Europeans' health data sold to US firm run by ex-Israeli spies
from ftm.eu
653
by
Fnoord
21h ago
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Article:
21 min
The sale of Dutch cybersecurity company Zivver to American firm Kiteworks has raised concerns about the handling of sensitive European citizen's data due to the Israeli military intelligence background of its management.
Privacy concerns for European citizens, potential misuse of data by intelligence services
- Zivver was sold to Kiteworks, an American tech company with a CEO who is a former cyber specialist from an elite unit of the Israeli army.
- Various institutions in Europe and the U.K. use Zivver for confidential document exchange, but data processed by Zivver can be read by the company itself.
- European authorities did not review the acquisition due to Zivver's classification as non-critical infrastructure.
Quality:
The article presents factual information and expert opinions without a clear bias.
Discussion (392):
1 hr 13 min
The comment thread discusses concerns over privacy and data security, particularly involving companies with ties to Unit 8200 or Israeli intelligence services. There is criticism of US and EU governments for allowing foreign acquisitions that may compromise European citizens' data. The conversation also delves into the role of tech companies in surveillance practices and the effectiveness of regulations on data protection.
- Ex-Israeli spies are involved in surveillance dragnets targeting civilians.
- Israel is a national industry in online scamming and malware.
- Extradition of businessmen who scam or destroy people's computers is unlikely due to ethnic bias within the Israeli government.
Counterarguments:
- Israel's PR problems are exaggerated, especially among older generations.
- US has a similar stance on extradition as Israel does not.
- The US mindset against other jurisdictions is not accurate.
- Extradition cases can be counted on fingers and toes in the US.
Security
Cybersecurity, Privacy
Hashcards: A plain-text spaced repetition system
from borretti.me
320
by
thomascountz
16h ago
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Article:
26 min
Hashcards: A local-first spaced repetition app with markdown-based card storage
Hashcards could encourage more people to engage in spaced repetition learning, potentially improving knowledge retention and educational outcomes.
- Hashcards uses an advanced scheduling algorithm (FSRS)
- Cards are stored in markdown files for easy editing and version control with Git
- Offers a web interface for drilling flashcards
Discussion (145):
39 min
This discussion revolves around various flashcard applications and their features, with a focus on comparing Anki with alternatives like Hashcards. Users share insights into how these tools are used for diverse learning purposes, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, integration with external content, and personalization options. The conversation also touches upon the role of AI in card creation and the effectiveness of different data formats for storing flashcard information.
- Anki's data format (SQLite) can be cumbersome for collaboration
- Hashcards support for images, audio, markdown integration, and text-based format encourage community collaboration
Counterarguments:
- Anki's SQLite data format is not as complicated as perceived, and it allows for easy import from other formats
- Markdown can be limiting when dealing with complex content structures or specific formatting requirements
Software Development
Application Development, Programming Languages (Python), Data Management (Git)
AI and the ironies of automation – Part 2
from ufried.com
234
by
BinaryIgor
20h ago
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Article:
31 min
The article discusses several ironies and paradoxes in AI automation, particularly focusing on the challenges faced when humans are required to monitor and intervene in AI agent operations. It highlights issues such as the difficulty of understanding AI outputs at superhuman speed, stress-induced cognitive limitations, and the lack of effective user interfaces for human operators. The paper also touches upon training dilemmas for human supervisors and leadership skills needed when directing AI agents.
AI automation may lead to increased efficiency but also raises concerns about human oversight, job displacement, and ethical decision-making under stress.
- AI solutions often require humans to make quick decisions under stress, which can impair cognitive capacity.
- Current user interfaces for AI agents are inadequate for human operators due to the volume of information and lack of clarity.
- Training for human supervisors must be continuous and tailored to handle exceptional situations that AI agents may encounter.
- Leadership skills in directing AI agents differ from traditional human management
Quality:
The article provides a detailed analysis of the ironies and paradoxes in AI automation, supported by relevant sources.
Discussion (106):
44 min
The comment thread discusses the implications of AI agents in various domains such as manufacturing, aviation, programming, and cultural industries. Key concerns include the need for human expertise and monitoring with AI systems, potential skill atrophy due to automation, efficiency being pursued more for signaling than actual improvement, and the displacement of labor and artistic displacement caused by AI outputs.
