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How does the Guardian roof work

Where a glass or polycarbonate conservatory rooftop simply gives cover among you and the components, the Watchman Warm Rooftop accomplishes such a great deal more.

The plan of the strong Watchman traditional conservatories uk rooftop comprises of various layers of best in class protection. This implies that warm air can’t get away from in the colder months, keeping the conservatory hot inside.

In the mid year months, you don’t get the nursery impact of daylight spilling through glass and not having the option to get away. The Gatekeeper Warm Rooftop is strong – going about as an actual boundary to coordinate sunbeams from a higher place. It additionally has underlying ventilation to permit air to course, forestalling dampness developing and shape in the new rooftop.

Delightful conservatory rooftop wraps up

At the point when you supplant your conservatory rooftop with a Watchman rooftop you’re ready to browse different sharp, normal looking records or tiles for the outside. These quality materials give the completed conservatory an expert appearance very much like a full expansion, and you can pick tiles that match the variety and style of the remainder of your home.

So there’s compelling reason need to pick either conservatory or expansion – a conservatory transformation with a Watchman Warm Rooftop gives you both. What’s more, when you have another nursery room that is fit to live in, there are an entire scope of additional opportunities accessible to you.

A genuine additional room in your home this modest expansion arrangement revives an ignored room – giving you fundamentally more area than you naturally suspected you had initially. When you convert your conservatory you won’t have any desire to move house.

In any case, assuming that you could possibly do, your new nursery room will raise your home’s adaptability and worth.

A traditional conservatory garden room is just worth having on the off chance that you can invest energy serenely in it. This is unfortunately not the situation for polycarbonate and glass roofed centers because of the radical temperature changes.

A strong Gatekeeper Warm Rooftop changes the conservatory into a room like some other in the house, just with a quieting perspective on your nursery. Ideal for loosening up following a bustling day, or partaking in a calm end of the week in the regular light with a paper or a book.

A conservatory rooftop substitution from Ventures 4 Material meets all building guidelines fundamental for it to turn out to be very much like an expansion to your home. Consequently visitors can rest in the room for the time being, protected in the information that the construction is sound. The upsides of the strong rooftop likewise mean they’ll not be upset by downpour commotion, cold 12 PM blasts or blistering summer dawns.

Large numbers of our clients appreciate moving their eating table into their new changed over conservatory for a splendid, close outdoors climate.

An additional room in the house implies you can utilize it for almost anything you need. As you would with a typical expansion, the conservatory changes into a kids’ play region complete with Drove spotlights in the new roof. On the other hand, in the event that you believe a spot should escape from the children, put a flatscreen on the wall and partake in another television room or parlor.

Double-Entry Accounting in Modern Times

My Investor Arranged Monetary Bookkeeping Training Link (S-OFA) Norms will expect that charges equivalent credits.

Duh. In any case, in the event that I am really going to begin with a spotless piece of paper, then, at that point, I’m constrained to make sense of how twofold section bookkeeping fills a need. I see three potential avocations:

Mistake checking — However I expect we can promptly concur that the times of recording a number two times to confirm that the two numbers match are a distant memory.

Obstruction to fiscal report control — The essential thought is that a preliminary equilibrium resembles an inflatable loaded up with water: assuming you crush in one spot (e.g., income), some other spot will swell (e.g., records of sales).

Reasonable financial model of a business venture — The instructive worth of twofold section bookkeeping as monetary model would be the most convincing defense. I will make sense of that this way off the mark for being valid any longer.

How Twofold Passage Headed out in different directions from Financial aspects

In 1494, the Gutenberg print machine made it workable for Luca Pacioli, an Italian priest, to distribute an article of twofold section bookkeeping as worked on during his lifetime. Pacioli demonstrated the way that the cases on the resources of an undertaking can be no more, or no less, than the actual resources. Bookkeeping’s crucial characteristic, as he portrayed it, is the adherence to this permanent law of financial matters.

Pacioli likewise portrayed the overall view that cases on resources were dichotomous. In his fifteenth century world, a case could be either a responsibility or the proprietors’ value — not both. Likewise, the pay of the proprietors through the tasks of the endeavor could be gotten from the change during the period in net resources (gave that the resources and the liabilities were estimated accurately).

