Month: March 2025

Massive expansion of Italy’s Piracy Shield underway despite growing criticism of its flaws and EU illegality

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Walled Culture has been following closely Italy’s poorly-designed Piracy Shield system. Back in December we reported how copyright companies used their access to the Piracy Shield system to order Italian Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to all of Google Drive for the entire country, and how malicious actors could similarly use that unchecked Read more about Massive expansion of Italy’s Piracy Shield underway despite growing criticism of its flaws and EU illegality[…]

Printers start randomly speaking in tongues after Windows 11 update

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Has your printer suddenly started spouting gibberish? A faulty Windows 11 23H2 update from Microsoft – rather than a ghost in the machine – could be the cause. The update in question is KB5050092, a preview released at the end of January. There were several known issues with this update, including problems with some Citrix Read more about Printers start randomly speaking in tongues after Windows 11 update[…]

Thousands of TP-Link routers have been infected by a botnet to spread malware

Posted on by Robin Edgar

According to a new report from the Cato CTRL team, the Ballista botnet exploits a remote code execution vulnerability that directly impacts the TP-Link Archer AX-21 router. The botnet can lead to command injection which then makes remote code execution (RCE) possible so that the malware can spread itself across the internet automatically. This high Read more about Thousands of TP-Link routers have been infected by a botnet to spread malware[…]

How The Kill Switch On Exported F-35s Works

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Claims that the Joint Strike Fighter has a remote disabling feature are not new, but have resurfaced following the U.S. government’s abrupt decision to cut off military aid and intelligence assistance to Ukraine and new questions about America’s support for NATO under President Donald Trump. Outlets across Europe, including in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Read more about How The Kill Switch On Exported F-35s Works[…]

MINJA sneak attack poisons AI models for other chatbot users

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] They call their technique MINJA, which stands for Memory INJection Attack. “Nowadays, AI agents typically incorporate a memory bank which stores task queries and executions based on human feedback for future reference,” Zhen Xiang, assistant professor in the school of computing at the University of Georgia, told The Register. “For example, after each session Read more about MINJA sneak attack poisons AI models for other chatbot users[…]

NASA’s Chevron Technology Has Quieted the Skies

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Shortly after dawn on March 27, 2001, NASA pilot Bill Rieke took off from an airfield just outside of Phoenix in NASA’s blue-and-white Learjet 25 and flew low over a series of microphones for the first flight test of a groundbreaking NASA technology. On one of the plane’s engines was an experimental jagged-edged nozzle that Read more about NASA’s Chevron Technology Has Quieted the Skies[…]

REGENT Begins Sea Trials of First Passenger-Carrying Electric Seaglider

Posted on by Robin Edgar

REGENT Craft, the Rhode Island-based developer and manufacturer of all-electric seagliders, revealed today the world’s first full-scale crewed seaglider and completed the first on-water tests, showcasing the successful technical validation of the novel maritime vessel with humans on board and marking a pivotal moment in transportation history. The 12-passenger Viceroy seaglider prototype, at 55ft long Read more about REGENT Begins Sea Trials of First Passenger-Carrying Electric Seaglider[…]

Firmware update bricks HP printers, makes them unable to use HP cartridges

Posted on by Robin Edgar

HP, along with other printer brands, is infamous for issuing firmware updates that brick already-purchased printers that have tried to use third-party ink. In a new form of frustration, HP is now being accused of issuing a firmware update that broke customers’ laser printers—even though the devices are loaded with HP-brand toner. The firmware update Read more about Firmware update bricks HP printers, makes them unable to use HP cartridges[…]

Bad news for Starlink: Earth’s atmosphere is shrinking

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Earth’s atmosphere is shrinking due to climate change and one of the possible negative impacts is that space junk will stay in orbit for longer, bonk into other bits of space junk, and make so much mess that low Earth orbits become less useful. That miserable set of predictions appeared on Monday in a Nature Read more about Bad news for Starlink: Earth’s atmosphere is shrinking[…]

New Battery Harvests Energy From Radioactive Nuclear Waste

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] researchers in Ohio have developed a small battery powered by nuclear waste. They exposed scintillator crystals—a material that emits light when it absorbs radiation—to gamma radiation, which is produced by nuclear waste. The crystals’ light then powered a solar battery. The study, published January 29 in the journal Optical Materials: X, demonstrates that background Read more about New Battery Harvests Energy From Radioactive Nuclear Waste[…]

Apple must allow app sideloading in Brazil within 90 days, judge orders

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Brazil has ordered Apple to allow users to bypass the App Store and sideload apps within 90 days, according a report in Valor Econômico seen by 9to5Mac. The new ruling follows similar orders issued in Europe and elsewhere that were referenced by the Brazilian court. “[Apple] has already complied with similar obligations in other countries, Read more about Apple must allow app sideloading in Brazil within 90 days, judge orders[…]

A well-funded Moscow-based global ‘news’ network has infected Western artificial intelligence tools worldwide with Russian propaganda

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A Moscow-based disinformation network named “Pravda” — the Russian word for “truth” — is pursuing an ambitious strategy by deliberately infiltrating the retrieved data of artificial intelligence chatbots, publishing false claims and propaganda for the purpose of affecting the responses of AI models on topics in the news rather than by targeting human readers, NewsGuard Read more about A well-funded Moscow-based global ‘news’ network has infected Western artificial intelligence tools worldwide with Russian propaganda[…]

Undocumented commands (backdoor) found in ESP32 Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Update 3/9/25: After receiving concerns about the use of the term ‘backdoor’ to refer to these undocumented commands, we have updated our title and story. Our original story can be found here. The ubiquitous ESP32 microchip made by Chinese manufacturer Espressif and used by over 1 billion units as of 2023 contains undocumented commands that could Read more about Undocumented commands (backdoor) found in ESP32 Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices[…]

