Month: September 2024

New Dutch government declares asylum emergency – even though there isn’t – to bypass parliament. This is how authoritarianism begins.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The new programme of the Dutch cabinet under Prime Minister Dick Schoof reflects the tough migration stance promised during the election campaign, outlining a comprehensive plan to radically reform the country’s asylum system and push for an opt-out from EU migration policies.  The Schoof cabinet’s plans for the upcoming term were unveiled today (13 September). Read more about New Dutch government declares asylum emergency – even though there isn’t – to bypass parliament. This is how authoritarianism begins.[…]

Five new massive satellites outshine most evening stars and will get bigger

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A Texas telecommunications startup launched its first five massive “BlueBird” communications satellites into orbit on September 12. Each device is nearly 700-feet-wide when fully deployed, and like BlueWalker 3—AST SpaceMobile’s 2022 prototype, also in orbit—every BlueBird will soon shine brighter than most stars and planets in the night sky. But despite the concerns of critics Read more about Five new massive satellites outshine most evening stars and will get bigger[…]

Cats have brain activity recorded with the help of crocheted hats

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists have recorded electrical activity in the brains of awake cats for the first time, thanks to specially crocheted wool caps that hold the electrodes in place. The technique gives researchers a way to assess chronic pain in cats and could lead to novel treatments, says Aude Castel at the University of Montreal in Canada. Read more about Cats have brain activity recorded with the help of crocheted hats[…]

Fortinet confirms data breach after hacker claims to steal 440GB of files

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Cybersecurity giant Fortinet has confirmed it suffered a data breach after a threat actor claimed to steal 440GB of files from the company’s Microsoft Sharepoint server. Fortinet is one of the largest cybersecurity companies in the world, selling secure networking products like firewalls, routers, and VPN devices. The company also offers SIEM, network management, and Read more about Fortinet confirms data breach after hacker claims to steal 440GB of files[…]

Apple Vision Pro’s Eye Tracking Exposed What People Type

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Today, a group of six computer scientists are revealing a new attack against Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset where exposed eye-tracking data allowed them to decipher what people entered on the device’s virtual keyboard. The attack, dubbed GAZEploit and shared exclusively with WIRED, allowed the researchers to successfully reconstruct passwords, PINs, and messages Read more about Apple Vision Pro’s Eye Tracking Exposed What People Type[…]

1.3 million Android-based TV boxes backdoored; researchers still don’t know how

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Researchers still don’t know the cause of a recently discovered malware infection affecting almost 1.3 million streaming devices running an open source version of Android in almost 200 countries. Security firm Doctor Web reported Thursday that malware named Android.Vo1d has backdoored the Android-based boxes by putting malicious components in their system storage area, where they Read more about 1.3 million Android-based TV boxes backdoored; researchers still don’t know how[…]

After Synology breaks video station, plex, HEIC, H.265, backups, update now also breaks Surveillence station. What is going on there?!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Installed DSM 7.2.2-72806 on my DS1821+. The update automatically updated Surveillance Station to 9.2.1-11374. When updating I received the following notice: Surveillance Station will automatically install the Surveillance Video Extension package. After this update, the Live View Analytics app will no longer be supported. The support for HEVC (H.265) cameras will undergo the following changes, Read more about After Synology breaks video station, plex, HEIC, H.265, backups, update now also breaks Surveillence station. What is going on there?![…]

More details on that Windows Installer ‘make me admin’ hole

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In this week’s Patch Tuesday Microsoft alerted users to, among other vulnerabilities, a flaw in Windows Installer that can be exploited by malware or a rogue user to gain SYSTEM-level privileges to hijack a PC. The vulnerability, CVE-2024-38014, was spotted and privately disclosed by security shop SEC Consult, which has now shared the full details Read more about More details on that Windows Installer ‘make me admin’ hole[…]

‘Windhawk’ Is Like an App Store for Windows Interface Mods

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Ever wish Windows worked just a little bit differently? You’re not alone. Windhawk is a free and open source application offering dozens of community curated “mods” for Windows and Windows applications. It’s the simplest tool for customizing Windows that I’ve come across. The application, which you can download for free, gives you a sort of Read more about ‘Windhawk’ Is Like an App Store for Windows Interface Mods[…]

Google’s 2.4 billion euro shopping comparison fine upheld by Europe’s top court

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Europe’s top court on Tuesday upheld a 2.4 billion euro ($2.65 billion) fine imposed on Google for abusing its dominant position by favoring its own shopping comparison service. [….] The fine stems from an antitrust investigation by the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, which concluded in 2017. The commission said at Read more about Google’s 2.4 billion euro shopping comparison fine upheld by Europe’s top court[…]

Apple Ordered to Pay $14 Billion in Back Taxes to EU

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple will be required to pay $14 billion in back taxes to Ireland after Europe’s top court released a new ruling on Tuesday, according to a report from the Financial Times. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously called the case “total political crap” but the judgment is final and Apple will not be able to Read more about Apple Ordered to Pay $14 Billion in Back Taxes to EU[…]

ford cars with human ears on their doors driving on a highway

Ford wants to listen in on you in your car to serve you ads as much as possible

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Someday soon, if Ford has its way, drivers and passengers may be bombarded with infotainment ads tailored to their personal and vehicle data. This sure-to-please-everyone idea comes via a patent application [PDF] filed by Ford Global Technologies late last month that proposes displaying ads to drivers based on their destination, route, who’s in the car, Read more about Ford wants to listen in on you in your car to serve you ads as much as possible[…]

1.7M potentially pwned in US payment services provider breach, wishes victims good luck