Throughout the hundreds of years since Pacioli distributed his course reading, a gap between twofold section bookkeeping and the genuine financial occasions influencing an endeavor has arisen:

A large number of resources are missing from monetary records, and estimation can be erratic.
The thought of a plainly obvious division of cases has been delivered shortsighted and futile by propels in monetary administration and other business improvements. (See my past post for a greater amount of my interpretation of this – and a development when I can carve out the opportunity.)
More subtle, however similarly as significant, is the shortfall of a correspondence among cases and resources. The FASB and each and every other surviving standard setter has taken on non-relating models for resource and responsibility acknowledgment (and estimation). Saving the unexpected issue that a few resources/liabilities perceived are not really resources/liabilities (e.g., conceded gains and misfortunes), the impact of two acknowledgment rules is to deliver monetary records for which the left-hand side shows a specific subset of financial resources; and the right-hand side shows an alternate subset of monetary cases.

Twofold passage bookkeeping actually guarantees that the accounting report adjusts, yet that reality doesn’t let you know a lot of anything any longer. Notwithstanding the absence of correspondence and the shortfall of numerous resources from the monetary record, we actually continue getting bookkeeping profit from changes in net resources. However, most importantly, in current twofold passage bookkeeping, there is no primary concern.

As I think about what all of this will mean for my investor arranged monetary bookkeeping framework, I see three ways:

Keep on shielding twofold section as a monetary model: that adjustments of net resources is a sensible portrayal of financial profit — I don’t trust this briefly.
Imagine another meaning of profit that doesn’t sensibly rely upon changes in resources and liabilities — Regardless of whether a chance, it will not occur at any point in the near future.
Recognize that twofold passage bookkeeping is no longer something besides a gadget for beating fiscal summary control down — and act as needs be.
Subsequent stages

By ‘act in like manner,’ here are a few instances of my arrangements:

Truth in marking — Beginning with a spotless sheet ought to likewise mean discarding such old phrasing as “profit” and “monetary position” that have come to guarantee beyond what they can convey. There could have been a period some time in the past while bookkeeping verged on estimating monetary profit and monetary position, yet not any longer, and probably at absolutely no point in the future.

Accommodate, accommodate — The property of twofold passage bookkeeping that thoroughly connects stocks to streams (i.e., “explanation”) will be taken advantage of to the greatest degree practicable through definite quantitative revelations that are connected straightforwardly and expressly to the budget reports, and among themselves.

Relating acknowledgment standards — In spite of the fact that I can’t express this without a doubt, that wouldn’t shock me at all assuming Pacioli had understood that a case on one substance should likewise be a resource of another element (to a greater degree toward that in a subsequent post). Consequently, a non-comparing definition for liabilities, and other non-remaining cases, isn’t required. Everything necessary is a meaning of “resource” for bookkeeping.

Claims show — Rather than liabilities versus proprietors’ value, S-OFA will allude to ‘non-remaining interests’ versus ‘the leftover interest’ (the last option being estimated as the contrast between all out resources and all out non-lingering interests). Hence, the inquiry that has beset the FASB of what is a risk, or what isn’t, will boil down to an issue of show. For instance, unadulterated liabilities might be introduced collectively, aside from the mixture claims I referenced before.

How to Organize Every Room of the House with Plastic Storage Bins

Today we are discussing one of my exceptionally most loved things-capacity plastic storage boxes! I’m a smidge fixated on them and use them all around my home to sort out everything!

Presently, having pretty, matching receptacles doesn’t be guaranteed to approach association. (Nor doesn’t having pretty, matching receptacles fundamentally equivalent disorder.) Notwithstanding, I love that a ton of these choices can assist with enlivening a space while keeping up with some similarity to arrange simultaneously when utilized really, and practical + wonderful is dependably a success in my book!

Coordinated storage space with emptied baking things, pasta, and flavors
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This fast aide gives you 7 straightforward, commonsense ways of starting to handle a staggering getting sorted out project. (Furthermore, when you get everything rolling, the energy will assist you with continuing onward until it’s finished!)

Instructions to Coordinate Each Room of the House with Capacity Containers
This post contains member joins. For more data, see my divulgences here.

Since I realize that large numbers of you share my affection for capacity holders, I figured I would share a rundown of my #1 kinds and how I use them on the off chance that you have any impending association projects underway! In no specific request, here are the kinds of capacity receptacles I utilize most frequently:

1. Containers

I love bushels since they come in so many various shapes and sizes and can add warmth and surface to a room while keeping things perfect and clean. We use containers in a few spots in our home, remembering for my office to store texture, make supplies, and little stylistic layout pieces…

IKEA BESTA Stockpiling Unit with Capacity Crates for Association, Stockpiling Containers
crates (comparative) holding everything from texture to create supplies to style things

…in our kitchen cupboards to hold little utensils that we really want, yet aren’t utilized constantly…

Coordinated Kitchen Cupboard, Utilizing a Wicker Stockpiling Bushel to Hold Additional Utensils that Are Required however Not Utilized Frequently
utensil container in our kitchen

…furthermore, in our lord storeroom to hold additional toiletry things, nail clean, belts, and the sky is the limit from there.

