| From: Zen Dollar Round | 7/22/2021 11:15:32 AM | | | | | | Crossposted from Apple Product Help :
dangerous XLoader malware infects Macs
Nasty new malware that has migrated from its Windows origins to attacking Macs is stealthy, widespread, and dangerous, as it can “harvest log-in credentials, collect screenshots, log keystrokes and execute malicious files.”
MacOS Being Picked Apart by $49 XLoader Data Stealer
There’s a new version of the old FormBook form-stealer and keylogger that’s added Mac users to its hit list, and it’s selling like hotcakes on underground markets for as low as $49. It’s not only cheap; it’s easy. The data stealer is distributed in the form of malware-as-a-service (MaaS) and stands out from competing malware by being drop-dead simple to use, outfitting even code dummies with a multipurpose malware tool.
In a report posted on Wednesday, analysts at Check Point Research (CPR) said that the new strain of FormBook – which mainly targeted Windows users when it first popped up on hacking forums in 2016 – is named XLoader…
Check Point recommends that we can all stop feeding XLoader’s success rate by following some standard-issue precautions for both Mac and Windows users:
Don’t open suspicious attachments.Stay off of suspicious websites.Use third-party protection software to help identify and prevent malicious behavior on your computer.As far as detection and removal goes, this malware is notoriously tough to detect, though AnyRun does offer the following video for instructions on detecting FormBook… |
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| From: Zen Dollar Round | 7/23/2021 4:00:55 AM | | | | | | The FTC Votes Unanimously to Enforce Right to Repair
The move follows an executive order issued last week by the White House urging the agency to secure consumers' rights to fix their own gadgets.
DURING AN OPEN commission meeting Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission voted unanimously to enforce laws around the Right to Repair, thereby ensuring that US consumers will be able to repair their own electronic and automotive devices.
The FTC’s endorsement of the rules is not a surprise outcome; the issue of Right to Repair has been a remarkably bipartisan one, and the FTC itself issued a lengthy report in May that blasted manufacturers for restricting repairs. But the 5 to 0 vote signals the commission’s commitment to enforce both federal antitrust laws and a key law around consumer warranties—the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act—when it comes to personal device repairs.
The vote, which was led by new FTC chair and known tech critic Lina Khan, also comes 12 days after President Joe Biden signed a broad executive order aimed at promoting competition in the US economy. The order addressed a wide range of industries, from banks to airlines to tech companies. But a portion of it encouraged the FTC, which operates as an independent agency, to create new rules that would prevent companies from restricting repair options for consumers.
“When you buy an expensive product, whether it's a half-a-million-dollar tractor or a thousand-dollar phone, you are in a very real sense under the power of the manufacturer,” says Tim Wu, special assistant to the president for technology and competition policy within the National Economic Council. “And when they have repair specifications that are unreasonable, there's not a lot you can do."
Wu added that Right to Repair has become a "visceral example" of the enormous imbalance between workers, consumers, small businesses, and larger entities.
Fixed Position
The FTC vote is another win for the Right to Repair movement in the US, which has been led by advocacy groups like the US Public Interest Research Group, as well as private companies like iFixit, the California-based company that sells gadget repair kits and publishes repair manuals for DIY tinkerers. Proponents of the Right to Repair have long argued that consumers should have access to the tools, parts, documentation, and software required to fix the products they own, whether it’s a smartphone or a tractor.
These groups are also quick to call out instances in which large manufacturers block or limit options for independent product repairs, or force consumers to go directly back to a manufacturer, who then charges a premium for a fix. And it’s not just a matter of fixing a broken glass back on a smartphone, or repairing an impossibly small smartwatch: During the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the spring of 2020, medical device engineers began speaking out on the dangers of not having access to repair tools for critical devices, such as ventilators, during times of crisis.
As more products are designed with internet connectivity—from smartphones to refrigerators to cars—the issue of repair rights has become increasingly complicated. Repair advocates say consumers should have access to all of the data that their personal devices collect, and that independent repair shops should have access to the same software diagnostic tools that “authorized” shops have.
“I urge the FTC to use its rulemaking authority to reinforce basic consumer and private property rights, and to update it for the digital age, as manufacturers seek to turn hundreds of millions of owners of technology into tenants of their own property,” said Paul Roberts, the founder of Securepairs.org, during a public comments section of today’s FTC meeting. “A digital Right to Repair is a vital tool that will extend the life of electronic devices.”
