With careful planning, measurement of success, and adherence to best practices, brands can harness the power of user-generated content to foster brand advocacy and create meaningful connections with their target audience.

Harnessing the Power of User-Generated Content for Brand Advocacy
Brian Wallace

WebProNews
Elizabeth Holmes Reports to Prison to Begin 11-Year Sentence

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has reported to prison, beginning her 11-year sentence for defrauding investors.

Holmes was convicted of defrauding investors, making false claims about her medical startup’s technology and capabilities. Holmes had engaged in a number of appeals and efforts to overturn her conviction and/or delay her prison sentence.

Holmes was ordered to report to prison after her latest bid to remain free on bail while appealing her conviction was denied. According to BBC News Holmes has reported to the minimum-security prison, just north of Houston, where she will serve out her term

Elizabeth Holmes Reports to Prison to Begin 11-Year Sentence
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Federal Judges Rules Cell Phone Searches at the Border Require a Warrant

A federal judge has struck a blow for privacy, ruling that authorities must obtain a warrant before searching cell phones at the border.

The US border has been a legal gray area for years — a zone where the Fourth Amendment doesn’t fully apply — with authorities able to search people’s cell phones, computers, luggage, and other possessions without a warrant.

According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a New York district judge has become the first to rule that cell phone searches at the border require a search warrant:

With United States v. Smith (S.D.N.Y. May 11, 2023), a district court judge in New York made history by being the first court to rule that a warrant is required for a cell phone search at the border, “absent exigent circumstances” (although other district courts have wanted to do so).

The judge in the case relied heavily on the precedent set in the Riley vs California (2014) case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that police need a warrant to search the cell phone of someone they have arrested.

As the EFF explains, much of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Riley case balanced the need for police to search a suspect against the immediate threat posed.

In Riley, the Supreme Court applied a balancing test, weighing the government’s interests in warrantless and suspicionless access to cell phone data following an arrest, against an arrestee’s privacy interests in the depth and breadth of personal information stored on modern cell phones.

In analyzing the government’s interests, the Riley Court considered the traditional reasons for authorizing warrantless searches of an arrestee’s person: to protect officers from an arrestee who might use a weapon against them, and to prevent the destruction of evidence.

The Riley Court found only a weak nexus between digital data and these traditional reasons for warrantless searches of arrestees. The Court reasoned that “data on the phone can endanger no one,” and the probability is small that associates of the arrestee will remotely delete digital data.

The judge in the New York case applied that same reasoning to warrantless border searches.

Just as in Riley, the cell phone likely contains huge quantities of highly sensitive information—including copies of that person’s past communications, records of their physical movements, potential transaction histories, Internet browsing histories, medical details, and more … No traveler would reasonably expect to forfeit privacy interests in all this simply by carrying a cell phone when returning home from an international trip.

The decision is good news for travelers who don’t want to surrender their privacy without good cause.

Federal Judges Rules Cell Phone Searches at the Border Require a Warrant
Matt Milano

WebProNews
The Cannabis Legalization Economy

2023 has seen several major changes to cannabis restrictions that have affected almost half of the states across the U.S. Recreational use of marijuana has been permitted in at least 21 states while almost 40 states accept the use of medical marijuana, including small amounts of THC. Currently just two states do not approve CBD or marijuana use. 

State Legalization is Changing

The nation as a whole is slowly becoming more comfortable with the idea of legal cannabis. More than 50% of states support recreational and medical marijuana while 30% support only medical marijuana and 10% have yet to legalize any kind of legal cannabis. In fact, 44% of Americans live in places that allow access to legal recreational cannabis, such as California and New York. 

States like Utah, Minnesota, and Mississippi allow people to use medical marijuana while only recreational can be used in states like Arizona, Illinois, and Michigan. Idaho and Nebraska have not legalized any form of cannabis. Although hemp-based CBD is federally legal, legislation dictating its status in states is more complicated. 

