| From: Frank Walker | 5/23/2024 7:52:09 PM | | | | | | My iPad 9 with 64GB notified me it could be updated from iPadOS 17.5 to 17.5.1. I decided to do the update, charge was 100% so I requested update with the iPad unplugged, which is allowed if you have a large charge. Message came back saying there was insufficient space for the update, but the free space was 7.17GB which seems enough.
Then I plugged the iPad in to power even though it was fully charged, and again requested the update, and this time the update proceeded normally. So it looks like the iPadOS update procedure has a minor bug. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Zen Dollar Round | 5/26/2024 2:51:04 PM | | | | | | Yet another Chrome zero-day patch (125.0.6422.113)
Chrome 125.0.6422.113 patches yet another critical, zero-day security flaw being actively exploited in Google’s web browser. Microsoft Edge and other Chromium-based browsers (e.g. Brave, Opera, Arc, and Chromium itself) will also need the critical patches.
Google fixes eighth actively exploited Chrome zero-day this year
Google has released a new emergency security update to address the eighth zero-day vulnerability in Chrome browser confirmed to be actively exploited in the wild. … “Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2024-5274 exists in the wild,” the company said in the security advisory. … CVE-2024-5274 is the eighth actively exploited vulnerability that Google fixed in Chrome since the beginning of the year, and the third this month.
Chromium, the open-source web browser project on which Google Chrome and other browsers are built – and available for Linux, macOS, iOS, and Windows – doesn’t include Google’s proprietary alterations, such as Google’s tracking mechanisms.
Additional links:
|
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Zen Dollar Round | 6/6/2024 7:56:59 PM | | | | | | Bartender acquisition issues
The stealthy sale of Bartender, an exceptionally useful macOS utility, has raised concerns about privacy and security, given Bartender’s special security entitlements, a lack of transparency from the company that bought it, subsequent changes to the app, and general concern about the potential for malicious updates after software acquisitions.
Bartender app’s new owner has burnt years of good-will with a lack of transparency
Popular app Bartender was quietly bought, and a shady certificate replacement, insertion of invasive telemetry, and a lack of transparent responses by the new owners has shaken confidence in the Mac community
PSA: Bartender Mac App Under New Ownership, But Lack of Transparency Raises Concerns
Popular Mac app Bartender appears to have been quietly sold approximately two months ago, with neither the prior owner nor the current owner providing customers or potential customers with information on the sale. The transaction came to light after some Reddit users saw a warning from MacUpdater letting them know that the company behind Bartender had been silently replaced. MacUpdater warned users that updates to the app from version 5.0.52 could be potentially unsafe due to the lack of transparency surrounding the situation.
…
Apps get bought all the time, and certificate shifts happen frequently. What is less common is the total lack of transparency by the buyer. The lack of a “goodbye” post from the original developer is unusual, but tied with the actions of the new owner, there are more questions than answers — and the answers that exist are hazy and not good for users.
At the moment, AppleInsider recommends that users either keep the 5.0.48 version that lacks the telemetry, until at the very least the new developer is more forthcoming. We are expecting a shift to a subscription model given the new owners’ modus operandi, and in-app purchase prices have already increased.
A New Chapter for Bartender
After the release of Bartender 5, I came to the realization that supporting all the users and maintaining the app at the high standard I expect and you deserve was too much for one person. It required a dedicated team that could provide continuous support, innovate, and keep up with the fast-evolving macOS landscape. This realization led me to make a difficult decision. Three months ago, I sold Bartender to Applause…
Link: macintouch.com
------------------------
ZDR's Take: I've used Bartender for years and have found it very useful for managing the macOS menu bar, so this is certainly a disturbing issue. Luckily I'm still using version 4 and did not upgrade to version 5, and I will continue to use version 4 it until it doesn't work.
In my next post (replying to this one) I'll highlight the other issue with past Mac malware as posted on the same MacInTouch page this story was linked on. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Zen Dollar Round who wrote (6476) | 6/6/2024 8:01:02 PM | | From: Zen Dollar Round | | | | Here are some stories for context about past macOS malware as related to my previous post about the acquisition of the Bartender app and related security concerns:
Transmission hijacked again to spread malware
In March, the website of the Transmission torrent client was hacked, and a maliciously-altered copy of Transmission was uploaded in place of the real one. That incident was very well-publicized, as the malware being distributed this way was the KeRanger ransomware, which is currently the only real ransomware ever to affect the Mac platform. Almost exactly six months later, the story has repeated. Transmission has once again become a vector for the transmission of malware – in this case, a new variant of the Keydnap backdoor.