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Around 1.7 million people will receive a letter from Florida-based Slim CD, if they haven’t already, after the company detected an intrusion dating back nearly a year. Slim CD provides payment processing solutions, thus credit card numbers along with their expiry dates are among the data types potentially compromised in the incident. The cardholder’s name Read more about 1.7M potentially pwned in US payment services provider breach, wishes victims good luck[…]

Avis alerts 300k US car renters that insider crooks stole their info

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Avis Rent A Car System has alerted 299,006 customers across multiple US states that their personal information was stolen in an August data breach. The digital break-in occurred between August 3 and August 6, according to the car rental giant in filings with the Maine and California attorneys general. On August 14, Avis determined that Read more about Avis alerts 300k US car renters that insider crooks stole their info[…]

Resistance to Hungarian presidency’s new push for child sexual abuse prevention regulation – because it’s a draconian spying law asking for 100% coverage of digital comms

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Resistance to the Hungarian presidency’s approach to the EU’s draft law to combat online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) was still palpable during a member states’ meeting on Wednesday (4 September). The Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU aims to secure consensus on the proposed law to combat online child sexual abuse material Read more about Resistance to Hungarian presidency’s new push for child sexual abuse prevention regulation – because it’s a draconian spying law asking for 100% coverage of digital comms[…]

Finaly people urge FTC to ban hardware tethering – downgrades, transferral costs, sudden bricking, unexpected subscriptions

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Consumer and digital rights activists are calling on the US Federal Trade Commission to stop device-makers using software to reduce product functionality, bricking unloved kit, or adding surprise fees post-purchase. In an eight-page letter [PDF] to the Commission (FTC), the activists mentioned the Google/Levis collaboration on a denim jacket that contained sensors enabling it to Read more about Finaly people urge FTC to ban hardware tethering – downgrades, transferral costs, sudden bricking, unexpected subscriptions[…]

AI helps find simple charging trick to boost li-ion battery lifespan

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A simple change in how new lithium-ion batteries are charged can boost their total lifespans by 50 per cent on average – and battery manufacturers everywhere can immediately put the discovery into action. Extended battery lifespans could prove especially crucial for improving electric vehicles and energy storage for electricity grids. “The cool thing is that Read more about AI helps find simple charging trick to boost li-ion battery lifespan[…]

WaveCore beams gigabit network bridge link through concrete wall

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Airvine Scientific has a product that could make life easier for IT staff. WaveCore is designed to beam a network signal through thick concrete walls, eliminating the need to drill holes or route your cabling via a circuitous course. The Silicon Valley wireless company says its newly introduced kit is quick to deploy and can Read more about WaveCore beams gigabit network bridge link through concrete wall[…]

Second Circuit Says Libraries Disincentivize Authors To Write Books By Lending Them For Free

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What would you think if an author told you they would have written a book, but they wouldn’t bother because it would be available to be borrowed for free from a library? You’d probably think they were delusional. Yet that argument has now carried the day in putting a knife into the back of the Read more about Second Circuit Says Libraries Disincentivize Authors To Write Books By Lending Them For Free[…]

Internet Archive loses appeal – 4 greedy publishers shut down major library in insane luddite US law system

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Internet Archive’s appeal could spell further trouble for the non-profit, as it is in the middle of a another copyright lawsuit with music publishers that could cost more than $400m if it loses. The Internet Archive has been dealt a serious blow in court, as it lost an appeal case to share scanned books Read more about Internet Archive loses appeal – 4 greedy publishers shut down major library in insane luddite US law system[…]

EU, UK, US and more sign world’s first International treaty on AI – but the US makes sure it’s pretty much useless

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The EU, UK, US, and Israel signed the world’s first treaty protection human rights in AI technology in a ceremony in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Thursday (5 September), but civil society groups say the text has been watered down. The Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy, and the rule of law was adopted Read more about EU, UK, US and more sign world’s first International treaty on AI – but the US makes sure it’s pretty much useless[…]

YubiKeys are vulnerable to unpatchable cloning attacks thanks to newly discovered physical side channel

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The YubiKey 5, the most widely used hardware token for two-factor authentication based on the FIDO standard, contains a cryptographic flaw that makes the finger-size device vulnerable to cloning when an attacker gains temporary physical access to it, researchers said Tuesday. The cryptographic flaw, known as a side channel, resides in a small microcontroller used Read more about YubiKeys are vulnerable to unpatchable cloning attacks thanks to newly discovered physical side channel[…]

Balloon-Based Sensor That Pinpoints Location Of Drone Operators Emerges In Ukraine

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Ukraine has developed a balloon-carried electronic surveillance system designed to detect enemy drone operators, which can then be targeted, offering a more comprehensive solution than tackling individual drones. While the current status of the system, known as Aero Azimuth, is unclear, its unveiling points to a resurgence in interest in elevated sensors mounted on aerostats. Read more about Balloon-Based Sensor That Pinpoints Location Of Drone Operators Emerges In Ukraine[…]

China’s Connected Car Crashes Are a Warning

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] What happens when connected cars become disconnected cars? […] The phenomenon was chronicled in Rest of World, which spoke to multiple owners of EVs produced by financially troubled Chinese automakers. China kickstarted its EV industry with aggressive subsidies that lured dozens, if not hundreds of companies to produce cars. When those subsidies ceased, an Read more about China’s Connected Car Crashes Are a Warning[…]

Dutch DPA fines Clearview €30.5 million for violating the GDPR

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Clearview AI is back in hot — and expensive — water, with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) fining the company €30.5 million ($33.6 million) for violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The release explains that Clearview created “an illegal database with billions of photos of faces,” including Dutch individuals, and has failed to Read more about Dutch DPA fines Clearview €30.5 million for violating the GDPR[…]