ImHex is a feature-rich hex editor designed for reverse engineers, programmers, and users who work late hours, offering a modern interface and extensive functionality.
Key features include a custom C++-like pattern language, integrated disassembler, data analyzer, and YARA rule support, making it a versatile tool for various data manipulation tasks.
The tool supports multiple operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) and requires minimal hardware resources, with source code and documentation available for further customization and contribution.
ImHex is a hex editor favored by reverse engineers for its file templates, data type interpretation, and performance with large files.
It is free, open-source, and often compared to 010 Editor, though some users prefer simpler alternatives like Hex Fiend or HxD.
Despite some bugs in its imgui UI and installation issues, ImHex is valued for its capabilities, with discussions highlighting the necessity of OpenGL for modern hardware rendering.
Key advice for programmers includes not taking work personally, understanding the business context, and focusing on problem-solving rather than just technical issues.
Emphasis on practical tips such as simplifying code, prioritizing developer velocity, and balancing between shipping fast and maintaining code quality.
Encouragement to learn functional programming, understand state machines, and make informed decisions on when to build versus buy solutions.
The post discusses inefficiencies in web browsers, specifically highlighting how Firefox for iOS repeatedly requests the same links and incorrectly requests favicons, leading to unnecessary bandwidth and battery usage.
This behavior causes strain on servers and can be particularly annoying for system administrators who manage these servers.
The example provided shows multiple identical requests and an incorrect favicon request, illustrating the problem and its impact on server resources.
The discussion revolves around the performance and usability of Firefox on iOS and Android, with mixed opinions on its efficiency and features.
Key points include the limitations imposed by iOS requiring browsers to use WebKit, and the recent allowance of third-party browser engines in the EU since iOS 17.4.
Users highlight issues such as slow performance, bugs, and the importance of ad-blocking plugins like uBlock Origin, which significantly enhance the browsing experience on mobile devices.
A vulnerability in Factorio's Lua implementation allowed malicious servers to execute arbitrary code on clients, patched in versions below 1.1.101.
Factorio's Lua, crucial for game logic and mods, is exposed to network risks due to its deterministic lockstep multiplayer mode.
The exploit path involves hosting a server with malicious Lua code, leading to memory leaks and remote code execution through Lua bytecode manipulation.
The discussion centers on the security risks of executing Lua bytecode in the game Factorio, highlighting the need for better documentation and sandboxing.
Factorio has disabled bytecode loading and restricted the debug library due to security concerns, with suggestions for a "Reduced Security Mode" toggle for advanced users.
Participants recommend various security measures, such as using VM isolation, avoiding bytecode in non-embedded systems, and ensuring bytecode verification, similar to Java and .NET environments.
DevOps, initially promising to streamline software development and operations, often led to centralized risk and delays due to communication and coordination challenges.
The shift towards DevOps aimed to reduce dependency on specialized technical staff and facilitate last-minute changes, but it resulted in complex and costly systems, despite the introduction of containers and SaaS solutions like Datadog.
The industry is now pivoting towards Platform Engineering and simpler workflows, moving away from complex technologies like Kubernetes to focus on simplicity, stability, and realistic growth expectations.
The post discusses the perceived decline of DevOps, highlighting how the initial goals of speed and efficiency often led to chaotic and unsustainable practices.
It emphasizes the shift towards Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) and trunk-based development, which aims to streamline the deployment process and reduce risks.
The conversation reflects on the evolving roles within tech teams, such as Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) and platform engineers, indicating a move away from traditional DevOps roles.
The Eclipse Foundation's Theia IDE, after seven years of development, is now generally available, positioning itself as a "true open-source alternative" to Microsoft's Visual Studio Code (VS Code).
Theia shares much of VS Code's technology, including the Monaco editor, Language Server Protocol (LSP), and Debug Adapter Protocol (DAP), and supports the same extensions via the Open VSX Registry.
Theia emphasizes flexibility, privacy, and a vibrant open-source community, with contributions from major companies like Ericsson, IBM, and Google, and allows extensive customization without forking the code, suitable for both desktop and cloud IDEs.
Open source 'Eclipse Theia IDE' has exited beta, positioning itself as a competitor to Visual Studio Code (VS Code).
Users highlight Theia's extensibility and web browser support, contrasting it with concerns over Microsoft's control and limited extensibility in VS Code.
Theia aims to offer a customizable IDE framework, providing an open-source alternative with potential benefits over VS Code's more restrictive API.
XAES-256-GCM is a new AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) algorithm with 256-bit keys and 192-bit nonces, designed for safety, FIPS 140 compliance, and easy implementation.
It is an extended-nonce construction on top of AES-256-GCM, requiring three AES-256 calls per message, with one precomputable, and is supported by common cryptographic libraries and the OpenSSL API.
Third-party implementations are available for .NET 8+, pyca/cryptography, and the Web Cryptography API, with the Go reference implementation being under 100 lines using standard libraries.
