Hi, I recently listened to the "Drive to Work" podcasts by Mark Rosewater, where he discusses how the wedges in Khans of Tarkir weren't the "natural ones" because they shifted the central color from what was originally intended. In Ikoria, they returned to the original configuration for the triomes, although they weren't technically factions.
So, I was wondering how the clans of Tarkir would have been if they had stuck to the original idea. After some thought, the best I came up with was:
Abzan, with black as the center: This clan would be the least affected by the re-imagining. Essentially, there would be 3 main families (BG, WB, B) that would control their branch families through tradition, religion, and other means, all that thing that the OG abzan believe but know jus truly believe by the branch families. So basically these 3 main families would control the clan trough the indoctrination to give their life's for the group, fond coopetition between the branches to win their approval and basically having their ancestors souls as hostages since the keen trees now are owned by their main family in gardens. In the main families there would be a lot of intrigue to become the patriarch/matriarch. They would use family titles (big brother, aunt, father, etc.) as a hierarchical system.
Mardu, with white as the center: Essentially a mercenary/crusader clan focused on establishing "order" in Tarkir through bloodshed and brutality to get rid of those who oppose to peace. They would work as mercenaries or demand tributes from those they protect (not paying would count as "oppose to peace") since they live in a scarce land. Fearmongering through brutality would be a common tactic, but they would still have honor and some codes. They would heavily rely on meritocracy, penalizing those who do not contribute to the cause. Other clans members could join them as long as they are not dishonorable, but they must prove their loyalty by committing an irrefutable act of treason to their former clan as a joining ritual.
I dont have much for the next ones
Temur, with blue as the center: They would be a tribe of hermits living in small but connected communities. They would train their bodies and enter shamanic trances to explore a spiritual world with no time (i was thinking in the dream time from australian mythology), gaining knowledge from ancient spiritual beasts. or maybe their would explore something like their inner worlds.
Sultai, with green as the center: perhaps they could be shapeshifting shamans capable of copying animal traits and mixing them. They would live in the most bountiful territory and protect their land by any means necessary, like making trades with rakshasas or distorting their environment to better protect itself. basically a "either we outmatch our opponents be any mean or we loss" mentality
Jeskai, with red as the center: Monasteries would be dedicated to specific crafts like weapon making or complex artifact creation. The "art of war" would still be present, but the focus would be on crafting rather than fighting. and the 3 fires would be less for fighting and more to make themself they art
honestly, except for Abzan, they are barely even half-baked., and I'm not sure what dragon aspect they would use. I'm curious to see what ideas others come up with.

Furniture Flipping on Amazon: Sourcing from China

Have you ever dreamed of turning your passion for furniture into a profitable business?
This post explores how you can leverage Amazon's vast marketplace to sell furniture, while also diving into the world of importing from China to find unique and affordable pieces.
1. The Allure of Amazon Furniture Sales:

• Dive into statistics on the growth of online furniture sales and Amazon's dominance in the e-commerce market.
• Explain how Amazon's vast customer base allows you to reach a wider audience compared to local stores.
• Discuss the benefits of Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) for furniture sellers, including storage, packaging, and shipping handled by Amazon, freeing up your time to focus on sourcing and marketing.

2. Finding Your Niche:

• Advise on researching current furniture trends and identifying gaps in the market.
• Offer examples of profitable niches, such as mid-century modern pieces, industrial coffee tables, or space-saving furniture for small apartments.
• Recommend attending trade shows or browsing online marketplaces to identify popular styles and potential customer needs.

3. Sourcing in China: A Treasure Trove for Furniture Importers

• Explain how China is a major furniture manufacturing hub, offering a vast selection of styles at competitive prices, making it an attractive option for furniture importers.
• Discuss the variety of furniture available from China, ranging from classic to modern, and the ability to find unique pieces not readily available elsewhere.
• Briefly mention potential drawbacks of importing furniture from China, such as longer lead times and communication challenges, but emphasize these can be mitigated with proper planning.

4. Partnering for Success with a Sourcing Agent When Importing Furniture from China

• Introduce the concept of sourcing agents who can help you find reliable suppliers in China, negotiate prices, and ensure quality control during the furniture import process.
• Explain how sourcing agents can bridge the language barrier and navigate cultural differences to streamline the buying process for furniture importers.
• Briefly discuss the importance of establishing a clear communication plan with your chosen sourcing agent.

5. Logistics Lowdown: Importing Furniture from China

• Break down the import process step-by-step for furniture importers, including:
  • Identifying Harmonized System (HS) codes for your furniture (used for customs classification).
  • Researching potential import duties and taxes for furniture entering your country.
  • Comparing different shipping options (ocean freight vs. air freight) based on cost, speed, and furniture size.
  • Discussing the importance of clear product labeling and documentation for customs clearance when importing furniture from China.
• Briefly mention resources available online or through government agencies to help navigate import regulations.

6. Building Your Brand:

• Emphasize the importance of high-quality product photography showcasing the furniture's details and functionality from multiple angles.
• Explain the power of compelling product descriptions that highlight features, and benefits, and target the specific needs of your chosen niche.
• Briefly discuss the importance of customer service and positive reviews for building trust and repeat business on Amazon.

https://shipfromchinatousa.com/how-to-import-furniture-from-china/

i am using drjava-stable-20120818-r5686 and am writing a code for my comp sci class. i tried compiling but get thrown a "The type java.lang.CharSequence cannot be resolved. It is indirectly referenced from required .class files" error. i tried looking it up and people have the same problem in eclipse but i don't know how to solve it in DRJava. the error is thrown on my imports at the beginning of the file "import java.util.*; import java.IO.*;" but it doesnt throw an error for "import java.text.*;"
code posted below, any help would be appreciated

import java.text.*; import java.util.*; import java.IO.*; public class final_help22{ public static int getInt(Scanner input){ int n = 0; for( ; ; ){ try { n = input.nextInt(); break; } catch(InputMismatchException e){ System.out.print("Error: Not an Int. Please re-enter: "); input.nextLine(); } } return n; } public static double[] fillArray(int min, int max){ double[] arr = new double[15]; Random rand = new Random(); for(int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++){ arr[i] = rand.nextInt((max - min + 1) + min); } return arr; } public static void sortArrayByChoice(double[] arr, int user){ switch(user){ case 1: SelectionSort(arr); break; case 2: BubbleSort(arr); break; default: System.out.println("Error! please enter 1 or 2"); } } public static double[] SelectionSort(double[] arr){ double temp; for(int i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++){ int min = i; for(int j = 0; j < arr.length; j++){ if(arr[j] < array[min]){ min = j; } } if(min != i){ temp = arr[i]; arr[i] = arr[min]; arr[min] = temp; } } } public static double[] BubbleSort(double[] arr){ double temp; for(int i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++){ for(int j = 0; j < arr.length; j++){ if(arr[j] > arr[j+1]){ temp = arr[j]; arr[j] = arr[j+1]; arr[j+1] = temp; } } } } public static void main(String[] args){ int min = 0; int max = 500; double[] arr = fillArray(min, max); Scanner input = new Scanner(system.in); System.out.println("Enter 1 for Selection sort, 2 for bubble sort"); int user = getInt(input); System.out.println("original array:"); for(int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++){ System.out.print(arr[i] + " "); } sortArrayByChoice(user); for(int j = 0; j < arr.length; j++){ System.out.print(arr[i] + " "); } } } 

