Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Popular：

Virtualization DNS security formal verification reachability analysis compiler errors macro conflict web extension development framework Bitmap Graphics API inconsistencies All Tags

Unencrypted Radio Signals Expose Central European Power Grid to Catastrophic Attack

2025-01-25

Unencrypted Radio Signals Expose Central European Power Grid to Catastrophic Attack

Researchers have discovered that renewable energy facilities across Central Europe use unencrypted radio signals to control power distribution, leaving the entire grid vulnerable to a potential catastrophic attack. By replaying or forging signals, attackers could manipulate numerous power facilities, potentially causing widespread blackouts. While the feasibility of such an attack is debated, the vulnerability highlights the urgent need to upgrade existing systems and improve security.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech energy infrastructure

Physics Uncovers Critical Tipping Points in Chess Matches

2025-01-24

Physics Uncovers Critical Tipping Points in Chess Matches

Physicist Marc Barthelemy analyzed over 20,000 top-level chess games using interaction graphs to reveal crucial tipping points. Treating chess as a complex system, he measured the 'betweenness centrality' and 'fragility scores' of chess pieces to predict game outcomes. The fragility score of key pieces rises about eight moves before a critical turning point and remains high for approximately 15 moves afterward, revealing a universal pattern across players and openings. This research offers fresh insights into the complex dynamics of chess and provides new avenues for AI and machine learning.

(arstechnica.com)

AI

FBI's Warrantless Searches Deemed Unconstitutional, Sparking Calls for Section 702 Reform

2025-01-24

FBI's Warrantless Searches Deemed Unconstitutional, Sparking Calls for Section 702 Reform

A US court ruled that the FBI's warrantless searches of communications, conducted under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), violate the Fourth Amendment. The ruling stems from a case involving 3.4 million warrantless searches in 2021. While the judge acknowledged potential exceptions for national security emergencies, the decision emphasizes that the government cannot circumvent warrant requirements simply because data is already held. This ruling reignites calls for Section 702 reform, with digital rights groups urging Congress to mandate warrants for searching US persons' data and increase transparency to protect civil liberties.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Fourth Amendment

Trump Administration Orders End to Federal Remote Work

2025-01-24

Trump Administration Orders End to Federal Remote Work

President Trump issued an executive order mandating all federal agencies to terminate remote work arrangements within 30 days, forcing employees back to in-person work. This move addresses the high vacancy rate in federal offices stemming from pandemic-era remote work, citing economic losses and a "national embarrassment." While some exceptions are allowed, the order is considered forceful and has sparked controversy.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech federal government

Stealthy VPN Backdoor Uses 'Magic Packets' to Evade Detection

2025-01-24

Stealthy VPN Backdoor Uses 'Magic Packets' to Evade Detection

Researchers uncovered a novel backdoor, dubbed J-Magic, infecting dozens of enterprise VPNs running Juniper's Junos OS. This backdoor leverages 'magic packets' embedded within normal TCP traffic, activating only upon receiving specific data patterns. To prevent unauthorized access, J-Magic employs an RSA encryption challenge-response mechanism. Its in-memory operation further hinders detection. The backdoor has been found in 36 organizations across various industries, including semiconductor, energy, manufacturing, and IT. The origin of the infection remains unknown.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Backdoor

A Song of Ice and Fire Author Co-Authors Physics Paper

2025-01-23

A Song of Ice and Fire Author Co-Authors Physics Paper

George R.R. Martin, author of *A Song of Ice and Fire*, has co-authored a physics paper with a physicist from Los Alamos National Laboratory. The paper models the fictional virus from Martin's *Wild Cards* series, explaining the distribution of superpowers and mutations. While not a perfect representation, the model offers a unique pedagogical exercise, demonstrating how seemingly intractable problems can be transformed into analyzable dynamic systems for physics education.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Science Fiction George R.R. Martin

Trump Admin Dismantles Cybersecurity Board Investigating Major Chinese Hack

2025-01-23

Trump Admin Dismantles Cybersecurity Board Investigating Major Chinese Hack

The Trump administration dissolved the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity Safety Review Board (CSRB), which was investigating a significant cyberattack by the Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon on major US telecom firms. This move has sparked controversy, with Democrats accusing the administration of stacking the board with loyalists to hinder the investigation into Salt Typhoon. DHS countered that the board was pursuing agendas detrimental to national security. The hack reportedly compromised communications data of Trump, the Vice President, and other government officials.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Chinese hacking

Florida Man's High-Fat Diet Leads to Cholesterol Crisis

2025-01-22

Florida Man's High-Fat Diet Leads to Cholesterol Crisis

A Florida man's high-fat carnivore diet, consisting of pounds of cheese, butter, and hamburgers, resulted in a cholesterol level exceeding 1000 mg/dL—far above the healthy range. This led to lipids oozing from his blood vessels, forming visible yellow nodules on his skin, a condition called xanthelasma. His case, published in JAMA Cardiology, highlights the dangers of extreme high-fat diets and the importance of managing hypercholesterolemia to prevent serious health complications.

