RSnake Report 20240921

Exploding walkie talkies, ammo depot debrief, etc.

Author

Robert RSnake Hansen
September 21, 2024

Table of Contents

Hello, and thanks for reading! We got a lot of feedback on the newsletter over the last week, and the reviews are great! It looks like we are making waves already, and honestly, we’ve just begun to tickle the dragon in terms of what we can do with the automation to pull in more relevant news. It has been a whirlwind of a week, but I think it is best if we jump right in.

“actual footage”

Let’s start with Russia/Ukraine. There are many more scenes from the ammo depot in Toropets (and here). But while the attack was rather spectacular, it may have been due, in large part, to corruption. It was claimed that this particular ammo depot would be able to protect from nuclear strikes. Clearly not. This just shows how bad corruption actually is in wartime. It’s not just a few dollars missing here and there, it is the difference between billions of dollars in arms and a massive uncontrolled cascading detonation. It is alleged that the Ukrainians used 100+ drones for this mission.

“tens of thousands of tons of missiles”

There was a second enormous explosion in Russia as well last night. Details are a little thin at the moment, but it appears to be another huge ammunition depot in Tikhoretsk. If true, that belays concern that Russia has already started to reposition ammunition and that there are no more stockpiles left to hit, so there should be no need to use long-range Western weapons since there are no more ultra-valuable military targets. Seems incorrect! There were also reports of a third ammo depot being hit - the 23rd arsenal in the Tver region. So, I think Russia is failing to learn its lesson time and time again. But at least in the case of Tikhoretsk, it is theorized that it may actually be the largest magazine of shells in the Russian army that just got destroyed. We’ll see how this plays out on the battlefield, and if Russia becomes noticeably degraded.

In more unserious state-sponsored news coming from Russia, it now says it reserves the right to nuke itself, which is funny because just a few days ago Russia said we were the ones who couldn't be trusted with nukes in the last newsletter, if you recall. This seems to be coming as more significant degrees of desperation take hold. It can be seen in a great number of areas. For instance, there are far fewer police officers in Russia than needed. That means petty crime and state crimes are going to become a lot more rampant as response times go up and police have fewer resources to commit even egregious crimes, and the reason for it is that the police know they can make more by signing up for military service. Oh, and that leaves the least ethical cops behind, btw - the ones who are more likely to torture people.

“right to respond to any massive attack on our territory with a nuclear strike.”

There was also a huge mattress and bedding factory fire. This store wasn’t like a retail outlet; it was an enormous store, and it looked like it may take a lot of work to put it out as a result, further taxing otherwise beleaguered firefighting teams. The building is huge.

“largest mattress & bedding warehouse in the country”

Speaking of signing up for the Russian military, the Russians have rolled out a new draft system website. Just as soon as it was announced there, it was reported that there is a possibility a vulnerability was discovered, allowing researchers to know PII details about soldiers in the system. Ouch.

“vulnerably in Russia’s electronic conscription summons database.”

There was another nice thread about the thermite FPV drones, but this one had a lovely closeup of what the drones look like and the process of setting them up that was worth a watch. In other drone news, there is an instance that may have been one of the first documented uses of the Ukrainian Palyanytsya missile. There is more info on it here. There’s also theories it was possibly western missiles, or even a modified Neptune missile.

Either way, some of these attacks are over 700 miles from the border, meaning these could have been launched from within Russia. In related news, there was a very sobering write-up on being a drone operator on the front lines in Ukraine. One of the greatest threats is returning drones that are of higher value that are reusable, like ISR drones. As a result, I guess the kamikaze drone beat is a lot safer than recon. There was another cool video of a drone destroying mines though - a different sort of one-way mission for those less interested in killing, in favor of protecting.

In economic news, frozen Russian funds are now being diverted back to Ukrainian war efforts. This is funding munitions and new military vehicles like the self-driving howitzers. Also, in more bad news for Russia, their bonds are not selling. That means they won’t be able to pay down their debts and will have to risk diverting funds from other places to pay down their debts. They have only just passed 50% of their goal, and there is only a quarter left in the year. They’re likely going to miss by at least 25% by the looks of it. At least.

