Banjo: What Did SoftBank Money Buy?
May 11, 2020
We completed an analysis of Banjo’s intellectual property. Note: the Banjo url ends in jo, not com. The company — despite its low, low profile since 2016 — has been a reasonably active policeware vendor. Is the activity directed at publicity? Expanding its sales force? Developing a platform comparable to Amazon’s sprawling policeware initiative?
Nope.
The firm has been patenting and repatenting some of its ideas. A quick example is the method disclosed in a paper by one of Banjo’s first employees: “Lateral Thinking in Search Engines” by Yann Landrin-Schweitzer, et al, in Genetic Programming and Evolvable Machines, March 2006. You can locate a copy of this infrequently cited document at this link. Note: you may have to pay to view the document.
The ideas were evident in Banjo’s consumer app, which will not be discussed in this brief blog post, and again in the post-pivot patent documents.
The method, known for decades, was popularized by Endeca. The idea is to find, show, or leverage in some fashion related content. Some of the now disgraced search and retrieval evangelists called this “side search.”
For an example of Landrin-Schweitzer’s influence, check out US 8,341,223, Method for relevant content discovery. Since the patent document was filed in mid 2012, Banjo has made this method one of its key foundation stones.
What is interesting is that Landrin-Schweitzer left the company about the time the patent document was in process.
DarkCyber wants to point out that the “hot” technology powering the LiveTime unique capability is not particularly distinctive. Granted, Banjo has built a system which processes video and combines it with other inputs to generate alerts.
Nevertheless, the low profile adopted by the company may have been a way to reduce public scrutiny of what technology was the foundation for the interesting claims the company’s PR made.
I want to note that the DarkCyber research team tracked some of Banjo origin story to Jennifer Peck, worked at Banjo and who later married Mr. Patton. (Did the marriage or common sense stop the PR about Banjo which flowed in a steady stream until the end of 2015?)
Shifting gears the NASCAR way stabs the accelerator for more capital. SoftBank invested $100 million in Banjo in early 2016.
What is interesting is that the SoftBank due diligence process seems to have overlooked [a] some aspects about Mr. Patton and possibly the firm’s origin story, [b] Mr. Patton’s hackathon “wins” at a Google event and in an event held in China with “original” code, [c] and the firm’s core technology, [d] Landrin-Schweitzer’s contributions.
Mr. Patton’s trajectory from homeless waif in LA to the US Navy and military warfighting to NASCAR to construction to genius coder seems to be well crafted, almost like a feat of Baron Munchausen. The positioning of the company as one that wants to “save lives” could be a modern parable crafted on Madison Avenue to elevate the company above the likes of Palantir Technologies.
Wrapping the “good” cloth around surveillance technology is a PR plus to some. Plus, Banjo manifests Patton’s white knight accoutrements in the little known world of policeware applications. Also the factoids about Mr. Patton’s hard fought effort to obtain a college education and how a hitchhiking ride made an education possible could be inspiring to a befuddled and homeless youth. Does this remind anyone of a Jim Bakker? A modern version of a Horace Greeley tall tale?
Several questions:
- Are the other technology foundation stones unique and rock solid?
- How much of the technology embodied in Banjo is unique?
- What are the due diligence processes used by investment firms when facts suggest the founder’s past has not been vetted?
DarkCyber thinks that Banjo is an interesting firm. We have prepared a summary of Banjo’s intellectual property. If you are interested in learning more about this report, write benkent2020@yahoo.com.
The May 12, 2020, DarkCyber video program has more Banjo related content. You can view that video at this link. Remember: No ads, no search engine optimization, no begging for dollars. Just information.
Stephen E Arnold, May 11, 2020
Googler Departing: Dr. Eric Schmidt and His Visibility
May 10, 2020
DarkCyber commented on the New York Times’ story about Eric Schmidt, a former Sun Microsystems professional. No, we did not comment about Google and Java. No we did not remark about our longing for NetWare’s compsurf.
Yes, we did suggest that the purpose of the write up “I Could Solve Most of Your Problems: Eric Schmidt’s Pentagon Offensive” was a PR play by Google.
That may have been part of the motivation. But we learned in “Eric Schmidt, Who Led Google’s Transformation into a Tech Giant, Has Left the Company” that the former “adult” at Google and leader of NetWare departed from the Google in February 2020.
Who knew?
Not the New York Times it seems.
As a result, an alternative motivating factor for the revelations assembled by the NYT could have been publicity for Dr. Schmidt himself.
That NYT story is probably a better job hunting tool that a short item in Microsoft LinkedIn. Just a hunch, of course.
