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JBL Tune Buds Review


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JBL Tune Buds – True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds (Blue), Small

Queensland Government Launches Ambitious Cyber Defence Enhancement Plan


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Queensland’s Cyber Security Initiative

Quick Overview

  • Queensland invests $40 million in enhancing cyber security systems.
  • Plan focuses on improving procurement methods for security technologies.
  • 28% of cybercrimes in Australia take place in Queensland.
  • Efforts will work to resolve a shortage of 30,000 cyber security professionals in Australia.
  • The strategy aligns with the federal government’s 2023-2030 framework.

Queensland’s $40 Million Cyber Security Investment

Queensland government unveils cyber security initiative

The Government of Queensland has unveiled a major $40 million investment to bolster its cyber security measures. This funding will facilitate essential system upgrades to protect the state’s digital infrastructure from escalating cyber threats.

Improved Procurement Procedures for Security Technologies

This strategy aims to streamline the procurement processes for state and municipal agencies, enabling easier access to advanced security technologies. By providing enhanced procurement resources and support, Queensland looks to establish a more resilient system and supply chain against cyber threats.

Tackling the Rising Cyber Crime Rates

Recognizing that 28% of Australia’s cybercrimes are committed in Queensland, the state acknowledges the critical need to confront this issue. The newly implemented strategy is crafted to alleviate these elevated crime rates through improved collaboration with various sectors, including the government, industry, and educational institutions.

Addressing the Cyber Security Skills Shortage

A central element of the strategy involves tackling the notably large skills gap in cyber security. The state intends to generate meaningful opportunities and focus on workforce diversity to inject fresh talent and viewpoints into the domain. This initiative is vital as Australia deals with a deficiency of 30,000 skilled cyber security professionals.

Consistency with Federal Cyber Security Strategy

The Queensland strategy is crafted to enhance the federal government’s 2023-2030 cyber security framework. This consistency promotes a unified response to national cyber security challenges and provides a collective front against potential risks.

Recap

Queensland is taking decisive measures to strengthen its cyber security framework with a $40 million investment in system advancements and procurement strategies. By addressing both the rising incidence of cyber crime and the talent shortage, the state is synchronizing its initiatives with the national strategy to build a robust defense against cyber threats.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the primary objective of Queensland’s cyber security strategy?

A: The primary objective is to enhance the state’s cyber defences through system upgrades and refined procurement strategies.

Q: In what way does Queensland intend to resolve the skills gap in cyber security?

A: Queensland plans to generate opportunities and emphasize diversity in the workforce to attract new talent and perspectives to the sector.

Q: How does this strategy align with the federal government’s agenda?

A: The strategy complements the federal government’s 2023-2030 agenda, promoting a coordinated national approach to cyber security.

Q: What actions are being implemented to enhance procurement for security tech?

A: The strategy features upgraded procurement guidelines and tools aimed at simplifying the process and bolstering resilience against attacks.

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Australia Post Deploys ThousandEyes Throughout Its Retail Network


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Australia Post Enhances Retail Network with ThousandEyes

Quick Overview

  • Australia Post implements Cisco ThousandEyes at more than 3000 retail locations.
  • The emphasis is on monitoring specific retail sites rather than merely endpoints.
  • Connectivity enhancements include NBN and Starlink for remote areas.
  • Australia Post oversees approximately 25,000 devices, primarily utilizing Meraki technology.
  • The rollout seeks to improve network availability and resilience.
Australia Post deploys ThousandEyes across its retail network

Adam Goodall from Australia Post.

Enhancing Retail Network Monitoring

Australia Post is taking major strides to improve the visibility of its network and application performance by rolling out Cisco ThousandEyes across its vast retail network. With more than 3000 locations and 8000 terminals, this initiative is positioned to revolutionize how Australia Post oversees its operations, concentrating on specific retail locations rather than just endpoints.

Boosting Connectivity and Resilience

To enhance connectivity, Australia Post has already upgraded many locations to NBN, controlled via a Cisco Meraki SD-WAN. Earlier this year, Starlink was added to serve some of the most isolated locations, ensuring steady and dependable network services for these essential community hubs.