Coordinated Expert Storeroom with Capacity Containers, Stockpiles Receptacles, and Capacity Sacks

2. Texture Canisters

I use texture containers constantly, especially in our “cubed” capacity units. I love that they come in lots of various varieties and are sufficiently large to hold a great deal of little things, yet little enough to hold a region back from getting jumbled.

So I frequently will add a glue bookplate to the front of my texture receptacles so I can embed a name and obviously see what is in every one.

IKEA KALLAX Stockpiling Unit for Toy Association, and Texture Receptacles with Bookplate Names
texture receptacles (comparable) with bookplates keeping the Cs’ toys coordinated

You may likewise have detected the round texture capacity receptacle in the photograph above, which is ideal for arranging taller things! We use it for Nerf firearms in the den, I’ve utilized it to coordinate rolls of wrapping paper, and it likewise makes an extraordinary clothing hamper!

Coordinated Enclosing Paper by a Round Texture Stockpiling Receptacle

Another sort of texture container that I love to utilize are texture totes. HomeGoods/TJ Maxx generally convey a lot of these in different sizes and varieties, and I have utilized them to store everything from sweaters to swimming outfits to grips and wallets.

Texture Capacity Sacks in a Coordinated Expert Wardrobe

3. Plastic/Acrylic Stockpiling Drawers

I once saw plastic drawers on a rundown of “things you ought to never use to coordinate,” and I thoroughly conflict! I love them!

Not at all like plastic tubs that you need to unstack each time you need to utilize their items, drawers are effectively open when stacked and are ideal for sorting out things under the sink, cosmetics, composing utensils and office supplies, toys, little storage space things and more.They are likewise simple to mark, which is generally an or more!

Acrylic Stacking Stockpiling Drawers Used to Sort out the Region Under the Kitchen Sink
acrylic capacity drawers marked with glue vinyl phrasing that I cut with my Outline machine, holding the region under our kitchen sink coordinated

All we utilize these adorable plastic cabinet units to conceal Donnie’s shaving gear in our main restroom — they come in a wide range of tomfoolery tones!

Mint Stacking Drawers to Coordinate a Main Restroom Vanity
We additionally use stacking plastic capacity drawers to keep our pre-worn stuff coordinated, which makes it simple to change things out as the young men develop.

Plastic Stacking Stockpiling Drawers Used to Coordinate Pre-worn stuff

4. Plastic/Acrylic Stacking Storeroom Receptacles

At the point when we were first hitched, Donnie and I purchased a lot of economical storeroom containers, and they have been utilized for the vast majority, many purposes in the 10+ years since (they’re actually serious areas of strength for going over 10 years)!

They’re white, so they can fit in pretty much anyplace, and they’re likewise stackable, so we can undoubtedly coordinate upward. We’ve utilized these containers to hold the young men’s socks and underpants, shoes, toys in the carport, exercise hardware, supplies under the restroom sink, and we’ve even really involved them for storeroom capacity!

Microsoft Confirms Russian Hackers Stole Source Code, Some Customer Secrets


Mar 09, 2024NewsroomCyber Attack / Threat Intelligence

Microsoft on Friday revealed that the Kremlin-backed threat actor known as Midnight Blizzard (aka APT29 or Cozy Bear) managed to gain access to some of its source code repositories and internal systems following a hack that came to light in January 2024.

“In recent weeks, we have seen evidence that Midnight Blizzard is using information initially exfiltrated from our corporate email systems to gain, or attempt to gain, unauthorized access,” the tech giant said.

“This has included access to some of the company’s source code repositories and internal systems. To date we have found no evidence that Microsoft-hosted customer-facing systems have been compromised.”

Cybersecurity

Redmond, which is continuing to investigate the extent of the breach, said the Russian state-sponsored threat actor is attempting to leverage the different types of secrets it found, including those that were shared between customers and Microsoft in email.

It, however, did not disclose what these secrets were or the scale of the compromise, although it said it has directly reached out to impacted customers. It’s not clear what source code was accessed.

Stating that it has increased in its security investments, Microsoft further noted that the adversary ramped up its password spray attacks by as much as 10-fold in February, compared to the “already large volume” observed in January.

