The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Simply not credible: The extraordinary verdict against ICANN – the body that hopes to run the internet

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In an extraordinary judgment, the organization that hopes to take over running the top level of the internet later this year has been slammed by an independent review as at best incompetent and at worst deliberately mendacious. The decision [PDF] by ICANN’s Independent Review Panel (IRP) over the organization’s decision to refuse “community” status for Read more about Simply not credible: The extraordinary verdict against ICANN – the body that hopes to run the internet[…]

Characterizing and Avoiding Routing Detours Through Surveillance States

Posted on by Robin Edgar

We find that 84\% of paths originating in Brazil traverse the United States, but when relays are used for country avoidance, only 37\% of Brazilian paths traverse the United States. Using the open DNS resolver infrastructure allows Kenyan clients to avoid the United States on 17\% more paths. Unfortunately, we find that some of the Read more about Characterizing and Avoiding Routing Detours Through Surveillance States[…]

A legal approach to mitigate anonymisation with risk

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Perfect anonymization of data sets that contain personal information has failed. But the process of protecting data subjects in shared information remains integral to privacy practice and policy. While the deidentification debate has been vigorous and productive, there is no clear direction for policy. As a result, the law has been slow to adapt a Read more about A legal approach to mitigate anonymisation with risk[…]

Researchers find over 100 spying Tor nodes that attempt to compromise darknet sites

Posted on by Robin Edgar

These nodes — ordinary nodes, not exit nodes — sorted through all the traffic that passed through them, looking for anything bound for a hidden service, which allowed them to discover hidden services that had not been advertised. These nodes then attacked the hidden services by making connections to them and trying common exploits against Read more about Researchers find over 100 spying Tor nodes that attempt to compromise darknet sites[…]

Researchers find over 100 spying Tor nodes that attempt to compromise darknet sites

Posted on by Robin Edgar

These nodes — ordinary nodes, not exit nodes — sorted through all the traffic that passed through them, looking for anything bound for a hidden service, which allowed them to discover hidden services that had not been advertised. These nodes then attacked the hidden services by making connections to them and trying common exploits against Read more about Researchers find over 100 spying Tor nodes that attempt to compromise darknet sites[…]

Amazon randomly kills PriceZombie price comparison site

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Unfortunately, it seems our service has to come to an untimely end. After being previously told we were in 100% compliance with the rules, our Amazon affiliate account was closed a few months ago. Amazon claimed we were violating their rules against showing product and price information that was more than 24 hours old. Obviously, Read more about Amazon randomly kills PriceZombie price comparison site[…]

Amazon randomly destroys price tracking site PriceZombie

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Unfortunately, it seems our service has to come to an untimely end. After being previously told we were in 100% compliance with the rules, our Amazon affiliate account was closed a few months ago. Amazon claimed we were violating their rules against showing product and price information that was more than 24 hours old. Obviously, Read more about Amazon randomly destroys price tracking site PriceZombie[…]

Dark Patterns make you do stuff you don’t want to on websites

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Everyone has been there. So in 2010, London-based UX designer Harry Brignull decided he’d document it. Brignull’s website, darkpatterns.org, offers plenty of examples of deliberately confusing or deceptive user interfaces. These dark patterns trick unsuspecting users into a gamut of actions: setting up recurring payments, purchasing items surreptitiously added to a shopping cart, or spamming Read more about Dark Patterns make you do stuff you don’t want to on websites[…]

Tight-wad Apple repair techs swapped our damaged iGear with used kit – lawsuit

Posted on by Robin Edgar

According to the complaint, the aggrieved customers say that their AppleCare service plans should allow them to have their devices replaced with new units. The class seeks to represent customers who purchased Apple hardware with the AppleCare replacement plan and then received replacement devices from Apple when their old devices broke. The claim centers around Read more about Tight-wad Apple repair techs swapped our damaged iGear with used kit – lawsuit[…]

Spotify is now selling your information to advertisers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The popular streaming service is now the latest platform that is opening its data to targeted advertising. Everything from your age and gender, to the music genres you like to listen will be available to various third-party companies. Spotify is calling it programmatic buying and has already enabled it. Advertisers will have access to the Read more about Spotify is now selling your information to advertisers[…]