- Automation leads to skill atrophy if not actively practiced
- Efficiency is often pursued for the sake of signaling rather than actual improvement
Counterarguments:
- AI agents can write something that's almost, but not quite entirely unlike Pytorch code
- Physical art has already grappled with being automated away with the advent of photography
- The general idea today is that the pilot puts the pointy end in the right direction and the control systems take care of the details
Artificial Intelligence
AI Ethics & Automation
GraphQL: The enterprise honeymoon is over
from johnjames.blog
228
by
johnjames4214
16h ago
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Article:
9 min
The article discusses the practical limitations of GraphQL in enterprise environments and argues that its main selling points, such as solving over-fetching issues, are often overshadowed by trade-offs like increased implementation time, worse observability, fragile caching, ID requirements, and awkward handling of binary data. The author concludes that while GraphQL has valid use cases, it is niche and may not be necessary when existing solutions already address the problems it aims to solve.
- GraphQL solves over-fetching but often moves the issue to a lower layer
- GraphQL implementation is more complex than REST BFFs
- Observability issues with GraphQL's status codes
- Caching in Apollo is fragile and requires manual wiring
- ID requirement can be a leaky abstraction for enterprise APIs
- File uploads and downloads are awkward with GraphQL
- Onboarding developers to GraphQL has a steeper learning curve compared to REST
- Error handling in GraphQL is more complex than in simple REST setups
Quality:
The article presents a balanced view of GraphQL's strengths and weaknesses in enterprise environments, supported by practical examples and comparisons with REST.
Discussion (198):
54 min
The comment thread discusses various opinions on GraphQL and REST APIs, highlighting both the benefits and challenges associated with each. Opinions vary regarding GraphQL's complexity, type safety, and ease of schema evolution compared to REST. The conversation also touches on topics like API composition, query resolution, and authentication mechanisms within the context of GraphQL.
- GraphQL offers benefits such as type safety, schema evolution ease, and API composition.
- REST APIs are often criticized for their inconsistency and complexity.
Counterarguments:
- The complexity of GraphQL's resolver composition can be overwhelming.
- REST APIs are easier to implement and understand in simpler systems.
Software Development
APIs, Enterprise Software
Shai-Hulud compromised a dev machine and raided GitHub org access: a post-mortem
from trigger.dev
227
by
nkko
23h ago
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Article:
28 min
An organization was compromised by the Shai-Hulud 2.0 worm, which targeted npm supply chain packages and led to unauthorized access of GitHub repositories. The attack timeline shows a rapid sequence of events from initial compromise to detection and response, with significant damage caused during reconnaissance and destruction phases.
This incident highlights the importance of supply chain security measures in preventing unauthorized access to sensitive repositories. It also underscores the need for continuous monitoring and robust response protocols when dealing with such attacks, potentially influencing industry standards and best practices.
- Initial compromise occurred through a malicious package installation on an engineer's development machine.
- The worm spread across multiple repositories, leading to credential theft and unauthorized access.
- 17 hours of reconnaissance before the attacker initiated destructive actions.
- Destruction phase involved force-pushes, PR closures, and branch protection rejections.
Quality:
The post provides detailed technical information and a clear narrative of the incident, with sources cited for further reading.
Discussion (141):
39 min
This comment thread discusses various security practices and concerns related to managing credentials, SSH keys, package managers, and cloud services. It highlights the importance of transparency in post-mortem analysis, the effectiveness of certain security measures like passkeys and hardware tokens, and the risks associated with silent execution of arbitrary code by package managers.
- Post-mortem analysis and transparency are beneficial for learning and improvement.
- Allowlists can help prevent certain types of attacks but may not solve all issues.
- Adding security measures like passkeys or hardware tokens enhances overall security.
Counterarguments:
- The use of package managers with silent execution of arbitrary code is criticized for potential security risks.
Security
Cybersecurity, Supply Chain Security
Claude CLI deleted my home directory and wiped my Mac
from old.reddit.com
220
by
tamnd
10h ago
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Article:
An accidental deletion of a user's entire home directory on macOS using the Claude CLI resulted in loss of files such as desktop, documents, downloads, keychain, and application support data.
