Big Data and Net Freedom in China Make a Complicated Relationship
February 21, 2018
One of China’s hottest new app uses a big data engine, unlike anything most of us can imagine, however, that horsepower is getting the company in trouble. We learned more in a recent Slashdot piece, “Toutiao, One of China’s Most Popular News Apps, is Discovering the Risks Involved in Giving People Exactly What They Want Online.”
It actually pulls from a New York Times article and says:
Now the company is discovering the risks involved, under China’s censorship regime, in giving the people exactly what they want. The makers of the popular news app Jinri Toutiao unveiled moves this week to allay rising concerns from the authorities.
Last week, the Beijing bureau of China’s top internet regulator accused Toutiao of “spreading pornographic and vulgar information” and “causing a negative impact on public opinion online,” and ordered that updates to several popular sections of the app be halted for 24 hours. In response, the app’s parent company, Beijing Bytedance Technology, took down or temporarily suspended the accounts of more than 1,100 bloggers that it said had been publishing “low-quality content” on the app. It also replaced Toutiao’s “Society” section with a new section called “New Era,” which is heavy on state media coverage of government decisions.
Toutiao is the vanguard of a growing movement in China. For years, citizens knew they were being tracked by the government, but now are beginning to demand privacy. We certainly hope they can get there but are mighty skeptical. Good luck!
Patrick Roland, February 21, 2018
Business Intelligence Search: Not There Yet
February 20, 2018
Business intelligence applications are indispensable for modern companies, especially if they are focused at being the top of their industry. Apparently one common feature still eludes BI application developers: search. How can something so basic and readily available through open source technology be difficult to master? ZDNet reviews Forrester’s breakdown of the BI landscape in the article, “Make BI Applications More Intuitive With Search Like GUI.”
BI applications are kept relativity simple with a mouse-based user interface, so end user training is kept to a minimum and adoption into systems is easier. One item of concern is that few decision-makers actually access the data directly and rely on their business analysts and other team members to provide them information. BI applications are not so simple, however, and the end users need to be knowledgeable in the data sources and metadata.
Thank goodness that there is a GUI for BI applications and it has natural language processing:
“This has largely come true with natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation (NLG) technologies. Users can now ask a question in a natural language (where NLP translates a question to a query, aka text-to-query) and get an answer via a programmatically generated narrative based on the result set returned by the query. The NLG narratives are especially effective when displayed side by side with a visualization. In addition to NLP and NLG capabilities built into BI tools, some BI providers are also creating chatbots as separate applications. These can allow non-technical BI users to ask questions and receive dynamically generated data visualizations and written highlights without knowing anything about the underlying data structures or metadata.”
The question remains if the search application will be decent and usable on newer BI interfaces. Only time and user feedback will tell.
Whitney Grace, February 20, 2018
The Next Stage in Information Warfare: Quantum Weaponization
February 20, 2018
We have been tracking the emergence of peer to peer technologies. Innovators have been working to deal with the emergence of next generation mainframe computing architectures like those available from Amazon, Facebook, and Google. The idea is that these new mainframes have popped up a level and are using software to integrate individual computing devices into larger constructs which are command and control systems.
Examples of the innovations can be found in the digital currency sector with the emergence of IOTA like systems. There are other innovation nodes as well; for example, discussed in online publications like Medium, technical fora, and implemented by outfits like Anonymous Portugal.
One of the popular methods used by my former colleagues at Halliburton Nuclear Utility Services was to look at a particular problem. The nuclear engineers would then try to fit the problem into a meta-schema. The idea was that a particular problem in some nuclear applications could not be tackled directly. A nuclear engineer tried to find ways to address the problem without poking the specific issue because once probed, the problem morphed. Hence, the meta-method was more useful.
Here’s a diagram which I think shows one facet of the approach:
The idea is to come at a problem in different way. Edward de Bono called it “lateral thinking.” For me, the idea is to pop outside a problem, not in two dimensions, but three or four if time plays a part. Maybe “meta-thining” or “meta-analysis”?
What’s ahead for “the Internet” is what I conceptualize as urban warfare in the online world.
Non-traditional approaches to security, messaging, and data routing will combine to create a computing environment that’s different. Smart software will allow nodes or devices to make local decisions, and then that same smart software will use random message pathways to accomplish a task like routing. The difference between today’s concentrated Internet will be similar to Caesar’s Third Legion engaging in urban warfare. Caesar’s troops have swords; the urban fighters have modern weapons. Not even mighty Caesar can deal with the mismatch in technology.
Several observations:
- More robust encryption methods will make timely sense making of intercepted data very, very difficult
- Smart software will create polymorphic solutions to what are today difficult problems
- The diffusion of intelligent computing devices (including light bulbs) generate data volumes which will be difficult to process for meaningful signals by components not embedded in the polymorphic fabric. (Yes, this means law enforcement and intelligence entities).
