Author: abubakar
Facebook Parent Meta Wants to Show It’s Still a Big Contender in AI Race – CNET
The social media giant releases a new language model to fuel AI research.
The social media giant releases a new language model to fuel AI research.
Microsoft tells Exchange admins to remove some previous antivirus restrictions
restrictions are no longer necessary, and could even hinder the AV’s ability to spot malware, Microsoft says.
Some Microsoft Exchange folders and processes, which the company previously suggested be excluded from antivirus scans for stability reasons, should no longer be excluded, it has announced.
Explaining the change of heart, Microsoft said the processes no longer affect the stability, or the performance, of Exchange servers, adding that it could even be beneficial as some threat actors could have hidden backdoors in there, as well.
Some of the processes and folders include Temporary ASP.NET files, Inetsrv folders, as well as the PowerShell and w3wp processes.
Exclude no more
“Keeping these exclusions may prevent detections of IIS webshells and backdoor modules, which represent the most common security issues,” the Exchange Team said. “We’ve validated that removing these processes and folders doesn’t affect performance or stability when using Microsoft Defender on Exchange Server 2019 running the latest Exchange Server updates.”
The new recommendations affect Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2013. However, Microsoft added that IT teams should monitor these processes just in case anything goes south.
Here’s a full list of no-longer-needed exclusions:
%SystemRoot%Microsoft.NETFramework64v4.0.30319Temporary ASP.NET Files
%SystemRoot%System32Inetsrv
%SystemRoot%System32WindowsPowerShellv1.0PowerShell.exe
%SystemRoot%System32inetsrvw3wp.exe
Threat actors had been observed using malicious Internet Information Services (IIS) web server extensions and modules, to add backdoors to unpatched Microsoft Exchange servers.
The best way to stay safe is to always apply the latest Exchange patches and updates, to use antivirus programs, restrict access to IIS virtual directories, prioritize alerts, and constantly inspect config files and bin folders for any suspicious files, the publication added.
Finally, IT teams should always run the Exchange Server Health Checker script after updates, to address any possible misconfiguration issues.
Exchange Servers are one of the most popular targets for cybercriminals worldwide, as they’re often unprotected, or misconfigured. At the same time, many offer a real treasure trove of sensitive information that can be sold on the black market, or used as leverage in a ransom negotiation.
Check out the best endpoint protection right now
Via: BleepingComputer
Unexpected protein interactions needed to build flowers
A protein made for destruction turns to cooperation to build flowers.
Enlarge (credit: James Randklev)
The pros and cons of moonlighting—taking up an extra job in addition to full-time employment—are hotly debated. But in biology, moonlighting is not uncommon, as individual proteins often perform multiple functions. For many years, scientists knew that the Unusual Floral Organ (UFO) protein seems to do some moonlighting.
Based on the protein’s structure, its role in plants is thought to target proteins for destruction. But it also works with the Leafy (LFY) protein to aid flower formation. A team of scientists from France has now shed light on how this protein performs two roles.
Flowers and a UFO
When it comes to flower formation, the Leafy (LFY) protein is a veritable workhorse. Flowers are built from parts named sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels, which are arranged in whorls. The LFY protein, acting alone or in combination with other proteins, is responsible for activating genes essential for creating each of these parts. LFY combines with UFO to help form petals and stamens.
These Ancient Sea Animal Fossils Aren’t What They Seem, Scientists Say – CNET
At various times, researchers have thought them to be from jellyfish or sea sponges.
At various times, researchers have thought them to be from jellyfish or sea sponges.
What’s Inside the Earth’s Core?
The inner core of the Earth appears to hold an innermost secret. From a report: Geology textbooks almost inevitably include a cutaway diagram of the Earth showing four neatly delineated layers: a thin outer shell of rock that we live on known as the crust; the mantle, where rocks flow like an extremely viscous liquid, driving the movement of continents and the lifting of mountains; a liquid outer core of iron and nickel that generates the planet’s magnetic field; and a solid inner core. Analyzing the crisscrossing of seismic waves from large earthquakes, two Australian scientists say there is a distinctly different layer at the very center of the Earth. “We have now confirmed the existence of the innermost inner core,” said one of the scientists, Hrvoje Tkalcic, a professor of geophysics at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Dr. Tkalcic and Thanh-Son Pham, a postdoctoral researcher, estimate that the innermost inner core is about 800 miles wide; the entire inner core is about 1,500 miles wide. Their findings were published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. While the cutaway diagram appears to depict clear-cut divisions, knowledge about the deep interior of Earth is unavoidably fuzzy. It is nearly 4,000 miles to the center of Earth, and it is impossible to drill more than a few miles into the crust. Most of what is known about what lies beneath comes from seismic waves — the vibrations of earthquakes traveling through and around the planet. Think of them as a giant sonogram of Earth.
