Month: November 2024

Mass education was designed to quash critical thinking, argues researcher

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Education should promote deep inquiry and individual autonomy, but often, it has been used as a vehicle for indoctrination. That’s what Agustina S. Paglayan, a UC San Diego assistant professor of political science in the School of Social Sciences and the School of Global Policy and Strategy, argues in her new book, “Raised to Obey: Read more about Mass education was designed to quash critical thinking, argues researcher[…]

Data broker SL leaves 600K+ sensitive files exposed online, doesn’t fix it despite warnings

Posted on by Robin Edgar

More than 600,000 sensitive files containing thousands of people’s criminal histories, background checks, vehicle and property records were exposed to the internet in a non-password protected database belonging to data brokerage SL Data Services, according to a security researcher. We don’t know how long the personal information was openly accessible. Infosec specialist Jeremiah Fowler says Read more about Data broker SL leaves 600K+ sensitive files exposed online, doesn’t fix it despite warnings[…]

There’s a Surprisingly Easy Way to Remove Microplastics From Drinking Water – boil it (preferably in hard water)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Tiny fragments of microplastics are making their way deep inside our bodies in concerning quantities, significantly through our food and drink. Scientists have recently found a simple and effective means of removing them from water. […] In some cases, up to 90 percent of the NMPs were removed by the boiling and filtering process, though Read more about There’s a Surprisingly Easy Way to Remove Microplastics From Drinking Water – boil it (preferably in hard water)[…]

Diamond optical discs could store data for millions of years

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] According to a study published on November 27th in the journal Nature Photonics, researchers at China’s University of Science and Technology in Hefei have achieved a record-breaking diamond storage density of 1.85 terabytes per cubic centimeter. […] The artificial intelligence industry as well as quantum and supercomputers often need petabytes, not gigabytes or even Read more about Diamond optical discs could store data for millions of years[…]

Police bust pirate streaming service making €250 million per month: doesn’t this show the TV market is hugely broken?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An international law enforcement operation has dismantled a pirate streaming service that served over 22 million users worldwide and made €250 million ($263M) per month. Italy’s Postal and Cybersecurity Police Service announced the action, codenamed “Taken Down,” stating they worked with Eurojust, Europol, and many other European countries, making this the largest takedown of its kind in Read more about Police bust pirate streaming service making €250 million per month: doesn’t this show the TV market is hugely broken?[…]

Is ‘bypassing’ a better way to battle misinformation? Researchers say new approach has advantages over the standard

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Misinformation can lead to socially detrimental behavior, which makes finding ways to combat its effects a matter of crucial public concern. A new paper by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General explores an innovative approach to countering the impact of factually incorrect information called “bypassing,” and Read more about Is ‘bypassing’ a better way to battle misinformation? Researchers say new approach has advantages over the standard[…]

China complete pwn of US all telco means a physical rebuild is necessary

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Biden administration on Friday hosted telco execs to chat about China’s recent attacks on the sector, amid revelations that US networks may need mass rebuilds to recover. Details of the extent of China’s attacks came from senator Mark R Warner, who on Thursday gave both The Washington Post and The New York Times insights Read more about China complete pwn of US all telco means a physical rebuild is necessary[…]

QNAP NAS users locked out after firmware update snafu, can’t reset

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Owners of QNAP network-attached storage (NAS) boxes are finding that a firmware update has left them unable to log into their device, and a reset doesn’t seem to fix the issue. The Taiwan-based storage biz specializes in NAS kit and offers a whole portfolio of models to address various needs. However, users are complaining of Read more about QNAP NAS users locked out after firmware update snafu, can’t reset[…]

US and UK Armed Forces Dating & Social Networking Service Exposed Over 1 Million Records Online through coding error

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Cybersecurity Researcher, Jeremiah Fowler, discovered and reported to vpnMentor about a non-password-protected database that contained more than 1.1 million records belonging to Conduitor Limited (trading as Forces Penpals) — a service that offers dating services, and social networking for military members and their supporters. The publicly exposed database was not password-protected or encrypted. It contained Read more about US and UK Armed Forces Dating & Social Networking Service Exposed Over 1 Million Records Online through coding error[…]

Oh Look, It Was Trivial To Buy Troop And Intelligence Officer Location Data From Dodgy, Unregulated Data Brokers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

There are two major reasons that the U.S. doesn’t pass an internet-era privacy law or regulate data brokers despite a parade of dangerous scandals. One, lobbied by a vast web of interconnected industries with unlimited budgets, Congress is too corrupt to do its job. Two, the U.S. government is disincentivized to do anything because it exploits this Read more about Oh Look, It Was Trivial To Buy Troop And Intelligence Officer Location Data From Dodgy, Unregulated Data Brokers[…]

BBC Sound Effects website top

BBC Gives Away huge Sound Effects Library, with readable and sensible terms of use

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Terms for using our content A few rules to stop you (and us) getting in trouble. a) Don’t mess with our content What do we mean by that? This sort of thing: Removing or altering BBC logos, and copyright notices from the content (if there are any) Not removing content from your device or systems Read more about BBC Gives Away huge Sound Effects Library, with readable and sensible terms of use[…]

Researchers discover new cognitive blueprint for making and breaking habits

Posted on by Robin Edgar

“Habits play a central role in our daily lives, from making that first cup of coffee in the morning, to the route we take to work, and the routine we follow to prepare for bed. Our research reveals why these automatic behaviours are so powerful — and how we can harness our brain’s mechanisms to Read more about Researchers discover new cognitive blueprint for making and breaking habits[…]

Hacking Back the AI-Hacker: Prompt Injection by your LLM as a Defense Against LLM-driven Cyberattacks