Hey, hope I can be clear enough to maybe get some help.
I work on a military installation doing sysadmin and security admin.
I am looking for a, hopefully, free tool (government buying things can take a long time) to check for Windows vulnerabilities for systems NOT connected to the internet (think of them in a closed room).
If you are family with the DISA, and their patch repository, I usually get my tools form them We use
Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) for most scans. There used to be a plugin from Mitre to have it also do a check for Open Vulnerability and Assessment Language (OVAL) findings. Mitre no longer seems to publish OVAL updates and I am stuck trying to find a replacement.
The DISA site used have a free version is NESSUS, which the government loves, but I can't seem to figure out how it works.
I have downloaded the msi file, it opens a webpage for offline registering, but when going to the site it wants me to run a different command, on that system:
Run nessuscli fetch --challenge on your nessusd server and copy the result below
Enter your activation code below:
​
​
I have the activation code but cannot run that other command as nothing is installed on the system yet. I have been searching the Tenable/Nessus site, but nothing of help yet.
Is this clear enough?
Does anyone know what I am talking about?
Can anyone help?
​
​

Next month will be 5 years that I have been a Registered Nurse.
In honor of that, I’d like to share one (of many I have had) career defining moments…my first patient code.
I had been a RN for maybe 6 months and was working overnights from 7pm to 7:30am. I had just come on to shift and received report for my patients when the son of one of them called and asked to speak with me.
He goes on to explain that he’s concerned for his Mom because she hadn’t had much to eat or drink in the couple days she had been a patient with us. He was also concerned about her ability to communicate with staff effectively as she was older and had multiple strokes that left her forgetting a lot of her English. Instead, she tended to mumble in her native language…Polish.
After speaking with him, I immediately looked up key words in Polish I knew I would need if I was going to be able to connect with her the same way I do all my other patients.
I looked up the Polish word for nurse. Pielęgniarka.
Next, I looked up the word for pain. Ból.
Medicine. Medycyna.
Potato. Ziemniak.
Water. Woda.
Potato seems random, but in my conversation with her son, he said her favorite food was mashed potatoes (mine too!) and that’s what she had ordered for dinner earlier that was still sitting on her table to eat.
When the time came and I entered her room, I found her lying in bed, seemingly bored, but curious as to who I was. I introduced myself as her nurse using the word I had just looked up and she greeted me with a smile.
The next 10-15 minutes after had her and I laughing together as I haphazardly tried communicating with her using broken Polish and hand gestures. You could tell there was a language barrier, but it didn’t stop either of us from getting our point across, and the giggling from us both lightened the mood.
I remember feeding her the mashed potatoes and hearing her go, “Mmmmmmm” as she swallowed them.
I remember her declining the “woda” I kept offering.
Then I remember her clutching at her hip and writhing in pain. That wasn’t a shock considering she was there with a broken hip awaiting surgery, but had to be off her regularly prescribed blood thinners for a while first. I asked if she had pain and she nodded yes. I asked if she wanted pain medicine and she said yes. I gave it to her and watched her settle back down until she began itching her arms motioning to me that she was uncomfortable. I massaged lotion into both of her arms as she sighed of relief and said, “Very good! Very good” taking both of my hands into hers to thank me.
I smiled back and said that she was welcome. Knowing she was feeling better, I went to round on other patients, occasionally peeking in to see how she was doing. After an hour or so, I went back in her room and saw that she had fallen asleep. I fixed her nasal cannula as it had fallen down from her ears and I checked her foley to make sure the tubing wasn’t getting kinked. I made sure she was covered with her blanket so she wouldn’t be cold. Hospitals are always so cold…
I went to another patient’s room. 2 minutes later, one my CNA’s came to me saying they just went in her room and she wasn’t breathing.
What? How?
I just came from there and she had been sleeping peacefully. There were no signs of distress.
What do you mean she isn’t breathing?
I ran to her room. I checked for a pulse. No pulse.
Panic set in. I quickly confirm she’s a full code and my staff and I jumped into action.
One of us got the crash cart. One of us paged for a code. One of us started compressions while the other ambu bagged her.
Suddenly a bunch of staff are at my side as we all fall into our assigned roles.
I remember those compressions I did on her. No one ever talks about the trauma that CPR does to a person’s body…
How the ribs crack like uncooked pasta underneath your hands.
After rounds of CPR, we managed to get a pulse back and transferred her straight to the ICU where she coded again.
We resumed our roles. We must have tried for over 30 minutes.
She wasn’t coming back.
The family (her son and daughter) had been contacted and the doctor called it.
The rest of that night was a blur to me. I had other patients to take care of, so I went back to my unit until the family had arrived and asked to speak with me.
I told them everything that happened from the first moment I walked in to her room. I showed them my chicken scratch notes of the polish words I looked up. I explained that I had no explanation for what could have happened as I saw no signs that she was in danger. And then I broke down crying apologizing profusely feeling like I had completely failed her and them.
Suddenly the son hugged me, then the daughter. They both thanked me for doing what I did for their mother, stating that most people wouldn’t have even taken the time to look up Polish words. Then he said something I’ll never forget. He said she knew her time was coming as earlier that day she mentioned to them both that she would be going “home” soon.
To this day I wish I knew what happened. To this day I try to think about what signs I could have missed. To this day I wonder if I could have done anything differently.
I’ll never forget her, and I think of her often hoping her last moments here provided some bit of love and comfort.

