Info Assured July 2023: Privacy, demonetization, racist doorbells and th...

Here are the articles for your consideration in July 2023:

Segment 1: An anti-porn app put him in jail and his family under surveillance 

In Indiana's Monroe County, an anti-pornography app, Covenant Eyes, has led to a man being jailed and his family under surveillance. The man, married to a woman named Hannah, is charged with possessing child sexual abuse material, a claim he pleads not guilty to. To ensure compliance with court-ordered electronics restrictions, the probation department installed Covenant Eyes on the devices of Hannah's family, allowing probation officers to monitor their digital activities in real-time. Despite Covenant Eyes' terms of service prohibiting usage in premeditated legal settings, it has been used to monitor individuals on probation in at least five U.S. states. The app's use in criminal proceedings, albeit a small percentage of total usage, raises severe constitutional and due process concerns.

Key Points:

1. A man in Indiana is jailed due to the anti-pornography app Covenant Eyes, which is also used to surveil his family's devices.

2. Covenant Eyes monitors all user activities on their devices, sending the data to an "accountability partner," in this case, probation officers.

3. Courts in at least five U.S. states have used Covenant Eyes for surveillance, despite its terms prohibiting such use.

4. Covenant Eyes' use in criminal-legal settings raises severe constitutional and due process concerns.

5. This type of deep surveillance in pretrial situations with little oversight is part of a worrying trend​​.

Segment 2: A Tale of Unwanted Disruption: My Week Without Amazon

Brandon Jackson experienced an unexpected lockout from his Amazon account, disrupting the operation of his smart home devices interfaced via Amazon Echo and Alexa. The lockout occurred after an Amazon delivery driver reported receiving racist remarks from Jackson's doorbell, which was a misunderstanding as his doorbell issued an automated response that the driver misinterpreted. Jackson, who had video evidence showing no such comments were made, was locked out of his account for nearly a week, despite submitting the evidence promptly. The incident made him question his reliance on Amazon's services and consider alternatives like Raspberry Pi devices. After multiple calls and emails, almost a week later, his account was unlocked with no follow-up email or explanation. Jackson called for Amazon to rethink its approach to handling such situations and to focus more on customer service and nuanced incident management.

Key Points:

1. An Amazon delivery driver's report of receiving racist remarks from Jackson's doorbell locked his Amazon account.

2. The accusation was a misunderstanding: the doorbell had issued an automated response, misinterpreted by the driver.

3. Despite promptly submitting video evidence that no such comments were made, Jackson's account remained locked for nearly a week.

4. The incident made Jackson question his reliance on Amazon's services, and he's considering alternatives like Raspberry Pi devices for his smart home system.

5. Jackson called for Amazon to reform its approach to incident management, emphasizing the need for better customer service and a more nuanced, customer-focused approach to problem-solving and conflict resolution.

Segment 3: Edge browser feature sends images you view back to Microsoft 

The Edge browser from Microsoft has rolled out a feature, 'Enhance images in Microsoft Edge,' that improves low-resolution images by upscaling them, thus increasing sharpness, lighting, and contrast. However, this feature, enabled by default, sends images back to Microsoft for processing, sparking privacy concerns. A recent update has offered users more control over which sites' images should be enhanced. Users can opt out of this service through Edge's Privacy, search, and services settings. Another feature, 'Show Collections and follow content creators in Microsoft Edge,' known to send all visited URLs to Microsoft, can also be disabled in the same menu​.

Key Points:

1. The Edge browser has a new feature, 'Enhance images in Microsoft Edge,' which sends viewed images back to Microsoft for enhancement, causing privacy concerns​1​.

2. This feature is enabled by default. Still, users can opt-out if they prefer not to have their images sent to Microsoft​​.

3. A recent update gives users more control over which sites' images should be enhanced​​.

4. Users can disable this service in Edge's Privacy, search, and Services settings​​.

5. Another feature, 'Show Collections and follow content creators in Microsoft Edge,' that sends all visited URLs to Microsoft, can also be disabled from the same menu​​.

