SpyBuster: App detects traffic to Russia and Belarus

Chapter in this post:

1 How SpyBuster aims to help users
2 Check out Setapp!

MacPaw, the software studio behind CleanMyMac and Setapp, has released a new app. With the spybuster Mac App you can see from macOS 10.15 which apps, services and websites communicate with servers in Russia and / or Belarus. It is also displayed which apps are in "Russian ownership", i.e. belong to a Russian company. It doesn't even need to run the program in question, it simply queries a database compiled by MacPaw itself. A SpyBuster tool is also the dynamic analysis ("Dynamic Analysis"), which shows the data traffic of individual offers and the server locations used for this purpose.

Abbreviation: Download new app for free

MacPaw's SpyBuster app detects which apps, services and websites communicate with servers in Russia and Belarus. Here you will find information about the app, the download link, the MacPaw blog post on the subject and information about Setapp.

Sir Apfelot recommendation: Clean up your Mac hard drive with CleanMyMac

How SpyBuster is supposed to help users

MacPaw's SpyBuster aims to provide more online security. If the app is installed on the Apple Mac, iMac, MacBook or other Apple computer, then you can see which apps, services and websites communicate with servers in Russia and Belarus. Anyone who operates a website or otherwise provides data on the Internet can use the software to see whether their own offers are running on a server in the countries mentioned. You can find more information about the app, how it was created and how it is used in the official blog post by MacPaw. There you will find the information that the download and use are free, as well as the information that the data will only be processed locally.

Check out Setapp!

Speaking of MacPaw, here's a reminder about the extremely helpful app subscription Setapp. This brings you over 9,99 ad-free full versions of the app to the Mac for just EUR 230 per month. Of course, you don't have to install them all at the same time. After booking, you can choose exactly the programs that suit you and the tasks to be processed on your Mac. There is software from a wide variety of areas: lifestyle, productivity, Mac hacks, developer tools, task management, writing & blogging, education, creativity and more. CleanMyMac X is there as well as VPN, news, graphics, video, text, multimedia and other solutions. Browse all apps you can with this link.

Johannes Domke

After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.

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2 comments on “SpyBuster: App detects traffic to Russia and Belarus”

Stefan
March 22, 2022 at 10:45 pm

The choice of the app name was perhaps unfortunate: Spybuster was a relatively well-known ransomware.

Reply
Beatrice Willius
March 22, 2022 at 11:41 pm

I tried the program right away.

It told me that Acronis has Russian owners. I googled a little. Acronis has its headquarters in Switzerland and the two Russian "founders" still have 70% shares. However, the company has stopped all activities in Russia.

Otherwise the program works similar to LittleSnitch.

Why is SpyBuster contacting clearvpn?

Reply

Use MacUpdater 3 for free

You can use the free version of MacUpdater 3 to retrieve information from around 100.000 apps that can be downloaded from developer websites, from alternative app stores or from developer platforms such as GitHub. Available updates are displayed for the installed apps. In addition, keywords and comments on the individual programs can be managed. The "ARM Migration Assistant" is also integrated, which helps when changing from Intel to Apple chip versions of the respective software. What is not possible: Scan for updates more than twice a day and initiate app updates from the MacUpdater (only initially available as a test feature, then only in the purchase version). This core feature, which gives Mac users more convenience when using apps from the web, is reserved for the paid versions of MacUpdater. The good thing is that you can secure the software with a single purchase and do not have to take out an annoying subscription.

MacUpdater 3 paid versions compared

In addition to the Free Edition, there is the Standard Edition for $14,99 (there are discounts for students), the Pro Edition for $34,99 and the Business Edition” for $35 per seat in the company. The standard edition can be installed on up to four Macs in private households. The Pro version is intended for one household and up to seven Macs. By the way, if you upgrade the MacUpdater from version 2 to version 3, you pay less. In addition to the prices, it is particularly worth taking a look at the functions:

	Mac updater standard	MacUpdater Pro	Mac Updater Business
Information about around 100k apps	ja	ja	ja
Update function for around 6.000 apps	ja	ja	ja
One click to update multiple apps at once	ja	ja	ja
Manage tags and comments	ja	ja	ja
ARM migration	ja	ja	ja
Software Support	ja	ja	ja
Audio plugin support	no	ja	ja
App reinstallation support	ja	ja	ja
Scheduled automatic app updates	no	ja	ja
Touch bar support	no	ja	ja
command line support	no	ja	ja
Workflow integration of the Alfred App	no	ja	ja
Daily scans	4	6	8

All information and the official MacUpdater 3 download can be found here on this website.

