TLDR: Security flaw in Linux utility exposed by Microsoft developer; Amazon revises cashierless store strategy; Google settles over incognito mode data; Qualcomm outperforms Intel; TSMC earthquake recovery.
This article is a summary of a You Tube video “The Linux Hack was an inside job…” by TechLinked
Key Takeaways:
- Serious Security Breach: A critical security vulnerability was discovered in a popular Linux compression utility, potentially allowing unauthorized remote access through SSH authentication.
- Discovery by Andres Frey: The backdoor in the xed (XZ) utilities was identified by Andres Frey, a Microsoft employee who also contributes to PostgreSQL, thanks to his diligent benchmarking during an Easter weekend.
- Potential Disaster Averted: The malicious code was detected before it could be incorporated into the production release of major Linux distributions but had already appeared in beta versions of Fedora Rawhide and Debian, as well as a stable release of Arch Linux.
- Insider Involvement Suspected: The backdoor seems to have been introduced by a primary developer of XZ utilities, known online as G t75, raising suspicions of a long-term plan to gain invasive system access.
- Amazon’s Cashierless System: Amazon’s attempt at a cashierless checkout in its Fresh grocery stores relied heavily on human reviewers, contradicting the fully automated concept.
- Google’s Incognito Mode Settlement: Google agreed to delete a massive amount of web browsing data collected under Chrome’s incognito mode, facing a lawsuit over privacy concerns.
- Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite: New benchmarks revealed Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon X Elite processors outperforming competitors, including Intel and AMD, in efficiency and speed.
- TSMC’s Rapid Recovery: Following Taiwan’s most potent earthquake in 25 years, TSMC managed to resume most of its operations quickly, highlighting the global dependency on Taiwanese semiconductor production.
- Virtual Fences in Australia: To address the issue of car collisions with kangaroos, Australia is experimenting with virtual fences that use lights and sounds to deter animals from roads.
- Space Debris Incident: A piece of metal, allegedly discarded from the International Space Station, damaged a home in Naples, Florida, highlighting the risks of space debris.