“50% of their goal for the year.”

Lastly, Russia announced their new Lada Niva car for the gearheads. But the video hilariously shows that the screen juts out too far, and the gear shift can’t go into first gear because the screen is in the way. The advice? No sweat - bend the gear shift. The Lada Niva could be yours for 1.3 million Rubles (around USD 14k). You may have a little trouble getting it off the lot, though.

In European news, the EU Parliament called on EU nations to lift restrictions on using Western weapons against Russia. Now, the US appears to be the only holdout. Though there may be some other rather unsettling reasons why - we may actually be very low on certain munitions as well. In case you were wondering about the rhetoric being used in this change of policy, some are citing the danger of Ukraine not having power this winter as the justification to use long-range ballistic missiles against Russia. There is more concerns about Ukraine’s nuclear power plants being targeted to speed up the decay of power in the coldest months.

“immediately lift restrictions”

In South East Asia, where China decided to sail an aircraft carrier and two support ships between some Japanese Islands. Vietnam, for its part, has stepped up and is building a large 692-acre island in the Spratly Islands. John Dickson’s prediction that one day we would know a lot more about the Spratly Islands may turn out to be true. I hope he’s wrong.

Onto the Middle East. There was a ton of misinformation flying around about solar panels blowing up and all kinds of nonsense and rumors, and nothing substantiated. From what I can tell there was a new spat of explosions from Baofeng-branded walkie-talkies (more here and an actual detonation seen at a funeral here). There are several photos of partially destroyed Baofangs floating around. Still beyond that, I have not seen good evidence of how this happened, and they are in excellent condition for having been blown up.

“Baofeng communication devices exploded”

Purportedly, this was a more minor wave of attacks, attacking about a tenth as many people as the original pager attack, but more deadly, killing slightly more at approximately 20. This has had the effect of severely degrading comms for Hezbollah. What comms can they trust now, exactly? The current thinking with the pagers is not that they were intercepted but that Israel manufactured them. The current thing I am hearing is that this was something that I had conceived of more than a decade ago and had worked on for years. So, who knows what we might see in decades to come! It has been suggested that 8200 was reportedly involved in part of the testing phase.

Iran has said it is going to respond to the pager attacks, but it's unclear why they feel they need to respond to Israel attacking Hezbollah unless... they ARE Hezbollah. 🙄 Oh, yeah, and the Hezbollah fighters are heading to Iran for treatment. I am sure that is just a coincidence. I mean, does anyone believe they aren’t paid, trained, and armed Iranian mercenaries at this point?

“heading to Iran for treatment”

But I suspect this is really just the lead-up to a larger conflict in Lebanon. Israel is amassing tanks on the border with Lebanon at the same time that Hezbollah lost several key leaders, including the top two. And Hezbollah launched more rockets. One interesting comment I saw was that they would have launched a lot more if they could have. There were 100-130 launched and many interceptions - do we believe they wouldn’t have launched 10x or 100x that if they could? I think not. Hezbollah isn’t measured; they are launching what they can or think they can get away with.

“a large number of tanks and armored vehicles”



In Yemen, the Houthi’s air defense was able to shoot down yet another MQ-9 Reaper drone. We have only admitted to two, but I have heard rumors that it might be more like 7 so far. That’s a lot of costly US hardware getting blown up. It's better than losing pilots, but each Reaper is $4-5M, approximately.

Onto south of the border where Columbian cartels have been caught with very sophisticated mortars on top of trucks, using simple tubes held in place with sand. You might have seen this in the 1800s, but it was only mobile in some ways. It turns out that it doesn’t take much to make a very low-tech but deadly bomb-thrower.

