### Issue 1661 - Monday 1st August, 2022

## In Today's Issue

- Creator of Imminent Monitor RAT arrested in Brisbane by AFP
- Blockade Australia activist given no encryption bail condition
- Samsung phones in Korea get "repair mode" to hide data during repair
- Antiwork manifesto sent to workplaces via hacked receipt printers
- Cheap PS5 camera, ThinkPad backpack, Lenovo tablet, Google & Apple gift cards, Herman Miller office chairs, Hifiman HE1000 V2 headphones, RX6900XT graphics card

## The News

### Creator of Imminent Monitor RAT arrested in Brisbane by AFP

Jacob Wayne John Keen was arrested by the AFP in Brisbane last week for selling a popular remote access trojan (aka RAT) called Imminent Monitor that he developed as a 15 year old, 9 years ago. The RAT allowed users to "steal victims' personal information, spy on them via webcams and microphones and track what they typed into emails or documents". Imminent Monitor was a hit with wife beaters and kiddie fiddlers, selling 14,500 copies globally via "a hacking forum". Old mate didn't earn much though - just $400,000 over the 9 years. All that talent and he chooses the most vile way to ply his trade and didn't make any decent coin off it. What a sad little loser.

### Blockade Australia activist given no encryption bail condition

Greg Rolles, a Blockade Australia activist, has been slapped with unusual bail conditions after his arrest for blocking traffic in Sydney as a protest against climate change inaction - "the defendant is prohibited from possessing or having access to an encrypted communications device and/or possessing an encrypted application/media application". The aim is to stop him chatting to his activist buddies on WhatsApp/Signal/etc that the cops can't intercept, but has the chilling side effect of technically preventing Greg from using the internet at all. Taken literally, it could be argued in court that simply using internet banking, online shopping or logging in to MyGov to do taxes is "access to an encrypted communications device". Cut off from the modern world just for protesting climate change.

### Samsung phones in Korea get "repair mode" to hide data during repair

Samsung's got a new feature on their Galaxy smartphones called "repair mode". The aim is to hide all your sensitive data from someone repairing the device. Don't want the people replacing a broken screen or dud battery to have your PIN to log in and test the device? Turn repair mode on, send the device off and "technicians can still poke around in your device and test everything, but they'll only see the default apps with blank data". When you get the device back, turn repair mode off and all your data is back. Don't know what happens if the screen doesn't work or device doesn't turn on, and it's only available in South Korea at the moment and only on the Galaxy S21, but still, good to see Samsung thinking of this.

## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Antiwork manifesto sent to workplaces via hacked receipt printers

I love a bit of tech-based civil disobediance and disorder, so reading this story of people fucking with unsecured receipt printers brings me joy. Dunno did it, but they sent "antiwork manifestos" - messages about worker empowerment, telling your boss to get fucked, strike for more money, etc - to receipt printers on unsecured networks. Why in God's name these things are on a public network is beyond me, but the printers are often in resturants or workplaces where workers are treated like slaves. The perfect place to inspire people to fuck shit up.

## Bargains

- PS5 HD Camera - $73.92 from Amazon
- ThinkPad 15.6-inch Basic Backpack - $26.73 from Lenovo
- Lenovo Tab P11 11" tablet (4GB RAM/128GB storage) - $379 from Amazon
- 10% off Google Play eGift cards from Amazon
- 20x Flybuys points on Apple gift cards (max 50,000 points per account) at Coles
- Used Herman Miller Mirra Task Chairs - $450 (pickup MEL) from Sustainable Office Solutions
- Hifiman HE1000 V2 Planar Magnetic Headphones - US$2299 from Amazon USA
- Gigabyte Radeon RX 6900 XT Gaming OC 16GB graphics card - $999 + delivery from Scorptec

## The End

📻 Human Condition - Pretty Sick

😎 The Sizzle is curated by Anthony "@decryption" Agius and emailed every weekday afternoon.

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## Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land

The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.