ESET Discovers 21 New Linux Malware Families Slashdotby msmash on security at January 1, 1970, 1:00 am (cached at December 10, 2018, 11:35 pm)

In a report published last week by cyber-security firm ESET, the company detailed 21 "new" Linux malware families. All operate in the same manner, as trojanized versions of the OpenSSH client. From a report: They are developed as second-stage tools to be deployed in more complex "botnet" schemes. Attackers would compromise a Linux system, usually a server, and then replace the legitimate OpenSSH installation with one of the trojanized versions.

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Scientists Identify Vast Underground Ecosystem Containing Billions of Micro-organism Slashdotby msmash on earth at January 1, 1970, 1:00 am (cached at December 10, 2018, 11:04 pm)

The Earth is far more alive than previously thought, according to "deep life" studies that reveal a rich ecosystem beneath our feet that is almost twice the size of that found in all the world's oceans. From a report: Despite extreme heat, no light, minuscule nutrition and intense pressure, scientists estimate this subterranean biosphere is teeming with between 15bn and 23bn tonnes of micro-organisms, hundreds of times the combined weight of every human on the planet. Researchers at the Deep Carbon Observatory say the diversity of underworld species bears comparison to the Amazon or the Galapagos Islands, but unlike those places the environment is still largely pristine because people have yet to probe most of the subsurface. "It's like finding a whole new reservoir of life on Earth," said Karen Lloyd, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. "We are discovering new types of life all the time. So much of life is within the Earth rather than on top of it." The team combines 1,200 scientists from 52 countries in disciplines ranging from geology and microbiology to chemistry and physics. A year before the conclusion of their 10-year study, they will present an amalgamation of findings to date before the American Geophysical Union's annual meeting opens this week.

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'Appalling' video shows NY police pulling baby from mother's arms AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 11:00 pm)

Outrage over video showing NYPD officers violently yanking toddler from his mother's arms at Brooklyn food stamp office.
Saudi opposition joins forces in London to tackle 'oppression' AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 11:00 pm)

Speakers at Second Saudi Diaspora Conference say time to unite is now after murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
British PM blinks - and cancels Brexit vote AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 11:00 pm)

Brexit vote delay underscores high political stakes involved for PM May and how it continues to sow deep divisions.
Malicious Sites Abuse 11-Year-Old Firefox Bug That Mozilla Failed To Fix Slashdotby msmash on firefox at January 1, 1970, 1:00 am (cached at December 10, 2018, 10:04 pm)

Malware authors, ad farmers, and scammers are abusing a Firefox bug to trap users on malicious sites. From a report: This wouldn't be a big deal, as the web is fraught with this kind of malicious sites, but these websites aren't abusing some new never-before-seen trick, but a Firefox bug that Mozilla engineers appear to have failed to fix in the 11 years ever since it was first reported back in April 2007. The bug narrows down to a malicious website embedding an iframe inside their source code. The iframe makes an HTTP authentication request on another domain. [...] For the past few years, malware authors, ad farmers, and scammers have been abusing this bug to lure users on sites where they show all sorts of nasties, such as tech support scams, ad farms that reload the page with new ads in a loop, pages that push users to buy fake gift cards, or sites that offer malware-laced software updates. Whenever users try to leave, the owners of these shady sites trigger the authentification modal in a loop.

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What are the human rights issues facing the world today? AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 10:00 pm)

It's been 70 years since a milestone human rights document was adopted by the United Nations.
Macron addresses the nation; announces rise in minimum wage AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 10:00 pm)

In his first comments since deadly protests erupted over social inequality, Emmanuel Macron offers an olive branch.
What is the Future of Office Spaces? Slashdotby msmash on business at January 1, 1970, 1:00 am (cached at December 10, 2018, 9:34 pm)

An anonymous reader shares a World Economic Forum report: A lot of us spend long stretches in the office, but outdated design could be damaging our wellbeing and mental health. What's more, it's killing our productivity. One study found that office workers spend more time sitting than pensioners, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and even cancer. That's why forward-looking designers are finding ways to build spaces that heal rather than hurt us. Going beyond the already ubiquitous standing desks and social "breakout sofas," the office of the future is healthy, harmonious and happy. Here's how it's beginning to take shape.

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Start-Ups Aren't Cool Anymore Slashdotby msmash on business at January 1, 1970, 1:00 am (cached at December 10, 2018, 9:04 pm)

A lack of personal savings, competition from abroad, and the threat of another economic downturn make it harder for Millennials to thrive as entrepreneurs. From a story: Research suggests entrepreneurial activity has declined among Millennials. The share of people under 30 who own a business has fallen to almost a quarter-century low, according to a 2015 Wall Street Journal analysis of Federal Reserve data. A survey of 1,200 Millennials conducted in 2016 by the Economic Innovation Group found that more Millennials believed they could have a successful career by staying at one company and attempting to climb the ladder than by founding a new one. Two years ago, EIG's president and co-founder, John Lettieri, testified before the U.S. Senate, "Millennials are on track to be the least entrepreneurial generation in recent history." Some of the reasons have been well-documented. The romantic view of entrepreneurship involves angel investors and venture capital funds, but in fact, the ordinary entrepreneur is more likely to fund a start-up using personal savings -- something underemployed Millennials simply could not build as they entered the workforce during or in the immediate wake of the Great Recession. Funding from friends and family is the next most common source, but this personal network could not help much during the most recent economic downturn, when so much home equity was underwater. Student debt worsened the underlying economic problems. According to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, between 2004 and 2014, the number of student borrowers rose by 89 percent. Lately, though, it seems that even those who might typically have access to other forms of funding, like venture capital, are having a hard time getting investors' attention. As Matt Krisiloff, a former director at the Y Combinator start-up accelerator in Silicon Valley, tweeted, "Start-ups are a lot less cool than they used to be." Michael Sadler, an economist at the University of Texas at Austin, is concerned about the rising concentration of start-up investment in just a few super-performing regions such as Austin, New York, and Silicon Valley. As with American politics, it appears the geography of U.S. venture capital and economic growth has become increasingly polarized.

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Qatari envoy says Gaza airport was proposed, Israel unresponsive AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 8:30 pm)

Qatari Ambassador Mohammed al-Emadi accuses Israel of procrastinating over Gulf state's request to build Gaza airport.
Twitter CEO slammed for promoting Myanmar, ignoring Rohingya AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 8:30 pm)

Jack Dorsey encouraged his 4 million followers to visit Myanmar even though military is accused of 'ethnic cleansing'.
Iraq's Yazidis 'forgotten by world' since ISIL attacks AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 8:30 pm)

Years after the community was decimated, they are still internally displaced and feel abandoned by the world.
US top court rebuffs state bids to cut Planned Parenthood funds AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)(cached at December 10, 2018, 8:30 pm)

Court declines to review Louisiana, Kansas appeals seeking to end public funding to the reproductive health organisation
Google Will Shut Down Google+ Four Months Early After Second Data Leak Slashdotby msmash on google at January 1, 1970, 1:00 am (cached at December 10, 2018, 8:05 pm)

Google+ has suffered another data leak, and Google has decided to shut down the consumer version of the social network four months earlier than it originally planned. From a report: Google+ will now close to consumers in April, rather than August. Additionally, API access to the network will shut down within the next 90 days. According to Google, the new vulnerability impacted 52.5 million users, who could have had profile information like their name, email address, occupation, and age exposed to developers, even if their account was set to private. Apps could also access profile data that had been shared with a specific user, but was not shared publicly.

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