Hasta La Gadget!

A new iPhone update patches a flaw that could allow an attacker to turn off a nearly seven-year-old USB security feature. Apple’s release notes for iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 say the bug, which allowed the deactivation of USB Restricted Mode, “may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.”

The release notes describe the now-patched security flaw as allowing “a physical attack,” which suggests the attacker needed the device in hand to exploit it. So, unless your device was hijacked by “extremely sophisticated” attackers, there was nothing to panic about even before Monday’s update.

USB Restricted Mode, introduced in iOS 11.4.1, prevents USB accessories from accessing your device’s data if it hasn’t been unlocked for an hour. The idea is to protect your iPhone or iPad from law enforcement devices like Cellebrite and Graykey. It’s also the reason for the message asking you to unlock your device before connecting it to a Mac or Windows PC.

Aligned with its typical policy, Apple didn’t detail who or what entity used the attack in the wild, only noting that the company is “aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited.” Security researcher Bill Marczak of the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab reported the flaw. In 2016, while in grad school, he discovered the iPhone’s first known zero-day remote jailbreak, which a cyberwarfare company sold to governments.

You can make sure USB Restricted Mode is activated by heading to Settings > Face ID (or Touch ID) & Passcode. Scroll down to “Accessories” in the list and ensure the toggle is off, which it is by default. Somewhat confusingly, toggling the setting off means the security feature is on because it lists features with allowed access.

As usual, you can install the update by heading to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone or iPad.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/apple-patches-iphone-exploit-that-allowed-for-extremely-sophisticated-attack-214237852.html?src=rss

A new iPhone update patches a flaw that could allow an attacker to turn off a nearly seven-year-old USB security feature. Apple’s release notes for iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 say the bug, which allowed the deactivation of USB Restricted Mode, “may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.”

The release notes describe the now-patched security flaw as allowing “a physical attack,” which suggests the attacker needed the device in hand to exploit it. So, unless your device was hijacked by “extremely sophisticated” attackers, there was nothing to panic about even before Monday’s update.

USB Restricted Mode, introduced in iOS 11.4.1, prevents USB accessories from accessing your device’s data if it hasn’t been unlocked for an hour. The idea is to protect your iPhone or iPad from law enforcement devices like Cellebrite and Graykey. It’s also the reason for the message asking you to unlock your device before connecting it to a Mac or Windows PC.

Aligned with its typical policy, Apple didn’t detail who or what entity used the attack in the wild, only noting that the company is “aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited.” Security researcher Bill Marczak of the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab reported the flaw. In 2016, while in grad school, he discovered the iPhone’s first known zero-day remote jailbreak, which a cyberwarfare company sold to governments.

You can make sure USB Restricted Mode is activated by heading to Settings > Face ID (or Touch ID) & Passcode. Scroll down to “Accessories” in the list and ensure the toggle is off, which it is by default. Somewhat confusingly, toggling the setting off means the security feature is on because it lists features with allowed access.

As usual, you can install the update by heading to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone or iPad.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/apple-patches-iphone-exploit-that-allowed-for-extremely-sophisticated-attack-214237852.html?src=rss

Elon Musk has launched a $97.4 billion bid to take control of OpenAI. The Wall Street Journal reports a group of investors led by Musk’s xAI submitted an unsolicited offer to the company’s board of directors on Monday. The group wants to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI’s for-profit arm. 

When asked for comment, an OpenAI spokesperson pointed Engadget to an X post from CEO Sam Altman. “No thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want,” Altman wrote on the social media platform Musk owns.  

“It’s time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was,” Musk said in a statement his attorney shared with The Journal. “We will make sure that happens.”

OpenAI

It’s hard to say how serious this bid from Musk is and what — if any — chance it has to succeed. OpenAI is not a traditional company, and the nonprofit structure Sam Altman and others at the company want it to get away from may in fact protect it from Musk’s offer. Were OpenAI purely a for-profit company with traditional shares Musk’s bid would likely trigger what’s known in corporate law as a Revlon moment, where, under certain circumstances, the company’s board of directors would be forced to sell the company to the highest bidder to maximize shareholder profits.  

Musk, as you can imagine, wasn’t a fan of Altman’s joke, writing “Swindler” in response and later calling him “Scam Altman.”   

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/elon-musk-wants-to-buy-openai-for-974-billion-215221105.html?src=rss

The recently released Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has demonstrated exceptional durability in recent drop tests, positioning it as one of the most resilient smartphones available. Following its announcement at Samsung’s Unpacked event, the company highlighted a Corning laboratory test, which found that the new Gorilla Armor 2 glass, used on both the front and back of the device, can withstand drops from heights of up to 2.2 meters (7.2 feet).

Independent YouTuber PBKreviews conducted real-world drop tests on concrete, verifying Samsung’s claims. The results showed that the Galaxy S25 Ultra sustained minimal damage. After multiple drops at different angles, the screen and back panel remained intact, while the grade 5 titanium frame exhibited only minor scratches and dents.

Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the S25 Ultra showed superior impact resistance. In similar tests last year, the S24 Ultra developed a small crack upon its first drop. However, drop test outcomes can vary due to unpredictable factors like surface texture and impact angle.

One notable trade-off is that Corning adjusted the Gorilla Armor 2’s formulation, slightly reducing its scratch resistance in favor of improved drop protection. As a result, while the S25 Ultra is more resistant to falls, its screen may be more prone to scratches compared to the S24 Ultra. The following video covers this part more precisely:

Back to the drop test, the phone’s durability is further enhanced by its flat front and back panels, which reduce stress points that could lead to breakage, reaffirming that the Galaxy S25 Ultra indeed seems to be a robust and well-engineered device, capable of withstanding significant impacts with minimal damage.

Galaxy S25 Ultra Proves Highly Durable In Drop Tests

, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Elon Musk has launched a $97.4 billion bid to take control of OpenAI. The Wall Street Journal reports a group of investors led by Musk’s xAI submitted an unsolicited offer to the company’s board of directors on Monday. The group wants to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI’s for-profit arm. 

When asked for comment, an OpenAI spokesperson pointed Engadget to an X post from CEO Sam Altman. “No thank you but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want,” Altman wrote on the social media platform Musk owns.  

“It’s time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was,” Musk said in a statement his attorney shared with The Journal. “We will make sure that happens.”

OpenAI

It’s hard to say how serious this bid from Musk is and what — if any — chance it has to succeed. OpenAI is not a traditional company, and the nonprofit structure Sam Altman and others at the company want it to get away from may in fact protect it from Musk’s offer. Were OpenAI purely a for-profit company with traditional shares Musk’s bid would likely trigger what’s known in corporate law as a Revlon moment, where, under certain circumstances, the company’s board of directors would be forced to sell the company to the highest bidder to maximize shareholder profits.  

Musk, as you can imagine, wasn’t a fan of Altman’s joke, writing “Swindler” in response and later calling him “Scam Altman.”   

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/elon-musk-wants-to-buy-openai-for-974-billion-215221105.html?src=rss