(arstechnica.com)

Health high cholesterol carnivore diet xanthelasma

Mars Dichotomy Boundary Eroded Hundreds of Kilometers

2025-01-21

Mars Dichotomy Boundary Eroded Hundreds of Kilometers

New research suggests Mars' iconic dichotomy boundary, separating the higher southern hemisphere from the lower northern one, may have receded hundreds of kilometers due to water erosion. Researchers analyzed data from the Mars Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, finding that thousands of buttes and mesas near Mawrth Vallis, situated at the dichotomy boundary, share a similar height with a nearby higher-elevation plateau, indicating they are remnants of a larger plateau eroded away. This massive erosion suggests an active water cycle early in Mars' history, consistent with the theory of a northern ocean but also potentially caused by other hydrological processes like ice cap melting. The finding offers new clues about early Martian climate and geological evolution, adding to evidence for a past ocean but also raising new questions.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Mars hydrological cycle

Deep Earth Life: More Diverse Than We Thought

2025-01-20

Deep Earth Life: More Diverse Than We Thought

New research is reshaping our understanding of life's distribution on Earth. Scientists have discovered that the diversity of microbes deep beneath the surface rivals, and sometimes surpasses, that of rainforests and coral reefs. These microbes thrive in extremely low-energy environments, flourishing even at depths where energy supply is far lower than for surface organisms. Researchers suggest subsurface ecosystems may host more than half of all microbial cells. This finding not only deepens our understanding of Earth's life forms but also offers new perspectives on the search for extraterrestrial life.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech deep life microbial diversity

Pulitzer-Winning Cartoonist Arrested for AI-Generated CSAM

2025-01-18

Pulitzer-Winning Cartoonist Arrested for AI-Generated CSAM

Under a new California law targeting AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell was arrested for possessing 134 CSAM videos. The law, effective January 1st, criminalizes AI-generated CSAM even without a real victim, citing the inherent harm and revictimization of those depicted in the training data. Police traced the files to Bell's account, marking the Sacramento Valley ICAC's first arrest for AI-generated CSAM. This case highlights the emerging legal and ethical challenges posed by AI-generated content in the context of child exploitation.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech CSAM Law

RedNote's Dilemma: A Flood of 'TikTok Refugees' and the Threat of US Influence

2025-01-17

RedNote's Dilemma: A Flood of 'TikTok Refugees' and the Threat of US Influence

The impending US ban on TikTok has sent millions of users flocking to RedNote, a Chinese social media platform. However, this influx presents a challenge. To prevent US users from influencing its Chinese user base, RedNote may soon segregate users, sparking controversy. This move risks cutting off Chinese-Americans from Chinese culture and information, while simultaneously highlighting China's long-standing concerns about Western social media influence – a situation ironically mirroring the US's planned TikTok ban. RedNote's unexpected popularity has caught it off guard, forcing it to scramble to moderate English content and build translation tools.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

AT&T Pulls 5G Home Internet from NY Over Affordable Broadband Law

2025-01-17

AT&T has ceased offering its 5G home internet service in New York State in response to a new law mandating affordable broadband plans for low-income residents. The Affordable Broadband Act, implemented after a lengthy legal battle, requires ISPs to offer $15/25Mbps or $20/200Mbps plans to eligible households. AT&T argues the price regulations make further investment in the state uneconomical. Existing customers will have a 45-day grace period. This decision highlights the ongoing tension between telecom companies' profitability and the need for accessible broadband access.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech New York

Microsoft Patches Critical Windows Secure Boot Vulnerability

2025-01-16

Microsoft Patches Critical Windows Secure Boot Vulnerability

Microsoft has patched a critical vulnerability that allowed attackers to bypass Windows Secure Boot. The vulnerability, present in system recovery software from multiple vendors, involved a mis-signed UEFI application that allowed malicious firmware to be installed before the OS even loads. The patch revokes the problematic signature. The status of Linux systems remains unclear.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

AI Designs Proteins to Neutralize Snake Venom

2025-01-16

AI Designs Proteins to Neutralize Snake Venom

Researchers, including Nobel laureate David Baker, used AI to design novel proteins that inhibit certain snake venom toxins. Employing AI tools like RFdiffusion and ProteinMPNN, they created proteins that bind to 'three-finger toxins' found in snake venom. AlphaFold2 and Rosetta software predicted the binding strength. Experiments showed the designed proteins effectively protected mice from neurotoxins, suggesting a new approach to antivenom development. However, inhibitors targeting a different toxin that disrupts cell membranes proved ineffective, highlighting gaps in our understanding of protein-membrane interactions.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Biotechnology

