API Archives

Winsage

April 27, 2025

Legendary Voodoo4 GPU modded into laptop, benchmarks work with Windows XP

Daniel Simionescu, known as sdz, has been working on porting the Voodoo graphics from 3dfx to mobile platforms, resulting in a design that integrates a Voodoo4 GPU into a Dell Precision M4800 laptop via a custom MXM card. YouTuber Omores tested this setup with Windows 98 and XP, facing initial compatibility issues but ultimately achieving partial functionality. The Voodoo brand was significant in the late 90s for making 3D acceleration accessible. sdz created a PCB with the Voodoo4 GPU using the VSA-100 core and 64MB of SDR memory. During testing, various VBE drivers were explored, with Windows XP showing better compatibility for running 3DMark 2001 and Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed. Games using the Glide API may require wrappers, and the community plans to compile a list of supported titles. sdz intends to keep the design open-source for collaboration.

Tech Optimizer

April 24, 2025

Meet Xata Agent: An Open Source Agent for Proactive PostgreSQL Monitoring, Automated Troubleshooting, and Seamless DevOps Integration

Xata Agent is an open-source AI assistant designed for PostgreSQL database site reliability engineering. It monitors logs and performance metrics to identify issues like slow queries and unusual connection counts, helping to maintain database integrity and performance. The tool automates tasks such as vacuuming and indexing and provides actionable recommendations through diagnostic playbooks and read-only SQL routines. The architecture is built as a Next.js application using TypeScript, organized in a monorepo structure. Developers can set up their environment using Node, install dependencies, and configure a local PostgreSQL instance with Docker Compose. Production deployment involves using Docker images and configuring environment variables in a production file. Key functionalities include proactive monitoring, configuration tuning, performance troubleshooting, safe diagnostics, cloud integration, alerting, LLM flexibility, and playbook customization. Developers can create new tools and integrate them into playbooks for cohesive workflows. Future plans include custom playbooks, support for Model Context Protocol, evaluation harnesses, approval workflows, and a managed cloud edition. The architecture promotes extensibility and community contributions, standardizing incident response and reducing human error in database management.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Sanso’s chat messenger aims to dethrone usual messengers

LetsTalkh Messenger is a messaging app developed by Sanso Technologies that offers a unique user experience without advertisements or data tracking. It features global roaming chat capabilities, end-to-end encryption, built-in privacy tools, and a focus on user empowerment. Sanso Technologies, led by founder Haroon S Khan, has a strong presence in the EU and UAE and has been recognized by platforms like FORBES. SansoPay is a cross-border digital payment platform that enables secure international transactions for individuals and businesses. It includes features like cross-border capabilities, API integration, a SansoPay Debit Card, and robust security measures compliant with regulations. SansoPay aims to provide financial freedom and cater to various sectors, addressing challenges faced by traditional payment platforms.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

Google releases Gemini 2.5 Flash with hybrid reasoning and boasts faster speeds

Google has launched the Gemini 2.5 Flash, an updated version of its Gemini AI model featuring hybrid reasoning capabilities that allow developers to adjust the model's 'thinking' process. This new model is designed to be faster, more cost-effective, and outperforms competing AI models in benchmark tests. The Gemini 2.5 Flash is available in preview through the Gemini API via Google AI Studio and Vertex AI. It builds on the foundation of the earlier Gemini 2.0 Flash models.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Perplexity’s Android App Is Infested With Security Flaws, Report Finds

Perplexity has launched a promotional campaign called “Ask like a millionaire,” offering a million-dollar prize to users who download its app, refer friends, and engage with it during the Super Bowl. However, the Android app is facing scrutiny due to significant security vulnerabilities, including issues that could lead to data theft and account takeovers. A report from Appknox reveals that the app's API can be accessed without restriction, and the code contains hardcoded secrets, making it easy for attackers to create counterfeit versions of the app. The app is also vulnerable to task hijacking, which could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data. Perplexity, founded in 2022, has raised 0 million in venture capital and has over 10 million downloads. The company is exploring partnerships with smartphone manufacturers and has faced criticism for alleged copyright infringement. Security experts advise users to consider removing the app until the issues are resolved.

