Month: August 2025

TransUnion says hackers stole 4.4 million customers’ personal information (breached AGAIN!!!)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Credit reporting giant TransUnion has disclosed a data breach affecting more than 4.4 million customers’ personal information. In a filing with Maine’s attorney general’s office on Thursday, TransUnion attributed the July 28 breach to unauthorized access of a third-party application storing customers’ personal data for its U.S. consumer support operations. TransUnion claimed “no credit information Read more about TransUnion says hackers stole 4.4 million customers’ personal information (breached AGAIN!!!)[…]

FBI cyber cop: Salt Typhoon pwned ‘nearly every American’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

China’s Salt Typhoon cyberspies hoovered up information belonging to millions of people in the United States over the course of the years-long intrusion into telecommunications networks, according to a top FBI cyber official. “There’s a good chance this espionage campaign has stolen information from nearly every American,” Michael Machtinger, deputy assistant director for the FBI’s Read more about FBI cyber cop: Salt Typhoon pwned ‘nearly every American’[…]

Collapse of critical Atlantic current is no longer low-likelihood, study finds

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The collapse of a critical Atlantic current can no longer be considered a low-likelihood event, a study has concluded, making deep cuts to fossil fuel emissions even more urgent to avoid the catastrophic impact. The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (Amoc) is a major part of the global climate system. It brings sun-warmed tropical water to Read more about Collapse of critical Atlantic current is no longer low-likelihood, study finds[…]

Apple pulls torrenting app from a third-party store (one that it should not be able to control!) in the EU

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As first reported by TorrentFreak, Apple is preventing downloads of the iTorrent app on iPhones in the EU. Developer Daniil “XITRIX” Vinogradov’s app was a popular BitTorrent client available from AltStore PAL, which is among the most popular third-party iOS app stores overseas. The company revoked the app developer’s ability to distribute apps on such Read more about Apple pulls torrenting app from a third-party store (one that it should not be able to control!) in the EU[…]

New self-assembling material could be the key to recyclable EV batteries

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Today’s electric vehicle boom is tomorrow’s mountain of electronic waste. And while myriad efforts are underway to improve battery recycling, many EV batteries still end up in landfills. A research team from MIT wants to help change that with a new kind of self-assembling battery material that quickly breaks apart when submerged in a simple Read more about New self-assembling material could be the key to recyclable EV batteries[…]

Croatians suddenly realise that EU CSAM rules include hidden pervasive chat control surveillance, turning the EU into Big Brother – dissaprove massively.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

“The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic, at yesterday’s press conference, accused the opposition of upheld the proposal of a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on the establishment of rules for the prevention and combating sexual abuse of children COM (2022) 209, which is (unpopularly referred to as ‘chat Read more about Croatians suddenly realise that EU CSAM rules include hidden pervasive chat control surveillance, turning the EU into Big Brother – dissaprove massively.[…]

Samsung turns Tizen OS smartwatches into junk and won’t allow you to download the apps anymore soon.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Tizen OS is on track to lose full support by the end of 2025, Samsung has announced, marking the end of an era that began in 2018 with the original Galaxy Watch. And right now, Samsung is offering up to $100 in trade-in credit for your Tizen Galaxy Watch. This includes the Galaxy Watch 3, Read more about Samsung turns Tizen OS smartwatches into junk and won’t allow you to download the apps anymore soon.[…]

One Step method turns PVC plastic into fuel with 95% efficiency at room temperature

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]One-step conversion and outputs At the end of the process, the products include the main components of petrol (gasoline), chemical raw materials, and hydrochloric acid. The scientists say that means the output could feed into water treatment, metal processing, pharmaceuticals, food production, and the petroleum industry. As the authors put it, “The method supports a Read more about One Step method turns PVC plastic into fuel with 95% efficiency at room temperature[…]

The Threat Of Extreme Statutory Damages For Copyright Almost Certainly Made Anthropic Settle With Authors: Not the Use of Books for training, but the idiots used pirated books for training

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In what may be the least surprising news in the world of copyright and the internet, Anthropic just agreed to settle the copyright lawsuit that everyone’s been watching, but not for the reasons most people think. This isn’t about AI training being found to infringe copyright—in fact, Anthropic won on that issue. Instead, it’s about Read more about The Threat Of Extreme Statutory Damages For Copyright Almost Certainly Made Anthropic Settle With Authors: Not the Use of Books for training, but the idiots used pirated books for training[…]

Developer Unlocks Suddenly Paywalled Echelon Exercise Bikes But Thinks DMCA says He Can’t Legally Release His Software

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An app developer has jailbroken Echelon exercise bikes to restore functionality that the company put behind a paywall last month, but copyright laws prevent him from being allowed to legally release it. Last month, Peloton competitor Echelon pushed a firmware update to its exercise equipment that forces its machines to connect to the company’s servers Read more about Developer Unlocks Suddenly Paywalled Echelon Exercise Bikes But Thinks DMCA says He Can’t Legally Release His Software[…]

German banks block EUR 10B in ‘unauthorized’ PayPal direct debits

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Shoppers and merchants in Germany found themselves dealing with billions of euros in frozen transactions this week, thanks to an apparent failure in PayPal’s fraud-detection systems. According to the Association of German Banks, the problem hit on Monday when banks noticed a slew of recent unauthorized direct debits from PayPal. The body said the banks Read more about German banks block EUR 10B in ‘unauthorized’ PayPal direct debits[…]

