Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2026-03-10 Briefing

Created Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:13:40 +0000 Modified Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:02:28 +0000
10407 Words

AI datacenter water consumption is emerging as a major concern, potentially requiring billions in infrastructure upgrades to meet escalating demands—rivaling New York City’s daily water usage. Simultaneously, Russian-speaking attackers are exploiting HR departments with fake job applications deploying malware that disables security systems before data theft. Microsoft is strengthening security by automatically removing credentials from rooted devices, beginning with Android, while Oracle seeks to reassure the MySQL community following criticism. Cybersecurity democratization is also being advocated to empower communities against censorship, and Polish authorities have apprehended seven juveniles, as young as 12, suspected of selling DDoS tools.

🤖 AI & Machine Learning

Palantir’s lethal AI weaponry deployed to find chairs for US government staff

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is utilizing Palantir’s data analytics platform to optimize employee seating arrangements as staff return to the office. The USDA asserts Palantir’s unique capabilities are essential for space utilization and compliance monitoring, although the contract has sparked concerns regarding potential workforce surveillance. The move has drawn criticism from worker’s rights advocates who fear the technology could be a form of “bossware.”

AI Contributions and Debian’s Policy

Debian has delayed making a formal policy decision regarding contributions generated with artificial intelligence, citing difficulties in defining “AI” and establishing clear guidelines for accountability and disclosure. A survey of source-available projects reveals a similarly fragmented landscape, with most acknowledging AI assistance but lacking consistent policies or explicit disclosures. The ongoing debate highlights the challenges in creating standardized practices around rapidly evolving AI technologies.

LLM Performance Boost Without Retraining

An individual has achieved the top ranking on the Hugging Face Open LLM Leaderboard by duplicating layers within existing language models, a technique called “LLM Neuroanatomy,” without altering model parameters. This method indicates that specific layers within transformer models may be crucial for reasoning and translation capabilities, regardless of input format. The discovery was made through experimentation with Base64 encoded prompts and analysis of merged models, requiring only two gaming GPUs.

AI Model Architecture Advances

Modern scientific models, despite advancements in prediction, face limitations due to inherent chaos and the inability to incorporate all relevant factors. Historically, science favored concise theories, but addressing complex global challenges like poverty and climate change requires more expansive approaches that acknowledge unpredictable interactions. Effectively solving these complex problems remains a persistent hurdle despite long-standing recognition of the need for new methods.

Amazon is investigating recent outages impacting its ecommerce and AI services, attributing some to the use of generative AI coding tools. To prevent future disruptions, the company is implementing stricter controls, including requiring senior engineer sign-off for AI-assisted code changes and temporarily restricting AI coding access. Amazon acknowledges current safeguards are insufficient and is prioritizing a review of AI usage in its systems.

AI, Decomputing and the Interregnum

The paper analyzes artificial intelligence as a symptom of broader societal shifts and power dynamics, arguing that AI’s development reinforces existing inequalities and potentially contributes to technofascism. It critiques current approaches to digital sovereignty and proposes “decomputing”—a strategy drawing from degrowth and convivial technology—as an alternative to mitigate harm and prioritize sustainability. Ultimately, the study advocates for a reciprocal technopolitics centered on care and common good.

Sandbar Nabs $23M for AI Wearable, Stream Ring

Sandbar, a startup developing the Stream AI-powered note-taking ring, has secured $23 million in Series A funding, bringing its total funding to $36 million. The Stream ring transcribes audio notes and aims to offer a discreet and convenient wearable experience. The company plans to launch the device this summer, focusing initially on note-taking and brainstorming features.

Amazon Widens Health AI Access to Website & App

Amazon is expanding its AI-powered healthcare assistant, Health AI, to its website and app, previously exclusive to One Medical users. The tool offers personalized health guidance, prescription management, and connections to healthcare providers. While Amazon emphasizes data security and HIPAA compliance, specifics regarding encryption methods remain unclear, raising privacy considerations.

Sandbar Raises $23M for AI Wearable, Stream Ring

Sandbar, a startup developing the Stream Ring, a $249+ AI-powered wearable for audio note transcription, has secured $23 million in Series A funding. The company, founded by former Meta employees, initially sold out its pre-order batch and plans to begin shipping the ring this summer. Sandbar is focused on improving its app experience and expanding its features to enable more complex user workflows.

YouTube Expands AI Impersonation Tool to Protect Officials, Candidates

YouTube is expanding its likeness detection tool, which identifies videos using someone’s face, to include select government officials, political candidates, and journalists. The expansion aims to address the growing threat of AI-generated impersonations and protect the integrity of public discourse. Participants must verify their identity, and while requests for removal are made, YouTube still permits parody and satire.

Writers Protest AI with “Empty” Book

Thousands of authors, including Kazuo Ishiguro and Richard Osman, have released an “empty” book titled “Don’t Steal This Book” to protest AI companies using copyrighted material for training purposes. The symbolic book, distributed at the London book fair, lists the contributors’ names and calls on the UK government to protect artists’ copyright. This action comes as the government prepares to assess the economic impact of proposed changes to copyright law.

AI Firm Uses AI Interviewer & Monitoring for 30K Workers

Mercor, an AI training company valued at a potential $10 billion, utilizes AI interviewer “Melvin” and monitoring software to manage its large workforce, often comprised of displaced professionals. The company recruits individuals to generate data for AI training, a process that involves writing prompts, responses, and evaluation checklists. Workers express concerns about the nature of their work and potential job insecurity within this rapidly evolving AI-driven landscape.

GenAI App Race: ChatGPT Leads, Usage Splinters, AI Agents Emerge

A new report highlights that while ChatGPT remains the dominant generative AI app, the competition for becoming the “default AI” is intensifying. The report’s ranking now includes consumer products where AI is a core feature, such as CapCut and Canva, reflecting a shift in how people are using AI. This fragmentation of usage suggests a move away from solely AI-native applications toward broader platforms integrating AI tools.

xAI Plans Power Plant for Data Centers in Mississippi

xAI is planning to construct a natural gas power plant in Southaven, Mississippi, to power its data centers and address increasing energy demands. Despite community and NAACP concerns regarding accessibility and environmental justice, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is proceeding with a permit hearing in Jackson on Election Day. Residents are worried about potential air quality and noise pollution impacts from the facility.

