The hottest Hacking Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

i-SOON Leak: Unanswered Questions and What Now?

Natto Thoughts • 79 implied HN points • 27 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Government Hacking Surveillance
  1. Chinese hacker groups have historically displayed poor operations security, making mistakes and leaving evidence, despite successfully targeting critical infrastructure.
  2. The leaked i-SOON documents reveal the extensive involvement of private cyber security companies in China, indicating the government's reliance on external expertise.
  3. The effectiveness of the 'name-and-shame' strategy in compelling or deterring behavior of exposed Chinese threat actors appears limited, as seen with cases like Chengdu 404 and Goldsun.

The KQL Mysteries: Chapter 5

Rod’s Blog • 456 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Analysis Hacking AI Threat intelligence
  1. Jon and Sofia successfully identified and captured the teenage threat actors behind a financial breach using KQL queries and OSINT techniques.
  2. The threat actors were operating from a suburban house in Seattle, Washington, and were quickly apprehended by authorities, leading to the recovery of the funds.
  3. Despite the success, Jon remains suspicious about the involvement of the Night Princess hacker group, hinting at a potential unresolved mystery for the next chapter.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

i-SOON: Another Company in the APT41 Network

Natto Thoughts • 219 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Hacking Surveillance Malware
  1. A lawsuit revealed potential business ties between Chengdu 404 linked to APT41 and Sichuan i-SOON, shedding light on the ecosystem of IT companies in which these hackers operate.
  2. Sichuan i-SOON has strong connections with universities, offers training programs, and possesses qualifications to work for state security, raising questions about its potential involvement in APT activities.
  3. The similarities between Sichuan i-SOON and Chengdu 404, along with i-SOON's capabilities in surveillance-related technologies, suggest a possible link to APT41 activities and other Chinese APT groups like RedHotel/Earth Lusca.

Out of the Sandbox

Reboot • 32 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🕹 Technology China Politics Hacking Customization
  1. Jailbreaking iPhones was a way to explore the full potential of Apple devices beyond the limitations set by the company.
  2. Jailbreaking in China was not only common but essential for accessing features like multilingual support and blocking spam calls.
  3. Through jailbreaking, individuals found a way to challenge authority, explore political subversiveness, and open up to alternative possibilities.

US Disrupted Volt Typhoon by Hijacking, Wiping Botnet Routers

Metacurity • 39 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Hacking Government
  1. The US government disrupted a dangerous Chinese hacking operation known as Volt Typhoon by taking over and wiping infected routers.
  2. Senior officials expressed concern over Beijing's attempts to infiltrate US networks for potential cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.
  3. The operation was part of efforts to prevent future cyberattacks, particularly around potential conflicts like the one involving Taiwan.

Russian Hacking Group MidnightBlizzard Stole Emails From Microsoft Execs, Employees

Metacurity • 39 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Hacking Data Breach Malware Digital Security
  1. Russian hacking group MidnightBlizzard, also known as Nobelium, breached Microsoft networks and stole emails from executives and employees.
  2. The breach was detected in November but Microsoft began notifying affected staff in January.
  3. Hackers used a password spray attack on an old test account to access multiple email streams.

Tesla Hackers Are Fighting Digital Extortion

Fight to Repair • 59 implied HN points • 17 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Hacking IOT Repairability
  1. Security researchers hacked Tesla's seat-warmers to challenge paywalls for features, showcasing vehicle owners' tech skills
  2. Attempts to jailbreak devices demonstrate the growing demand to free devices from vendor constraints, empowering users to reclaim control
  3. Companies face backlash for using software to restrict features, leading to calls for legislation to prevent device disabling and the creation of repair barriers

The inspiration of early hacker culture; not your father’s DDoS; Prigozhin mutiny in cyberspace; China inching toward Ukraine? MOVEIt hack raises risk of deepfake scams

Natto Thoughts • 19 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Hacking Geopolitics Data Breach Deepfake
  1. The German television miniseries 'The Billion Dollar Code' on Netflix captures the excitement of early hacker culture.
  2. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are evolving in sophistication and targeting new entities, posing significant cyber risks.
  3. China's potential support for Ukraine in reclaiming disputed territories, like Crimea, signifies a shift in geopolitical dynamics and requires careful observation.