“gas cylinder mortars with propane gas bombs”

Onto domestic news, where shipbuilding is at risk due to a six-month stopgap defense spending bill and might also impact recruiting. This is coming when we are lagging almost to a standstill in shipbuilding compared to China, which builds more than 1,000 vessels annually. However, there does seem to be some renewed interest in rebooting the US Navy, which is encouraging. I hope it’s not too little too late. There is an interesting article on going to war with the PRC, using partners in the region, like Vietnam and others. China says they need to be ready for war by 2027. That’s not enough time to get our ducks in a row.

In presidential news, Trump’s campaign was hacked by Iran. Not just that, but then the Biden campaign was sent the emails. I know you are asking yourself why Biden didn’t come out and tell the US public. Maybe he forgot? 🤷 In related news, 17% of Americans (28% of Democrats and 7% of Republicans) think the United States would have been better off if Trump had been assassinated. That’s pretty sobering that so many Americans believe assassination is a good outcome and that more than a quarter of Democrats favor murder of a political candidate. Of course, the sample size was only 1,000 respondents, so I hope it was just a bad poll, but if not…

“Iranian malicious cyber threat actors sent unsolicited emails over summer to Biden campaign”

There were huge pro-Jihad protests at UNC Chapel Hill. The protesters defaced a ROTC building, pulled down the flag, and replaced it with a Palestinian flag (at half mast). I am waiting to see if there are any ramifications, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is interested in stopping protesters these days. Not even when they write “Death to U.S.” which some might consider a call to violence…. I mean, not me obviously. 👀 

Okay, onto the articles!

Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians across Gaza, including children, as tanks advance deeper into Rafah and airstrikes continue. The attacks have resulted in significant destruction and loss of life, with multiple families buried under the rubble. The situation remains critical as fighting between Hamas and Israel intensifies.

  • Israeli forces have killed at least 27 Palestinians, including children, in tank and air attacks across Gaza.

  • Tanks advanced further into northwest Rafah near the border with Egypt, while airstrikes hit multiple areas of Gaza, resulting in significant destruction and loss of life.

  • The conflict has resulted in over 41,000 Palestinian casualties, including nearly the entire population of 2.3 million being displaced, according to local health ministry reports.

Aljazeera breathlessly reports this but completely utterly fails to remember how the war began or the mantra of “from the river to the sea.” A good friend of mine told me, "yes, it’s terrible that people will die, but it’s going to have to be however many it takes to make one side lose.” Right now Hamas isn’t ready to lose. If 72 virgins in the afterlife incentivize them, and a parade in their honor and money for their family, it’s going to be next to impossible to negotiate. Not to mention, an estimated 44% of Palestinian marriages are amongst family members (22.6% amongst first cousins) likely having a huge effect on reasoning and aggression amongst the inbred. Friendly reminder - don’t do cousin stuff.

The “insane” faction of the government is engaged in a war against the people, depriving them of livelihoods and freedoms, while the Democratic Party and news media are complicit in this effort to maintain power and control.

  • The insane faction of the government is using election lawfare and voter roll stuffing to maintain power

  • The use of computerized ballot-counting machines and mail-in ballots is being used to enable election fraud

  • There are alleged assassination plots targeting President Trump and a growing sense of desperation among the coalition of the insane

There is a growing middle-class movement called the Unity Party. I have no idea if this will gain traction, but there are massive political headwinds against any third party.

Explosions from devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon have resulted in at least 32 deaths and over 3,300 injuries, with indications that Israeli intelligence may be behind these attacks targeting Hezbollah. The events have instilled widespread fear and paranoia among both Hezbollah operatives and the general Lebanese population regarding the safety of electronic communication devices.

  • Explosive devices were hidden in communication gadgets, leading to significant casualties among Hezbollah and civilians.

  • These attacks have created a climate of fear and distrust towards technology among the Lebanese population.

The number of injured keeps rising. I think it’s likely quite a few of the people with pagers were underground when it happened, making for much longer response times for those individuals

Two companies have unveiled a new armored mortar variant at an exhibition in the UK, featuring state-of-the-art technology and increased battlefield effectiveness. The variant is designed to enhance firepower and survivability on the battlefield, with capabilities including high rates of fire, direct and indirect fire, and extended range. This marks a significant leap forward in military technology.

