Author: Robin Edgar

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

China orders annual security reviews for all critical information infrastructure operators

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An announcement by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that cyber attacks are currently frequent in the Middle Kingdom, and the security challenges facing critical information infrastructure are severe. The announcement therefore defines infosec regulations and and responsibilities. The CAC referred to critical infrastructure as “the nerve center of economic and social operations and Read more about China orders annual security reviews for all critical information infrastructure operators[…]

MIT developed a low-cost prosthetic hand that can help amputees feel again

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a joint project with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the school designed a neuroprosthetic that costs about $500 in components. It’s an inflatable hand made from an elastomer called EcoFlex and looks a bit like Baymax from Big Hero 6. The device foregoes electric motors in favor of a pneumatic system that inflates and bends Read more about MIT developed a low-cost prosthetic hand that can help amputees feel again[…]

Facebook says Russia-linked ad agency tried to smear Covid vaccines

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook said Tuesday that it has removed hundreds of accounts linked to a mysterious advertising agency operating out of Russia that sought to pay social media influencers to smear Covid-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca. A network of 65 Facebook accounts and 243 Instagram accounts was traced back to Fazze, an advertising and marketing Read more about Facebook says Russia-linked ad agency tried to smear Covid vaccines[…]

‘Easy money’: How international scam artists pulled off an epic theft of Covid benefits

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Russian mobsters, Chinese hackers and Nigerian scammers have used stolen identities to plunder tens of billions of dollars in Covid benefits, spiriting the money overseas in a massive transfer of wealth from U.S. taxpayers, officials and experts say. And they say it is still happening. Among the ripest targets for the cybertheft have been Read more about ‘Easy money’: How international scam artists pulled off an epic theft of Covid benefits[…]

Secret terrorist watchlist with 2 million records exposed online

Posted on by Robin Edgar

July this year, Security Discovery researcher Bob Diachenko came across a plethora of JSON records in an exposed Elasticsearch cluster that piqued his interest. The 1.9 million-strong recordset contained sensitive information on people, including their names, country citizenship, gender, date of birth, passport details, and no-fly status. The exposed server was indexed by search engines Censys and ZoomEye, Read more about Secret terrorist watchlist with 2 million records exposed online[…]

T-Mobile Confirms It Was Hacked, lost full subscriber info for USA

Posted on by Robin Edgar

T-Mobile confirmed hackers gained access to the telecom giant’s systems in an announcement published Monday. The move comes after Motherboard reported that T-Mobile was investigating a post on an underground forum offering for sale Social Security Numbers and other private data. The forum post at the time didn’t name T-Mobile, but the seller told Motherboard Read more about T-Mobile Confirms It Was Hacked, lost full subscriber info for USA[…]

Apple’s iPhone computer vision has the potential to preserve privacy but also break it completely

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] an AI on your phone will scan all those you have sent and will send to iPhotos. It will generate fingerprints that purportedly identify pictures, even if highly modified, that will be checked against fingerprints of known CSAM material. Too many of these – there’s a threshold – and Apple’s systems will let Apple Read more about Apple’s iPhone computer vision has the potential to preserve privacy but also break it completely[…]

Etherium gets rid of miners and electricity costs in 2022 update

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Ethereum is making big changes. Perhaps the most important is the jettisoning of the “miners” who track and validate transactions on the world’s most-used blockchain network. Miners are the heart of a system known as proof of work. It was pioneered by Bitcoin and adopted by Ethereum, and has come under increasing criticism for its Read more about Etherium gets rid of miners and electricity costs in 2022 update[…]

Lamborghini Countach LPI800-4 Hybrid v12

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Lamborghini Countach LPI800-4 is a futuristic limited edition that pays homage to the original and recreated for the 21st century. Head of design a Lamborghini Mitja Borkert took cues from the various iterations of the Countach to inspire his latest creation. The Countach’s distinctive wedge-shapes silhouette has been retained, with a single line from the Read more about Lamborghini Countach LPI800-4 Hybrid v12[…]

Rockstar Begins A War On Modders For ‘GTA’ Games For Totally Unclear Reasons

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…]Rockstar Games has previously had its own run-in with its modding community, banning modders who attempted to shift GTA5’s online gameplay to dedicated servers that would allow mods to be used, since Rockstar’s servers don’t allow mods. What it’s now doing in issuing copyright notices on modders who have been forklifting older Rockstar assets into Read more about Rockstar Begins A War On Modders For ‘GTA’ Games For Totally Unclear Reasons[…]

Senators ask Amazon how it will use palm print data from its stores

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you’re concerned that Amazon might misuse palm print data from its One service, you’re not alone. TechCrunch reports that Senators Amy Klobuchar, Bill Cassidy and Jon Ossoff have sent a letter to new Amazon chief Andy Jassy asking him to explain how the company might expand use of One’s palm print system beyond stores Read more about Senators ask Amazon how it will use palm print data from its stores[…]

Poly Network Offers $500k Reward to Hacker Who Stole $611 Million and then returned it