In terms of CBD legalization by state, 17 of them offer full legalization while 33 states have varying conditions that need to be met. For example, in Alabama, cannabis cannot exceed 0.3% THC while in Tennessee, cannabis can’t exceed 0.9% THC without a medical license. Other restrictions in other states include cannabis-derived CBD oil being legal with a medical cannabis license in Minnesota and allowing hemp-derived cannabis only in Wyoming. 

Expert Opinions

Experts are saying that significant change is not too far away, especially with restrictions on the local or state level. Paul Aremntano, the Deputy Director of NORML, has recognized that most legalization victories have exclusively all been at the local and state level, and he expects the trend to continue in 2023. Tyler McFadden, a Board Member of BOWL PAC, has mentioned that although legalization might not come within this year, we will eventually reach it faster if we’re all doing something about it now instead of waiting for something to happen without taking action ourselves. Cannabis legalization is always being changed with more new decisions coming in the near future. 

Research is showing that seven more states might approve recreational marijuana within the next seven years. The possible states are South Dakota, New Hampshire, and Ohio. The time it takes between medical and recreational cannabis approval is shortening as well with the most recent time period being 1,463 days in Massachusetts in 2012. This is a significant improvement from California’s 7,308 day-approval period in 1996. 

In Conclusion

Federal regulations have been changing in recent years as well. In 2022, at least 50 federal bills have been presented. President Biden sent out an executive order excusing offenders convicted of just possessing marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act if they did not cause any violence. There has also been more activity around the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Cannabis Opportunity Act (CAOA), and Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (MORE) that could result in even more significant changes on cannabis policies as prohibitive legislation continues to weaken.

The Cannabis Legalization Economy
Brian Wallace

WebProNews
An Immutable All-Snap Ubuntu Desktop Is Coming Next Year

Ubuntu plans to release an all-snap immutable version of Ubuntu for the desktop, a move that could be a turning point for the Linux distro.

Canonical and its Ubuntu have done more to popularize Linux than virtually any other Linux distro, making the open source operating system accessible to the masses. In recent years, however, the company has made a number of decisions that have alienated users, none as much as snaps.

Snaps are Ubuntu’s universal package format, designed to work across all distros, including Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, openSUSE, and more — all without requiring developers to build their apps for the specific distro they’re targeting.

Unfortunately, snaps have been widely criticized for slow performance compared to native packages. In addition, while the snaps themselves can be open source, the Snap Store is controlled by Canonical. Because of the criticism it’s received, the snap format is rarely used outside of Ubuntu, with the competing Flatpak format a much more popular option among other distros. At the same time, however, some Ubuntu users appreciate the simplicity of snap packages.

In reply to an article on OMG! Ubuntu detailing Ubuntu’s plans to ship CUPS printing stack as a snap, Canonical’s Oliver Grawert posted a comment, saying the company would release an immutable desktop version of Ubuntu next year, a version based on the all-snap UbuntuCore.

An immutable version exists since 2015, called UbuntuCore… there will be a desktop release of it with the next LTS (optional though, the classic desktop install will indeed not go away)

An immutable distro is one where the root file system is immutable or unchangeable without very specific action being taken. Immutable distros rely on Flatpak or snap to install apps since they can be installed in the user space without impacting the root file system.

Some believe immutable distros are the future of Linux since they offer robust security and stability since the root file system is not easily modified. It’s not surprising Ubuntu is coming out with an immutable distro, but it will be optional — at least for now.

Ultimately, the long-term success or failure of Ubuntu’s snaps may well hinge on the immutable version of the distro. If an immutable Ubuntu meets with the type of success as Fedora’s Silverblue or openSUSE’s microOS, it could help change people’s minds about snaps.

An Immutable All-Snap Ubuntu Desktop Is Coming Next Year
Matt Milano

WebProNews
WhatsApp Multi-Phone Mode Rolling Out to iPhones

WhatsApp’s biggest feature in recent years is now rolling out to iPhones after initially debuting on Android.

