Tech Updates: Sudo Changes, Samsung Updates, and More

This week brings a mix of updates from the Linux world, Samsung Galaxy devices, astronomical observations, and data center technology, alongside a concerning incident in the retro gaming community.

Sudo Password Visibility in Ubuntu 26.04

A recent change in Ubuntu 26.04 addresses a long-standing security feature of the sudo command. Traditionally, sudo did not provide visual feedback when entering a password, intended to prevent shoulder-surfing attacks. However, the new version of sudo, written in Rust, now displays asterisks as the password is typed, aligning with modern user experience conventions. Linuxize

This change has sparked debate among Linux users, with some arguing it breaks decades of established behavior. Canonical developers maintain the change improves usability and can be reverted through configuration changes. The issue has been marked as “Won’t Fix,” but discussion continues.

Samsung Galaxy Security Update Removes Recovery Menu Functions

The February security update for Samsung Galaxy devices, including the S25 and Fold 7, has removed several functions from the Android recovery menu. Features such as wiping the cache partition and installing updates via Android Debug Bridge (ADB) are no longer available. UbuntuFree

The reason for these changes remains unconfirmed, but speculation suggests it may be an attempt to prevent users from installing unofficial firmware builds.

Vera Rubin Observatory Generates Massive Alert Volume

The Vera Rubin Observatory is now generating a substantial number of alerts from its nightly scans of the sky. Using a 3.2 gigapixel camera, the observatory compares images to detect changes, notifying astronomers when matches are found. Currently, the observatory produces around 800,000 alerts per week, with expectations to increase to seven million alerts per night once fully operational. GeeksforGeeks

Google’s Minnesota Data Center to Utilize World’s Largest Iron-Air Battery

Google has announced its new data center in Minnesota will be powered by a 300-megawatt battery array built by Form Energy. This battery utilizes iron-air technology, a reversible rusting process for storing energy from renewable sources like wind and solar. The battery can provide up to 100 hours of power to the data center. phoenixNAP

While less efficient than lithium-ion batteries, iron-air batteries are significantly cheaper to produce, making them suitable for static installations like data centers.

Rare Tsukihime Trial Edition Game Destroyed in Transit

A rare copy of the Tsukihime Trial Edition, one of only 50 known copies distributed in 1999, was reportedly destroyed during shipping. The purchaser alleges that US Customs intentionally damaged the disk. A complaint has been filed with Customs, and an investigation is underway.