October 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

Fraudster Art Dealer's Ex-Wife Denies Liability For His Loan
by Gunnar Larson 14 Oct '24

14 Oct '24

Fraudster Art Dealer's Ex-Wife Denies Liability For His Loan <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1883475?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Sophia Dourou The former wife of Andrew Valmorbida, art dealer to the stars and a self-confessed fraudster, has said she should not pay back an investment firm part of $33.4 million taken by her then-husband, arguing the business can pursue other assets first. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1883475?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1883475?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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G-20 Regulators Told To Learn From Credit Suisse Collapse
by Gunnar Larson 14 Oct '24

14 Oct '24

G-20 Regulators Told To Learn From Credit Suisse Collapse <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1889319?nl_pk=a94fc…> By Sam Tabahriti A global banking standards setter reminded regulators from G-20 countries Friday of the lessons they can learn from what led to the collapse of Credit Suisse and other banks during the 2023 crisis, including failures in risk management, governance and supervision. Read full article » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1889319?nl_pk=a94fc…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.co.uk/financial-services-uk/articles/1889319?nl_pk=a94fc…>

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NC AG Nominee Says Opponent Smeared His Lawyering
by Gunnar Larson 14 Oct '24

14 Oct '24

NC AG Nominee Says Opponent Smeared His Lawyering <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1889152?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…> By Matthew Santoni U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, the Republican nominee in North Carolina's attorney general race, has filed a defamation lawsuit against his Democratic opponent's campaign and a number of affiliated organizations, claiming the defendants defamed Bishop with a "push poll" suggesting he had represented clients accused of stealing from the elderly. Complaint attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1889152?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1889152?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…>

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11th Circ. Kickback Ruling May Widen Hearsay Exception
by Gunnar Larson 14 Oct '24

14 Oct '24

11th Circ. Kickback Ruling May Widen Hearsay Exception <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/1888448?nl_pk=4126fe73-…> In a $400 million fraud case, U.S. v. Holland, the Eleventh Circuit recently held that a conspiracy need not have an unlawful object to introduce co-conspirator statements under federal evidence rules, potentially broadening the application of the so-called co-conspirator hearsay exception, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff. Opinion attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/1888448?nl_pk=4126fe73-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/1888448?nl_pk=4126fe73-…>

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Twitter Judge Seeks More Info On Cert. Bid In Layoff Fight
by Gunnar Larson 14 Oct '24

14 Oct '24

Twitter Judge Seeks More Info On Cert. Bid In Layoff Fight <https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1889067?nl_pk=2bd720dd-746c-4744…> By Bonnie Eslinger A California federal judge declined to rule Thursday on a request to certify a class of 115 ex-Twitter workers who claim they were booted without proper notice after Elon Musk acquired the company, saying he wanted more information after learning that most signed arbitration agreements. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1889067?nl_pk=2bd720dd-746c-4744…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1889067?nl_pk=2bd720dd-746c-4744…>

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Yale Must Answer Ex-Student's 'Execution' Fears, Judge Says
by Gunnar Larson 14 Oct '24

14 Oct '24

Yale Must Answer Ex-Student's 'Execution' Fears, Judge Says <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1888235?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…> By Aaron Keller A judge has ordered Yale University to respond to an expelled student's fears of execution if he is deported to Afghanistan as she mulls lifting a ban on naming a classmate who accused the ex-student of sexual assault in litigation connected to a key Title IX ruling. 3 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1888235?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/cybersecurity-privacy/articles/1888235?nl_pk=3dfd2fd…>

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[spam][crazy] phones: vortex hd65
by Undescribed Horrific Abuse, One Victim & Survivor of Many 12 Oct '24

12 Oct '24

Q-Link terminated my cell service when the ACP laws changed and i've been without a phone for a few months, but i walked by a street salesperson for Stand Up Wireless who was giving away to homeless people in the area, a phone branded as the Vortex HD65 . I don't presently qualify for a free phone as I'm between states and you need to be set up with any local social service to qualify with Stand Up, but I bought one of them anyway online for some very low price because of that dream of letting everybody have a free liberated device and how I sometimes get into tiny reverse engineering binges in this crazy half of my life. Like my Hot Pepper Serrano from Q-Link, according to the web this phone has a MediaTek chipset, so it's possible most of the same tools and approaches and repair avenues will transfer to this phone. I'd like to image the firmware, remove secure boot and encryption such that reimaging is straightforward, and install an open-source OS. It's 2024-10-11 2149 and I'm multitasking with other tasks, and this e-mail client is going very slowly. 2152. 2333 so i tried using mtkclient and it just works without having to enable anything in the phone settings or anything. ‘mtk printgpt’ shows the gpt, ‘mtk rf’ images the flash. mtk rf won’t pipe, but it will write to a fifo so i can pipe it to zstd or arweave or such that way. - to decrypt the image a hardware key would need to be extracted better look for notes on how to do this better somewhere so hard to pursue this 2335 2339

