ElevenLabs, an AI startup that offers voice cloning services with its tools, has banned the user that created an audio deepfake of Joe Biden used in an attempt to disrupt the elections, according to Bloomberg. The audio impersonating the president was used in a robocall that went out to some voters in New Hampshire last week, telling them not to vote in their state's primary. It initially wasn't clear what technology was used to copy Biden's voice, but a thorough analysis by security company Pindrop showed that the perpetrators used ElevanLabs' tools.
The security firm removed the background noise and cleaned the robocall's audio before comparing it to samples from more than 120 voice synthesis technologies used to generate deepfakes. Pindrop CEO Vijay Balasubramaniyan told Wired that it "came back well north of 99 percent that it was ElevenLabs." Bloomberg says the company was notified of Pindrop's findings and is still investigating, but it has already identified and suspended the account that made the fake audio. ElevenLabs told the news organization that it can't comment on the issue itself, but that it's "dedicated to preventing the misuse of audio AI tools and [that it takes] any incidents of misuse extremely seriously."
The deepfaked Biden robocall shows how technologies that can mimic somebody else's likeness and voice could be used to manipulate votes this upcoming presidential election in the US. "This is kind of just the tip of the iceberg in what could be done with respect to voter suppression or attacks on election workers," Kathleen Carley, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, told The Hill. "It was almost a harbinger of what all kinds of things we should be expecting over the next few months."
It only took the internet a few days after ElevenLabs launched the beta version of its platform to start using it to create audio clips that sound like celebrities reading or saying something questionable. The startup allows customers to use its technology to clone voices for "artistic and political speech contributing to public debates." Its safety page does warn users that they "cannot clone a voice for abusive purposes such as fraud, discrimination, hate speech or for any form of online abuse without infringing the law." But clearly, it needs to put more safeguards in place to prevent bad actors from using its tools to influence voters and manipulate elections around the world.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elevenlabs-reportedly-banned-the-account-that-deepfaked-bidens-voice-with-its-ai-tools-083355975.html?src=rss
In late 2023, genetic testing company 23andMe admitted that its customer data was leaked online. A company representative told us back then that the bad actors were able to access the DNA Relatives profile information of roughly 5.5 million customers and the Family Tree profile information of 1.4 million DNA Relative participants. Now, the company has revealed more details about the incident in a legal filing, where it said that the hackers started breaking into customer accounts in late April 2023. The bad actors' activities went on for months and lasted until September 2023 before the company finally found out about the security breach.
23andMe's filing contains the letters it sent customers who were affected by the incident. In the letters, the company explained that the attackers used a technique called credential stuffing, which entailed using previously compromised login credentials to access customer accounts through its website. The company didn't notice anything wrong until after a user posted a sample of the stolen data on the 23andMe subreddit in October. As TechCrunch notes, hackers had already advertised that stolen data on a hacker forum a few months before that in August, but 23andMe didn't catch wind of that post. The stolen information included customer names, birth dates, ancestry and health-related data.
23andMe advised affected users to change their passwords after disclosing the data breach. But before sending out letters to customers, the company changed the language in its terms of service that reportedly made it harder for people affected by the incident to join forces and legally go after the company.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/23andmes-data-hack-went-unnoticed-for-months-081332978.html?src=rss
Most people want a VPN for security, and power users will want all of their tech protected. That means getting a VPN that can handle multiple phones, laptops, smart TVs, gaming consoles and other tech with an internet connection simultaneously. Out of the nine VPN services we tested, Surfshark came out on top when it came to protecting multiple devices. Here’s a rundown of our experience with Surfshark.
Surfshark VPN pricing and features
Surfshark VPN has three membership tiers: Starter, One and One+. Starter promises a secure VPN, an ad blocker and a pop-up blocker, while the other two tiers layer on additional features. I tested out Surfshark One, so in addition to the perks of the Starter tier, I had access to an antivirus scanner, data-breach monitoring and the option to create an Alternative ID, a beta feature that can create an alias for you. With this, you can have a fake name, home address and email to use when you want to mask your identity on sites that you feel are suspect. On top of all that, Surfshark has its own secure search engine that’s billed as a more private version of Google.
Paying for Surfshark One+, the most expensive tier, guarantees that your data will be removed from search sites and company databases, on top of everything that the One tier gives you. Surfshark One+ costs about $4-5 a month (depending on the sales the company has going on), which is fairly affordable in the VPN world, so it may be worth it to dish out the extra few dollars to go from Starter to One+ for the additional features.
