### Issue 2009 - Thursday 18th January, 2024

## In Today's Issue

- Huge collection of freshly stolen usernames and passwords are enabling widespread credential stuffing attacks
- Samsung Galaxy S24 phones are out and are full of AI features
- SA dept of education to trial locally assembled Chromebooks
- Microsoft shoves garbage tabloid news into Windows and it's impossible to disable
- Cheap AirTags, refurb Dell Latitude 5400, Optus phone plans, Audio-Technica USB mic, Sennheiser earbuds, 12m Kayo 4K sub, Motorola Edge 30 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max

## The News

### Huge collection of freshly stolen usernames and passwords are enabling widespread credential stuffing attacks

Normally new stuff added to Have I Been Pwned wouldn't rate a mention, but Troy has added a fresh set of data that features 71 million new email addresses and password pairs that were not on HIBP before today. This new dataset explains why there's been a recent increase in credential stuffing attacks at Aussie online retailers that's been picked up by mainstream media. Credential stuffing is simply taking usernames and passwords gained in one place and using them in a bunch of other places hoping to find an account where the user didn't have a unique password. When paired with e-commerce sites that store your credit card details, it's a boon for scammers who buy stuff online using a compromised account with a valid stored credit card, get it delivered to somewhere random (often a vacant house for sale) and enjoy the fruits of their minimal labor or sell the goods off for cash. I know it's a pain in the arse for most people, but you gotta use a different password for every website!

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### Samsung Galaxy S24 phones are out and are full of AI features

Samsung fans (I know there's a few of you reading this!) probably already know that the Galaxy S24 smartphone range is now a thing. Fancy cameras, faster SoCs - i.e: all the usual stuff you expect with flagship smartphones. Samsung's hype feature this year is "Galaxy AI", which sprinkles AI all over the place, like Live Translate "two-way, real-time voice and text translations live during phone calls", Chat Assist to "help perfect conversational tones to ensure communication sounds as it was intended" and with Circle to Search "you can circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap virtually anything on Galaxy S24's screen to see helpful, high-quality search results". You can pre-order now and the phones start shipping on Feb 7th. Amazon apparently has the best deal if you are after an outright device. Samsung also teased a "Galaxy Ring", some kinda health smart device thingy, but didn't say what it does, what it cost or when it will go on sale and it isn't even mentioned on their website or media centre.

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### SA dept of education to trial locally assembled Chromebooks

The SA Department of Education has started a trial of locally manufactured Chromebooks to give to kids at schools across the state. The bits are all made in China, but will be assembled in Australia by Allied, who "currently makes computers for video game enthusiasts from its Adelaide site". Allied will "initially just assemble the laptops using kits supplied by Google" but "as part of an expansion program, our plans would involve a new manufacturing facility that would involve robotics and automated processing, to move from assembly to advanced manufacturing". Apparently they can assemble over 100,000 Chromebooks a year already which would employ 500 people, but will start with only 60 that'll be given out at Cleve Area School and Murray Bridge High School in time for term 1. Seems to me like Allied got a licence from Google to make Chromebooks along with Asus, Acer, HP, etc and will get them made overseas then shipped to Australia to screw together so they can meet some local manufacturing requirements for a grant or procurement guideline???

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## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Microsoft shoves garbage tabloid news into Windows and it's impossible to disable

Despite being primarily a Mac user for over 20 years now, I don't hate Windows. It's a perfectly cromulent operating system. What really sets me off in a blind rage whenever I log on to a Windows computer is the absolute lack of respect they have for their user's attention. I'm sure we've all got our examples of how rude Windows is with cross-promotional product pop-ups or crapware from the factory, but mine is the goddamn low rate tabloid bullshit news Microsoft shoves in the Start Menu, in the task bar, on the Edge homepage and god knows where else. It's not even that I'm against news in these places, but the absolute rubbish quality of it and how difficult it is to turn off. It's an insult to everyone that uses Windows and I wish Microsoft would stop it.

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## Bargains

- Apple AirTag 4 Pack - $126.79 from digiDirect
- Refurb Dell Latitude 5400 laptop (14" 1080p, i5-8365U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) - $269.75 from Max Direct's eBay store
- Go on a $69/m or $99/m Optus plan at Officeworks and get $700 or $1000 off a new phone
- Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ microphone - $99 from JB Hi-Fi
- Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds - $299 from Amazon or Sennheiser
- 12-month Kayo Sports Basic (4K, 2 streams) plan - $231 via Ticketmaster & GWS Giants
- Motorola Edge 30 Pro 5G 128GB - $449 from JB Hi-Fi
- iPhone 15 Pro 256GB - $1937 at Amazon or Officeworks
- iPhone 15 Pro Max 256GB - $2087 at Amazon or Officeworks

## Image Of The Day

Section of integrated circuit, 10x magnification. Karl Deckart. (1990 Nikon Photomicrography Competition)

## The End

📻 No Reason (Chris Lake Remix) - The Chemical Brothers

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