Maxthon web browser blabs about your PC all the way back to Beijing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Polish security consultancy Exatel warns [PDF] that Maxthon is phoning home information such as the computer’s operating system and version number, the screen resolution, the CPU type and speed, the amount of memory installed, the location of the browser’s executable, whether ad-block is running, and the start page URL. Source: Maxthon web browser blabs about Read more about Maxthon web browser blabs about your PC all the way back to Beijing[…]

Scientists move one step closer to creating an invisibility cloak

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have made an object disappear by using a composite material with nano-size particles that can enhance specific properties on the object’s surface. Researchers from QMUL’s School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, worked with UK industry to demonstrate for the first time a practical cloaking device that Read more about Scientists move one step closer to creating an invisibility cloak[…]

Empty your free 30GB OneDrive space today – before Microsoft deletes your files for you

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Microsoft is cutting its free 15GB OneDrive cloud storage space down to 5GB, and eliminating the 15GB free camera roll for many users. Files will be deleted by Redmond until your account is under the free limit. Clouds turn to rain to hide your tears Source: Empty your free 30GB OneDrive space today – before Read more about Empty your free 30GB OneDrive space today – before Microsoft deletes your files for you[…]

UK To Outsource RAF aggressor training

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The current service is provided by Cobham Aviation with its Dassault Falcon 20s and Fleet Air Arm-operated BAE Systems Hawk T1s flown by 736 NAS from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall and RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. The unit’s Hawks will be retired in 2020. A phased plan of introducing other capabilities will continue throughout the next Read more about UK To Outsource RAF aggressor training[…]

Researchers blur the line between classical and quantum physics by connecting chaos and entanglement

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Using a small quantum system consisting of three superconducting qubits, researchers at UC Santa Barbara and Google have uncovered a link between aspects of classical and quantum physics thought to be unrelated: classical chaos and quantum entanglement. Their findings suggest that it would be possible to use controllable quantum systems to investigate certain fundamental aspects Read more about Researchers blur the line between classical and quantum physics by connecting chaos and entanglement[…]

Drowning Dalek commands Siri in voice-rec hack attack

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a proof-of-concept video the boffins place a phone in an empty conference room three metres (10 feet) from a speaker. Commands are issued that sound to like a drowning dalek to Vulture South’s ears. That garbling makes the commands difficult for humans to understand but passable for Siri and her ilk. The attackers activate Read more about Drowning Dalek commands Siri in voice-rec hack attack[…]

Massive open-access database on human cultures created

Posted on by Robin Edgar

D-PLACE – the Database of Places, Language, Culture and Environment – is an expandable, open access database that brings together a dispersed body of information on the language, geography, culture and environment of more than 1,400 human societies. It comprises information mainly on pre-industrial societies that were described by ethnographers in the 19th and early Read more about Massive open-access database on human cultures created[…]

These ultra-thin solar cells can be bent around a pencil

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The cells are fabricated onto a flexible substrate that is just a micrometer thick — one-half to one-quarter the thickness of other “thin” solar cells and hundreds of times thinner than conventional cells. A human hair, by comparison, is about 100 micrometers. The team at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea Read more about These ultra-thin solar cells can be bent around a pencil[…]

Russian leader Putin signs controversial ‘Big Brother’ law

Posted on by Robin Edgar

the new legislation — which Edward Snowden has called “Russia’s new Big Brother law” — is not only severe against those involved in “international terrorism,” its financing, and its non-denunciation. Law enforcement agencies will also be granted access to any user’s messages without any judicial oversight. Several key provisions will directly affect the internet and Read more about Russian leader Putin signs controversial ‘Big Brother’ law[…]

Wendy’s Says More Than 1,000 Restaurants Affected by Hack

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Wendy’s said hackers were able to steal customers’ credit and debit card information at 1,025 of its U.S. restaurants, far more than it originally thought. The hamburger chain said Thursday hackers were able to obtain card numbers, names, expiration dates and codes on the card, beginning in late fall. Some customers’ cards were used to Read more about Wendy’s Says More Than 1,000 Restaurants Affected by Hack[…]

Hundreds of Genes Spring Back to Life in the Days After Death

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In the first of the two studies, the researchers sought to determine which genes out of about a thousand might still be functioning in zebrafish and mice in the immediate days following death. To their surprise, the researchers found that hundreds of genes sprung back to life. Not only that, the activity of some of Read more about Hundreds of Genes Spring Back to Life in the Days After Death[…]