The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ Earns Record-Breaking $725M Opening Weekend

Posted on by Robin Edgar

“Red Dead Redemption 2” broke records in its first three days on sale, pulling in more than $725 million in worldwide retail sales and achieving the biggest opening weekend in the history of entertainment, developer Rockstar Games announced. That tops the highest-grossing movie in history, “Avengers: Infinity Wars,” which earned more than $640 million during Read more about ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ Earns Record-Breaking $725M Opening Weekend[…]

U.S. Indicts Chinese Hacker-Spies in Conspiracy to Steal Aerospace Secrets

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The U.S. Justice Department has charged two Chinese intelligence officers, six hackers, and two aerospace company insiders in a sweeping conspiracy to steal confidential aerospace technology from U.S. and French companies. For more than five years, two Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) spies are said to have run a team of hackers focusing on Read more about U.S. Indicts Chinese Hacker-Spies in Conspiracy to Steal Aerospace Secrets[…]

China produces nano fibre that can lift 160 elephants – and a space elevator, better batteries?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A research team from Tsinghua University in Beijing has developed a fibre they say is so strong it could even be used to build an elevator to space. They say just 1 cubic centimetre of the fibre – made from carbon nanotube – would not break under the weight of 160 elephants, or more than Read more about China produces nano fibre that can lift 160 elephants – and a space elevator, better batteries?[…]

TimeTree :: The Timescale of Life: information on evolution

Posted on by Robin Edgar

TimeTree is a public knowledge-base for information on the evolutionary timescale of life. Data from thousands of published studies are assembled into a searchable tree of life scaled to time. Three search modes are possible: Node Time – to find the divergence time of two species or higher taxa Timeline – to drill back through Read more about TimeTree :: The Timescale of Life: information on evolution[…]

3D printers have ‘fingerprints,’ a discovery that could help trace 3D-printed guns

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Like fingerprints, no 3D printer is exactly the same. That’s the takeaway from a new study that describes what’s believed to be the first accurate method for tracing a 3D-printed object to the machine it came from. The advancement could help law enforcement and intelligence agencies track the origin of 3D-printed guns, counterfeit products and Read more about 3D printers have ‘fingerprints,’ a discovery that could help trace 3D-printed guns[…]

Zero-day in popular jQuery File Upload plugin actively exploited for at least three years

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For at least three years, hackers have abused a zero-day in one of the most popular jQuery plugins to plant web shells and take over vulnerable web servers, ZDNet has learned. The vulnerability impacts the jQuery File Upload plugin authored by prodigious German developer Sebastian Tschan, most commonly known as Blueimp. The plugin is the Read more about Zero-day in popular jQuery File Upload plugin actively exploited for at least three years[…]

These New Photos of the World’s First 3D-Printed Steel Bridge Are Stunning

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The creators of the world’s first 3D-printed steel bridge, a 40-foot stainless steel structure titled simply “The Bridge” that looks tantalizingly otherworldly thanks to its unique construction methods, say it is now ready for installation in Amsterdam following its ongoing week on show at the Dutch Design Week from Oct. 20-28. Photo: MX3D (Joris Laarman Read more about These New Photos of the World’s First 3D-Printed Steel Bridge Are Stunning[…]

Facebook says it removed 8.7M child exploitation posts with new machine learning tech

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook announced today that it has removed 8.7 million pieces of content last quarter that violated its rules against child exploitation, thanks to new technology. The new AI and machine learning tech, which was developed and implemented over the past year by the company, removed 99 percent of those posts before anyone reported them, said Read more about Facebook says it removed 8.7M child exploitation posts with new machine learning tech[…]

UK data watchdog fines Facebook 17 minutes of net profit for Cambridge Analytica brouhaha

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK’s Information Commissioner has formally fined Facebook £500,000 – the maximum available – over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. In a monetary penalty notice issued this morning, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) stated that the social media network had broken two of the UK’s legally binding data protection principles by allowing Cambridge academic Aleksandr Kogan Read more about UK data watchdog fines Facebook 17 minutes of net profit for Cambridge Analytica brouhaha[…]

20 top lawyers were beaten by legal AI reading NDAs. The lawyers are cautiosly happy that AI can take over drudge work

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a landmark study, 20 top US corporate lawyers with decades of experience in corporate law and contract review were pitted against an AI. Their task was to spot issues in five Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), which are a contractual basis for most business deals. The study, carried out with leading legal academics and experts, saw Read more about 20 top lawyers were beaten by legal AI reading NDAs. The lawyers are cautiosly happy that AI can take over drudge work[…]

DHCPv6 packet can pwn a vulnerable Linux box with systemd

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A security bug in Systemd can be exploited over the network to, at best, potentially crash a vulnerable Linux machine, or, at worst, execute malicious code on the box. The flaw therefore puts Systemd-powered Linux computers – specifically those using systemd-networkd – at risk of remote hijacking: maliciously crafted DHCPv6 packets can try to exploit Read more about DHCPv6 packet can pwn a vulnerable Linux box with systemd[…]