When will that compsurf process be completed? A week, maybe more. By then, Dr. Schmidt may have a new post pandemic job. Is Palantir hiring? Does the White House have a job opening? Is Oracle poking around for an expert to advise the Dolphin Way outfit about Java? What about the Department of Defense as it navigates the Amazon Microsoft worlds of technology?
Opportunities are out there.
Stephen E Arnold, May 10, 2020
SoftBank in the News: The Caldron of Son, Masayoshi Son, That Is
May 8, 2020
Masayoshi Son, the founder of SoftBank, could feature in a new Star Wars movie. Tentative title: Trouble: The Caldron of Son. (A tip of the hat to The Wrath of Khan, of course.)
A short time ago, Banjo’s founder was allegedly involved in some non-high tech activities; for example, a possible drive by synagogue shooting and a KKK event. Why’s this important? SoftBank wrote a check for $100 million in 2016 to help this cyber intelligence firm become a better Palantir Technologies. Banjo’s secret sauce: Real time video alerts about “events” for law enforcement. Palantir does real time, but it is not exactly the TikTok of the investigative software world. Banjo was supposed to achieve that useful goal: Real time intelligence in real time.
That went south.
DarkCyber noted the real and trustworthy news story “WeWork Co-Founder Neumann Sues SoftBank over Failed Tender Offer.” WeWork, like Banjo, appears to have been a questionable investment. Now the very entrepreneur in whom Son had faith has turned around and bitten the hand that once fed him. How much? A significant portion of $9.6 billion to rescue the WeWork outfit.
What do these two investments have in common?
Answer: Due diligence which seemed to leave some issues in the fog. One issue: Damien Patten’s pre-Banjo life activities. Another issue: The interpersonal relationships and personality quirks of Adam Neumann.
These two events could be sufficient to make The Caldron of Son into a possible Quibi 10 part super successful video event. Who knows maybe the litigation will overlap with Quibi’s adventures with Eko?
DarkCyber perceives the due diligence evidenced in the Banjo and WeWork matters illustrate the weaknesses in the good enough approach to investment research.
One thing is clear: Spreadsheet fever may impair vision. That’s no fun(d).
Stephen E Arnold, May 7, 2020
For more coverage of “good enough,” navigate to this special page.
Facebook Chokes NSO Group: Will NSO Group Tap Out?
April 27, 2020
Facebook has become a digital world unto itself. From the insouciance demonstrated during the Cambridge Analytica matter to the cheerful attempt to create a global currency, Facebook has was some might call digital schnorrer. Take data and do what’s necessary to get as much as possible for nothing. Pay for data? Nah. Testify so elder statesmen can understand? Nah. Make it easy for consumers to manage their free Facebook accounts? Nah.
These are fascinating characteristics of a social media company eager to bring people together. But the company has another characteristic, and it is one that certainly surprised the hapless researchers at DarkCyber.
Cyberscoop reported that the Facebook legal eagles are doubling down on the bet that they can squeeze the NSO Group. Is it for cash? Is it for power? Is it to make darned clear that Facebook is more powerful than a company which develops specialized software for government agencies? DarkCyber doesn’t know, but it is clear, if the information in “Facebook: NSO Group Used U.S.-Based Servers in Operations against WhatsApp” is accurate, Facebook is ready to rumble.
The write up states:
In court documents, Facebook-owned WhatsApp claims NSO Group used a server run by Los Angeles-based hosting provider QuadraNet “more than 700 times during the attack to direct NSO’s malware to WhatsApp user devices in April and May 2019.”
The article points out that:
The filing is a blow to NSO Group’s claims that its signature product, Pegasus, isn’t capable of running operations in the United States.
What’s remarkable is that the lawsuit has become increasingly high profile. Dust ups related to what DarkCyber calls intelware and third parties usually keep a lower profile. A good example is the efforts expended to keep the lid on the interesting litigation between Analyst’s Notebook and Palantir Technologies. This matter, if mentioned at a conference, evokes the question, “What? When?”
The Facebook NSO Group dispute is getting media traction. Cyberscoop includes the full 35 page document via link in its article.
DarkCyber’s view is:
- There are some ironic factors in Facebook’s pursuit of this matter; for example, allegedly Facebook wanted to license NSO Group’s Pegasus. Is Facebook a bride left at the alter?
- Is Facebook trying to deflect attention from its own data policies? ( It is helpful to keep in mind that Facebook has to pay $5 billion for its Cambridge Analytica adventure.)
- Facebook’s own behaviors have been troubling to some individuals due to its own privacy and data actions; for example, exposing friends of friends without oversight to Facebook partners.