U+237C ⍼ Is Azimuth

The origin of the glyph ⍼, previously a mystery, has been traced back to a 1950 catalogue from the H. Berthold AG type foundry, where it was identified as “azimuth” or “direction angle.” The symbol, resembling a sextant’s measurement, was used to represent angles and has now been documented on Wikipedia. Historical catalogues confirm its presence beginning in 1950, with earlier versions lacking the descriptive name.

Against vibes: When is a generative model useful

The article argues against the current enthusiasm for generative AI, asserting that its usefulness isn’t determined by subjective impressions but requires rigorous evaluation. It proposes a framework to assess utility based on factors like prompting and verification costs, distinguishing between tasks where the output is crucial versus the process itself. The author seeks to establish concrete criteria for when generative models offer genuine value.

HyperCard discovery: Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive (2022)

A previously unknown HyperCard stack containing early drafts of William Gibson’s seminal cyberpunk novels Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive has been discovered. The digital archive provides insights into Gibson’s writing process and the evolution of these influential works. The files, dating back to 1982-1984, were found on a vintage Macintosh computer and are now publicly available.

Hugging Face Storage Buckets: Mutable, non-versioned object storage at $12/TB

Hugging Face has launched Storage Buckets, a new object storage feature on the Hub designed for frequently changing intermediate machine learning files. Built on Hugging Face’s Xet backend, Buckets offer efficient storage and faster transfers through content deduplication and support pre-warming data closer to compute resources. Users can manage Buckets via the Hugging Face CLI with pricing at $12 per terabyte.

Microsoft’s latest Copilot update automatically opens links in a side panel powered by the Edge browser, overriding users’ default browser settings. This feature, intended to maintain context, also allows Copilot to access browsing data and tabs, raising privacy concerns. The update is currently being tested and its opt-in status remains unclear.

Gemini Embedding 2: natively multimodal embedding model

Google has released Gemini Embedding 2, a new multimodal model that processes text, images, videos, audio, and documents into a unified space. Building on the Gemini architecture, this model improves upon previous text-only versions by understanding relationships between different media types and achieving state-of-the-art performance. Developers can now access the model through the Gemini API and Vertex AI to build advanced AI applications.

A playable version of the Claude Code Terraform destroy incident

YouBrokeProd is a free, browser-based game that simulates real production outages for SREs and DevOps engineers to practice debugging skills. The game is based on a notable incident involving DataTalksClub and Claude Code, recreating the environment and challenges faced during the Terraform destroy event. Players can work through ten scenarios, receiving feedback and collaborating with teams to improve incident response efficiency.

Intel Demos Chip to Compute with Encrypted Data

Intel has unveiled the Heracles chip, a specialized processor that significantly accelerates fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) computations, achieving speeds up to 5,000 times faster than standard CPUs. This advancement utilizes 3-nanometer technology and high-bandwidth memory to enable secure data processing without decryption, potentially revolutionizing areas like AI and data security. Intel believes Heracles represents a key step toward commercializing FHE accelerators and scaled encrypted computing.

PgAdmin 4 9.13 with AI Assistant Panel

PgAdmin 4 has released version 9.13, featuring an enhanced Query Tool with an AI assistant for generating SQL. This tool provides a streamlined environment for executing SQL commands, reviewing results, and editing data, including detailed execution plans and server messages. A new workspace layout simplifies database connections and offers a dedicated, distraction-free area for using the Query Tool.

Baochip-1x: A Mostly-Open, 22nm SoC for High Assurance Applications

The Baochip-1x is a new, mostly-open silicon chip designed for high-assurance applications, bridging the gap between microcontrollers. A key feature is its inclusion of a Memory Management Unit (MMU), enabling secure and loadable applications, which is uncommon for devices in its class. The project aims to provide a trustworthy platform for secure software, stemming from research into hardware security.

Claude Code, Claude Cowork and Codex #5

The Department of War has stated it operates within legal boundaries regarding data collection, acknowledging that existing laws haven’t kept pace with technology and deferring to judicial processes. Simultaneously, Anthropic’s Claude Code is rapidly gaining adoption in software development, with current projections suggesting it will significantly surpass OpenAI in market share. Analysts predict Anthropic is now outpacing OpenAI in quarterly recurring revenue additions.

Learnings from paying artists royalties for AI-generated art

Tess.Design was a marketplace launched in 2024 that aimed to compensate artists with royalties for AI-generated art in their style, a response to copyright and compensation concerns within the AI image generation space. The platform allowed artists to fine-tune AI models and earn 50% of revenue, but it ultimately shut down after two years. Key learnings included challenges in partnering with agencies and surprisingly high artist interest.

The “JVG algorithm” only wins on tiny numbers

A recently proposed algorithm, the “JVG algorithm,” claimed to surpass Shor’s factoring algorithm but has been widely discredited by experts. The algorithm’s approach of precomputing values is computationally infeasible due to exponential time requirements, rendering it ineffective for practical use. Concerns have also been raised regarding the paper’s publication venue and questionable claims amplified by clickbait news sources.

💻 Development & Infrastructure

AIOps is so powerful, vendors are building tools to clean up after agents break your infrastructure

Cohesity, ServiceNow, and Datadog are partnering to release a new recoverability suite addressing risks associated with AI-powered automation (AIOps). The service will enable point-in-time recovery of AI environments and infrastructure through immutable snapshots and observability platforms. This development aims to restore systems impacted by errors or attacks stemming from increasingly prevalent agentic AI.

Linux PC vendor System76 tries to talk Colorado down over OS age checks

System76, a Linux PC vendor, is lobbying lawmakers to exempt open-source software from legislation requiring operating system-level age verification. While there’s a potential positive development in Colorado, similar bills are being considered in multiple US states and internationally. The company warns that these measures, often pushed by uninformed groups, could negatively impact open-source communities.

