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Scott Francis

@darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy
65 followers 10 following 1.9K posts

Asking “what if?” for a living • opinions mine, not guaranteed correct • rarely an expert, often an enthusiast • Internet ops since the 20th century • […] 🌉 bridged from ⁂ infosec.exchange/@darkuncle, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact

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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 3h
Best part is the very last footnote at the very end: "Addendum: I feel I have made a compelling case for passkeys in this article. And I haven’t even pointed out one of their best security features: they are (in most use cases) domain-bound, meaning they are resistant to what are called […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 3h
[It's a little bit into our future and everything got worse and then everything got better and then everything got exciting and now everything is the sort of interesting that's only interesting to us, not to the people here, because to them it's normal but to you it's just a little bit into our […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 3h
#TIL that there are a number of quite different implementations that all have the same generic label of “passkeys”. I’m not sure I share the author’s paranoia about passkey feature flags abuse, but the capability is certainly present. Ambiguity is *always* a problem lying in wait when […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 5h
There’s no wrong way to drink coffee, but there are some complicated ways bird.makeup/users/rainmaker1973/sta…
bird.makeup
bird.makeup - Post
A café in Thailand has started serving iced coffee in special cups stored at -86°C
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 11h
chaser: bogus murder tip sat unreviewed in the police department’s spam folder for two months
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 13h
“PICARD encrypts your data, slices it into chunks, and scatters those chunks across whatever protocol endpoints you configure: DNS TXT records, social media APIs, MQTT brokers, S3 buckets, Bluetooth advertisements, or all of the above at once. Pull it back and it reassembles. With multi-adapter […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 13h
tired: swatting wired: AI bogus murder tips arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/10…
arstechnica.com
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be […]
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Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026
A quiet end to a quiet day, and Sarah McLachlan’s beautiful setting of The Prayer of St. Francis comes to mind youtu.be/agPnMxp5Occ
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 11/10/2026
“My own eyes are not enough for me, I will see through those of others. Reality, even seen through the eyes of many, is not enough. I will see what others have invented. Even the eyes of all humanity are not enough. I regret that the brutes can not write books. Very gladly would I learn what […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 11/10/2026
A Cray-1 replica built out of 30 “obsolete” Mac Minis arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/a-c…
arstechnica.com
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Kit Bashir @unixbigot.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
“Uh, hi. I wonder is it possible to fix the luck button on my phone?” “Wow you don’t see those any more, it’s in good nick otherwise?” “Yeah, I’ve kept it because I like the physical luck button. I looked it up on ihexit.com but it said repair difficulty impossible. So I brought it to you.” […]
aus.social
Original post on aus.social
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Daily Hot Wheels @dailyhotwheels.mastodon.world.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
This Ferrari 312P is one of the 1970 Grand Prix cars. Notes: Back lifts up and has an exposed metal engine. HK casting has protruding door outline and a shiny black rear panel. #HotWheels #Redlines #Spectraflame #year1970
Released in 1970, Spectraflame Blue Ferrari 312P of 1970 Grand Prix with Redline wheels. Notes: Back lifts up and has an exposed metal engine. HK casting has protruding door outline and a shiny black rear panel. Packaging: Grand Prix. Metal Body, Metal Base. Made in Hong Kong. Scarcity: 3/10
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
#3goodthings and it’s not yet 9 AM, and all of them are #bloomscrolling within a couple meters of my seat outdoors ❤️
common lantana; the blooms are a mix of tiny (2mm?) white and purple four-sided florets with yellow centers, and they grow in clusters of 4-5 whites with a larger circle of purples just around themVibrant, almost neon orange of a cluster of cape honeysuckle blossomsThe glowing deep blue of a coast morning glory, with five slightly lighter purple veins going to a center that fades to white deep within
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Amazingly, it looks like the matter compiler from Neal Stephenson’s novel “The Diamond Age” may soon be upon us. archive.is/2026.10.09-051338/https:…
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
This whole thread is awesome and you should read it m.ai6yr.org/@ai6yr/1173958146099483…
m.ai6yr.org
AI6YR Ben (@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org)
Attached: 3 images Someone was giving away scrap fabric here, and some awesome serendipity. Someone was cleaning out fabrics owned by their *father*, who was a career long tailor (fine menswear)! Fabric not at all appropriate for the usual quilting people around here. Denim (including Japanese selvedge), and many others menswear fabrics. Now, it appears I either need to sew jeans or a denim jacket. They were extremely happy to have me take these, especially after I sent them photos of my two jackets I sewed. #sewing