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A cryptocurrency platform that was hacked and had hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from it has now offered the thief a “reward” of $500,000 after the criminal returned almost all of the money. A few days ago a hacker exploited a vulnerability in the blockchain technology of decentralized finance (DeFi) platform Poly Network, pilfering Read more about Poly Network Offers $500k Reward to Hacker Who Stole $611 Million and then returned it[…]

Engineers make critical advance in quantum computer design

Posted on by Robin Edgar

They discovered a new technique they say will be capable of controlling millions of spin qubits—the basic units of information in a silicon quantum processor. Until now, quantum computer engineers and scientists have worked with a proof-of-concept model of quantum processors by demonstrating the control of only a handful of qubits. […] “Up until this Read more about Engineers make critical advance in quantum computer design[…]

The End Of Ownership: How Big Companies Are Trying To Turn Everyone Into Renters

Posted on by Robin Edgar

We’ve talked a lot on Techdirt about the end of ownership, and how companies have increasingly been reaching deep into products that you thought you bought to modify them… or even destroy them. Much of this originated in the copyright space, in which modern copyright law (somewhat ridiculously) gave the power to copyright holders to Read more about The End Of Ownership: How Big Companies Are Trying To Turn Everyone Into Renters[…]

Boffins propose Pretty Good Phone Privacy to end pretty invasive location data harvesting by telcos

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] In “Pretty Good Phone Privacy,” [PDF] a paper scheduled to be presented on Thursday at the Usenix Security Symposium, Schmitt and Barath Raghavan, assistant professor of computer science at the University of Southern California, describe a way to re-engineer the mobile network software stack so that it doesn’t betray the location of mobile network Read more about Boffins propose Pretty Good Phone Privacy to end pretty invasive location data harvesting by telcos[…]

Hackers return around half of stolen $600 million in Poly Network hack

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Hackers have returned nearly half of the $600 million they stole in what’s likely to be one of the biggest cryptocurrency thefts ever. The cybercriminals exploited a vulnerability in Poly Network, a platform that looks to connect different blockchains so that they can work together. Poly Network disclosed the attack Tuesday and asked to establish Read more about Hackers return around half of stolen $600 million in Poly Network hack[…]

Apple App Store, Google Play Store Targeted by Open App Markets Act

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Open App Markets Act, which is being spearheaded by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, and Marsha Blackburn, is designed to crack down on some of the scummiest tactics tech players use to rule their respective app ecosystems, while giving users the power to download the apps they want, from the app stores they want, without retaliation. Read more about Apple App Store, Google Play Store Targeted by Open App Markets Act[…]

Amazon Drops Policy claiming ownership of Games made by employees After Work Hours

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon.com Inc. withdrew a set of staff guidelines that claimed ownership rights to video games made by employees after work hours and dictated how they could distribute them, according to a company email reviewed by Bloomberg. […] The old policies mandated that employees of the games division who were moonlighting on projects would need to Read more about Amazon Drops Policy claiming ownership of Games made by employees After Work Hours[…]

China stops networked vehicle data going offshore under new infosec rules

Posted on by Robin Edgar

China has drafted new rules required of its autonomous and networked vehicle builders. Data security is front and centre in the rules, with manufacturers required to store data generated by cars – and describing their drivers – within China. Data is allowed to go offshore, but only after government scrutiny. Manufacturers are also required to Read more about China stops networked vehicle data going offshore under new infosec rules[…]

Have you made sure you have changed these Google Pay privacy settings?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google Pay is an online paying system and digital wallet that makes it easy to buy anything on your mobile device or with your mobile device. But if you’re concerned about what Google is doing with all your data (which you probably should be), Google doesn’t make it easy for Google Pay has some secret Read more about Have you made sure you have changed these Google Pay privacy settings?[…]

create virtual cards to pay with online with Privacy

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Protect your card details and your money by creating virtual cards at each place you spend online, or for each purchase Create single-use cards that close themselves automatically browser extension to create and auto-fill card numbers at checkout Privacy Cards put the control in your hands when you make a purchase online. Business or personal, Read more about create virtual cards to pay with online with Privacy[…]

Post-implementation review of the repeal of section 52 of the CDPA 1988 and associated amendments – Call for views – GOV.UK

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA) sets the term of protection for works protected copyright. For artistic works, the term of protection is life of the author plus 70 years. For more information on the term of copyright, see our Copyright Notice: Duration of copyright (term) on this subject. Section 52 CDPA previously Read more about Post-implementation review of the repeal of section 52 of the CDPA 1988 and associated amendments – Call for views – GOV.UK[…]

AI algorithms uncannily good at spotting your race from medical scans

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Neural networks can correctly guess a person’s race just by looking at their bodily x-rays and researchers have no idea how it can tell. There are biological features that can give clues to a person’s ethnicity, like the colour of their eyes or skin. But beneath all that, it’s difficult for humans to tell. That’s Read more about AI algorithms uncannily good at spotting your race from medical scans[…]

Chinese scientists develop world’s strongest glass that’s harder than diamond

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists in China have developed the hardest and strongest glassy material known so far that can scratch diamond crystals with ease. The researchers, including those from Yanshan University in China, noted that the new material – tentatively named AM-III – has “outstanding” mechanical and electronic properties, and could find applications in solar cells due to Read more about Chinese scientists develop world’s strongest glass that’s harder than diamond[…]