What is JPEG XL?
The JPEG format has been one of the best-known file formats for images and photos for several decades. The format used since 1992 is usually used with the extensions .jpeg or .jpg. It is known for its various compression rates, which are reflected in decreasing image quality as the file size decreases. Over the years there have always been adjustments and different sub-formats of JPEG for different (specialist) areas. But in recent years, JPEG XL has been developed, which should finally replace the previous format. But what is JPEG XL? What advantages does it bring over the old image and photo format? And what does the name mean?
What is JPEG XL and what are the benefits of the .jxl file format for images and photos? Here is a summary of the possible uses, the development and the programs that have been equipped with the necessary codecs so far.

What does "JPEG XL" stand for?
Because of the "XL" appendix, one could now assume that the new file format is intended for particularly large images - for example for poster designs, panorama photographs, RAW photos or the like. But that would be short-sighted, especially since the name does not even refer to the resolution, pixel density or memory size of the files equipped with it. The name JPEG XL consists of the following components:
- JPEG stands for the Joint Photographic Experts Group
- X stands for the JPEG formats since 2000, among which are XT, XR and XS
- L stands for Long-Term to indicate that the current file format is to be superseded
Properties of JPEG XL as an image file format
The new image and photo file format JPEG XL with the file extension .jxl is intended to address current and future expectations that are placed on corresponding files. Because in addition to reducing the file size with a fairly well-preserved image quality, there are now many other application goals. For example, JPEG XL should be adapted to the requirements of responsive web environments, i.e. the choice of size and resolution with regard to the target device should be better and faster. Encoding and decoding should run quickly and efficiently without additional hardware, even on mobile devices. There is also downward compatibility, so that servers, for example, only have to store a JPEG XL file in order to be able to offer both this and the reduced JPEG file. Existing JPEG files can be converted and converted back without loss, which should simplify the switch to the new format. But that's not all. In addition to using it on the web and on servers, there are other tasks for image files that JPEG XL should be able to do. For professional photography, for example, there is an extended color spectrum, HDR support, greater bit depth and 360° images. It also supports animations (like animated GIF files), preserves alpha channels, includes layers and thumbnails, and offers lossless and progressive encoding.
Brief outline of the development of the file format
The new JPEG XL file format was first discussed in 2018 by the Joint Photographic Experts Group. At that time there weren't any of the specifications or standards that are fixed today; these were initially demanded by the members of the group. This is how the development of the desired JPEG successor began. Then, from seven proposals, two were selected and merged (FUIF by Cloudinary and PIK by Google). The standardization of .jxl started in 2021 and continued in 2022. Version 2022 was released in September 0.7; version 0.8 followed in January 2023.
Current use and integration of JPEG XL
So there is currently no "full" version of the file format or the software and codecs behind it. Nevertheless, there are already some apps that can handle it. I used e.g. B. on Mac and PC the Affinity programs from Serif. And these can be in the version 2 (e.g. Affinity Photo 2) Output images and graphics as JPEG XL. Chalk supports the format from version 5.1. And even lesser known apps have already implemented the format - IrfanView, ImageMagick, MConverter, gThumb, Pale Moon and so on. Other programs and systems do not require an update of the official software version, but the integration of a (third-party) plugin. Under macOS this affects e.g. B. Quick Look. On Windows, for example, the photo display and the explorer can be expanded. For the graphics app GIMP there is also a plugin that is supposed to support JPEG XL from version GIMP 2.1. My disclaimer at this point: I haven't tried any of it, only looked for the export option in Affinity Photo 2.
In Affinity Photo 2 by Serif, the file format JPEG XL can be selected for the export of images. Screenshot of Affinity Photo 2.0.4 on macOS.
For use on the web, of course, you would also need Web browser support the new format. Up to a point they already have. Chromium applications like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge had implemented JPEG-XL support, but it was announced in October 2022 that the feature would be removed. And even with Mozilla's Firefox, there was no long-term support in official versions, but only in the nightly version, a preliminary version for testing new features.
More information and reading
I hope this short summary of the topic has helped you to get an idea (haha) of the new file format. If, in addition to the application examples such as 360° photos, professional photography, animated images and Co., you are also interested in the technical background and further development, then take a look at these pages, which I used as sources for this article:
- Official page on the subject at the Joint Photographic Experts Group: View here
- Goals and specifications of the new format as a PDF document: View here
- Wikipedia article with more information on format and history: View here
iPhone rumor: "Ultra" as a model above the "Pro Max"
Apple has been trying out individual appendages for product names for years, which are intended to assign the corresponding devices - and now also chips - to a category and a target group. Currently, these name extensions include: More, Pro, Max and Incredibly . With regard to the "Apple Silicon" chips, last year was still over Extreme speculated; the corresponding chip should not come onto the market for the time being. He was brought into the conversation by Mark Gurman, a Bloomberg journalist and Apple analyst. In his current newsletter, he says that Apple is planning a Incredibly variant plane, similar to the Apple Watch.
Will Apple continue to diversify its iPhone lineup in the coming year? After the iPhone 16 Pro Max in 2024, will the iPhone 16 Ultra be the most expensive iPhone of the future? Current rumors speak for it.