Travel Diary: I make $195,000 and spent $2149.75 (+49k points) while on a trip to Amsterdam
Section One: Bio
Age: 40
Occupation: Lawyer
Hometown: DC
Number of PTO days and how you accrue them: I earn 6 hours of annual leave every two weeks (19 days total a year), and used 36 hours for this trip
Section Two: Assets + Debt
Not super comfortable with a very detailed financial picture, but my NW is ~$750k. No SO.
Section Three: Income
Main Job Monthly Take Home: After all deductions and contributions to savings, my monthly take home is ~$6200
Section Four: Travel Expenses/Diary
Trip planning - My (40F) best friend from college (39F) and I decide to go to Amsterdam on a birthday trip. We both turn 40 in 2024, and we decide to go in May because it's in between our birthdays and because it'll be tulip season in Amsterdam! Neither of us have been. We also haven't travelled together before, despite being friends for 20(!) years, so we are a little apprehensive, although we have spent a lot of time together over the past few years. We decide on a 6 day trip. For purposes of this diary I'm going to list my half of the expenses for things we split. Costs are in US dollars, despite paying using Euros. As a side note, I also am a little over one year post-Gastric Bypass, which has a limited effect on my diet (I try to eat low carb, but you'll see that I mostly fail at this on this trip!).
Pre-trip expenses: $1193.15 total
Flight: $255 + 49k points (from Capital One)
Lodging: $1425.91 (split) - $713
Rijksmuseum: $40.28
Anne Frank House: $24.95
Keukenhof Gardens plus bus ticket: $36.20
Red Light District Tour: $50.52
Day trip to windmills tour: $43.20
Snacks: $30ish
Day 1 (Total $21.17)
Our flight is at 5:30pm, so we planned to be at the airport by 3:30pm, which actually turned out to be 4pm. Uber ($21.17). After checking bags (included in flight price) and getting through security we made it to our gate right as boarding was about to start. No time for food or drinks.
On the plane I eat a snack of roasted chickpeas before dinner, which was chicken cacciatore with mashed potatoes, bread, cheesecake, cheese, and a salad. And two glasses of wine. I save the cheesecake and cheese for later.
My friend and I watch a movie (Poor Things) and then try to sleep. I am reading A Fault In Our Stars, because Amsterdam. I try unsuccessfully to sleep for awhile and then go back to reading. At some point i eat the cheese and cheesecake. Breakfast is a cheese roll, which i eat a couple bites of (OMG does all of Amsterdam have this much cheese?? - spoiler alert… yes it does!). I wish I had slept more.
Day 2 - Even though it feels like a continuation of day one. (Total $207.02)
7am - We land at 7 and then grab the bags and go through customs. Easy peasy. We are exhausted so we grab coffee at the airport before figuring out public transit ($5.10). I take out 60 euro for cash in case we need it ($65). We buy a train ticket to the central station ($6.33) and when we get there we buy a four day unlimited public transit pass ($28.44) so that we don’t have to worry about it later.
We get to the hotel at around 9am. They tell us it will cost $50 to check in early, which we opt not to do. Instead we go get breakfast and coffee at a cafe nearby ($21.20). The hotel tells us that our prepaid amount did not include city taxes, which is another $183 (my half $91.88).
11:30am - Back at the room we decide to rest for 90 minutes. Enough to catch up on sleep but not to waste the day and get more jet-lagged. After a rest we decide to walk around and get a feel for the neighborhood and do some shopping. We find a bookstore, and I buy a copy of my favorite book from high school, Tess of the D’Ubervilles with a beautiful cover and gold edges ($21.46). We also buy fries with truffle, mayo, and Parmesan at a fry shop ($3.32) (that’s all they have and they are delicious!). We also stop a grocery store and pick up a few things including yogurt, cheese, salami, apples, and an energy drink ($13.19). We have some early days planned and nothing seems to open early. It’s very cold and rainy and semi unpleasant.
6pm - We drop stuff off, bundle up, and head off to dinner and a tour of the red light district. We try to find a place that serves Snert, a Dutch pea soup, but strike out. We end up at an Asian place instead. I get chicken satay and a beer and my friend gets Indonesian soup and wine ($16.10). Our red light tour is great, but we are exhausted after and head straight home to bed. 22k steps total
Day 3 (Total $87.24)
7:30am - We have an early day planned, and have to be on a bus near the central station by 8am. I eat a yogurt and energy drink (from grocery store) for breakfast and we take public transit (covered on unlimited card) to the station. We find the right bus and head off!
First stop is the windmills, which are beautiful! I am happy we get there early because we basically have the place to ourselves. My friend gets a coffee and we both use the restroom ($1.08!). Then we head to Edam and do a walking tour there. Next stop is a clog/cheese place, which feels very touristy but they do feed us lots of cheese. I buy a cheese slicer as a souvenir ($10.81). Next stop is another small town where we have lunch at a cafe. We basically pick one at random. My friend gets fried fish and I get a ham and cheese panini and a beer ($17.30). Final stop is an artificial island town called Maarken. We do another walking tour.
2:30pm - we arrive back in Amsterdam and get let off north of the water. I grab a coffee ($3.76). We go up to the Adam lookout and take a ride on the swing off the side of the building ($25.95 for swing plus ticket to lookout). We also grab a drink and sit on a pillow watching the city from very high up, which is lovely ($6.63). On the way out I buy a reusable water bottle at the gift shop ($4.87).
After the lookout we take the tram over to a brewery at a windmill that was recommended to us by several people (including here on Reddit!). Cost was covered by the transit pass. We buy bitterballen and a small bottle of Genever (local whiskey) (paid by my friend) and a flight of beer ($16.84). We are a bit tipsy but enjoying the lovely weather.
6:30 - On the way back toward the hotel the weather turns and it starts raining so we dip into a pub for dinner. I have a burger ($16.12). We are there at 8pm, which is momentous because it’s a day of remembrance and the whole bar is silent for two minutes. It was very interesting to be there during this time.
We are exhausted by this point and go home to bed. 19k steps total for the day.
Day 4 (Total $104.33)
7am - Another early day as we have to be on a bus at 7:30 to go to Keukenhof for the tulips! (paid in advance). We wanted to take the first bus out there because we heard the crowds were bad. I eat a yogurt for breakfast and take a 5 hour energy (no cafes open this early!). We try to take public transit to the train station but didn’t realize that the trains do not run that early on a Sunday so we grab an Uber instead ($12.20). We tell the Uber driver we’re trying to catch a bus so he makes sure we find the right place and we pull up just as the bus is loading. Phew!
8:00am - we spend 5 hours in the gardens and take literally hundreds of pictures. We are glad that we get there early as the first few hours are lovely and empty. We get a coffee ($4.60) and lunch later ($25.36). By 1pm it’s getting very crowded so we start heading out. We grab the bus back to the train station.
