The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Chinese and US researchers show new side channel can reproduce fingerprints by listening to swiping sounds on screen

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An interesting new attack on biometric security has been outlined by a group of researchers from China and the US. PrintListener: Uncovering the Vulnerability of Fingerprint Authentication via the Finger Friction Sound [PDF] proposes a side-channel attack on the sophisticated Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The attack leverages the sound characteristics of a user’s finger Read more about Chinese and US researchers show new side channel can reproduce fingerprints by listening to swiping sounds on screen[…]

Four-day week made permanent for most UK firms in world’s biggest trial

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Of the 61 organisations that took part in a six-month UK pilot in 2022, 54 (89%) are still operating the policy a year later, and 31 (51%) have made the change permanent. More than half (55%) of project managers and CEOs said a four-day week – in which staff worked 100% of their output in Read more about Four-day week made permanent for most UK firms in world’s biggest trial[…]

Varda Space, Rocket Lab nail first-of-its-kind spacecraft landing in Utah, bring back space grown drugs

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A spacecraft containing pharmaceutical drugs that were grown on orbit has finally returned to Earth today after more than eight months in space. Varda Space Industries’ in-space manufacturing capsule, called Winnebago-1, landed in the Utah desert at around 4:40 p.m. EST. Inside the capsule are crystals of the drug ritonavir, which is used to treat Read more about Varda Space, Rocket Lab nail first-of-its-kind spacecraft landing in Utah, bring back space grown drugs[…]

Universal Antivenom for Snake Bites Might Soon Be a Reality

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] a team of scientists says they’ve created a lab-made antibody geared to counteract toxic bites from a wide variety of snakes. In early tests with mice, the uber-antivenom appeared to work as intended. Snake antivenom is typically derived from the antibodies of horses or other animals that produce a strong immune response to snake Read more about Universal Antivenom for Snake Bites Might Soon Be a Reality[…]

Video generation models as world simulators by OpenAI Sora

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Our largest model, Sora, is capable of generating a minute of high fidelity video. Our results suggest that scaling video generation models is a promising path towards building general purpose simulators of the physical world. This technical report focuses on (1) our method for turning visual data of all types into a unified representation Read more about Video generation models as world simulators by OpenAI Sora[…]

Canadian college M&M Vending machines secretly scanning faces – revealed by error message

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The scandal started when a student using the alias SquidKid47 posted an image on Reddit showing a campus vending machine error message, “Invenda.Vending.FacialRecognitionApp.exe,” displayed after the machine failed to launch a facial recognition application that nobody expected to be part of the process of using a vending machine. Enlarge / Reddit post shows error Read more about Canadian college M&M Vending machines secretly scanning faces – revealed by error message[…]

iOS and Android users face scans used to break into bank accounts

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] GoldPickaxe and GoldPickaxe.iOS target Android and iOS respectively, tricking users into performing biometric verification checks that are ultimately used to bypass the same checks employed by legitimate banking apps in Vietnam and Thailand – the geographic focus of these ongoing attacks. The iOS version is believed only to be targeting users in Thailand, masquerading Read more about iOS and Android users face scans used to break into bank accounts[…]

livall smart helmets

Whoops: ‘Smart’ Livall Helmet Allowed Real Time Surveillance And Location Tracking Of A Million Customers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[,,,] a company named Livall makes “smart” bike helmets for skiers and cyclists that includes features like auto-fall detection, GPS location monitoring, and integrated braking lights. The problem: the company apparently didn’t spend enough time securing the company’s app, allowing pretty much anybody to listen in on and track the precise location data of a Read more about Whoops: ‘Smart’ Livall Helmet Allowed Real Time Surveillance And Location Tracking Of A Million Customers[…]

a picture of an eye staring at your from your mobile phone

European human rights court says backdooring encrypted comms is against human rights

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that laws requiring crippled encryption and extensive data retention violate the European Convention on Human Rights – a decision that may derail European data surveillance legislation known as Chat Control. The Court issued a decision on Tuesday stating that “the contested legislation providing for the retention Read more about European human rights court says backdooring encrypted comms is against human rights[…]

New evidence changes key ideas about Earth’s climate history – it wasn’t that hot

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A new study published in Science resolves a long-standing scientific debate, and it stands to completely change the way we think about Earth’s climate evolution. The research debunks the idea that Earth’s surface (across land and sea) has experienced really hot temperatures over the last two billion years. Instead, it shows that Earth has had Read more about New evidence changes key ideas about Earth’s climate history – it wasn’t that hot[…]

23andMe Thinks ‘Mining’ Your DNA Data Is Its Last Hope

Posted on by Robin Edgar

23andMe is in a death spiral. Almost everyone who wants a DNA test already bought one, a nightmare data breach ruined the company’s reputation, and 23andMe’s stock is so close to worthless it might get kicked off the Nasdaq. CEO Anne Wojcicki is on a crisis tour, promising investors the company isn’t going out of Read more about 23andMe Thinks ‘Mining’ Your DNA Data Is Its Last Hope[…]

US judge dismisses authors’ ridiculous copyright claim against OpenAI

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A US judge has dismissed some of the claims made by writers in a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI, though gave the wordsmiths another chance to amend their complaint. The case – Paul Tremblay et al vs OpenAI – kicked off in 2023 when novelists Paul Tremblay, Christopher Golden, and Richard Kadrey, and writer-comedian-actress Sarah Read more about US judge dismisses authors’ ridiculous copyright claim against OpenAI[…]

