automation Archives

AppWizard

November 8, 2024

Godfather Is A Risk To Android Users Worldwide As 500 Apps Targeted

A new variant of the Godfather banking trojan is targeting over 500 Android banking and cryptocurrency applications globally. Initially focused in the U.S., U.K., and Europe, its reach has expanded to countries including Azerbaijan, Greece, Japan, and Singapore. The malware has transitioned from Java to native code, enhancing its ability to exploit Android’s accessibility services and mimic user actions through gesture automation commands. It employs social engineering tactics, such as a fraudulent website posing as the official MyGov site of the Australian Government, to distribute malicious files. Once installed, the malware communicates with a control server, collects device information, and replaces legitimate banking applications with phishing pages to steal credentials. The Godfather malware has become more difficult to analyze and poses a significant threat to users worldwide.

AppWizard

November 8, 2024

Timed Silence: An Open Source Android App to Automatically Silence Your Phone

Timed Silence is a Kotlin-based application for Android, created by Felix Nüsse, that manages smartphone volume settings, allowing users to mute, vibrate, or ring with sound. The app requires initial setup permissions and features an intuitive interface with a pause/play button. Users can create custom schedules, including pre-defined ones for "Night" and "Day." The app effectively activates Do Not Disturb (DND) at scheduled times, muting notifications while allowing calls and messages from specified contacts. Additional features include Calendar integration, Keywords for managing volume levels, Bluetooth compatibility, and a Sanity Check for priority contacts. The app is available on F-Droid, with source code and APKs on GitHub.

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

the AI of ASI Alliance that learns and adapts on Minecraft

The ASI Alliance has introduced AIRIS, an AI system that learns autonomously within Minecraft, representing a significant step towards artificial general intelligence (AGI). AIRIS, which stands for Autonomous Intelligent Reinforcement Inferred Symbolism, is designed to adapt independently in a virtual environment, showcasing dynamic learning capabilities. Developed in collaboration with partners like SingularityNET, Fetch.ai, and Ocean Data, AIRIS utilizes a robust infrastructure to efficiently store and process information. It features real-time environmental adaptation, allowing it to navigate complex terrains and develop its own rules based on observations. AIRIS also aims to cultivate advanced interaction skills, including construction and object creation, potentially enabling collaborative tasks with other agents. The ultimate goal is to apply AIRIS in real-world scenarios, such as autonomous robots and intelligent assistants, across various sectors requiring adaptive learning and problem-solving abilities.

Winsage

November 4, 2024

Windows 11 gains momentum with over 35% market share as Microsoft pushes for upgrades — Windows 10 still has the stronghold on the PC market

Windows 11 reached a market share of 35.58% as of October 2024, marking a nearly 3% increase since its launch, while Windows 10 holds approximately 61% of the Windows market. Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade by emphasizing Windows 11's compatibility with the latest hardware and its security features. An Extended Security Updates (ESU) subscription for Windows 10 users allows them to receive critical monthly security patches after official support ends in October 2025, applicable to both commercial clients and personal device users. Future enhancements to Windows 11, including AI capabilities and task automation, may increase its adoption, but convincing Windows 10 users, especially those with older hardware, to transition remains a challenge.

Winsage

November 3, 2024

UnattendedWinstall 2.0 uses Microsoft answer files to simplify and customize Windows 10 and 11 installations — download it now

UnattendedWinstall is a tool for automating and personalizing the installation of Windows 10 and 11 using Microsoft’s answer files. It allows users to customize Windows settings and packages, making it efficient for deploying Windows across multiple devices. The tool defaults to Windows Pro, bypasses Windows 11 system requirements, and offers options to disable Windows Defender and User Account Control. It simplifies the setup by skipping Microsoft account creation and removing unnecessary applications while keeping essential tools. It also includes privacy-focused registry tweaks and restricts updates to security patches for the first year. UnattendedWinstall supports 32-bit, 64-bit, and ARM64 architectures and requires users to save an autounattend.xml file on their installation media. The UWScript.ps1 file can be used for existing installations, but answer files are not compatible with in-place upgrades. UnattendedWinstall 2.0 provides users with comprehensive control over system settings and is available for download from a designated source.

