Episodes
Both Apple and Microsoft have patched a lot of security vulnerabilities in updates to their operating systems. A new scam uses AI to put the squeeze on victims. Info from a years-old AT&T data breach has been made public and data from 10s of millions of users has been exposed. And Apple has said that the RCS messaging protocol is coming to its operating systems later this year. Just how many messaging protocols is too many?
Show Notes:
From the Department of Spending Tim Cook’s...
Published 04/11/24
Apple calls old devices "obsolete" and "vintage;” what exactly do these terms mean? Alternative iPhone app stores will soon be available in Europe and new details suggest that some extra effort will be required from users. And all of Apple's M-series processors all have a newly discovered vulnerability that can't be patched without some compromises on speed.
Show Notes:
The Founding of Apple Computer, Inc.
Google Gets the Message, Launches Gmail
Apple Says iPhone 6 Plus Now...
Published 04/04/24
New MacOS updates with fixes arrived this week: we’ve got some details. Rumors of an Apple Ring compelled us to look into the market-leading Oura ring. A security setting for Apple's Journal app has generated some confusion: we’ll try to straighten things out. And the dates for Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference have been announced. We'll have some guesses of what might be coming.
Show Notes:
WWDC 24
U.S. Sues Apple, Accusing It of Maintaining an iPhone Monopoly
For the...
Published 03/28/24
"Update-a-phobia". When do potential bugs in new system software updates outweigh the safety of new security patches? Apple faces a class action lawsuit that complains about its iCloud and backup limitations. And what will the iOS landscape look like if Apple has to permit third-party app stores throughout the world?
Show Notes:
Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh
macOS Sonoma 14.4: Reasons Not to Update
Apple: Manuals, Specs, and Downloads
Apple hit with class action lawsuit over...
Published 03/21/24
Apple's latest macOS release patches 68 vulnerabilities, and that's a lot. The latest GarageBand update contains a quiet and un-noted security fix. Prevent your IP address from being detected in messaging apps; why that's a good idea. And we share some speculation on future iPads that Apple might have in the pipeline.
Show Notes:
Apple patches security flaw in GarageBand 10.4.11 for macOS Sonoma, Ventura
Base Model M3 MacBook Air Has Faster SSD Speeds After Controversy With Previous...
Published 03/14/24
iOS and iPadOS updates bring security fixes and changes for iPhone users in the European Union. Those changes include Alternative App Marketplaces, AKA third-party app stores, on iOS, and Apple’s approach puts user security at risk.
Show Notes:
Update now: iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 fix at least 2 zero-day vulnerabilities
iOS 17.4 brings changes to iOS App Store, browsers, contactless payments in the EU
Apple Terminated Epic’s Developer Account - Epic Games
How to choose the right Mac for...
Published 03/07/24
Stealer malware continues to spawn variants, poisoning ad-search platforms and hijacking cryptocurrency wallets. How much is actually being done to detect and neutralize Stealer related wrongdoing? App subscription scams on the App Store are on the increase: what's Apple doing about it? And the Apple Car project has ended. What will Apple be working on next instead?
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Atomic macOS Stealer (AtomicStealer, AMOS) is still active, spreading via Google Ads
App Store/Google Play...
Published 02/29/24
A hacker group known as Wicked Panda experiences its own data breach of collected data. What exactly happens when the hackers get hacked? The US Department of Justice quietly shuts down Russian malware installed on US routers. The Signal messaging app introduces usernames to replace phone numbers in its latest beta. And Apple is giving the Music app the ability to import your playlists from Spotify.
Show Notes:
A first analysis of the i-Soon data leak
LockBit ransomware disrupted by...
Published 02/22/24
Why was Apple slow to remove a dangerous fake app copycat from the App Store? EU regulators change their tune on iMessage. Apple finally releases new media apps for Windows users. And the Vision Pro is shipping; we tried it out in an Apple Store.
Show Notes:
New Stealthy "RustDoor" Backdoor Targeting Apple macOS Devices
Apple distributed a fake LastPass Password Manager in the App Store
Apple officially splits up iTunes for Windows into separate apps
Apple's iMessage Avoids EU's...
Published 02/15/24
Apple attributes a hacker with a discovery of a vulnerability just after he's arrested for hacking and scamming Apple. Researchers in Cupertino have created a new AI model that assists with image editing; is it coming to Apple’s Photos app? And the Digital Markets Act takes effect in the EU soon. What differences can European iPhone users expect when it comes to buying and downloading software?
Show Notes:
Apple patches first “exploited” vulnerability in visionOS 1.0.2
Security...
Published 02/08/24
We take a close look at the malware that has affected the Mac, iPhone, and iPad in 2023, and highlight which types of malware are likely to be common in 2024.
Show Notes:
The Mac and iPhone malware of 2023 — and what to expect in 2024
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Published 02/01/24
We take a look at the latest security patches released in Apple's newest operating system updates, and explains how Apple's new Stolen Device Protection feature for iPhone can keep your data safe. A popular brand of Wi-Fi router just got important security enhancements for its firmware: we’ll tell you what to check. And we have a look back at the Mac on the 40th anniversary of Apple's Macintosh computer.
Show Notes:
Apple patches 1st in-the-wild exploited bug of 2024 in macOS Sonoma...
Published 01/25/24
Apple issues an security patch for its Magic Keyboard. It turns out that Google Chrome's Incognito Mode is not so incognito. AppleCoin, more invoice phishing, and Amazon delivery hacks: they're all scams in this week's ScamWatch. And app sideloading is coming to iPhones in EU countries.