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Achieves Orbit on Maiden Flight

2025-01-16

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Achieves Orbit on Maiden Flight

After several delays, Blue Origin's massive New Glenn rocket successfully launched and reached orbit. The launch overcame engine chilling issues and a boat that strayed into the restricted zone. While the first stage booster failed to return to Earth, this marks Blue Origin's first-ever orbital flight in nearly 25 years of existence, a monumental achievement for the private space industry. This success is a major win for Blue Origin and its founder Jeff Bezos, injecting new hope into the future of space exploration.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Orbital Flight

Startup Necromancy: Exploiting Abandoned Google Apps Domains

2025-01-15

Startup Necromancy: Exploiting Abandoned Google Apps Domains

A security researcher discovered a critical vulnerability: improperly shutting down Google Workspace accounts leaves defunct startup domains vulnerable. New owners can reactivate former employees' Google accounts, granting access to third-party services (Slack, ChatGPT, Zoom, etc.) accessed via Google OAuth. Sensitive data, including tax documents and internal communications, becomes exposed. Google initially dismissed it, but after the researcher's Shmoocon presentation, they reevaluated, offering a bounty. This highlights the risk of insufficient account closure procedures and potential weaknesses within OAuth authentication.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

MIT's All-Optical AI Chip Achieves 58x Speedup

2025-01-15

MIT's All-Optical AI Chip Achieves 58x Speedup

Researchers at MIT have developed an all-optical AI chip that processes information directly using photons, bypassing the digitization step for a massive speed boost. Achieving a latency of 410 picoseconds, it's 58 times faster than a standard CPU. This breakthrough involves implementing a complete deep neural network on a photonic chip, including both linear matrix operations and non-linear thresholding functions – a challenge previously faced by photonic computing. While currently limited in parameter count, this technology promises applications in low-latency fields like autonomous driving and advanced automotive vision systems.

(arstechnica.com)

AI photonic computing AI chip

Allstate Sued for Secretly Tracking Drivers via GasBuddy and Other Apps

2025-01-14

Allstate Sued for Secretly Tracking Drivers via GasBuddy and Other Apps

Texas is suing Allstate, alleging the insurance company and its data subsidiary Arity used data from apps like GasBuddy and Life360 to secretly track drivers and adjust or cancel policies. The lawsuit claims Allstate paid millions to these apps to install tracking software, collecting trillions of miles of location data from over 45 million people, violating Texas' Data Privacy and Security Act. This marks the first-ever state action targeting comprehensive data privacy violations, raising serious concerns about data privacy in the insurance industry.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech insurance app tracking

Blue Origin Delays New Glenn Launch Again

2025-01-14

Blue Origin Delays New Glenn Launch Again

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launch, initially scheduled for Tuesday morning, was scrubbed due to ice buildup in a purge line on an auxiliary power unit. A second attempt was planned for early Tuesday, but was ultimately postponed until Thursday morning due to unfavorable weather conditions (70% chance) and a scheduling conflict with another rocket launch.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech rocket launch

NZ Sheep Farmer Predicted AI Doom 161 Years Ago

2025-01-14

NZ Sheep Farmer Predicted AI Doom 161 Years Ago

In 1863, New Zealand sheep farmer Samuel Butler penned a letter predicting a future where AI could dominate humanity. Drawing parallels between the rapid advancement of machinery and Darwinian evolution, he envisioned machines evolving consciousness and supplanting humans as Earth's dominant species. His concerns, including machine consciousness, self-replication, and humanity losing control of its creations, resonate in later works like Asimov's *The Evitable Conflict* and *The Matrix*. Butler's prescient warnings, made in a time with almost no computing technology, highlight enduring anxieties about AI safety and strikingly mirror current concerns about advanced AI's potential risks.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

$765M Bitcoin Landfill Dig Fails: Judge Rules Against Man

2025-01-14

$765M Bitcoin Landfill Dig Fails: Judge Rules Against Man

A British man, James Howells, lost his 11-year legal battle to excavate a landfill site in search of a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins, now worth $765 million. A judge ruled against Howells, citing environmental concerns and legal precedents stating the landfill owns all deposited waste. The claim was also barred by the statute of limitations. Howells, who claims the hard drive was mistakenly discarded, expressed disappointment, calling the ruling a miscarriage of justice.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech bitcoin environmental concerns

NY's $15 Broadband Law Takes Effect After ISP Defeat

2025-01-13

NY's $15 Broadband Law Takes Effect After ISP Defeat

New York's Affordable Broadband Act, requiring ISPs to offer low-cost plans to low-income residents, is now in effect after a lengthy legal battle. Following a Supreme Court decision against industry challenges, the law mandates $15 or $20 monthly plans with varying speeds. The law aims to bridge the digital divide, particularly after a federal program expired, leaving millions without subsidized internet. Small ISPs may seek exemptions, while larger providers face penalties for non-compliance.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech broadband low-income

