The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

OpenRA – updated and free Red Alert, Command and Conquer

Open Source reimplementation of Westwood Studios’ 2D Command and Conquer games OpenRA is a project that recreates and modernizes the classic Command & Conquer real time strategy games. We have developed a flexible open source game engine (the OpenRA engine) that provides a common platform for rebuilding and reimagining classic 2D and 2.5D RTS games Read more about OpenRA – updated and free Red Alert, Command and Conquer[…]

Laser-assisted direct ink writing of planar and 3D metal architectures

The ability to pattern planar and freestanding 3D metallic architectures at the microscale would enable myriad applications, including flexible electronics, displays, sensors, and electrically small antennas. A 3D printing method is introduced that combines direct ink writing with a focused laser that locally anneals printed metallic features “on-the-fly.” To optimize the nozzle-to-laser separation distance, the Read more about Laser-assisted direct ink writing of planar and 3D metal architectures[…]

Study shows phone metadata is much more sensitive than top spies admit

In a study published online Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Stanford University researchers demonstrated how they used publicly available sources—like Google searches and the paid background-check service Intelius—to identify “the overwhelming majority” of their 823 volunteers based only on their anonymized call and SMS metadata. Using data collected through Read more about Study shows phone metadata is much more sensitive than top spies admit[…]

Swarm A.I. Correctly Predicts the Kentucky Derby, Accurately Picking all Four Horses of the Superfecta at 540 to 1 Odds – showing that humans can swarm

Until recently, the human species has been unable to take advantage of this fundamental biological technique, for we didn’t evolve the ability to swarm. Enter Unanimous A.I., a Silicon Valley startup founded in 2014 by serial entrepreneur and researcher Dr. Louis Rosenberg. The core question Rosenberg set out to answer was: Can humans swarm, and Read more about Swarm A.I. Correctly Predicts the Kentucky Derby, Accurately Picking all Four Horses of the Superfecta at 540 to 1 Odds – showing that humans can swarm[…]

Italian Military to Save Up to 29 Million Euro by Migrating to LibreOffice

Following on last year’s bold announcement that they will attempt to migrate from proprietary Microsoft Office products to an open-source alternative like LibreOffice, Italy’s Ministry of Defense now expects to save up to 29 million Euro with this move. We said it before, and we’ll say it again, this is the smartest choice a government Read more about Italian Military to Save Up to 29 Million Euro by Migrating to LibreOffice[…]

36 firms at risk from that unpatched 2010 SAP vuln? Try 500+

ERPScan, the ERP security specialist firm which originally discovered the misconfiguration flaw (research pdf here), said that Onapsis’s figures on exposure to the vulnerability are optimistic by more than an order of magnitude. Alexander Polyakov, CTO at ERPScan, told El Reg that its research suggests as many as 533 organisations are at risk. “Onapsis said Read more about 36 firms at risk from that unpatched 2010 SAP vuln? Try 500+[…]

Linksys WRT routers won’t block open source firmware despite FCC rules

Linksys has been collaborating with chipmaker Marvell and the makers of OpenWrt to make sure its latest WRT routers can comply with the new rules without blocking open source firmware, company officials told Ars. Linksys’s effort stands in contrast with TP-Link, which said it would entirely prevent loading of open source firmware on its routers Read more about Linksys WRT routers won’t block open source firmware despite FCC rules[…]

France Is Getting Closer To Banning After-Work Emails

The bill would make businesses come up with hours during which employees cannot check or send emails. And it comes as workers are finding it increasingly difficult to detach themselves from work, Socialist MP Benoit Hamon told BBC News. “Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work,” he said. “They remain Read more about France Is Getting Closer To Banning After-Work Emails[…]

Runkeeper is secretly tracking you around the clock and sending your data to advertisers

The NCC, a consumer rights watchdog, is conducting an investigation into 20 apps’ terms and conditions to see if the apps do what their permissions say they do and to monitor data flows. Tinder has already been reported to the Norwegian data protection authority for similar breaches of privacy laws. The NCC’s investigation into Runkeeper Read more about Runkeeper is secretly tracking you around the clock and sending your data to advertisers[…]