In no-brainer, Volkswagen to Bring Back Physical Buttons to All Vehicles – but still misses some important ones

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Volkswagen is bringing back physical buttons to all its vehicles after pivoting to touch screens in recent years. In an interview with Autocar, Andreas Mindt, design chief at the German auto giant, called the decision to remove these buttons “a mistake.” “From the ID 2all onwards, we will have physical buttons for the five most Read more about In no-brainer, Volkswagen to Bring Back Physical Buttons to All Vehicles – but still misses some important ones[…]

Robinhood settles for only $29.75m to end host of US regulator’s probes, including Gamestop trading stop

Posted on by Robin Edgar

ROBINHOOD Markets, the online trading platform, agreed to pay US$29.75 million to resolve several Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) probes into its supervision and compliance practices, including failure to respond to “red flags” of potential misconduct. The brokerage regulator said on Friday (Mar 7) that Robinhood will pay a US$26 million civil fine and US$3.75 Read more about Robinhood settles for only $29.75m to end host of US regulator’s probes, including Gamestop trading stop[…]

Paralyzed man moves robotic arm with his thoughts

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] He was able to grasp, move and drop objects just by imagining himself performing the actions. The device, known as a brain-computer interface (BCI), worked for a record 7 months without needing to be adjusted. Until now, such devices have only worked for a day or two. The BCI relies on an AI model Read more about Paralyzed man moves robotic arm with his thoughts[…]

Still can’t access your Outlook mailbox? You aren’t alone

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Problems with Outlook.com are continuing, with users reporting being unable to access their emails or authenticate themselves. Part of the issue appears to be related to the initial wobble over the weekend. Some of the users affected by that outage were locked out of their accounts after repeated login failures, and Microsoft’s status center for Read more about Still can’t access your Outlook mailbox? You aren’t alone[…]

Mistral adds a new API that turns any PDF document into an AI-ready Markdown file with pictures

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Unlike most OCR APIs, Mistral OCR is a multimodal API, meaning that it can detect when there are illustrations and photos intertwined with blocks of text. The OCR API creates bounding boxes around these graphical elements and includes them in the output. Mistral OCR also doesn’t just output a big wall of text; the output Read more about Mistral adds a new API that turns any PDF document into an AI-ready Markdown file with pictures[…]

Scientists discover how aspirin could prevent some cancers from spreading

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] In the study, published in Nature, the scientists say that discovering the mechanism will support ongoing clinical trials, and could lead to the targeted use of aspirin to prevent the spread of susceptible types of cancer, and to the development of more effective drugs to prevent cancer metastasis. The scientists caution that, in some Read more about Scientists discover how aspirin could prevent some cancers from spreading[…]

Special type of fat tissue could promote healthful longevity and help maintain exercise capacity in aging (a bit like taking ice baths)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Rutgers Health researchers have made discoveries about brown fat that may open a new path to helping people stay physically fit as they age. A team from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School found that mice lacking a specific gene developed an unusually potent form of brown fat tissue that expanded lifespan and increased exercise capacity Read more about Special type of fat tissue could promote healthful longevity and help maintain exercise capacity in aging (a bit like taking ice baths)[…]

World’s first “Synthetic Biological Intelligence” computer runs on living human cells

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The world’s first “biological computer” that fuses human brain cells with silicon hardware to form fluid neural networks has been commercially launched, ushering in a new age of AI technology. The CL1, from Australian company Cortical Labs, offers a whole new kind of computing intelligence – one that’s more dynamic, sustainable and energy efficient than any Read more about World’s first “Synthetic Biological Intelligence” computer runs on living human cells[…]

NASA, ASI Blue Ghost Successfully Acquires GPS Signals on Moon lander Blue Ghost

Posted on by Robin Edgar

NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history on March 3, when the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) became the first technology demonstration to acquire and track Earth-based navigation signals on the Moon’s surface. The LuGRE payload’s success in lunar orbit and on the surface indicates that signals from the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Read more about NASA, ASI Blue Ghost Successfully Acquires GPS Signals on Moon lander Blue Ghost[…]

Brother locking down third-party printer ink cartridges via forced firmware updates, removing older firmware versions from support portals

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Fabled RepairTuber and right to repair crusader Louis Rossmann has shared a new video encapsulating his surprise, and disappointment, that Brother has morphed into an “anti-consumer printer company.” More information about Brother’s embrace of the dark side are shared on Rossmann’s wiki, with the major two issues being new firmware disabling third party toner, and Read more about Brother locking down third-party printer ink cartridges via forced firmware updates, removing older firmware versions from support portals[…]

UK Online Safety Act Killing games: Cult text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead is shutting down after “a full 19 years, 8 months and 11 days”

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK Online Safety Act passed into law in 2023, and it properly comes into effect in 2025 with the threats of millions of pounds in fines. For Kevan Davis, the solo British dev behind the text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead, the risks presented by this legislation are too great, and his browser game is Read more about UK Online Safety Act Killing games: Cult text-based zombie MMO Urban Dead is shutting down after “a full 19 years, 8 months and 11 days”[…]

US Tariffs for the EU? Then let’s get rid of the anti competitive rules the US rammed down the throat of the EU for tariff free trade

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Those were wild times, when engineers pitted their wits against one another in the spirit of Steve Wozniack and SSAFE. That era came to a close – but not because someone finally figured out how to make data that you couldn’t copy. Rather, it ended because an unholy coalition of entertainment and tech industry lobbyists Read more about US Tariffs for the EU? Then let’s get rid of the anti competitive rules the US rammed down the throat of the EU for tariff free trade[…]