Google's Messaging Mayhem: A 16-Year History of Chaos and Failure

2025-01-13

Google's Messaging Mayhem: A 16-Year History of Chaos and Failure

From Google Talk in 2005 to Google Chat in 2021, Google's messaging app history is a rollercoaster of launches, shutdowns, and missed opportunities. This article chronicles the rise and fall of numerous Google messaging platforms, highlighting a lack of consistent strategy and top-down leadership. The constant churn of products, from Google Talk and Hangouts to Allo and Duo, resulted in fragmented user bases and ultimately, no dominant messaging app. Google’s inability to commit to a single, well-funded product contrasts sharply with competitors like Facebook and Apple, showcasing the high cost of Google's inconsistent approach. The article concludes by questioning Google’s future prospects in the messaging space.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Messaging Apps Product Strategy

Chrome Extension Store Flooded with Keyword-Stuffing Spam

2025-01-12

Chrome Extension Store Flooded with Keyword-Stuffing Spam

A security researcher uncovered a widespread abuse of Google's Chrome Web Store. Hundreds of extensions are manipulating search results by cramming tens of thousands of irrelevant keywords into their descriptions, often hidden within lesser-used language translations. This allows malicious or low-quality extensions to rank highly for popular searches, even pushing legitimate extensions down the results. The researcher highlighted the ease with which this manipulation is performed and the apparent lack of Google's monitoring efforts, raising concerns about the platform's security.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech keyword stuffing web security

Microsoft Sues Service for Generating Illicit Content with its AI Platform

2025-01-11

Microsoft Sues Service for Generating Illicit Content with its AI Platform

Microsoft is suing three individuals and seven customers for running a service that generated harmful and illicit content using Microsoft's AI platform. The defendants developed tools to bypass Microsoft's safety measures, using compromised legitimate user accounts to create a fee-based platform. Operating from July to September 2024, the service used undocumented APIs and stolen API keys to generate illegal content, including pornography and violent materials. Microsoft's lawsuit cites multiple legal violations and seeks an injunction and damages.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

Mysterious Metal Ring Falls to Earth in Kenya: Space Junk or Something Else?

2025-01-10

Mysterious Metal Ring Falls to Earth in Kenya: Space Junk or Something Else?

A large, glowing metal ring fell from the sky in Kenya, sparking global intrigue. While the Kenyan Space Agency initially identified it as rocket debris, space trackers have struggled to find supporting evidence. Leading experts like Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Marco Langbroek have explored various possibilities, but a definitive answer remains elusive. The half-ton ring's origin is a mystery, raising concerns about untracked space debris and the limitations of current tracking capabilities.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech space debris mystery Kenya

How I Program with LLMs: A Year of Experience

2025-01-10

How I Program with LLMs: A Year of Experience

A seasoned programmer shares his experiences using large language models (LLMs) for programming over the past year. He categorizes LLM usage into three areas: autocomplete, code search, and chat-driven programming. He found significant productivity gains from autocomplete and code search. Chat-driven programming, while requiring adaptation, significantly speeds up code writing, especially for complex environments and rapid prototyping. He emphasizes that LLMs excel at well-defined tasks and stresses the importance of compiling and testing LLM-generated code. He also introduces sketch.dev, a tool his team is building to provide a streamlined LLM-integrated development environment for Go programmers.

(arstechnica.com)

Development Developer Productivity

CES 2025 TVs: More AI Gimmicks Than Real Improvements

2025-01-10

CES 2025 TVs: More AI Gimmicks Than Real Improvements

At CES 2025, TV manufacturers showcased AI-powered smart TVs, but Ars Technica's author expresses disappointment. Many touted AI features, such as LG's AI remote lacking a direct input switching button and Samsung's AI food recognition, prioritize corporate interests over user needs. Google TV's Gemini-enhanced Assistant also raises questions about practicality and potential subscription fees. The author argues that the industry's focus on software and data collection overshadows hardware improvements and user experience, forcing consumers to pay for largely useless features. Ultimately, many consumers simply desire TVs with superior picture and sound quality, a goal increasingly difficult to achieve without navigating through excessive gimmicks.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Smart TVs

Google Loses Privacy Lawsuit, Headed to Trial

2025-01-09

A federal judge refused Google's motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging privacy violations. The suit claims Google collected data from users who opted out of its Web & App Activity (WAA) tracking, even sending data to third-party developers via Google Analytics for Firebase (GA4F). The judge ruled a jury could reasonably find Google profited from this misappropriation of data, setting a trial for August 2025. Google maintains its practices are lawful, but the ruling highlights ongoing challenges for tech companies balancing data collection and user privacy.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Data Collection

← Previous 1 2 3 Next →