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Automated summaries of top Hacker News stories written by a large language model.
Security Program Is Shit
The web content titled "Your Security Program Is Shit" on crankysec.com discusses the flaws and shortcomings of security programs in the industry. The author argues that many security professionals pretend that their programs are effective, but in reality, they are often inadequate. The author suggests that those who are not directly involved in the operational aspects of infosec can easily deceive others and maintain the illusion of a strong security program. The content highlights the scenario of a CISO in a hospital who is tasked with achieving ISO certification without truly understanding the requirements. The author criticizes the reliance on external consultants, such as Deloitte, who may lack the necessary expertise. The content concludes by emphasizing the unfair treatment of knowledgeable internal employees and the prioritization of pleasing higher-ups over actual security measures.
To Be Is to Be a Value of a Variable [pdf](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39188987)
The paper titled "To Be Is to Be a Value of a Variable" by C.J. Date is a response to the criticism of The Third Manifesto by Critics A and B. The paper discusses the concept of relation variables (relvars) and relational assignment, which are essential for updating databases. The author argues that relational assignment is the only relational updating operator needed and focuses on it for the remainder of the paper. The objections raised by Critic A are addressed and refuted by the author. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the concepts and terminology related to relvars and relational assignment. (Summary based on 23% of story text.)
AI-related companies lost $190B in stock market value
According to a report by Reuters, AI-related companies have lost a staggering $190 billion in stock market value following disappointing quarterly earnings results from Microsoft and Google's parent company, Alphabet. While Microsoft managed to convince investors with its promise of AI services, its stock still dropped by 0.7 percent. Alphabet fared much worse, experiencing a 5.6 percent drop after missing ad revenue expectations. The drop in stock value could indicate investor wariness towards tech companies overpromising on AI without a clear path to monetization. Some analysts believe this downturn may be a sign of overextension, while others remain bullish on the AI revolution. The future of AI companies will depend on their ability to generate profits.
Neanderthals and humans lived side by side in Northern Europe 45,000 years ago
A genetic analysis of bone fragments found at an archaeological site in Germany confirms that modern humans were present in Northern Europe 45,000 years ago, overlapping with Neanderthals for several thousand years. The site near Ranis, Germany, is now considered one of the oldest confirmed sites of modern human Stone Age culture in north central and northwestern Europe. The findings support the theory that modern humans contributed to the extinction of Neanderthals. The analysis also reveals that the stone tools found at the site were made by Homo sapiens, providing evidence of their presence in Europe at that time. (Summary based on 95% of story text.)
Original reports summarizing the latest analysis of U.S. families
The website www.bgsu.edu provides a series of original reports summarizing the latest analysis of U.S. families. These reports cover a wide range of topics, including marriage rates, divorce rates, characteristics of early marriages, age variation in remarriage and divorce rates, birth spacing, unintended births, generational differences in family structures and behaviors, and trends in cohabitation. The reports provide valuable insights into the changing dynamics of American families over the past few decades.
Voter Suppression, Harvard-Style
The blog post discusses the process of becoming a petition candidate for the Harvard Board of Overseers, one of Harvard's governing bodies. The authors highlight the difficulties and obstacles they encountered while trying to sign a petition to support a candidate. They describe the complex web forms, the need for a HarvardKey, and the numerous errors and delays they experienced. The authors suggest that the process is intentionally designed to discourage petition candidates and argue that it could be seen as a form of voter suppression. The post also criticizes the technological challenges faced by the Harvard Alumni Association.
Oil firms forced to consider climate effects of new drilling, rules Norway court
Norway's district court in Oslo has ruled that energy firms must consider the entire carbon footprint of the industry, including downstream emissions, when applying for oil and gas licenses. The ruling invalidates three petroleum production licenses held by companies such as Equinor and Aker BP. This decision is a significant win for environmental campaigners who have been pushing for oil and gas companies to be held accountable for the emissions resulting from burning their products. While the judgment only applies to Norway, it could inspire similar legal challenges in other countries and force governments to consider the climate effects of new drilling.
What is an integration platform and how to integrate APIs correctly?
The article discusses what an integration platform is and how to integrate APIs correctly. It emphasizes the importance of using an integration platform to seamlessly exchange data and automate processes across different applications and systems. The article highlights the drawbacks of point-to-point integrations and the negative impacts they can have on an organization. It also introduces Zato as an integration platform that uses Python to focus on business logic while taking care of scalability, security, and communication protocols. The article further explores the use of integration platforms in enterprise, cloud, hybrid, IoT, and hardware integrations. It also discusses the benefits of using an open-source integration platform and Python for API integrations. (Summary based on 91% of story text.)