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
@Holberg boardwalk in Long Beach is going to disappear as well. it’s gonna be grim for people close to the ocean the next few months (and the biggest rain isn’t hitting until Jan-Mar, which will bring water from the other side)
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Daily Hot Wheels @dailyhotwheels.mastodon.world.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
This Swingin' Wing is one of the 1970 Hot Wheels cars. Notes: Comes with white plastic wing. #HotWheels #Redlines #Spectraflame #year1970
Released in 1970, Spectraflame Pink Swingin' Wing of 1970 Hot Wheels with Redline wheels. Notes: Comes with white plastic wing. Packaging: 1970 Blister. Metal Body, Metal Base. Made in USA. Scarcity: 2/10
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
@msbellows Four Seasons Total Landscaping, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, now UFC … I’m sure it will turn out great
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
this from Steve Kamb, founder of Nerd Fitness (quoting Vanessa Van Edwards) was good: Dreambuilders and Dreamkillers: “Dreambuilders add to conversations. They are curious, supportive, and engaging. They ask follow-up questions. They keep an open mind. ​ They build on the dreams of others by […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
@JoshuaACNewman 100% this, and see also my thread from a couple days ago on the topic infosec.exchange/@darkuncle/1174022…
infosec.exchange
Scott Francis (@darkuncle@infosec.exchange)
Attached: 1 image *sigh* rather than seriously considering the MathAndAI dot org declaration from 28 Fields Medal winners (including Terry Tao), OpenAI just plowed ahead full-steam and released another 372 major results in mathematics around unsolved problems (although the proofs are reportedly nearly impossible to independently understand—but verification via Lean appears to be included for many—and read like the author was stoned). I will tap the sign, once again, even though none of the AI companies are paying any attention. #maths #mathematics https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=10169
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CMPRRSN RTFCT @joshuaacnewman.xeno.glyphpress.com.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
This is what I’ve been saying for my entire adult life as an educator: the focus on product over process mystifies process rather than acclimating students into exploration. It prioritizes the value of the labor output over the value of the laborer — or even the labor. If you want to survive […]
xeno.glyphpress.com
Original post on xeno.glyphpress.com
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
Artemis 3 is moving faster than Artemis 2, in part from bringing some work in-house at NASA spacenews.com/experience-and-in-hou… #space
spacenews.com
ANTALYA, Turkey — NASA is making faster progress preparing the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis 3 than on prior missions, in part by taking some work in-house. ### To continue reading this article: Register now to read **3 free articles this month.** You’ll also receive our weekly **Editor’s Choice, SpaceNews This Week** and**Opinions** newsletters. Opt-out at any time. Sign up **Sign in to an existing account** **Get unlimited access** to SpaceNews.com, the SpaceNews app and our digital monthly magazine for less than $5 per week. **$280** Subscribe now _**Cancel anytime.** Sales tax may apply. No refunds._ _Terms and conditions apply._ **See all subscription options**
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Matt Blaze @mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
Alhambra (Muir) Viaduct, Martinez, CA, 2010 All the pixels, none of the vertigo, at www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/468… #photography
A tall steel railroad trestle over a highway, converging at the left of the frame. There's graffiti on the side of the trestle.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
and I guess “mutilization” shouldn’t surprise me from the same group that put “Unites States” on an official doc. Use a spell check, guys. #uspol
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
#NobelPrize week continues with the second of the non-scientific prizes (and perhaps the one with the broadest societal impact): The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Navi Pillay “for her efforts to promote peace and international law.” The South African served as the UN’s human rights chief and […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
@ccppurcell this was thoughtful, thanks for sharing
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Chris Purcell @ccppurcell.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
When I'm thinking about AI in mathematics I end up thinking about the moon landings. It's not a perfect analogy. But there are some parallels. We tend to look back at them as a somewhat collective achievement of humanity; we're right to, I think. But the concentration of wealth in one place due […]
mathstodon.xyz
Original post on mathstodon.xyz
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
@catsalad got a new spooky month look for you bird.makeup/users/rainmaker1973/sta…
bird.makeup
bird.makeup - Post
3D printed cat mask [📹 bimbus_printables]
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
this is frankly kind of badass: entanglement of a photon and a glass bead arstechnica.com/science/2026/10/sus…
arstechnica.com
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
