Author: TechBrunch
Cybersecurity experts take a community-driven approach to solving problems. Security researchers share the vulnerabilities they discover with the broader cybersecurity community, so companies can patch security holes before something catastrophic happens. Prequel is trying to bring the same approach to its software. The startup is building a database of software failure patterns and misconfigurations in Linux workloads. The database is updated by a growing community of engineers and developers who exchange reliability information. Prequel's software resides within a company's existing software stack and pulls from this database, constantly checking for bugs and glitches. The company's co-founders Tony Meehan and Lyndon…
Juicyway, an African fintech that leverages stablecoin technology to enable fast and cheap cross-border payments, has announced that after processing more than $1 billion in transaction value for thousands of African businesses over the past three years, I'm secretly launching it. The fintech claims to have processed over 25,000 transactions and generated $1.3 billion in total payment value (TPV) from 4,000 users. These transactions leverage stablecoin technology at their core. According to its founders, the fintech has built up this number without any publicly available apps or marketing efforts. Instead, the fintech grew organically, acquiring similar businesses with thousands of…
Earlier this year, a Serbian journalist and activist had his cellphone hacked by local authorities using a cellphone unlocking device made by forensic tools manufacturer Celebrite. According to a new Amnesty International report, authorities aim not only to unlock phones and access personal data, as Celebrite allows, but also to use spyware to enable further surveillance. It was also possible to install . Amnesty International said in its report that it believed these were “the first forensically documented spyware infections” made possible through the use of the Cellebrite tool. This crude but effective technique is one of many ways governments…
I have fond memories of past efforts to combine VR content with real-world locations, but I thought the pandemic ended that ambition. I figured if I needed VR in 2024, I would have to buy a headset. It can be an almost solitary experience at home or in the office. Not something to share with a crowd in a renovated retail space. But a new immersive experience proves me wrong. Created by French startup Excurio in collaboration with Musee d'Orsay and another startup Eclipso, “Tonight With The Impressionists, Paris 1874” celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist art exhibition…
A speaker at the annual AI conference NeurIPS is drawing criticism. It wasn't an opinion about AI, it was a reference to Chinese students. In her keynote on “How to Optimize What Matters Most,” MIT Media Lab Professor Rosalind Pickard (pictured above) spoke of “Chinese students kicked out of top universities” for using AI. I have included a slide with the excuse quoted. The student allegedly said, “No one taught us morals or values at my school.” The slides also include a note from Picard that says, “Most Chinese people I know are honest and morally upright.” Google DeepMind scientist…
The all-electric 2025 Lucid Air Pure is the least expensive trim in Lucid's Air lineup, yet it's a dreamy, sexy car. Driving around, I felt understated, flashy and discerning, as if I were wearing designer sweatpants. But does fantasy equal value? I spent about 10 days driving the Air Pure on two different coasts to find out. And here are the details: Yes, but only if over-the-air updates are sent continuously. The Air Pure is a technological dreamboat in many invisible “under the hood” ways, including an ultra-efficient electric motor. And its spacious, airtight interior and high-end sound system will…
AI agents are thought to be the next big thing in AI, but there is no exact definition of what they are. At the moment, people disagree on what exactly constitutes an AI agent. At its simplest, an AI agent is an AI agent that uses AI to perform a series of tasks for you that might have been performed in the past by a human customer service agent, human resources representative, or IT help desk employee. Although it is best described as software, it can ultimately involve anyone. task. When you ask it to do something, it does it…
President-elect Donald Trump has surrounded himself with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen and David Sachs, who advise him on technology and other issues. are. When it comes to AI, this team of engineers is pretty much in agreement about the need for rapid development and deployment of AI across the United States. But there is one AI safety issue that this group brings up quite a bit. That is the threat of “censorship” of AI by major corporations. technology. President Trump's Silicon Valley advisers could turn AI chatbot responses into another battleground for conservatives to fight their…
State officials say hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders could be affected by a cyberattack on the state's social services online portal, and there is a “high probability” their personal information will be compromised. . According to an update from Gov. Dan McKee's office, the attack targeted RIBridges, which Rhode Islanders use to apply for and access programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It is said to have been targeted. The attack also targeted the Healthsource RI insurance market. “Individuals who receive or apply for Medicare or Health and Human Services programs or benefits may…
Facebook's parent company Meta is supporting Elon Musk's efforts to prevent OpenAI from converting from a nonprofit to a for-profit company. The Wall Street Journal reported that Mehta sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta arguing that allowing the move would have a “seismic impact on Silicon Valley.” The company also called on Bonta to take “direct action,” saying Musk and former OpenAI board member Siobhan Gillis are “qualified and well-placed to represent the interests of Californians on this issue.” He also said. “If OpenAI's new business model is effective, nonprofit investors could earn the same commercial returns…