Next week on AppStories, John interviews Federico about the journey that led him to his wildest project ever. Next week onMagic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon are joined by a special guest to take another look at Ridley Scott’s Napoleon upon the film’s streaming debut. They also dive into March releases on Apple...
In This Issue
John shares how he tracks time zones in the Mac’s menu bar and his Markdown research archive workflow, Jonathan has a shortcut that works with Simple Scan that incorporates a naming system and integration with Files, plus the usual Links, App Debuts, the latest happenings in the Club MacStories+ Discord community, a recap of MacStories...
In This Issue
This month, John builds a read-and-listen-later system based on Markdown and MP3s and Federico mods a game controller to work with the 11” iPad Pro....
Looking Past the Smoke and Mirrors of the MGM Hack [Sponsor]
The September 2023 MGM hack quickly became one of the most notorious ransomware attacks in recent memory. Journalists and cybersecurity experts rushed to report on the broken slot machines, angry hotel guests, and the fateful phishing call to MGM’s help desk that started it all.
And, like a slick magic trick, the public’s attention was drawn in the wrong direction. Now, months later, we’re still missing something critical about the MGM hack.
That’s because, for many of the most important questions about the breach, the popular answers are either incomplete or inaccurate. Those include: who hacked MGM, what tactics they used to breach the system, and how security teams can protect themselves against similar attacks.
Why is that a problem? Because it lets us write off the MGM hack as a one-off story, instead of an example of an emerging style of attack that we’ll certainly be seeing more of. And that leaves companies and security teams unprepared.
Who hacked MGM?
Plenty of news stories have confidently blamed the MGM attack on either the Scattered Spider or ALPHV hacking group, but the truth is still murky, and likely involves a dangerous team up between different groups, each bringing their own expertise to the table.
Their attacks first use fluent English social engineering skills to get onto networks, where they then deploy sophisticated ransomware that quickly establishes persistence across multiple systems.
What tactics did they use?
The dominant narrative has been that “a single phone call hacked MGM.” A phone vishing attack to MGM’s IT help desk is what started the hack, but there’s much more to it than that. The real issue is that this help desk worker was set up to fail by MGM’s weak ID verification protocols, and probably wasn’t doing anything “wrong” when they gave the bad actors access to a super administrator account.
How can security teams protect themselves?
Cybersecurity experts have centered most of their advice on user ID verification. But while it’s true that MGM’s help desk needed better ways of verifying employee identity, there’s another factor that should have stopped the hackers in their tracks.
That’s where you need to focus your attention. In fact, if you just focus your vision, you’ll find you’re already staring at the security story the pros have been missing.
It’s the device you’re reading this on.
To read more of what we learned when we researched the MGM hack–like how hacker groups get their names, the worrying gaps in MGM’s security, and why device trust is the real core of the story–check out the Kolide Blog.
Our thanks to Kolide for sponsoring MacStories this week.
Previously, On MacStories
Stories Automation Academy: My Collection of Advanced Shortcuts for Things The Fastest Way to Save RSS Articles to A Read-Later App Vision Pro App Spotlight: Longplay Adds Immersive Album Listening Looks Like Rain: Visualizing the Weather on a Color-Coded Timeline Apple Vision Pro Accessory Roundup: Our Favorites So Far iMessage Is Preparing for a Post-Quantum...
In This Issue
John shares a collection of apps for readers, Federico has a tip on hiding macOS windows instead of minimizing them and a shortcut that converts Things notes into a Markdown file, Jonathan shares some favorite Mac utilities, plus the usual Links, App Debuts, the latest happenings in the Club MacStories+ Discord community, a recap of...
Up Next on MacStories’ Podcasts
Next week on AppStories, Federico and John share some of their favorite visionOS entertainment apps. Next week onMagic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon Sigmund and Devon discuss new Apple Original comedy series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Apple’s brand new Sports app for iPhone, and the potential for immersive video across...
Apple Vision Pro Accessory Roundup: Our Favorites So Far
Slowly but surely, a growing number of accessories are popping up around the Apple Vision Pro. Today, we thought we’d share our favorites so far.
Battery Accessories
Battery Packs
 power bank.](https://cdn.macstories.net/anker-1708606792589.png)
The Anker Prime 27,650mAh power bank.
John: Apple sells the battery pack that powers the Apple Vision Pro as a separate accessory for $199. However, because the Vision Pro’s battery includes a USB-C port for charging it, there are plenty of cheaper solutions.
One option is simply plugging Apple’s battery into its power adapter as you use it. However, if you want something more portable, I’d suggest a battery pack to charge your Apple battery pack. Any battery pack will do, but we have several listed on our Setups page that Federico and I use and recommend and will do the trick too.