WhatsApp announced its multi-phone feature in mid-April, allowing users to use multiple phones on the same account. The feature began rolling out to Android first, but WABetaInfo is reporting that the feature is now making its way to iPhones:

Although WhatsApp did not specify it in their blog post, this feature was only available for WhatsApp for Android, so it was not possible to link your WhatsApp account to a second iOS device. However, thanks to the official changelog for the latest WhatsApp for iOS 23.10.76 update available on the App Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is finally releasing the ability to link an iPhone as a second device to everyone!

As noted by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has added additional information about the feature, including the number of phones that can be simultaneously linked to a single account:

With this feature, users can link up to four devices simultaneously, which means you can connect even more than two mobile phones to your WhatsApp account. In addition, your personal messages and calls remain end-to-end encrypted even when using WhatsApp from a linked mobile phone. When someone sends you a message, it is sent to all your devices while maintaining encryption. As we recommended in our article published when the feature was available on the Android app, we suggest you read the updated whitepaper for technical details about how encryption works when using multi-device.

The update is good news for WhatsApp and iPhone users and will help ease a pain point people have complained about for years.

WhatsApp Multi-Phone Mode Rolling Out to iPhones
Staff

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Microsoft’s Appeal of the UK’s Activision Decision Set for July

Microsoft is appealing the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority decision to block its Activision Blizzard acquisition, with the hearing set for July.

Microsoft entered an agreement to purchase Activision for $68.7 billion in early 2022. The deal met immediate regulatory scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic, and Microsoft has been trying to assuage regulators’ concerns ever since.

The company won EU approval in mid-May of this year, but the UK’s CMA already voted to block the deal in late April. According to The Verge, Microsoft has filed an appeal, with the hearing set for the week of July 24.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, the odds are not in its favor.

“Essentially, there has never been a successful appeal in the UK on an antitrust decision,” Aaron Glick, a merger arbitrage strategist at TD Cowen, told Bloomberg when the CMA handed down its decision. “There does not appear to be a path forward for Microsoft.”

Microsoft’s Appeal of the UK’s Activision Decision Set for July
Staff

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OpenAI CEO Signs Open Letter Warning of AI-Caused ‘Extinction’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has signed an open letter warning of the dangers AI poses, including the extinction of humanity.

Despite being the CEO of the world’s leading artificial intelligence firm, Altman has been vocal regarding his concerns about the very tech his company is pioneering. In fact, in his recent testimony before Congress, Altman was very frank about his concerns.

“If this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,” Altman said via The Washington Post.

Altman was vocal about his desire to see the AI field regulated, even proposing meaningful steps Congress could take, a position that earned the respect of lawmakers.

“Sam Altman is night and day compared to other CEOs,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal. “Not just in the words and the rhetoric but in actual actions and his willingness to participate and commit to specific action.”

Altman has followed up that testimony by signing a one-sentence open letter by the Center for AI Safety, warning of the risks the technology poses.

Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.

With the likes of Altman backing AI regulation, it’s a safe bet such regulation will happen sooner rather than later.

OpenAI CEO Signs Open Letter Warning of AI-Caused ‘Extinction’
Matt Milano

WebProNews
Nvidia Is the First Trillion-Dollar Chipmaker

Nvidia has crossed a major milestone, becoming the first chipmaker to join the trillion-dollar club.

According to Reuters, Nvidia joined the trillion-dollar club Tuesday, making it the first chipmaker to do so. It joins the ranks of Apple and Microsoft.

Notably, Nvidia’s fortunes come at a time when Intel is increasingly under criticism for failing to deliver on CEO Pat Gelsinger’s vision to turn the company around, allowing it to be surpassed by younger rivals. Meanwhile, Nvidia is benefiting from the burgeoning AI market, as well as partnerships with other firms.

