Note: This article was first published at the World Ethical Data Forum. Pegasus is advanced spyware that was first discovered in August 2016, developed by NSO Group based in Israel, and sold to various clients around the world, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, India, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Rwanda, Azerbaijan, Morocco and Mexico among probably other… Continue reading Pegasus: NSO Group’s Insidious Spyware
Category: Software
Automatically update WordPress to the latest version
This post is a quick, temporary break from my usual privacy/civil rights posts, to a post of a slightly more technical nature. As WordPress is the most popular blogging platform on the internet, updates become crucial. However, the way WordPress runs at certain clients of mine means it’s not always just a question of clicking… Continue reading Automatically update WordPress to the latest version
Belgian Privacy Commission Found Facebook in Violation of EU and Belgian Privacy Law
About two weeks ago KU Leuven University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium published a report commissioned by the Belgian Privacy Commission about the tracking behaviour of Facebook on the internet, more specifically how they track their users (and non-users!) through the ‘Like’ buttons and Share buttons that are found on millions of websites across… Continue reading Belgian Privacy Commission Found Facebook in Violation of EU and Belgian Privacy Law
The Internet of Privacy-Infringing Things?
Let’s talk a little bit about the rapid proliferation of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet of Things is a catch-all term for all sorts of embedded devices that are hooked up to the internet in order to make them “smarter,” able to react to certain circumstances, automate things etcetera. This can include… Continue reading The Internet of Privacy-Infringing Things?
Killing Counterfeit Chips: Parallels with DRM
Last week, The Scottish chip manufacturer FTDI pushed out an update to their Windows driver that deliberately killed counterfeit FT232 chips. The FTDI FT232 is a very popular chip, found in thousands of different electronic appliances, from Arduinos to consumer electronics. The FT232 converts USB to serial port, which is very useful, and this chip… Continue reading Killing Counterfeit Chips: Parallels with DRM