“Midnight Blizzard’s ongoing attack is characterized by a sustained, significant commitment of the threat actor’s resources, coordination, and focus,” it said.

“It may be using the information it has obtained to accumulate a picture of areas to attack and enhance its ability to do so. This reflects what has become more broadly an unprecedented global threat landscape, especially in terms of sophisticated nation-state attacks.”

The Microsoft breach is said to have taken place in November 2023, with Midnight Blizzard employing a password spray attack to successfully infiltrate a legacy, non-production test tenant account that did not have multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled.

Cybersecurity

The tech giant, in late January, revealed that APT29 had targeted other organizations by taking advantage of a diverse set of initial access methods ranging from stolen credentials to supply chain attacks.

Midnight Blizzard is considered part of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). Active since at least 2008, the threat actor is one of the most prolific and sophisticated hacking groups, compromising high-profile targets such as SolarWinds.

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Someone is hacking 3D printers to warn owners of a security flaw


Do you have an Anycubic Kobra 2 Pro/Plus/Max 3D printer?  Did you know it has a security vulnerability?

If you answered “yes” to both those questions, then chances are that I can guess just how you found out your 3D printer was vulnerable to hackers.

My bet is that you might have learnt about the problem after seeing a strange message displayed on your device, claiming that it had been hacked.

As multiple posts on Reddit confirm, owners of the 3D printers have had an unusual message pop up on their devices.

The message contains ASCII art of a worm and claims to be “harmless” – but warns of a “critical vulnerability” in the printer, posing a “significant threat”. It advises affected users to disconnect their printer from the internet to avoid being hacked.

In the message, someone calling themselves “printer god” bemoans Anycubic’s lax security and warns that a malicious attack could have caused damage.

The warning message in the file hacked_machine_readme.gcode can be safely deleted from the printer’s screen or USB drive.  The author claims to have sent it to over 2.9 million vulnerable printers.

The hack seems to be connected to a post in an online forum earlier this week by a user called “Dump”.  “Dump” claimed to have tried to communicate with Anycubic for two months about “two critical security vulnerabilities” – with one described as “catastrophic if found to be malicious.”

Anycubic has now confirmed the existence of a “security issue”, which it claims was “caused by a third party using a security vulnerability of the MQTT server to access users’ printers.”

Anycubic says that it is enhancing its cloud server security and will release new firmware to users on March 5, 2024.

This isn’t the first time that printers have been hijacked through security vulnerabilities to spread messages. For instance, in 2018, thousands of printers were seized to print out a message promoting PewDiePie’s YouTube channel.



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Texture innovation: ‘Air is the ingredient of the future’

CHICAGO — Texture is something one does not think about when eating, unless it’s off. It’s an attribute that is more than mouthfeel and incorporates how food dissolves in the mouth and how it’s tasted. It’s the third dimension and is mostly about nothing. But nothing is something.  

Ice cream manufacturers have long understood the role air plays in texture development. They refer to the amount of air incorporated into mix prior to freezing as overrun. The less overrun, the more dense the ice cream; and often the more expensive. After all, air is free.

“Texture is the next thing,” said Morgaine Gaye, a global food futurologist based in the UK. “It’s not just the surface anymore.”

Consumers often think they taste texture but in reality texture is a flavorless attribute. It is, however, the backbone of food product development because it has an impact on the other attributes.

“We believe texture plays an underappreciated but critical role in how consumers like or don’t like the food they eat,” said James P. Zallie, president and chief executive officer, Ingredion Inc., Westchester, Ill., during a Feb. 21 presentation at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference.

So why texture now? As a food futurologist, Gaye is in tune with general pop culture, everything from fashion to geopolitics.

“And right now, with everything going on in the world, consumers do not want to be tied down,” she said. “People are off-loading. They want less. They crave a feeling of lightness, and that’s what you get with air.”

Think lattice cookies, marshmallows and cream cheese. With the latter, note how the texture varies between a block and whipped tub. Crevices and pockets create unique textures and thus, eating experiences. Manufacturing processes may assist with incorporating air and water.

Ingredients also play a role. Think how gluten entraps air in a leavened baked food and how gelatin turns water into a slick, melt-in-your-mouth encounter.

Gaye believes 3D-printing will play an important role in developing new textures in foods.

“Air creates interest,” she said. “Air is the ingredient of the future.”

Texture is something ingredient companies have been trying to emphasize as a way of creating a point of differentiation in the marketplace. Texturants are a category of ingredients that assist with incorporating air or binding water in a food matrix.