Launch HN: Escape (YC W23) – Discover and secure all your APIs
Tristan and Antoine, co-founders of Escape, have developed a tool that uses AI inspired by chess to help security engineers and developers discover and secure APIs within organizations. With the increasing number and complexity of APIs, it is crucial to ensure their security, especially since APIs make up 80% of global web traffic. The responsibility for securing APIs usually falls on security engineers, but they often struggle to track and secure all the APIs created by developers. Escape's tool, called Feedback-Driven API Exploration (FDAE), automatically identifies business processes underlying APIs and generates sequences of API requests to uncover potential security flaws and data leaks. The tool also provides actionable remediation instructions and code snippets to help developers fix issues. Escape offers subscription plans based on the number of APIs and developers in an organization.
Cops bogged down by flood of fake AI child sex images, report says
Law enforcement agencies are struggling to investigate real crimes against abused children due to a flood of AI-generated fake child sex images, according to a report by The New York Times. Researchers have discovered thousands of realistic but fake AI child sex images online, prompting attorney generals across the US to call on Congress to address the issue. However, progress has been slow, with only a few states specifically banning AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery. The use of AI to create and share these images poses challenges for law enforcement, as it blurs the line between real victims and AI-generated content. The report highlights the need for stronger legislation and industry collaboration to combat this problem.
Show HN: Don't Do It Bro
Don't Do It Bro is a support group designed to help individuals struggling with addictions in real time. The creator of the group, Mark Venison, experienced the difficulty of resisting urges to relapse when there was no one to talk to. He wished for a live group of supportive individuals who could help him through those moments. To address this need, Venison created a Telegram group where members can chat and receive immediate support. The group operates on a peer-support model, with members pledging to help others in order to receive help themselves. The service is available for a fee of $4.99 and relies on the participation of like-minded individuals to be effective.
InstaPython – Instant custom Python scripts on-demand
InstaPython is a service that offers instant custom Python scripts on-demand. Customers can order a script for $27 and receive same-day delivery, with up to three revisions included. The scripts cater to all levels of complexity and are generated by an AI before being reviewed by an expert Python developer. The website provides example scripts for various purposes, such as file to database, API data aggregation, log file analysis, image resizing, webhook processing, text data cleansing, real-time data stream processing, and custom report generation. Customer testimonials highlight the positive impact of InstaPython's scripts on their workflows. The website also provides instructions on how to run Python scripts on different operating systems. The service emphasizes its commitment to security and privacy, with no data stored for more than 24 hours.
Think of your home as (small) profitable power plant
The article discusses the steps taken by two homeowners, Mathew Tuttelman and John Sterman, to transform their homes into profitable power plants. Tuttelman installed solar panels, a home battery, insulation, and geothermal heat pumps, while Sterman opted for a deep energy retrofit, including air-source heat pumps and solar panels. Both homeowners have seen significant savings in their energy bills and have even generated excess electricity that they can sell back to the grid. The article highlights the affordability of these upgrades due to subsidies, tax credits, leases, and loans. It also emphasizes the benefits of these renovations, including increased comfort, reduced environmental impact, and improved air quality.
Markov Chains Are the Original Language Models
The article discusses the stages of the AI hype cycle in relation to large language models. It starts with the amazement of being able to converse with a computer like a real person, but then moves to frustration when the technology proves to be less effective than expected. The author then experiences confusion as the hype continues and others question their initial excitement. Finally, the author reaches a stage of boredom with the constant influx of new language models and decides to explore Markov chains as an alternative. The article provides an explanation of Markov chains and demonstrates an implementation of auto-completion using them. (Summary based on 87% of story text.)
Handling Large Graph Datasets
This blog post discusses handling large graph datasets and provides tips on avoiding pitfalls. The author explains that the definition of a large graph dataset can vary depending on the individual, but generally, it refers to datasets with millions or billions of nodes and relationships. The post also discusses the challenges of graph density factor, high node degree, and the number of properties in large graphs. The author emphasizes the importance of modeling the graph structure before importing data and provides an example of modeling a book database. The post also covers different methods for importing data into Memgraph, including loading via Cypher commands. The author provides code examples and suggests optimizing performance by introducing parameters, running multiple queries as part of a single transaction, and executing queries concurrently. (Summary based on 51% of story text.)
Astro 4.3
Astro 4.3 is now available on astro.build. This release introduces a new experimental i18n feature that allows users to specify different domains or subdomains for different supported locales. Users can enable the experimental flag "i18nDomains" and map their locales to domains in the astro.config.mjs file. It is important to note that this feature requires a server-rendered site with no prerendered pages. The release also includes improvements to working with build output, component prop types, Markdown images, and more. Notably, users now have more control over their HTML file output with the addition of the "preserve" option in the build.format configuration. Astro also includes a new ComponentProps type export and has fixed a bug related to using images in Markdown without a relative specifier.
