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Solar Tsunami and More Auroras Over Canada
Since the first time we posted on the issue, the Sun has been keeping on with beautiful performances and expressions of light, daily CME’s directed at us, solar wind entering Canada, blessing our northern territories with breathtaking sights. It feels as if our star is sending us a message. What could it be? I’ve noticed that all my devices and batteries are losing power and discharging much faster, like ridiculously fast, even on airplane mode prompting me to reflect on how to revert to lower-tech (and less smart devices), or be less dependent on technology. In my quest for retro-vibes, I digged out my professional cameras of yesteryear, but even…
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Brainstorm On Modernizing Copyright Law for AI and the Internet of Things
This is a very interesting reform but it isn’t going anywhere. https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/693.nsf/eng/00316.html AI can’t author anything. It may create random stuff like fractals or replicate things it sees or learns, like text, or social media comments generated by bot farms, but when it comes to independent AI “art” you just know that something is missing, like a robot playing classical composers on the piano, no matter how perfect, it is super boring, unless it is an exact replica of a human virtuoso’s performance. It is called reproducing a sound recording as a robot. I won’t even get into (the mild horror of) musical compositions by robots. The most incompetent human…
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Addiction Prevention Algorithm, Ethical Issues
Wired Magazine, in what’s hands down the most compelling article of this month, exposes a concerning facet of medical sexism where a woman suffering advanced endometriosis is denied pain medication due to algorithmic prescreening for addiction risk. The Pain Was Unbearable, So Why Did the Doctors Turn Her Away? The NarxCare algorithm screens pain patients according to their health data and prescription history, in order to determine who is entitled to pain management and who is supposed to tough it out (for their own good). In this case, the patient had a long history of legally prescribed percocet that prompted the algorithm to flag her as being at risk to…
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Protected: Smartphones, Data, Wifi, And Electricity Must Be Free Of Charge To Justify Government Intrusion
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
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Spyware Tracks Journalists And Activists Via Microsoft
This just in. At least 100 activists, journalists and government dissidents across 10 countries were targeted with spyware produced by Candiru, according to cybersecurity researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, which tracks illegal hacking and surveillance. https://montrealgazette.com/news/world/activists-journalists-targeted-by-israeli-firms-spyware-researchers-say Using a pair of vulnerabilities in Microsoft Corp.’s Windows, cyber operatives operating in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Hungary, Indonesia and elsewhere purchased and installed Candiru’s remote spying software. According to Cristin Goodwin, general manager of Microsoft’s Digital Security Unit, the tool was used in “precision attacks” against targets’ computers, phones, network infrastructure and internet-connected devices,” —————– Being a frequent target of cyber-attacks (like any person in the world who needs to get…
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Google Indexing Of Personal Information Is Subject to PIPEDA (2021 FC 723)
Ever since Equustek, Google fails to convince Canadian courts of its “non-commercial” business model and its “freedom of expression” rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Unlike the USA where Google always wins (remember Oracle and fair use not so long ago), Canada maintains a tough stance on the search engine giant. Just out of Federal Court, it was held In the Matter of a Reference pursuant to subsection 18.3(1) of the Federal Courts Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. f-7 of questions or issues of law and jurisdiction concerning the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents act, s.c. 2000, c. 5 that have arisen in the course of an…
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EU: Prohibited Artificial Intelligence Practices
As per Article 5 of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act are prohibited the following practices consisting of placing on the market, putting into service or use of AI systems that consist of : 1.a) Subliminal techniques beyond a person’s consciousness designed to materially distort a person’s behaviour in a manner that causes or is likely to cause that person or another person physical or psychological harm b) (algorithmic bias) Exploiting any of the vulnerabilities of a specific group of persons due to their age, physical or mental disability, in order to materially distort the behaviour of a person pertaining to that group in a manner that causes or is likely…
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Sherman Estate and Donovan 2021 SCC 25 – Breakdown
The facts of this case revolve around the unexplained double homicide of a billionaire couple in Toronto. The estate trustees felt uncomfortable to administrate the Sherman estate under intense public scrutiny and incidentally feared for their life due to the perpetrator being unknown and still at large. The application judge sealed the probate files to protect the privacy and safety of the trustees. The Ontario Court of Appeal lifted the sealing orders concluding that the privacy interest advanced lacked a public interest quality and that there was no evidence of a real risk to their physical safety. Finally, Justice Kasirer for a unanimous Supreme Court confirmed the lifting of the…
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Indica Records Zip File Phishing Spam Of The Day
Over the last couple of years, I have received several spammy emails appearing to be sent from a record label employee asking me to open a zip file with my name on it, or a Word doc where I need to activate macros. Today the cyber-fraudster has replaced their name with a bogus email address to hide the actual email address. When isolating the contact, you can see that the domain of the originating email has nothing to do with Indica Records. The ljcvelmonte.cl is likely a domain from South America set up for the purpose of stealing data or attempting ransom.