Dedication to Community and Customer Service

Adam Goodall, the Head of Technology, Cloud, and Infrastructure at Australia Post, stressed the organization’s commitment to enhancing resilience and availability for communities and clients. The organization is overseeing roughly 25,000 devices, utilizing Meraki solutions for superior networking capabilities.

Upgrading the Support Centre

Australia Post’s high-tech support centre in Burnley, Melbourne, highlights its commitment to modern networking. The facility operates on a wi-fi only framework, doing away with conventional cabling, and houses vital services, including a contact centre that improves customer and community engagement.

Conclusion

Australia Post’s implementation of Cisco ThousandEyes across its retail network signifies a major leap in monitoring and connectivity. By emphasizing site-specific visibility and upgrading infrastructure with NBN and Starlink, Australia Post is set to bolster service resilience and availability throughout its extensive network.

Q: What is the objective of implementing Cisco ThousandEyes in Australia Post’s network?

A: The implementation aims to enhance visibility of network and application performance, concentrating on monitoring specific retail sites.

Q: How is Australia Post improving connectivity in remote regions?

A: Australia Post is utilizing NBN upgrades and Starlink to deliver consistent and reliable network services to remote locations.

Q: What is the scope of Australia Post’s device management?

A: Australia Post manages around 25,000 devices, mainly using Meraki technology for advanced networking solutions.

Q: How does the new support centre in Burnley align with Australia Post’s network strategy?

A: The Burnley support centre features a contemporary, wi-fi only framework and hosts vital services, showcasing Australia Post’s commitment to modernized networking practices.

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Government Reveals AI Plan as Home Affairs Pursues Industry Perspectives


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Gov AI Strategy: Public Sector Adopts Generative AI

Quick Overview

  • The Australian government plans to broaden the implementation of generative AI within its public service agencies.
  • Instructions will be provided regarding the use of ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini with information at the official level.
  • Home Affairs has greenlighted Anthropic and OpenAI products post-security evaluations.
  • The strategy corresponds with industry updates delivered by Home Affairs to major AI vendors.
  • Each department is required to designate a Chief AI Officer by next July.
  • An AI oversight committee will be created to supervise and manage AI implementations.

Government’s Generative AI Approach for Public Sector

The Australian federal government has revealed intentions to more fully integrate generative AI technologies within its agencies. This initiative forms part of a comprehensive government strategy to leverage AI advancements, in line with recent industry briefings organized by Home Affairs.

Gov unveils AI strategy while Home Affairs engages with industry

Direction for Public Servants

Finance Minister Senator Katy Gallagher has announced the government’s plan to equip public servants with direction on utilizing ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for tasks requiring official-level information. This initiative follows essential security evaluations, situating Anthropic and OpenAI’s products as appropriate for governmental usage.

Home Affairs’ Industry Outreach

Home Affairs is proactively collaborating with accredited generative AI vendors, including technology leaders like Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), among others. These suppliers have satisfied rigorous security standards established under the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF), including examinations of foreign ownership.

Establishing Gov AI Chat and Oversight Committee

The government aims to create a “Gov AI Chat” as part of the expansion of its Gov AI platform, ensuring all public servants can securely utilize AI resources. Furthermore, a freshly formed AI review committee will manage high-risk AI implementations across the Australian Public Service (APS), promoting responsible AI utilization.

AI Deployment Centered on Humans

Minister Gallagher highlighted that the AI strategy’s intent is not to diminish public service employment but to augment capabilities. The emphasis is on enabling staff to focus on endeavors necessitating human insight, compassion, and discernment.

Conclusion

The Australian government is progressing its AI strategy by incorporating generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT throughout its agencies. With Home Affairs managing industry engagements and establishing security frameworks, public servants will soon receive organized guidance on the application of AI. This initiative seeks to enhance the capabilities of public services without sacrificing human-centric functions.

Q: What is the primary aim of the government’s AI strategy?

A: The main objective is to incorporate generative AI technologies across governmental agencies to enhance functions while maintaining an emphasis on tasks requiring human discretion.

