1. Translation of Rust’s core and alloc crates to Coq for formal verification
Total comment counts : 13
Summary
The article discusses the work being done to verify Rust programs using the tool coq-of-rust, which translates Rust code to the Coq formal proof system. One limitation the team faced was handling primitive constructs from the standard library, so they worked on translating the core and alloc crates of Rust using coq-of-rust. The resulting translation generated large amounts of Coq code, although it had some compilation errors. The team split the output into separate files for each input Rust file to resolve module name collisions. Currently, 4% of the files do not compile in Coq. The article also discusses the translation of the Option::unwrap_or_default method and the need for further verification of the Rust code. The team aims to simplify the proof process and invites those interested in formal verification for Rust projects to get in touch.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the coq-of-rust project, which is an automatic translator from Rust to Coq. The author suggests that the correctness of the translator can be verified by using coq-of-rust to convert itself from Rust to Coq and then proving its correctness properties within Coq. By comparing the output of the Coq translator with the original Rust translator, the author argues that the correctness of the translator can be established. The article also mentions the positive implications of industry funding for projects like this, noting that cryptocurrency’s emphasis on correctness can drive improvements in programming languages and funding opportunities.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the size of programs that have been verified using semi-automated deductive proof systems like Coq. It states that the size of these verified programs is relatively small compared to the overall size of programs. While sound software verification is important for proving the correctness of core algorithms, it does not scale well. Therefore, there has been a shift in research towards unsound methods because the cost of 100% assurance is much higher than 99.9999%, and the difference in probability may be lower than non-software failures or specs that do not conform well to reality.
2. A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
The article describes the analysis of a device called the S8 data line locator. This device is a hidden GSM listening and location device disguised as a USB data/charging cable. It operates on various GSM frequencies and is marketed as a location tracker for cars. However, it can also be used for malicious purposes, such as eavesdropping and espionage. The device has the capability to listen to live audio feed, make voice-activated call backs, and provide location information. The article also discusses the process of accessing and analyzing the device’s firmware.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the potential security risk of using a modified keyboard that contains an esp32. This modified keyboard could be used to intercept keystrokes and access the connected device via Bluetooth or WiFi. It highlights the ease with which such an attack could be carried out.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that it is beneficial to disassemble electronics and search for the identifiers on the chips. By doing this, individuals can gain valuable knowledge about their devices.
3. How did authorities identify the alleged LockBit boss?
Total comment counts : 7
Summary
The United States has charged Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev as the leader of the LockBit ransomware group, joining the U.K. and Australia in sanctioning and charging him. Khoroshev denies the charges and claims that the authorities have mistaken him for someone else. The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted Khoroshev on 26 criminal counts, alleging that he created, sold, and used the LockBit ransomware to extort over $100 million from victim organizations. It is believed that LockBit as a group extorted around half a billion dollars over a four-year period. Khoroshev operated LockBit as a “ransomware-as-a-service” operation, taking a 20% cut of the ransom payments made by victim organizations. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued financial sanctions against Khoroshev, revealing his personal information, including email and street address. Several domains registered to Khoroshev have been found, and his various alter egos have been active on cybercrime forums, selling malicious code and discussing malware-related topics.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the UK and FBI’s efforts to track down and seize the operations of a cybercrime group known as LockBit. While the article does not provide details on how the group’s leader was found, it suggests that it was likely a result of tracing and following the money after the group’s infrastructure was compromised earlier in the year.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that UKUSA intelligence assets in Eastern Europe were likely able to locate the target due to increased attention in the region and his interactions with Western cybersecurity professionals. It argues that the Russian government may not take sanctions and extradition requests seriously, as they continue to engage in cyber warfare against the US and its allies. The article concludes by calling for actions to deter talented Russian hackers from working for their government.
4. Raspberry Pi Ltd is considering an IPO
Total comment counts : 37
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article mentions that the cost of a single board has reached around $100 when including a power supply and a case, and even more if you include storage. It highlights that the original intention of the product, its affordability, seems to have been compromised over time. The article also points out that the cheapest Intel system available on Amazon is priced at $139.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article emphasizes the importance of not going public (IPO) for a company that aims to create affordable computers with open source software for hobbyists and children. It argues that once a company goes public, shareholders prioritize profit over the needs of users, resulting in the users losing out in the end.
5. URLhaus: A database of malicious URLs used for malware distribution
Total comment counts : 8
Summary
URLhaus is a project by abuse.ch that aims to provide and share malicious URLs used for distributing malware. Users can download the URLhaus dataset in different formats to protect their networks from these harmful URLs. They can also access the database to gain insights and find the most recent additions. Additionally, users can contribute malware URLs to URLhaus to help others protect their networks. This project is copyrighted by abuse.ch until 2024.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author suggests that for most users, it would be sufficient to configure their browsers to only use ports 80 or 443, and to display a warning if a non-http(s) port is being accessed. They also propose a more extreme option of configuring firewalls to only allow ports 80 and 443 for browsers like Mozilla, Chrome, and Edge. The author is curious about the performance implications of adding a large number of IPs or IP ranges to the firewall.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article provides URLs for uBlock and other similar services. The link is to a page on GitLab that contains the full version of the malware filter.