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What Is A Honeypot?
The latest buzzword in cybersecurity sounds delicious but it is also a preventive mechanism against hacking and can save time and resources in forensic analysis of cyber-breaches. Honeypots are hacker traps and they come in many forms and sizes adapted to your needs. Our tech expert Roman Blake is developing a comprehensive guide for creators and small businesses on how the strategic deployment of honeypots can place you many steps ahead of potential hackers. I am looking forward to this collaboration. In the meantime I recommend the following draft: https://cybersecuritynews.com/what-is-a-honeypot/
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Vaccine Passports And Privacy
By now we must have read at least three different legal opinions on mandatory vaccination with the same inconclusive results. Not much legal precedent to allow it except in few limited cases, tons of potential liability for employers who embark on forced vaccination journey. Therefore, don’t! As for vaccine passports, here is the joint statement of Canada’s privacy commissioners on the matter. https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-news/speeches/2021/s-d_20210519/ Again, there are many different ways to say the same thing about vaccine passports. They are not going to happen. At least not under the current privacy framework.
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La protection des données au Québec en danger
La présidente de la Commission de l’accès à l’information, Diane Poitras, vient de déclarer en commission parlementaire qu’elle n’a pas les ressources nécessaires pour répondre aux menaces liées aux nouvelles technologies qui utilisent les données des Québécois. Cet article fait le point sur cette nouvelle alarmante: https://www.journaldequebec.com/2021/04/29/commission-de-lacces-a-linformation–le-pauvre-chien-de-garde-de-nos-donnees Les lois sur l’accès à l’information et la protection des données des Québécois ont connu peu de réformes depuis le debut du millénaire. À lire aussi: J’ai été fraudé à la PCU, et vous?