Q: How will public servants receive guidance on utilizing AI technologies?

A: The government will deliver specific instructions on leveraging AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for managing official-level information.

Q: What precautions are in place to secure AI applications in governmental use?

A: Home Affairs has undertaken security evaluations and validated AI suppliers, ensuring their offerings adhere to the standards set by the Protective Security Policy Framework.

Q: What is the role of the Chief AI Officers in agencies?

A: Each agency is to assign a Chief AI Officer by the next July to oversee the implementation of AI and ensure compliance with governmental directives.

Q: What is the function of the AI review committee?

A: The committee will assess high-risk AI applications, ensuring responsible and standardized AI deployment across the Australian Public Service.

Q: Will the AI strategy result in job losses within the public sector?

A: No, the strategy is focused on complementing human roles, enabling employees to concentrate on tasks that necessitate empathy and discernment, rather than replacing them.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Wireless Earbuds Review


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Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Noise Cancelling (ANC), Long-Lasting Battery, Sound by AKG, Comfortable Fit, Onyx

Samsung Galaxy users have been targeted by commercial spyware for several months.


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Quick Read

  • LANDFALL spyware targeted Samsung Galaxy devices employing a zero-day exploit.
  • The malware took advantage of a weakness in Samsung’s image processing library.
  • For at least seven months, LANDFALL was operational, focusing on users in the Middle East.
  • Devices impacted include the Galaxy S22, S23, S24, Z Fold4, and Z Flip4.
  • Google’s VirusTotal along with security experts identified the spyware’s sweeping data collection abilities.
  • This spyware is affiliated with commercial spyware vendors and potentially linked to groups associated with the UAE.

Introduction

Commercial spyware targeted Samsung Galaxy users for months

Researchers from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 division have uncovered an unreported commercial spyware that targets Samsung Galaxy devices. Named LANDFALL, this malware exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Samsung’s image processing library, primarily affecting users in the Middle East.

Details of the Exploit

The LANDFALL spyware utilized CVE-2025-21042, a significant vulnerability in Samsung’s libimagecodec.quram.so library, which handles Digital Negative (DNG) raw image files. This enabled the malware to spread through DNG files sent via WhatsApp, allowing devices to be compromised without user interaction.

Evidence indicates that the malware operated from July 2024 to February 2025, prior to Samsung addressing the vulnerability in April 2025. A related issue, CVE-2025-21043, was later resolved in September 2025.

Impact on Users

LANDFALL’s features included audio recording, phone call interception, access to call history, and extraction of contacts, SMS messages, photos, and arbitrary files from compromised devices. It also allowed ongoing location tracking, granting attackers significant surveillance capabilities.

The spyware notably targeted the Samsung Galaxy S22, S23, S24 series, in addition to Z Fold4 and Z Flip4 models.

Technical Analysis

Unit 42’s investigation found that LANDFALL possessed a modular structure, permitting additional features to be downloaded after infection. The command and control setup consisted of six servers linked to domains associated with malicious activities. The infrastructure and domain patterns showed resemblances to known threat groups, including Stealth Falcon.

Despite these discoveries, conclusive attribution to a specific threat actor remains uncertain. The malware is monitored under the identifier CL-UNK-1054.

Similar Vulnerabilities

The LANDFALL campaign is indicative of a wider trend of exploited DNG image processing vulnerabilities across mobile platforms. In 2025, Apple also addressed a comparable zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300) that was exploited in combination with a WhatsApp vulnerability (CVE-2025-55177) for remote code execution.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has included the Samsung vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) list.

Summary

The identification of LANDFALL spyware emphasizes the ongoing threat posed by zero-day vulnerabilities, particularly those affecting widely used mobile devices. While Samsung’s swift action to address the vulnerabilities is commendable, this incident highlights the necessity for ongoing vigilance and security practices to safeguard users against advanced cyber threats.

Q&A

Q: What is LANDFALL spyware?

A: LANDFALL is a commercial-grade spyware that exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices to gather extensive user information and conduct surveillance.