Usually carbohydrate or protein based, texturants vary in function and by application. For example, maltodextrins and polydextrose add body and build total solids, while starches add viscosity and body. Gums tend to build viscosity and prevent phase separation, while emulsifiers bind fat and aqueous phases.

Zallie said the market for texturizing ingredients is “a large addressable market that is growing steadily.”

He said the Ingredion’s market insights group found superior texture for taste is foundational for consumer preference. In fact, 70% of consumers agreed texture gave foods and beverages a more interesting eating experience, according to consumer research conducted by the company.  

“Think for a moment about boba tea, which has gained popularity and contains tapioca pearls, which is basically tapioca starch and some hydrocolloids to keep the product to have its integrity in a beverage,” Zallie said. “And 84% of consumers associated a lighter texture with healthier options. Think rice cakes or rice crisps, for example.”

Product developers should address texture needs first in order to make sure the ingredients used in the formulation stand up to the manufacturing process and storage requirement conditions. Once that is confirmed, then flavor, color and the other attributes may be addressed.



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New Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities Expose Android and Linux Devices to Hackers


Feb 21, 2024NewsroomNetwork Security / Vulnerability

Cybersecurity researchers have identified two authentication bypass flaws in open-source Wi-Fi software found in Android, Linux, and ChromeOS devices that could trick users into joining a malicious clone of a legitimate network or allow an attacker to join a trusted network without a password.

The vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2023-52160 and CVE-2023-52161, have been discovered following a security evaluation of wpa_supplicant and Intel’s iNet Wireless Daemon (IWD), respectively.

The flaws “allow attackers to trick victims into connecting to malicious clones of trusted networks and intercept their traffic, and join otherwise secure networks without needing the password,” Top10VPN said in a new research conducted in collaboration with Mathy Vanhoef, who has previously uncovered Wi-Fi attacks like KRACK, DragonBlood, and TunnelCrack.

Cybersecurity

CVE-2023-52161, in particular, permits an adversary to gain unauthorized access to a protected Wi-Fi network, exposing existing users and devices to potential attacks such as malware infections, data theft, and business email compromise (BEC). It impacts IWD versions 2.12 and lower.

On the other hand, CVE-2023-52160 affects wpa_supplicant versions 2.10 and prior. It’s also the more pressing of the two flaws owing to the fact that it’s the default software used in Android devices to handle login requests to wireless networks.

New Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities

That said, it only impacts Wi-Fi clients that aren’t properly configured to verify the certificate of the authentication server. CVE-2023-52161, however, affects any network that uses a Linux device as a wireless access point (WAP).

Successful exploitation of CVE-2023-52160 banks on the prerequisite that the attacker is in possession of the SSID of a Wi-Fi network to which the victim has previously connected. It also requires the threat actor to be in physical proximity to the victim.

“One possible such scenario might be where an attacker walks around a company’s building scanning for networks before targeting an employee leaving the office,” the researchers said.

Cybersecurity

Major Linux distributions such as Debian (1, 2), Red Hat (1), SUSE (1, 2), and Ubuntu (1, 2) have released advisories for the two flaws. The wpa_supplicant issue has also been addressed in ChromeOS from versions 118 and later, but fixes for Android are yet to be made available.

“In the meantime, it’s critical, therefore, that Android users manually configure the CA certificate of any saved enterprise networks to prevent the attack,” Top10VPN said.

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Online Music Mastering Using Professionals

The crowning touch to any music track is its mastering, and in the age of the internet, access to professional services has never been more convenient. Achieving commercial-quality music mastering London is now within reach for everyone, thanks to a plethora of online experts proficient in handling the engineering and mixing of compositions, be it a single track or an entire CD. The depth and richness of sound attainable through proper digital mastering are not just desirable but have become an expected standard in today’s music publishing landscape.

While for initial samples, DIY mastering may suffice, stepping into the competitive real-world music industry demands the involvement of a professional mastering engineer. A subpar master can lead to rejection, branding a music track as amateurish solely due to defective sound quality.

Elevating Your Music to Commercial Quality

It is paramount to enlist the services of a professional who can guide the client through every facet of the sonic elements processing that comprises the tracks destined for distribution. Opting for an online expert operating from a modern music mastering studio space offers the convenience of an accessible platform for communication and feedback throughout the mastering process. Clients can convey their specific preferences using order or feedback forms, and engage in direct communication with the engineer via phone, chat, or other means while the job is in progress.