- Facebook’s shift from the privacy procedures users assumed were in place to a more Wild West approach to data as the social media firm sought to expand its revenues and user base.
Intelware companies are not new, but they are small compared to today’s Facebook. Intelware companies are like some flowers which die in direct sunlight. A special climate controlled environment is necessary for survival.
Facebook may be waking up to the fact that certain government agencies want access to Facebook data. Specialized firms, not just NSO Group, have the ability to work around, under, and through whatever shields Facebook puts in place to keep Facebook data for Facebook. And when Facebook does play nice with government agencies, Facebook plays by its own rules and brings the ball and the referee to the game.
DarkCyber’s perception is that Facebook was and is offended by what it thinks NSO did or does. DarkCyber assumes that Facebook wants it own NSO Group-style capabilities and is defending itself in order to be the Facebook everyone knows and loves.
With the Facebook – NSO Group matter moving forward, the path each company, the lawyers, and possibly government officials will explore will be interesting to chart.
Plus who knows whether Facebook is fighting hard to protect its customers or fighting another battle.
Also, NSO Group may, like a WWE star, have a masked helper waiting in the wings eager to join the fray.
Stephen E Arnold, April 27, 2020
The JEDI Knight Wounds Amazon
April 17, 2020
The Bezos bulldozer has stalled against a bureaucratic stone wall. The overheated engine is idling in outside the Pentagon Metro stop. DarkCyber was informed by a couple of helpful readers that the US government is going Microsoft for the significant Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure Project. A representative summary of the review of the contract process appeared in “Pentagon: $10B Cloud Contract That Snubbed Amazon Was Legal.” The write up reported:
“We could not review this matter fully because of the assertion of a ‘presidential communications privilege,’ which resulted in several DOD witnesses being instructed by the DOD Office of General Counsel not to answer our questions about potential communications between White House and DOD officials about JEDI,” the report said.
“As a result, we could not be certain whether there were any White House communications with some DOD officials which may have affected the JEDI procurement,” it said.
“However, we believe the evidence we received showed that the DOD personnel who evaluated the contract proposals and awarded Microsoft the JEDI cloud contract were not pressured … by any DOD leaders more senior to them, who may have communicated with the White House,” the report said.
Clear enough. Amazon’s bulldozer may have to reverse and head over to other Executive Branch agencies. Copies of the Bezos bulldozer have been spotted in Australia pushing insurance data and in United Arab Emirates moving digital sand for the government.
The problem for Amazon is that displacing PowerPoint is a very, very tough mountain to move. Just ask Google. Palantir’s baby forklift moved some paperwork while forming a relationship with a certain figure of note in Washington, DC.
Maybe Amazon should wear a fashionable Azure T shirt and wear a Dwarven Ring of Power from The Lord of the Rings available on Etsy?
Stephen E Arnold, April 17, 2020
Acquisdata: High Value Intelligence for Financial and Intelligence Analysts
March 31, 2020
Are venture capitalist, investment analysts, and other financial professionals like intelligence officers? The answer, according to James Harker-Mortlock, is, “Yes.”
The reasons, as DarkCyber understands them, are:
- Financial professionals to be successful have to be data omnivores; that is, masses of data, different types, and continuously flowing inputs
- The need for near real time or real time data streams can make the difference between making a profit and losses
- The impact of changing work patterns on the trading floor are forcing even boutique investment firms and global giants to rely upon smart software to provide a competitive edge. These smart systems require data for training machine learning modules.
James Harker-Mortlock, founder of Acquidata, told DarkCyber:
The need for high-value data from multiple sources in formats easily imported into analytic engines is growing rapidly. Our Acquisdata service provides what the financial analysts and their smart software require. We have numerous quant driven hedge funds downloading all our data every week to assist them in maintaining a comprehensive picture of their target companies and industries.”
According to the company’s Web site, Acquisdata:
Acquisdata is a fast growing digital financial publishing company. Established in 2010, we have quickly become a provider to the world’s leading financial news companies, including Thomson Reuters/Refinitiv, Bloomberg, Factset, IHS Markit, and Standard and Poor’s Capital IQ, part of McGraw Hill Financial, and ISI Emerging Markets. We also provide content to a range of global academic and business database providers, including EBSCO, ProQuest, OCLC, Research & Markets, CNKI and Thomson Reuters West. We know and understand the electronic publishing business well. Our management has experience in the electronic publishing industry going back 40 years. We aim to provide comprehensive and timely information for investors and others interested in the drivers of the global economy, primarily through our core products, the Industry SnapShot, Company SnapShot and Executive SnapShot products. Our units provide the annual and interim reports of public companies around the world and fundamental research on companies in emerging markets sectors, and aggregated data from third-party sources. In a world where electronic publishing is quickly changing the way we consume news and information, Acquisdata is at the very forefront of providing digital news and content solutions.