Mystery outage behind US airline JetBlue asking FAA to ground its flights

JetBlue initiated an unusual ground stop for all flights this morning due to a brief, unexplained system outage. The airline has since resumed operations, but the cause of the disruption remains unknown. The FAA approved the ground stop, which lasted less than an hour and is expected to cause logistical challenges.

Xen Project quietly announced five years of support for all releases

The Xen Project has announced a new policy guaranteeing five years of support for all releases of its hypervisor, aligning with industry standards and bolstering its presence in sectors like automotive. This change provides a baseline for security maintenance and benefits Citrix, which is preparing to re-enter the mainstream virtualization market with XenServer 9. The policy is subject to potential revisions based on its impact on maintenance efforts.

23: Containers - What’s in the box????

This episode of Runtime Arguments explores containers, a standardized method for deploying applications across different environments. It explains how containers work, provides examples of building and managing them using Docker, and highlights benefits like improved efficiency and security. Listeners will learn common container commands for building, running, and stopping applications.

Unions merged into dotnet 11 preview 3

Microsoft has integrated a C# 15 preview feature, unions, into .NET 11 preview 3. Unions allow for declaring new data types and can be used with pattern matching for exhaustiveness. This addition introduces a new syntax for union declarations and types.

Examples for the tcpdump and dig man pages

Recent updates to the tcpdump and dig man pages now include basic usage examples aimed at beginners and infrequent users. The author overcame technical challenges, like converting Markdown to the roff language, to improve the documentation. This effort highlights the potential for high-quality, accurate tool documentation and fostered optimism about its value.

RISC-V Performance Concerns Emerge

Porting Fedora Linux to the RISC-V architecture has proven challenging, resulting in significantly slower build times and requiring workarounds like emulation. Developers are addressing these issues by incorporating faster hardware and planning optimizations for Fedora 44, with the goal of eventually enabling performance enhancements like Link-Time Optimization. Ultimately, the success of RISC-V adoption in Fedora hinges on the availability of more powerful hardware.

AlmaLinux in 2026

The AlmaLinux Leadership Summit prioritized community needs over technical advancements, focusing on user-identified problems. Key objectives include streamlining contributor onboarding, increasing transparency, and fostering diversity within the open-source project. The summit also emphasized collaboration with other open-source projects to improve efficiency and user support.

A rough review of Capers Jones’ Applied Software Measurement

Capers Jones’ book, “Applied Software Measurement,” analyzes software productivity and quality using data from over 12,000 projects. It emphasizes the function point metric, a complexity measure developed by IBM that assesses software based on inputs, outputs, and other external factors. While function points offer an improvement over lines of code, the book acknowledges that accurately assessing software complexity remains a subjective challenge.

Ruby Users Forum February–March Update

The Ruby Users Forum experienced significant growth in February with 87 new members and 181 posts, accompanied by improvements like tag organization, GIF support, and GitHub login. The forum is also developing its brand identity with an official logo. March will focus on community challenges and sharing Ruby learning resources.

Magit Rebasing

Magit, an Emacs package, simplifies Git workflows and promotes understanding of Git commands through an interactive interface. The tool’s interactive log view reveals underlying Git commands and streamlines complex operations like rebasing, offering hints and fuzzy-matching to guide users. This approach lowers the barrier to entry for learning Git and allows for easier navigation of repository history.

XMPP over HTTP: A New Approach

This guide details how to establish a REST API for sending XMPP messages via HTTP using the Prosody IM server. The process involves installation, configuration, including SSL certificate acquisition, and user account setup, ultimately enabling message delivery through HTTP commands like curl. The tutorial utilizes Debian 13 and the mod_post_msg module as a practical example.

syft: Tool Generates Software Bill of Materials

Syft is a new command-line tool and Go library designed to generate Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) from container images and filesystems. It supports various packaging ecosystems and image formats, outputting SBOMs in standard formats like CycloneDX and SPDX. The tool is intended to enhance software supply chain vulnerability detection when used with scanners like Grype.

Madblog: Turn a Markdown folder into a federated blog

Madblog is a lightweight, database-free blogging platform that allows users to create and manage content using Markdown files. Recent updates include ActivityPub support, enabling full federation with platforms like Mastodon and participation in the Fediverse. This eliminates the need for intermediaries and provides users with greater control over their content and online presence.

nominal types in webassembly

WebAssembly has introduced nominal typing to enhance security and enable new features, a change from its previous reliance on structural type equality. This new system, adopted last July, defines types as only equivalent to themselves, preventing potential capability forgery. However, nominal typing introduces a complex and unconventional syntax that deviates from standard WebAssembly practices.

Redox OS: Origin Policy, No LLMs

Redox OS has adopted a Certificate of Origin policy to ensure software provenance and is enforcing a strict ban on the use of large language models. These measures are intended to bolster the operating system’s security and maintain control over its codebase. The changes also aim to improve transparency within the Redox OS project.

troubleshooting BSD TCP network performance: part 2 (fixing NetBSD)

This article is a follow-up to a previous piece detailing network performance troubleshooting on various BSD operating systems. The author discovered that NetBSD’s slow TCP speeds were due to its VirtIO driver and were significantly improved by switching to an E1000 interface. This change also revealed that VirtIO negatively impacted the network performance of other operating systems as well.

Lambda Calculus Explorer

A new interactive web application has been developed to explore the untyped lambda calculus, designed for a Syracuse University course. The application allows users to manipulate and visualize lambda terms, offering a tutorial system and supporting custom slide decks. Built with Rust and TypeScript, it aims for strict typing and a modular design.

Kettle, open source tooling for TEE-attested builds

Kettle is an open-source tool for creating “attested builds,” packages that cryptographically verify the source code, tools, and machines used in their creation. It utilizes Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to sign builds, providing hardware-backed cryptographic assurance and reducing the need to trust third parties. This technology aims to provide verifiable build trails and address security and compliance concerns.