I enjoyed Surfshark One’s features and think most people will be served well by this middle tier. Checking for possible email breaches with Surfshark was a breeze; it took less than 30 seconds to scan my inbox and tell me whether my email had been spotted in a data breach. The antivirus runs had different speeds depending on what device I used: quick scans could take less than five minutes, but would only scan a little over 1,000 files. Full scans could scan over a million files on my MacBook and Google Pixel 7 phone in about 10 minutes.
Surfshark VPN
Surfshark VPN setup and streaming capabilities
Setting up Surfshark was easy on most of my devices: I needed to download the app, sign in and Surfshark automatically connected me to a server close to my current location. If you would like to explore the other servers, that needs to be done manually. For devices like my Fire TV, I was able to enter in a login code from my MacBook and was then automatically signed into my account. With my Pixel 7, MacBook, Fire TV, and work laptop all connected simultaneously, I was able to run four devices seamlessly without any major errors, and I didn’t experience any bandwidth issues after adding additional devices.
I stream a lot of movies and TV shows regularly, so I want to be able to switch from Netflix to Peacock to Max and the like with no interruption and jump into content immediately. It took Surfshark a few tries to keep up with me. Watching the finale of Only Murders in the Building seemed impossible since Hulu wouldn't load titles at first. On second try, I could play an episode but it took a few minutes of being on the site for thumbnail images to load. After another try, I could finally watch the show on my laptop with no hiccups.
Things got smoother over time, and I only experienced consistent issues like this with Disney-owned services like Hulu. When it comes to international content, it’s usually easier to access those catalogs with Netflix while on a VPN, but the service was a bit more selective when I used Surfshark. The streamer didn’t catch on when I tried to watch Spy x Family on Japanese Netflix, but it blocked me once I tried to watch Marie Antoinette on Italian Netflix.
Surfshark is also available on smart TVs and game consoles, but features like antivirus sweeps, Alternative ID and Surfshark Alert are not available on those devices. Smart TVs only have the capabilities of the most basic Surfshark tier, with a couple other features like an ad blocker and the option to have some apps bypass the VPN. Gaming consoles are only connected to the VPN through your router or through a virtual router on your PC, so as long as the console is connected to the Wi-Fi, you should be protected.
Unfortunately, as someone who owns a MacBook and a proprietary Verizon router, protecting my PS5 was a bit more complicated than I anticipated. While Surfshark provides helpful tips to connect its VPN to a proprietary router, doing so can void your warranty or even make it so your router no longer works. With all of those caveats, it almost felt like leaving my console unprotected was the better option.
Surfshark Search
Browsing the web while using Surfshark VPN was a smooth experience, save for the fact that I had to confirm I wasn’t a bot every time I Googled something. To bypass that, you can use Surfshark Search, the only VPN-provided search engine that comes with the One and One+ membership tiers. This feature works on Surfshark’s mobile and desktop apps and isn’t as intuitive as Google, but promises an ad-free and tracking-free search experience.
With Surfshark Search, I wasn’t bombarded with sponsored search results when I looked something up, but I did get more general answers overall. Surfshark’s tool couldn’t give me specific details on an actor when I searched them and I had to go digging for any decent photos. The service tried to anticipate what I wanted to search, but Google’s autocomplete predictions are much more advanced.
For example, if I wanted to know how old an actor is, Google would give me their age immediately before even completing the search, and put their age and birth date at the top of the search results. Surfshark Search just defaults to the individual’s Wikipedia page. If you care most about privacy and a tracking-free search experience, these are some of the conveniences you’ll have to leave behind. Also, it’s worth noting that Surfshark’s search engine isn’t the only option if you want to search with more privacy; DuckDuckGo has become more widely available in recent years and is free to use.
Surfshark
Surfshark VPN security capabilities
Surfshark passed our basic security tests: there were no DNS, WebRTC or IP leaks while using the VPN. Since Consumer Report’s full VPN report, Surfshark has now implemented multi-factor authentication to their accounts. While it is not something you’re prompted to set up right away, you can still go in and add that to your account. Compared to others like NordVPN, Tunnelbear and ExpressVPN, Surfshark seems to offer similar security and features for a cheaper price.