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trying to consolidate device repair information
by Undescribed Horrific Abuse, One Victim & Survivor of Many 12 Oct '24

12 Oct '24

>From f22c7fb86c5b34ee445c1774f282a602ebf371d1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: John Doe <johndoe(a)example.com> Date: Sun, 19 May 2024 12:45:49 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] initial commit --- mediatek.txt | 199 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 199 insertions(+) create mode 100644 mediatek.txt diff --git a/mediatek.txt b/mediatek.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3cb9129 --- /dev/null +++ b/mediatek.txt @@ -0,0 +1,199 @@ +# Identifying an Android Phone Chipset + - Search online, but note the device could be a fake or clone + - Use the Hardware Info or CPU-Z Android App + - Try proprietary general flashing systems that can identify any chipset + - Try free chipset-specific flashing programs and see which ones accept the device + +## Flashing Tools +### Windows Drivers + +Note that on Windows you may need specific up-to-date drivers to access the embedded chipset. + +### General-Purpose Proprietary Flashing Boxes and Dongles + +Commercial repair shops license commercial flashing tools. +These originally come with a hardware dongle for DRM protection. The software can be found online. +Hovatek links to https://journal.hovatek.com/you-might-have-to-buy-a-box-dongle-heres-why/ + +Partial List: Infinity CM2, Miracle box, Miracle Thunder, EFT dongle, +NCK Pro box, UMT dongle, Medusa Pro box, XTC 2 Clip, BST dongle, IP +box, Octopus box, Sigma box, Riff box, Octoplus Pro box + +### Chipset Manufacturer's Flashing Tool + +Each chipset manufacturer generally has a suite of flashing tools used to originally program the phones. +These generally flash chipset-specific scatter formats with partition maps. +- Mediatek: SP Flash Tool. Note this is available for Linux. + +### Open Source Tools + +Each chipset reverse engineering community has at least one open source flashing tool. +Unlike the chipset manufacturer's flashing tools, these tools may include the use of exploits for software access to devices that are bricked or locked. +They generally flash raw image data provided via their interface, rather than a scatter file. +- Mediatek: mtkclient in python + +# MediaTek +- Easier than unisoc, harder than qualcomm + +## Identifying a MediaTek Android ROM Format + - update.zip / Tcard + - contains META-INF/ and scatter.txt + - flashed in stock recovery mode, NOT with a scatter flash tool + - .img / Scatter + - contains MT****_Android_scatter.img, .img files, .bin files + - flash with a proprietary MediaTek flashing tool such as SP Flash Tool, NCK, Infinity CM2, SP Multiport, ... + - Single .bin + - single raw file + - associated with GSM Aladdin, Miracle, Infinity CM2 + - TWRP backup + - contains .win/.win.md5 files, other recoveries might have .ext4.tar or .img + - flash with the recovery type they were made with + - Custom rom + - device specific + - flash with custom recovery like TWRP, Phiz, CWM + +## Common MediaTek Partitions & Associated Troubleshooting + - Secro /secro: baseband info. "Unknown Baseband" if corrupt. + - Preloader: initializes device, won't even charge if corrupt + - Nvram: radio info, imei, wifi, bluetooth mac addresses + - Boot /boot: kernel and ramdisk, won't boot to OS if corrupt + - System /system: OS and apps, stuck at logo if corrupt + - Lk or Uboot: kernel code, corrupt -> white,black,multicolored screen + - Logo: controls boot logo image + - Userdata /userdata: user apps, contacts, etc. userspace errors or lag if corrupt + +## MediaTek Boot Modes + +### BootROM +BROM mode is the initial hardware boot stage. +This usually hands off to the preloader, but the system can be configured to +boot straight to BROM, and this can be forced by grounding KPCOL0 or the EMMC +storage pins. This can be used to unbrick a device with a corrupt preloader. +If there is no preloader enabled, the bootrom will briefly connect a serial +device to the USB port to allow a flasher to interrupt boot and flash the +system. + +### Preloader +The preloader is the software bootloader which hands off to normal booting. +The