Liberate the appliances! Washing machine hacker outsmarts anti-repair measures - Week in Repair

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Repair Hacking Legislation Software Enforcement
  1. ChuxMan successfully hacked his washing machine to fix it after the manufacturer refused to share firmware information, showcasing the challenges consumers face in repairing home appliances.
  2. Enforcement is crucial in ensuring the right to repair, as highlighted by the ChuxMan incident where legislation alone was not enough to facilitate repairs.
  3. The link between software access and repair restrictions is evident in various cases, such as Apple intentionally slowing down iPhones and John Deere using software locks to impede repairs.

This Week in Vegas: DEF CON Does Repair

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 09 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Right-to-repair Hacking Internet
  1. DEF CON is a significant hacking conference where cybersecurity community discusses important topics and works towards a more secure future.
  2. The right to repair movement is gaining traction and challenging monopolies on service and repair by big corporations, promoting a circular economy and enhancing security and privacy protections.
  3. Other discussions at DEF CON also focus on the importance of medical device repair and the need for patients to have the ability to modify and improve their own technology.

Fight to Repair Daily: July 27, 2022

Fight to Repair • 19 implied HN points • 27 Jul 22
🕹 Technology Repairability Monopoly power Hacking Subscription Model
  1. Audible's dominant market position and DRM policies can significantly impact authors and readers, limiting choices and control over audiobooks.
  2. Planned obsolescence in products not only affects consumers financially but also has environmental consequences, highlighting the need for sustainable choices.
  3. The monopolistic role of middlemen in commerce, like Amazon or Google, can lead to unfair practices and the need for more equitable transactions.

Chameleon: The Adaptive Cybersecurity Solution

ussphoenix • 1 HN point • 20 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence Hacking Programming
  1. Chameleon is an advanced cybersecurity solution designed to detect and respond to malicious activity in real-time by changing the attack surface of the system.
  2. The system, created by programmer Akira Nakamura, uses mature integrations with security products and heat maps to stay ahead of evolving threats.
  3. Chameleon successfully thwarted a skilled hacker named Ghost by constantly adapting and deploying a black ICE program to stop him.

Extending the demo: Rabbit

Rings of Saturn • 0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Software Hacking Entertainment Programming
  1. The demo version of Rabbit Mihonhin, a 2D fighter game, contains hidden options and a more-or-less complete build of the game, possibly a late prototype.
  2. By making patches to lift demo restrictions, such as unlocking the Options screen and accessing disabled characters, players can explore additional content and characters in the game.
  3. The game has a unique integrity checking function that needed to be disabled to allow for translated files, showcasing the developers' interesting approach towards file loading and error correction.

Smile! You've Been Sanctioned

Seriously Risky Business • 0 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cyber Security Finance Government Hacking Data Privacy
  1. Governments coordinated sanctions against cybercriminals can deter bad behavior and affect cybercrime business prospects.
  2. Microsoft's security breach highlights the need for improved security standards and better practices.
  3. Increased disclosure of non-material cybersecurity incidents to SEC may raise concerns about clutter but could be vital for transparency and awareness.

Tinder is the Night

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 23 Sep 16
🕹 Technology Social media Hacking Digital Identity
  1. Moderating online speech is extremely challenging for platforms, highlighting varying social norms on speech and the importance of consistent moderation standards.
  2. Technology has deeply influenced our lives, making it difficult to live without constant online connection.
  3. Predicting bestsellers through algorithms may benefit the publishing industry but could potentially impact literature negatively.

IT'S ALIVE!

