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Security Stop-Press : Office Open XML Signatures Have Security Flaws

Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany have reported that the Office Open XML (OOXML) Signatures, an Ecma/ISO standard used in Microsoft Office applications and open source OnlyOffice, have security flaws that could allow attackers to modify the content in signed documents, while the signatures are still displayed as valid. The researchers have informed Microsoft and proposed countermeasures to…

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Tech Tip – How To Use ChatGPT As A Collaborative Brainstorming Tool

If you’re working alone but need to brainstorm, you can use ChatGPT as an effective collaborative brainstorming tool, inspiring innovative thinking and generating fresh insights. Here’s how: – Set the Context: Open ChatGPT, set ‘New chat’ and introduce the brainstorming topic or challenge. – Engage in Dialogue: Start a conversation with ChatGPT about the topic. – Encourage Divergent ‘Thinking’:…

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Featured Article: Reddit’s ‘Blackout’ User Protest

Following thousands of moderators making their subreddit communities private for 48 hours as a protest, we look at the reasons why, together with the implications for Reddit, its users, and other stakeholders.  What Is Reddit?  Reddit is a social media platform where users can join communities called ‘subreddits’ to share content, participate in discussions, and interact with others. These…

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Tech Insight : The Impact of Generative AI On Datacentres

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT plus the rapid and revolutionary growth of AI are changing the face of most industries and generating dire warnings about the future, but what about the effects on datacentres?  Data Centres And Their Importance  Data centres are the specialised facilities that house a large number of computer servers and networking equipment, serving as centralised…

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Tech News : EU Wants AI-Generated Content Labelled

In a recent press conference, the European Union said that to help tackle disinformation, it wants the major online platforms to label AI generated content.  The Challenge – AI Can Be Used To Generate And Spread Disinformation  In the press conference, Vĕra Jourová (the vice-president in charge of values and transparency with the European Commission) outlined the challenge by…

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Tech News : UK Will Host World’s First AI Summit

During his recent visit to Washington in the US, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the UK will hosts the world’s first global summit on artificial intelligence (AI) later this year.  Focus On AI Safety  The UK government says this first major global summit on AI safety will bring together key countries, leading tech companies and researchers to…

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Sustainability-in-Tech : Paper Packaging … Vodka Be Better?

Absolut Vodka has begun a 3-month trial of its first commercially available single-mould, paper-based bottle.   Trial – 22 Tesco Stores In Greater Manchester   As part of what it describes as its “journey to create a fully bio-based bottle”, Swedish vodka brand Absolut is holding a trial of the 500ml-sized single-mould paper bottles in 22 Tesco’s stores in the Greater Manchester area…

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Tech Trivia : Did You Know? This Week in History …

Consider all the atoms in 10 million galaxies … At midnight on June 18th, 1997, the DESCHALL Project bore fruit. The challenge had been to use ‘Brute Force’ to discover the meaning of a message which had been encrypted. Going through up to seven billion possibilities per second, the key was cracked after 96 days by thousands of computers…

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Security Stop-Press : Deepfake ‘Sextortion’ Scams

The (US) FBI has issued a warning that scammers are altering benign photographs and videos to create explicit deepfake photos videos. The deepfake videos and photos are publicly circulated on social media or pornographic websites and/or sent to victims for the purposes of targeting them with harassment or sextortion schemes. The advice is to exercise caution when posting or…

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Tech Tip – Using WhatsApp As A Personal Note-Taking Tool

Using WhatsApp as a personal note-taking tool allows you to conveniently store and organise your thoughts, links, and important information and provides a fast and accessible way to capture and retrieve notes whenever you need them. Here’s how to use WhatsApp as a personal note-taking tool: – Open WhatsApp on your mobile device and create a new chat by…

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