That said, despite our lack of bandwidth issues across several devices, Surfshark remains one of the slower VPN options compared to Tunnelbear and Bitdefender. Also, if you ever decide to switch VPNs, it’s not super easy to leave Surfshark. Contacting customer service seems to be the only way to have them delete your data or cancel your subscription. With no option to easily cancel your subscription yourself, this feels like a major red flag and something we would not want to deal with ourselves.
Surfshark VPN: Final thoughts
Overall, Surfshark VPN is a solid option when it comes to protection and reliability. However, if you’re going to use it for things like streaming shows, movies and games, this might not be the VPN for you. As an alternative, you might prefer ExpressVPN, which we’ve voted the best for gaming and streaming. For a more multifaceted experience with strong protection and ease of use, we’ve found that ProtonVPN is the most balanced of them all. But if you want a relatively affordable VPN that handles multiple connected devices well, Surfshark is a decent option.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/surfshark-vpn-review-basic-protection-for-all-of-your-devices-170022711.html?src=rss
As expected, the commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines to move forward with a plan to largely restore Obama-era net neutrality protections. All three of the agency's Democratic commissioners voted in favor of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF), with the two Republican commissioners dissenting.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who has long supported net neutrality rules, last month announced a proposal to reclassify fixed broadband as an essential communications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. It also aims to reclassify mobile broadband as a commercial mobile service.
If broadband is reclassified in this way, the FCC would have greater scope to regulate it in a similar way to how water, power and phone services are overseen. As such, it would have more leeway to re-establish net neutrality rules.
Supporters believe that net neutrality protections are fundamental to an open and equitable internet. When such rules are in place, internet service providers have to provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. They can't block or give preference to any content and they're not allowed to, for instance, charge video streaming streaming services for faster service.
"The proposed net neutrality rules will ensure that all viewpoints, including those with which I disagree, are heard," Commissioner Anna Gomez, who was sworn in as the panel's third Democratic member in September, said ahead of the vote. "Moreso, these principles protect consumers while also maintaining a healthy, competitive broadband internet ecosystem. Because we know that competition is required for access to a healthy, open internet that is accessible to all."
On the other hand, critics say that net neutrality rules are unnecessary. "Since the FCC’s 2017 decision to return the Internet to the same successful and bipartisan regulatory framework under which it thrived for decades, broadband speeds in the U.S. have increased, prices are down, competition has intensified, and record-breaking new broadband builds have brought millions of Americans across the digital divide," Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the FCC, said in a statement. "The Internet is not broken and the FCC does not need Title II to fix it. I would encourage the agency to reverse course and focus on the important issues that Congress has authorized the FCC to advance."
Restoring previous net neutrality rules (which the Trump administration overturned in 2017) has been part of President Joe Biden's agenda for several years. However, until Gomez was sworn in, the FCC was deadlocked, leaving that goal in limbo until now.
The FCC suggests that reclassification will grant it more authority to "safeguard national security, advance public safety, protect consumers and facilitate broadband deployment." In addition, the agency wants to "reestablish a uniform, national regulatory approach to protect the open internet" and stop ISPs from "engaging in practices harmful to consumers."
The FCC will now seek comment on the proposal with members of the public and stakeholders (such as ISPs) having the chance to weigh in on the agency's plan. After reviewing and possibly implementing feedback, the FCC is then expected to issue a final rule on the reclassification of broadband internet access. As the Electronic Frontier Foundation points out, this means net neutrality protections could be restored as soon as next spring.
It's still not a sure thing that net neutrality protections will return, however. The implementation of revived rules could face legal challenges from the telecom industry. It may also take quite some time for the FCC to carry out the rulemaking process, which may complicate matters given that we're going into a presidental election year.
Nevertheless, net neutrality is a major priority for the fully staffed commission under Rosenworcel. “We’re laserlike focused on getting this rulemaking process started, then we're going to review the record, and my hope is we'll be able to move to order," the FCC chair told The Washington Post.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fcc-moves-forward-with-its-plan-to-restore-net-neutrality-protections-154431460.html?src=rss
As expected, the commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines to move forward with a plan to largely restore Obama-era net neutrality protections. All three of the agency's Democratic commissioners voted in favor of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF), with the two Republican commissioners dissenting.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who has long supported net neutrality rules, last month announced a proposal to reclassify fixed broadband as an essential communications service under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. It also aims to reclassify mobile broadband as a commercial mobile service.
If broadband is reclassified in this way, the FCC would have greater scope to regulate it in a similar way to how water, power and phone services are overseen. As such, it would have more leeway to re-establish net neutrality rules.