France uncovers a vast Russian disinformation campaign in Europe

Posted on by Robin Edgar

RUSSIA HAS been at the forefront of internet disinformation techniques at least since 2014, when it pioneered the use of bot farms to spread fake news about its invasion of Crimea. According to French authorities, the Kremlin is at it again. On February 12th Viginum, the French foreign-disinformation watchdog, announced it had detected preparations for Read more about France uncovers a vast Russian disinformation campaign in Europe[…]

vanadium crystal bar and cube

Key advance for capturing carbon from the air

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A chemical element so visually striking that it was named for a goddess shows a “Goldilocks” level of reactivity — neither too much nor too little — that makes it a strong candidate as a carbon scrubbing tool. The element is vanadium, and research by Oregon State University scientists has demonstrated the ability of vanadium Read more about Key advance for capturing carbon from the air[…]

Satellite beamed power from space to Earth for the first time ever

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The first experiment to transmit power to Earth from space could lead to a space-based solar power station within 10 years, according to one of the researchers involved. Such a station would benefit from greater exposure to the sun, due to the lack of clouds and atmosphere along with the ability to avoid nighttime darkness. Read more about Satellite beamed power from space to Earth for the first time ever[…]

illustration of Fermi Resonance

Fermi Resonance explains why carbon dioxide causes global warming

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Global warming is largely caused by carbon dioxide and other gases absorbing infrared radiation, trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere – known as the greenhouse effect. The most accurate climate models use precise measurements of the amount of radiation CO₂ can absorb to calculate how much heat will be trapped in the atmosphere. These models are Read more about Fermi Resonance explains why carbon dioxide causes global warming[…]

Meet GOODY-2, The World’s Most Ethical (And Useless) AI

Posted on by Robin Edgar

AI guardrails and safety features are as important to get right as they are difficult to implement in a way that satisfies everyone. This means safety features tend to err on the side of caution. Side effects include AI models adopting a vaguely obsequious tone, and coming off as overly priggish when they refuse reasonable Read more about Meet GOODY-2, The World’s Most Ethical (And Useless) AI[…]

‘World’s biggest casino’ app Winstar exposed customers’ personal data: developer Dexia didn’t secure the db.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Oklahoma-based WinStar bills itself as the “world’s biggest casino” by square footage. The casino and hotel resort also offers an app, My WinStar, in which guests can access self-service options during their hotel stay, their rewards points and loyalty benefits, and casino winnings. The app is developed by a Nevada software startup called Dexiga. The Read more about ‘World’s biggest casino’ app Winstar exposed customers’ personal data: developer Dexia didn’t secure the db.[…]

cartelige stem cells 3d printed in the letters TU

Artificial cartilage with the help of 3D printing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Growing cartilage tissue in the lab could help patiens with injuries, but it is very hard to make the tissue grow in exactly the right shape. A new approach could solve this problem: Tiny spherical containers are created with a high-resolution 3D printer. These containers are then filled with cells and assembled into the desired Read more about Artificial cartilage with the help of 3D printing[…]

Here’s Why Infants Are Strangely Resistant to COVID

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Researchers have profiled the entire immune system in young children to compare their response to SARS-CoV-2 with that of adults. The results, published in Cell, show that infants’ systems mount a strong innate response in their noses, where the airborne virus usually enters the body. And unlike adults, babies don’t exhibit widespread inflammatory signaling throughout Read more about Here’s Why Infants Are Strangely Resistant to COVID[…]

Thousands Of Networked Microphones Are Tracking Drones In Ukraine

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Ukraine is using a network made up of thousands of acoustic sensors across the country to help detect and track incoming Russian kamikaze drones, alert traditional air defenses in advance, and also dispatch ad hoc drone hunting teams to shoot them down. This is according to the U.S. Air Force’s top officer in Europe who Read more about Thousands Of Networked Microphones Are Tracking Drones In Ukraine[…]

Canada Moves to Ban the Flipper Zero Over Car Hacking Fears – instead of requiring good security on Cars

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On Thursday, following a summit that focused on “the growing challenge of auto theft in Canada,” the country’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry posted a statement on X, saying “Criminals have been using sophisticated tools to steal cars…Today, I announced we are banning the importation, sale and use of consumer hacking devices, like flippers, Read more about Canada Moves to Ban the Flipper Zero Over Car Hacking Fears – instead of requiring good security on Cars[…]

1/2 of all French citizens data stolen in healthcare billing breach

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Nearly half the citizens of France have had their data exposed in a massive security breach at two third-party healthcare payment servicers, the French data privacy watchdog disclosed last week. Payments outfits Viamedis and Almerys both experienced breaches of their systems in late January, the National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) revealed, leading to Read more about 1/2 of all French citizens data stolen in healthcare billing breach[…]

a 3d android logo raising one arm horizontally as seen from a diagonal facing angle. There is a square moustache on the logo where the nose should be. The Singapore skyline is in the background.

Android users in Singapore to be blocked from installing apps from 3rd parties

Posted on by Robin Edgar

SINGAPORE – Android users here will be blocked from installing apps from unverified sources, a process called sideloading, as part of a new trial by Google to crack down on malware scams. The security tool will work in the background to detect apps that demand suspicious permissions, like those that grant the ability to spy Read more about Android users in Singapore to be blocked from installing apps from 3rd parties[…]

The EU wants to criminalize AI-generated deepfakes and the non-consensual sending of intimate images

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] the European Council and Parliament have agreed with the proposal to criminalize, among other things, different types of cyber-violence. The proposed rules will criminalize the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, including deepfakes made by AI tools, which could help deter revenge porn. Cyber-stalking, online harassment, misogynous hate speech and “cyber-flashing,” or the sending of Read more about The EU wants to criminalize AI-generated deepfakes and the non-consensual sending of intimate images[…]