LifeStance: A Private Equity-Backed Mental Health Rollup Headed For A Breakdown
LifeStance, a mental health provider backed by private equity, is facing potential financial trouble. Despite its growing clinician base and the projected growth of the behavioral health market, LifeStance has reported significant losses, a large debt load, and a low cash balance. The company is expected to raise cash soon due to its financial situation and pending litigation. There are concerns about the company's clinician mix, with a higher percentage of lower-margin therapists compared to higher-margin psychiatrists. LifeStance has also faced controversy regarding its clinician retention rates and allegations of deceptive employment offers and compensation practices. Former employees have described a negative corporate culture and a focus on maximizing revenue rather than quality of care. The company has also been criticized for its prescribing practices and the potential for abuse of controlled substances. LifeStance's stock has seen significant insider selling, and the company has experienced executive turnover. Overall, the report suggests that LifeStance is a financially unsustainable business that prioritizes metrics over patient care and investor profitability. (Summary based on 18% of story text.)
Ivanti releases patches for VPN zero-days, discloses two more high-severity vuln
Ivanti has released the first round of patches for its Connect Secure and Policy Secure gateways, which were affected by zero-day vulnerabilities. However, the company has also discovered two additional zero-days, one of which is currently being actively exploited. The patches are available for certain versions, and administrators are advised to factory-reset their devices before applying the patch to prevent attackers from gaining upgrade persistence. The vulnerabilities allow remote unauthenticated attackers to achieve code execution. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned that some sophisticated attackers have bypassed Ivanti's mitigation measures. Ivanti has updated its mitigation and released patches for the additional zero-days.
'I should not have written 'A Clockwork Orange''
The web content discusses the controversy and impact surrounding Anthony Burgess's novel, 'A Clockwork Orange,' and its film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick. Burgess expressed regret for writing the book due to the misinterpretation and controversy it generated. The film's violent scenes, particularly a sexual assault set to the tune of 'Singin' in the Rain,' caused heated debates about the social responsibility of art. The documentary 'Orange mécanique, les rouages de la violence' explores the conflict between Burgess and the film. The content also highlights the omission of the final chapter in the film, where the protagonist reforms, and discusses the influence of Burgess's personal experiences and political beliefs on the novel.
UNRWA-Hamas Relations
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has long been accused of having close ties with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. Critics argue that UNRWA's funding and resources have been misused by Hamas for its own political agenda, including the promotion of violence against Israel. However, UNRWA denies these allegations and maintains that it operates independently and impartially, providing essential services to Palestinian refugees. The controversy surrounding UNRWA's relationship with Hamas highlights the complex political dynamics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and raises questions about the effectiveness and neutrality of international aid organizations in the region.
Vision Mamba: Efficient Visual Representation Learning with Bidirectional SSM
The Vision Mamba is a new approach to visual representation learning that utilizes Bidirectional SSM (Sequential State Model) to improve efficiency. This model combines the strengths of both forward and backward processing, allowing for more accurate and robust visual representations. The Vision Mamba outperforms other state-of-the-art models on various benchmark datasets, achieving higher accuracy with fewer parameters and faster training times. This novel approach to visual representation learning has the potential to greatly impact the field of computer vision and improve the performance of various visual tasks.
Damn Small Linux 2024
Damn Small Linux 2024 is a compact Linux distribution designed for low-spec x86 computers. It includes a variety of applications chosen for their functionality, small size, and low dependencies. The distribution currently ships with two lightweight window managers, Fluxbox and JWM, as well as three web browsers, including BadWolf, a security-oriented browser. It also includes office applications such as AbiWord and Gnumeric, multimedia applications like MPV and XMMS, and other useful tools like mtPaint and gFTP. The goal of DSL 2024 is to fit a usable desktop distribution onto a single CD or within a 700MB limit, making it suitable for older computers. The project is based on antiX 23 i386 and is a derivative work that builds upon the work of Debian and antiX. The creator of DSL 2024 acknowledges that the size limit of 700MB may seem small compared to the original 50MB size of DSL in 2002, but efforts have been made to find small footprint applications and strip unnecessary files to fit within the limit. The distribution also includes apt for easy installation of additional software. The creator expresses gratitude to Debian, antiX, and the users of DSL for their support and feedback.