Supporters believe that net neutrality protections are fundamental to an open and equitable internet. When such rules are in place, internet service providers have to provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. They can't block or give preference to any content and they're not allowed to, for instance, charge video streaming streaming services for faster service.
"The proposed net neutrality rules will ensure that all viewpoints, including those with which I disagree, are heard," Commissioner Anna Gomez, who was sworn in as the panel's third Democratic member in September, said ahead of the vote. "Moreso, these principles protect consumers while also maintaining a healthy, competitive broadband internet ecosystem. Because we know that competition is required for access to a healthy, open internet that is accessible to all."
On the other hand, critics say that net neutrality rules are unnecessary. "Since the FCC’s 2017 decision to return the Internet to the same successful and bipartisan regulatory framework under which it thrived for decades, broadband speeds in the U.S. have increased, prices are down, competition has intensified, and record-breaking new broadband builds have brought millions of Americans across the digital divide," Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the FCC, said in a statement. "The Internet is not broken and the FCC does not need Title II to fix it. I would encourage the agency to reverse course and focus on the important issues that Congress has authorized the FCC to advance."
Restoring previous net neutrality rules (which the Trump administration overturned in 2017) has been part of President Joe Biden's agenda for several years. However, until Gomez was sworn in, the FCC was deadlocked, leaving that goal in limbo until now.
The FCC suggests that reclassification will grant it more authority to "safeguard national security, advance public safety, protect consumers and facilitate broadband deployment." In addition, the agency wants to "reestablish a uniform, national regulatory approach to protect the open internet" and stop ISPs from "engaging in practices harmful to consumers."
The FCC will now seek comment on the proposal with members of the public and stakeholders (such as ISPs) having the chance to weigh in on the agency's plan. After reviewing and possibly implementing feedback, the FCC is then expected to issue a final rule on the reclassification of broadband internet access. As the Electronic Frontier Foundation points out, this means net neutrality protections could be restored as soon as next spring.
It's still not a sure thing that net neutrality protections will return, however. The implementation of revived rules could face legal challenges from the telecom industry. It may also take quite some time for the FCC to carry out the rulemaking process, which may complicate matters given that we're going into a presidental election year.
Nevertheless, net neutrality is a major priority for the fully staffed commission under Rosenworcel. “We’re laserlike focused on getting this rulemaking process started, then we're going to review the record, and my hope is we'll be able to move to order," the FCC chair told The Washington Post.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fcc-moves-forward-with-its-plan-to-restore-net-neutrality-protections-154431460.html?src=rss
Ironically, when ChatGPT debuted last November and basically broke the internet for a few days, the AI itself wasn't informed. In fact, its entire knowledge base stopped abruptly in September, 2021 because that was the most recent data the system was initially trained on. Wednesday, OpenAI announced that ChatGPT will now be able to answer even the most modern of queries as the generative AI assistant can now look up information, in real-time.
ChatGPT can now browse the internet to provide you with current and authoritative information, complete with direct links to sources. It is no longer limited to data before September 2021. pic.twitter.com/pyj8a9HWkB
The new feature is being called Browse with Bing and appears to work directly within the normal Bing Chat window, notifying the user when it is looking up information from the web and providing citation links with its answers. "Browsing is particularly useful for tasks that require up-to-date information, such as helping you with technical research, trying to choose a bike, or planning a vacation," the OpenAI team wrote in a subsequent tweet. "Browsing is available to Plus and Enterprise users today, and we’ll expand to all users soon. To enable, choose Browse with Bing in the selector under GPT-4."
This isn't the first time that ChatGPT has gone on the internet, mind you. It had a web browsing capability available to Plus subscribers as recently as this past July, though that feature got axed after users kept exploiting it to get around paywalls. This announcement follows another major update from earlier in the week, revealing the chatbot's new multimodal functions.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chatgpt-is-allowed-to-browse-the-internet-once-again-211332316.html?src=rss
When net neutrality rules are enforced, internet service providers are not allowed to block or give preference to any content. They can't throttle access to specific websites or charge the likes of streaming services for faster service. They must provide users with access to every site, content and app at the same speeds and conditions. Advocates tout net neutrality protections as the foundation of an open and equitable internet.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a long-term supporter of net neutrality rules, announced a plan to restore the protections on Tuesday. "This afternoon, I'm sharing with my colleagues a rulemaking that proposes to reinstate net neutrality," Rosenworcel said at an event at the National Press Club. "We will need to develop an updated record to identify the best way to restore these policies and have a uniform national open internet standard."
