datahacker Blog

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A layman's view of Vorbis: Explaining the pretzel logic once-and-for-all

I finally found some time to explain the most confusing subject in audio codecs: Vorbis.

The article is linked below. Given the widespread confusion of this topic (Vorbis), I thought it worthwhile to cross-post on my blog.

Vorbis, Vorbis Comment, and Ogg Vorbis Explained

Critical Vulnerability Impacts Nearly All VPN Software

A newly discovered security vulnerability exists in most modern operating systems which allows a malicious actor to hijack an active TCP-based VPN connection, without the need to break its encryption.

If you use a VPN for any purpose, you are likely impacted.

Read more: ...

Google Just Blew a Giant Hole in Cryptography. Your Privacy is Next.

Quantum computing will herald in a new world for cryptography. It tips the scales in favor of the attacker; someone or some thing trying to break encryption. Quantum computing turns crypto on its head.

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The Great Global VPN Swindle

Although I'm a big proponent of VPNs, the industry has become littered with mis-information and outright shams, creating a mixed environment when it comes to advertised claims of privacy protection.

There's a global shill game going on these days, and it's targeted at you - the consumer - and involves VPNs. The old "pump and dump" motif is being widely utilized to generate interest in and and take advantage of consumers, convincing them they have a dire need and of course Vendor Fill-in-the-blank has the solution! Meanwhile, the reality is most people don't need a VPN, most of the time.

Read more: The...

Who Watches the (VPN) Watchers?

How does someone who is not a VPN subject-matter expert choose a VPN provider? Often by reading reviews of various service providers. Yet, how can one tell the difference between a real review and a thinly veiled sham designed to funnel new customers to specific providers? At a glance, it's often difficult to disseminate the real gold from the pyrite websites (a.k.a., "Fool's gold").

There are literally hundreds of VPN service providers. Some have existed for decades, while others are recent upstarts, rising to prominence in recent years as the public's interest in VPNs has skyrocketed. Fanning this fad are dozens of organizations purporting to offer advice and "reviews" of those VPN service providers, but are these "reviews" truly reviewing anything? Are they analyzing, comparing, and discussing? Or are they simply reiterating a well worn script from someone else's playbook?

Read more: Who...

Who is the IETF and Why Should I Care?

Is that another term for the illuminati?

It's one of the most powerful organizations in the world that you've probably never heard of and writes lots of documents no one reads, such as RFC's. Yet, we have CAT-5 and CAT-6 network cables, WiFi, and a host of other technological goodies to thank for them.

Read more: Who...