iPhones in 2024: Standard version, Pro version, Ultra version?
According to Mark Gurman, Apple plans to make a greater distinction between the "Pro" and "Pro Max" models of the iPhone. In addition to the standard and the Pro model, there should be a third division: the Ultra model. The name is already known to potential customers. You know him from M1Ultra and from the apple watch ultra. The question now is whether the "Pro Max" model should go or whether it will remain and the "Ultra" model will simply form a more powerful and more expensive tier. This is said to have been discussed internally at Apple as well. The newsletter mentioned above shows that these discussions are not about the iPhone 15 for 2023, but about the iPhone 16 for 2024. Accordingly, the offer could look like this:
- iPhone 16
- 16 iPhone Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16Ultra
What should make the Ultra model so special?
The iPhone Ultra obviously has to come up with specs, special hardware and/or other things that you can't find on the other models. The core of the purchase incentive could be a faster chip. Either Apple creates further versions of the A chip or, after the iPad, also uses an M chip for the iPhone. Furthermore, the charging connection could be omitted (charging then only via Qi and MagSafe) and the display could be even larger, which makes the iPhone Ultra a phablet – but also a competitor to the iPad mini could form. At least the iPhone Ultra would compete with the in-house tablets if Apple oriented itself to the Ultra smartphones from Samsung. These offer a larger battery for longer runtime, a larger screen, stylus support, and more storage. But maybe Apple is also concentrating on completely different things: even more or even better cameras, Face ID technology under the display, Fixed buttons with haptic feedback on the sides of the device and such things. To be honest, I can't imagine the stylus support - even if Steve Jobs' visions are no longer fully followed.
What about a foldable iPhone?
The iPhone as a folding phone, that too has been a persistent rumor for several years. Apple has itself already in 2016 several patents secured in this regard. It is difficult to say whether and with what publication goal the “iPhone Fold” is being worked on. And it's even harder to say whether the Ultra model that may appear next year will be a folding iPhone. Whatever the case, the rumor mill has a lot of new ingredients and we're sure to have a lot to offer in the months to come.
Sir Apfelot newsreel week 5, 2023
From today you can buy a new HomePod in stores. But that's not the only news to report this Friday. Because during the course of the week, a few more headlines caught my attention. And so there is a Sir Apfelot newsreel again today. This time it's about Apple and tech news from calendar week 5 of 2023. Among other things, these reports are included: almost collision of space debris, Netflix with details against account sharing, Twitter makes interfaces chargeable, dogs can swallow AirTags , foldable Apple devices from 2024 or 2025, and more.
Also included in the Sir Apfelot newsreel for calendar week 5 of 2023: space debris almost causes a catastrophe in orbit, Netflix vs. account sharing, dogs can swallow AirTags, Twitter API will be chargeable, rumors about new Apple devices in 2024 and 2025, and more.