2:30pm - We decide to go by the Rijksmuseum although not in it because we planning that later. Instead we stop off at the Van Gogh/Rijks gift shop that’s nearby. I get a couple souvenirs, including a foldable bag and a magnet ($20.44). I also get a coffee ($3.64) and my friend gets bubble tea. We sit on the hill on museumplein and people watch. After awhile it starts to get hot (we had dressed for the early morning) so we head back to the hotel to change.
5pm - we decide we are having an evening of drinking. We first grab a drink in the hotel bar because we get free vouchers for each day we choose not to have the room cleaned. Then we have dinner at an udon place, which is delicious. We have tempura, chicken katsu, and dumplings ($15.94). Then because it’s cinco de mayo we decide to have margaritas at the Mexican place near the hotel ($15.15)! Not Dutch but it’s fun. We head down the street to another bar and have a Genever cocktail called an Amsterdam mule ($9.91). I am happy with our choice of hotel because there are so many places in our neighborhood. On the way home we pass a fresh stroopwaffle place and must get in line for one ($5.92).
By then we are exhausted and head to bed. 21k steps total for the day.
Day 5 (Total $80.44)
8am - We have a slightly less early day but have tickets to the Anne Frank house at 9:15. (paid in advance). I eat some yogurt and cheese in the room before we leave. It’s walkable so we decide to head out early and grab coffee on the way. ($3.19). The house is sombering but I’m glad we did it.
11am - After the Anne Frank house we walk to the nearby cheese museum. We sample lots of cheese. I buy one cheese to take home ($15.18). We want to walk to a used bookstore, but decide to have lunch at a cafe on the way. We pick one at random. We split chicken tenders and a goat cheese and apple sandwich and I have a beer. ($15.14). The sandwich is one of the best things we have eaten. We spend about an hour in the bookstore and my friend buys one book.
3pm - We realize we are by the monkey bar (one of the oldest bars in Amsterdam that they told us about on our red light district tour). We stop in for a drink. Ok two drinks. ($12.50). We take the metro back towards the hotel and stop in at a tile store in our neighborhood so I can buy a magnet. I buy magnets from all my trips, but I like non-touristy handmade ones if I can find them, Van Gogh magnet from yesterday aside. I buy one with a windmill on it. ($14). We also stop at the grocery store for more yogurt ($3.05) and for Dutch apple pie at the cafe across the street from the hotel ($4). We get back to the hotel and have another free drink and then rest before dinner.
8pm - We go out to a Dutch restaurant for dinner. I am not super hungry from pie so I just get the snert (pea soup). My friend gets sauerkraut and potatoes. Sorry, but I thought it was pretty bland food in general. ($13.38).
We head home. It’s a lighter day, only 14k steps today.
Day 6 (Total $194.47)
8am - Today is our last full day in Amsterdam. We have planned to spend the day at the Rijksmuseum. We want to get there right when it opens for crowd reasons. We had bought “friend of the museum” passes ahead of time so that we can skip the line. I have a yogurt for breakfast and we walk to a cafe near the museum for coffee and breakfast for my friend ($3.78). The man at the cafe is very nice and we love sitting outside in the sunshine. It’s going to be a warm day!
We spend about 5 hours at the museum. We rush to see the Van goghs and the main gallery where the Rembrandts are, including The Night Watch, which is probably one of the most famous paintings in there. We had downloaded the app so we shared a pair of earbuds and listened to audio notes about many of the works (they have a number you can enter in). We take a break outside for coffee ($7.29 - i pay) and skip the line again. Totally worth it for the more expensive ticket. Around 2 we are hungry and have seen almost everything. We stop in the gift shop and I buy a ring and earring set. ($64.76). I forget to use my 10% discount for being a friend. :( I wanted a necklace too but didn’t like the ones they had there so I’ll try to find a matching piece at home.
2pm - My friend has been trying to get herring for the whole trip so we make it a point to do that. The first place is a bust so we find a little stand that sells it a 15 min walk away. We are determined, so we head there. I don’t eat fish so I get a shawarma on the way, which is terrible (cash). I throw half away. After lunch we get ice cream. I get coffee ice cream, and it makes up for the bad shawarma ($6). We also stop at the peanut butter store, which is allegedly the first in the world, and I pick up 3 small jars for my mom for Mother’s Day ($8.11). We also stop at a thrift store and i buy a dress ($21.59). At some point this day (I think), we also stop at another bookstore, and I buy a few things including a card, a couple gifts, and a book ($39.71).
6pm - After resting a bit, we get two more free drinks at the hotel and then head out to dinner. We pick another Asian place. I get an aperol spritz at dinner and we share appetizers (satay, spring rolls, and bitterballen). We also get coconut ice cream with mango sauce for dessert. All yum! ($33.03).
We get one final drink at a local bar near the hotel ($10.20) and I’m again grateful for our choice of neighborhood. Today has been all walking because our 4-day metro pass ran out yesterday. Total steps 13k.
Day 7 (Total $36.93)
8am - this our last day. The plane was supposed to leave at 1:30pm, but we get a message that it’s delayed an hour. We decide to have a leisurely breakfast. We pick a place that’s at a hotel near our hotel. I get an egg sandwich and my friend gets French toast. We both get coffee. ($15.27)
We decide to leave for the airport around 11. We walk to the central station about 20 min away, and I buy wooden tulips for my mom on the way (cash). We buy train tickets (cash) and get right on a train. We are proud of ourselves for our navigation on this trip.
12pm - we get to the airport and through security. We head to a lounge but there’s a line. We are 40th in line based on our QR code place. We decide not to wait and sit down for lunch at a random bar. I get a sausage and a beer ($20.66). We walk around some and get another message that our flight is delayed more, to 4pm. It’s finally our turn to get into the lounge at 2:30 (2 1/2 hour wait) so we go. I grab some water and a whiskey and coke but we just ate so we are not hungry. Around 3 we head to the gate. Unfortunately when we get there our flight is delayed more and will board at 4. They give us airport vouchers so we buy a book, beer, and some stroopwaffles ($1 after vouchers). We finally board and head off around 5.
On the flight we are served dinner. They have run out of chicken by the time they get to me, but eventually find one and bring it to me later. I have a wine too. I read, watch a movie, and try to sleep a little. We have a whole row of four to ourselves so we can spread out. Dinner is a French bread pizza.
8pm - We land around 7pm (love time zone math!), grab our bags, and get a taxi to my car ($27.09). I drop off my friend and get home at 8:30. I am exhausted but cuddle my cats for about an hour before going to bed. 15k steps today
After trip expenses - $225 cat sitting
Total expenses: $2149.75 (+49k points)
Flight: $255 + 49k points
Lodging: $804.88
Food/drinks: $531.38
Travel: $101.56
Activities: $221.10
Souvenirs/gifts: $ 231.93
Final parting thoughts - I think just over $2k for an almost-week long trip to Europe is a pretty comfortable number for me. I am glad I could use points for most of the flight. We definitely didn't try to cheap out on anything. We spent a lot of money drinking (neither of us drink this much usually). I hope this was helpful to anyone, and I look forward to reactions/comments!