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 28 Jul 16
🕹 Technology VR Apps Social media Hacking Data Privacy
  1. Virtual reality may not be effectively increasing empathy for refugees as initially claimed in some cases.
  2. Musical.ly, an app popular among teens, allows users to share short clips of themselves lip-syncing to music, leading to some turning it into lucrative careers.
  3. Companies often use cute marketing tactics to appear more friendly and trustworthy, potentially influencing people to share data or use their services.

You're the robot

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 16 Mar 16
🕹 Technology Chatbots Social media Internet Trends Hacking Video Platforms
  1. Life as a hot girl online can be surprisingly good for a nerdy guy in real life, showing the importance of physical appearance in the virtual world.
  2. Faking happiness on social media, like Facebook, can actually help cope with depression by turning the fake into reality and the mental version into a facade.
  3. The trend of self-quantification raises significant psychological and philosophical questions about tracking and defining the self.

Nothing you'd need to procure illegally

Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends • 0 implied HN points • 10 Dec 14
🕹 Technology Internet Hacking Social media Privacy Entertainment
  1. The Sony hacks revealed embarrassing details of ordinary people's lives, showing how terrifying cyber attacks can be.
  2. Beware of online vigilantes like Chuck Johnson, who sabotage the idea of a folk Internet in their ruthless quest for 'truth.'
  3. The Ikea coffee table became a symbol of revisiting youthful stages of life, resonating with many through shared experiences.

The Knight of the wind

Rings of Saturn • 0 implied HN points • 16 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Coding Hacking Software Hardware
  1. Clockwork Knight 2 introduces a new game mechanic with the Barobaro stages, which usually have automatic scrolling but a patch exists to play as Pepper and disable the scrolling.
  2. The technical details reveal that character selection in the game relies on specific codes and files, showcasing how modifications can alter the gameplay experience.
  3. Playing as Pepper in certain levels has some limitations like malfunctioning track bends, getting stuck at certain points, and crashes when losing all gears, but overall the gameplay is functional.

PRC: Not Stealthy, Just Annoying

Seriously Risky Business • 0 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Data Privacy Hacking Legislation
  1. Chinese cyber espionage groups are using techniques that make detection and eviction difficult, targeting end-of-life devices for botnet operations.
  2. The FTC's settlement with a data broker over the sale of sensitive location data highlights the need for stronger data privacy laws in the US.
  3. US cyber security efforts show promise with expectations for more disruption operations, potential removal of degree requirements, and positive reviews for cyber diplomats.

US Data Dumpster Fire Singes NSA

Seriously Risky Business • 0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Government Data Privacy Hacking Intelligence Agencies
  1. US Senator Ron Wyden is pushing to stop US intelligence agencies from buying Americans' personal data obtained illegally by data brokers.
  2. The NSA does not buy location data from phones or vehicles in the US, focusing on data related to cybersecurity missions.
  3. Election interference tactics continue to evolve, with the PRC using AI avatars, fake documents, and leaked information to influence outcomes.

UK's National Cyber Force: A Bunch of Mindf-ckers

Seriously Risky Business • 0 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Malware Hacking Tech industry
  1. The UK's National Cyber Force aims to disrupt adversary behavior by exploiting their reliance on digital technology.
  2. Offensive cyber operations by the NCF focus on cognitive effects and disrupting adversary systems over a period.
  3. The response to the 3CX supply chain attack was quicker compared to past breaches, showing improvement in addressing cyber threats.

Air Force. Navy. Army. Cyber Force?

Seriously Risky Business • 0 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Government Hacking Ransomware Cryptocurrency
  1. A proposal for a US Cyber Force as a 7th branch of the armed services is being considered, but there are concerns about the necessity and impact of such a move.
  2. Biden's executive order on spyware aims to restrict commercial spyware use by the US government, formalizing existing practices, and working in conjunction with legislative initiatives.
  3. The UK's NHS released a cyber security strategy focusing on collaboration, risk management, and learning from past cyber incidents, addressing challenges like limited cyber workforce and legacy technology.