  • The UK's armed forces have been provided with cutting-edge equipment, featuring state-of-the-art Patria NEMO 120mm mortar and a reconfigurable integrated-weapons platform.

  • The new armored mortar variant has capabilities including high rates of fire, direct and indirect fire, and extended range, making it more effective on the battlefield.

This looks light and nimble, and perhaps well suited for fast close fire support.

Russia continues to bomb Ukraine's energy infrastructure and residential areas, causing casualties and damage. The Ukrainian air force claims to have shot down all Russian drones and missiles in recent attacks. International funding for Ukraine's energy needs is expected to increase.

  • Russia bombs a nursing home in the northeastern city of Sumy, killing at least one person and injuring 13.

  • Russian forces have shelled Ukraine's Zaporizhia region 161 times in the previous 24 hours, damaging infrastructure facilities and residential buildings.

  • The Ukrainian air force claims to have shot down all Russian drones and missiles used in attacks on Thursday.

All is a very strong claim here. There are definitely missiles making it into certain areas. Don’t believe the hype but, it is possible their air defense is strengthening.

Israeli soldiers were involved in a raid that resulted in the deaths of at least five Palestinians, with video footage showing bodies being pushed off a roof. The Israeli military also fired on journalists filming from a nearby building. The incident occurred in the occupied West Bank town of Qabatiya.

  • Israeli soldiers were involved in a raid that resulted in the deaths of at least five Palestinians.

  • The Israeli military also fired on journalists filming from a nearby building.

Not a good look, and likely, the soldiers will be severely reprimanded or even jailed for the behavior. It’s a crime.

China's plans for a critical trade route through Myanmar are being disrupted by ongoing conflict in Myanmar, where a civil war has significantly altered the dynamics of the region. The situation has led to increased violence and instability along the border, affecting both local economies and Chinese investments in the area, which are now at risk due to the deteriorating security and military actions from both the junta and rebel forces.

  • China has invested millions in a trade corridor that is now hindered by civil war in Myanmar.

  • The ongoing conflict has led to significant disruptions in local economies and Chinese investments.

Egypt is supporting Hamas, a terrorist organization, in its opposition to Israel's presence in Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor. Hundreds of smuggling tunnels have been found beneath the area, used for transporting Iranian weapons and personnel, drugs, cash, and luxury goods. The US is involved in diplomacy to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, but a deal has not been reached.

  • Egypt supports Hamas in its opposition to Israel's presence in Gaza

  • Hamas uses smuggling tunnels to transport Iranian weapons and personnel, drugs, cash, and luxury goods into Gaza

  • The US is involved in diplomacy to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, but a deal has not been reached

There should be no reason for Egypt to protest removing the tunnels; after all, it hurts their sovereignty. Unless, of course, they are okay with smuggling operations. Many in Egypt are likely paid to look the other way, so this would hurt their pocketbooks.

Three Americans are facing death sentences in the Democratic Republic of Congo after being convicted of participating in a coup attempt.

  • The Democratic Republic of Congo reinstated the death penalty earlier this year after a more than two-decade-old moratorium was lifted.

  • The three American defendants, along with others, were accused of attempting to carry out terrorist attacks and conspiring against the government in the coup attempt.

Rivers in the Amazon basin are experiencing their lowest water levels on record due to a severe drought, impacting local communities and biodiversity. More than 100 municipalities are going without rain for over 150 days.

  • The Madeira river has fallen to just 48cm, significantly below its average.

  • Local residents are struggling to access food and drinking water due to the low water levels.

The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on a draft resolution calling for Israel to evacuate its citizens and troops from Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and eastern Jerusalem. The resolution also demands that other countries stop providing Israel with weapons and calls for sanctions against individuals involved in maintaining Israel's presence in the occupied territory. Israel has condemned the proposal as ignoring legitimate security concerns.