Two Harvard seismologists, Miaki Ishii and Adam Dziewonski, first proposed the idea of the innermost inner core in 2002 based on peculiarities in the speed of seismic waves passing through the inner core. Scientists already knew that the speed of seismic waves traveling through this part of the Earth varied depending on the direction. The waves traveled fastest when going from pole to pole along the Earth’s axis and slowest when traveling perpendicular to the axis. The difference in speeds — a few percent faster along polar paths — arises from the alignment of iron crystals in the inner core, geophysicists believe. But in a small region at the center, the slowest waves were those traveling at a 45-degree angle to the axis instead of 90 degrees, the Harvard seismologists said. The data available then were too sparse to convince everyone.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The inner core of the Earth appears to hold an innermost secret. From a report: Geology textbooks almost inevitably include a cutaway diagram of the Earth showing four neatly delineated layers: a thin outer shell of rock that we live on known as the crust; the mantle, where rocks flow like an extremely viscous liquid, driving the movement of continents and the lifting of mountains; a liquid outer core of iron and nickel that generates the planet’s magnetic field; and a solid inner core. Analyzing the crisscrossing of seismic waves from large earthquakes, two Australian scientists say there is a distinctly different layer at the very center of the Earth. “We have now confirmed the existence of the innermost inner core,” said one of the scientists, Hrvoje Tkalcic, a professor of geophysics at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Dr. Tkalcic and Thanh-Son Pham, a postdoctoral researcher, estimate that the innermost inner core is about 800 miles wide; the entire inner core is about 1,500 miles wide. Their findings were published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. While the cutaway diagram appears to depict clear-cut divisions, knowledge about the deep interior of Earth is unavoidably fuzzy. It is nearly 4,000 miles to the center of Earth, and it is impossible to drill more than a few miles into the crust. Most of what is known about what lies beneath comes from seismic waves — the vibrations of earthquakes traveling through and around the planet. Think of them as a giant sonogram of Earth.
Two Harvard seismologists, Miaki Ishii and Adam Dziewonski, first proposed the idea of the innermost inner core in 2002 based on peculiarities in the speed of seismic waves passing through the inner core. Scientists already knew that the speed of seismic waves traveling through this part of the Earth varied depending on the direction. The waves traveled fastest when going from pole to pole along the Earth’s axis and slowest when traveling perpendicular to the axis. The difference in speeds — a few percent faster along polar paths — arises from the alignment of iron crystals in the inner core, geophysicists believe. But in a small region at the center, the slowest waves were those traveling at a 45-degree angle to the axis instead of 90 degrees, the Harvard seismologists said. The data available then were too sparse to convince everyone.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple Responds to Report About Thieves Spying on iPhone Passcodes to ‘Steal Your Entire Digital Life’
An in-depth report published today by The Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen highlights instances of thieves spying on a victim’s iPhone passcode before stealing the device in order to gain access to the device, data, and money.
All of the victims interviewed said their iPhones were stolen while they were out socializing at bars and other public places at night. Some victims said the iPhones were grabbed out of their hands by strangers, while others said they were physically assaulted and intimidated. The report provides specific examples of these instances.
With knowledge of the iPhone’s passcode, a thief can easily reset the victim’s Apple ID password in the Settings app, even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled. Subsequently, the thief can turn off Find My iPhone on the device, preventing the owner of the device from tracking its location or remotely erasing the device via iCloud. The thief can also remove other trusted Apple devices from the account to further lock out the victim.
The thief can also change an Apple ID’s contact information and set up a recovery key in order to prevent a victim from recovering the account.
To make matters worse, knowing an iPhone’s passcode allows a thief to use Apple Pay, send Apple Cash, and access banking apps using passwords stored in iCloud Keychain. Even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled on the iPhone, thieves can simply bypass these authentication methods and an option to input the device’s passcode is presented. In some cases, the report claims that thieves even opened an Apple Card by finding the victim’s last four digits of their Social Security number in photos stored in apps like Photos or Google Drive.
Access to other passwords stored in iCloud Keychain allows the thief to further wreak havoc, as it could give them access to email accounts and other sensitive information. All in all, the report says thieves can essentially “steal your entire digital life.”
Apple Responds
In response to the report, an Apple spokesperson said “security researchers agree that iPhone is the most secure consumer mobile device, and we work tirelessly every day to protect all our users from new and emerging threats.”
