The hottest Privacy Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

State-Backed Chinese Forensics Firm Claims It Cracked Apple's AirDrop to Police Speech

Metacurity • 78 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Security Privacy Cybersecurity
  1. A Chinese forensics firm cracked Apple's AirDrop to help police track down 'inappropriate speech.'
  2. The firm prevented the spread of unacceptable content on the Beijing subway using technical breakthroughs.
  3. Apple's AirDrop allows file-sharing without revealing a user's identity, which raised privacy concerns during protests.
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NSA FOIA Submitted

FOIA Around And Find Out • 373 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government National Security Research Privacy
  1. Research suggests more transparency is needed regarding activities at the NSA, including possible Russian involvement from 2015-2016.
  2. Exploration of the involvement of individuals like Rodney Joffe in government data programs is an intriguing avenue of inquiry.
  3. FOIA requests have been resubmitted for records related to various entities that appear to have connections to US Intelligence and potential data collection activities.

TechLetters #159 Light sensor privacy leaks; Data leaks from LLM uses; Cybersecurity plans of a potential US 2025 White House

Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber, Privacy and Tech Policy Critique • 58 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Security Privacy Other
  1. Data leaks from AI/LLM systems, affecting devices like iPhones
  2. Cybersecurity plans for potential future US 2025 White House President include integrating cyber and electronic warfare capabilities
  3. Risk of privacy leaks from ambient light sensors validated by research, emphasizing the need for safe configurations

Google Goes To Bat For Right To Repair In Oregon

Fight to Repair • 59 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Repairability Privacy Environmental Impact Right-to-repair
  1. Google endorses the right to repair, changing its corporate position and supporting a legal right for users to repair their devices.
  2. Google is backing comprehensive right to repair legislation in Oregon and actively lobbying for its passage.
  3. Although Google's endorsement is a significant shift, their focus on parts assemblies over individual components has been critiqued by right to repair advocates.

Another year is coming to a close without a federal privacy bill

The Exformation Newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Congress Privacy Bipartisanship Enforcement
  1. A federal privacy law remains out of reach of Congress for another year.
  2. Two scenarios for privacy law development: Option A - state-based bills expanding to all states, Option B - federal bill.
  3. Compliance with 50 different state privacy bills is costly and creates additional risks for companies.

The Impact of Social Media on Cybersecurity

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Social media Cybersecurity Privacy Online safety Data Protection
  1. Social media is a significant source of cyber threats, as cybercriminals use it to steal personal information, spread malware, and launch phishing attacks.
  2. Social media platforms are vulnerable to cybercrime due to the vast user base they have, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
  3. To stay safe on social media, it's important to be cautious about what you share, use strong passwords, be wary of suspicious links, keep software updated, and utilize two-factor authentication.

Get a Microsoft 365 Copilot security teardown without hours of documentation review

Deploy Securely • 39 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Security Privacy Data Governance AI Governance Data Management
  1. Microsoft 365 Copilot provides detailed data residency and retention controls favored by enterprises in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
  2. Be cautious of insider threats with Copilot as it allows access to considerable organizational data, potentially leading to inadvertent policy violations.
  3. Consider the complexities of Copilot's retention policies, especially in relation to existing settings and the use of Bing for web searches.

Le futur de la messagerie instantanée

Venture Prose • 479 implied HN points • 12 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Messaging Privacy Innovation iOS Communication
  1. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by notifications, prioritize important connections over others.
  2. Consider using messaging platforms like Roze that prioritize privacy and control over who you chat with.
  3. Focus on quality interactions by selecting a limited number of close contacts for messaging, rather than being bombarded with irrelevant notifications.

TechLetters #157 Data Protection of Privacy Sandbox PAA; Fake security reviews using ChatGPT; Satellite internet access cut in Ukraine during military operations; China criticises U.S. tech sanctions

Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber, Privacy and Tech Policy Critique • 39 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Security Privacy Technology Policy
  1. Security bug reports gone awry, leading to nonsensical content created with ChatGPT.
  2. Satellite internet access cut in Ukraine during military operations.
  3. Google phasing out 3rd-party cookies for data protection in Chrome browser.

Last Week in AI #218: Hinton warns of AI dangers ahead, rapid rise of AI-produced music, AI chatbots can now run locally on old computers, and more!

Last Week in AI • 255 implied HN points • 08 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Music Chatbots Privacy
  1. Geoffrey Hinton leaving Google highlights concerns around generative AI and the need for responsible technological stewardship
  2. The surge in AI-generated music raises questions about artists' rights, cultural appropriation, and the balance between technology and ethics
  3. Development of chatbots like MLC LLM running on various devices shows potential for local AI processing and privacy benefits

Must Learn AI Security Series: Introduction

Rod’s Blog • 138 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🕹 Technology AI Security Ethics Privacy Microsoft Digital Landscape
  1. AI security is crucial as AI becomes a prevalent and powerful technology affecting various aspects of our lives.
  2. Exploiting AI vulnerabilities can lead to severe real-world consequences, highlighting the importance of addressing AI security concerns proactively.
  3. Transparent and ethical AI systems, alongside secure coding practices and data protection, are essential in mitigating AI security risks.

Learning Series #1— A Closer Look at Concordium and Worldcoin

Concordium Monthly Updates • 98 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain Identity Cryptocurrency Privacy Compliance
  1. Concordium emphasizes privacy and compliance through its identity verification process, showcasing a user-centric approach.
  2. Worldcoin aims to revolutionize access to the global economy with a unique digital identification platform but faces challenges with compliance and security.
  3. Concordium's diverse ecosystem facilitates innovation across various sectors, while Worldcoin focuses on Universal Basic Income through the World App.