Recruitment code: 976HSNF6
Please make sure to enter the code after you buy the game and BEFORE you set-up your subscription to get your rewards.
How to redeem:
1.) Login to your FFXIV account on the mogstation: https://sqex.to/msp
2.) "Registration Codes" on the left-hand side menu
3.) Click "Enter Recruitment Code" and enter the code: 976HSNF6
What you'll get:

• Friendship Circlet - Increases EXP earned by 20% when level 25 and below
  
• Aetheryte Ticket x 99 - To teleport to different zones with no cost!
  
• 10 Silver Chocobo Feathers - To trade in for gear (especially useful for 50 and 60 level items!). Trade in at any Calamity Salvager NPC in Gridania, Limsa Lominsa or Ul'dah
  
• Ballroom Etiquette: Improper Greetings - Grants you the Fist Bump emote!
  

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!so i found this app called fetch rewards, and well, its something.
basically you scan receipts from any store and you get points, and then you can redeem those points for gift cards. INCLUDING ROBLOX GIFT CARDS!!
i got 2 10$ roblox gift cards from it, but like a 10$ roblox gift card costs like 13,000 points.
Although, i did find a way to get 3,000 free points ig, so, the first 2000 you can get if you use my referral code 4XARU8 when you sign up. It will ask you if u have a ref code, so just enter that. keep in mind that you do have to scan atleast 1 receipt to get the 2000 points, it also doesnt matter how old or whats on the receipt either, and it can be from any store too.
the next 1000 is ez, just keep scanning that same receipt until u got 3000 points, fetch doesnt pick up that you have already scanned it until 3000 for some reason.
and there ya have it! its also available on android and ios so yeah.
[NOT SPONSORED] feel free to put ur ref code in the comments!

2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT with Automatic transaxle
My car has been having issues stalling when I press hard on the gas pedal. The issues started a bout a month ago when a 20 year old trans oil cooler hose developed a crack and leaked oil everywhere. I hot it towed and replaced the hose, but then I wasnt sure how much trans fluid to add since it lost the fluid on the freeway. I also decided the change the trans fluid since it has never been changed and I had fluid, but I didn't flush it. I've been using the dipstick to find out how much it has when hot and adding about 1/2 qt at a time.
A week later I gun the car entering the freeway to about 80mph for a few seconds then back to 65mph for about 5 mins then the car stalls and my Neutral light flashes witch means the trans over heated on this model. Luckily I had enough momentum to pull over, the car would not start up again until it was cool.
I addee an external trans oil cooler to it to prevent it over heating and an inline filter since this model has a filter that can only be changed when the transmisdion is out. I added trans oil for the added volume. I used non- OEM fluid, but it said was the same as SPIII
It drove fine after that for a few days, but yesterday I went from 0-30mph fast and it stalled again this time not flashing the Neutral light to indicate overheating, but it felt exactly the same the RPMs rose to about 4k then suddenly went to 0 RPM. If anyone has ever had a timing belt snap while driving, it felt exactly like that.
Again, it would not start immediately and later started up when it was cool.
Seems to drive fine when it is going slow but hard acceleration stalls it, not all the time though because I was on the freeway before the last stall.
The codes I get often are p0171 & p0174 Bank 1 & bank 2 too lean
And p0335 Crank position sensor A malfunction
I've been getting the lean codes for a while because I have a bigger intake manifold and a forward facing intake tube, but I think there might be a vacuum leak somewhere because my fuel trims are around +20-15 for bank 1 and +17-12 bank 2 depending on the gear I am in.
I don't think the vacuum leak caused it to stall because when I accelerate the trims drop to +8-5 both banks, however I did notice recently that when I tested hard acceleration in Neutral the live data showed that the car went in to Open Loop when I let off the gas. I plan on redoing all the intake manifold gaskets but I don't think that will fix the issue.
As for the crank sensor code, that is a new sensor and it's been on for a year with no problems, I think I got the code cranking the car many times after it stalled to try to make it start up again. The car starts up fine even now after the second stall. And the code isn't coming back after a few start ups.
Any ideas to help troubleshooting would be appreciated, but my biggest confusion is why does my car go into open loop after letting off gas, can a car stall with vacuum leaks if under load the leaks are less noticeable, and can non-OEM trans fluid cause transmission to stall the car. Thanks!

MS-ISAC CYBERSECURITY ADVISORY
MS-ISAC ADVISORY NUMBER: 2024-051
DATE(S) ISSUED: 05/13/2024
SUBJECT: Multiple Vulnerabilities in Apple Products Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution
OVERVIEW: Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Apple products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
THREAT INTELLEGENCE: Apple is aware of a report that CVE-2024-23296 may have been exploited in the wild.
SYSTEMS AFFECTED:

• Versions prior to macOS Sonoma 14.5
• Versions prior to macOS Ventura 13.6.7
• Versions prior to macOS Monterey 12.7.5
• Versions prior to watchOS 10.5
• Versions prior to tvOS 17.5
• Versions prior to iOS 16.7.8 and iPadOS 16.7.8
• Versions prior to iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5

RISK: Government:

• Large and medium government entities: High
• Small government entities: Medium

Businesses:

• Large and medium business entities: High
• Small business entities: Medium

Home users: Low
TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Apple products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Details of the vulnerabilities are as follows:
Tactic: Execution (TA0002):
Technique: Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203):

• Processing a file may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution (CVE-2024-27829)
• An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution (CVE-2024-27818)
• An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges (CVE-2024-27804, CVE-2024-27842)
• An attacker with arbitrary kernel read and write capability may be able to bypass kernel memory protections. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited. (CVE-2024-23296)
• An attacker may be able to elevate privileges (CVE-2024-27796, CVE-2024-27798)
• An attacker may be able to access user data (CVE-2024-27816)

Additional lower severity vulnerabilities include:

• An attacker with knowledge of a standard user's credentials can unlock another standard user's locked screen on the same Mac (CVE-2023-42861)
• An app may be able to access protected user data (CVE-2023-42893)
• A malicious application may be able to access Find My data (CVE-2024-23229)
• An app may be able to read arbitrary files (CVE-2024-23236)
• An app may be able to access user-sensitive data (CVE-2024-27789)
• An app may be able to elevate privileges (CVE-2024-27824, CVE-2024-27843)
• An app may be able to read sensitive location information (CVE-2024-27810)
• An app may be able to execute arbitrary code out of its sandbox or with certain elevated privileges (CVE-2024-27813)
• A shortcut may output sensitive user data without consent (CVE-2024-27821)
• An app may be able to gain root privileges (CVE-2024-27822)
• An app may be able to bypass certain Privacy preferences (CVE-2024-27825, CVE-2024-27847)
• An app may be able to read arbitrary files (CVE-2024-27827)
• An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication (CVE-2024-27834)
• An attacker with physical access to an iOS device may be able to access notes from the lock screen (CVE-2024-27835)
• A local attacker may gain access to Keychain items (CVE-2024-27837)
• A malicious application may be able to determine a user's current location (CVE-2024-27839)
• An app may be able to disclose kernel memory (CVE-2024-27841)
• A maliciously crafted webpage may be able to distribute a script that tracks users on other webpages (CVE-2024-27852)

Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user, an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
RECOMMENDATIONS: We recommend the following actions be taken:

• Apply the stable channel update provided by Apple to vulnerable systems immediately after appropriate testing. (M1051: Update Software)
  • Safeguard 7.1 : Establish and Maintain a Vulnerability Management Process: Establish and maintain a documented vulnerability management process for enterprise assets. Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
  • Safeguard 7.2 : Establish and Maintain a Remediation Process: Establish and maintain a risk-based remediation strategy documented in a remediation process, with monthly, or more frequent, reviews.
  • Safeguard 7.6 : Perform Automated Vulnerability Scans of Externally-Exposed Enterprise Assets: Perform automated vulnerability scans of externally-exposed enterprise assets using a SCAP-compliant vulnerability scanning tool. Perform scans on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.
  • Safeguard 7.7 : Remediate Detected Vulnerabilities: Remediate detected vulnerabilities in software through processes and tooling on a monthly, or more frequent, basis, based on the remediation process.
  • Safeguard 16.13 Conduct Application Penetration Testing: Conduct application penetration testing. For critical applications, authenticated penetration testing is better suited to finding business logic vulnerabilities than code scanning and automated security testing. Penetration testing relies on the skill of the tester to manually manipulate an application as an authenticated and unauthenticated user.
  • Safeguard 18.1 : Establish and Maintain a Penetration Testing Program: Establish and maintain a penetration testing program appropriate to the size, complexity, and maturity of the enterprise. Penetration testing program characteristics include scope, such as network, web application, Application Programming Interface (API), hosted services, and physical premise controls; frequency; limitations, such as acceptable hours, and excluded attack types; point of contact information; remediation, such as how findings will be routed internally; and retrospective requirements.
  • Safeguard 18.2 : Perform Periodic External Penetration Tests: Perform periodic external penetration tests based on program requirements, no less than annually. External penetration testing must include enterprise and environmental reconnaissance to detect exploitable information. Penetration testing requires specialized skills and experience and must be conducted through a qualified party. The testing may be clear box or opaque box.
  • Safeguard 18.3 : Remediate Penetration Test Findings: Remediate penetration test findings based on the enterprise’s policy for remediation scope and prioritization.
• Apply the Principle of Least Privilege to all systems and services. Run all software as a non-privileged user (one without administrative privileges) to diminish the effects of a successful attack. (M1026: Privileged Account Management)
  • Safeguard 4.7: Manage Default Accounts on Enterprise Assets and Software: Manage default accounts on enterprise assets and software, such as root, administrator, and other pre-configured vendor accounts. Example implementations can include: disabling default accounts or making them unusable.
  • Safeguard 5.4: Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts: Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged account.
• Restrict use of certain websites, block downloads/attachments, block Javascript, restrict browser extensions, etc. (M1021: Restrict Web-Based Content)
  • Safeguard 2.3: Address Unauthorized Software: Ensure that unauthorized software is either removed from use on enterprise assets or receives a documented exception. Review monthly, or more frequently.
  • Safeguard 2.7: Allowlist Authorized Scripts: Use technical controls, such as digital signatures and version control, to ensure that only authorized scripts, such as specific .ps1, .py, etc., files, are allowed to execute. Block unauthorized scripts from executing. Reassessbi-annually, or more frequently.
  • Safeguard 9.3: Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters: Enforce and update network-based URL filters to limit an enterprise asset from connecting to potentially malicious or unapproved websites. Example implementations include category-based filtering, reputation-based filtering, or through the use of block lists. Enforce filters for all enterprise assets.
  • Safeguard 9.6: Block Unnecessary File Types: Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email gateway.
• Use capabilities to detect and block conditions that may lead to or be indicative of a software exploit occurring. (M1050: Exploit Protection)
  • Safeguard 10.5: Enable Anti-Exploitation Features: Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where possible, such as Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple® System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper™.
• Block execution of code on a system through application control, and/or script blocking. (M1038: Execution Prevention)
  • Safeguard 2.5 : Allowlist Authorized Software: Use technical controls, such as application allowlisting, to ensure that only authorized software can execute or be accessed. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
  • Safeguard 2.6 : Allowlist Authorized Libraries: Use technical controls to ensure that only authorized software libraries, such as specific .dll, .ocx, .so, etc., files, are allowed to load into a system process. Block unauthorized libraries from loading into a system process. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
  • Safeguard 2.7 : Allowlist Authorized Scripts: Use technical controls, such as digital signatures and version control, to ensure that only authorized scripts, such as specific .ps1, .py, etc., files, are allowed to execute. Block unauthorized scripts from executing. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
• Use capabilities to prevent suspicious behavior patterns from occurring on endpoint systems. This could include suspicious process, file, API call, etc. behavior. (M1040: Behavior Prevention on Endpoint)
  • Safeguard 13.2 : Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Detection Solution: Deploy a host-based intrusion detection solution on enterprise assets, where appropriate and/or supported.
  • Safeguard 13.7 : Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Prevention Solution: Deploy a host-based intrusion prevention solution on enterprise assets, where appropriate and/or supported. Example implementations include use of an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) client or host-based IPS agent.