Nvidia Is the First Trillion-Dollar Chipmaker
Staff

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Intel’s Turnaround, and Pat Gelsinger’s Legacy, Is In Jeopardy

Intel’s turnaround is not exactly going as planned, jeopardizing its future and CEO Pat Gelsinger’s legacy as the architect of the company’s plan.

Once the world’s top chipmaking company, Intel has been eclipsed in recent years by its rivals, both old and new. TSMC has gained the technological upper hand, AMD is taking business from Intel’s strongholds, and Nvidia’s value is skyrocketing, surpassing Intel.

As The Wall Street Journal’s Asa Fitch reports, as bad as those issues appear, Intel’s problems run deeper and are putting its turnaround in jeopardy.

Intel is in a unique position in the semiconductor industry, one of the only companies that both design and manufactures chips. When he returned to the company and took over the role of CEO, Gelsinger minced no words about why Intel’s fortunes had turned, saying previous leaders lost the company’s “maniacal” focus on manufacturing.

Intel’s Foundry Efforts

Since his return, Gelsinger has doubled down on manufacturing, spending billions to revitalize Intel’s own manufacturing and carve out a foundry business manufacturing chips for other companies, including Intel’s competitors.

Unfortunately, as Fitch points out, those efforts have yet to pay off. In fact, Intel’s efforts to get into the foundry business have been plagued by one setback after another. Intel was working to acquire both Qualcomm and Tesla as customers but failed to secure either. Qualcomm decided against the deal as a result of Intel’s technical missteps, and Tesla went with other options because Intel couldn’t provide the same level of chip design services that other foundries offer.

Ultimately, many of Intel’s problems breaking into the foundry business may stem from a fundamental cultural issue.

“Foundry is a service business,” Gelsinger reportedly said in an interview. “That isn’t the culture that Intel’s had.”

Long on Promise, Short on Delivery

That hasn’t stopped Gelsinger from making ambitious claims about the company’s future. In fact, just over a year ago, Gelsinger took aim at AMD, proclaiming that its days of challenging Intel were over.

“Alder Lake, all of sudden, boom! We are back in the game! AMD in the rearview mirror in clients, and never again will they be in the windshield,” Gelsinger said.

Similarly, Gelsinger has alternated between mocking Apple’s chip design efforts and saying he would like to gain them as a foundry customer.

“We have to deliver better products to the PC ecosystem than any possible thing that a lifestyle company in Cupertino,” he said shortly before taking over as CEO. “We have to be that good, in the future.”

“Apple is a customer, and I hope to make them a big foundry customer because today they’re wholly dependent on Taiwan Semiconductor,” he said just a couple of months later. “We want to present great options for them to leverage our foundry services, as well, just like we’re working with Qualcomm and Microsoft to leverage our foundry. We’re going to be delivering great technology, some things that can’t be done anywhere else in the world.”

Despite the bold talk, Intel’s fortunes have continued to sink under Gelsinger’s leadership. In fact, the company recently reported its worst quarterly loss in company history and has undergone multiple rounds of layoffs.

Moving Forward

While some believe Intel’s position as a chip designer and manufacturer gives the company a competitive advantage, it can also be argued that it leads to a company with a divided focus, where its investments and even its culture are at odds with itself.

There’s a reason many of the industry’s most successful companies focus on either fabrication or design. To the degree that Intel succeeds or fails in its efforts will reestablish it as the leading semiconductor company in the world or a dinosaur from a bygone era.

Either way, at some point, Gelsinger will have to deliver the goods or risk Intel fading into obscurity and taking his legacy with it.

Intel’s Turnaround, and Pat Gelsinger’s Legacy, Is In Jeopardy
Matt Milano

WebProNews
Microsoft Azure Linux Containers for AKS Now Available

Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Azure Linux for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

Microsoft first announced a preview of Azure Linux containers in October 2022. Jim Perrin, Linux Systems Group Principle Program Manger Lead, announced the general release in a blog post.