Space junk just barely missed the "worst case" scenario
How is it online this week has pointed out, according to the US company Leo Labs, two pieces of space debris just flew past each other at an altitude of 984 km. The relative speed of the Soviet rocket stage and the Russian satellite, which is no longer used, was 11 km/s and 39.600 km/h, respectively. A collision in this region of Earth orbit would have "catastrophic Folgen’, as the source emphasizes several times. Because not only does the area escape direct influence, there are also around 160 rocket stages and the payloads of the rockets launched with them. So flying debris would hit other objects, trigger a chain reaction and possibly "practically empty the entire level". Recommended reading: Amazon Project Kuiper – development, numbers and criticism
Federal Network Agency has withdrawn more than 2022 million products in 15
More than 15 million products are according to one press release removed from the market by the Federal Network Agency last year. There were various reasons for this: they did not meet the legal requirements, they could cause radio interference or they had significant formal defects. In addition to this individual consideration, the comparison with the previous figures is also impressive. Because in 2021, almost 23 million products were taken off the market. In the linked source there are further details on market surveillance in online and retail trade as well as information on cooperation with customs and tips for consumers.
Over 200 million paying customers on Spotify
Nachdem last week While the news of mass layoffs was still making the rounds at Spotify, a new (financial) milestone made headlines about the music streaming service this week. As several media reports, more than 200 million users are said to have subscribed. "At the end of the past quarter, the Swedish company said it had 205 million paying users", it is summed up in a current one Entry from hot online. The increase in subscriptions says, among other things, that around 20 million were added in three months. For the total number, i.e. everyone with and without a subscription, the milestone of 500 million is forecast for the current quarter.
Netflix is working on the implementation of the blocking for account sharing
The so-called account sharing, i.e. the sharing of paid user accounts, is a thorn in the side of Netflix. Although family use in the same household should remain possible, access outside of the paying household should be a thing of the past as quickly as possible. This has been planned for a long time and also openly communicated by the streaming provider. Seems a bit too open lately. Because corresponding regulations, in which the implementation of WLAN controls were addressed, quickly disappeared from the Netflix website. Here's what iFun is showing this week: Here with information about the new procedure, and here to remove the remarks.
Twitter APIs are subject to a fee: bots and partial accounts are closed
Various Twitter accounts created by programming foxes and geeks that have used the previously free Twitter APIs may have to stop providing information, entertainment, or other useful services in the future. At least if they don't want to pay anything to use the interface. Because if you want to continue using it in the future, you should take out a monthly subscription – starting February 9, 2023 ( ). On some profiles, which are mainly powered by the API connection to Twitter, it is already written that there will be no more new posts soon - such as @iOSReleases.
Be careful when using AirTags on dog collars: they can be swallowed!
Putting an AirTag on your dog's collar or harness so they can be tracked in an emergency isn't a bad idea. At least if you have to reckon with the fact that he runs away. However, trackers from Apple (as well as from all other manufacturers) should not dangle from the collar or be easy to remove. Because this can lead to the AirTags being swallowed by dogs. Several cases have already been documented. If vomiting of the AirTag cannot be induced, then surgery may be necessary. The battery in the tracker or leaking chemicals can also injure the dog. More on this at heise online (German) and MacRumors (English).
Foldable iPad and MacBook models in the years to come
Apple is said to want to bring a breath of fresh air to its own range and to the market for foldable mobile and tablet computers in 2024 and 2025. As several media reported this week, a foldable iPad should appear in the coming year. And in the following year, a foldable laptop with a 20,5-inch display will be launched. The respective information comes from the analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young. However, Young Kuo seems to disagree when it comes to the tablet. As is also said by Mark Gurman, there is no sign of a foldable iPad in 2024. Apparently, however, for the mobile computer with a complete display instead of a display, keyboard and trackpad. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
More Apple rumours: Bigger Apple Watch Ultra and HomePod mini 2
Several rumors were also passed around this week about other devices from the iPhone manufacturer. A future generation of the Apple Watch Ultra should have a 10% larger display than the first version of the professional smartwatch. The device with a 2,1-inch display should be presented in 2024. It is not yet clear whether this will be the second or third generation of the watch. It is not yet known whether an Ultra model will appear this year ( ). And the HomePod mini will also be relaunched in 2024, they say. The coming year seems to be accompanied by many new or renewed products for Apple. Production of the new version of the small smart home speaker is scheduled to start in the second half of the year. This suggests that it will be presented again at an October event. At least when there are major changes - such as new sensors or better audio drivers. Otherwise, the presentation could be boiled down to a press release again. The info is again from Ming-Chi Kuo, and again there is disagreement from Mark Gurman. So there seems to be conflicting information in the analyst scene right now ( ).
Apple shows 30-minute film shot with the iPhone 14 Pro
"Shot on iPhone 14 Pro" is the title of the half-hour short film "Fursat" uploaded by Apple to YouTube. Vishal Bhardwaj's film contains a wide variety of scenes and moods - sometimes brightly lit, sometimes rather dark, sometimes in a calm composition, sometimes with fast movements or objects in motion. All of this should of course show how well the iPhone can now be used to create more or less cinematic films. Which brackets were used for certain camera angles, which audio equipment was used and what the post-production looked like is not shown in detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1VEks-QQ4Y
POCO X5 5G with 120Hz AMOLED Display (Sponsor)
The new POCO X5 5G is a mid-range smartphone that can stand out in the rather cheap price segment with an AMOLED display made by Samsung with up to 120 Hz. With a price of less than 300 US dollars, it sets a new standard for inexpensive smartphones. In addition to the display, which offers high contrast and a respectable color depth, the Snapdragon 695 as the central processing unit and the good battery life ensure that this device ideal for different media can be used. In addition to films, series and videos from online libraries, this also includes photos and game apps.
What is an AMOLED display?
The first two letters are the abbreviation for "Active Matrix". The associated technology is used in almost all OLED displays with a diagonal of more than 3 inches (7,62 cm). Below this size, "passive matrix" screens are also possible. The POCO X5 5G uses an OLED display, which in turn stands for "Organic Light-Emitting Diode". These emit light themselves and can be controlled individually. In contrast to LCD displays illuminated from the front or from the back, in which individual color dots represent an image together, but the entire screen always has to be illuminated, here only the imaging pixels are illuminated in the amount required to display the image will. Black is really deep black. The contrast is therefore 100.000:1.
The AMOLED display runs at a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which makes movement and scrolling on the display much smoother.