DarkCyber was able to obtain one of the firm’s proprietary Acquisdata Industry Snapshots. “United States Armaments, 16 March 2020” provides a digest of information about the US weapons industry. the contents of the 66 page report include news and commentary, selected news releases, research data, industry sector data, and company-specific information.
Obtaining these types of information from many commercial sources poses a problem for a financial professional. Some reports are in Word files; some are in Excel; some are in Adobe PDF image format; and some are in formats proprietary to a data aggregator. We provide data in XML which can be easily imported into an analytic system; for example, Palantir’s Metropolitan or similar analytical tool. PDF versions of the more than 100 weekly reports are available.
DarkCyber’s reaction to these intelligence “briefs” was positive. The approach is similar to the briefing documents prepared for the White House.
Net net: The service is of high value and warrants a close look for professionals who need current, multi-type data about a range of company and industry investment opportunities.
You can get more information about Acquisdata at www.acquidata.com.
Stephen E Arnold, March 31, 2020
Smart Intelligence Analysis Software: What Operators Need Versus What Operators Get
February 24, 2020
DarkCyber noted “The ABCs of AI Enabled Intelligence Analysis.” The major problem with today’s intelware solutions is stated clearly:
The inability to adjust analysis tools to the operational environment is a prodigious problem.
Vendors want operators (licensees) to adapt to their environment. The idea is that the vendor’s environment is the only way to get the most out of an intelware system. What if the customer does not like this approach? Yeah.
Now the marketers, developers, and field engineers will insist that this statement is incorrect.
Here’s a passage from the write up which explains the operator’s point of view:
There are two key concepts to any data-centric system: First, analysis tools and applications should change with the data, and second, data should be easily accessible. Analysts must be able to configure the tools and algorithms of the systems to meet the realities of the battlefield, and data access should be as seamless as possible.
So what’s wrong? Here’s the explanation:
Within a data-centric context, the use of machine learning algorithms has led to breakthroughs in nearly every analysis endeavor, from fraud detection to image identification. To take advantage of these advances, intelligence analysts need systems that allow them to use computational tools and to constantly adjust, or retrain, their algorithms to a changing battlefield. Unfortunately, nearly all analysis software products in use today — including advanced systems like Palantir or Analyst Notebook — are closed systems that do not allow analysts to code custom algorithms, use the latest machine-learning algorithms, use the latest research in “explainable AI,” or even allow analysts to provide feedback to the software’s algorithms.
DarkCyber recommends taking a look at this write up.
Several observations:
- Marketers, vendors, and field engineers are busy with their own agendas. As a result, paying customers are usually ignored. Their requests are not on the road map, too difficult to make, or of no interest.
- Existing intelware solutions are purpose built to require training, support, and tradition. In one demo, the marketer could not understand that his actions were obscured by the control panel of the video conferencing system used to show off features. The person did not listen; the eager beaver was on auto pilot.
- Legacy systems like Analyst Notebook are often rarely used. The license is simply paid because, as one top dog law enforcement professional told me, “We don’t want to be without it. But no one has been to training recently. It is just here.”
These three problems are not part of the “AI baloney party.” I think these dot points underscore how deep the disconnect and how severe a problem today’s intelware helps foster.
For those who want to point out that certain tools developed in other countries are “better, faster, and cheaper.” Based on DarkCyber’s exposure to these systems, the newest tools are repeating the errors of the past 20 years.
A goldfish knows only water. The real world is different. But intelware fish don’t die. They force the customer to learn how to exist within their watery world.
Stephen E Arnold, February 24, 2020
Live at Five: Queue the Avatar! Slash Costs!
February 12, 2020
Thomson Reuters has been looking for a revenue hockey stick since Michael Brown and Gene Garlan departed. The company has not been a home run in the innovation department. Palantir Technology did not provide the zoom zoom some stakeholders wanted. The Thomson “labs”. Sorry, no TikTok from those hard working Thomson Reuter wizards.
The fix, however, may be deep fakes, automated news, and some AI sizzle. Reddit, a social information service, posted a link to “Reuters Built a Prototype for Automated News Videos Using Deepfakes Tech.” The write up explains:
Designed as a proof-of-concept, the system takes real-time scoring data from football matches and generates news reports complete with photographs and a script. Synthesia and Reuters then use a neural network similar to Deepfakes and prerecorded footage of a real news anchor to turn the script into a “live” video of the news anchor giving up-to-the-second scoring updates.