tired: the future is a boot on a human face forever wired: the future is a con man attempting to grift everyone forever arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/10… […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
Stopped trying to get to inbox zero tonight; I instead relied on my lovely “external unread” saved search, got all *that* read, replied to today’s stuff, and then marked the other 500-odd messages as read. People internal know they can find me on chat, and I have no regrets.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
true but also not true: I think there are more reasons for hope and people are finding more ways to connect and build community around healthy engagement (I see a lot of it on Fedi around maker/repair/solarpunk/nature activity)
mastodon.social
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
interesting from Chernobyl 40 years later phys.org/news/2026-10-chernobyl-par…
phys.org
Chernobyl particles reveal unexpectedly stable nuclear fuel after 40 years
Four decades after the 1986 nuclear disaster, researchers at Leibniz University Hannover and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) examined six tiny, highly radioactive fragments that were released from the destroyed reactor in Ukraine in the wake of the incident. Analyses show that these "hot particles" are far more stable than had previously been assumed. The findings could allow for more precise assessments of the health risks posed by such radioactive particles. The paper is published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
#NobelPrize week continues with one of the two non-science-focused prize categories: Literature. This year’s prize went to Anne Carson of Canada “for her bold and inventive oeuvre that … has created new forms for contemporary literature.” […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
good medium-length read from Bruce Schneier and Seva Gunitsky in Foreign Affairs (reposted in Schneier on Security) on how technology empowers and emperils dictators www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026…
schneier.com
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
looks like it may be an interaction between phone (up to date) and watch (not quite up to date). we shall see.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
@cazabon something about understanding the enemy here
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Anybody else getting prompted repeatedly for Apple account password following iOS27 upgrade? Just started today, feels suspect.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
@cazabon I just assumed it was because the others all had baggage they wanted to avoid, but also if you don’t give it a new name did you *really* do anything??
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mloxton @mloxton.zeroes.ca.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Dear women (and ONLY women, please) Say a 20yr old woman is walking on her own in town, clearly drunk or disoriented. It's a Friday, it's late. What would you prefer a man should do if he encounters her? I will collect answers to build a poll, and then collect what women say and compare what […]
zeroes.ca
Original post on zeroes.ca
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Mignon Fogarty @grammargirl.zirk.us.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Just got a mass email from our bank that essentially says, "If you give your username and password to an AI agent, you're on your own." You've. Been. Warned. 🤣
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
[letters from the dating front] @SnoopJ this seems promising, and it’s fun reading your dispatches
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GhostOnTheHalfShell @ghostonthehalfshell.masto.ai.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Null school is cool . I think it’s always interesting to spin the marble down to the Antarctica and the Arctic and see just how intense the winds are at higher latitudes earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/…
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Working on wrapping up a talk for Cloudflare Connect about convergence, emerging tech, and exponential change … and am now wondering if I should instead be telling people how to slow down and be more deliberate and introspective. I think I was probably going to be talking about that anyway.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
Several years in and still delighted that I can go edit posts and fix typos. Cannot believe how long we all lived with that lack on Twitter.
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myrmepropagandist @futurebird.sauropods.win.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
@darkuncle Wow we've automated... this: sauropods.win/@futurebird/112212387…
sauropods.win
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
“There’s nothing rewarding or interesting or fun about offloading their cognition to a machine, they argue.” ^^^ BINGO.
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
“A lot of the reason why people do pure math, even though it pays so much less than industry, is because you get to author your own creative contributions and then give them to a community that appreciates them for their intellectual beauty,” Chu said. “This environment where mathematical […]
infosec.exchange
Original post on infosec.exchange
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Scott Francis @darkuncle.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
this whole piece is just heartbreaking :( I really feel for the next generation of young students who have a fascination, but are entering a field that is going to bear little resemblance to what it has been for all of human history.
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