technology

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/38282920

Someone recently managed to get on a Microsoft Teams call with representatives from phone hacking company Cellebrite, and then leaked a screenshot of the company’s capabilities against many Google Pixel phones, according to a forum post about the leak and 404 Media’s review of the material.

The leak follows others obtained and verified by 404 Media over the last 18 months. Those leaks impacted both Cellebrite and its competitor Grayshift, now owned by Magnet Forensics. Both companies constantly hunt for techniques to unlock phones law enforcement have physical access to.

“You can Teams meeting with them. They tell everything. Still cannot extract esim on Pixel. Ask anything,” a user called rogueFed wrote on the GrapheneOS forum on Wednesday, speaking about what they learned about Cellebrite capabilities. GrapheneOS is a security- and privacy-focused Android-based operating system.

rogueFed then posted two screenshots of the Microsoft Teams call. The first was a Cellebrite Support Matrix, which lays out whether the company’s tech can, or can’t, unlock certain phones and under what conditions. The second screenshot was of a Cellebrite employee. 💡 Do you know anything else about phone unlocking technology? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at joseph.404 or send me an email at joseph@404media.co.

According to another of rogueFed’s posts, the meeting took place in October. The meeting appears to have been a sales call. The employee is a “pre sales expert,” according to a profile available online.

The Support Matrix is focused on modern Google Pixel devices, including the Pixel 9 series. The screenshot does not include details on the Pixel 10, which is Google’s latest device. It discusses Cellebrite’s capabilities regarding ‘before first unlock’, or BFU, when a piece of phone unlocking tech tries to open a device before someone has typed in the phone’s passcode for the first time since being turned on. It also shows Cellebrite’s capabilities against after first unlock, or AFU, devices.
Screenshot via GrapheneOS forum.

The Support Matrix also shows Cellebrite’s capabilities against Pixel devices running GrapheneOS, with some differences between phones running that operating system and stock Android. Cellebrite does support, for example, Pixel 9 devices BFU. Meanwhile the screenshot indicates Cellebrite cannot unlock Pixel 9 devices running GrapheneOS BFU.

In a statement, Victor Cooper, senior director of corporate communications and content strategy at Cellebrite, told 404 Media “We do not disclose or publicize the specific capabilities of our technology. This practice is central to our security strategy, as revealing such details could provide potential criminals or malicious actors with an unintended advantage.” Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

GrapheneOS is a long running project which makes sizable security changes to an Android device. “GrapheneOS is focused on substance rather than branding and marketing. It doesn't take the typical approach of piling on a bunch of insecure features depending on the adversaries not knowing about them and regressing actual privacy/security. It's a very technical project building privacy and security into the OS rather than including assorted unhelpful frills or bundling subjective third party apps choices,” the project’s website reads.

As well as being used by the privacy and security conscious, criminals also turn to GrapheneOS. After the FBI secretly ran its own backdoored encrypted phone company for criminals, some drug traffickers and the people who sell technology to the underworld shifted to using GrapheneOS devices with Signal installed, according to interviews with phone sellers.

In their forum post, rogueFed wrote that the “meeting focused specific on GrapheneOS bypass capability.”

They added “very fresh info more coming.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/38169471

A software architect discovered his iLife A11 smart vacuum was secretly transmitting data to overseas servers in 2025. When he blocked the data collection, the vacuum was remotely disabled through hidden software that allowed manufacturer access[^1].

The vacuum contained sophisticated hardware including an AllWinner A33 processor running Linux and Google Cartographer mapping software. Through reverse engineering, the author found rtty remote access software that let manufacturers secretly control devices[^1].

The incident sparked discussions about IoT device privacy and control. Multiple vacuum brands including Xiaomi, Wyze, and Viomi use the same hardware platform (3irobotix CRL-200S), suggesting widespread vulnerability[^1].

The story gained attention in October 2025, with tech commentators highlighting it as a cautionary tale about smart home devices[^2]. Forum discussions revealed similar experiences with other robot vacuums losing connectivity or requiring resets after firmware updates[^7][^9].

[^1]: The Day My Smart Vacuum Turned Against Me [^2]: Suggested Read: The Day My Smart Vacuum Turned Against Me - Troy Patterson [^7]: Wyze Forums - Robot vacuum does not connect to wifi [^9]: Wyze Forums - Wyze Vacuum Save Created Maps in App

FALSE ALARM, CULPRIT FOUND: I had a MalwareBytes browser extension that slowed the emote picker down. The extension has been purged and now both the popup and the inline picker are working well.