REFERENCES:

MS-ISAC CYBERSECURITY ADVISORY
MS-ISAC ADVISORY NUMBER: 2024-052
DATE(S) ISSUED: 05/14/2024
SUBJECT: A Vulnerability in Google Chrome Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution
OVERVIEW: A vulnerability has been discovered in Google Chrome, which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
THREAT INTELLIGENCE: There are reports of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild.
SYSTEMS AFFECTED:

• Chrome versions prior to 124.0.6367.207/.208 for Windows and Mac
• Chrome versions prior to 124.0.6367.207 for Linux

RISK: Government:

• Large and medium government entities: High
• Small government entities: Medium

Businesses:

• Large and medium business entities: High
• Small business entities: Medium

Home users: Low
TECHNICAL SUMMARY: A vulnerability has been discovered in Google Chrome, which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Details of this vulnerability are as follows:
Tactic: Initial Access (TA0001):
Technique: Drive-By Compromise (T1189):

• Out of bounds write in V8. (CVE-2024-4761)

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
RECOMMENDATIONS: We recommend the following actions be taken:

• Apply appropriate updates provided by Google to vulnerable systems immediately after appropriate testing. (M1051: Update Software)
  • Safeguard 7.1: Establish and Maintain a Vulnerability Management Process: Establish and maintain a documented vulnerability management process for enterprise assets. Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
  • Safeguard 7.4: Perform Automated Application Patch Management: Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.
  • Safeguard 7.7: Remediate Detected Vulnerabilities: Remediate detected vulnerabilities in software through processes and tooling on a monthly, or more frequent, basis, based on the remediation process.
  • Safeguard 9.1: Ensure Use of Only Fully Supported Browsers and Email Clients: Ensure only fully supported browsers and email clients are allowed to execute in the enterprise, only using the latest version of browsers and email clients provided through the vendor.
• Apply the Principle of Least Privilege to all systems and services. Run all software as a non-privileged user (one without administrative privileges) to diminish the effects of a successful attack. (M1026: Privileged Account Management)
  • Safeguard 4.7: Manage Default Accounts on Enterprise Assets and Software: Manage default accounts on enterprise assets and software, such as root, administrator, and other pre-configured vendor accounts. Example implementations can include: disabling default accounts or making them unusable.
  • Safeguard 5.4: Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts: Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged account.
• Restrict execution of code to a virtual environment on or in transit to an endpoint system. (M1048: Application Isolation and Sandboxing)
• Use capabilities to detect and block conditions that may lead to or be indicative of a software exploit occurring. (M1050: Exploit Protection)
  • Safeguard 10.5: Enable Anti-Exploitation Features: Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where possible, such as Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple® System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper™.
• Restrict use of certain websites, block downloads/attachments, block Javascript, restrict browser extensions, etc. (M1021: Restrict Web-Based Content)
  • Safeguard 9.2: Use DNS Filtering Services: Use DNS filtering services on all enterprise assets to block access to known malicious domains.
  • Safeguard 9.3: Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters: Enforce and update network-based URL filters to limit an enterprise asset from connecting to potentially malicious or unapproved websites. Example implementations include category-based filtering, reputation-based filtering, or through the use of block lists. Enforce filters for all enterprise assets.
  • Safeguard 9.6: Block Unnecessary File Types: Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email gateway.
• Inform and educate users regarding the threats posed by hypertext links contained in emails or attachments especially from un-trusted sources. Remind users not to visit un-trusted websites or follow links provided by unknown or un-trusted sources. (M1017: User Training)
  • Safeguard 14.1: Establish and Maintain a Security Awareness Program: Establish and maintain a security awareness program. The purpose of a security awareness program is to educate the enterprise’s workforce on how to interact with enterprise assets and data in a secure manner. Conduct training at hire and, at a minimum, annually. Review and update content annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
  • Safeguard 14.2: Train Workforce Members to Recognize Social Engineering Attacks: Train workforce members to recognize social engineering attacks, such as phishing, pre-texting, and tailgating.

REFERENCES:

Google: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2024/05/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_13.html

CVE: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-4761MS-ISAC CYBERSECURITY ADVISORY
MS-ISAC ADVISORY NUMBER: 2024-052
DATE(S) ISSUED: 05/14/2024
SUBJECT: A Vulnerability in Google Chrome Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution
OVERVIEW: A vulnerability has been discovered in Google Chrome, which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
THREAT INTELLIGENCE: There are reports of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild.