Show Notes:
Magic Keyboard Firmware Update 2.0.6
Apple Releasing iOS 17.3 Next Week With These New Features
Apple GPU security flaw in iPhone 12 and M2 MacBook Air
LeftoverLocals: Listening to LLM...
Published 01/18/24
Apple's latest response to the EU's anti-trust regulators could be a bit of a stretch. A Chinese group claims to have been able to hack Apple's AirDrop, a shocker if true. Password manager LastPass makes its passwords more secure, something experts say should have been done a long time ago. And new gear is in the spotlight as CES gets underway and Apple gets ready for the debut of its Vision Pro headset.
Show Notes:
Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit
Samsung’s Ballie robot is...
Published 01/11/24
A new Link History setting in the Facebook mobile app has a big catch buried in the small print. Some important open source software on macOS hasn't been updated by Apple despite known vulnerabilities. Stealer malware and session cookie theft continues to be a problem in the new year. And we have a look back at some of the security stories we covered in 2023.
Show Notes:
How to Turn Off Facebook’s Link History Data-Gathering Tool
Nearly 11 million SSH servers vulnerable to new...
Published 01/04/24
The Apple Watch gets a reprieve, for a short time anyway. Japan is following the EU's lead by considering a law forcing Apple to allow sideloading on iPhones. Auto manufacturers are already announcing next generation CarPlay features. And we discuss reports of a rumored sooner-than-later release of Apple's new Vision Pro.
Show Notes:
Urgent: New Chrome Zero-Day Vulnerability Exploited in the Wild - Update ASAP
Japan Preparing EU-Style Law to Force Apple to Allow App Sideloading and...
Published 12/28/23
Two Apple Watch models are no longer for sale in the US. We'll tell you why. macOS and iOS got fixes in some fast updates this week. A quick how-to on removing your posts from social media services, and some tips on dictation and Predictive Text, both of which have been improved in the latest Apple operating systems.
Show Notes:
Apple is reportedly scrambling to update Apple Watch software to avoid a looming ban
About the security content of macOS Sonoma 14.2.1
iOS 17.2.1 Release...
Published 12/21/23
New updates for Apple's operating systems contain security fixes and new features. But a few promised new features didn't make it this trip. And we have a discussion about messaging on Android. Should Apple provide an iMessage app for Android?
Show Notes:
Messenger is finally getting end-to-end encryption by default
Beeper Mini is broken, with iMessage not sending or receiving just days after launch
Apple confirms that it shut down Beeper Mini’s iMessage for Android, and will...
Published 12/14/23
Fake loan apps aren't getting removed from the Apple App Store fast enough, and scammers continue to prey on users. Push notifications can be hacked to grab your personal information; we explain how it's being done by government agencies. And we take a look at a newly discovered technique that can fool users of Apple's Lockdown Mode.
Show Notes:
Expert Warns of Turtle macOS Ransomware
Fraud loan app ranks #1 in App Store search results in India after just 3 days
Governments spying on...
Published 12/07/23
The Chrome browser just got another update with security patches for serious vulnerabilities. A new Bluetooth vulnerability has been discovered that could allow hackers to listen in on your personal audio. And how much personal information are you actually transmitting when you share your contact info using Apple's Name Drop feature?
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Google Chrome emergency update fixes 6th zero-day exploited in 2023
New BLUFFS attack lets attackers hijack Bluetooth connections
North Korean...
Published 11/30/23
RCS, the messaging protocol used by Android, is coming to the Apple iPhone. How will it affect your messaging habits? The Nothing phone we talked about last week has failed miserably. And alarmingly. And new Apple patents suggest some interesting new iPhone features that can prevent spying.
Show Notes:
Apple extends Emergency SOS via satellite for an additional free year for existing iPhone 14 users
Apple announces that RCS support is coming to iPhone next year
RCS messages will use...
Published 11/23/23
Has Apple dropped the ball on providing a security patch for a popular macOS command line too? A user receives a counterfeit phone instead of an iPhone, but in a way that even Houdini might have had trouble making happen. And some tips on shopping for tech devices safely and securely during Black Friday sales.
Show Notes:
Apple neglects to patch multiple critical vulnerabilities in macOS
Nothing is bringing iMessage to its Android phone
Apple discontinues sales of last macOS install...
Published 11/16/23
Apple has updated many of its operating systems, but there don't seem to be any security fixes. Can we be sure? We also discuss BlueNoroff hackers, Google deleting unused accounts, and new AI tools, including Grok, and how there are already scam apps pretending to offer access to it.
Show Notes:
Apple releases macOS Sonoma 14.1.1, iOS 17.1.1, and more—but no security updates
BlueNoroff hackers backdoor Macs with new ObjCShellz malware
There is no Apple Silicon iMac 27-inch coming
The...
Published 11/09/23
Apple has updated all its operating systems again, the company introduced new M3 chips and upgraded MacBook Pros and iMacs, and we discuss how Apple's product line is not to big, not too small, just about right.
Show Notes:
Apple releases macOS Sonoma 14.1, iOS 17.1, and more, with security updates
Apple Introduces M3 Family of Chips, Upgrades MacBook Pro and iMac
Behind the scenes at Scary Fast: Apple’s keynote event shot on iPhone and edited on Mac
Here's why Apple is flying a pirate...
Published 11/02/23