The original post before I did testing

I try to in a Hexbear comment. The picture takes forever to even load in the picker so it takes a while to see if I've even selected the right emote. Most of the emotes in the list I can't even see the pictures unless I step away for a minute and come back after they've all loaded. I hit submit comment. It takes forever to post. I can hear the fans whirring. If I'm streaming vid on blorptube while posting something from the emote picker, sometimes the video will just pause and stop loading until whatever process the emotes have kicked off completes. I don't know why some emotes are visible while others aren't it doesn't appear to be related to order that they show up in the list

I think "Well I'm on the ESR of Firefox, maybe it's just old" but then I boot into Linux with cutting-edge up to date Firefox and it still behaves largely the same.

I have wondered if it's an internet speed thing but it seems to behave this way whether I'm on ethernet or 802.11n wireless, whether or not my VPN is on.

It also takes quite some time for emotes to load in the emote picker on Blorp, come to think of it.

I've got 16GB of RAM, that should be plenty. Yes I know the web has gotten more intensive since this computer was made 13 years ago but come on, compared to hell sites like twitter, facebook, and new.reddit, lemmy seems downright lightweight. NoScript and other blockers aren't blocking a ton of bloat here.

I'm not criticizing the unsung heroic devs of Hexbear. I'm no good at web dev, hated it when I had to do it for work, and couldn't fix or optimize this either. But I would like to understand what the root cause of this problem is and

(If the answer is "upgrade your hardware or live with it" then I'm living with it, because my precious little computer is my buddy and I'm not abandoning it)

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/38271574

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will switch its internal work environment away from Microsoft Office to Open Desk, a European open source alternative, the institution confirmed to Euractiv.

German newspaper Handelsblatt first reported on the plans. The switch comes amid rising concerns about public bodies being reliant on US tech companies to run their services, which have stepped up sharply since the start of US President Donald Trump’s second administration.

For the ICC, such concerns are not abstract: Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the court and slapped sanctions on its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan.

A humanoid robot has delivered a trial lecture at a science class at a primary school in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, marking a key milestone in bringing a locally developed AI education application developed by a local enterprise from the laboratory to the classroom, according to the official WeChat account of the Hefei city government on Tuesday.

On Monday, the science class at the Primary School Affiliated to Hefei Normal School was about "Designing our instruments," and was delivered by "Xiao An," a 1.4-meter-tall humanoid robot serving as a teaching assistant. In seamless cooperation with the teacher at the class, it helped lead the children in exploring the mysteries of sound.

The humanoid robot possesses the guiding ability of a professional science teacher and can gradually inspire students to engage in deeper learning, Hu Xingyong, a science teacher at the Primary School Affiliated to Hefei Normal School, who assisted the class with "Xiao An," told the Global Times on Tuesday.

A novel feature of the robot is its ability to emotionally engage with students and coordinate gestures and movements, Hu said.

When the humanoid robot is brought into the classroom, students immediately become interested. For example, in a lesson where we design small musical instruments, the humanoid robot mimics the sounds and motions of various instruments before class. The students got curious and were encouraged to guess what kind of instrument it is and what its characteristics are, and their creative interest was sparked, the teacher Hu said.

When the robot receives a student's question it can provide reflective, thought-provoking responses, Hu said.

This science-education robot, "Xiao An", is the world's first of its kind to enter classroom scenario in this way and it was given a persona to be guiding, Hu Likang, deputy general manager of Hefei-based AnyWit Robotics, the producer of the humanoid robot, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"The Monday class is the first public trial involving teachers and students," Hu Likang said. "In the future, we will continue to improve the robot teacher's stability and expand its functions, and we are also considering extending it to other academic subjects."

Charters was waiting for the rest of the group at the farm, where Camps then allegedly shot Atre in the back of the head, killing him. Brewer argued that Kaleb Charters was roped into a botched burglary and that their original plan was to steal Atre’s cash and cars, not to commit a murder.

This is clear a case of suicide, shot himself to the back of the head. Free these people. Also, is not robbery, they accidentally found worthless junk that no one wanted. Cased close.

They're really going the Big Brother route with Windows 11, holy shit

Starting February 2026, Microsoft Authenticator will block Entra credentials on jailbroken/rooted iOS and Android devices through a phased rollout: warning, blocking, then wiping credentials. This security feature requires no admin setup. Users on compliant devices remain unaffected. Organizations should notify users and update documentation accordingly.

I really think we need a :microsoft-cool: emoji

Who could have predicted that outsourcing our thinking to a fucking CHATBOT would reduce our cognitive abilities?

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6576941

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6576938

cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/6576874

Comrades… please don’t scroll past this. I really need you.

For anyone who doesn’t know us yet …my sisters and I are trans refugees from Uganda. We fled after violence and persecution forced us to run for our lives. We ended up in Gorom settlement camp in South Sudan, where we were attacked again. Our shelter was burned and we spent weeks in the hospital. The only reason we survived was because comrades helped us.

I’m here again because things have gone very bad.

We are now 727 USD away from paying our rent. The caretaker just came back today and gave us a final deadline: October 31st. If we can’t pay, we will be forced out. There is nowhere safe for us to go. I am so scared of what will happen if we are thrown back into danger.