  • The UN General Assembly is voting on a draft resolution calling for Israel to evacuate its citizens and troops from Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and eastern Jerusalem.

  • The resolution demands that other countries stop providing Israel with weapons and calls for sanctions against individuals involved in maintaining Israel's presence in the occupied territory.

I suppose they’ll get right on voting to have Iran stop supplying Hezbollah with missiles sometime soon, too. This is the same UN that voted on a resolution to ignore China's Uyghur abuses In Xinjiang. 👎️ 

Venezuela's political situation remains volatile following a disputed election, with Nicolás Maduro declaring victory despite significant evidence of opposition support for Edmundo González. The opposition has faced severe repression, resulting in thousands of arrests and a growing refugee crisis, with neighboring countries grappling with the influx of Venezuelan migrants. Regional and international calls for coordinated negotiations and sanctions continue as the international community seeks to address the escalating crisis and stabilize the region.

  • Nicolás Maduro's government has declared victory in a contested election, leading to increased unrest and international criticism.

  • There is rising concern about the humanitarian impact of Venezuela's political instability, particularly regarding migration into neighboring countries.

This will get worse. If other socialist regimes are any roadmaps to what is to come, there are going to be a lot of dead Venezuelan civilians over the next decade, too.

A top border patrol agent revealed that the Biden-Harris administration instructed him to hide the number of terrorists crossing the border, and that the administration's policies have led to a significant increase in illegal immigrants with ties to terrorism. The agent also stated that the inability to return people to their country of origin has resulted in a large-scale lapse in this ability. This has led to an exponential increase in the number of aliens encountered illegally crossing the border, pulling agents away from the border and allowing those who do not want to be caught to simply walk in.

  • The Biden-Harris administration instructed a top border patrol agent to hide the number of terrorists crossing the border.

  • The administration's policies have led to a significant increase in illegal immigrants with ties to terrorism.

  • The inability to return people to their country of origin has resulted in a large-scale lapse in this ability, leading to an exponential increase in aliens encountered illegally crossing the border.

It’s millions. Millions of immigrants have come over the border in the last four years. Some estimates have it that 40M people in the United States weren’t born here. Out of approximately 337M people, that’s over 11% of the US population.


Chip giant Qualcomm has approached Intel about a possible takeover, which would be a significant fall for Intel as the most valuable chip company in the world. Intel is currently facing financial struggles and has laid off over 15,000 employees. A deal between the two companies could have major implications for the tech industry.

  • Qualcomm has approached Intel about a possible takeover.

  • Intel is facing financial struggles and has laid off over 15,000 employees.

  • A deal between the two companies could have major implications for the tech industry.

This is big news, but Intel lost its play for dominance with the M series of chips and a move to GPUs. They could have—should have—won.

In 2024, the technology sector continues to experience significant layoffs, with over 60,000 job cuts reported across 254 companies. Major firms like Tesla, Amazon, and Microsoft, as well as numerous startups, are restructuring or reducing their workforce amidst a challenging economic environment and a shift towards AI and automation.

  • 2024 has seen about 60,000 job cuts in the tech industry so far.

  • Large companies and startups alike are restructuring and reducing staff as they adapt to economic pressures and technological changes.

Restructuring, moving towards automation and moving to cheaper locations as well.



Social media giants have been collecting and monetizing massive amounts of user data, including that of children and teens, with insufficient privacy protections.

  • Companies collected massive amounts of user data, most of which was retained indefinitely.

  • Several companies engaged in broad data sharing without adequate oversight and failed to delete user data after being requested to do so.

  • The business models of these companies encourage the mass collection of user data for targeted advertising, increasing the risk of misuse of personal information.

“Amazon (owner of Twitch), Meta (Facebook), YouTube, Twitter (now X Corp.), Snapchat, TikTok (owned by ByteDance), Discord, Reddit, and WhatsApp (Meta)” - that’s a lot of the apps kids use every day.