Apple says it doesn’t know why iTunes users are losing their music files

In an extremely small number of cases users have reported that music files saved on their computer were removed without their permission. We’re taking these reports seriously as we know how important music is to our customers and our teams are focused on identifying the cause. We have not been able to reproduce this issue, Read more about Apple says it doesn’t know why iTunes users are losing their music files[…]

Fathom – AI Neural Network learning accelerator on a USB stick

Movidius is also introducing the Fathom Neural Compute Stick — the first product of its kind — a modular deep learning accelerator in the form of a standard USB stick. Featuring a full-fledged Myriad 2 VPU, the Fathom Neural Compute Stick not only enables rapid prototyping, but also delivers high levels of neural network compute Read more about Fathom – AI Neural Network learning accelerator on a USB stick[…]

FindFace Facial Recognition Service Becomes a Weapon Against Russian Porn Actresses

Users of the Russian imageboard “Dvach” (2chan) have launched a campaign to deanonymize Russian actresses who appear in pornography, utilizing a controversial new service called “FindFace.” Source: Facial Recognition Service Becomes a Weapon Against Russian Porn Actresses – Global Voices Advocacy What a bunch of pissants – using a creepy stalker app to then send Read more about FindFace Facial Recognition Service Becomes a Weapon Against Russian Porn Actresses[…]

Malware and non-malware ways for ATM jackpotting. Extended cut – Securelist

Millions of people around the world now use ATMs every day to withdraw cash, pay in to their account or make a variety of payments. Unfortunately, ATM manufacturers and their primary customers – banks – don’t pay much attention to the security of cash machines. Source: Malware and non-malware ways for ATM jackpotting. Extended cut Read more about Malware and non-malware ways for ATM jackpotting. Extended cut – Securelist[…]

If you use Waze, hackers can stalk you, add thousands of ghost cars to divert your traffic

Researchers at the University of California-Santa Barbara recently discovered a Waze vulnerability that allowed them to create thousands of “ghost drivers” that can monitor the drivers around them—an exploit that could be used to track Waze users in real-time. They proved it to me by tracking my own movements around San Francisco and Las Vegas Read more about If you use Waze, hackers can stalk you, add thousands of ghost cars to divert your traffic[…]

Cisco Finds Backdoor Installed on 12 Million PCs by French Advertiser Tuto4PC

Cisco’s Talos security intelligence and research group has come across a piece of software that installed backdoors on 12 million computers around the world.The software, which exhibits adware and spyware capabilities, was developed by a French online advertising company called Tuto4PC. The firm, previously known as Eorezo Group and apparently linked to another company called Read more about Cisco Finds Backdoor Installed on 12 Million PCs by French Advertiser Tuto4PC[…]

Mad Scientist Builds Fully Functional Hoverbike

Because a thermite-blasting cannon isn’t crazy enough, Colin Furze used a pair of motors and propellers designed for parasailing to build himself a fully functional flying hoverbike. It’s easily one of the mad scientist’s most dangerous builds to date, but seeing how maneuverable it is almost makes us want to build one too. Source: Mad Read more about Mad Scientist Builds Fully Functional Hoverbike[…]

Microsoft Office 365 Flaw Allowed Anyone To Log In To Almost Any Business Account

A severe vulnerability in the way Microsoft Office 365 handles federated identities via SAML put an attacker in a position to have access to any account and data, including emails and files stored in the cloud-based service. Microsoft pushed through a mitigation to the service on Jan. 5, seven hours after being notified by researchers Read more about Microsoft Office 365 Flaw Allowed Anyone To Log In To Almost Any Business Account[…]

93.4m Mexican Voters Data found on open US server

In my hands is something dangerous. It is proof that someone moved confidential government data out of Mexico and into the United States. It is a hard drive with 93.4 million downloaded voter registration records— The Mexican voter database. See the interview with Chris Vickery commenting on this breach: Before going any further, let’s make Read more about 93.4m Mexican Voters Data found on open US server[…]

UK intel agencies spy indiscriminately on millions of innocent folks, have been since  the 90s

The UK’s intelligence agencies (MI5, MI6, and GCHQ) are spying on everything you do, and with only the flimsiest of safeguards in place to prevent abuse, according to more than a thousand pages of documents published today as a result of a lawsuit filed by Privacy International. The documents reveal the details of so-called “Bulk Read more about UK intel agencies spy indiscriminately on millions of innocent folks, have been since  the 90s[…]