Author: Robin Edgar

Organisational Structures | Technology and Science | Military, IT and Lifestyle consultancy | Social, Broadcast & Cross Media | Flying aircraft

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

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“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.

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 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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[…]

USAF Flight Test Boss on use of AI at Edwards

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[…] “Right now we’re at a point as generation AI is coming along and it’s a really exciting time. We’re experimenting with ways to use new tools across the entire test process, from test planning to test execution, from test analysis to test reporting. With investments from the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office [CDAO] Read more about USAF Flight Test Boss on use of AI at Edwards[…]

Now the copyright industry wants to apply deep, automated blocking to the Internet’s core routers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A central theme of Walled Culture the book (free digital versions available) and this blog is that the copyright industry is never satisfied. Now matter how long the term of copyright, publishers and recording companies want more. No matter how harsh the punishments for infringement, the copyright intermediaries want them to be even more severe. Read more about Now the copyright industry wants to apply deep, automated blocking to the Internet’s core routers[…]

Judge: Just Because AI Trains On Your Publication, Doesn’t Mean It Infringes On Your Copyright. Another case thrown out.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

I get that a lot of people don’t like the big AI companies and how they scrape the web. But these copyright lawsuits being filed against them are absolute garbage. And you want that to be the case, because if it goes the other way, it will do real damage to the open web by Read more about Judge: Just Because AI Trains On Your Publication, Doesn’t Mean It Infringes On Your Copyright. Another case thrown out.[…]

Mapping the ionosphere with millions of phones

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The ionosphere is a layer of weakly ionized plasma bathed in Earth’s geomagnetic field extending about 50–1,500 kilometres above Earth1. The ionospheric total electron content varies in response to Earth’s space environment, interfering with Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) signals, resulting in one of the largest sources of error for position, navigation and timing services2. Networks Read more about Mapping the ionosphere with millions of phones[…]

Ubisoft Facing Lawsuit Over Shutting Down Online Game

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In 2014, Ubisoft launched The Crew as an open-world, always-online racing game with a campaign and multiplayer mode. It was a fairly successful game for Ubisoft, spawning two sequels—The Crew 2 and Crew: Motorfest. But in December 2023, Ubisoft suddenly delisted the racing game from digital stores and, in April 2024, completely shut off its Read more about Ubisoft Facing Lawsuit Over Shutting Down Online Game[…]

LG’s New Stretchable Screen Can Morph like a Piece of Laffy Taffy

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Imagine a display as flexible as plastic wrap—so malleable you could stretch it over your face in a futuristic impression of expert Saran-wrapping serial killer Dexter. LG is supposing the future will be full of such flexible displays, and its latest rendition of the concept screen is capable of stretching up to 50% of its Read more about LG’s New Stretchable Screen Can Morph like a Piece of Laffy Taffy[…]

Pakistan limits outdoor activities, market hours to curb air pollution-related illness – attacks symptom but not cause

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Pakistan’s Punjab province banned most outdoor activities and ordered shops, markets and malls in some areas to close early from Monday to curb illnesses caused by intense air pollution. The province has closed educational institutions and public spaces like parks and zoos until Nov. 17 in places including Lahore, the world’s most polluted city in Read more about Pakistan limits outdoor activities, market hours to curb air pollution-related illness – attacks symptom but not cause[…]

Retailers Eye Radio emitting ink on fibres to Stop Shoplifting

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[…] small Spanish technology company, Myruns, and telecommunications operator Telefónica SA about the possible application of a system based on an anti-theft alarm product so thin it’s imperceptible to the naked eye […] The technology from Myruns, in San Sebastian, Spain, may be just one of the efforts to curb thefts that have been studied Read more about Retailers Eye Radio emitting ink on fibres to Stop Shoplifting[…]