Must Learn AI Security Compendium 14: Securing On-prem LLMs

Rod’s Blog • 59 implied HN points • 09 Nov 23
🕹 Technology AI Security Machine Learning Privacy
  1. On-prem LLMs offer privacy benefits by keeping data and texts secure from unauthorized access or leaks.
  2. On-prem LLMs enhance security by reducing cyber attack risks due to not relying on external components or services.
  3. On-prem LLMs improve performance by utilizing an organization's own hardware and software resources for efficient language generation.

Brief: How Microsoft Secures Its Copilots

Rod’s Blog • 19 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Privacy Security Data Protection Machine Learning
  1. Microsoft's Copilot for Microsoft 365 adheres to strict data privacy and security regulations like GDPR, ensuring organizational data confidentiality.
  2. The Copilot system integrates large language models with Microsoft Graph and 365 apps, maintaining enterprise-level data protection during processing.
  3. By utilizing the Azure OpenAI Service controlled by Microsoft, Copilot ensures that business data is not used to train models, offering organizations control over their data processing.

Staying Safe in a World Full of AI Integrated Devices

Rod’s Blog • 19 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Privacy Security Well-being
  1. AI can pose risks to privacy through data collection without consent; protect your privacy with strong passwords and limit AI features' access.
  2. AI can threaten security through sophisticated attacks like deepfakes; protect your security with regular updates, antivirus software, and verifying content sources.
  3. AI can impact well-being by increasing stress and reducing social skills; protect your well-being by setting boundaries, balancing online and offline activities, and maintaining social connections.

TechLetters #160 Resurrection of dead dictators using generative AI, for political gain; AI cyber operations; Last warning about quantum cryptography; Privacy Sandbox coming to iOS/iPhones

Lukasz Olejnik on Cyber, Privacy and Tech Policy Critique • 19 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Security Privacy Technology Policy
  1. AI can resurrect dead politicians, prompting the need for laws against misleading content.
  2. iOS introduces Stolen Device Protection and warns about AI's impact on cyber operations.
  3. Caution advised on quantum cryptography and factors influencing ransom payments.

How to make history with LLMs & other generative models

Leigh Marie’s Newsletter • 74 HN points • 21 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Infrastructure Applications Observability Privacy
  1. LLMs like Github Copilot can augment developer productivity and provide new opportunities for AI-enabled developer tools startups
  2. Generative models can significantly enhance efficiency for knowledge workers in fields like consulting, legal, medical, and finance, offering potential for startups in these areas
  3. New infrastructure opportunities exist around running large models locally, providing compute resources for model training, and challenging incumbents in ML frameworks and chips

After the Honeymoon: The Virtual Threats with Threads

Pen>Sword • 119 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Social media Privacy Speech Censorship Data Collection
  1. Threads is a social media app launched by Meta that aims to fill the void left by Twitter's decline.
  2. Threads has raised concerns about privacy, speech, and censorship due to its data collection practices, restrictions on deleting accounts, and aversion to political content.
  3. The app's emphasis on 'kindness' and 'friendly spaces' is in contrast to worries about potential censorship and the impact on user freedom.

Mobile cybersecurity advice

Cybersect • 78 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Journalism Privacy Mobile devices
  1. Non-tech journalists may misinterpret tech advice by assuming premises and seeking confirmation rather than prompting for refutation.
  2. Cybersecurity is about tradeoffs, not following simple hygiene guides, but updating critical software and avoiding password reuse.
  3. Monitoring and controlling location tracking on apps is crucial, along with considering the minimal impact of power cycling on security against attacks.

HyperMink System-1 will be shipped with vision-capable models

HyperMink Newsletter • 2 HN points • 29 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Privacy Compatibility Autonomy
  1. HyperMink System-1 will be shipped with vision-capable models, able to analyze images and generate text based on what it sees.
  2. System-1 will feature complete autonomy and offline functionality, without requiring subscriptions, data uploads, or sharing with third parties.
  3. The system aims to provide straightforward, hassle-free functionality for users without technical expertise, prioritizing privacy with no tracking or reliance on internet connectivity.

Proposal for improving the global online discourse through personalised comment ordering on all websites

Engineering Ideas • 19 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Social media AI Data Blockchain Privacy
  1. Social media promotes tribalism and polarization, making it hard to find rational critique in comments.
  2. A proposed solution involves personalized comment ordering based on user reactions and models.
  3. Compensating users for reading and voting on comments with a token system could help combat spam and manipulation.

Must Learn AI Security Part 14: Inference Attacks Against AI

Rod’s Blog • 39 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Security Privacy Data Protection Security Measures
  1. An inference attack against AI involves gaining private information from a system by analyzing its outputs and other available data.
  2. There are two main types of inference attacks: model inversion attacks aim to reconstruct input data, while membership inference attacks try to determine if specific data points were part of the training dataset.
  3. To mitigate inference attacks, techniques like differential privacy, federated learning, secure multi-party computation, data obfuscation, access control, and regular model updates can be used.

Threat Model

Reboot • 21 implied HN points • 18 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Privacy Security Internet Surveillance Digital ethics
  1. In the age of the internet, it's challenging to disappear in America due to the digital footprint left by basic needs like addresses, bank cards, and online accounts.
  2. There is a small community of tech-savvy individuals focused on extreme privacy, using specialized tools like privacy-focused operating systems, encrypted communication, and anonymous browsing.
  3. Extreme privacy can be isolating and exhausting, leading to a constant balance between the desire for privacy and the inherent risks and limitations of disappearing from the public eye.