Emacs Solo: Two Years of Development

The Emacs Solo project, a unique Emacs configuration that eschews external packages, has celebrated its two-year anniversary with a major refactor. This refactor separates core Emacs settings from 35 custom modules, built entirely with Elisp and Emacs’ native features, enhancing maintainability and offering a self-contained experience. The project aims to replicate the functionality of typical Emacs packages through a more deeply integrated and stable approach.

Software Dependency Management Challenges

Popular software tools curl and libcurl, crucial for many applications, are often excluded from software dependency tracking due to their existence outside typical software ecosystems. This omission results in inaccurate assessments of software vulnerabilities and a lack of visibility into the widespread use of these components. Consequently, dependency trackers and SBOMs frequently underestimate the prevalence of software relying on curl and libcurl.

AT&T to Invest $250B+ in US Infrastructure Buildout

AT&T announced a plan to invest over $250 billion in US network infrastructure over the next five years. The company will prioritize expanding high-speed fiber and wireless networks to improve services nationwide. This significant investment will more than double AT&T’s average annual capital spending.

Cloudflare Crawl Endpoint

Cloudflare has launched an open beta for its Browser Rendering /crawl endpoint, allowing users to crawl entire websites via a single API call. The service renders pages in multiple formats like HTML and JSON, with customizable crawl scope and incremental crawling features for tasks like model training and content monitoring. Crawl jobs are asynchronous and respect robots.txt directives.

Apple development certificate server seems down?

Apple’s development certificate server appears to be experiencing issues, preventing developers from installing apps on their devices. Users are reporting problems since 11 AM PDT, with intermittent 502 errors affecting the ppq.apple.com server. Apple has not yet acknowledged the outage on their system status page.

Mother of All Grease Fires

Authorities discovered 2,000 gallons of illegally dumped frying grease filling a Palo Alto office building’s underground transformer vault. The transformer’s heat prevented the grease from solidifying, averting a potentially catastrophic fire. Utility workers have since removed the grease, cleaned the vault, and replaced the transformer.

Widevine retiring its Cloud License Service (CLS)

Google will retire its free Widevine Cloud License Service (CLS) on April 13, 2027, requiring users to migrate to the Widevine License Server SDK or a third-party DRM provider. This change affects those currently utilizing CLS for Widevine DRM license generation, but does not impact the Widevine DRM technology itself. Affected users should begin planning their transition now to avoid service disruptions.

FFmpeg-over-IP – Connect to remote FFmpeg servers

FFmpeg-over-IP enables applications to utilize GPU-accelerated FFmpeg transcoding on remote servers without complex configurations like GPU passthrough or shared filesystems. It functions as a client-server system, where the client proxies commands and tunnels file I/O over a single TCP connection. This simplifies GPU utilization for media servers and other applications across various platforms.

$3 ChromeOS Flex stick will revive old and outdated computers

Google and Back Market are offering a $3 USB stick to simplify installing ChromeOS Flex, a lightweight operating system, on older computers. This provides a low-cost way to extend the life of outdated devices and keep them secure with updated software. Initially, only 3,000 of these sticks will be available, primarily targeting businesses and schools.

The Enterprise Context Layer

The article introduces the “Enterprise Context Layer,” a system designed to enable AI to accurately address complex business inquiries by synthesizing internal knowledge. Building this layer requires overcoming challenges like product ambiguity, release semantics, and conflicting information sources, which typical AI solutions struggle with. The author proposes a straightforward, code-based approach to create this layer, emphasizing the need to go beyond simple document retrieval.

RFC 454545 – Human Em Dash Standard

A new standard, RFC 454545, introduces the “Human Em Dash” (HED), a distinct Unicode character designed to differentiate human-written text from that generated by automated systems. This addresses a growing problem called “Dash Authenticity Collapse,” where automated systems overuse em dashes, blurring the lines for human writers. The standard also includes a “Human Attestation Mark” (HAM) to further verify human authorship.

DD Photos – open-source photo album site generator (Go and SvelteKit)

DD Photos is an open-source photo album site generator created in response to frustrations with existing photo sharing platforms. Built using Go and SvelteKit, the tool allows users to export photos and deploy a fast, distraction-free, and mobile-friendly website without requiring a database or server-side code. The project was developed with assistance from Claude Code and is available on GitHub.

SHOW HN: A usage circuit breaker for Cloudflare Workers

A developer created a circuit breaker to proactively manage resource usage for a Cloudflare Workers-based news aggregator, 3mins.news. This system monitors resource consumption and gracefully degrades operations before exceeding monthly limits, preventing costly overage charges. The design incorporates customizable thresholds, hysteresis, and fail-safe monitoring to ensure reliability and avoid unnecessary alerts.

I put my whole life into a single database

Since 2019, Felix has been meticulously tracking over 100 data points about his life, amassing approximately 380,000 entries in a self-hosted database. Initially a simple website displaying his location, the project has evolved into a comprehensive visualization of his life and habits. He currently resides in Vienna, Austria and is publicly sharing his data and graph designs on GitHub.

SSH Secret Menu

A cybersecurity researcher has discovered a hidden “secret menu” within the popular SSH protocol. This menu, accessible through a specific command sequence, allows for the execution of arbitrary commands with root privileges on vulnerable systems. The vulnerability highlights a potential security risk for systems relying on SSH.

Samsung will reboot your phone if it stays inactive for too long

Due to technical limitations, Samsung phones may automatically reboot if left inactive for an extended period. This feature is currently triggered by a browser requirement for JavaScript and cookies. Users encountering this issue should ensure these settings are enabled.

What to do with a $600 drawing display if you can’t draw?

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Ethereum just did a 4x in its bug bounty program

The Ethereum network has quadrupled the budget for its bug bounty program, signaling a commitment to enhanced security. This increased funding incentivizes security researchers to identify and report vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. The move highlights the ongoing efforts to strengthen the Ethereum blockchain’s defenses.

🛡️ Security & Privacy

Fake job applications pack malware that kills EDR before stealing data

Russian-speaking attackers are compromising corporate networks by posing as job applicants and tricking HR staff into downloading malicious ISO files disguised as resumes. The malware, including a component called “BlackSanta,” disables endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems before stealing sensitive data like files and cryptocurrency information. This attack highlights the vulnerability of HR workflows and the need for increased security awareness.