Trivial Bug in X.Org Gives Root Permission on Linux and BSD Systems

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A vulnerability that is trivial to exploit allows privilege escalation to root level on Linux and BSD distributions using X.Org server, the open source implementation of the X Window System that offers the graphical environment. […] Three hours after the public announcement of the security gap, Daemon Security CEO Michael Shirk replied with one line Read more about Trivial Bug in X.Org Gives Root Permission on Linux and BSD Systems[…]

Linguists, update your resumes because Baidu thinks it has cracked fast AI translation

Posted on by Robin Edgar

AI can translate between languages in real time as people speak, according to fresh research from Chinese search giant Baidu and Oregon State University in the US. Human interpreters need superhuman concentration to listen to speech and translate at the same time. There are, apparently, only a few thousand qualified simultaneous interpreters and the job Read more about Linguists, update your resumes because Baidu thinks it has cracked fast AI translation[…]

Aptoide, alternative app store: EU National Court Rules Against Google in Anti-Trust Process, it has to be shown in the Play Store and can’t be removed by Google

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Portuguese Courts issued today a decision against Google in relation to the injunction filed by Aptoide. It is applicable on 82 countries including UK, Germany, USA, India, among others. Google will have to stop Google Play Protect from removing the competitor Aptoide‘s app store from users‘ phone without users‘ knowledge which has caused losses Read more about Aptoide, alternative app store: EU National Court Rules Against Google in Anti-Trust Process, it has to be shown in the Play Store and can’t be removed by Google[…]

Wolf Data, Government Spyware Vendor Left Customer, Victim Data Online for Everyone to See

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A startup that claims to sell surveillance and hacking technologies to governments around the world left nearly all its data—including information taken from infected targets and victims—exposed online, according to a security firm who found the data. Wolf Intelligence, a Germany-based spyware company that made headlines for sending a bodyguard to Mauritania and prompting an Read more about Wolf Data, Government Spyware Vendor Left Customer, Victim Data Online for Everyone to See[…]

Apple, Samsung fined in Italy for slowing people’s phones.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a statement on Wednesday, the Italian competition authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), said both companies had violated consumer protection laws by “inducing customers to install updates on devices that are not able to adequately support them.” It fined Apple €10m ($11.4m): €5m for slowing down the iPhone 6 with Read more about Apple, Samsung fined in Italy for slowing people’s phones.[…]

Oxford study claims data harvesting among Android apps is “out of control”

Posted on by Robin Edgar

It’s no secret that mobile apps harvest user data and share it with other companies, but the true extent of this practice may come as a surprise. In a new study carried out by researchers from Oxford University, it’s revealed that almost 90 percent of free apps on the Google Play store share data with Read more about Oxford study claims data harvesting among Android apps is “out of control”[…]

How A Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones To Steal Millions Of Dollars

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Last April, Steven Schoen received an email from someone named Natalie Andrea who said she worked for a company called We Purchase Apps. She wanted to buy his Android app, Emoji Switcher. But right away, something seemed off. “I did a little bit of digging because I was a little sketched out because I couldn’t Read more about How A Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones To Steal Millions Of Dollars[…]

When Trump Phones Friends, the Chinese and the Russians Listen and Learn

Posted on by Robin Edgar

When President Trump calls old friends on one of his iPhones to gossip, gripe or solicit their latest take on how he is doing, American intelligence reports indicate that Chinese spies are often listening — and putting to use invaluable insights into how to best work the president and affect administration policy, current and former Read more about When Trump Phones Friends, the Chinese and the Russians Listen and Learn[…]

SIM Cards That Force Your Mobile Data Through Tor Are Coming

Posted on by Robin Edgar

It’s increasingly difficult to expect privacy when you’re browsing online, so a non-profit in the UK is working to build the power of Tor’s anonymity network right into the heart of your smartphone. Brass Horn Communications is experimenting with all sorts of ways to improve Tor’s usability for UK residents. The Tor browser bundle for Read more about SIM Cards That Force Your Mobile Data Through Tor Are Coming[…]

Facebook, Google sued for ‘secretly’ slurping people’s whereabouts – while Feds lap it up

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook and Google are being sued in two proposed class-action lawsuits for allegedly deceptively gathering location data on netizens who thought they had opted out of such cyber-stalking. The legal challenges stem from revelations earlier this year that even after users actively turn off “location history” on their smartphones, their location is still gathered, stored, Read more about Facebook, Google sued for ‘secretly’ slurping people’s whereabouts – while Feds lap it up[…]

Yahoo to pay $50M, other costs for massive security breach

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Yahoo has agreed to pay $50 million in damages and provide two years of free credit-monitoring services to 200 million people whose email addresses and other personal information were stolen as part of the biggest security breach in history. The restitution hinges on federal court approval of a settlement filed late Monday in a 2-year-old Read more about Yahoo to pay $50M, other costs for massive security breach[…]

Winamp returns in 2019 to whip the llama’s ass harder than ever

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For those who don’t remember: Winamp was the MP3 player of choice around the turn of the century, but went through a rocky period during Aol ownership (our former parent company) and failed to counter the likes of iTunes and the onslaught of streaming services, and more or less crumbled over the years. The original Read more about Winamp returns in 2019 to whip the llama’s ass harder than ever[…]

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