The collaborative relationship between the mastering engineer and the client ensures that the final product aligns with the artist’s vision, meets industry standards, and stands out in the competitive music market. By leveraging the expertise of online professionals, musicians can navigate the complexities of mastering and present their compositions in a way that captivates audiences, leaving a lasting impression of sonic excellence.

Online Music Mastering for Global Excellence

The advent of web-based communication has rendered physical distance inconsequential in the realm of music mastering. Work and discussions seamlessly traverse counties, oceans, and continents, providing an unparalleled platform for exchanging ideas and refining the quality of sound. This setup facilitates effortless enhancements to various aspects of audio production under the expertise of a seasoned music mastering professional.

Key improvements include optimizing the overall volume, ensuring all audio samples are at the right level, enhancing sound clarity, refining sound separation in the final recording, and achieving a balanced EQ, among other factors. A proficient music mastering engineer can rectify any unbalanced aspects and guide the client through the entire project, ensuring the desired sonic excellence.

On reputable online platforms, job order forms are typically categorized based on the intended style or genre of music mastering. Prospective clients fill out these forms, upload the audio files, and maintain ongoing communication with the engineer throughout the process. The time required for each track or set of tracks to be mastered depends on factors such as complexity and the number of jobs in the queue. Within a few days, clients can download a proof of their mastered project.

Upon receiving final approval, clients can utilize the mastered WAV files for various purposes, such as submitting samples or finished tracks to platforms like iTunes or traditional record labels for publishing. This efficient and streamlined process not only transcends geographical barriers but also empowers musicians with the ability to present their music globally in a polished and professional form, setting the stage for widespread recognition and success.

Germany’s Scholz commits to spending 2% on defense over next 10 years


German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz arrives for the weekly federal government cabinet meeting on Oct. 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany.

Michele Tantussi | Getty Images News | Getty Images

MUNICH, Germany — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday reaffirmed Berlin’s commitment to spend 2% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, this year and over the longer term.

“Germany will invest 2% of its GDP on defense in the 2020s, in the 2030s and beyond,” Scholz told the Munich Security Conference.

Germany has this commitment in 2024 through regular and special budget outlays for the first time since the early 1990s, a defense ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

“We Europeans must take much more care of our own security, now and in the future,” Scholz said.

It comes as NATO members across Europe have committed to upping their defense spending.

Eighteen of the US-led military alliance’s 31 members will meet the 2% spending target this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

“We are making real progress,” Stoltenberg said. ”European allies are spending more.”

The announcement came just days after former U.S. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO members that fail to meet their 2% spending target.

Germany announced a new 100 billion euro ($107 billion) debt-financed fund for the Bundeswehr — the German armed forces — to beef up its national security in 2022, days after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Scholz at the time dubbed the move a “Zeitenwende” — or watershed moment — in Germany’s modern history, which would allow the country to meet its long-held 2% defense spending goals.

The country is expected to spend roughly 72 billion euros on defense this year,  but concerns remain over what will happen after these funds run out in 2027.

Expert estimates suggest the government would need to find 25-30 billion euros per year to meet that goal, according to the Financial Times, likely leading to cuts in welfare spending. Germany is one of the few countries with a borrowing cap inscribed in its constitution.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.



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“Smart” helmet flaw exposes location tracking and privacy risks


A smart helmet for biking and skiing fans sounds like a good idea.

If you’re on the slopes or trails, you want to protect your head and stay in touch with your group.

Which is why Livall, a popular manufacturer of ski and bike helmets, has presumably developed a “smart” line of products with “walkie-talkie” functionality for groups to stay in touch and track each other’s location.

Unfortunately, according to security researchers, Livall’s implementation of the “smart” technology was nothing less than foolish.

As TechCrunch reports, a security flaw allowed unauthorised parties to track the location of anyone wearing its helmets and listen to group conversations.

After security researchers at Pen Test Partners approached reporters at TechCrunch because they had no response from Livall itself, the flaw has now been addressed.

As Pen Test Partners explains in a blog post, Livall’s smartphone apps ask helmet owners to create a group to link up with friends.

This is done with Livall’s app (they have a separate one for skiers and bikers, but they work the same way) which requests a code be entered to join a group. That code consisted of six digits.

As Ken Munro of Pen Test Partners explains, “That six-digit group code simply isn’t random enough. We could brute force all group IDs in a matter of minutes.”

This meant that to join a group, all you had to do was enter a valid group code, making it easy to spy on their real-time location or snoop on conversations from anywhere in the world without needing permission from a member.

Pen Test Partners found the flaw because some of their researchers are keen skiers, but later they discovered the same problem in Livall’s “smart” bike helmets too.