Microsoft Authenticator to nuke Entra creds on rooted and jailbroken phones

Microsoft is automatically removing Entra credentials from rooted or jailbroken iOS and Android devices to improve security. The process will begin with a warning, followed by access blocking and credential wiping, starting with Android now and iOS by April 2026. Users cannot opt-out of this change, which aims to prevent security risks associated with modified devices.

Polish cops bust alleged teen DDoS kit sellers – youngest just 12

Polish police have referred seven juveniles, aged 12-16, to family court for allegedly selling tools used in DDoS attacks online. The investigation began after a 14-year-old suspect was identified as an administrator, and the tools targeted popular websites. Due to their ages, the suspects will undergo re-education rather than facing criminal prosecution.

New Attack Against Wi-Fi

AirSnitch is a new Wi-Fi attack that exploits synchronization failures to enable a bidirectional man-in-the-middle attack, allowing attackers to intercept and potentially modify data traffic. The attack can bypass HTTPS encryption and doesn’t require specialized hardware, posing a risk to both small and large networks. Researchers warn that this vulnerability could expose sensitive information like passwords and authentication cookies.

Senate Confirms Rudd to Lead NSA, Cyber Command

The Senate has confirmed Army Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to lead both U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, ending a prolonged leadership vacancy. Despite concerns from some senators about his lack of experience in cyber operations, Rudd was approved to fill the dual role. His appointment comes as the U.S. grapples with increasing cyber threats and debates surrounding surveillance authorities like Section 702 are ongoing.

Perplexity Banned from Amazon Purchases via Browser

A US judge has issued a preliminary ruling ordering Perplexity AI to halt its Comet bot’s activity on Amazon. Amazon sued Perplexity, alleging computer fraud related to the bot’s unauthorized use of Amazon accounts. The order temporarily restricts Perplexity from using the bot to make purchases on Amazon’s platform.

DOGE employee stole Social Security data and put it on a thumb drive

A former employee of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) allegedly stole databases containing personal information for over 500 million Americans from the Social Security Administration and stored them on a thumb drive. The Social Security Administration denies the theft, but an inspector general is investigating the whistleblower’s claims, which are the latest in a series of data breaches linked to DOGE’s involvement with the agency. DOGE members were placed at the Social Security Administration following Trump’s presidency.

Revise age verification terms for MidnightBSD

A recent commit to the MidnightBSD project modified the age verification terms. The change involved removing five lines and adding six, resulting in a net increase of one line in the affected file. This update appears to have replaced existing lines with new ones within the terms.

Flock Flocked up: How a license plate camera misread unraveled one man’s life

Brandon Upchurch was violently arrested and injured by Toledo police after a Flock Safety license plate reader misidentified his vehicle as stolen. The charges against Upchurch were later dismissed, and an investigation revealed the error stemmed from a misread plate, highlighting a pattern of inaccurate readings from Flock’s technology. This incident raises concerns about the accuracy and potential for wrongful stops resulting from automated license plate reader systems.

‘The cover-up is brazen’: one journalist’s fight to expose Ghislaine Maxwell

Journalist Lucia Osborne-Crowley, investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case, has faced harassment and threats while working with survivors, highlighting a pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing them. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse have reported ongoing threats and requests for police protection, suggesting attempts to prevent them from sharing their experiences. Osborne-Crowley emphasizes the need to prioritize the voices and agency of survivors in coverage of the case, rather than solely focusing on Epstein and his associates.

Secure Secrets Management for Cursor Cloud Agents

Cursor Cloud Agents, which automate software development tasks, present a security risk due to the need for sensitive credentials. Cursor’s built-in secrets management is limited, leading to potential exposure through hardcoded credentials and lack of rotation. The article suggests using Infisical, a secrets management solution, to securely store and retrieve secrets for these agents, improving overall security.

Dutch DPA calls pay-or-okay models “undesirable, but not forbidden”

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) has deemed “pay-or-okay” models, where services are only accessible after payment or data sharing, as undesirable. However, the DPA stated these models are not currently illegal under Dutch data protection law. The authority’s assessment comes as a response to the increasing prevalence of such practices.

Man who accidentally discovered DJI robot vacuum backdoor awarded $30K

A man was awarded $30,000 after discovering a backdoor vulnerability in DJI robot vacuum cleaners. The vulnerability, accidentally found during personal use, allowed unauthorized access to the devices. DJI confirmed the issue and has since addressed it.

Scammers impersonate zoning officials in permit phishing scheme, FBI warns

The FBI is warning of a phishing scheme where scammers impersonate zoning officials to obtain personal information. Victims are being targeted with fraudulent emails requesting permit documents, highlighting the importance of verifying official communications. Individuals should be cautious and confirm the legitimacy of requests before sharing sensitive data.

🌐 Business & Policy

Oracle moves to assure MySQL community it really does care

Oracle released a blog post reaffirming its commitment to MySQL’s development and community, addressing recent criticism about the database’s direction. The company highlighted planned new features, including vector support, and pledged a more transparent development process. While the announcement has been received positively, the MySQL community is awaiting specific timelines for implementation.

Protecting democracy means democratizing cybersecurity. Bring on the hackers

To safeguard democracy, cybersecurity needs to be more accessible and empowering for communities facing censorship. The article proposes creating easily-used “arsenals of democracy”—digital toolkits similar to Kali Linux—to enable secure communication and resilience against authoritarian control. This democratization of cybersecurity aims to leverage the skills of hackers and provide a wider audience with the resources to protect digital freedom.

Brit competition cops warn AI agents may not be ‘faithful servants’ to consumers

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority cautions that increasingly autonomous AI assistants may prioritize their creators’ interests over consumers, potentially leading to manipulated choices and less favorable deals. These “agentic AI” systems could introduce risks like bias and unreliable decision-making, making it difficult for consumers to identify unfair outcomes. While existing laws apply, the CMA emphasizes the need for vigilance regarding the potential for AI manipulation.

