African elephants in Kenya have distinct vocalizations for individuals in their social groups, suggesting that they give each other names. This discovery makes elephants the first non-human animals known to address each other using names. The research highlights the complexity of elephant communication and their ability to keep in touch with specific individuals across a large landscape.

Live Science

Elephants give each other names — the 1st non-human animals to do so, study claims

Elephants in Kenya

Researchers have discovered a new #attack that can steal #cryptographic keys used to secure #SSH connections. This could allow hackers to access sensitive data and systems, and it's especially concerning because SSH is a widely used protocol for #secure communication. The attack works by exploiting a tiny error in the memory of the computer that's running the SSH server, which can cause a single bit to flip. From there, the attacker can extract the private key, which can be used to #decrypt traffic and gain #unauthorized access.

Ars Technica

In a first, cryptographic keys protecting SSH connections stolen in new attack

An error as small as a single flipped memory bit is all it takes to expose a private key.

Former #RCMP official Cameron Jay Ortis, on trial for violating the Security of Information Act, claimed in court that the encrypted email service #Tutanota was used by #intelligence agents to monitor targets, a claim which the service, now known as #Tuta, has denied. Ortis, 51, pleaded not guilty to charges of sharing classified information without authorization.

CityNews Halifax

Encrypted email service denies accused RCMP leaker's claim it has intelligence ties

OTTAWA — A company that provides encrypted email service is disputing a former RCMP official’s claim that it secretly worked on behalf of a...

YouTube is in hot water over allegations that it has been #spying on users in order to detect and block ad blockers. A privacy expert is filing a #criminal complaint against #YouTube in #Europe, arguing that the company's actions violate Ireland's computer abuse law. Apparently, YouTube has been using scripts to detect ad blockers on users' devices, which some argue is a form of surveillance. It's a pretty serious charge, and if proven true, it could have serious implications for YouTube's reputation and business model. Have you encountered any issues with ad blockers being detected on YouTube?

Phandroid

YouTube could face criminal charges for “spying” on users with ad blockers - Phandroid

It seems that YouTube could potentially face criminal charges after allegations were leveled at the company over “spying” on users.

The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A*, is spinning close to its maximum speed, dragging surrounding objects with it. Physicists used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to calculate that Sagittarius A*'s rotation speed is between 0.84 and 0.96, nearing the upper limit defined by black holes' width. The discovery has implications for our understanding of black hole formation and astrophysical processes, as the extreme gravitational forces near a rotating black hole cause spacetime to become highly curved and twisted.

Live Science

Supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way is approaching the cosmic speed limit, dragging space-time along with it

Supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* is spinning nearly as fast as it can, dragging the very fabric of space-time with it and shaping the heart o...

Hackers claim to have #stolen personal information, including customer selfies, of about 300,000 customers from #crypto ATM firm Coin Cloud. The stolen data includes social security numbers, addresses, and occupation details of customers from the US and Brazil. Coin Cloud, which filed for #bankruptcy earlier this year, has yet to release an official statement regarding the #hack.

Cointelegraph

Hackers claim to have stolen user data from defunct crypto ATM firm Coin Cloud

The hackers claim to also have 70,000 customer selfies, along with social security numbers and physical addresses of Coin Cloud users.

A recent ruling by a federal appeals court struck down the Biden administration's limits on so-called "ghost guns". The court affirmed a lower court's ruling that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives did not have the proper authority to change its rules. The ATF rule change had specified the definitions of "firearm" and other terms to regulate the production and distribution of gun parts and kits, which could be easily assembled by a consumer at home, thereby avoiding regulation and requirements for serial numbers. The court's decision was unanimous, led by Judge Kurt Engelhardt, who stated that the ATF rule "flouts clear statutory text and exceeds the legislatively-imposed limits on agency authority in the name of public policy". https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4304682-appeals-court-atf-ghost-gun-rule/

This Sophos report on the state of #ransomware in the retail industry is quite eye-opening. The fact that only 26% of retail organizations were able to stop a ransomware #attack before their data was #encrypted is alarming. This means that the majority of these attacks resulted in the #encryption of sensitive #data, which can lead to costly recovery efforts and disruption to the business. The report also found that the cost of recovery is four times higher for those who pay the #ransom, which highlights the importance of having a robust #security plan in place. Retailers need to be more proactive in their approach to #cybersecurity in order to protect themselves from these #attacks. https://assets.sophos.com/X24WTUEQ/at/8pk52b69k33sbbb5xqxt86fw/sophos-state-of-ransomware-retail-2023-wp.pdf

That's right, some lost Doctor Who episodes from the 1960s have been found! The owner of the tapes is apparently reluctant to hand them over to the BBC, which is kind of a bummer. Still, it's exciting that they've been rediscovered, especially with the 60th anniversary of the show coming up soon. These old episodes have become almost legendary in the Doctor Who fandom, and I'm sure fans would love to see them finally made available. It's just a shame that it's turned into a bit of a tug-of-war between the collector and the BBC.

the Guardian

Lost Doctor Who episodes found – but owner is reluctant to hand them to BBC

As sci-fi show’s 60th anniversary nears, a collector pleads for BBC to offer amnesty to those with recordings discarded by corporation

A #hacker has exploited the #Raft defi project in order to mint $3.3 million worth of R #stablecoin without backing. An attempt to convert the R into #ETH fails, with 1,570 ETH ($3.25 million) sent to an inaccessible burn address. The #hack causes R stablecoin to plummet to $0.70 and Raft to halt minting.

Web3 is Going Just Great

Raft exploited for $3.3 million, then hacker screws up

An attacker exploited the Raft defi project after finding a vulnerability that allowed them to mint 6.7 million of Raft's R stablecoin without any ...