The aim is to "largely return to the successful rules" that the FCC adopted in 2015 when President Barack Obama was in office. The proposal aims to reclassify both fixed and mobile broadband as an essential communications service under Title II of the Communications Act, akin to water, power and phone services.
"The Chairwoman is proposing the FCC take the first procedural steps toward reaffirming rules that would treat broadband internet service as an essential service for American life," the FCC said. "As work, healthcare, education, commerce, and so much more have moved online, no American household or business should need to function without reliable internet service."
Rosenworcel noted that this is a first step in the process of reviving net neutrality. It will take quite some time until the previous rules are restored, as Bloomberg notes. The FCC commissioners will vote on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at their next monthly meeting on October 19.
If, as seems likely, the agency votes in favor, it will start a new rulemaking and then seek public comments on the proposal. After reviewing the comments, Rosenworcel will decide how to move forward. In all likelihood, the commissioners will then vote on whether to adopt the final rules. While the push to restore net neutrality rules may prove successful, the implementation could still be delayed by legal challenges.
"For everyone, everywhere, to enjoy the full benefits of the internet age, internet access should be more than just accessible and affordable," Rosenworcel said. "The internet needs to be open." She added that repealing net neutrality protections "put the FCC on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law and the wrong side of the American public."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-fcc-plans-to-restore-obama-era-net-neutrality-rules-184624637.html?src=rss
Virtual private networks (VPNs) continue to increase in popularity, and one of the most famous services is offering a great deal to entice new customers. NordVPN is selling two-year subscription plans for up to 68 percent off, depending on which tier you go with. You also get three free months of service when you sign up, which is never a bad thing.
Here’s how the deal breaks down. The company’s Standard plan is 62 percent off, costing $108 for two years, while the Advanced plan is 68 percent off, coming in at $140 for two years. The Standard plan is likely the best option for average consumers, unless you run a crypto mining farm in your basement or something. This plan gives you access to the VPN itself for secure browsing in addition to ad-trackers, ad-blockers, malware protection software, a file-sharing service and a dark web monitor.
The Advanced plan is for power users and includes all of the above plus access to a dedicated and permanent IP address you can use when browsing. The fluctuating IP address available with the Standard plan is fine for most people, but using a static IP address is good when pursuing online activities that demand higher security, like online banking or remotely accessing sensitive data.
NordVPN just missed our list of best virtual private networks, due to a higher-than-average price point, so this deal certainly solves that problem. The company's generally considered to be solid, with well-performing networks and an active customer service arm. There’s a reason NordVPN's been around since 2012, which is an eternity in the volatile VPN industry.
If you aren’t even sure what you would need a VPN for, they are actually quite useful for those who spend a lot of time online. These services are nearly-mandatory if you often access public Wi-Fi, to protect from nefarious cybercriminals. VPNs also work to block malicious sites and help keep your personal data private. Finally, they let you pretend you are in other locations, allowing you to access your favorite streaming platforms when, say, traveling abroad.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/good-deal-nordvpn-two-year-plans-are-up-to-68-percent-off-right-now-154504370.html?src=rss
General Motors is taking Google’s AI chatbot on the road. The automaker announced today that it’s using Google Cloud’s Dialogflow to automate some non-emergency OnStar features like navigation and call routing. Crucially, the automaker claims the bot can pinpoint keywords indicating an emergency situation and “quickly route the call” to trained humans when needed. GM says the system frees up OnStar Advisors to spend more time with customers requiring a live human.
According to GM, the OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant (IVA) has used Google Cloud’s Dialogflow under the hood since IVA’s 2022 launch. The virtual voice assistant can handle common customer questions and help with routing and navigation, including turn-by-turn directions. The companies see the collaboration as expanding down the road. “The successful deployment of Google Cloud’s AI in GM’s OnStar service has now opened the door to future generative AI deployments being jointly piloted by General Motors and Google Cloud,” the companies wrote in a joint press release.
The automaker says Google Cloud’s AI has allowed OnStar to better understand customer requests on the first try. In addition, it says customers have reacted positively to avoiding hold times as they can quickly begin chatting with an AI-powered bot with a “modern, natural sounding voice.” GM says the virtual assistant now handles over one million customer inquiries per month in the US and Canada. OnStar IVA is available in most GM vehicles, 2015 and newer, with OnStar connections.
“Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the buying, ownership, and interaction experience inside the vehicle and beyond, enabling more opportunities to deliver new features and services,” Mike Abbott, GM’s executive vice president of software and services, wrote in the press release. “Our software-led approach has accelerated the creation of compelling services for our customers while driving increased efficiency across the GM enterprise. The work with Google Cloud is another example of our efforts to transform how customers engage with our products and services.”
The companies also announced today that Google’s Dialogflow tech is behind chatbots on the GM website, similar to the slew of OpenAI-powered assistants that began popping up since the launch of the ChatGPT API earlier this year. GM’s web bots can “conversationally help answer customer questions about GM vehicles and product features based on the technical information from GM’s extensive vehicle data repositories,” according to the automaker.
“General Motors is at the forefront of deploying AI in practical and effective ways that ultimately create better customer experiences,” Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud CEO, wrote today. “We’re looking forward to a deepened relationship and more collaboration with GM as we explore how the company uses generative AI in transformational ways.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-google-powered-chatbot-is-handling-gms-non-emergency-onstar-calls-183040938.html?src=rss
Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc), a hacking group known for its activist endeavors, has built an open source tool for developers to build secure apps. Veilid, launched at DEF CON on Friday, includes options like letting users opt out of data collection and online tracking as a part of the group’s mission to fight against the commercialization of the internet.
“We feel that at some point, the internet became less of a landscape of knowledge and idea sharing, and more of a monetized corporate machine,” cDc leader Katelyn “medus4” Bowden said. “Our idea of what the internet should be looks more like the open landscape it once was, before our data became a commodity.”
Similar to other privacy products like Tor, cDc said there’s no profit motive behind the product, which was created “to promote ideals without the compromise of capitalism.” The group emphasized the focus on building for good, not profit, by throwing slight shade at a competing conference for industry professionals, Black Hat, held in Las Vegas at the same time as DEF CON. “If you wanted to go make a bunch of money, you’d be over at Black Hat right now,” Bowden said to the audience of hackers.
The design standards behind Veilid are “like Tor and IPFS had sex and produced this thing,” cDc hacker Christien “DilDog” Rioux said at DEF CON. Tor is the privacy-focused web browser best known for its connections to the “dark web,” or unlisted websites. Run as a non-profit, the developers behind Tor run a system that routes web traffic through various “tunnels” to obscure who you are and what you’re browsing on the web. IPFS, or the InterPlanetary File System, is an open-source set of protocols behind the internet, mainly used for file sharing or publishing data on a decentralized network.
The bigger Veilid gets, the more secure it will be as well, according to Rioux. The strength doesn’t come from the number of apps made on the framework, but by how many people use the apps to further the routing of nodes that make up the network. “The network gains strength by a single popular app,” Rioux said. “The big Veilid network is supported by the entire ecosystem not just your app.” In the presentation, cDc likened the nodes to mutual aid in the sense that they work to strengthen and support each other to make the entire network more secure.
Rious explained that VLD0 will be the cryptography — the protocols that keep information secure — behind Veilid. It’s a mix of existing cryptography frameworks, like Ed25519 to support authentication efforts and xChaCha20-Poy1305 as its 192-bit encryption support. But, recognizing that advancing technology will change cryptography needs over time, cDc already has a plan to handle updates. “Every new version of our crypto system is supported alongside the old ones” so that there are no gaps in security, Rioux said. cDc also put other measures in place like anti-spoofing, end-to-end encryption even at rest and data protection even if you lose your device.
Veiled and cDc aim to build an approachable internet with fewer ads and more privacy, according to Bowden. Veilid Chat, a messaging app similar to Signal, will be the first app built on the framework. You’ll be able to sign up without using a phone number, to decrease personal identifiers, Bowden told Engadget in an email.
cDc is currently in the process of putting together a community and foundation to support the project. “There are a lot of folks who can’t see past web3 as far as privacy (we are more like the web2 we should have had), and really can’t process the idea that we’re doing this without a profit motive,” Bowden said.
Known as the “original hacking supergroup,” cDc’s most noted accomplishments include inventing hacktivism, helping to develop Tor and pushing top companies to take privacy seriously. Notable members include former US representative from Texas, Beto O'Rourke.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/americas-original-hacking-supergroup-creates-a-free-framework-to-improve-app-security-190043865.html?src=rss