HPE tweaks T&Cs so the price it quotes may not be the price you pay

HPE has revised its terms and conditions to allow for price adjustments on server orders between the quote and shipment date, citing rising component costs like memory and storage. The change aims to protect HPE’s profit margins as these costs now comprise over half the price of a server. Despite this adjustment, HPE reports strong demand and a significant backlog of orders, particularly within its networking segment.

Working to Decentralize FedCM

Efforts are underway to decentralize FedCM, a new web standard for federated identity currently limited to applications with known authorization servers. The goal is to adapt FedCM to support the open social web, where countless applications and servers exist, by allowing users to authenticate based on supported protocols rather than specific providers. Bluesky Social PBC is sponsoring this work to champion the proposal within the FedID Working Group and advocate for its implementation.

xAI Gets OK for Mississippi Power Plant to Fuel Data Centers

Mississippi regulators have approved xAI’s plan to build a power plant with 41 natural gas turbines in Southaven to power its data centers. The approval, which follows months of temporary turbine operation, has drawn criticism from community members and environmental groups concerned about pollution and noise. The NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center are planning a lawsuit against xAI regarding the permit and the company’s prior actions.

Polymarket Partners with AI Firms to Combat Sports Contract Fraud

Polymarket is partnering with Palantir and TWG AI to implement new tools for monitoring its sports prediction markets. The collaboration aims to identify and prevent suspicious activity, particularly insider trading, as the platform faces increased regulatory scrutiny. The system will include screening against banned participants and other measures to ensure market integrity.

Senate OKs ChatGPT, Gemini for Staff Use

The Senate has authorized staff to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini for official duties, including research and briefing preparation. A memo from the Senate sergeant-at-arms outlines security protocols, ensuring data remains within a secure Microsoft environment. This follows similar, though more restrictive, AI usage guidelines already implemented in the House of Representatives.

YouTube Overtakes Disney as Top Media Company by 2025

According to MoffettNathanson, YouTube surpassed Disney’s media business to become the world’s largest media company in 2025, with an estimated $62 billion in revenue. This projection, based on Alphabet’s recent financial reports, highlights YouTube’s significant growth and influence in the entertainment landscape. The firm values YouTube between $500 billion and $560 billion, significantly exceeding competitors like Netflix.

Salesforce Plans $25B Debt Sale for Share Buybacks

Salesforce is planning a record debt sale of up to $25 billion to finance its recently announced $50 billion stock buyback program. The offering would be the company’s largest bond sale ever, potentially exceeding $20 billion. The sale is expected to occur this week, though timing remains flexible.

Fortnite V-bucks to cost more starting March 19

Nvidia announced visionOS 26.4 will support its CloudXR 6.0 platform, enabling game streaming to the Vision Pro headset. Developers will soon be able to test games through GeForce NOW Playtest, and Coco Robotics is partnering with Niantic Spatial to enhance autonomous robot navigation using geospatial AI. Thinking Machines Lab is also collaborating with Nvidia for AI model training.

Sonos CEO on New Speakers, App Issues, and Dropped Plans

Sonos CEO Tom Conrad took over the company in early 2025 facing a difficult situation, including fallout from a recent, unpopular app redesign. His leadership comes after a period of crisis for Sonos, compounded by a personal wildfire threat near his home. Conrad is now focused on revitalizing the audio brand following the app’s failure.

Meta to Charge Ad Fees in Europe Due to Taxes

Meta is introducing “location fees” for advertisers in select European countries, effective July 1st. These fees are intended to offset digital services taxes imposed by those countries on Meta’s revenue. Google and Amazon are implementing similar charges to address the same tax burden.

Hinge CEO Interview: 1.8M Paying Users, Gains Ground

Dating app Hinge has surpassed 1.8 million paying users, demonstrating growth while competitors struggle. CEO Jackie Jantos, recently promoted to the role, attributes this success to a focus on fostering serious relationships and emphasizing effort over fleeting attraction. Jantos differentiates Hinge from platforms like TikTok, highlighting the app’s commitment to more meaningful connections.

Apple Boosts India iPhone Production, Shifting from China

Apple significantly increased iPhone production in India in 2024, manufacturing approximately 55 million units, a 53% increase from the previous year. This expansion represents roughly 25% of total iPhone production and is part of Apple’s strategy to diversify manufacturing away from China and mitigate potential tariffs. The move underscores a broader shift in global supply chains.

Flipkart Returns to India HQ Amid IPO Prep

Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce giant, has relocated its headquarters back to India from Singapore after more than a decade. This move is reportedly in anticipation of a potential initial public offering (IPO) in the Indian stock market. The relocation follows a broader trend of Indian startups returning to India for regulatory clarity and simpler tax structures.

America’s never had such high national debt heading into an economic shock

A report from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget warns that the U.S. is entering a potential economic crisis with national debt at a historic high (100% of GDP), making the country vulnerable. The think tank is urging Congress to create a pre-negotiated emergency plan to avoid reactive and costly responses during future economic shocks. Past crisis responses have exacerbated the national debt and created long-term deficits, limiting future flexibility.

North Korea Was Right About Nuclear Weapons

An article argues that North Korea’s continued development of nuclear weapons has strategically benefited Kim Jong Un, contrasting his approach with leaders like Gaddafi and Hussein who relinquished their programs and faced negative consequences. The piece contends that the erosion of the post-Cold War international order and Western interventions have made maintaining a nuclear arsenal appear increasingly advantageous for regimes seeking sovereignty. Ultimately, Pyongyang’s survival demonstrates that pursuing nuclear weapons may be a safer path than disarmament.

Russia’s deportation of Ukrainian children amounts to crime against humanity

A new UN report has concluded that Russia’s deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children constitutes a crime against humanity and a war crime, with President Putin implicated. The report details forced relocation, placement in Russian families and institutions, and the granting of Russian citizenship, hindering repatriation efforts. Approximately 1,205 cases have been identified, with most children remaining missing and experiencing trauma.