Segment 4:Understanding Ransomware Threat Actors: LockBit | CISA  

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a cybersecurity advisory (CSA) to warn organizations about a new ransomware variant called CL0P. The ransomware is known to target organizations in the healthcare, manufacturing, and government sectors.

Key Points:

• CL0P is a ransomware variant that encrypts files on a victim's system and demands a ransom payment for the decryption key.

• CL0P is known to target organizations in the healthcare, manufacturing, and government sectors.

• CISA has issued a cybersecurity advisory (CSA) to warn organizations about CL0P and provide mitigation guidance.

• The CSA recommends that organizations implement the following mitigations to protect themselves from CL0P:

• Patch all known vulnerabilities.

• Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.

• Back up data regularly.

• Monitor systems for suspicious activity.

Additional Details

• CL0P is a relatively new ransomware variant already used to attack several high-profile organizations.

• The ransomware encrypts files on a victim's system using a robust encryption algorithm.

• Once the files are encrypted, the ransomware drops a ransom note that demands payment in exchange for the decryption key.

• The ransom amount typically ranges from $10,000 to $100,000.

• No guarantee paying the ransom will result in the victim receiving the decryption key.

• Victims sometimes have paid the ransom and still have not received the decryption key.

Segment 5: YouTube strips ad revenue from The Matt Walsh Show after repeated vitriol against Dylan Mulvaney

Matt Walsh, the host of the Daily Wire, has had his YouTube channel demonetized due to repeated violations of YouTube Partner Program policies. The decision responded to his aggressive campaign against transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney, especially after Mulvaney announced a collaboration with Bud Light. According to estimates, this could cost Walsh up to $1.6 million annually. Rather than ceasing his actions, Walsh will make his show accessible on the Daily Wire+ app and upload episodes to Twitter. He has a history of anti-trans comments and has specifically targeted Mulvaney. Despite YouTube and other policies against hate speech, Walsh's show remains available on platforms like the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Key Points:

1. Daily Wire host Matt Walsh has had his YouTube channel demonetized due to repeated violations of platform policies.

2. The action follows Walsh's increasingly aggressive campaign against transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney.

3. Walsh's YouTube channel reportedly earned him over $100,000 monthly, with estimates suggesting potential annual revenue of up to $1.6 million.

4. Walsh plans to continue his show for free on the Daily Wire+ app and upload episodes to Twitter.

5. Despite hateful comments and repeated policy violations, Walsh's content remains available on platforms like the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Segment 6: Elizabeth Holmes enters Texas prison to begin an 11-year sentence for Theranos blood-testing hoax | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)

Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos, has begun her 11-year prison sentence at a minimum-security facility in Bryan, Texas. The ruling comes after Holmes was convicted of four felony counts of fraud and conspiracy relating to her tenure at Theranos. The startup she founded at 19 was claimed to revolutionize healthcare with a blood-testing device, drawing nearly $1 billion in investments and a powerful board of directors. However, Theranos was revealed to be a hoax; its technology was flawed. Holmes' ex-partner and former executive of Theranos, Sunny Balwani, was also convicted and is serving a nearly 13-year sentence.

Key Points

1. The disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is now serving her 11-year sentence at a Texas federal women's prison for fraud and conspiracy.

2. Holmes and ex-partner Sunny Balwani oversaw the failed blood-testing startup Theranos, which was exposed as a hoax after raising nearly $1 billion from investors.

3. Holmes and Balwani were charged with multiple white-collar crimes in 2018, aimed at combating the Silicon Valley practice of overselling undeveloped technology.

4. Holmes had two young children with William "Billy" Evans, whom she met in 2017 while awaiting trial.

5. Balwani, convicted of 12 felony counts, is serving a nearly 13-year sentence in a Southern California prison.