Water, wifi and electricity has already been cut. We carry small jerrycans every day just to drink or wash. Since our last meal, the only thing we have had is boiled water with sugar. My sisters try to stay cheerful, but I see how weak they are becoming. Hunger feels like a slow punishment.

I borrowed a little airtime to write this. I still believe solidarity is real. You proved that to us once before. You showed us that trans lives are worth saving.

Please, if you can help with $5 or $10, it truly makes a life-saving difference here. Sharing our link also helps a lot.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for seeing us as human. Support link in my bio/profile. With love and hope 🩵🩵🩵

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/38225224

Microsoft is facing mounting criticism over its controversial complicity in "Israel’s" genocide in Gaza, with charges that its technologies have enabled surveillance, targeted assassinations, and repression of Palestinians. Critics say the company has played a central role in what some are calling the world’s first AI-driven genocide.

China, by contrast, not only saw batteries as a technology, but as a strategic asset. Recognizing their role in everything from vehicles to renewable energy storage, the Chinese government poured billions of dollars into battery research and manufacturing. This not only included subsidies to battery factories, but also investments in processing the essential minerals of cobalt, nickel, and graphite — essential components of the modern battery cell. This vertical integration gave China a distinctive control over the battery supply chain.

China’s second landmark policy was in 2021, when it required that all new gigawatt-scale wind or solar power be paired with 10 to 30 percent battery storage. This continued to fuel demand for batteries and was rewarded with rapid scaling. China now produces 85 percent of all of the world’s battery cells and controls 94 percent of the lithium iron phosphate battery market. The implications for global energy security are profound. As countries attempt to decarbonize, most now must rely on a single-country-dominated battery supply chain.

One of the primary reasons China has ascended to the lead is its steadfast commitment to aligning technology, industry, and market demand. While the United States led in scientific innovation, it rarely followed through with the long-term industrial planning required to bring those innovations to market. Time and again, U.S. innovators created breakthrough technologies only to see them commercialized and scaled abroad.

Policy inconsistency plays a huge part in this disparity. As Greg Nemet, a professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, puts it, China’s ability to maintain a stable policy environment allowed it to surpass the United States. Even when political winds changed, China continued to promote clean energy through subsidies, infrastructure investments, and regulatory reforms. In the United States, meanwhile, each new presidential administration brought with it radical changes in direction. As a result, the country has repeatedly undermined its own innovation by failing to offer a stable industrial policy environment.

In addition, the U.S. has been inclined to leave clean energy innovation to engineers and scientists, not recognizing the critical role of coherent industrial policy. Clean energy in China is not simply a technological goal but a national strategy. It is part of broader goals of energy independence, economic growth, and geopolitical influence. The outcomes are self-evident: electric vehicle adoption, battery production, and solar panel manufacturing have all reached gargantuan scale in China, with American firms unable to match the competition in markets that their technologies used to rule.

The geopolitical consequences of this shift extend beyond economics. As the globe decarbonizes to combat climate change, global dependence on Chinese technology may lead to new geopolitical vulnerabilities. Countries relying on Chinese batteries, electric vehicles, and solar panels may see their energy and industrial policies constrained. The U.S., on the other hand, has to answer a fundamental question: Will it remain a nation of inventors who watch their creations flourish abroad, or will it rise to its former role as a world leader in clean energy?

~~To catch up, the United States must embrace a new type of industrial policy — one that goes beyond research grants and pilot demonstrations to include comprehensive support to manufacturing, supply chains, and market development. This will require long-term commitment, bipartisan commitment, and a willingness to coordinate government action with private sector goals. It will also demand a cultural shift: from viewing clean energy as a niche or ideological issue to as a fundamental driver of economic competitiveness and national security.~~

This aint gonna happen.

This is actually the best system possible.

The PSF's mission statement enshrines a commitment to supporting and growing "a diverse and international community of Python programmers," and the Foundation ultimately decided it wasn't willing to compromise on that position, even for what would have been a solid financial boost for the organization.

"The PSF is a relatively small organization, operating with an annual budget of around $5 million per year, with a staff of just 14," Crary added, noting that the $1.5 million would have been the largest grant the Foundation had ever received - but it wasn't worth it if the conditions were undermining the PSF's mission.

The PSF board voted unanimously to withdraw its grant application.

100Gw is equivalent to the power used by 72 million Americans or 21.8% of this country.

We’re in for some insano climate change if we use coal, natural gas, and other extremely dirty energy sources to add this much power to the grid every year.

Altman is IMO, the most dangerous person on the planet outside of Trump and his cabal, and perhaps Netanyahu.

And the real wild part is that chatgpt is one of the shittiest llms out there. You can do better with a local model on a consumer video card, I can run ollama on my own busted laptop chip with 2gb vram.

Fucked.