We are excited to announce the general availability of the Azure Linux container host for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). The Azure Linux container host for AKS is a lightweight, secure, and reliable OS platform optimized for performance on Azure. With this platform, you can easily deploy and manage your container workloads using the same proven tooling used by many of Microsoft’s own services. This General Availability announcement follows our October preview announcement under the CBL-Mariner project codename. We’d like to thank the customers who provided valuable feedback and insight during our preview. Your insight and feedback helped to shape the product and ensure it’s ready for production workloads.

Getting started with the Azure Linux container host is as easy as changing the OSSku parameter in your ARM template or other deployment tooling. For more information or to get started check out our documentation.

Perrin says emphasized the platform’s security and reliability .

Our goal is to provide a secure and reliable platform to run your workloads. Towards this end, all updates to the Azure Linux container host are first run through a rigorous suite of Azure validation tests. This suite of tests is kept constantly updated as support for new scenarios is added. Additionally, since there are far fewer packages in the container host, the volume of required security patching is lower, and these issues are patched promptly as well. We closely monitor and fully curate the software supply chain, which enables a greater assurance of quality and resilience end to end.

ISVs and vendors looking to partner with Microsoft can reach out to the company via azurelinuxisv@microsoft.com.

Microsoft Azure Linux Containers for AKS Now Available
Staff

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PSA: Delete ‘iRecorder — Screen Recorder’ Android App

Popular Android app “iRecorder — Screen Recorder” was caught stealing users’ information months after being approved on the Play Store.

Cybersecurity firm ESET discovered that malicious code was introduced into iRecorder nearly a year after it was initially approved for listing in Google’s Play Store. During that time, the app was downloaded nearly 50,000 times.

According to TechCrunch, ESET says the app was uploading “a minute of ambient audio from the device’s microphone every 15 minutes, as well as exfiltrate documents, web pages and media files from the user’s phone.”

The malicious code was able to sneak past Google because audio recording is inherently part of a screen recording app. As a result, the update containing the malicious code didn’t immediately raise any red flags. Such an attack is incredibly rare, according to ESET’s Lukas Stefanko:

It is rare for a developer to upload a legitimate app, wait almost a year, and then update it with malicious code. The malicious code that was added to the clean version of iRecorder is based on the open-source AhMyth Android RAT (remote access trojan) and has been customized into what we named AhRat.

TechCrunch says it’s still not clear who is responsible for the malware update. It’s possible the developer is responsible and was playing the long game to get the app approved and installed on as many devices as possible before turning it into malware. It’s also possible a malicious actor may have compromised the developer’s code base and uploaded the malicious version.

The incident underscores the growing challenges with monitoring the millions of apps that are available for mobile platforms and ensuring they are safe for users.

In the meantime, iRecorder has been removed from the Play Store, but all users who still have it installed should delete it immediately.

PSA: Delete ‘iRecorder — Screen Recorder’ Android App
Staff

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Planning to Use ChatGPT to Write Your Resume? Think Again.

Some of the job markets news entrants are using ChatGPT to write their resumes, but many HR professionals say it’s a deal-breaker.

ChatGPT and other AI platforms are poised to revolutionize multiple industries. Software development and content creation, in particular, are especially susceptible to AI disruption.

According to iCIMS’ eighth annual “Class of” report, college graduates are entering a job market that poses significant challenges compared to years past.

“This is the first class born in the millennium to hit the workforce, and they are doing so amid a challenging macroeconomic environment with the noise of layoffs after spending the majority of their college years in a pandemic. It’s no wonder they crave stability from their employers,” said Laura Coccaro, chief people officer, iCIMS. “While these concerns are valid, it’s not all doom and gloom. Our data shows employers are hiring for entry-level roles at a steady rate, and more than half of HR pros surveyed plan to increase entry-level hiring this year. While ‘dream jobs’ may look a little different today, many are out there and within reach.”

According to the company’s research, many graduates are relying on ChatGPT to write their resumes, but they may not be seeing the desired result.

