Google just spotted hackers using AI to find a vulnerability and exploit it.
Out in the wild, as in they're doing this right now. The first confirmed case and easily the least surprising headline,
since Microsoft breaks Windows, with a patch meant to fix the patch that broke Windows.
I'm James Drive, this is TechLink, and according to the Google Threat Intelligence Group,
badass name, the malicious Python script exploits a vulnerability in a popular open source admin tool
to bypass two-factor authentication. Google is highly confident it was AI generated because the code was filled with polite,
explanatory comments, textbook organization, and an official,
danger rating the AI literally hallucinated to look professional.
Basically, the code reads less like something a hacker wrote, and more like something a CS major would submit to his professor for extra credit.
Google warns this marks a shift from AI helping people to be productive,
to AI helping people break digital kneecaps. Which tracks, given that Anthropic just admitted previous Claude models blackmailed their own
engineers in safety testing because Claude read too much sci-fi about evil AI and figured,
yeah, that's the move. I love that for me. Someone should really set Claude up with Gemini so he learns how to love.
There we go. Twins. Chinese camera maker Miari Technology has been broadcasting live feeds from 1.1 million
baby monitors to anyone who knew where to look. I hate this already.
Security researcher Sammy Aztefal gained notoriety when he took over thousands of DJI
Romo robot vacuums back in February, and is apparently doing a speedrun of hacking every
Chinese white-label IoT company there is, extracted a single API key from the company's
Android app that let him watch any camera on the platform. Miari makes cameras for hundreds of brands, including recognizable ones like Wise,
and other random Amazon placeholder brands.
AliExpress things like Arenti and Boy Fun.
Wait, did I say Boy Fun? I mean, like, wait a second.
According to The Verge, Aztefal first reported the issue in early March and was ignored for
weeks when he persisted he got a veiled threat from the camera manufacturer saying
they knew where he lived and that he had broken the law.
He left his baby monitor running. Ugh, luckily his persistence paid off, with Miari patching the vulnerability on March 10th
and rolling out a firmware update to customers in April. Now the only strangers with access to videos of your kids are the people who follow you on Instagram.
Yay! Keep posting through the pain.
Apple announced on its Q2 earnings call earlier this month that significantly higher memory
costs would likely be causing price hikes as early as June.
Apple has been partially insulated from the effects of the RAM crisis,
thanks to their existing stockpile of devices, but that buffer is now running out.
Analysts have suggested that Apple could be planning to take an aggressive pricing strategy
aimed at keeping the prices of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max base storage models stable
by pushing the cost increases onto higher storage tiers and accessories.
The goal with this move would be to capture more market share and continue to
foster the growth of Apple's services revenue, which includes the App Store, iCloud, and Apple Music.
Amid the speculation, Tim Cook said Apple will continue to look at the range of options
to try and address the RAM crisis, but with him stepping down as CEO in September,
it sounds more like Corpo speak for, it's John's problem now.
Check out our sponsor. Speaking of headlines that write themselves, the quick bits.
The FCC has extended the software update waiver for foreign-made routers from 2027
until at least January 1st, 2029. What does it mean?
These devices are still in the FCC's national security block list,
which would normally bar them from future updates, but the waiver lets manufacturers
keep pushing security updates to units already approved for US use.
The agency said cutting off updates for the millions of units already in use
could create bigger cybersecurity risks. Whoa, who could have seen that coming?
Venmo has redesigned its app so payments only broadcast to your friends by default,
or no one if you'd prefer. They're also adding a shout out button because according to Venmo's senior VP,
Gen Z wants to publicly endorse local businesses they love.
It's a good redesigned move as Venmo's old open feed was so exposed that back in 2021,
Buzzfeed mapped Joe Biden's entire friend network through it.
The President of the United States, found by a brunch payments.
Or maybe that was dinner, old people eat real early and he's real old. Valve appears to be prepping anti-scalper measures for the Steam Machine launch.
Data miners picking through Steam Tracker after last Thursday's update found four
machine SKUs and two Steam Frame variants, mirroring the reservation queue setup Valve
is using for the Steam Controller. Since we already know the Steam Machine comes in 512 gigabytes and two terabyte configurations,
the extra two SKUs might be controller bundles. So hopefully the scalpers are steaming.
You get it? Microsoft is testing a low latency profile in Windows 11 that briefly boosts CPU performance
delivering up to 40% faster launch times for OS apps and up to 70% faster for the start
and context menus. Some users called it a lazy hack.
But Microsoft devs Scott Hanselman. Hansel.
Hanselman. Fired back with Apple does this and y'all love it.
Which is true. Though Apple also doesn't have to bribe its own CPU just to get the start menu to open.
No. Not this time. And Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million alleging the company slapped her likeness on
its TV boxes without permission or payment. According to the complaint, when she asked them to stop, Samsung was dismissive and callous
and refused. Samsung clearly didn't follow Dua's new rules, which is why their legal liabilities
are currently levitating off the charts. Oh man.
There's new rules. I got new rules. I got a-
Oh I was saying levitating. Oh. Yeah. And hopefully I won't be reading any headlines about lawsuits against me from the Italian
government because of my hot take on an marinara sauce.
Trying to pronounce it like I assume Americans do. They say pasta.
So come back on Wednesday for some more tech news. I am significantly more Italian than the Italian guy in my group of friends.
And that guy is very Italian. I think pasta is right.