Pokie Huang:

Hey, it’s 5:05 on Thursday, April 13th, 2023. From the Sourced Podcast Network in New York City, this is your host, Pokie Huang. Stories in today’s episode, come from Kadi Grigg in Alexandria, Virginia, Edwin Kwan in Sydney, Australia, Katy Craig in San Diego, California, Marcel Brown in St. Louis.

Let’s get to it.

Kadi Grigg:

In today’s world, we’re constantly in need of charging our devices, and charging stations have become a common site in public places like airports and shopping malls. However, the FBI has recently issued a warning about the potential dangers of using public charging stations, a phenomenon known as “juice jacking.”

Juice jacking involves hackers installing malicious software onto public charging stations, which can then steal sensitive information from your device or even install malware onto it. While this may sound like something out of a spy movie, it’s a real threat that we all need to be aware of.

The FBI recommends that you only use charging stations that you trust, such as those provided by your employer or reputable business. If you must use a public charging station, they suggest using a USB data blocker to prevent the transfer of data while still allowing your device to charge or simply carry a portable charger.

Long story short, be cautious when using public charging stations and take steps to protect yourself from potential cyber threats.

This is Kadi Grigg in Alexandria, Virginia.

Edwin Kwan:

This is Edwin Kwan from Sydney, Australia.

The Tasmanian State government has recently suffered a data breach. The hackers targeted a third-party transfer software used by the Tasmanian Department of Education, Children and Young People. Initially the Science and Technology Minister said that it appeared that no government held data was compromised. However further investigations reviewed that financial data had been stolen. And on Good Friday, the hackers release 16,000 documents containing names, addresses, and bank statements of Tasmanian parents and students. Those affected have been sent emails, urging them to monitor their bank accounts and report any suspicious financial activity. The attack is currently being investigated by the Australian Cyber Security Center.

Katy Craig:

In a surprising move, Amazon.com has decided to ban the Flipper Zero from its platform, citing concerns that the multi-tool device is being used as a card skimmer. And this is why we can’t have nice things.

This is Katy Craig in San Diego, California.

While the Flipper Zero is undoubtedly a powerful tool, designed for hackers, tinkerers, and security researchers alike, it’s disappointing to see such a valuable educational tool being labeled as a threat.

The Flipper Zero was created to teach users about communications protocols and security vulnerabilities in a fun, hands-on manner. It’s a shame that a few bad actors have tainted the reputation of this innovative device, ultimately leading to Amazon’s decision to remove it from their platform.

It’s disheartening to see tools that can be used for good being banned because of the actions of a few bad actors. We must continue to push for education and awareness around responsible and ethical hacking practices, ensuring that the security community can continue to grow and contribute positively to society.

This is Katy Craig. Stay safe out there.

Marcel Brown:

This is Marcel Brown, the most trusted name in technology, delivering you some technology history for April 13th.

April 13th, 1970. An oxygen tank aboard the Service Module of Apollo 13 explodes. Moments later, astronaut Jack Swigert announces the later-famous phrase, “Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” The explosion cripples the spacecrafts, resulting in a near-complete loss of electricity and oxygen. The oxygen leak will force the crew to abandon the command module for the lunar module as a makeshift “lifeboat” becoming stranded for four days, more than 200,000 miles from Earth, while NASA plans the most spectacular rescue mission in US space history. Against all odds, three astronauts will return safely back to earth.

April 13th, 2000. The heavy metal group Metallica Sues Napster, alleging copyright infringement and racketeering. This lawsuit, later joined by Dr. Dre, as well as other lawsuits from the RIAA, eventually caused the original Napster service to shut down and file bankruptcy. However, the Pandora’s Box that Napster opened could not be closed and digital distribution changed the music industry forever.

As for Metallica, their reputation was tarnished for some time by this move. Ironically, Metallica owed much of their early popularity to the spread of unauthorized copies of their early albums. As the heavy metal genre in general and Metallica in particular did not get much airplay at the time, it was reported that Metallica quietly encouraged the free spread of their music in the early 1980s.

Therefore many viewed Metallica’s action against Napster as hypocritical and greedy. That’s your tech history for today. For more, tune in tomorrow and visit my website ThisDayInTechHistory.com.

Pokie Huang:

That’s it for today’s open source and cybersecurity updates. For direct links to all stories and resources mentioned in today’s episode, go to 505Updates.com, where you can listen to our growing library of over 100 episodes. You can also download the transcript of all episodes for easy reference.

5:05 is a Sourced Networks Production with updates available Monday through Friday on your favorite audio streaming platform. Just search for “It’s 5:05!”. And please consider subscribing while you’re there.

Thank you to Kadi Grigg, Edwin Kwan, Katy Craig, Marcel Brown for today’s contributions.

The Executive Producer is Mark Miller. The editor and the sound engineer is Pokie Huang. Music for today’s episode is by Blue Dot Sessions. We use Descript for spoken text editing and Audacity to layer in the soundscapes. The show distribution platform is provided by Captivate.fm. This is Pokie Huang. See you tomorrow… at 5:05.