- The era of the “old” Internet is ending, but the shift is underway. The movement is from a pointed stick to a cellular structure filled with adaptable proteins. The granularity and the “intelligence” of the tiny bits will be fascinating to observe.
In one sense, the uncertainty inherent in many phenomena will migrate into online.
The shift is not inherently “bad.” New opportunities will arise. The shift will have significant impacts, however. Just as the constructs of the industrial age have been reshaped by the “old” Internet, the new polymorphic, quantum-ized Internet will usher in some interesting changes.
Is digital Ebola replicating now, gentle reader?
Stephen E Arnold, February 20, 2018
AI Will Be 2018s Biggest Tech Topic
February 20, 2018
Seems like some algorithm should have predicted this a long time ago, but our best bet is that AI leads the way in most important tech topics of the new year. We are not alone. Datanami recently penned an article, “What Will AI Bring in 2018? Experts Sound Off.”
According to the story:
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are often misunderstood and misused terms. Many startups and larger technology companies attempt to boost their appeal by forcing an association with these phrases. Well, the buzz will have to stop in 2018…This will be the year we begin to demand substance to justify claims of anything that’s capable of using data to predict any outcome of any relevance for business, IT or security. While 2018 will not be the year when AI capabilities mature to match human skills and capacity, AI using machine learning will increasingly help organizations make decisions on massive amounts of data that otherwise would be difficult for us to make sense of.
This comes as no surprise to us. AI has been cracking mysteries left and right lately and is finally getting down to seriously important work. Take, for example, how AI is helping solve the opioid crisis. AI will be 2018’s big story and it couldn’t come at a better time for us.
Patrick Roland, February 20, 2018
DarkCyber for February 20, 2018, Now Available
February 20, 2018
The February 20, 2018, DarkCyber walks through the method for de-anonymizing Bitcoin transactions. The paper, written by researchers at Qatar University, highlights information leakage in the Bitcoin blockchain implementation. The video news program is available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/256283081 .
A Dark Web customer used multiple identities to purchase Class A controlled substances via the Dark Web. Investigators were able to trace one of the bad actor’s false identities to specific personal details and arrest the individual. Aliases combined with use of the Tor browser are vulnerable to the investigative methods used by British cybercrime investigators.
LmnTrix, an Australian cyber security firm, discovered a new ransomware service called GAndCrab. What makes the service unique is that the developers impose a terms of service agreement upon individuals wishing to extort money. One example of the deal is that clients of the ransomware software developer must agree to use the software outside of Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States or have their license for the ransomware revoked. MBA thinking now informs black hat hackers.
You can view the video at this link.
Kenny Toth, February 20, 2018
Canada and Its Upgraded Archive Search
February 19, 2018
A nation’s archive is a priceless treasure and an informative wonder. The Library of Congress houses many historical documents and items important to United States history. The Vatican also houses an impressive archive that is not only important to world history, but Abrahamic religions. The Library and Archives of Canada is another treasure trove not only for the US’s northern neighbor, but for the world.
The Library and Archives of Canada wants people from over the world to take advantage of its holdings. In order to do so, the Library and Archives of Canada needs a user-friendly database with a search function. Government-branded search engines usually stink worse than last year’s hockey sweats, but Library Journal says that, “Library And Archives Canada Announces Launch Of ‘Collection Search’ (Beta).”
Canada’s new endeavor is appropriately titled Voilà and is a leading-edge library management system. Here is a little more about it:
“The launch of Voilà, a milestone for LAC in its library renewal project, marks the completion of the migration of the national union catalogue holdings from AMICUS to OCLC. Starting today, LAC invites members of the Canadian library community to use Voilà.
The new catalogue offers an intuitive interface with modern features for searching published materials located in hundreds of libraries across Canada that subscribe to OCLC services, or had their holdings migrated from AMICUS to OCLC. LAC will start enriching Voilà to provide public access to its own holdings later this year.”
Canada has a reputation for doing practical and workable solutions, so the new Voilà database will probably have a successful beta phase, unless it gets too sticky with maple syrup.
Whitney Grace, February 19, 2018
IBM Watson Marketing Breakthrough: Cognitive Solutioning
February 19, 2018
I don’t pay much attention to IBM Watson. I admit that for a while I found the wild and crazy marketing amusing. I do want to point to “If You Don’t Like What IBM Is Pitching, Blame Watson: It’s Generating Sales ‘Solutions’ Now.” The write up allegedly recycles some confidential IBM information. I pulled this item out for future reference:
Internal documents seen by The Register reveal the tech goliath has developed something it calls “cognitive solutioning,” to be deployed when Big Blue is asked to do a job that can’t easily be scoped from its service catalogue.
I solution, you solution, IBM solutions. See the noun works as a “verb.” Amazing.