HandBrake hacked to drop new variant of Proton malware
Last year, the Transmission torrent app was hacked not just once, but twice, to install the KeRanger ransomware and, later, the Keydnap backdoor. Now, the same thing has happened to the popular DVD-ripping HandBrake app, which is installing a new variant of the Proton malware.
Trend Micro apologises after Mac apps found scooping up users’ browser history
In its advisory, Trend Micro confirmed researchers’ findings that products such as Dr Cleaner, Dr Cleaner Pro, Dr Antivirus, Dr Unarchiver, Dr Battery, and Duplicate Finder were snaffling users’ browser history… The discovery of the apps’ behaviour resulted in them being kicked out of the Mac App Store (for now at least).
Mac App Store apps are stealing user data
There is a concerning trend lately in the Mac App Store. Several security researchers have independently found different apps that are collecting sensitive user data and uploading it to servers controlled by the developer. (This is referred to as exfiltrating the data.) Some of this data is actually being sent to Chinese servers, which may not be subject to the same stringent requirements around storage and protection of personally identifiable information like organizations based in the US or EU.
Apple Finally Boots Sneaky Adware Doctor App from Mac App Store
Apple was initially alerted to the rogue app in early August – over a month ago. But it appears, only after faced with public scrutiny, did Apple remove the app. The app, which cost $5, was listed on Apple’s Mac App Store as the company’s fourth-highest “Top Paid” software program. Researchers said the app violates Apple’s sandboxing security policies by surreptitiously copying a user’s entire browser history and cookies and sending both to a China-based domain. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Zen Dollar Round | 6/7/2024 4:25:45 PM | | | | | | Netflix is ending support for older Apple TV models
Affected customers must either upgrade their Apple TV model or buy a Roku.
By Chance Townsend on June 5, 2024
Netflix has announced that it will discontinue support for older Apple TV models starting July 31. The streaming giant cited the need to "maintain the best possible Netflix experience" for devices capable of supporting the latest features and updates, according to Mac Rumors.
The models affected are the second- and third-gen Apple TVs. Because both models ran on an early version of iOS that predates tvOS and lacks an App Store, Apple classified the devices as obsolete. Consequently, they no longer receive updates.
The former device was released in 2010 and is powered by an A4 chip and offers up to 720p resolution. Apple sold this model until 2012, when it was replaced by the third-generation Apple TV, featuring an A5 chip and 1080p support.
The news of Netflix discontinuing support for older Apple TV devices comes months after reports told us to expect another series of price increases in 2024. The streaming service last raised prices in October 2023, increasing the basic plan from $9.99 to $11.99.
Netflix will remain accessible on the Apple TV HD (fourth-gen model) and Apple TV 4K models. Outside of upgrading to a new Apple TV device, Netflix recommends switching to compatible smart TVs or Roku devices.
Link: mashable.com |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Zen Dollar Round | 6/14/2024 11:47:30 PM | | | | | | Adobe abuse issues
While Adobe has been making great piles of profits with a virtual monopoly on the creative market, it has alienated communities that made the company a success, implementing policies seen as abusive, and more furors erupted recently over Adobe’s handling of AI and intellectual property.
Adobe Has Made It Too Easy to Hate Them
Another week, another public relations nightmare for Adobe. While not every controversy is Adobe’s fault, each is understandable in the larger context: Adobe lost people’s trust a while ago, and everything it does is under a microscope. Just over a month ago, an Adobe exec called AI the “new digital camera.” Simultaneously, an Adobe marketing campaign chucked photographers under the bus, and not for the first time, which caught the attention of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP). At the very top of Adobe, there is a concerning and frustrating lack of understanding about art and the people who make it.
Adobe’s Employees Are Just As Upset at the Company As Its Users…
Adobe’s employees are typically of the same opinion of the company as its users, having internally already expressed concern that AI could kill the jobs of their customers. That continued this week in internal discussions, where exasperated employees implored leadership to not let it be the “evil” company customers think it is. This past week, Adobe became the subject of a public relations firestorm after it pushed an update to its terms of service that many users saw at best as overly aggressive and at worst as a rights grab.