Belkin Battery Holder
Federico: I never thought I’d become the sort of person who casually holsters a tech accessory in his daily routine, and yet here we are thanks to the Vision Pro. I decided to get the Belkin battery holder upon ordering the Vision Pro, and I’m glad I did. Not only does the clip on the case make it easier to walk around the house while wearing the Vision Pro (putting the battery in my pocket causes too much tension on the cable and I don’t like it), but it also provides a nice degree of protection for the battery itself. I genuinely recommend getting this if you plan on moving around a lot while using the Vision Pro.
Keyboard and Trackpad Accessories
John: The Apple Vision Pro’s built-in keyboard and dictation are fine for entering short bits of text when you’re using the device, but for anything more than a few words, you’ll want a keyboard. The Apple Magic Keyboard works best with the Vision Pro because it integrates tightly with visionOS, displaying a preview of what you’re typing that floats just above the keyboard. Plus, Magic Trackpad is the only trackpad that I am aware of that works with the Vision Pro.
The MagicBridge or a Lap Desk
The trouble is finding a way to use the Magic Keyboard and Trackpad when you’re away from your desk or a tabletop because both are small and can be hard to balance in your lap. There are a few options here, depending on your preferences. Twelve South’s MagicBridge joins the Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad using a plastic frame that holds the two together side-by-side. It works much better in the lap that way, but it’s also wide and can feel unbalanced when the keyboard is directly in front of you, and the trackpad is hanging off to the side.
Since my initial experiments with the MagicBridge, I’ve gravitated to a lap desk for those times that I’m sitting on the couch. There are a million of these on Amazon and elsewhere. However, I like the simplicity of the 30.5” Wood Curved Lap Desk Table Tray, which is a simple curved piece of wood without any notches for iPhones or ridges to hold a laptop in place to get in my way.
Hazevaiy Acrylic Magic Keyboard and Trackpad Support Stand
Federico: After some research and asking on Mastodon, I discovered that accessory manufacturers have been making for quite some time what is, effectively, the opposite of a MagicBridge: a tray where the Magic Trackpad and Keyboard are held in a laptop-like configuration, with the keyboard above the trackpad. I got a couple from Amazon, and I like the transparent one better than others I’ve seen thanks to its slimmer profile. (Plus, let’s face it – anything looks better when it’s made of transparent plastic.) These accessories all lack the sort of palm rejection features that are typically found on Mac laptops, so if you can get used to avoiding the trackpad with your palm or wrist when typing, I think you should consider this as a lap-friendly alternative to the MagicBridge.
A Smaller Case – Syntech Hard Carrying Case
John: By all accounts Apple’s Vision Pro case is very nice, but I wasn’t interested because it’s so bulky and expensive. Instead, I went with one Federico discovered on Reddit by Syntech that was originally made for the Meta Quest. It’s not small, but it fits in a backpack better than Apple’s case ever will. Inside, there’s a velcro strap for securing your Vision Pro in place and enough spare room to stow your battery and polishing cloth. Best of all, the Syntech case is less than $30.
Protecting the Vision Pro’s Lenses - KIWI design Lens Protector Cover
John: My most recent accessory find for the Vision Pro is the KIWI Lens Protector Cover. It’s another accessory originally designed for the Meta Quest, but it works perfectly with the Vision Pro too. There’s not much to say about the KIWI other than it’s a soft microfiber pillow that you stuff into the inside of your Vision Pro headset against the lenses to protect them. With a USB-C cable and other items in the same case as the Vision Pro, I feel better knowing that there’s a soft barrier between its lenses and everything else in my bag.
That’s it for now, but keep an eye on our MacStories Setups page for updates on the accessories we use with our Apple Vision Pros and other gear.
Paste - Endless Clipboard for Mac and iOS Devices [Sponsor]
In the dynamic digital world, efficiency is key. That’s where Paste steps in - your indispensable clipboard manager for Mac and iOS. Designed for the Apple enthusiast, Paste elevates your workflow to new heights of organization and ease.
With Paste, every copied item - whether text, image, or link - is intuitively stored across your Apple devices. This ensures that your clipboard history is always at your fingertips, whether you’re working on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
Paste is more than just a clipboard manager; it’s a time machine for your digital life. Intelligent search allows you to swiftly find anything you’ve previously copied on any of your devices and customizable rules give you full control over your data privacy, letting you decide what gets stored and what doesn’t.
Designed to integrate seamlessly into your workflow, Paste offers large, easy-to-read content previews for quick retrieval. You can edit your clipboard contents before using them in other applications, keeping your most frequently used items just a click away.
Using Paste daily unlocks even more potential. Become a Pro user and enhance your efficiency by integrating Paste with Siri Shortcuts, stripping formatting with PlainText, and leveraging an extensive range of shortcuts.
Discover why Paste is a game-changer for productivity. Try it now for free on the Apple App Store and transform the way you manage your digital life.
Our thanks to Paste for sponsoring MacStories this week.