code executed is in a flashable partition. +Before booting, like the BROM, the preloader will connect a serial device +to the USB port to communicate with a flasher. +Whether the phone is running the preloader or the bootrom can be identified +by the identity of the connected serial device. + +For the bootrom to accept a new preloader, an Authentication File is needed. + +MediaTek designs it such that the flashing tool uploads a signed Download +Agent to RAM, which the preloader verifies the signature of and then hands +off control to. This is called Secure Boot. + +If the Download Agent file is wrong, errors might include: +Boot Error! S_INVALID_DA_FILE, S_FT_DOWNLOAD_FAIL (2004), +S_BROM_DOWNLOAD_DA_FAIL, S_SECURITY_SECURE_USB_DL_DA_RETURN_INVALID_TY PE +(6104), MSP ERROR CODE: 0X00, S_AUTH_HANDLE_IS_NOT_READY (5000), +STATUS_SEC_AUTH_FILE_NEEDED (0xC0030012) and many more + +NEVER DESTROY THE PRELOADER AND SECURE BOOT DATA! You may need private keys +to recover. + +Community DA collection: https://forum.hovatek.com/forum-112.html + +Tecno, Infinix, and Itel / Transsion devices have tools that work without DA +files. + +### Recovery Mode +Recovery mode is for normal flashing. +1. Power off the device +2. Hold volume-up +3. Hold power while volume-up is held +4. Release both when boot logo appears +For some devices, steps 2 and 3 are reversed. + +### Factory Mode +Factory mode is for diagnostics, running tests, clearing the emmc, and resetting the touch calibration. +1. Power off the device +2. Hold volume-down +3. Hold power while volume-down is held +4. Release both when boot logo appears. +For some devices, steps 2 and 3 are reversed. + +### Safe mode +Safe mode disables installed apps, and is good for troubleshooting whether problems are associated with user apps. +1. Long-press power button like you intend to reboot +2. Long-press the reboot option in Android +3. A dialog prompts regarding safe mode. Selecgt OK +4. Allow the device to reboot +5. It should say "safe mode" in the lower left during operation + +## Dumping Firmware + +### Dumping firmware with SP Flash Tool +SP Flash Tool requires a provided download agent signed with a key the +device accepts. + - Use Wwr MTK to create a temporary scatter file. Go to auto mode, select chipset and memory type. More templates available at Hovatek forum. Click create and save as. + - Load SP Flash Tool, click to browse for download agent, select .bin file. + - Select the Wwr scatter file. + - Use the physical address and length information from the scatter file. + - Go to readback tab, click add, double-click the entry. EMMC_BOOT1, then PGPT. + - Initiate the transfer + - Remove the battery from the device, then connect it. + - The length of the full dump is stored in the PGPT. It's the same length as boot_1 is in the user region. + - WWR can load the preloader PGPT. Click "select file" in the upper right and open the preloader from emmc_boot_1. Then head to the table of sections tab, and load the PGPT to populate it. "Full volume of GPT" field shows entire size of data. Partition offsets and lengths are shown to perform partial dumps. + NOTE: can't the PGPT be changed? there are more direct approaches + - WWR can import larger regions of the dump, too, and identify other things about the device in the auto mode tab. It can then export firmware formats for other flashers to use. + Binary search option is useful. + +## Flashing Firmware + +Build number is everything! Settings -> About -> Build Number +Variants are two phones of the same model, with a slight difference, often indicated in changes to the build number. +You may or may not be able to interflash firmware across build variants or groups. +Sometimes variants do not change the build number. + +### Flashing firmware with SP Flash Tool + + +# links +- hovatek.com + phone repair support company with classes, articles, and a question answer service + - mediatek links from old phone repair class + - mtk vcom drivers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9srKhKuVIMnalFkV3EzWjVXdUE/view + - adb & fastbot[ibid] drivers: https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=95855108297851314 + - Wwr_MTK: https://mega.nz/#!W8lwmC7b!98r6ttK9hATkZpW5vJ-JS7-qQ8Hp7PCRdRT2bGoYuGY + - Miracle box: https://mega.nz/#!6PZkxIJS!JVlJkweSsj77qUOHvQ977qkMD2E4eApRA6k9uUkUX7w + - NCK Pro box MTK: https://mega.nz/#!GP50wIoQ!kQxh9SsMJBQqKoh-q4Aks7FHARHWLyIVUBVzLCj-MaQ + - Infinity CM2: https://forum.hovatek.com/thread-21773.html + - SP flash tool: https://mega.nz/#!f11WEIrQ!KWFnNEe6GbFgcQtoZcYZ5zBKqrvqvSOLT3amnGU-Yso + - Software Download (transsion Aftersale) tool: https://mega.nz/#!ylFmlIAI!