Adobe’s controversial cancellation policy under FTC investigation
Adobe could face severe fines after it was revealed that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is conducting an ongoing investigation into the company’s cancellation policies. Users claim that Adobe’s unsubscribing process is overly complicated and includes unfair additional fees, leading the FTC to issue a subpoena to the brand in June 2022.
Adobe needs to stop behaving badly
I just wrote a pissed off feedback message in their unsubscribe page last night. I accidentally signed up for a “yearly subscription that bills monthly”… I misread it and thought it was just a monthly subscription.. and get this.. if I cancel early I get billed the full yearly amount…. AND there is no way to turn off auto renew.. so now I have to set my own reminder at the end of year to cancel my subscription, and if I forget I need to pay for another “yearly subscription billed monthly”.. that I cannot cancel without a fee.
Abusive BullSh**
Adobe embroiled in anti-trust issues…
The San Jose, California-based company said in a regulatory filing that since June 2022 it has been cooperating with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in response to a civil investigative demand seeking information regarding its disclosure and subscription cancellation practices. … Adobe’s $20 billion buyout of cloud-based designer platform Figma has also been probed by Britain’s competition regulator.
Link: macintouch.com |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| From: Zen Dollar Round | 6/19/2024 1:03:12 PM | | | | | | Mac shopping aids
Apple has some simple Mac shopping aids among its website marketing materials.
Apple’s Mac refurb store offers discounts, a 1-year warranty, and a 14-day return policy.
AppleInsider has helpful price/discount guides.
-----------
I have used the AppleInsider price guide many times over the years to find the best deals on particular Mac models, it's a very good resource. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| To: Zen Dollar Round who wrote (6166) | 6/19/2024 5:28:00 PM | | From: Broken_Clock | | | | Have you ever encountered glitches with Ventura 13.2.1[Apple M1 pro 16"] as follows?
When opening a pdf from email Preview declares the doc is password protected. This can also happen at odd times after user created pdf files that I did not 'protect' and Preview won't even let me copy and past a few words from it.
I can sometimes manipulate it to the print dialogue window and then use the PDF button to export it to a file or desktop then reopen it in Preview and it works as it should.
I also use Mac Mail and when left open for a few hours it will import various emails at random back to my inbox. I can't refile those. I have to close mail the reopen to regain the 'move message' function...
Been this way since i bought the computer maybe 18 months ago. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Broken_Clock who wrote (6481) | 6/20/2024 8:23:09 AM | | From: Zen Dollar Round | | | | I've not run into either of those issues nor have I heard of anyone else having those problems.
You should install the latest version of Ventura, which is 13.6.7, it's possible those were bugs that have been fixed, especially the Apple Mail one. Version 13.2.1 you're using is still early in the release history. You will also get the many security updates that have been released since then.
You could also upgrade to Sonoma, but I have not done so yet and will probably wait until Sequoia is released in the fall.
Have you tried installed Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDFs and see if the same issue exists? I generally don't recommend using it due to frequent security issues since Preview is usually enough, but it may solve that problem for you. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| From: Zen Dollar Round | 6/26/2024 7:17:01 PM | | | | | | Did anyone else here use the iOS Dark Sky app before Apple purchased it and incorporated it into the iOS Weather app?
I was always amazed at how accurate Dark Sky was, especially the notifications like "Light rain starting at your location in 11 minutes and expected to last until 3:20PM" and similar.
It was rare when Dark Sky was off more than a minute or when precipitation didn't happen as expected. Truly one of the best apps I've ever used on iOS.
I find the Weather app is seldom correct with its similar notifications. Sort of shocking how poor it is in comparison.
I can only guess Apple uses different data sources than Dark Sky did and they're far less accurate.
The rest of the Weather app is nice, it has a nice GUI, it's easy to use, and other data seems far more reliable.
Some people have recommended apps like CARROT Weather or Ventusky to replace Dark Sky, but they have subscription fees and there's no way I'm paying that for a weather app. I hate software subscriptions. |
| | Apple Product Help | Pastime Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| |