I am not sure what this passage means, but I circled it in red. It seems to suggest yet another massive achievement by Watson:
One document, which explains “cognitive solutioning” to IBM’s staff, says Big Blue has big plans for the Watson-fuelled service in 2018 and expects it to soon enable “real-time co-creation of solutions with clients” and do so at such speed that IBM services gains an advantage over its rivals. A roadmap for the service calls for a “cognitive solutions designer” to be hard at work in the second half of 2018, fuelled by 10,000 knowledge base articles.
Doesn’t Microsoft have a knowledgebase with lots KB articles, some of which do nifty things with a mouse click. Imagine an IBM KB system operating on global banking installations. Mouth watering solutioning ahead.
Stephen E Arnold, February 19, 2018
A BitCoin Crackdown Will Not Stop The Flood
February 19, 2018
Bitcoin’s rocketing value has put a spotlight on this intentionally shadowy money system. Now, with all that attention governments are starting to crack down. However, we don’t think that’ll help. We were tipped off to this trend from a recent BitCoinIst story, “AUSTRALIAN BANKS REPORTEDLY FREEZING THE ACCOUNTS OF BITCOIN USERS.”
According to the story:
The Australian banks which have been accused of freezing accounts of Bitcoin users have been listed as the National Australia Bank, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and Westpac Banking Corporation. The claim was made in a tweet saying that user activity associated with certain websites (BTC Markets, CoinSpot Australia, CoinJar, and Coinbase) have been affected as triggering suspicious activity on Australian users’ bank accounts.
Should your bank refuse to make a payment of your money, then you are rendered powerless to access your own money. The banks’ heavy handedness in this regard only gives further fuel to those proponents of decentralized money that lie outside of institutional control, such as Bitcoin and the rest of cryptocurrency. That Australian banks are still not providing fail-safes to their customers when they fall foul of unspecified account flagging is not portraying the country’s banks in a positive manner at all.
While it is worth applauding Australia’s attempt at stopping criminal activity this way, it’s only part of the oldest story in the book. As soon as someone solves a problem, two new ones crop up. Those being new cryptocurrencies, like Monero, which criminals are beginning to flock to. Fat chance stopping this flood of trouble.
Patrick Roland, February 19, 2018
Just Checking Out Source Code. For Security.
February 18, 2018
Russia and the US have an uneasy alliance, but economic trade and technology ease the tension. When it comes to defense software, Russia apparently purchased some from international brands based in the US. The only problem is that it might put the US in danger. SC Media explains how in the article, “Global Tech Firms Let Russian Defense Agency Peek Into Source Code To Search For Flaws.”
The situation, as reported, is that US tech companies McAfee, Symantec, Micro Focus, and SAP have allowed a Russian defense agency access to the source code in order to find vulnerabilities. Russia claims it is to prevent bad actors from using the software, but the US sees it a different way.
The Pentagon and lawmakers are not too happy with the tech companies. It sounds like a chase to earn the almighty dollar…er…ruble. How does the US feel in their own words?
“‘I fear that access to our security infrastructure – whether it be overt or covert – by adversaries may have already opened the door to harmful security vulnerabilities,’ Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said, according to Reuters.The software is used not only by the Pentagon, the report said, but also at NASA, the State Department, the FBI and within the intelligence community, where it’s used to fend off attacks by nation-states such as Russia. ‘Even letting people look at source code for a minute is incredibly dangerous,’ Reuters quoted Steve Quane, executive vice president for network defense at Trend Micro, as saying.”
Who will win, US security or demand for profit?
Whitney Grace, February 18, 2018
About That Voice Search. Flawed Maybe?
February 17, 2018
Voice search has been touted as the next exciting frontier in search and big data by pundits around the globe and right here. Undoubtedly, the potential for voice search are eye-popping. However, we are starting to wonder if, at best it will be another over-hyped tech bubble, or at worst a snake oil sale. We got to thinking more about voice search and its flaws from a recent Search Engine Land story, “What 3,000 Voice Search Queries Tell Us About the ‘Voice Search Revolution.”
The story’s author put his own family’s voice search data to the test to see if marketers and designers could draw anything valuable from it. His findings left us a little flat:
“I have three kids under 8 years old, so not every query was crystal clear. When I categorized the queries, “unknown” was my sixth-largest category, and it comprised queries like my six-year-old daughter asking Google Home, “Does Google Home belong to me or my little brother” and queries I didn’t know we were making, like “All right, Blake if you’re going to be good you can come down,” after I told my 3-year-old he could come down from his time out.”
This experiment and his other homework show that most users just ask for the weather or a kitchen timer or children request the same song a dozen times a day. Not exactly the mine of data we were hoping for. This falls right in line with others, like Digiday, who recently tried showing how flawed the voice search revolution is. These are convincing glimpses, but we are still holding out hope that there’s more behind the curtain.
Patrick Roland, February 17, 2018
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