A delicate young man with pallid skin and dark circles under his eyes sat on a weathered bench opposite the police station. He held a cup of coffee in his hands—not the cheap synthetic kind available to those in the slums, but genuine plant-based coffee, a luxury usually reserved for higher-ranking citizens. It had cost him nearly all his savings, yet Sunny chose this day for a bit of indulgence.
After all, he was at the end of his road.
Basking in the warmth of the extravagant beverage, he lifted the cup to relish its scent. With a cautious sip, he winced.
"Ah! So bitter!"
Staring down the coffee with a deep sigh, Sunny persevered, taking another gulp. Despite its bitterness, he was set on enjoying the full value of his purchase—regardless of his protesting taste buds.
"I should've opted for real meat instead. Who would've thought actual coffee could taste so foul? At least it'll keep me awake," he mused.
Gazing into the void, he began to nod off, only to jolt himself awake with a slap to the face.
"Such a rip-off," he muttered.
With a shake of his head and a few choice words, Sunny downed the rest of his coffee and rose to his feet. The affluent residents of this part of town hurried by the small park, casting curious glances his way. His haggard appearance, accentuated by cheap attire and sleep deprivation, made him stick out. His thin, pale figure contrasted sharply with the robust passersby. Enviously eyeing their stature, he aimed the cup at a nearby bin.
"That's the difference three square meals a day make," he scoffed.
The cup missed its target, landing on the pavement. Sunny sighed, retrieved the cup, and made sure it went into the bin this time. A wry smile on his face, he crossed the street and stepped into the police station.
Inside, a weary officer cast a brief glance at him and frowned in clear distaste.
"Are you lost, boy?"
Sunny surveyed the surroundings with interest, observing the reinforced armor on the walls and the barely concealed turret nests in the ceiling. The officer appeared scruffy and stern. It seemed police stations were consistent everywhere.
"Hey! I'm speaking to you!"
Sunny cleared his throat.
"Uh, no."
He then scratched the back of his head and continued:
"Under the Third Special Directive, I am here to turn myself in as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."
The officer's demeanor shifted from annoyance to caution. He scrutinized the young man anew, this time with a sharp gaze.
"Are you certain you're infected? When did the symptoms begin?"
Sunny gave a nonchalant shrug.
"A week ago?"
The officer's complexion turned noticeably paler.
"Damn."
Then, with a swift movement, he hit a button on his terminal and shouted:
"Attention! Code Black in the lobby! I repeat, CODE BLACK!"
***
The Nightmare Spell emerged several decades ago, during a period when the planet was beginning to recover from catastrophic natural disasters and ensuing wars over resources.
Initially, a new ailment causing widespread fatigue and drowsiness didn't garner much attention. However, as people began to succumb to an abnormal sleep from which they wouldn't awaken, even after several days, governments started to panic. By that time, it was too late for any response to make a difference.
As the afflicted began to die in their sleep, transforming into monsters upon death, the world was unprepared. These Nightmare Creatures swiftly overran national defenses, casting the world into utter disarray.
The nature of the Spell, its capabilities, and methods to combat it remained unknown.
Ultimately, it was the Awakened—those who had endured the Spell's initial onslaught and returned alive—who halted its destruction. Wielding extraordinary powers gained through their Nightmares, they reestablished peace and forged a new semblance of order.
Certainly, it was just the initial catastrophe unleashed by the Spell. However, for Sunny, it seemed irrelevant — until recently, when he began struggling to stay awake.
For the average individual, being selected by the Spell could be as dangerous as it was fortuitous. In school, children were taught survival skills and combat techniques in case they were affected. Affluent families employed private tutors to instruct their offspring in various martial arts. Members of the Awakened clans even possessed potent heritages, harnessing ancestral Memories and Echoes during their inaugural journey to the Dream Realm.
The wealthier your family, the greater your odds of enduring and ascending as an Awakened.
Yet for Sunny, an orphan who devoted his days to foraging rather than education, the Spell's choice offered no prospects. For him, it signified an almost certain demise.
***
Minutes later, Sunny yawned as several policemen busied themselves securing him in restraints. Shortly, he was strapped into a bulky chair, an odd hybrid of a hospital bed and a torture device. They were in a room located in the police station's basement, encased by thick armored walls and guarded by a daunting vault door. Nearby, officers stood against the walls, clutching automatic rifles with stern looks etched on their faces.
Sunny was indifferent to them. His only concern was his overwhelming desire to sleep.
At last, the vault door swung open, and a gray-haired policeman stepped through. His face bore the marks of experience, and his stern eyes seemed to have witnessed countless horrors. After inspecting the restraints, he cast a swift glance at his wristwatch before facing Sunny:
"What's your name, kid?"
Sunny blinked several times, struggling to focus, then squirmed in discomfort.
"Sunless."
The elderly policeman lifted an eyebrow.
"Sunless? That's an unusual name."
Sunny attempted to shrug, but his body refused to cooperate.
"What's unusual about it? At least I have a name. Where I come from, not everyone is given one."
He yawned before continuing:
"It's because I was born during a solar eclipse. My mother was quite the poet."
Hence his peculiar name, and why his younger sister was named Rain… at least, when she was still with them. Whether it stemmed from poetic flair or sheer indolence, he couldn't tell.
The policeman gave a gruff sound.
"Should I get in touch with your family?"
Sunny shook his head.
"No need. There's no one left."
For a moment, a shadow crossed the policeman's face before it settled into a grave expression.
"Alright, Sunless. How long can you remain awake?"
"Uh… not very long."
The policeman exhaled deeply.
"In that case, we don't have time for the complete procedure. Resist sleep as best as you can and pay close attention to what I'm about to say. Understood?"
Without waiting for an answer, he continued:
"What do you understand about the Nightmare Spell?"
Sunny looked at him with uncertainty.
"About as much as the next person, I suppose? Isn't the Spell common knowledge?"
"It's not the glamorous stuff you see in dramas or hear about in propaganda broadcasts. How much do you truly understand?"
That question was difficult to answer.
"So, I just enter the Dream Realm, slay some monsters to complete the First Nightmare, gain magical powers, and become an Awakened?"
The veteran policeman shook his head.
"Pay attention. When you fall asleep, you'll be transported into your First Nightmare. Nightmares are trials crafted by the Spell. Inside, you'll encounter monsters, but you'll encounter people as well. Remember, they aren't real. They are merely illusions created to challenge you."
"How can you be certain?"
The policeman fixed him with a stare.
"I mean, nobody really grasps the nature of the Spell or its mechanics, right? So how can you be sure they aren't real?"
"You may have to eliminate them, kid. It's better for you to consider them as mere illusions."
"Oh."
The aged officer paused for a moment, then nodded and resumed speaking.
"Much about the First Nightmare is left to chance. Generally, it's not meant to be excessively difficult. The predicament you find yourself in, the tools at your disposal, and the creatures you must overcome should all fall within your capabilities. After all, the Spell conjures trials, not death sentences. Your particular situation does put you at a disadvantage, but remember, children from the outskirts are resilient. Don't lose hope just yet."
"Mm-hmm."
Sunny's drowsiness was intensifying, making it difficult to keep up with the conversation.
"As for the 'magic powers' you inquired about... indeed, you will acquire them if you endure the Nightmare until its conclusion. The exact nature of these powers will depend on your inherent affinities and your actions during the trial. However, you'll have access to some of them right from the beginning..."
The old policeman's voice was fading into the distance. Sunny's eyelids were so heavy, it was a struggle to keep his eyes open.
"Remember: your first task upon entering the Nightmare is to assess your Attributes and your Aspect. If you're assigned a combat-oriented Aspect, like a Swordsman or an Archer, you'll find things more manageable. If it's complemented by a physical Attribute, all the better. Since Combat Aspects are quite common, there's a good chance you'll receive one."
The light in the armored room was fading.
"If you're unfortunate enough to have an Aspect unrelated to combat, don't lose heart. Sorcery and utility Aspects have their own merits; you just need to use them wisely. There are no truly useless Aspects. Well, almost none. So do whatever it takes to survive."
"Surviving means you're on your way to becoming an Awakened. But if you perish, you'll create a portal for a Nightmare Creature to enter our world. That would mean my colleagues and I have to intervene. So, please, Sunless, don't perish."
Sunny, already drifting to sleep, felt somewhat moved by the officer's plea.
"And try not to perish immediately. It will be hours before the nearest Awakened can arrive, and we'd really prefer not to confront that creature alone..."
'What?'
With that final thought, Sunny succumbed to a profound sleep.
Darkness enveloped everything.
And then, from the shadows, a vaguely familiar voice echoed:
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
****
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