Easy Introduction to Vector Databases
The article provides an easy introduction to vector databases, which have become increasingly popular in the context of AI. It explains that vectors are arrays of numbers that represent unstructured data like text or images. The article highlights the limitations of traditional bag-of-words models and introduces more advanced techniques like word embeddings. It then goes on to explain how vector databases are designed to handle and store vector data efficiently, using Postgres as an example. The article also discusses the process of converting images into embeddings and performing similarity searches using vector databases. It concludes by mentioning the scalability and indexing considerations when using vector databases.
Neovide – a simple, no-nonsense, cross-platform GUI for Neovim
Neovide is a straightforward and versatile graphical user interface for Neovim, a modernized version of the Vim editor. While it offers some graphical enhancements, its main focus is on providing the same functionality as the terminal UI. The Neovide source code is available for those interested, and searching within the documentation is made easy with the "s" key or the search bar. Whether you prefer installing through a package manager or building from source, Neovide has you covered. Additionally, the website provides a list of all the available features and comprehensive configuration options.
Crash tests show nation's guardrail system can't handle heavy electric vehicles
Crash test data released by the University of Nebraska has raised concerns about the ability of the nation's guardrail system to handle heavy electric vehicles. Electric vehicles, which typically weigh 20% to 50% more than gas-powered vehicles due to their batteries, can easily crash through steel guardrails that are not designed to withstand the extra force. The tests showed that guardrails are likely to be overmatched by heavier electric vehicles, posing a safety risk. The rising popularity of electric vehicles has led transportation officials to express concern about the weight disparity between electric and gas-powered vehicles. More testing is needed to determine how to engineer roadside barriers that can minimize the effects of crashes for both types of vehicles.
FreeBSD 4 Bug may be present in Playstation 4/5
Discussions have emerged regarding an 18-year-old CVE that may be present in PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles. Some individuals claim that a network bug disclosed in 2006 could be used to jailbreak recent PS4 and PS5 firmware. Early tests indicate that a crash is present in PS4 up to firmware 11.00 and PS5 up to firmware 8.20. While a crash itself is not a vulnerability, it suggests that the claim is worth investigating. The bug in question is a buffer overflow in the sppp driver in FreeBSD 4.11 through 6.1, NetBSD 2.0 through 4.0 beta, and OpenBSD 3.8 and 3.9. It remains to be seen if this vulnerability can be exploited on PS4 and PS5 consoles.
The VAE Used for Stable Diffusion Is Flawed
The web content discusses a flaw in the KL divergence loss on the KL-F8 VAE used by various models, including SD1.x, SD2.x, SVD, and DALL-E 3. The author explains that the latent space created by this VAE has a large KL divergence and smuggles global information about the image through a few pixels. This issue affects the stability and performance of denoiser models. The author suggests not using this VAE for training new models and recommends exploring alternative architectures. They also propose potential fixes for the VAE to salvage existing models. The author acknowledges the need for further testing and thanks their friends and the Glaze Team for their assistance in identifying the problem.
UK fertility treatment comparison tool featuring IVF data launched
The Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has launched a new online tool that allows people in the UK to compare NHS funding for fertility treatments in their area with the rest of the country. The tool, called the dashboard, is believed to be a world first and provides access to data from 1991 onwards, covering over 665,000 patients. Users can filter data on egg and sperm donors, freezing and thawing of eggs, multiple birth rates, and IVF success rates by age. The dashboard also reveals statistics such as the decrease in NHS funding for fertility treatments and the increase in birth rates per embryo transferred. The tool has been praised by experts in the field for its transparency and accessibility.
Senate tells social media CEOs they have 'blood on their hands'
The CEOs of Meta, Snap, Discord, X, and TikTok testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child exploitation online. The hearing focused on the companies' records on child safety, with lawmakers grilling the CEOs for nearly four hours. The CEOs were subpoenaed after refusing to appear voluntarily. The hearing room was filled with parents of children who had been victims of online exploitation, and senators shared personal stories of parents whose children had died by suicide after being exploited online. There is growing bipartisan support for new safety regulations, with several bills proposed to address children's online safety and child exploitation. The tech industry has lobbied against these bills. The CEOs discussed their companies' existing safety features and parental controls, and some expressed openness to certain aspects of the proposed legislation. The hearing also had some off-topic moments and bizarre exchanges.
Show HN: I Created 'The Linktree for Founders'
Introducing 'The Linktree for Founders' - a platform that allows founders to showcase their entire journey in one convenient link. With this tool, you can easily build an audience and share all your important links in a simple and aesthetic way. Whether you're a startup founder, entrepreneur, or creator, this platform is designed to help you streamline your online presence and make it easier for others to discover and connect with you. Say goodbye to cluttered bios and multiple links, and say hello to a sleek and efficient way to showcase your founder journey.