The global market for AI in manufacturing is expected to surge from $3.8 billion in 2023 to $156.1 billion by 2033, driven by the adoption of AI-driven technology in improving efficiency, precision and decision-making in production processes.

  • The growing implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) is causing a major shift in the manufacturing sector due to its increasing role in improving manufacturing efficiency, precision and decision-making.

  • The adoption of AI in the manufacturing industry is expected to address the pressing skills gap by making advanced tools more accessible and easier to use, enabling a wider range of workers to engage in complex manufacturing tasks.

  • AI's capabilities can also be leveraged during the proposal development phase, allowing users to quickly and easily design a more efficient production process.

That’s good—at least some part of the economy is growing at a steady clip. There are a few others, infosec being one of them. Vices like drinking, smoking, etc., all tend to go up despite the market, too. Non-correlated industries tend to do well regardless. I think AI is, for the moment, uncorrelated or maybe even inversely correlated. When the market goes down, people want to automate everything.

AI technology has advanced to a point where realistic deepfakes are proliferating across social media, leading to widespread skepticism towards digital content. This 'deep doubt' phenomenon is enabling individuals to credibly claim that real events did not happen and to question the authenticity of documentary evidence. Its implications extend to various sectors including media trust, political discourse, and the legal system.

  • The rise of AI-generated deepfakes is challenging public trust in media.

  • Claims of real events being fabricated are becoming more common due to advanced AI tools.

Does this mean people will be forced to fact-check? Is that a bad thing, necessarily?

Western companies are actively acquiring advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) necessary for training artificial intelligence models, with significant investments from firms like Meta and X. These developments signal a continued push in AI model capabilities, supported by major chip manufacturers like Nvidia. As the demand for AI technology grows, companies are expanding their resources and infrastructure to maintain competitive advantages.

  • Meta is training its Llama 3 model using 16,000 GPUs from Nvidia and plans to acquire more.

  • The startup X has constructed a data center powered by 100,000 GPUs, reflecting a significant industrial investment in AI infrastructure.

A zero-click MediaTek bug allows remote code execution on phones and Wi-Fi access points from various manufacturers, potentially leading to device takeover.

  • A critical-rated CVE-2024-20017 vulnerability affects MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets and driver bundles used in routers and smartphones.

  • The issue allows remote code execution without user interaction, making it a conduit for easy device takeover.

  • Affected users should apply available MediaTek patches as soon as possible.

Lots of hackers and security folks use OpenWRT, so this is actually something to worry about… because your security people are insecure.

Iran, Russia, and China are conducting cyberattacks aimed at influencing the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election, specifically targeting the campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. U.S. agencies have reported on these efforts, which include disinformation campaigns and unauthorized access to campaign materials, as tensions heighten in the geopolitical landscape.

  • Iran and Russia have conducted targeted cyberattacks against the Trump and Harris campaigns as part of their influence operations.

  • The U.S. government has taken significant actions against these cyber threats but anticipates an escalation as the election date approaches.

Don’t forget North Korea too. The little hermit kingdom that could.

Researchers have developed an invisible and triggered physical adversarial patch that can cause traffic sign recognition systems to misclassify signs, potentially leading to traffic accidents. The patch uses fluorescent ink and ultraviolet light to create a perturbation that causes the system to malfunction. This attack vector is highly effective, with a success rate of 98.31% in low-light conditions and 96.72% when bypassing popular defenses.

  • Researchers have developed an invisible and triggered physical adversarial patch that can cause traffic sign recognition systems to misclassify signs.

  • The patch uses fluorescent ink and ultraviolet light to create a perturbation that causes the system to malfunction.

  • This attack vector is highly effective, with a success rate of 98.31% in low-light conditions and 96.72% when bypassing popular defenses.

Cool research - this could cause various issues, like making someone speed on roads, when their car thinks the speed limit is much higher than it is, for instance. This will eventually effect self driving cars as well.