6. Proteins in blood could provide early cancer warning ‘by more than seven years’
Total comment counts : 21
Summary
A study conducted by scientists at the University of Oxford has identified 618 proteins in the blood that are linked to 19 types of cancer. The researchers analyzed blood samples from over 44,000 individuals, including those who later received a cancer diagnosis. They found 107 proteins associated with cancers diagnosed more than seven years after the blood sample was taken and 182 proteins strongly linked to a cancer diagnosis within three years. The findings suggest that these proteins could be used for early cancer detection and potentially offer new treatment options. Another study examined genetic data from over 300,000 cancer cases and identified 40 proteins in the blood that influence the risk of developing nine types of cancer. However, altering these proteins may have unintended side effects. The results of these studies represent progress towards identifying markers of increased cancer risk and aiding early diagnosis.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The video argues that early detection of cancers may not always be beneficial. It refers to specific scientific studies and mentions that some cancers, such as thyroid and skin cancer, can be detected at higher rates without a significant decrease in mortality because they are often benign. The video emphasizes the need for studies that demonstrate how screening for cancer can improve outcomes.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author shares a personal experience of losing their grandmother to lung cancer at a young age. They express hope for the future as advancements continue to expand the options for treating and preventing different types of cancers.
7. Adobe Photoshop Source Code (2013)
Total comment counts : 24
Summary
The article discusses the origins of the popular image editing program, Photoshop. It explains that brothers Thomas and John Knoll began developing the program in the late 1980s. Thomas, a PhD student, initially created the program for personal use before realizing its potential as a commercial product. The program was eventually named Photoshop and was distributed by Adobe. The article also mentions that the original version of Photoshop was primarily written in Pascal and included about 128,000 lines of code. It concludes by stating that software source code, such as Photoshop’s, is valuable and should be studied and appreciated.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the author’s experience working at Adobe in the early 2000s, where they attempted to archive the source code for various Adobe apps such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and PostScript. The author mentions that they were able to obtain Thomas Knoll’s original Mac floppy disk backups and used a Mac Plus with a serial cable to transfer the files to a laptop using Kermit. The first version of the source code they found was 0.54, dated 6 July 1988. The author encountered various ancient compressed archive formats on the floppies but managed to read most of them. They created an archive of all the code they found on a special Perforce server. Unfortunately, the earliest backups of Illustrator were on a single external disk drive that was no longer functional.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article provides a detailed explanation of the process involved in building an app from a specific source code. The linked webpage discusses the steps and considerations involved in building the app using the source code provided.
8. Ancient Eastern European mega-sites: a social levelling concept?
Total comment counts : 6
Summary
The article discusses the emergence and abandonment of the Chalcolithic Trypillia mega-sites and explores the role of social inequality in these processes. The authors use Gini coefficients based on house sizes to assess inequality between households in approximately 7000 houses at 38 Trypillia sites. The results indicate temporarily reduced social inequality at the mega-sites, but increased social differentiation emerged after several generations, potentially leading to the abandonment of these settlements. The study suggests that social complexity does not always result in greater social stratification, and large populations can find ways to reduce inequality. The Trypillia mega-sites were among the largest prehistoric communities in Europe, characterized by agricultural settlements with an economy based on farming and animal husbandry. The article emphasizes the importance of the social fabric in understanding the rise and fall of these mega-sites and analyzes wealth differences between households using Gini coefficients. The study utilizes data from extensive excavations and geophysical surveys, drawing on a long-term cooperation between various institutions and regional partners.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article expresses concern about the omission of key social issues, such as the periodic burning down of houses, in a discussion about culture and social strata. The author suspects bias in the presentation of ideas. For more information on the topic of burned houses, you can refer to the provided Wikipedia link.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that mega-sites emerged as a way to improve matchmaking. It proposes that in unequal villages, people had difficulty finding suitable partners. Temporal festivals were held to demonstrate the possibility of fair matchmaking. Eventually, these festivals merged with the villages to create mega-sites with a large pool of potential matches for everyone.
9. Nearly all Nintendo 64 games can now be recompiled into native PC ports
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
A project called N64 Recompiled, created by Mr-Wiseguy on GitHub, aims to bring high-end N64 gameplay to PC through recompiled ports instead of emulation. The project includes a port of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask with graphical enhancements and quality-of-life improvements. Recompiled ports run natively on PC, maximizing performance and accuracy to the original hardware while also providing enhancements expected on PC. This tool is a boon for preservationists and ensures that old classics remain playable well into the future. Other advancements for the Nintendo 64 include the open-source SummerCart64 and the release of homebrew games and ROM hacks.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article states that while this tool is useful, there are certain requirements needed to use it effectively, such as disassembling the ROM and adding annotations. The claim that it can generate standalone executables for any ROM with just one click is exaggerated.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the expansion of tools originally developed for N64 decompiling to other systems. The author mentions a website called Decomp.me, which enables collaborative decompilation for various systems and includes presets for the relevant SDKs and hardware. The author speculates that this trend will continue for other systems in the future.
10. Oracle dumps Terraform for OpenTofu
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
Oracle has announced that it is replacing Terraform with the open-source fork OpenTofu in its Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) Cloud Manager. Customers are being urged to transition to the new OpenTofu-based version by June 30, 2024. The switch is a response to Terraform’s forthcoming licensing changes, which are becoming more restrictive. OpenTofu is considered an enterprise-ready alternative and is seen as a minor implementation detail for enterprises migrating their EBS environments to the cloud. This move by Oracle follows Hashicorp’s decision to adopt a more restrictive license for Terraform and other products.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the increasing adoption of OpenTofu by companies, particularly larger ones. It also mentions the release of OpenTofu 1.7, which includes features like end-to-end state encryption and enhanced provider-defined functions. The article encourages those who have not yet migrated to OpenTofu to do so now and provides a link to the release notes for version 1.7. The Tech Lead of the OpenTofu project also offers to answer any questions.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that Oracle’s decision to use a more permissive infrastructure as code (IaC) tool, without worrying about licenses, is a simple and logical move. The author also implies that Oracle could potentially make a similar move by choosing MariaDB instead of MySQL.