-lbOX0cAMKxGotE0vpedNQDw74cyZWU9BwSd6cYQsYk + - SP Multiport: https://mega.nz/#!y1N0FQLK!nLLLjWqX_FXrkIIBkMLt9EIGf3PN3aD_qwn0aHjMy3g + - SN Writer / Write tool: http://www.mediafire.com/file/94vbv8n3zpbcjlj/SN_Write_Tool_v2.1504.00.zip + - Maui Meta: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4S-Z726VJ2SZ0R1MHpDY3JISkU/view + - GSM Aladdin: https://mega.nz/#!Dk0WGJJL!LCR6ua1BDitYycE1sm-1SzvdwcvKxHie8hAjtd5Om2k + - Magisk Manager: https://bit.ly/2w2oQZz + - MTK TWRP Porter (GUI) v1.4: https://mega.nz/#!UTBFyS6Y!LrvJrJ7__HBn0_IDoFRnhwFe1Srv_jMCc1K5fm84YyA + - MTK TWRP Porter (GUI) v1.6: https://mega.nz/#!Ufxh0AIA!t6QvP3VWhrg0Lq39tcXrOwAJCUvuWtnUUN3PiFCiDBg + - MTK Philz porter (GUI): https://mega.nz/#!1HY03SLZ!al1OyLv_j_kSeLPFhn7K_OfRqe0sjpjHlP5V-iIbZR0 + - Z3X MST box: https://mega.nz/#!dT4j0RRb!iv4msg39ZbpiatKuImwQoo5wNO1HhtkugBOQ0cQGris + - CheckSum generator: https://mega.nz/#!pSZW3KYI!JYrOcMFkVYO_ZIYgTXkzTI9dwHbDhzZjhzv0TlvazF8 + - Blank vbmeta.img: https://mega.nz/#!dnAS3AhD!g5PnSg-0UKFvyhZSZ8Em6gKO2Do7avaUepPmsH75-Bg + - Mi Unlock tool: https://en.miui.com/unlock/download_en.html + - CDC driver: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4S-Z726VJ2Sc2hXaDhaRDFCb28/view + On 2024-02-07, I uploaded most of these to arweave with a download script that needs gnu parallel and jq. + Note, I was likely experiencing advanced compromise during this upload. + https://arweave.net/lLbBWwRthEAn-LFHSaAOUq29cZUJV7d_TlofzKPW8oQ/hovatek-mtk… + "If https://arweave.net is blocked, change the GW variable in the script." + +# notes may be found in +- [x] morning spam + starting tue feb 6 2024 searching keywords 'mediatek' and 'hpp-l55b' so far found only logs and a link to hovatek.com +- [ ] non-canon spinoffs + phone repair course starting 2024-02-07 + i'm up to '05-32 How to get the build number of a bricked MTK device' + adding the infomration to the Flashing section above +- newae technology, embedded security article +- 'trying to take control of my free government phone' log +- trying to make unihertz titan boot +- information on unihertz titan +- the trials of mediating algorithms +- uhhh should i understand the exploits my new phone + -- 2.43.0

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Debriefing Doesn't Waive Protest Deadline For Army Deal
by Gunnar Larson 11 Oct '24

11 Oct '24

Debriefing Doesn't Waive Protest Deadline For Army Deal <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/1889047?nl_pk=4126fe73-…> By Daniel Wilson The U.S. Government Accountability Office has thrown out as untimely a protest over a U.S. Army fuel tank servicing order, saying simplified acquisition procedures used for the deal meant a filing deadline exception for post-award debriefings didn't apply. Decision attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/1889047?nl_pk=4126fe73-…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/1889047?nl_pk=4126fe73-…>

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Most Appian Claims Survive In Pegasystems Defamation Fight
by Gunnar Larson 11 Oct '24

11 Oct '24

Most Appian Claims Survive In Pegasystems Defamation Fight <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1888637?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> By Ivan Moreno A Massachusetts federal judge has allowed most counterclaims from business software company Appian Corp. to proceed against rival Pegasystems Inc., which accused its competitor in a lawsuit of making deliberately malicious statements and representations regarding a trade secret case the parties are litigating in Virginia. Order attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1888637?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/competition/articles/1888637?nl_pk=6416fd97-1dc4-4e0…>

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