A massive China-state IoT botnet, named Raptor Train, went undetected for four years until its dismantling by US authorities. The botnet consisted of over 260,000 compromised devices, with the majority located in homes and offices in North America and Europe. This is the second large-scale China state-operated botnet to be taken down this year.

  • A massive China-state IoT botnet, named Raptor Train, went undetected for four years until its dismantling by US authorities.

  • The botnet consisted of over 260,000 compromised devices, with the majority located in homes and offices in North America and Europe.

  • This is the second large-scale China state-operated botnet to be taken down this year.

Sometimes it pays to be a luddite. Just ask Hezbollah.💥
Source: https://arstechnica.com/?p=2050629

Research is being conducted on Linux kernel rootkits, and tools are being developed to make them visible again. This involves exploiting the function of LKM rootkits to become visible in the kernel memory. Researchers are also working on other methods to remove or defuse these rootkits.

  • Researchers are developing tools to make Linux kernel rootkits visible again by exploiting their function.

  • These tools can be used to add a hidden rootkit back into the lsmod list, making it possible to remove the rootkit.

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the healthcare sector with ransomware attacks, using various families of malware to extort victims and exploiting vulnerabilities in legacy technology and bureaucracy.

  • The healthcare sector is being targeted by cybercriminals with ransomware attacks, making it the most frequently targeted industry by ransomware actors.

  • Inc ransomware, a popular choice among cybercriminals, has been used to target American healthcare organizations and exploit vulnerabilities in legacy technology and bureaucracy.

  • The use of double extortion methodology by ransomware attackers is becoming more prevalent, making it harder for victims to recover even if they have backups or can recover from a breach.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) has identified a critical vulnerability in the Apache HugeGraph-Server that is actively being exploited. Organizations using this software must apply security updates or discontinue its use by October 9, 2024, to protect against potential attacks.

  • CISA has added a critical remote code execution flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

  • The vulnerability affects versions of Apache HugeGraph-Server from 1.0.0 to below 1.3.0, prompting urgent updates for users.

A hacking spree on X accounts has led to a significant pump-and-dump scheme for the '$HACKED' Solana token, causing its market cap to increase dramatically in a short time. Affected accounts include those with millions of followers, and the attack may have involved a compromised API key or third-party applications.

  • A large number of X accounts were hacked to promote the '$HACKED' Solana token.

  • The token's market cap surged from around $5,000 to over $166,000 due to the hack.

Remember, it’s untraceable, so it’s like getting mugged in the middle of a walk and not seeing the mugger. You are not getting that crypto back.

WhatsApp's 'View Once' feature, which is designed to allow users to send media that disappears after being viewed, has been found to have critical security vulnerabilities. Despite patches released by Meta, researchers have discovered that these messages can still be accessed through exploits, prompting ongoing updates and fixes from the company.

  • A vulnerability in WhatsApp's 'View Once' feature allows users to repeatedly access supposedly disappearing messages.

  • Researchers reported multiple exploits, leading to urgent responses and patches from Meta to address the issues.

Use Signal, but make sure you turn on ephemeral messaging and check it regularly—especially if someone gets a new phone and disables it upon re-install.

A coalition of law-enforcement agencies shut down a service that facilitated the unlocking of more than 1.2 million stolen or lost mobile phones, and arrested an individual behind the phishing-as-a-service platform iServer.

  • A coalition of law-enforcement agencies shut down a service that facilitated the unlocking of more than 1.2 million stolen or lost mobile phones.

  • The service was part of iServer, a phishing-as-a-service platform that had been operating since 2018 and offered services through email, texts, and voice calls.


The US government has argued in the Google Ad Tech antitrust trial that Google has become dominant among companies buying and selling ads online, and has built a picture of how Google's ad tech industry is intensely competitive. The government has asked for a breakup of Google, requiring it to sell off some assets. Google will deny the claims.

  • The US government has argued that Google has become dominant among companies buying and selling ads online.

  • The government has asked for a breakup of Google, requiring it to sell off some assets.

  • Google will deny the claims of abusing control of its ad technology and violating antitrust law.