Livall’s bike helmets made the problem more significant. There are only a few thousand users of Livall’s smart ski helmets, compared to around a million of its biking equivalent.

The security researchers’ attempts to get a response from Livall about the flaw seemed to have fallen on deaf ears until TechCrunch security editor Zack Whittaker raised the issue with the firm. On February 5th, Livall announced a new app version that uses six character alphanumeric codes instead of six digit numeric codes, significantly increasing the difficulty of exploiting the problem.

One would hope that an updated app requires existing group members to approve new additions, instead of allowing others to join accidentally or without permission.

If you own a Livall smart helmet for your ski trips or biking excursions, make sure to update your app from the official Google Play or iOS App Store.



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Going Green, Part 1 (2024)


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From reducing energy consumption to recycling waste, it seems like everyone is interested in doing their part to help the environment these days. While green living conserves natural resources and cuts down on pollution, it also has the practical benefit of saving money on your utility bills.

Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. is living proof of the power of going green.

While you probably know him best from his many roles on television and film, he’s been an outspoken advocate of sustainable living for almost 40 years. Everything about his home demonstrates his commitment to treading as lightly as possible on the earth.

Actor and green living advocate Ed Begley, Jr. with Danny Lipford.

He’s even written a book, Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life, about his experiences.


Sustainable Site

The first consideration in building a green house is minimizing the environmental impact to the site. Just north of San Diego, the green development of Del Sur is doing just that. Their emphasis on environmentally friendly building practices and commitment to preserving 60% of the development’s land as open space have earned Del Sur some of California’s top environmental awards.

Pervious paving of driveways, streets, and parking lots is another way to limit damage to the environment.

While pervious paving has the look and feel of concrete or asphalt, it allows rainwater to filter through and soak into the ground.

This decreases runoff that can pollute waterways and lower groundwater levels, as well as reducing the need for costly storm drains and retention ponds.


Reuse and Recycle

The Ranch House at Del Sur is both a welcome center and an example of sustainable development. Since shipping building materials long distances greatly increases their impact on the environment, many of the materials at Del Sur were obtained locally.

Walls for the Ranch House were constructed from stones found on the property while the wood flooring and the ceiling beams came from structures that were being demolished.

Nonprofit organizations like the Reuse People are given buildings that have been slated for demolition in exchange for tax deductions. They then disassemble it and resell the materials to finance their efforts. By taking the building apart piece by piece, they are able to reuse about three-fourths of the total weight and recycle much of the rest.

Companies like TerraMai in California, specialize in turning high quality wood from demolished structures into lumber for paneling, flooring, and millwork.

Since much of it comes from older, slow growing trees, the wood is stronger and more stable than lumber produced today.

Rather than tearing down older inefficient homes and apartment buildings, some developers like Marty Bhatia of OM Development, LLC in Chicago, convert them into energy efficient and environmentally friendly structures. Buyers are even provided with a manual that explains the building’s green features.


Green Products

Green building materials can be made from just about anything, including agricultural waste.

Environ Biocomposites produces a composite material made from recycled sunflower hulls known as Dakota Burl® which doesn’t emit harmful gases and can be used for a number of interior applications.

Kirei Board is an environmentally friendly product manufactured in China from sorghum stalks that remain after harvesting.

The lightweight panels have an interesting grain pattern and can be used for anything from cabinets to flooring.


Conserving Water

A family of four uses on average 400 gallons of water a day, or almost 150,000 gallons a year.

Toilets are the largest user of water in the home. Older models require up to three times the water of new high efficiency toilets such as the Persuade™ and San Raphael™ from Kohler.

Replacing an existing toilet can cut your home’s water usage by as much as 10,000 gallon a year.

Showers are another big water guzzler. Replacing a standard showerhead with a low-flow model, like the Kohler MasterShower® Ecofficient™, can save up to 20%.

Adding low-flow aerators to kitchen and bathroom faucets will help as well. Be sure to check with your local water provider to see if tax credits are available for installing water conservation devices.Another way to cut down on water usage is by funneling the runoff from your roof to a storage tank for watering your lawn.

Some systems, such as the Deluxe Potable System from Rainwater Management Solutions, can even filter the water for use in your home.

If replacing bathroom fixtures or installing a rainwater collection system isn’t in your budget, you can still cut down on water usage by repairing leaks, limiting time in the shower, and washing only full loads of clothes and dishes.