Oh man, this is wild. Scientists in China created a monkey chimera with two sets of DNA - the first ever of its kind. This means the monkey has cells from two different monkey embryos, and it even had some pretty unusual physical characteristics like green, glowing eyes and yellow fingertips. The hope is that this research could lead to advancements in medical research and conservation efforts for endangered species, but it's definitely a bit of a mind-blower. What do you think about this, is it a step too far in the name of science, or is it a promising development?

New Atlas

The first true chimeric monkey is born 'glowing' with two sets of DNA

In what sounds a little like the opening scenes from a sci-fi horror film, a team of scientists has taken seven-day-old monkey embryo stem cells an...

Iceland has declared a state of emergency as powerful earthquakes increase the likelihood of a volcanic eruption in the Reykjanes peninsula. Evacuation plans are in place for the village of Grindavik, located near the earthquake swarm area. The Icelandic Met Office warns that an eruption could occur within several days due to accumulated magma underground.

the Guardian

Iceland declares state of emergency over volcanic eruption threat

Powerful earthquakes rock country’s southwestern Reykjanes peninsula, increasing likelihood of event

Security vulnerabilities and cyberattacks continue to pose significant threats across various platforms, with issues ranging from hardware keyloggers and real-world exploits of software vulnerabilities to ransomware attacks targeting institutions like the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's US offices. Notable incidents include an authentication bypass in Atlassian Confluence, an RCE in PRTG Network Monitor, and malicious typosquatting in the Python package repository. Responses to these disclosures vary, with some organizations promptly addressing the issues while others downplay their significance.

Hackaday

This Week In Security: Find My Keylogger, Zephyr, And Active Exploitation

Keyloggers. Such a simple concept — you secretly record all the characters typed on a keyboard, and sort through it later for interesting dat...

The US branch of China's largest bank, ICBC Financial Services, was hit by a ransomware #attack that caused disturbances in the trading of US Treasury securities on Thursday, with the cybercriminal group #Lockbit being the likely culprit. The Chinese foreign ministry has acknowledged that ICBC is handling the risks and that its operations worldwide have not been impacted, and the effect on the market was negligible as #ICBC continued to clear trades in spite of the attack. US officials are emphasizing the need for improved international cooperation to address the challenge of #ransomware.

the Guardian

Ransomware attack on China’s biggest bank disrupts US Treasury market

American arm of ICBC is latest victim of hackers and is investigating

A judge recently ruled that it's perfectly legal for car manufacturers to harvest text messages and call logs from their vehicles, even if those messages and logs are inaccessible to the owners. The judge said that this practice doesn't violate state privacy laws because the information is stored in a way that's inaccessible to the owners. This has raised some concerns about privacy and data collection in cars, since many people store sensitive information on their phones and may not want it being accessed by their car. Do you think this is a cause for concern?

Malwarebytes

Judge rules it's fine for car makers to intercept your text messages

A judge has refused to bring back a class action lawsuit against four car manufacturers because the privacy violation did not meet the WPA standard.

#Tumblr is facing an uncertain future as its latest owner, Automattic, reassigns majority of its product and marketing employees to other divisions. The decision comes after years of efforts to increase revenue and usage, with a memo acknowledging that expected results were not achieved. Despite the reassignment, no employees will be let go and team members can choose their preferred assignments within Automattic.

Ars Technica

Owner of Tumblr confirms site’s shift from “surging” to “small and focused”

CEO notes Tumblr has lost "well north of $100M" since acquisition.

Encrypted messaging app #Signal is testing public account usernames, allowing users to connect without sharing their phone numbers. The new method requires associating an account with a phone number during setup but does not share the number when contacting other users, enhancing #privacy and #security. The username test is currently in a pre-beta stage and limited to a separate build, with no confirmed timeline for its release.

MacRumors

Signal Tests Sharing Public Usernames in Place of Phone Numbers

Encrypted messaging app Signal has announced it is testing public account usernames so that users don

Omegle, an online service for chatting with strangers, shuts down after 15 years due to misuse and "unspeakably heinous crimes." Despite a decline in popularity, #Omegle still attracted around 50 million visitors last month. Founder Leif K-Brooks expresses his disappointment in the changing landscape of the internet and the lack of genuine human connection.

TechCrunch

Omegle shuts down after 14 years | TechCrunch

Omegle, a popular online chat service that allowed individuals to connect and talk with strangers, has shut down after more than 14 years citing gr...

Sen. Ted Budd has introduced the Keep Your Coins Act, aiming to protect individuals' rights to self-custody their crypto assets without intermediaries. The bill aligns with Rep. Warren Davidson's similar initiative in the House to prevent the enforcement of regulations requiring third-party custodians. The SEC's regulatory actions and approach, including enforcement against exchanges, have raised concerns among both lawmakers and critics regarding industry innovation.

Decrypt

Two Republicans Want to Protect Your Ability to Self-Custody Crypto - Decrypt

Self-custody your crypto? Sen. Ted Budd said his bill is meant to ensure Americans can "maintain control over their own digital assets."

WhatsApp now allows users to hide their IP addresses during calls by relaying calls through WhatsApp's servers to obfuscate their location. This new privacy feature addresses concerns about revealing IP addresses, which can sometimes expose information such as geographical location or internet provider. While enabling the feature, users should be aware that call quality may be reduced.

MacRumors

WhatsApp Now Lets You Hide Your IP Address During Calls

WhatsApp has introduced a new privacy feature that lets you hide your IP address from whoever you call over the encrypted communications platform. ...