The buzz of AI and ChatGPT is seeping into the job application process – for better or worse. Almost half (47%) of college seniors are interested in using ChatGPT or other AI bots to write their resumes or cover letters, and 25% of Gen Z already use an AI bot to help write their resumes or cover letters. But they should proceed with caution, as nearly 40% of HR professionals say using ChatGPT/AI bots during the hiring process is a definite deal breaker.

The iCIMS Class of 2023 report is available for download here, and includes a wealth of additional insights.

Planning to Use ChatGPT to Write Your Resume? Think Again.
Staff

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Lindy.ai’s CEO Explains His 180-Degree Change on Remote Work

Lindy CEO Flo Crivello has penned a blog post lamenting his decision to do a 180-degree on remote work.

Crivello spoke positively about the benefits of remote work, especially in the context of people’s lifestyles.

Remote is more comfortable from a lifestyle standpoint. You save on commute, have your own office, can work from anywhere, and get more flexibility on your schedule (especially important for folks with families).

Nonetheless, despite the benefits, Crivello says the challenges of remote work are simply too big to overcome. Specifically, the CEO says remote work “raises coordination costs.”

• It’s harder to get a hold of each other, as we’re not online at the same time. “I’ll talk about it when I see him tomorrow” — these delays compound in a huge way.
• So most interactions are async, leading to lower bandwidth, more context switching, and more things falling through the cracks.
• Even sync chats aren’t as good. People can’t interrupt each other or have sidebars, and there are bugs with video, audio, screenshare, etc… These frictions compound too.
• This causes us to be less aligned. We’re only a few engineers right now, and yet people feel out of the loop on who’s building what.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of this misalignment. We in tech are building pure thought-stuff — the things we build are like icebergs, 99% invisible. The quality of our work is a function of the alignment of our mental models about the stuff below that water line. And remote makes it harder to reach that alignment.

Crivello goes to quote Marc Andreessen’s 2007 blog in which he extols the benefits of people living and working in the center of their industry. Interestingly, however, Crivello fails to quote Andreessen’s more recent comments in which he says remote work could be a societal turning point.

“It’s potentially an earthquake,” Andreessen said in mid-2022. “It’s potentially one of those things that in a hundred years, people could look back and say, ‘That was a real turning point for how society developed.’”

Lindy.ai’s CEO Explains His 180-Degree Change on Remote Work
Matt Milano

WebProNews
MediaTek and Nvidia Confirm Automotive Tech Partnership

MediaTek and Nvidia have confirmed they are partnering to produce advanced automotive infotainment systems.

MediaTek has been pivoting to AI and automotive chips amid weak demand in the consumer PC market. The company was rumored to be working with Nvidia, with plans to include the latter’s GPUs in its SoCs.

According to Reuters, the two companies announced a partnership at the Computex trade show in Taipei, confirming MediaTek’s plans to incorporate Nvidia’s GPUs. The infotainment systems will be able to assist drivers, thanks to AI, as well as play videos and games.

“The automotive industry needs strong companies that can work with the industry for decades at a time,” said Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang.

“The quality, strength and positions of our two companies could give the automotive industry partners that they can build their companies on,” he said, saying the resulting chips could power “every single segment of a car.”

As automakers transition to electric vehicle, the need for chips within the industry has skyrocketed. The industry’s needs provide an opportunity for both companies to make up for lost business. In addition to a slumping PC market, the demand for GPUs has plummeted as a result of the crypto market’s crash.

“In this very demanding environment, we are not reducing people,” CEO Rick Tsai said in the company’s last earnings call. “We’re not increasing either. The critical thing is to allocate those precious resources.”

“We’re confident that we will be able to provide the capability to our customers,” Tsai added, speaking about the AI chip market.

MediaTek and Nvidia Confirm Automotive Tech Partnership
Staff

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Nvidia CEO: Thanks to AI, ‘Everyone Is a Programmer Now’

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era for programming, one where “everyone is a programmer.”

