Technology
England's first convicted 'cyber-flasher' sentenced to 5 years
England’s first convicted cyber-flasher was sentenced Tuesday to 5 1/2 years in prison.
Nicholas Hawkes, 39, a convicted sex offender who sent unsolicited photos of his genitals to a girl and a woman, was the first person in England and Wales convicted of violating the Online Safety Act.
Hawkes admitted at an earlier hearing that in February he sent a photograph or film of genitals with intent to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.
SCAMMERS ARE USING FAKE NEWS, MALICIOUS LINKS TO TARGET YOU IN AN EMOTIONAL FACEBOOK PHISHING TRAP
The woman who received the photos in February took screenshots and reported him to police.
Hawkes was on the sex offenders register after being convicted last year of exposure and sexual activity with a child under 16. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to breaching both a community order and suspended sentence he had received for the earlier offense.
The cyber-flashing law that went into effect Jan. 31 makes it an offense to send unsolicited sexual images by social media, dating apps, or technologies such as Bluetooth or Airdrop.
Technology
Two students find security bug that could let millions do laundry for free
A security lapse could let millions of college students do free laundry, thanks to one company. That’s because of a vulnerability that two University of California, Santa Cruz students found in internet-connected washing machines in commercial use in several countries, according to TechCrunch.
The two students, Alexander Sherbrooke and Iakov Taranenko, apparently exploited an API for the machines’ app to do things like remotely command them to work without payment and update a laundry account to show it had millions of dollars in it. The company that owns the machines, CSC ServiceWorks, claims to have more than a million laundry and vending machines in service at colleges, multi-housing communities, laundromats, and more in the US, Canada, and Europe.
CSC never responded when Sherbrooke and Taranenko reported the vulnerability via emails and a phone call in January, TechCrunch writes. Despite that, the students told the outlet that the company “quietly wiped out” their false millions after they contacted it.
The lack of response led them to tell others about their findings. That includes that the company has a published list of commands, which the two told TechCrunch enables connecting to all of CSC’s network-connected laundry machines. CSC ServiceWorks didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
CSC’s vulnerability is a good reminder that the security situation with the internet of things still isn’t sorted out. For the exploit the students found, maybe CSC shoulders the risk, but in other cases, lax cybersecurity practices have made it possible for hackers or company contractors to view strangers’ security camera footage or gain access to smart plugs.
Often, security researchers find these security holes and report them before they can be exploited in the wild. But that’s not helpful if the company responsible for them doesn’t respond.
Technology
The Mac Pro and Studio won’t get the M4 nod until mid-2025
Throughout 2024, though, all of Apple’s laptops (except the MacBook Air) will move to the M4 chip that the company just gave the iPad Pro, Gurman writes. Amusingly, this herky-jerky chip upgrade cycle means that the iPad Pro is currently the single-core performance champ of Apple’s lineup — and it will continue to be for about another year, when compared to the Mac Studio and Mac Pro.
This is a silly comparison, of course — The current crop of Mac Studios and Mac Pros are incredible computers that hold more RAM, have more ports, and won’t throttle as quickly as the iPad Pro, even with that heat-conducting Apple logo. They also don’t have an operating system that stands squarely in the way of pushing their hardware. And high-end Mac users should be used to waiting a while between revisions. Still, I’m sure more than a few people will appreciate the upgrade when it comes.
Technology
Boston Dynamics' creepy robotic canine dances in sparkly blue costume
As the world celebrated #InternationalDanceDay, a unique duo took the stage, or rather, the screen, to showcase a different kind of choreography.
Spot, the quadruped robot developed by Boston Dynamics, found a new friend in Sparkles, a dazzlingly dressed counterpart designed to explore the fusion of robotics, art and entertainment.
A cartoon come to life
At first glance, the video in question seems like a whimsical animation straight out of a children’s show. Yet, this is no fiction. The footage is a testament to how far robotics has come, featuring Spot adorned in a blue, sparkly, albeit slightly creepy costume, performing a dance routine that could rival any animated character.
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Meet Sparkles
“Spot is meeting another strange dog and making friends through the power of dance. Meet Sparkles!” Boston Dynamics announced. The video features two Spots — one in the recognizable black and yellow, and the other, Sparkles, in the blue, sparkly dog costume — engaging in a robotic dance-off that culminates in a mechanical kiss.
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This display of robotic affection and agility has sparked conversations about the potential applications of such technology in entertainment venues like theme parks, where robots could add a layer of realism to character interactions.
Social media’s mixed moves
The reception on social media was as varied as the dance moves displayed. Some viewers were enchanted, praising the mobility and innovation, while others expressed discomfort, humorously suggesting that the cute facade could well be the stuff of nightmares.
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HUMANOID ROBOTS ARE NOW DOING THE WORK OF HUMANS IN A SPANX WAREHOUSE
Kurt’s key takeaways
After watching Spot and Sparkles bust a move together, it’s pretty wild to think about where robotics is heading. It’s like we’re watching a live-action cartoon, isn’t it? These robots are not just showing off some fancy footwork; they’re opening our eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. Whether they’re making us smile or giving us the heebie-jeebies, they’re proof that creativity knows no limits.
How do you feel about robots displaying human-like behaviors such as dancing and kissing? Does it concern you for the future of human-robot interactions? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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