Tech Optimizer

April 15, 2025

New ‘Waiting Thread Hijacking’ Malware Technique Evades Modern Security Measures

Security researchers have developed a new malware process injection technique called "Waiting Thread Hijacking" (WTH), which executes harmful code within legitimate processes while avoiding detection by security measures. This method improves upon traditional Thread Execution Hijacking by using a different sequence of operations that bypasses commonly monitored API calls. WTH involves allocating memory and injecting malicious payloads using standard functions, identifying dormant threads within the target process, acquiring thread context with less suspicious permissions, and overwriting the return address on the stack with the injected shellcode. The technique ensures stability by preserving the original state of the thread and allows it to resume normal operations after executing the malicious code. Additionally, WTH employs an obfuscation technique that distributes its steps across multiple child processes to evade behavioral detection systems. While WTH can avoid many conventional detection triggers, it is not completely immune, as some Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions can block unauthorized memory writes. Check Point Research has observed that WTH is effective against certain EDRs while others can block it but not older methods, illustrating the variability in EDR capabilities.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

Google raises Android 15’s onboard storage requirements to 32GB

Android 15 mandates a minimum of 32GB of onboard storage for devices, enforced through GMS licensing, while devices with less than 32GB can still operate AOSP builds. Phones with 3GB of memory or less must use Android Go Edition. The shift from 16GB to 32GB is the first significant increase in system requirements since Android 13. Android 15 also requires Vulkan 1.3 graphics support in chipsets, unless using Android Go Edition. Devices with 3GB of RAM or less must run Android Go Edition, increasing the previous threshold from 2GB, while the baseline requirement of 2GB memory for GMS licensing remains unchanged.

Tech Optimizer

April 11, 2025

Windows Defender Antivirus Bypassed Using Direct Syscalls & XOR Encryption

A recent study has revealed a method that bypasses Microsoft’s Windows Defender antivirus by using direct system calls and XOR encryption techniques, exposing vulnerabilities in the security solution. The technique targets the user mode and kernel mode operations of Windows, allowing attackers to execute harmful code without detection. Researchers demonstrated that by directly invoking syscall instructions, they could evade security monitoring that typically occurs at the user mode level. They utilized XOR encryption to obfuscate malicious shellcodes, making them unrecognizable and undetectable by signature-based systems. Tests showed that a Meterpreter reverse shell payload, encrypted with XOR and executed via direct syscalls, successfully bypassed Windows Defender protections without leaving traces on the disk. This method has been effective since at least 2022 and continues to work against recent updates of Windows Defender. The researchers recommend that Microsoft enhance defenses with kernel-level monitoring of syscalls and advise organizations to implement additional security measures beyond Windows Defender.

Winsage

April 9, 2025

Exploitation of CLFS zero-day leads to ransomware activity

The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) and Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) identified a zero-day elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS), designated as CVE-2025-29824. This vulnerability has been exploited by the PipeMagic malware, attributed to the group Storm-2460, affecting organizations in various sectors across the U.S., Venezuela, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. Microsoft released security updates on April 8, 2025, to address this vulnerability. The exploit allows attackers with standard user privileges to escalate their access, and it was executed from a dllhost.exe process. The exploit utilizes memory corruption techniques and the RtlSetAllBits API to gain all privileges and inject processes into SYSTEM processes. Post-exploitation, the attackers injected a payload into winlogon.exe, leading to ransomware activity characterized by file encryption and the creation of ransom notes. Indicators of compromise include the creation of a CLFS BLF file at C:ProgramDataSkyPDFPDUDrv.blf, command lines associated with ransomware activities, and specific domains linked to PipeMagic. Microsoft advises applying security updates promptly and recommends strategies for mitigating ransomware threats, including enabling cloud-delivered protection and utilizing device discovery.

AppWizard

April 8, 2025

Unlocking Multilingual App Development with Android Studio Translation Plugin

The Android Studio Translation Plugin is a tool for Android developers that facilitates the localization of applications by integrating directly into Android Studio. Key features include real-time translation previews, batch processing for multiple strings, a translation memory system for consistency, API connectivity with services like Google Translate, and support for over 100 languages. To set up the plugin, developers must install it through Android Studio's plugin marketplace, configure settings for source and target languages, and connect to a translation API. Translating an app involves selecting strings in the strings.xml file and using the plugin to translate them, with real-time updates in the layout editor. The plugin enhances developer workflow by automating localization tasks, reducing the risk of errors, and allowing for simultaneous translations. It also helps maintain translation consistency and improves app quality by identifying missing translations. Real-world use cases demonstrate its effectiveness in scaling applications for international markets, such as an e-commerce app that translated over 500 strings and an educational app that localized content for various Indian languages.