AI is poised to revolutionize multiple industries, but perhaps few are set to be transformed as much as programming and software development. Multiple companies are working to improve AI’s efficacy as a programming assistant, but Huang says the potential goes far beyond that.

“There’s no question we’re in a new computing era,” he said in a speech at the Computex forum in Taipei, according to Reuters.

“Every single computing era you could do different things that weren’t possible before, and artificial intelligence certainly qualifies,” Huang added.

“The programming barrier is incredibly low. We have closed the digital divide. Everyone is a programmer now – you just have to say something to the computer,” he said.

“The rate of progress, because it’s so easy to use, is the reason why it’s growing so fast. This is going to touch literally every single industry.”

Huang is not the first to tout AI’s potential in the software development industry. Matt Welsh, CEO of Fixie.ai, has made a similar prediction:

I believe the conventional idea of “writing a program” is headed for extinction, and indeed, for all but very specialized applications, most software, as we know it, will be replaced by AI systems that are trained rather than programmed. In situations where one needs a “simple” program (after all, not everything should require a model of hundreds of billions of parameters running on a cluster of GPUs), those programs will, themselves, be generated by an AI rather than coded by hand.

Despite Huang and Welsh’s optimism, AI still has a ways to go before it achieves its full potential. In fact, a recent study has shown that using AI coding assistants actually leads to less secure code.

Nvidia CEO: Thanks to AI, ‘Everyone Is a Programmer Now’
Matt Milano

WebProNews
US Fires Back At China’s Micron Ban, Says ‘We Won’t Tolerate It’

In the wake of China’s ban on chips from Micron Technology, the US is pushing back and calling it “economic coercion.”

The US and China are locked in an increasingly high-stakes trade war, with the US banning tech from multiple Chinese companies over national security concerns. China announced it would ban Micron’s chips after they reportedly failed China’s security review.

According to Reuters, the decision is not sitting well with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who said the measures “target a single U.S. company without any basis in fact, and we see it as plain and simple economic coercion and we won’t tolerate it, nor do we think it will be successful.”

“As we said at the G7 and as we have said consistently, we are closely engaging with partners addressing this specific challenge and all challenges related to China’s non-market practices,” Raimondo added.

Of course, given the sheer number of Chinese companies and products the US and its allies have banned, it will be interesting to see what grounds the US uses to object to China’s ban.

US Fires Back At China’s Micron Ban, Says ‘We Won’t Tolerate It’
Matt Milano

WebProNews
QA Automation: Delivering High-Quality Products with Increased Efficiency

Quality assurance (QA) plays a critical role in ensuring that software products meet customer requirements and are free from defects. However, traditional manual testing methods can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and error-prone. To address these challenges, companies are increasingly turning to QA test automation as a means to deliver high-quality products with increased efficiency.

Automated testing allows companies to quickly and accurately test software products, ensuring that they meet customer requirements and are free from defects. By automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, developers can focus on higher-level tasks such as improving the user experience and developing new features.

The Benefits of QA Automation

QA automation has numerous benefits, including increased speed and accuracy of testing, improved test coverage, and reduced costs. Automated testing tools enable companies to test software products faster and more accurately, while reducing the number of defects that make it into production.

Automated testing also improves test coverage by allowing developers to test a broader range of scenarios than would be possible with manual testing. By reducing the number of defects that make it into production, companies can reduce the cost of fixing defects, as well as the cost of maintaining and supporting software products.

Implementing QA Automation

Implementing QA automation requires careful planning and execution. Companies need to select the right tools, set up the test environment, and develop the automated test scripts. It is also crucial to establish a collaborative relationship between the development and QA teams to ensure that the implementation is successful.

Selecting the right tools is critical to the success of QA automation. Companies need to consider factors such as the ease of use, the level of integration with other tools, and the availability of support and training. It is also essential to set up the test environment properly, ensuring that it accurately reflects the production environment.

Developing the automated test scripts requires a deep understanding of the software product, as well as the testing requirements. The test scripts need to be carefully designed and maintained to ensure that they are accurate and up-to-date.