Better than greenwashing, sustainability reporting boosts financials

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As environmental responsibility and social ethics become increasingly important, a question might arise in the boardroom: does the company’s sustainability efforts materially affect the financial information on which investors rely? Research in the International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets sets about answering that question. It does so by examining data from European firms over Read more about Better than greenwashing, sustainability reporting boosts financials[…]

Rats walk again after spinal cord repair with 3D printing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] a groundbreaking process that combines 3D printing, stem cell biology, and lab-grown tissues for spinal cord injury recovery. […] A major challenge is the death of nerve cells and the inability for nerve fibers to regrow across the injury site. This new research tackles this problem head-on. The method involves creating a unique 3D-printed Read more about Rats walk again after spinal cord repair with 3D printing[…]

Scientists discover a new magnet that bends light

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Researchers have uncovered the magnetic properties and underlying mechanisms of a novel magnet using advanced optical techniques. Their study focused on an organic crystal believed to be a promising candidate for an “altermagnet”- a recently proposed third class of magnetic materials. Unlike conventional ferromagnets and antiferromagnets, altermagnets exhibit unique magnetic behavior. Details of their breakthrough Read more about Scientists discover a new magnet that bends light[…]

State Dept. Guts Human Rights Reporting, Removing Anything The Administration Doesn’t Think Violates Human Rights

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] go ahead and read a few of the reports generated by Marco Rubio/Donald Trump’s State Department and compare them to literally any of those published before Trump’s second term began. […] But if you really want to see how this administration is rewriting its world view to serve its own ends, you need to Read more about State Dept. Guts Human Rights Reporting, Removing Anything The Administration Doesn’t Think Violates Human Rights[…]

Google wants to verify all developers’ identities, including those not on the play store in massive data grab

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google will soon verify the identities of developers who distribute Android apps outside the Play Store. Developers must submit their information to a new Android Developer Console, increasing their accountability for their apps. Rolling out in phases from September 2026, these new verification requirements are aimed at protecting users from malware by making it harder Read more about Google wants to verify all developers’ identities, including those not on the play store in massive data grab[…]

Farmers Insurance data breach impacts 1.1M people after Salesforce attack

Posted on by Robin Edgar

U.S. insurance giant Farmers Insurance has disclosed a data breach impacting 1.1 million customers, with BleepingComputer learning that the data was stolen in the widespread Salesforce attacks. Farmers Insurance is a U.S.-based insurer that provides auto, home, life, and business insurance products. It operates through a network of agents and subsidiaries, serving more than 10 Read more about Farmers Insurance data breach impacts 1.1M people after Salesforce attack[…]

Trump admin strips ocean and air pollution monitoring from next-gen weather satellites

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is narrowing the capabilities and reducing the number of next-generation weather and climate satellites it plans to build and launch in the coming decades, two people familiar with the plans told CNN. This move — which comes as hurricane season ramps up with Erin lashing the East Coast — Read more about Trump admin strips ocean and air pollution monitoring from next-gen weather satellites[…]

4chan will refuse to pay daily UK fines, its lawyer tells BBC

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A lawyer representing the online message board 4chan says it won’t pay a proposed fine by the UK’s media regulator as it enforces the Online Safety Act. According to Preston Byrne, managing partner of law firm Byrne & Storm, Ofcom has provisionally decided to impose a £20,000 fine “with daily penalties thereafter” for as long Read more about 4chan will refuse to pay daily UK fines, its lawyer tells BBC[…]

YouTube’s Sneaky AI ‘Experiment’ changing your videos without you knowing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Something strange has been happening on YouTube over the past few weeks. After being uploaded, some videos have been subtly augmented, their appearance changing without their creators doing anything. Viewers have noticed “extra punchy shadows,” “weirdly sharp edges,” and a smoothed-out look to footage that makes it look “like plastic.” Many people have come to Read more about YouTube’s Sneaky AI ‘Experiment’ changing your videos without you knowing[…]

Study finds sea-level projections from the 1990s were spot on

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Global sea-level change has now been measured by satellites for more than 30 years, and a comparison with climate projections from the mid-1990s shows that they were remarkably accurate, according to two Tulane University researchers whose findings appear in Earth’s Future, an open-access journal published by the American Geophysical Union. “The ultimate test of climate Read more about Study finds sea-level projections from the 1990s were spot on[…]

A universal rhythm guides how we speak: Global analysis reveals 1.6-second ‘intonation units’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Have you ever noticed that a natural conversation flows like a dance—pauses, emphases, and turns arriving just in time? A new study has discovered that this isn’t just intuition; there is a biological rhythm embedded in our speech. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to the Read more about A universal rhythm guides how we speak: Global analysis reveals 1.6-second ‘intonation units’[…]

Uni of Melbourne used Wi-Fi location data to ID protestors

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Australia’s University of Melbourne last year used Wi-Fi location data to identify student protestors. The University used Wi-Fi to identify students who participated in July 2024 sit-in protest. As described in a report [PDF] into the matter by the state of Victoria’s Office of the Information Commissioner, the University directed protestors to leave the building Read more about Uni of Melbourne used Wi-Fi location data to ID protestors[…]