Cyber Security

My MetaMask Chrome Extension Wallet was hacked. The ETH is gone forever. Even though I can clearly see that address of the wallet that stole it, there's nothing I can do to get it back. I'm just writing this blog post as a warning for anyone who thinks keeping more than a few hundred dollars in a "hot wallet" is a good idea. I always keep a small amount of ETH in my MetaMask wallet to buy virtual goods and NFTs and game tokens, etc. I have been aware that the wallet was vulnerable to attack, but this hack is remarkable. They must have figured out my password – which is hard to do. Here's a chronicle of the events. I'll keep it updated. Continue Reading →

Twitter announced its new policy regarding posting images or videos of private individuals without their consent. Continue Reading →

I like to say that technology is neither good nor bad; that distinction is for people. AirTags, Apple's tracking device, are an awesome solution for things you want to keep tabs on. Continue Reading →

The new infrastructure bill includes as much public money as we've ever seen allocated to improve our national broadband capabilities. Continue Reading →

Google has started forced enrollment in its two-factor authentication program (2FA). Google actually calls it "two-step verification" (2SV). I don't know why. 2SV requires users to input the correct password plus one other form of identification, which can be a code that appears on your smartphone, a USB stick or other physical security key, or an associated code you find in Google's Authenticator app and enter in a timely manner. Continue Reading →

Meta announced that Facebook will end its face recognition feature. You know when you upload a picture and the app saves you time because it knows how to tag everyone? Facebook is going to turn that stuff off, but… it's not deleting any data and it's not going to stop using its tools internally. Continue Reading →

A ransomware gang has targeted Ferrara Candy, the confectionary responsible for producing 85 percent of the nation’s supply of candy corn (approximately seven billion pieces per year). Continue Reading →

The interviewer asked, "Is that image real"? There's no way to tell. "What about this video?" It's hard to say. "You can't tell if that's real or fake either." No. Not without analyzing it. "Well, what about the prose? Did a human write this sentence?" It's possible, but it would not surprise me to learn that it was machine generated. "What about the voice in the video?" It's sonically perfect. I'd say 60/40 it's a machine, but I'd need to hear a few more sentences to be sure. "So, what you're saying is that I can't trust my eyes or my ears?" Yes. That's what I'm saying. "Is this the end of truth?" Continue Reading →

Cool or creepy? These are the opposite ends of the Shelly Palmer scale for evaluating AI-powered surveillance systems built into robots, IoT, and other tech. With my cool or creepy scale in mind, behold Amazon's Astro. Continue Reading →

China's central bank has announced that all transactions of cryptocurrencies are illegal. "Virtual currency-related business activities are illegal financial activities," the People's Bank of China said, warning they "seriously endanger the safety of people's assets." Continue Reading →