Linux Kernel closes in on 10M git objects

Linus Torvalds has announced version 6.8 of the Linux Kernel, inching ever closer to a major milestone in the project's codebase. In his announcement on Sunday, Torvalds noted that the git repository tracking the kernel's development now contains 9.996 million objects.

"This is the last mainline kernel to have less than ten million git objects," Torvalds wrote, though he was quick to add, "Of course, there is absolutely nothing special about it apart from a nice round number. Git...

11 March 2024 | Linux

Google improves Android device orientation accuracy

Google has announced a new device orientation solution for Android map developers called the Fused Orientation Provider (FOP) API in Play services. This API aims to provide more consistent and high-performance device orientation capabilities across devices.

“Device orientation, or attitude, is used as an input signal for many use cases: virtual or augmented reality, gesture detection, or compass and navigation – any time the app needs the orientation of a device in relation to...

8 March 2024 | Android

Apple faces EU scrutiny for terminating Epic’s developer account

Apple finds itself under the European Union's microscope following its decision to terminate Epic Games’ developer account, blocking the gaming company from establishing its own app store for iPhone users in Europe. This move has reignited the ongoing feud between the two tech giants and raised concerns over potential violations of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Epic Games – the creator of popular game Fortnite – expressed outrage after Apple abruptly ended its...

7 March 2024 | App Stores

Java remains backbone of enterprise applications

Java is set to remain the stable backbone of enterprise applications, according to a new report from Perforce Software.

The 2024 Java Developer Productivity Report is based on a survey of 440 respondents across 72 countries. Among the key findings, 60 percent of respondents said their companies plan to add Java developers in the coming year, while 42 percent plan to increase their Java development tool budgets.

"These investments in tools and talent are testament to...

6 March 2024 | Java

Google: Meta’s approach to Android 14 is a ‘blueprint’ for success 

Google has shed light on how Meta approaches tackling challenges and streamlining processes to enhance Android app development.

Following the rollout of Android 11, Meta embarked on a transformative journey, establishing the "Android OS Readiness Program." This move was prompted by identified hurdles concerning existing features such as Chat Heads and emerging requirements like scoped storage integration.

A major bottleneck in addressing these issues stemmed from...

5 March 2024 | Android

GitHub enables secret scanning push protection by default

In response to the alarming trend of API keys, tokens, and other confidential data being inadvertently exposed, GitHub has taken further steps to fortify its platform against potential breaches.

Within the first two months of 2024, GitHub has uncovered one million leaked secrets across public repositories, averaging over a dozen incidents per minute. Such alarming figures underscore the pressing need for robust safeguards to protect users and their data.

Since August...

1 March 2024 | Developer

GitHub suffers from over 100K infected repos

Developers face a major security threat as over 100,000 repositories on GitHub are infected with malicious code.

This resurgence of a malicious repo confusion campaign – detected by Apiiro’s security researchers – has impacted countless developers who unwittingly use repositories they believe to be trusted but are, in fact, compromised.

Similar to dependency confusion attacks – which exploit package managers – repo confusion attacks rely on human error,...

29 February 2024 | Developer

White House urges adoption of memory-safe programming languages

The White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) has released a new report today urging the technology industry to take steps to reduce vulnerabilities in software that leave digital systems open to cyberattacks.

The report, titled "Back to the Building Blocks: A Path Toward Secure and Measurable Software," emphasises the importance of technology manufacturers adopting memory-safe programming languages to prevent entire classes of vulnerabilities from entering the...

27 February 2024 | Hacking & Security

Python packages caught using DLL sideloading to bypass security

ReversingLabs researchers have uncovered Python packages using DLL sideloading to bypass security tools.

On 10 January 2024, Karlo Zanki, a reverse engineer at ReversingLabs, stumbled upon two suspicious packages on the Python Package Index (PyPI). These packages – named NP6HelperHttptest and NP6HelperHttper – were found to be utilising DLL sideloading, a known technique used by malicious actors to execute code discreetly and evade detection from security tools.

This...

21 February 2024 | Hacking & Security

Google experiments with AI-generated ‘App Highlights’ in Play Store

Google's quest for integrating AI across its products and services continues as the tech giant is now turning to using it for enhancing the Play Store experience. According to reports, Google is experimenting with using AI to generate information for the App Highlights section in the Play Store.

An update shared on social media by code sleuth @AssembleDebug has revealed that when users tap on an app in the Play Store, they may now see information about the app's features and...

20 February 2024 | Android