Thu. 01/09 – The Wildfire App Everyone In LA Has Been Using

Jan 9, 2025 15m

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Big new zero day to tell you about. Apple says Siri is safe, honest. Google rolls out an AI Daily Listen audio feature. Looking at the next wave of wearable AI. And let me tell you about WatchDuty, the app everyone in LA was using overnight.

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Hackers are exploiting a new Ivanti VPN security bug to hack into company networks (TechCrunch)
Apple says Siri isn’t sending your conversations to advertisers (The Verge)
Google’s ‘Daily Listen’ lab is a personalized podcast based on your Discover feed (9to5Google)
SoftBank’s Chip Designer Arm Considers Acquiring Ampere Computing (Bloomberg)
Your Next AI Wearable Will Listen to Everything All the Time (Wired)
With L.A. on alert, wildfire app Watch Duty adds 600,000 users overnight (Los Angeles Times)
LA residents find a lifeline in this free wildfire-tracking app (The Verge)
‘It’s not just alerts, it’s a state of mind’: How a wildfire monitoring app became essential in the US west (The Guardian)

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AI-Generated Summary

Major Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

A significant zero-day vulnerability has been revealed in Ivanti's widely used Connect Secure VPN tool, allowing threat actors to remotely access and plant malicious code on user networks without any authentication. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE 2025 0282, is the latest in a series of security issues that have plagued Ivanti products. The company is currently working on patches for affected products but has acknowledged active exploitation of the vulnerability. This incident highlights the pressing need for enhanced security measures in enterprise solutions.

Apple's Siri Privacy Assurance

Apple has made a public statement reaffirming that it has never used Siri data for building marketing profiles or for any advertising purposes. This assurance comes after the company settled a lawsuit for $95 million related to Siri's data handling, which suggested otherwise. Apple's response aims to dispel rumors about the privacy of its voice assistant, emphasizing a commitment to user data security and privacy.

Google's AI Daily Listen Feature

Google has introduced 'Daily Listen', an AI-powered feature that creates personalized 5-minute audio overviews of news and topics users follow. Available in the Google app, this feature utilizes user interests gathered from their search activities. Daily Listen aims to provide a quick, curated audio experience for users, indicating Google's continued investment in AI-driven services.

The Rise of Wearable AI

The podcast discusses emerging wearable AI technologies showcased at CES. Notable devices discussed include B.A.I. and Ami, both of which feature always-on microphones for recording conversations. B.A.I. enables users to recall conversations and generate to-do lists from discussions, while Ami differentiates itself with brain wave recognition for user interaction. These devices raise questions about privacy and data processing, as both rely on cloud-based systems for functionality.

Wildfire App - WatchDuty

WatchDuty, a wildfire monitoring app, has gained immense popularity in the wake of wildfires in Los Angeles, adding 600,000 users overnight. This app combines real-time data from fire incidents and weather alerts, offering crucial updates to users. The app plays a vital role in public safety during wildfire emergencies, with its CEO voicing the urgency and importance of its services during catastrophic events.