Author Archive

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/10/crypto-failure-cripples-millions-of-high-security-keys-750k-estonian-ids/  A crippling flaw in a widely used code library has fatally undermined the security of millions of encryption keys used in some of the highest-stakes settings, including national identity cards, software- and application-signing, and trusted platform modules protecting government and corporate computers. The weakness allows attackers to calculate the private portion of any vulnerable key →

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/10/severe-flaw-in-wpa2-protocol-leaves-wi-fi-traffic-open-to-eavesdropping/ An air of unease set into the security circles on Sunday as they prepared for the disclosure of high-severe vulnerabilities in the Wi-Fi Protected Access II protocol that make it possible for attackers to eavesdrop Wi-Fi traffic passing between computers and access points.  There is a proof-of-concept exploit called KRACK, short for Key Reinstallation Attacks. KRACK →

http://www.iflscience.com/space/a-huge-new-gravitational-waves-announcement-is-happening-on-monday/  In the space of just a few weeks, the LIGO and VIRGO collaborations have announced the fourth detection of gravitational waves and three of their most prominent physicists received a Nobel Prize for their work. And on Monday they will announce something new.  →

https://www.troyhunt.com/what-would-it-look-like-if-we-put-warnings-on-iot-devices-like-we-do-cigarette-packets/  So how would warning labels on IoT devices that have had serious security vulnerabilities look?   Hilarious and also so needed. “Intrusions can occur anywhere”…  Or maybe it doesn’t need to be tech/legalspeak. WARNING! This connects to the INTERNET and BAD THINGS may happen! →

https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/consumer-electronics/audiovideo/mit-shows-how-smartphones-could-peek-around-corners  Magically seeing around corners to spot moving people or objects may not rank first in most people’s superhero daydreams. But MIT researchers have shown how they could someday bestow that superpower upon anyone with a smartphone. Their secret to peeking around corners is detecting slight differences in light patterns reflected from moving objects or →

https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/the-smarter-grid/should-a-devastated-caribbean-leap-forward-to-renewable-power-and-microgrids  After the destruction inflicted across the Caribbean by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, renewable energy advocates are calling for a rethink of the region’s devastated power systems. Renewables advocates argue that the island grids should leapfrog into the future by interconnecting hundreds or thousands of self-sufficient solar microgrids. Some power system experts, however, say the solar-plus-batteries →

https://blog.hackster.io/ten-years-of-the-lilypad-arduino-2f5a949f76d2  The LilyPad Arduino was designed for e-textiles and wearables projects. It along with an accompanying collection of power supplies, sensors, and actuators share unique design with large conductive sew tabs around the edges. These allow the boards to be sewn onto fabrics, and soft surfaces, using conductive thread to build working circuits. Essentially it’s a specially →

Today is a special day: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th  Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which can be the case at least once every year, and up to three times a year. The superstition surrounding this day may have arisen in the Middle →

https://www.thepoke.co.uk/2017/10/12/17-japanese-mascots-getting-stuck-things/  Japan has hundreds of mascots, or Yuru-chara, to promote companies, local culture, history or produce. It’s not an easy life, especially if you’re using public transport… but you might find some of the pictures of those occasions funny. →

http://tech.newstatesman.com/news/conscious-machines-way-off  Breakthroughs in narrow AI, no progress towards general AI. I think he’s a bit optimistic on self-driving cars, at least for Finnish winter driving  “We’re beginning to get there with better ideas about the brain, but all the progress in AI over the last decade which is real and exciting has been on narrow →