Q: How did LANDFALL propagate to devices?

A: The malware spread through Digital Negative (DNG) format files sent via WhatsApp, potentially compromising users without any interaction.

Q: Which Samsung models were impacted by LANDFALL?

A: The spyware affected various models, including the Samsung Galaxy S22, S23, S24 series, Z Fold4, and Z Flip4 devices.

Q: What was the response to the LANDFALL exploit?

A: Samsung addressed the vulnerabilities in April and September 2025, while CISA added the Samsung flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue for awareness.

Q: Is LANDFALL associated with any known threat groups?

A: Although the spyware’s infrastructure resembles known threat groups, no definitive attribution to a specific actor has been established.

Q: Are there other similar vulnerabilities in mobile platforms?

A: Yes, similar vulnerabilities have been detected and patched in other platforms, including iOS, indicating a larger trend of exploiting DNG image processing weaknesses.

Q: How can users safeguard themselves from such threats?

A: Users should ensure their devices are updated with the latest security patches, be careful when opening unsolicited messages and attachments, and consider employing security software for additional protection.

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ACMA Overhauls Outage Data Administration Prior to Public Register Debut


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ACMA Gears Up for Public Outage Register with Updated Data Management

Quick Overview

  • ACMA improves methods for overseeing carrier outage data.
  • Public outage register to debut with the Triple Zero Guardian.
  • New regulations require carriers to disclose significant outages.
  • Optus is under examination regarding its management of previous outages.

ACMA’s Improved Data Management Strategies

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is enhancing its methods for dealing with the rising number of carrier outage notifications. This effort is in preparation for the impending Triple Zero Guardian and the public outage register, aimed at increasing transparency and accountability within the telecommunications sector.

ACMA modifying outage data management as public register approaches

Challenges in Managing Outage Notifications

Recent evidence provided by ACMA to a triple zero inquiry underscored the difficulties encountered in managing a substantial influx of outage notifications following the updates to reporting regulations in December 2024 and June of this year. ACMA is partnering with stakeholders, particularly the new Triple Zero Custodian, to enhance the management and application of this data.

Updated Standards for Outage Reporting

According to the Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages) Industry Standard 2024, carriers must report “major” unexpected outages that affect more than 100,000 services or entire areas lasting longer than 60 minutes. The regulation mandates updates every six hours during the first 24 hours and daily thereafter until the outage is resolved.

ACMA’s Review of the Optus Outage

ACMA is currently investigating the Optus outage that occurred on September 18, with a sharp focus on how Optus communicated the incident. The inquiry is examining the timeline and delays in communication with regulators and government officials, especially concerning possible fatalities related to the outage.

Conclusion

ACMA is making considerable progress in updating its outage data management in anticipation of the public outage register and the launch of the Triple Zero Guardian. New standards concerning the reporting of significant outages emphasize the necessity for timely and precise communication from carriers. As inquiries into previous incidents, such as the Optus outage, continue, the industry is under growing pressure to enhance transparency and responsiveness.

Q&A

Q: What is the goal of the new public outage register?

A: The public outage register seeks to foster transparency and accountability in telecommunications by providing outage information that is accessible to the public and relevant stakeholders.

Q: How will the new standards impact carriers?

A: Carriers must report significant outages more thoroughly, giving updates every six hours initially and daily afterward, to ensure stakeholders are kept informed throughout the outage duration.

Q: What is the function of the Triple Zero Guardian?

A: The Triple Zero Guardian will supervise emergency call services to ensure their dependability and efficacy, collaborating with ACMA to effectively manage outage data.

Q: Why is ACMA emphasizing enhancements in data management?

A: Enhanced data management allows ACMA to identify “red flags” and tackle issues proactively, minimizing delays and improving reliability for emergency calls and broader telecommunications services.

Q: What are the repercussions of Optus’ management of the September outage?

A: The scrutiny surrounding Optus’ delays in reporting emphasizes the necessity of precise and prompt communication with regulators, particularly when public safety is endangered. This incident has led to calls for stronger compliance and improved protocols.