Best Practices for QA Automation

To ensure the success of QA automation, companies need to follow best practices such as selecting the right test cases for automation, maintaining a robust test suite, and regularly updating and maintaining automated test scripts.

Selecting the right test cases for automation is critical to the success of QA automation. Companies need to identify the test cases that are the most time-consuming, error-prone, and repetitive. By automating these test cases, developers can save time and reduce the risk of defects.

Maintaining a robust test suite is essential to the success of QA automation. The test suite needs to be regularly updated and maintained to ensure that it accurately reflects the current state of the software product. Companies also need to ensure that the test suite is well-organized and easy to use.

Continuous integration and continuous testing are critical to the success of QA automation. By continuously testing software products throughout the development process, companies can identify defects early and reduce the cost of fixing defects.

Challenges in QA Automation

Despite the numerous benefits of QA automation, there are also challenges that companies need to be aware of. Some of the challenges include maintaining test scripts, handling dynamic UI elements, and dealing with the complexities of integration testing.

Maintaining test scripts can be a time-consuming and challenging task, especially when software products are updated frequently. Companies need to establish processes for updating and maintaining test scripts to ensure that they accurately reflect the current state of the software product.

Handling dynamic UI elements can also be challenging, as these elements can change frequently and unpredictably. Companies need to develop strategies for handling dynamic UI elements to ensure that automated tests remain accurate and up-to-date.

Integration testing can be a complex task in QA automation. It involves testing the interactions between different components and systems to ensure that they work together seamlessly. However, it is crucial for delivering a high-quality product, as integration issues can result in serious defects and user dissatisfaction. To overcome the challenges of integration testing, companies should adopt a comprehensive approach that includes automated testing, manual testing, and cross-functional collaboration. Continuous testing and continuous integration can also help to identify and resolve integration issues early in the development process, improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of QA automation.

The Role of AI and Machine Learning in QA Automation

QA automation has traditionally relied on human operators to develop and execute test cases. However, with the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), automation can be taken to the next level. The integration of AI and ML into QA automation can help to improve test accuracy and reduce false positives. It can also help automate more complex testing scenarios, such as security testing.

The Potential of AI and ML in QA Automation

AI and ML have the potential to revolutionize QA automation. By leveraging these technologies, testing can be made more efficient and effective. AI algorithms can analyze large amounts of data to identify patterns and insights, while ML algorithms can learn from experience and improve over time. This can lead to more accurate testing, reduced testing time, and increased test coverage.

Automating Complex Testing Scenarios

Security testing is a critical component of software testing. However, it can be a challenging task, requiring expertise in the domain and knowledge of the latest threats and vulnerabilities. By using AI and ML, security testing can be automated, reducing the workload on human testers and improving the accuracy and coverage of the tests.

QA Automation in Agile and DevOps Environments

Agile and DevOps have become the standard development methodologies in recent years. These methodologies prioritize speed and collaboration, and they rely heavily on automation. QA automation plays a critical role in these methodologies by enabling faster and more frequent releases. It fits into the continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline, allowing testing to be integrated into the development process.

The Importance of Test Automation

Test automation is essential for successful Agile and DevOps methodologies. It allows for faster feedback and quicker identification of defects. Automated tests can be executed quickly and repeatedly, providing confidence in the quality of the software. Test automation enables developers to focus on higher-level tasks, such as designing new features and improving the user experience.

Conclusion and Future Directions of QA Automation

In conclusion, QA automation is a critical component of modern software development. With the advancements in AI and ML, it has the potential to become even more efficient and effective. Cloud-based testing is also becoming more prevalent, enabling testing to be performed remotely and on-demand. As QA automation continues to evolve, it is likely that it will become even more intelligent and efficient, helping companies to deliver high-quality products with increased efficiency.

QA Automation: Delivering High-Quality Products with Increased Efficiency
Brian Wallace