Squire1039

The Green Alley Award is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It's a European award that recognizes and supports startups focused on the circular economy, aiming to reduce waste and resource consumption.

The article highlights the award's achievements over the past decade. It showcases examples of past winners who developed innovative solutions like reusable packaging and bioplastics. This year, the award offers a €25,000 prize and the chance for finalists to network with potential investors and collaborators.

The article emphasizes the growing importance of circular economy solutions as we face resource limitations and climate change. Research suggests that transitioning to a circular economy could significantly reduce our reliance on raw materials. The Green Alley Award plays a role in fostering innovation and progress in this crucial area.

Summary:

• US courts have received over 130 requests from law enforcement to access push notification data from phones, reported the Washington Post.
• This data can reveal a user's location, device details, IP address, and more, even if they use encrypted messaging apps.
• This raises concerns about privacy, as prosecutors and foreign governments could potentially access this data for various reasons.
• While Apple and Google are promising more transparency regarding data requests, security experts highlight the potential for abuse by governments and marketing organizations.

Key Points:

• Push notification metadata includes information like the app receiving the notification, timestamp, and network details.
• This data is not encrypted and can be used to track user movements and activity.
• Law enforcement can use this data for investigations, but it also raises concerns about potential misuse by other parties.
• Experts recommend increased awareness about the information users share through push notifications and the potential privacy risks involved.

A security breach exposed two-factor authentication (2FA) codes/password reset links for millions of users on platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok.

Key Points:

• YX International, an SMS routing company, left an internal database exposed online without a password.
• The database contained one-time 2FA codes and password reset links for various tech giants.
• YX International secured the database and claims to have "sealed the vulnerability."
• The company wouldn't confirm how long the database was exposed or if anyone else accessed it.
• Representatives from Meta, Google, and TikTok haven't commented yet.

Concerns:

• This leak highlights the vulnerabilities of SMS-based 2FA compared to app-based methods.
• The lack of information regarding the leak's duration and potential access by others raises concerns.

Gemini Recommendations:

• Consider switching to app-based 2FA for increased security.
• Be cautious of suspicious communications and avoid clicking unknown links.
• Stay informed about potential security breaches affecting your online accounts.

Haha, brand new company with MD5 password hashes. Maybe they oughta consult about securities with their/other AIs more often. Hopefully, nobody did anything naughty on the site.

Other links on the story:

• https://cybernews.com/security/ai-editing-service-leaks-images-customer-data/
• https://www.hackread.com/ai-image-editing-tool-cutout-data-leak/

Scammers hacked the late actor Matthew Perry's Twitter account and posted a fake plea for cryptocurrency donations in the name of his foundation. The foundation confirmed the post was a scam and urged people not to donate.

The article details several possibilities for how the account may have been compromised, highlighting the importance of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication for securing social media accounts, especially for celebrities with large followings.

From: https://www.tumblr.com/memeuplift/732625248536723456/2024-chevrolet-trax?source=share

This article warns users about Android banking trojans, a type of malware that steals online banking credentials and drains accounts.

Key points:

• Prevalence: These trojans are disguised as legitimate apps and pose a serious threat to Android users, with Malwarebytes detecting over 88,500 in 2023 alone.
• Deception: They often masquerade as everyday apps like fitness trackers or QR readers or productivity or photography tools, making them difficult to identify.
• Permissions Requests: Once installed, they request permissions like accessing photos or files, but use them to steal login details.
• Sneaky Tactics: Some even hide their app icon on the home screen and download additional malware later, bypassing Google Play's security measures.
• End Goal: Their ultimate aim is to steal your banking information and use it to make unauthorized money transfers.

The article emphasizes that vigilance is crucial, as these trojans are becoming increasingly sophisticated. It also references a recent Anatsa Trojan: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/this-nasty-new-android-malware-can-easily-bypass-google-play-security-and-its-already-been-downloaded-thousands-of-times

This article describes a new study using AI to identify sex differences in the brain with over 90% accuracy.

Key findings:

• An AI model successfully distinguished between male and female brains based on scans, suggesting inherent sex-based brain variations.
• The model focused on specific brain networks like the default mode, striatum, and limbic networks, potentially linked to cognitive functions and behaviors.
• These findings could lead to personalized medicine approaches by considering sex differences in developing treatments for brain disorders.

Additional points:

• The study may help settle a long-standing debate about the existence of reliable sex differences in the brain.
• Previous research failed to find consistent brain indicators of sex.
• Researchers emphasize that the study doesn't explain the cause of these differences.
• The research team plans to make the AI model publicly available for further research on brain-behavior connections.

Overall, the study highlights the potential of AI in uncovering previously undetectable brain differences with potential implications for personalized medicine.

Researchers at Guardio Labs discovered a vast campaign hijacking thousands of subdomains belonging to well-known brands (MSN, VMware, McAfee, The Economist, Cornell University, CBS, Marvel, eBay, etc.).

The attackers use these compromised subdomains to send millions of spammy and malicious emails daily, bypassing security measures by leveraging the trust associated with the hijacked brands.

Here's how it works:

• Attackers hijack subdomains of established brands through various methods like complex DNS manipulation and exploiting abandoned domains.
• They manipulate the hijacked subdomains' SPF records to make emails appear as if they originated from the legitimate brands.
• These emails often contain deceptive content like fake cloud storage warnings, phishing attempts, or misleading advertisements.

The campaign is alarming for several reasons:

• The scale: Over 8,000 domains have been compromised, and the number is growing.
• The potential harm: Millions of spam and malicious emails are being sent daily.

Key Points

• Arnav Kapur developed AlterEgo, a headset that allows users to search the internet using thought
• The device picks up brain signals associated with words and uses them to query the internet
• It can answer questions, solve math problems, and access information discreetly and silently.
• Beyond personal use, it aims to help people with speech disorders like ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and MS (multiple sclerosis).

Media Lab Links

• https://www.media.mit.edu/articles/a-breakthrough-device-that-combines-mind-and-machine/
• https://www.media.mit.edu/articles/an-mit-researcher-demonstrated-how-we-can-now-search-the-internet-through-a-wearable-sticker/

This means:

• Downloading or updating the Assistant app now gives you Gemini instead.
• You can switch back to Assistant in the Gemini app settings.
• This might be Google's first step towards replacing Assistant completely with Gemini.
• Some users are unaware of the switch and see two Gemini apps on their phones.

Overall, this may suggest Google is phasing out Assistant and transitioning users to the newer Gemini AI technology.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is urging people to take action against the renewal of Section 702, a law that allows the NSA to conduct mass surveillance on US citizens.

Key points:

• Section 702, originally intended for targeted overseas surveillance, is seen as enabling mass domestic spying.
• EFF wants reforms and increased transparency before renewal.
• They are selling "NSA Spying" shirts to raise awareness and funds for their fight.
• You can also contact your representatives to oppose the renewal.

Call to action:

• Buy a shirt to show support.
• Contact your representatives.
• Donate to EFF.