“We sympathize with users who have had this experience and we take all attacks on our users very seriously, no matter how rare,” the spokesperson added. “We will continue to advance the protections to help keep user accounts secure.” Apple did not provide any specific details about any next steps it might take to increase security.
In a tweet, Stern recommended that Apple add extra protections to iOS and introduce additional Apple ID account recovery options.
How to Stay Protected
In a tweet, Stern recommended that users switch from a four-digit passcode to an alphanumeric passcode, which would be more difficult for thieves to spy on. This can be done in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode → Change Passcode.
iPhone users can also use Face ID or Touch ID as much as possible when in public to prevent thieves from spying on their passcode. In situations where entering the passcode is necessary, users can hold their hands over their screen to hide passcode entry.
To protect a bank account, consider storing the password in a password manager that does not involve the device’s passcode, such as 1Password.Tags: The Wall Street Journal, Apple Security
This article, “Apple Responds to Report About Thieves Spying on iPhone Passcodes to ‘Steal Your Entire Digital Life'” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
An in-depth report published today by The Wall Street Journal‘s Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen highlights instances of thieves spying on a victim’s iPhone passcode before stealing the device in order to gain access to the device, data, and money.
All of the victims interviewed said their iPhones were stolen while they were out socializing at bars and other public places at night. Some victims said the iPhones were grabbed out of their hands by strangers, while others said they were physically assaulted and intimidated. The report provides specific examples of these instances.
With knowledge of the iPhone’s passcode, a thief can easily reset the victim’s Apple ID password in the Settings app, even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled. Subsequently, the thief can turn off Find My iPhone on the device, preventing the owner of the device from tracking its location or remotely erasing the device via iCloud. The thief can also remove other trusted Apple devices from the account to further lock out the victim.
The thief can also change an Apple ID’s contact information and set up a recovery key in order to prevent a victim from recovering the account.
To make matters worse, knowing an iPhone’s passcode allows a thief to use Apple Pay, send Apple Cash, and access banking apps using passwords stored in iCloud Keychain. Even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled on the iPhone, thieves can simply bypass these authentication methods and an option to input the device’s passcode is presented. In some cases, the report claims that thieves even opened an Apple Card by finding the victim’s last four digits of their Social Security number in photos stored in apps like Photos or Google Drive.
Access to other passwords stored in iCloud Keychain allows the thief to further wreak havoc, as it could give them access to email accounts and other sensitive information. All in all, the report says thieves can essentially “steal your entire digital life.”
Apple Responds
In response to the report, an Apple spokesperson said “security researchers agree that iPhone is the most secure consumer mobile device, and we work tirelessly every day to protect all our users from new and emerging threats.”
“We sympathize with users who have had this experience and we take all attacks on our users very seriously, no matter how rare,” the spokesperson added. “We will continue to advance the protections to help keep user accounts secure.” Apple did not provide any specific details about any next steps it might take to increase security.
In a tweet, Stern recommended that Apple add extra protections to iOS and introduce additional Apple ID account recovery options.
How to Stay Protected
In a tweet, Stern recommended that users switch from a four-digit passcode to an alphanumeric passcode, which would be more difficult for thieves to spy on. This can be done in the Settings app under Face ID & Passcode → Change Passcode.
iPhone users can also use Face ID or Touch ID as much as possible when in public to prevent thieves from spying on their passcode. In situations where entering the passcode is necessary, users can hold their hands over their screen to hide passcode entry.
To protect a bank account, consider storing the password in a password manager that does not involve the device’s passcode, such as 1Password.
This article, “Apple Responds to Report About Thieves Spying on iPhone Passcodes to ‘Steal Your Entire Digital Life’” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Signal would ‘walk’ from UK if Online Safety Bill undermined encryption
Bosses of the messaging app fear the Online Safety Bill could force it to weaken its users’ security.
Bosses of the messaging app fear the Online Safety Bill could force it to weaken its users’ security.
An EV charger every 50 miles: Here’s the plan to keep them running
Uptime and “Buy American”: We look at Biden’s $7.5 billion charging plan.
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson)
The last few years have, after much inaction, seen a flurry of new policies informed by the looming threat of climate change. Among these has been the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which will spend almost $5 billion by 2027 in order to build out a national network of fast-charging stations along federal interstate highways.
But where are those chargers being installed, and will they be reliable when someone turns up and needs to charge? We spoke to Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, which was created to oversee the government’s EV charging investment, to find out more.
Klein’s office is meant to act as a “front door” for the federal government for charging infrastructure. “We are made up of staff from DOT and DOE as well as in the national labs, and we are really focused on bringing technical expertise, alignment between government and the private sector, helping to facilitate industry standards, along with our partners,” Klein told Ars recently.