Winsage

October 31, 2024

Microsoft fixes Windows 10 bug causing apps to stop working

Microsoft has addressed an issue affecting the launch of certain applications on Windows 10 22H2 systems for non-administrative users, which arose after the September 2024 preview cumulative update (KB5043131). The problem involved child processes of applications running at low Integrity levels instead of the required medium levels, impacting applications like Quick Assist, Microsoft Teams, and Windows Narrator. This issue occurs when applications with UIAccess=true attempt to run under non-admin accounts. Affected applications are typically launched from secure directories, including ProgramFiles, %systemroot%system32, and %systemroot%syswow64. Microsoft is rolling out a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) to resolve the problem, which will automatically propagate to home and non-managed enterprise devices within 24 hours. For enterprise-managed devices, administrators must apply the KIR Group Policy via the Group Policy Editor and restart affected devices. Microsoft has previously used KIR to address issues on Windows Server 2019 and Windows 11 systems.

Tech Optimizer

October 31, 2024

Beyond antivirus: Other essential tools to protect your Mac

Macs are facing an increasing number of cybersecurity threats, with malware targeting macOS rising from eight families in 2021 to 21 in 2023. To protect against these threats, users are advised to implement antivirus software, maintain regular backups using tools like Apple's Time Machine and cloud services, enable the built-in firewall, use password managers for secure password storage, and utilize a VPN for secure internet connections, especially on public Wi-Fi.

Tech Optimizer

October 29, 2024

Making Adding AI Apps with Postgres Easier for Developers

Timescale has introduced the pgai Vectorizer, a tool that automates the embedding process within PostgreSQL, allowing developers to create, store, and manage vector embeddings alongside relational data without needing external tools. Built on the pgvector extension, it simplifies the integration of AI into applications for developers lacking AI expertise. The pgai Vectorizer automates embedding creation with a single SQL query, synchronizes data changes to vector embeddings in real-time, allows effortless switching between embedding models, and tracks model versions for backward compatibility. It replaces the need for building ETL pipelines, chunking and formatting data, scaling the embedding creation pipeline, and ensuring synchronization of embeddings and metadata. The pgai suite, launched last June, aims to empower PostgreSQL developers in AI engineering and has expanded to support various AI models. Additionally, the pgvectorscale enhances PostgreSQL's capabilities for large-scale AI use cases, offering performance comparable to dedicated vector databases while being cost-efficient. The pgai tools are open-source, reducing infrastructure costs and streamlining development processes. Recent benchmarks show that Timescale's pgvector outperforms standalone vector databases in performance and cost-effectiveness.

AppWizard

October 28, 2024

AI game testing bots will make buggy AAA launches a thing of the past

The trend of buggy launches in AAA game development is driven by market pressures prioritizing speed over quality, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and stressed development teams. The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 exemplifies this issue, resulting in CD Projekt Red facing refunds, removal from the PlayStation store, and significant investments in post-release fixes and expansions. Fixing production bugs post-launch can cost studios upwards of 0,000 due to the interconnected nature of game design. Advancements in AI and gaming technology have made it possible to reduce the occurrence of post-launch bugs, with automated testing systems now more effective due to deep learning and increased computational capabilities. The industry's shift towards modular development and the use of third-party tools highlights the inefficiency of manual bug hunting. Successful launches, like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, demonstrate the benefits of investing in automated QA tools for ensuring smooth releases. Automating testing with AI-powered tools is becoming essential for cost-efficiency and competitiveness in a market that demands high-quality releases.

AppWizard

October 24, 2024

The World of Minecraft’s Deluxe Edition is the Best Gift For Fans, Bar None

The World of Minecraft: Deluxe Numbered Edition is a hardback compendium with 224 pages, divided into fifteen chapters, featuring insights, graphics, and quotes from Minecraft's history. It includes a certificate of authenticity, with only 1,000 copies available worldwide, and comes with three signed prints from artists. The compendium costs £200 and will launch on November 7, 2024.