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Télétravail et géolocalisation des employés
Ce trio d’articles pointe vers un besoin pressant de réformer les lois sur le droit du travail tant provinciales que fédérales afin d’assurer une meilleure sécurité des données personnelles des travailleurs en contexte de télétravail. Une employée de l’Alberta a été congédiée après avoir refusé d’installer une application de géolocalisation sur son téléphone: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1784312/geolocalistion-telephone-mobile-productivite-employes Les lois sur le droit du travail permettent la géolocalisation des employés dans la mesure qu’ils en ont été préalablement informés https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1703181/covid-19-teletravail-surveillance-employes-hubstaff-logiciel Une application de géolocalisation mal sécurisée a laissé fuire les données personnelles et géographiques de plus de 238 000 de ses utilisateurs en les stockant sur un serveur non protégé par un mot de…
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Déverrouillage d’appareils électroniques par les forces de l’ordre; Données conservées chez des tiers états-uniens
De plus en plus de services policiers au Canada, à l’instar de l’Agence des services frontaliers, font l’acquisition de technologies permettant de déverrouiller un téléphone cellulaire ou une tablette protégés par un mot de passe. Pour effectuer ce type de déverrouillage, les agents doivent obtenir une autorisation judiciaire (mandat). Or, ce n’est pas l’autorisation judiciaire qui pose problème en l’espèce, mais un détail beaucoup plus insidieux. Ainsi, on apprend que pour épargner de l’argent sur les licences des logiciels de déverouillage, certaines services policiers ont décidé de stocker les données ainsi obtenues sur des plateformes info-nuagiques (cloud) appartenant à des tiers du secteur privé, situés aux États-Unis. Ce constat oblige…
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Lawyers And Open-Source Software
Here is an excellent article in Canadian Lawyer warning of IP landmines to avoid when using OSS. https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/practice-areas/intellectual-property/in-house-counsel-should-exercise-caution-when-using-open-source-software-dentons-lawyer/333174
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Yellowknife: Solar Wind Breaks In (11pm, Aug25)
“It was just before midnight on Aug. 25th when a crack opened in Earth’s magnetic field. Solar wind poured through the gap, fueling auroras over Yellowknife, Canada” SpaceWeather.com In the meantime, there have been two fresh CME’s. All three are potentially directed at Earth.
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Incoming
CME from our Star is expected to hit Earth on August 25, 26 – auroras and geomagnetic storms likely for the days to follow – not entirely clear how this will affect technological devices, but it will. Gif made by Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Here is NASA’s beautiful predictive animation of the same space weather event: Some experts believe the CME will be diffuse and minor by the time it gets here, but most seem to agree that it will be a direct hit. For now, the mood is “wait and see”. The Royal Observatory of Belgium announces a direct hit on the 26th and arrival of solar wind…
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Ekinox: La protection de la vie privée est un débat philosophique
À la lumière des dernières informations sur la divulgation forcée d’une longue liste de données personnelles hautement sensibles et aucunement anonymisées, incluant les dates de naissance de tous les Québécois qui osent aller dépenser leur argent au restaurant, ainsi que le partage envisagé de ces données personnelles avec des entités internationales via l’application Ekinox, il est clair que le cadre juridique actuel sur la protection des données au Québec n’existe plus. Si la collection, la conservation, l’utilisation et le partage de données personnelles via une application mobile est effectivement un débat “philosophique”, nous comprenons que les enjeux de protection de la vie privée des Québécois ne font plus partie de…
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Key Ransomware Variants In Canada
Under the new Technology and Cyber-Security Reporting Advisory, financial institutions must report incidents within 24 hours in writing. Here is a list of examples of reportable incidents: Scenario Name Scenario Description Impact Cyber Attack Account takeover botnet campaign is targeting online services using new techniques, current defenses are failing to prevent customer account compromise High volume and velocity of attemptsCurrent controls are failing to block attackCustomers are locked outIndication that customer account(s) or information has been compromised Service Availability & Recovery Technology failure at data center Critical online service is down and alternate recovery option failedExtended disruption to critical business systems and operations Third-Party Breach A material third party is…
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Bielarus CyberPartisans Mega Attack
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Protected: Dark Ads And Discrimination, Australian Study On Regulatory Options
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
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Zoombombing Class Action Settles for $85M
In re: Zoom Video Communications Inc Privacy Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 20-02155. Zoom shared personal information with (Microsoft’s) Linkedin, Google, and Facebook (something Microsoft Teams does every second) resulting in hackers taking control of meeting rooms with racial slurs and porn, a practice known as zoombombing. In reaching the settlement Zoom denied wrongdoing. https://www.reuters.com/technology/zoom-reaches-85-mln-settlement-lawsuit-over-user-privacy-zoombombing-2021-08-01/ This case should serve as a cautionary tale on the consequences of sharing your customers’ privacy information with major platforms. Even if you do so unwittingly, out of ignorance or blind trust in big tech, reckless data sharing attracts hackers and leads to cyber-security breaches that will eventually be blamed on…