But some large manufacturers oppose this notion, arguing that it will make products less secure and could expose consumers to safety risks. John Deere, one of the world’s leading tractor makers, has issued statements saying that it “does not support the right to modify embedded software due to risks associated with the safe operation of the equipment, emissions compliance, and engine performance.”
During the comments portion of the FTC hearing today, a representative for the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute claimed that “Right to Repair legislation fails to consider consumer safety and environmental protection with respect to our industry’s products … as an example, it would allow for modification of and tampering with safety controls of powered lawn mower blades required under law by the CPSC, as well as emissions controls required under law by the EPA.”
Carl Holshouser, senior vice president at TechNet, a trade group that has represented companies like Microsoft and Apple, wrote in an emailed statement to WIRED that “the FTC’s decision to upend an effective and secure system for consumers to repair products that they rely on for their health, safety, and well-being, including phones, computers, fire alarms, medical devices, and home security systems, will have far-reaching, permanent impacts on technology and cybersecurity.”
And ahead of the vote today, the Consumer Technology Association—which hosts the annual CES tech bonanza in Las Vegas— sent a letter to the FTC commissioners urging collaboration, rather than an “extensive rulemaking process,” citing intellectual property rights as a thorny issue at the heart of Right to Repair.
It’s worth noting, however, that in the FTC’s report in May, which was the culmination of data gathered after the commission hosted a “Nixing the Fix” panel in 2019, the FTC said there was “scant evidence to support manufacturers’ justifications for repair restrictions.” The report detailed a number of instances in which manufacturers may have overstated the risks of thermal runaway (read: batteries catching fire) or personal data breaches tied to device repairs.
For now, the FTC’s policy statement is a giant underscore for existing laws, while dozens of states consider Right to Repair bills at the state level. The commission said today it would investigate repair restrictions both as potential violations of antitrust laws and from a consumer protection angle. The FTC is also encouraging the public to report warranty abuse—as defined by the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act of 1975, which prohibits manufacturers from telling consumers that a warranty is voided if the product has been altered or tampered with by someone other than the original manufacturer.
Jessa Jones, a repair expert who runs a business in upstate New York called iPad Rehab, and who claims to have fixed over 40,000 iPhones, urged the FTC to take the enforcement of the existing regulations seriously.
“Despite the anti-tying statement within the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, there’s still rampant disregard of the FTC rules,” Jones said during the public comments portion of the meeting. “Consumers and manufacturers alike still believe that you can void a warranty simply by opening a device.”
Link: wired.com |
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| From: NAG1 | 7/24/2021 11:01:26 PM | | | | | | Anecdotal report.
Just got back from a trip to Waco, Texas where my daughter is going to college this fall. Used Apple Maps because I was totally unfamiliar with everything, from the trip from the airport to Waco and all around Waco. Apple Maps has significantly improved and is very easy to navigate with. I was very happy with the changes. |
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| From: NAG1 | 7/26/2021 11:54:48 AM | | | | | | Going into earnings, here are the price targets for the analysts PED is following as well as what their recommendations are
ped30.com
Most seem positive on the stock, despite the potential headwinds coming from more regulation from the government. Some of the other articles in the past day or so on the PED30 site may be of interest as well |
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| From: NAG1 | 7/27/2021 10:00:17 AM | | | | | | From Ped30, here are the analysts estimates for Q3 for Apple
ped30.com
It seems like people are looking for around 75 billion in revenue and a buck a share in profit. As with the present market, how the narrative gets spun to push the price up or down after earnings is beyond me. People always try to take some clues from the CC since we haven’t seen guidance recently because of COVID. PED has an article this morning with the numbers from the independent Apple Analyst that has reported the highest numbers for the quarter, Neil Cybert. It would be nice if Apple could hit those numbers. |
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| To: NAG1 who wrote (210656) | 7/27/2021 4:38:55 PM | | From: yofal | | | | | Driven by better-than-expected iPhone sales, total revenue hit $81.43 billion, which was above analyst expectations of $73.30 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Earnings were $1.30 per share, above estimates of $1.01 per share, according to Refinitiv. |
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