Extremely fast 120 Hz refresh rate
With such a display, not only are bright colors and deep contrasts possible, but also high refresh rates. The POCO X5 5G offers up to 120 Hz in this range, which not only promises a fast reaction to display inputs, but also smooth animations of the system and apps - and last but not least a very good gaming experience. Shooters, racing games and other fast game genres find a home on the new POCO X5 5G. Speaking of response time: Compared to LCD displays, an OLED display of this type is particularly worthwhile in changing temperature conditions. When it gets cold, the coloring elements in an LCD display cannot react as quickly. It comes to jerky animations and the so-called smearing effect. Stripes of the previous image content can still be seen even if this has already given way to another. This is very annoying, especially when changing images quickly.
With a resolution of 108 MP, the POCO X5 Pro 5G sets new standards in terms of the richness of detail in the images. But of course also with regard to the memory requirements of the photos.

Longer battery life and option for RAM expansion
In contrast to other Android smartphones in the same price range, the POCO X5 5G promises other exciting advantages. The use of the OLED display, for example, increases the battery life. Because the display does not have to be completely illuminated when using the device, but only the areas that have to be visible are illuminated, electricity is saved. In order to save even more battery, the refresh rate can also be reduced (60 Hz is still very smooth). Another selling point is the option of expanding the main memory (RAM) by 5 GB in just a few seconds. There is a "Memory Expansion" option in the device's settings for this. In order to get more RAM, space in the SSD memory is reserved for computing processes. The individual models with 6 GB or 8 GB RAM can be increased to 11 GB or 13 GB RAM. Internal memory can be selected in sizes of 128 GB and 256 GB. So enough space to store a lot of media and apps even when using the RAM expansion.
Conclusion on the new POCO X5 5G
If you are looking for a comparatively cheap but technically very well-equipped Android smartphone, you will find it in the POCO X5 5G. The state-of-the-art display made by Samsung, the battery-saving display of image content, the computing power for gaming and the simple RAM expansion are just the beginning. These technical possibilities form the basis for your own individual use. And at a good price. So this device sets new standards for mid-range smart devices.

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SpyBuster: App detects traffic to Russia and Belarus

How SpyBuster is supposed to help users

Check out Setapp!

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