Posted On 13 Jan 2022

Waze Includes EV Chargers in its Software
Waze, like Google and Apple Maps, has included EV chargers within its latest software.
Waze has updated its software to allow EV drivers to add charging stations as destinations, much as it has done for years with petrol stations. Users may use the map to search for charging stations or touch symbols on the map to add charging stops. Waze’s map now includes EV chargers, as well as adverts for Volkswagen’s ID.4. It’s unclear what took Waze so long to get on board. Since 2018, Google Maps users have been able to search for charging stations. Waze is a division of Google. It has also allowed users to select stations according to on plug type since 2019, allowing non-Leaf drivers to avoid CHAdeMO charging. Regardless, if you routinely use Waze to escape traffic congestion, the new feature is a pleasant addition. Waze appears to have been inspired by Volkswagen, which paid to have the chargers installed while also enabling ID.4 users to customize their in-app icons to suit their vehicle preferences.

Color Message Malware Found on Google Play App
A security firm has recently found malware hiding in an Android app that has been downloaded over 500,000 times on Google Play. The malware secretly transmits users’ contacts to an attacker-controlled server and registers them up for expensive subscriptions. The program, entitled Color Message, featured spyware known as “Joker,” which inundates Android marketplaces, signing you up for expensive services. Color Message claims that it enhances text communications by adding emojis and eliminating spam SMS, among other things. However, Color Message contains a family of malware known as Joker, which has already infected millions of Android devices, according to digital security experts.
The discovery is the latest example of Google hosting harmful software that causes issues for users of their Android mobile operating system. While Google monitors applications for malware and eliminates large numbers of submissions on a monthly basis, there are plenty of programs that it doesn’t catch. Joker is challenging to detect due to its modest code footprint and the tactics adopted by its designers to disguise it. Over the previous few years, the virus has been identified in hundreds of programs that have been downloaded by millions of people.