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China just made a major move in the global quantum 0
Tech
The world’s first open-source quantum computer operating system, Origin Pilot, has been released and is now available for free download worldwide.
Developed by Origin Quantum to power their Wukong superconducting quantum chip, this OS is designed to manage complex quantum tasks, optimize qubits, and even integrate AI capabilities across different hardware platforms.
By going open-source, China is inviting global developers to collaborate, accelerating innovation and pushing toward technological self-reliance as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan.
🌐 Quantum computing just became a little more accessible. Check it out below!
#QuantumComputing #OriginPilot #TechNews #OpenSource #Innovation #ChinaTech #Wukong
Chrome is testing a new model of HTTPS 0
Tech🔐 Chrome is testing a new model of HTTPS
In a proactive step against the risks of quantum computing, Google Chrome is testing what’s known as Merkle Tree Certificates (MTCs) — a radically different mechanism than the traditional X.509 certification model.
The problem is clear: Integrating post-quantum signature algorithms within the X.509 series will result in a significant boom in certificate volume, meaning a significant increase in TLS handshake data and a direct impact on performance.
The suggested solution is based on the structure of Merkle Tree:
Instead of the credentialing book signing each certificate individually, CA signs a single “tree head” covering millions of certificates at once. Upon calling, the browser gets a compact Merkle Proof that the certificate is listed inside the signed tree, without having to send a huge chain of signatures.
Technically this means:
TLS Handshake with Data.
Higher scalability when adopting Post-Quantum algorithms.
Improving auditability and transparency via a cryptically verifiable insertion model.
Switching to punch-resistant encryption won't be just an algorithm update... Rather re-engineering the entire trust system.
#cybersecurity #postquantum #cryptography #TLS #Chrome
Russia Fines Google an Astronomical “$20 Decillion 0
Tech
Russia Fines Google an Astronomical “$20 Decillion” Over YouTube Channel Bans
The dispute dates back to 2020 and intensified after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when YouTube removed or restricted multiple Russian state-affiliated media outlets. Russian broadcasters, including Tsargrad and RIA FAN, sued Google under Russian law, arguing the bans were unlawful.
Because the court imposed daily penalties for non-compliance that continued to accumulate, the total ballooned into a number far exceeding global GDP. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has described the fine as “symbolic,” signaling that the goal is political pressure rather than realistic financial recovery.
Google’s Russian subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in 2022, and the company has largely scaled back operations in the country. There is no indication the tech giant plans to pay the astronomical sum.
The case highlights the growing clash between global tech platforms and national governments over content control, censorship laws, and digital sovereignty.
#Russia #Google #YouTube #TechNews #DigitalSovereignty #UkraineWar #MediaPolicy #FreeSpeechDebate #GlobalPolitics #BigTech
Ibn Sina (known in the West as Avicenna) 0
General
Ibn Sina's full name was Abu Ali Husayn ibn abd-Allah ibn Sina. He was born in a Persian family in the village of Afshana near the Samanid capital of Bukhara.
His writing subjects include astronomy, alchemy, geography, psychology, Islamic theology and Sufism, logic, mathematics, physics, and poetry.
His encyclopedia of medicine, al-Qanun fi al-Tibb (The Canon of Medicine) remained a medical authority for centuries not just in the Islamic world but also in Medieval Europe. It was used as a standard medical textbook through the 18th century in Europe.
Ibn Sina lived during a time when Islamic civilization was at its height, and he made significant contributions to many areas of knowledge and learning.
His impact on Islamic intellectual culture can be compared to that of Plato and Aristotle in classical antiquity, or Kant in modern European philosophy, in that all subsequent thinkers had to respond to him favorably or unfavorably, explicitly or implicitly, directly or indirectly. He supplanted Aristotle as the figure who, more than any other, represented what ‘philosophy’ ( falsafa) was.
Disclaimer: This photo has been created using LLMs for educational purposes.
The HP Jornada 720 0
Tech
In terms of hardware, the Jornada 720 runs on a 206 MHz 32-bit Intel StrongARM SA-1110 processor, paired with 32 MB of SDRAM and approximately 32 MB of ROM. For its time, this was a solid configuration, capable of running Windows CE (HPC2000) smoothly. The device measures roughly 189 × 95 × 34 mm and weighs about 510 gramsincluding the battery, giving it a sturdy, compact clamshell form factor.
The display is a 6.5-inch color screen with a resolution of 640 × 240 pixels and supports 16-bit color (65,536 colors). It features a touchscreen operated with a stylus, complemented by a comfortable three-quarter-size keyboard, which was one of its strongest advantages compared to many other PDAs of the era.
For connectivity, the Jornada 720 includes an integrated 56 kbps modem, IrDA infrared, an RS-232 serial port, and USB connectivity via a cradle. Expansion options consist of a CompactFlash (Type I) slot and a PC Card (Type II) slot. Additional features include a smart card slot, stereo speakers, a built-in microphone, and a 3.5 mm audio output jack.