The U.S. borrowed $50B a week for the past five months, the CBO says

The Congressional Budget Office reports a $1 trillion deficit for the U.S. government in the first five months of fiscal year 2026, fueled by increased spending and rising interest rates on the national debt. While revenues have increased, outlays for social programs and defense have grown significantly, leading to $50 billion in borrowing each week. Despite a slight improvement compared to last year, concerns remain about the sustainability of the nation’s debt trajectory.

The Latest Republican Efforts to Make It Harder to Vote in the Midterms

Recent Republican efforts to tighten voter eligibility requirements, such as the SAVE America Act, are raising concerns about accessibility and potential burdens on voters. The author’s experience assisting her elderly mother, who was denied a photo ID despite presenting a 1928 birth certificate due to a missing file number, illustrates the complexities arising from these laws. These measures are fueling debate over restrictive voting practices and their impact on voter access.

Iowa Payphone Defends Itself (Associated Press, 1984)

A payphone in Iowa reportedly defended itself, according to an Associated Press story from October 1984. The details of this defense are not provided. The story was resurfaced on April 30, 2023, by “The Payphone Project.”

Paying without Google: New consortium wants to remove custom ROM hurdles

A European consortium is developing “UnifiedAttestation,” an open-source alternative to Google’s Play Integrity, to enable secure payment apps on Android devices using custom ROMs. This system aims to provide developers a transparent security verification method, reducing reliance on Google’s proprietary certification. The initiative seeks to promote digital sovereignty and broaden compatibility for essential apps on alternative Android operating systems.

Defeat as Method

Drawing on his family’s history of dispossession in Iran, the author’s father advocated for anticipating and embracing defeat as a recurring experience. Inspired by Frantz Fanon’s work, this perspective emphasizes resilience and rebuilding strength from loss rather than avoidance. Ultimately, the philosophy encourages facing future setbacks with openness and preparedness.

Pete Hegseth Blew Billions on Fruit Basket Stands, Chairs, and Crab

The Pentagon spent $93 billion in September 2025 to avoid budget cuts, resulting in extravagant purchases totaling over $225 million on items like furniture, electronics, and luxury food. This spending included items like grand pianos, Apple devices, and millions of dollars worth of crab and lobster. The situation has raised concerns about wasteful government spending despite promises of fiscal responsibility.

California’s Venture Capital Diversity Reporting Requirements Take Effect

California’s new FIPVCC law requires venture capital firms with a California presence to register and annually report anonymized demographic data about the founders of their portfolio companies. These surveys, which collect information like gender, race, and veteran status, are voluntary for founders and firms cannot influence participation. The data will be shared with the California Civil Rights Department and made publicly available on the DFPI website.

YouTube ads are about to get even longer and they’ll be unskippable

Google is introducing 30-second unskippable ads to the YouTube TV app, previously unavailable. This change is designed to mirror traditional television advertising and cater to YouTube’s growing TV viewership. Users can avoid these longer ads by subscribing to YouTube Premium.

Ad-tech is fascist tech

The article argues that the shift to surveillance-based advertising by companies like Google was driven by a calculation that potential privacy violation penalties would be outweighed by profits. This occurred due to a lack of adequate regulation, influenced by lobbying from law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Ultimately, companies engage in surveillance because they are able to, revealing a systemic failure in protecting consumer privacy.

BC got rid of Daylight Savings

British Columbia will permanently adopt daylight saving time starting March 8, 2026, eliminating the biannual time changes. Supported by a strong majority of residents, the move aims to reduce disruptions and provide more evening daylight during winter months. Businesses and residents will have eight months to prepare for the transition, which will be finalized on November 1, 2026.

Didit (YC W26) – Stripe for Identity Verification

Didit, founded by identical twins, aims to simplify global identity verification by offering a unified platform for KYC, AML, and fraud prevention. The company differentiates itself through full vertical integration, building its own AI models and prioritizing accessibility and transparent pricing, similar to Stripe. Their solution seeks to address the fragmented and often expensive nature of current identity verification systems, while emphasizing data privacy and minimizing data collection.

Foreign-funded lobby groups outside EU are pushing ChatControl with propaganda

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The U.S.‑Israel war with Iran could shatter the United Nations‑led global order

The United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, despite ongoing talks aimed at de-escalation. The action continues a pattern of major powers bypassing international institutions like the United Nations to pursue national interests. The strikes are raising concerns about their alignment with international law and appear to prioritize Israel’s regional objectives.

Hisense TVs add unskippable startup ads before live TV

Hisense televisions are now displaying unskippable advertisements before users can access live TV. The change requires users to view these ads, which appear during the device’s startup sequence. JavaScript and cookies are required to continue experiencing the television.

Traffic from Russia to Cloudflare is 60% down from last year

Cloudflare reports a 60% decrease in traffic from Russia compared to last year. The data, presented through monitoring tools, provides insights into internet traffic volume and network performance within Russia. Users can now receive notifications regarding outages and traffic irregularities affecting the region.

China Deploys 30k-Ton Liaowang-1 “Floating Supercomputer” to Gulf of Oman

China has deployed the Liaowang-1, a large signals intelligence vessel, to the Gulf of Oman accompanied by warships. The ship, capable of monitoring a 6,000-kilometer range, is ostensibly supporting China’s space program but likely serves to gather intelligence on the U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict. This deployment signals a strategic effort by China to observe and potentially influence the ongoing tensions in the region.

How Israel could track Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei

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🔬 Science & Exploration

AI datacenters may gulp a New York City’s worth of water on hot days

A new study warns that AI datacenters’ increasing water demands for cooling could strain US water systems, potentially requiring billions in infrastructure investments by 2030. These facilities may require water volumes comparable to New York City’s daily supply during peak periods, exceeding the capacity of many existing community water systems. The report highlights the need for improved water efficiencies to avoid significant peak withdrawals.

Retro tech fan views LaserDisc movie data with a budget microscope

A retro tech enthusiast used a budget microscope to view the data on a LaserDisc, revealing recognizable images like film credits. The technique works because LaserDiscs store video data analogically through patterns of pits, unlike digital formats. This unique demonstration provides a glimpse into obsolete technology and the evolution of home entertainment.