This incident highlights the importance of user caution when using command line tools, especially on macOS where home directories are critical for storing personal data.
- Claude CLI deletion command included user's home directory path
Quality:
The article provides factual information and does not express personal opinions.
Discussion (179):
38 min
The comment thread discusses the risks and challenges associated with using AI tools, particularly those that offer dangerous permissions. Users emphasize the importance of sandboxing, responsible usage, and maintaining backup systems to mitigate potential unintended consequences. The conversation highlights horror stories related to AI tool misuse but also acknowledges the benefits these tools can provide when used carefully.
- The use of AI tools can be risky and unpredictable without proper safeguards like sandboxing.
- Sandboxing is crucial for managing the risks associated with AI tools to prevent unintended consequences.
- Users should be cautious and responsible when using AI tools, especially those that have dangerous permissions.
Counterarguments:
- Some users argue that the benefits outweigh the risks, especially in terms of time-saving and convenience.
- Others suggest that the risk assessment is overly pessimistic or not applicable to their specific use cases.
Software Development
Command Line Tools, Mac OS
2002: Last.fm and Audioscrobbler Herald the Social Web
from cybercultural.com
192
by
cdrnsf
12h ago
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Article:
15 min
In 2002, Last.fm and Audioscrobbler independently developed music recommendation systems using collaborative filtering, signaling the emergence of social web elements before its formal arrival in 2004.
The development of these systems laid the groundwork for social media platforms and personalized content discovery, influencing user behavior on the web.
- Last.fm was founded by Austrian and German students from Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication in London.
- Audioscrobbler, a project started by Richard Jones at the University of Southampton, used 'audioscrobbling' to track songs listened to for recommendations.
- Both systems utilized collaborative filtering to create song recommendations based on user listening histories.
- The emergence of these systems hinted at the development of social web services that would allow users to discover new content and communities by following others.
Discussion (121):
19 min
The comment thread discusses the evolution of music discovery platforms like Last.fm, the transition to open-source alternatives such as ListenBrainz and Tapmusic, nostalgia for the old Last.fm experience, and the comparison between human and algorithmic music recommendations.
- Last.fm still has a loyal user base
- Users are transitioning to alternative platforms like ListenBrainz and Tapmusic
Counterarguments:
- Criticism about the lack of human interaction in music discovery through algorithms
Internet
Web Development, Social Media
Adafruit: Arduino’s Rules Are ‘Incompatible With Open Source’
from thenewstack.io
175
by
MilnerRoute
15h ago
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Article:
1 hr 5 min
Adafruit criticizes Arduino's new terms and conditions for being incompatible with open-source principles, particularly regarding restrictions on reverse engineering cloud tools, perpetual licenses over user-uploaded content, and broad monitoring for AI-related features. Arduino defends its changes, stating that the restrictions apply only to its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud applications, not to hardware boards or open-source firmware and libraries.
Open-source communities may reconsider their support for Arduino, potentially affecting its reputation within the tech industry.
- Adafruit argues that Arduino’s new terms threaten open principles by restricting reverse engineering of cloud tools, asserting perpetual licenses over user uploads and implementing broad monitoring for AI-related features.
- The debate centers on whether Arduino’s new terms represent a turning point since its founding in 2004.
Quality:
The article provides a balanced view of both sides' arguments and includes direct quotes from the companies involved.
Discussion (87):
19 min
This comment thread discusses concerns about Arduino's shift towards proprietary services and its potential impact on the open-source spirit, alongside comparisons of alternative platforms like ESP8266, ESP32, Raspberry Pi Pico, and RP2040 for ease of use and development experience. The discussion also touches upon the role of open-source hardware and software in education and hobbyist projects.
- Arduino's shift towards proprietary services is a concern for its commitment to open source.
- Alternative platforms offer better development experience compared to Arduino.
Counterarguments:
- Arguments defending Arduino's open-source nature and its role as an educational tool.
- Criticism towards Adafruit for potentially misleading claims about Arduino's compatibility issues.
Hardware
Open Source, Tech Culture