Apple’s iOS 15.3 update fixes critical Safari security bug

 Apple has just released iOS 15.3, and while this latest update doesn’t add any significant new features, it addresses at least one critical security flaw. Earlier this month, software engineer Martin Bajanik of FingerprintJS found a serious vulnerability in Safari 15, the browser included in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, that could leak browsing history information and even credentials from online services that a person is using, such as Google, YouTube, Amazon, and sites using WordPress.

As Bajanik explains, many websites use an API called IndexedDB to request that browsers like Safari and Chrome store information in a local database on a person’s device. Under normal circumstances, a given website should only be able to request information about the databases that it created — any others should be invisible to it.

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Jesse Hollington / Digital Trends

Unfortunately, it turns out the Safari browser in iOS 15 wasn’t exactly respecting those rules. Although it wasn’t giving out any information stored in those databases, it was happily providing a full list of all the local databases to any website that asked.

While this may sound relatively innocuous on the surface, the problem is that many services use sensitive information for these database names. For instance, Google uses an internal unique and user-specific identifier that allows anybody who is logged into their Google Account to be “uniquely and precisely identified.” Bajanaik notes that this Google User ID can even be fed into Google APIs to pull up public information on the account owner, such as their name and profile picture.

To make matters worse, not only does this allow a malicious website to learn a user’s identity, but it can also be used to get a list of multiple accounts owned by the same person. This could create a serious breach of privacy in situations where someone is using an anonymous account that’s not tied to their personal identity in any way. A hacker exploiting this flaw could make a connection by discovering that the same individual had information for both accounts stored in their browser.

The flaw also appears to be easy to exploit. Bajanaik explains that “a tab or window that runs in the background and continually queries the IndexedDB API for available databases, can learn what other websites a user visits in real time,” allowing hackers to collect data on targets simply by planting malicious code in a seemingly legitimate website.

Security fixes in iOS 15.3

Compared with the exciting features that arrived in the last couple major iOS releases, this week’s iOS 15.3 update may appear pretty boring, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly. In fact, it’s even more important to update to iOS 15.3 as soon as possible.

Not only does iOS 15.3 fix this particularly nasty security hole in Safari, but according to Apple’s release notes, there are nine other important security fixes, including one that Apple notes “may have been actively exploited.” found more android vulnerabilities 

Separating Fact from Fiction: Cockroach Myths and Misconceptions

 With the weather changing, you may have seen one or two cockroaches scurrying into your home. When it comes to cockroaches, there are plenty of myths and misconceptions, and some of the facts may also surprise you. While some of the following myths are just that, other ‟myths” have some truth to them. It's time to set to set the records straight.

Myth: All cockroaches are bad cockroaches

The Facts: This is false. Of thousands of species of cockroaches worldwide, only about 30 types are considered pests. In the US, pests are the American, German, Oriental and Smokey-Brown cockroaches

Myth: Cockroaches walked the earth at the same time as the dinosaurs

The Facts: It’s true, the cockroach is estimated to be at least 200 million years old. There are roach fossils dating back as far as 350 million years, so they actually pre-date some dinosaurs.

Myth: Cockroaches cause allergies and make people sick

The Facts: This is no myth, but rather, a severe problem for people with asthma. Cockroaches produce protein fecal matter and decaying molted skeletons. Roaches also carry bacteria, which can lead to the spread of disease.

Myth: Roaches only invade dirty homes

The Facts: This is a myth. Roaches enter buildings depending on ease of access to water and food sources in the home. Dirtier homes just provide easier access to crumbs. It is important to not only keep your home clean, but also to ensure that cracks and points of entry for roaches and other insects are properly sealed.

Myth: Roaches will eat anything

The Facts: True, they eat everything from plant matter to people food, dead skin cells, and even garbage.

Myth: The only thing that kills roaches is roach treatment

The Facts: Patently false. Roaches have natural predators and aren’t very high up on the food chain. In addition to people’s attempts to remove the household pests, there are animals, centipedes and certain species of wasp that prey on cockroaches.

Myth: Roaches drink beer

The Facts: Some roaches do seem to like alcoholic beverages, beer included. It’s likely because of the sugars found in alcohol, not because roaches like to party.

Myth: Roaches live for decades

The Facts: Cockroaches can live anywhere between a few months to a couple of years, depending on the species.

Myth: Roaches are everywhere

The Facts: That’s a myth, but just barely. Roaches are adaptable and find ways to survive on every continent except Antarctica.

Myth: A roach can survive for a long time without eating

The Facts: This is true, for most roaches can go up to a month without food but will die in a week if deprived of water.

Myth: Roaches move really, really fast

The Facts: Indeed they do, for cockroaches, both young and adult can move up to three miles per hour.

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