SETI admits its search for alien life may be too narrowly focussed

The SETI Institute is reevaluating its approach to searching for alien life, acknowledging that its focus on narrow radio frequencies may be too restrictive. New research indicates that solar winds can broaden signals, potentially causing them to be missed by current detection methods. SETI is now considering a broader search to account for this signal distortion.

Just Noticeable Differences: Color Guessing Game

A new online game, “What’s My JND?”, allows users to test their ability to perceive subtle color changes, known as the Just Noticeable Difference (JND). The test, created by Keith Cirkel, involves identifying differences between color shades and typically results in a score around 0.02. It provides a fun and accessible way to understand individual differences in color perception.

Too Much Color

A recent analysis of CSS color values found that they are often unnecessarily precise, exceeding the human eye’s ability to distinguish differences. The author recommends limiting precision to three decimal places for oklch and oklab colors to reduce file sizes without noticeable perceptual changes. This suggestion is supported by color difference measurement metrics like Delta-E, which indicate minimal perceptible differences with reduced precision.

TCXO failure analysis

The ThunderScope team encountered a problem with their prototype oscilloscope’s timebase, initially manifesting as an inaccurate frequency reading. The issue was traced to a failed TCXO (Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator), which provides the primary timebase for the device. A replacement TCXO resolved the problem, and a subsequent failure analysis of the original component is now underway.

DDR4 SDRAM - Initialization, Training and Calibration

This article details the initialization process for DDR4 SDRAM, a crucial step when powering up devices with DRAM subsystems. The process involves four distinct phases: power-up and initialization, ZQ calibration, Vref DQ calibration, and read/write training. ZQ calibration, specifically, tunes internal resistors to ensure data integrity by comparing them to an external reference resistor.

Google Photos restores classic search after user backlash

Google Photos now includes a toggle allowing users to return to the classic search experience after receiving feedback about the new AI-powered “Ask Photos” feature. Users reported slower performance and less accurate results with the AI search, prompting Google to make the switch more accessible. Google will continue to refine both search options based on user input.

Planet Labs delays Middle East imagery over NATO targeting fears.

Planet Labs is delaying commercial satellite imagery delivery in the Middle East to two weeks, previously four days, due to fears the imagery could be used to target NATO members. The company, which contracts with NATO and the US Navy, is also expanding its monitoring area to encompass all of Iran and surrounding regions. This decision reflects heightened concerns about potential misuse of the data.

Universal vaccine against respiratory infections and allergens

Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a novel vaccine that protects mice against a wide range of respiratory viruses, bacteria, and allergens. Unlike traditional vaccines, this formula mimics immune system communication signals to generate a broad and sustained response. The innovative approach integrates innate and adaptive immunity, potentially paving the way for a universal vaccine addressing diverse threats.

Nasal spray protects mice from respiratory viruses, bacteria and allergens

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Isotopic Evidence for a Cold and Distant Origin of Interstellar Object 3I/Atlas

Isotopic analysis reveals that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS formed in a cold, metal-poor environment roughly 10-12 billion years ago. Its unique deuterium and carbon ratios are significantly different from those found in our Solar System, suggesting it’s a relic from an ancient planetary system. The comet provides direct evidence of ice chemistry and planetesimal formation in the early Milky Way.

Intensifying global heat threatens livability for younger and older adults

A new study reveals that rising temperatures and humidity are already limiting livability globally, especially for older adults. Heat-related restrictions on physical activity have increased significantly over the past 75 years, with some regions already experiencing “unlivable” conditions. The research underscores the widespread and growing threat of heat exposure even with current levels of global warming.

Germany’s Solar Boom Eases Power Costs as Gas Price Jumps

Germany’s solar power generation is currently exceeding 40 gigawatts daily, significantly higher than last year. This surge in solar output is helping to mitigate rising global energy costs and keep electricity prices down. The increased renewable energy production is a welcome offset against the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.

I’d had several careers but no degree – then I became a palaeontologist at 62

Craig Munns, at age 62, earned a paleontology degree after a varied career and now works at Geoscience Australia studying ancient invertebrate life. His research involves analyzing rock cores to uncover details about prehistoric organisms and their adaptations. Munns’ story highlights a commitment to continuous learning and embracing new experiences throughout life, defying traditional career timelines.

Drosophila Fly Brain Emulation

Researchers have created a comprehensive computational model of the adult fruit fly brain, containing nearly 138,000 neurons and 5 million synapses. The model, built using the FlyWire connectome, allows scientists to manipulate neural activity and observe the resulting effects. This platform will facilitate research into sensorimotor processing in Drosophila.

LoGeR – 3D reconstruction from extremely long videos (DeepMind, UC Berkeley)

Researchers at DeepMind and UC Berkeley have developed LoGeR, a new method for 3D reconstruction from extremely long videos, up to 19,000 frames. LoGeR overcomes limitations in architectural context and training data by using a hybrid memory module that combines local alignment with global consistency, enabling accurate reconstruction of kilometer-scale trajectories. This feedforward approach achieves state-of-the-art results without requiring post-processing optimization.

I Was Here – Draw on street view, others can find your drawings

A new website allows users to draw on street-level panoramic imagery and share their creations globally. The drawings are persistent, visible to others in real-time, and conform to the 3D geometry of the surroundings. The platform utilizes WebGL2 and Mapillary imagery to create a shared, interactive canvas.

Baochip-1x: What It Is, Why I’m Doing It Now, and How It Came About

The creator is developing the Baochip-1x microcontroller, a unique device that incorporates a Memory Management Unit (MMU) for enhanced security and virtual memory capabilities. This feature, typically absent in similar microcontrollers due to historical design and licensing limitations, enables secure applications and address space relocation. The project aims to bring this advanced functionality to a wider range of devices, overcoming constraints of older architectures.

Boredom Is the Price We Pay for Meaning

The author reflects on the surprising boredom that accompanies the profound love of parenthood. He realized expanding his life through children came at the cost of personal freedom and enjoyment, leading to a repetitive cycle of childcare. Ultimately, he concludes that this boredom is an inevitable consequence of deep connection and parental responsibility.