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly being harnessed to automate cyberattacks, making sophisticated exploits more accessible and scalable. In response, we propose a new defense strategy tailored to counter LLM-driven cyberattacks. We introduce Mantis, a defensive framework that exploits LLMs’ susceptibility to adversarial inputs to undermine malicious operations. Upon detecting an automated cyberattack, Mantis plants Read more about Hacking Back the AI-Hacker: Prompt Injection by your LLM as a Defense Against LLM-driven Cyberattacks[…]

Epic Allows Internet Archive To Distribute For Free ‘Unreal’ & ‘Unreal Tournament’ Forever

Posted on by Robin Edgar

One of the most frustrating aspects in the ongoing conversation around the preservation of older video games, also known as cultural output, is the collision of IP rights and some publishers’ unwillingness to both continue to support and make available these older games and their refusal to release those same games into the public domain Read more about Epic Allows Internet Archive To Distribute For Free ‘Unreal’ & ‘Unreal Tournament’ Forever[…]

Mystery Palo Alto Networks 0-day RCE now actively exploited – shut off access to Management Interface NOW

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A critical zero-day vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks’ firewall management interface that can allow an unauthenticated attacker to remotely execute code is now officially under active exploitation. According to the equipment maker, the vulnerability requires no user interaction or privileges to exploit, and its attack complexity is deemed “low.” There’s no CVE number assigned to Read more about Mystery Palo Alto Networks 0-day RCE now actively exploited – shut off access to Management Interface NOW[…]

Automotive Grade Linux Launches New Expert Group to Help Automakers Manage Open Source Activities. Lots of Automakers are already onboard.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

 Automotive Grade Linux (AGL), a collaborative cross-industry effort developing an open source platform for Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), has created a new Open Source Program Office (OSPO) Expert Group (EG). Led by Toyota, the OSPO EG will promote the establishment of OSPOs within the automotive industry and encourage the sharing of information and best practices between them. Read more about Automotive Grade Linux Launches New Expert Group to Help Automakers Manage Open Source Activities. Lots of Automakers are already onboard.[…]

HarperCollins Confirms It Has a Deal to Bleed Authors to allow their Work to be used as training for AI Company

Posted on by Robin Edgar

HarperCollins, one of the biggest publishers in the world, made a deal with an “artificial intelligence technology company” and is giving authors the option to opt in to the agreement or pass, 404 Media can confirm. […] On Friday, author Daniel Kibblesmith, who wrote the children’s book Santa’s Husband and published it with HarperCollins, posted Read more about HarperCollins Confirms It Has a Deal to Bleed Authors to allow their Work to be used as training for AI Company[…]

DOJ Will Push Google to Sell Chrome to help Break Search Monopoly

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Top Justice Department antitrust officials have decided to ask a judge to force Alphabet Inc.’s Google to sell off its Chrome browser in what would be a historic crackdown on one of the world’s biggest tech companies. The department will ask the judge, who ruled in August that Google illegally monopolized the search market, to Read more about DOJ Will Push Google to Sell Chrome to help Break Search Monopoly[…]

Scientists Who Taught Rats To Drive Little Cars Say They Absolutely Love It

Posted on by Robin Edgar

the scientists who taught rats how to drive are back, and their latest research suggests rats enjoy the open road as much as we do, with a new video showing one revving motor of its little car in anticipation of a joyride. Kelly Lambert, the University of Richmond neuroscientist who developed the initial experiment, conducted Read more about Scientists Who Taught Rats To Drive Little Cars Say They Absolutely Love It[…]

Goodbye, annoying car touchscreens. Welcome back, buttons?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For years, car safety experts and everyday drivers have bemoaned the loss of the humble button. Modern cars have almost unilaterally replaced dashboards full of tactile knobs with sleek, iPad-like digital displays, despite concerns these alluring devices might be making distracted driving worse. But there are signs the tide might be shifting. After going all Read more about Goodbye, annoying car touchscreens. Welcome back, buttons?[…]

The Onion buys Alex Jones’s Infowars at auction

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Satirical news publication The Onion has bought Infowars, the media organisation headed by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, for an undisclosed price at a court-ordered auction. The Onion said that the bid was secured with the backing of families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, who won a $1.5bn (£1.18bn) defamation lawsuit Read more about The Onion buys Alex Jones’s Infowars at auction[…]

Data broker gathers records on 100M+ people, gets stolen, put up for sale

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What’s claimed to be more than 183 million records of people’s contact details and employment info has been stolen or otherwise obtained from a data broker and put up for sale by a miscreant. The underworld merchant, using the handle KryptonZambie, has put a $6,000 price tag on the information in a cybercrime forum posting. Read more about Data broker gathers records on 100M+ people, gets stolen, put up for sale[…]

Meta Fined €798 Million by EU Over Classified Ads Dominance in Facebook

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Meta Platforms Inc. was hit with a €798 million ($841 million) fine by European Union regulators by tying its Facebook Marketplace service to the social network, the US tech giant’s first ever penalty for EU antitrust violations. In a groundbreaking decision, the European Commission ordered Meta to stop tying its classified-ads service to Facebook’s sprawling Read more about Meta Fined €798 Million by EU Over Classified Ads Dominance in Facebook[…]

Apple faces UK iCloud monopoly compensation claim worth $3.8B

Posted on by Robin Edgar

U.K. consumer rights group ‘Which?’ is filing a legal claim against Apple under competition law on behalf of some 40 million users of iCloud, its cloud storage service. The collective proceeding lawsuit, which is seeking £3 billion in compensation damages (around $3.8 billion at current exchange rates), alleges that Apple has broken competition rules by Read more about Apple faces UK iCloud monopoly compensation claim worth $3.8B[…]