Read about and watch Going Green, Part 2

Find out more at our Going Green webpage


Other Tips From This Episode

Installing a Programmable Thermostat

Ask Danny:
Installing a Programmable Thermostat

I’ve heard that if you install a digital thermostat it will lower your utility bills. Is that true? -Vicki from Spanish Fort

Installing a programmable digital thermostat allows your central system to reduce heating and cooling when the house is empty. While this can save up to 15% a year on utility bills, the actual amount will vary depending on how it is set and the amount of time the house is vacant each day. If you have a heat pump, use one of the newer hybrid thermostats that are designed to work with these systems.



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U.S. Sanctions 6 Iranian Officials for Critical Infrastructure Cyber Attacks


Feb 03, 2024NewsroomIntelligence Agency / Cyber Security

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against six officials associated with the Iranian intelligence agency for attacking critical infrastructure entities in the U.S. and other countries.

The officials include Hamid Reza Lashgarian, Mahdi Lashgarian, Hamid Homayunfal, Milad Mansuri, Mohammad Bagher Shirinkar, and Reza Mohammad Amin Saberian, who are part of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber-Electronic Command (IRGC-CEC).

Reza Lashgarian is also the head of the IRGC-CEC and a commander in the IRGC-Qods Force. He is alleged to have been involved in various IRGC cyber and intelligence operations.

Cybersecurity

The Treasury Department said it’s holding these individuals responsible for carrying out “cyber operations in which they hacked and posted images on the screens of programmable logic controllers manufactured by Unitronics, an Israeli company.”

In late November 2023, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) revealed that the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa in western Pennsylvania was targeted by Iranian threat actors by exploiting Unitronics PLCs.

The attack was attributed to an Iranian hacktivist persona dubbed Cyber Av3ngers, which came to the forefront in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict, staging destructive attacks against entities in Israel and the U.S.

The group, which has been active since 2020, is also said to be behind several other cyber attacks, including one targeting Boston Children’s Hospital in 2021 and others in Europe and Israel.

“Industrial control devices, such as programmable logic controllers, used in water and other critical infrastructure systems, are sensitive targets,” the Treasury Department noted.

Cybersecurity

“Although this particular operation did not disrupt any critical services, unauthorized access to critical infrastructure systems can enable actions that harm the public and cause devastating humanitarian consequences.”

The development comes as another pro-Iranian “psychological operation group” known as Homeland Justice said it attacked Albania’s Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) and claimed to have stolen terabytes of data.

Homeland Justice has a track record of targeting Albania since mid-July 2022, with the threat actor most recently observed delivering a wiper malware codenamed No-Justice.

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NCSC Warns That AI is Already Being Used by Ransomware Gangs


In a newly published report, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that malicious attackers are already taking advantage of artificial intelligence and that the volume and impact of threats – including ransomware – will increase in the next two years.

The NCSC, which is part of GCHQ – the UK’s intelligence, security and cyber agency, assesses that AI has enabled relatively unskilled hackers to “carry out more effective access and information gathering operations… by lowering the barrier of entry to novice cybercriminals, hacker-for-hire and hacktivists.”

We’ve seen scams and cyber attacks for decades, but scammers and other cybercriminals have often struggled to dupe their victims due to poor use of grammar and giveaway spelling mistakes in their emails and texts – especially if the attackers were not native speakers of the language being used to target victims.

Interestingly, other security researchers have questioned just how beneficial current artificial intelligence technology might be for cybercriminals crafting attacks. In December 2023, a study was released, finding that the efficacy of phishing emails was the same regardless of whether they were written by a human or an artificial intelligence chatbot.

What is clear, however, is that publicly-available AI tools have made it practically child’s play to generate not only believable text but also convincing images, audio, and even deepfake video that can be used to dupe targets.

Furthermore, the NCSC’s report, entitled “The Near-Term Impact of AI on the Cyber Threat,” warns that the technology can be used by malicious hackers to identify high-value data for examination and exfiltration, maximising the impact of security breaches.

Chillingly, the NCSC warns that by 2025, it believes “Generative AI and large language models (LLMs) will make it difficult for everyone, regardless of their level of cyber security understanding, to assess whether an email or password reset request is genuine, or to identify phishing, spoofing or social engineering attempts.”

That is frankly terrifying.

In case you hadn’t noticed, 2025 is less than one year away.

Fortunately, it’s not all bad news when it comes to artificial intelligence.

AI can also be used to enhance the resilience of an organisation’s security through improved detection of threats such as malicious emails and phishing campaigns, ultimately making them easier to counteract.

As with many technological advances, AI can be used for good as well as bad.


Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of Tripwire.



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