The XAES-256-GCM extended-nonce AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) is a new cryptographic design that enhances nonce and key management for AES-GCM, addressing nonce reuse issues.
This design uses AES-CBC (Cipher Block Chaining) to derive keys and employs a 192-bit nonce, improving security by preventing nonce collisions, which are catastrophic in standard AES-GCM.
The implementation is currently available in the C2SP reference library, but not yet in the Go standard library, highlighting ongoing development and interest in the cryptographic community.
Microsoft’s CEO of AI, Suleyman, in a CNBC interview, claimed that web content has been considered fair use since the 90s, likening it to freeware, which raises legal questions.
The interview discussed the unsustainable financial model of AI and the public's perception of AI-generated content as low quality.
Generative AI vendors argue that their outputs are fair game, but unlike search engines, chatbots do not link to their sources, making their outputs unreliable and indicating a potential AI bubble.
Web content is generally considered copyrighted unless explicitly stated as public domain, making the claim that all web content is freeware legally dubious.
Authors of open-source code are encouraged to add restrictions to prevent their code from being used to train AI, potentially enabling legal action against companies like Microsoft for unauthorized use.
There is ongoing debate about how AI training intersects with copyright laws, with some arguing that current practices fall under fair use exemptions and that regulation should balance protection with innovation.
In the 1980s, James Clark, known as the "Pay Phone Bandit," stole up to $1 million in quarters from pay phones across 30 states using custom locksmith tools.
Despite extensive FBI efforts, Clark eluded capture until 1985 when an informer tipped off authorities, leading to his arrest in 1988 and a three-year sentence.
Clark's unique method involved checking if coin boxes were full and picking locks while pretending to use the phone, leaving minimal evidence of theft.
The 'pay phone bandit' from the 1980s, who eluded the FBI, was eventually caught due to his appearances on America's Most Wanted and his habit of paying for hotel rooms with rolls of quarters.
The story highlights the challenges of dealing with large amounts of stolen coins and suggests that the bandit could have laundered the money by opening a laundromat or video arcade.
The case is a nostalgic look back at a time when pay phones were common, and it also touches on the ingenuity and risks involved in such crimes.
Next.js' new App Router requires deep internal knowledge for basic tasks and has many opt-out pitfalls, making it harder to use compared to its predecessor, the Pages Router.
The Next 13 release introduced features like Server Components, Layouts, and sophisticated caching, which benefit complex applications but add complexity and unexpected behaviors for simpler projects.
Developers should consider whether the App Router’s complexity aligns with their project needs, as simpler tools might be more suitable for certain use cases, despite Next.js recommending the App Router.
Next.js is facing criticism for a difficult development environment, unstable caching, and limitations in its file-based router.
Developers report issues with combining client and server state, complex authentication setups, and a slow, memory-intensive new app router.
Many are considering alternatives like Remix, SvelteKit, or Vue/Nuxt due to these challenges, with the shift towards server-side rendering and React Server Components adding complexity without clear benefits.
The author shares a personal journey of overcoming a sugar addiction that began in childhood and persisted into adulthood.
Three key strategies were instrumental: changing the environment, removing sugary foods from the home, and adopting positive habits like regular exercise and hydration.
The post aims to inspire others struggling with sugar addiction by demonstrating that overcoming it is achievable with the right approach.
The author overcame their sugar addiction by keeping their kitchen stocked with diet soda, meat, cheese, yogurt, and peanut butter, and avoiding treats.
They suggest chocolate lovers opt for 90% or 95% chocolate to prevent overeating.
Others shared similar strategies, such as keeping treats out of sight, switching to healthier snacks, and making gradual reductions in sugar intake, with some finding success through keto diets, fasting, or replacing sugary foods with fruits.
A Panamanian court has acquitted all 28 individuals charged with money laundering in the Panama Papers scandal, citing insufficient evidence to prove criminal responsibility.
Among those acquitted were Jurgen Mossack and the late Ramon Fonseca, founders of the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which was central to the 2016 leak exposing the use of tax havens by the wealthy.
The trial, which lasted 85 hours and included testimony from 27 witnesses, was dismissed partly because evidence from Mossack Fonseca's servers was not collected properly.
A Panamanian judge dismissed money laundering charges against 28 individuals linked to the Panama Papers leak, but this decision is specific to Panama.
The legal system in Panama is more favorable to such schemes, unlike other countries where prosecutions continue, including successful cases in the US.
The Panama Papers leak led to significant global actions, including the closure of Mossack Fonseca and various international investigations and recoveries.
SkyPath provides real-time turbulence data and machine learning (ML) predictions via iPad, utilizing accelerometers and AWS for data processing.
Pilots find the app beneficial, and there is growing interest in integrating it with more airlines, such as Delta.
The app, which can run in the background using satellite internet, improves with pilot feedback and data correlation, enhancing flight safety and efficiency.