XKCD, Worst Hurricane
via Randall Munroe, at XKCD.
Mnemonic Wheel
An aged mnemonic given new life. In this case, the utilization of artifacts [color wheels] which inform memory regarding password data entry. Today's' Must Read.
Des Possibilités Infinies
Fascinating write-up, via El Reg's John Leyden, of what some may say smack's a bit o' the Ned Ludd... In which, Mr. Leyden tells a tale fractionally too close to home; yours and my home, that is. A tale of portent, and societal dis-ease whence the Internet of Things [IoT] truly does arrive, and we become beholden to our inter-connected fridges, light bulbs and what-not. SkyNet? Hardly. An apt description would be MundaneNet™.
Insert Here
Via the inimitable Brian Krebs, of Krebs on Security, comes reports of insert, thin and mini card skimmers, and the perils of automated banking and commerce for consumers worldwide. The astonishing component to this litany of miscreant evil-doers is the apparent inability of hardware manufacturers' to detect, notify and terminate these devices at will [or, at the very least, reject all cards on the machine when nefarious activities are suspected].
An Existential Threat
In a fascinating read, via Defense One's Molly O'Toole, comes an apocryphal description - by John Kelly, GEN USMC - targeting our southern border, now known as an 'Existential Threat'. Probably too close to the truth for most of Congress to admit.
"In spring hearings before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, Kelly said that budgets cuts are “severely degrading” the military’s ability to defend southern approaches to the U.S border. Last year, he said, his task force was unable to act on nearly 75 percent of illicit trafficking events. “I simply sit and watch it go by,” he said. But the potential threats are even greater. Kelly warned that neglect has created vulnerabilities that can be exploited by terrorist groups, describing a “crime-terror convergence” already seen in Lebanese Hezbollah’s involvement in the region.' - via Defense One's Molly O'Toole
Triaged
News, via Jordan Valinsky, writing at Gizmodo, detailing the use by some health care facilities - of big data extracts- and focusing on the credit card data contained therein. Perhaps you may be wondering why and how credit card data may be relevant to determining health payment statistics... Stay tuned and examine the Bloomberg Businessweek article where clarity may be provided in regards the use of spending information and illness in homo sapiens spendthriftus.
"According to Bloomberg Businessweek, it's currently being used by Carolinas HealthCare System, which is using that type of data to survey the health of its two million members." - via Jordan Valinsky at Gizmodo
Narcissim, On Display
Well wrought opinion piece eyeballing the narcissism of one Edward Joseph "Ed" Snowden. Today's' Must Read.