I am going to be hanging out with many marketers this coming week. I will be curious to hear if these antitrust cases are affecting their buying decisions or if they are considering joining lawsuits.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/technology/google-ad-antitrust-trial-arguments.html



Sean Combs is being held without bail in a sex-trafficking case, accused of running a criminal enterprise that relied on drugs and violence to force women to fulfill his sexual desires. Prosecutors allege he abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to protect his reputation and conceal his conduct. The indictment charges Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

  • Sean Combs is accused of running a criminal enterprise that relied on drugs and violence to force women to fulfill his sexual desires

  • Prosecutors allege he abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to protect his reputation and conceal his conduct

  • The indictment charges Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking by force and transportation to engage in prostitution

I am not sure how this ended up in business, but my editor assures me that this is definitely a business article. Anywayyyy. What a creep, if true. A lot of signs point to the fact that it is. The question is, this can’t be an isolated case, and no one knew anything about it in the rest of the hip-hop/Rap community. I’m guessing a lot of people are worried by proximity.

Social Security in the United States is projected to run out of funds in eight years, raising questions about the future of the program. This situation is attributed to the growing national debt and the financial challenges associated with maintaining the program's benefits.

  • Social Security is expected to deplete its funds in eight years.

  • The national debt poses significant challenges for the sustainability of Social Security.

For many years, I have been told that it will run out of money, and it hasn’t yet. So, I suspect it will get refunded and limp along for a while longer.

Container shipping lines on the US east and Gulf coasts are implementing hefty disruption surcharges in anticipation of an impending port strike scheduled for October 1. The potential labor action could severely impact supply chains, particularly affecting US automotive and agricultural exports, with consequences including inventory shortages and increased prices in reliant countries.

  • Shipping carriers are announcing various surcharges due to an expected port strike.

  • An extended strike may lead to significant challenges for US exporters, particularly in the automotive and agricultural sectors.

Boeing is implementing unpaid leave for many salaried workers due to financial difficulties stemming from ongoing strikes and production halts. The company's cash position has been severely impacted, with losses in both its commercial and defense sectors, leading to potential risks to its investment-grade rating.

  • Boeing is requiring salaried employees to take unpaid leave as part of cost-cutting measures.

  • Contract negotiations with the company's largest union are ongoing amid significant financial challenges.

Some PE firms have to be eyeing this deal. The goal would be to let them self-immolate for a while longer and then swoop in and grab the IP and facilities.

Stocks on Wall Street rallied following a significant interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 increased 1.7 percent after the Fed announced a half percentage point reduction, which is larger than the typical adjustment, signaling a boost in market confidence and prospects for future cuts.

  • The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a percentage point.

  • The S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrial average reached record highs following the rate cut.

Wise choice leading up to the election. More details here.

A major US labour union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has declined to endorse either Democratic nominee Kamala Harris or Republican nominee Donald Trump for the first time since 1996. The union cited a lack of commitments on key issues from both candidates and internal polling that showed no definitive support for either candidate. Some Teamster regional councils have endorsed Harris despite the national union's decision.

  • The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a major US labour union, has declined to endorse either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump for president.

  • The union cited a lack of commitments on key issues from both candidates and internal polling that showed no definitive support for either candidate.

  • Some Teamster regional councils have endorsed Harris despite the national union's decision.

It is very interesting that they were weak on the Democratic candidate. That is extremely unusual—I haven’t seen it in my lifetime.

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against the developers of the game Palworld, which has gained popularity for its gameplay that resembles Pokémon but includes guns. The lawsuit claims that Palworld allegedly infringes on multiple undisclosed patents, although the details have not yet been revealed publicly. Despite the legal challenges, Palworld has achieved significant sales and player milestones since its early access launch on Steam and Xbox.

  • Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have initiated a lawsuit against Palworld's developer for patent infringement.

  • Palworld has rapidly become a best-selling game, achieving millions of sales and daily active users.

Sounds like more fun. Why do they hate fun? 😉 

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