Power comes from a removable lithium-ion battery, rated for up to 9 hours of use, which was impressive for a device in its class at the time.
DiscordRAT 2.0 – When Discord Becomes a Command 0
Hacking
1/6 🐀 DiscordRAT 2.0 – When Discord Becomes a Command Center
Instead of connecting to suspicious servers, it communicates through Discord, making detection harder.
2/6 ⚙️ How It Operates
Once installed on a victim’s system, DiscordRAT connects to a hidden Discord bot.
Attackers can then remotely control the infected computer through Discord commands — silently and instantly.
It blends with normal Discord traffic.
3/6 🔥 What Attackers Can Do
• Monitor victim activity
• Access files and folders
• Capture screenshots
• Log keystrokes
• Steal credentials
• Execute remote commands
Full system control — from anywhere.
4/6 🎯 Why It's Hard to Detect
DiscordRAT is dangerous because:
• Uses trusted Discord servers
• Traffic appears legitimate
• No obvious malicious server connection
• Bypasses basic firewall rules
It hides in plain sight.
5/6 🚨 Common Infection Methods
Attackers spread it through:
• Fake cracked software
• Malicious downloads
• Phishing links
• Fake game mods or tools
• Social engineering
One careless download is enough.
6/6 🛡️ How to Stay Protected
• Avoid downloading untrusted files
• Use updated antivirus protection
• Monitor unknown background processes
• Enable firewall protection
• Be cautious with Discord downloads
Your awareness is your strongest defense.
UKRAINIAN MAN JAILED FOR POWERING NORTH KOREA'S 0
Tech
🔒 A U.S. court has sentenced Oleksandr Didenko to five years in prison for running a massive identity theft operation that helped North Korean workers land jobs at dozens of American companies. Prosecutors say the wages earned were funneled back to Pyongyang Pyongyang to support its sanctioned nuclear program.
💻 According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Didenko operated a website called Upworksell, selling or renting 870 stolen U.S. identities to overseas workers. These identities allowed North Koreans to pose as legitimate remote employees and quietly infiltrate U.S. firms.
🚨 In 2024, the FBI seized the site and redirected its traffic to government servers. Polish authorities later arrested Didenko, who was extradited to the U.S. and pleaded guilty. He also paid Americans to host so called laptop farms, enabling foreign workers to remotely control computers located inside the United States.
📊 Security firm CrowdStrike has reported a sharp rise in these North Korean IT worker schemes, calling them a triple threat. Beyond violating sanctions, the operatives allegedly steal sensitive data and later attempt corporate extortion, while also impersonating recruiters and investors to target high value victims.
WHY KEYBOARDS ARE QWERTY 0
Tech
It would seem logical.
A B C D E.
But QWERTY was never about logic.
It was about mechanics.
Here is what actually happened.
In the 1870s, early typewriters had mechanical arms called type bars. When two commonly paired letters were pressed quickly, the metal arms would collide and jam.
Frequent jams slowed typing and frustrated users.
So the layout was redesigned to separate commonly used letter pairs.
Letters that often appear together were spaced apart to reduce mechanical interference.
The result was the QWERTY layout, popularized by Christopher Latham Sholes and later adopted widely through Remington typewriters.
What started as a mechanical workaround became a global standard.
Even though modern keyboards no longer have type bars, the layout remained because:
• Millions learned it
• Schools taught it
• Businesses standardized around it
• Switching costs became too high
This is called path dependence.
A past solution shapes the future, even after the original problem disappears.
Today, billions type daily on a layout designed to prevent 19th century metal collisions.
Design decisions last longer than the problems they solve.
What everyday object should we decode next?
#Engineering #DesignHistory #Innovation
Microsoft admits Copilot was summarizing confident 0
Tech
The issue, first reported by BleepingComputer and tracked internally as CW1226324, affected Copilot Chat within Office apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
According to the company, emails stored in users’ Sent Items and Drafts folders, including those labeled confidential and protected by data loss prevention policies, were incorrectly processed by the AI system.
Microsoft said it began rolling out a fix earlier this month but has not disclosed how many customers were impacted.
Follow us (@therundownAI) to keep up with the latest news in tech and AI.
Source: TechCrunch
MICROSOFT ADDED AI TO NOTEPAD HACKERS HAD A FIELD 0
Hacking
Even Microsoft’s Notepad app, once a simple tool for jotting down plain text notes, has become an AI-powered security risk.
Researchers from the group VX-Underground discovered a “remote code execution zero-day,” a vulnerability unknown even to Microsoft.
According to Microsoft documentation of the bug, “improper neutralization of special elements used in a command (‘command injection’) in Windows Notepad App allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.”
“An attacker could trick a user into clicking a malicious link inside a Markdown file opened in Notepad, causing the application to launch unverified protocols that load and execute remote files”
Microsoft later fixed the vulnerability affecting Markdown files in Notepad.