The technology comes from Synthesia, founded in 2017. (One of the company’s investors is the Sharktank and video savant Mark Cuban.) The company describes itself as a “next gen content creation” outfit.
You can try the service by navigating to this link. I said I was Nancy. And this fake humanoid delivered a short summary to me:
The company’s Web site says:
Go beyond the regular edit suite … forge more meaningful relationships with your global audiences using Synthesia’ powerful content tools.
Is this the winner Thomson Reuters has been seeking for a decade or so? If the company applies its 10-10-20 formula, that’s possible, just unlikely. If today’s Thomson Reuters can manage some of the Lord Thomson of Fleet magic, the professional publishing and news company could disrupt how news can be generated and streamed at bargain basement rates. Hasta la vista talking heads.
An avatar with real AI will present the news: Objective, content rich, and without the hassles of humans, vacations, benefits, and dealing with wimpy humanoid issues like “my manager is not treating me fairly.”
Worth watching.
Stephen E Arnold, February 12, 2020
About That Google-Rejected Project Maven
December 20, 2019
Anyone familiar with data-systems firm Palantir knows the company makes no apologies for supporting the U.S. military (among others) with their platforms. So it comes as no surprise that it is picking up where Google left off— The Next Web shares their “Report: Palantir Took Over Project Maven, the Military AI Program Too Unethical for Google.” Writer Tristan Greene explains:
“Project Maven, for those unfamiliar, is a Pentagon program to build an AI-powered surveillance platform for unmanned aerial vehicles. Basically, the job is to build a system for the US military to deploy and monitor autonomous drones. This system would, supposedly, give the government real-time battlefield command and control and the ability to track, tag, and spy on targets without human involvement. The limited, unclassified information available makes it appear as though the project stops just short of functioning as an AI weapons system capable of firing on self-designated targets as they become available in the battle space. …
“The Pentagon didn’t have to look very far to find a company willing to pick up where Google‘s ethics left off. Palantir, the company that powers ICE and CBP’s surveillance networks and builds software for police that circumvents the warrant process, is reportedly chugging away on Project Maven.”
We’re reminded Palantir founder Peter Thiel expressed disdain for Google after it dropped Maven following employee protest. Not only has Thiel insisted tech companies are honor bound to help the government with, seemingly, whatever it asks, he also points out Google’s history of working with the Chinese government. Greene notes that, though “we stand on the cusp of AI-powered warfare,” our federal government has yet to develop an official policy on the ethics of military use of AI. The possibilities are endless. Next up: Anduril, another outfit which finds joy where Google finds management challenges.
Cynthia Murrell, December 20, 2019
Ancient Search Recipes: Bread Pork Chops
December 16, 2019
I noted a report in the Times of Israel titled “Cache of Crypto-Jewish Recipes Dating to Inquisition Found in Miami Kitchen.” One of the recipes explained how to make a pork chop from bread and milk. (Dairy? Guess so.) Here’s what you and I can whip up using this ancient recipe:
The cookbook contains information which the author “didn’t think to question the idiosyncratic customs her mother and grandmothers practiced in the kitchen.”
By coincidence, my news alert spit out this article in the same list: “The Growth of Cognitive Search in the Enterprise, and Why It Matters.”
Magic. Bread pork chops created from zeros and ones.
Search matters. Cognitive search matters more. Who buys? The enterprise.
The write up recycles the equivalent of the break pork chop formula. Mix jargon, sprinkle with the notion of federated data, and bake until the checks clear the bank.
The article is fascinating, and it overlooks a few milestones in the history of enterprise search. What for example? Glad you asked:
- Forrester, the Wave folks, has created a report for its paying customers which reveal that search is now cognitive, able to tap dark data, and ready for prime time. Again! The Wave returns.
- Big companies are into search, including Microsoft with its Fast inspired solution and Amazon Kendra with an open source how de doo to Elastic and LucidWorks. Some use old spices; others, open source flavoring with proprietary special seasonings.
- Outfits which have been around for more than a decade like Coveo are now smarter than ever in their decade long effort to pay off their patient investors
- Autonomy gets a nod despite the interesting trial underway in the UK.
The point is that enterprise search is going to be in the news whether anyone wants to revisit hyperbole which makes the chatter around artificial intelligence and quantum computing seem rational and credible.
Here’s a quick refresher about why untapped data in an organization is likely to remained untapped or at the very least not tapped by vendors of smart key word search systems:
First, data are in silos for a reason. No enterprise search system with which I am familiar can navigate the permissions and access controls required to put siloed data in one index. There’s a chance that the Amazon blockchain permissions system can deliver this, but for now, the patents are explanations and federated enterprise search is a sales pitch.
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