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THE AI DRAKE “GHOSTWRITER” IS BACK WITH A NEW SONG

MICROSOFT SAYS IT WILL TAKE THE HEAT IF COPILOT USERS GET SUED

FBI AGENTS DISCUSS DCG'S SILBERT WITH WINKLEVOSS

Federal officials, including FBI, SEC, and NYC prosecutors, are investigating potential fraud allegations against Barry Silbert, CEO of Digital Currency Group and its subsidiary Genesis Global Capital, following claims raised by Cameron Winklevoss, co-founder of the crypto trading platform Gemini Trust. Despite Silbert's denial of any wrongdoing, the investigation into the company's financials is moving forward.

CFTC COMMISSIONER PITCHES PILOT PROGRAM FOR U.S. CRYPTO REGULATION

Caroline Pham, a member of the CFTC, has recommended a pilot program for regulation in the cryptocurrency markets. With input from industry experts and other members, Pham is suggesting a limited-time program that includes registration, risk management, and product terms. However, as the CFTC is led by Chairman Rostin Benham, a critic of the crypto industry, there may be delays in Pham's proposed measures.

CENSORSHIP RESISTANCE WITH RESTAKING

Eigenlayer's newly introduced designs, MEV-Boost+ and MEV-Boost++, are aimed at improving Ethereum's liveness and protection against censorship. The contributions allow block proposers to auction off part of a block while maintaining the capacity to include transactions in the remaining segment. The innovations are an attempt to alleviate network concerns triggered by builder centralization and lack of relay neutrality.

THE FIRST MULTISIG WALLET IS NOW LIVE ON STARKNET MAINNET

Braavos has introduced Multi-Owner Account, an advanced multi-sig wallet on Starknet Mainnet. Beyond typical crypto multisig models, MOA combines innovative security with easy integration into decentralized applications. Key security features include decentralized three-factor authentication, autonomous gas payment capabilities, and seamless connectivity with dApps. The MOA will enable teams to manage Starknet treasuries and contract upgrades securely and collaboratively.

ETERNAL PRIVACY PLAYGROUNDS

This article discusses challenges and solutions regarding the integration of hidden information in games using a fully on-chain game backend. Emphasizing that zero-knowledge tech isn't the only answer, it advocates for the utilization of diverse cryptographic techniques for more engaging and balanced gameplay. The article also explains that the merging of privacy techniques from DeFi into on-chain gaming could unlock a new category of dApps.

A SUMMARY OF VITALIK’S PRIVACY PAPER

The new privacy paper that came out earlier this week by co-authors Vitalik Buterin and Jacob Illum explores the use of Privacy Pools, a feature allowing users to separate themselves from illicit funds. This is comparable to Tornado Cash, with the added ability to prove that your original deposit came from a whitelisted address. The authors suggest that third-party whitelist providers could supply non-sanctioned or low-risk addresses. However, there are concerns about whether this would meet the Department of Justice's standards for compliance.

FTX EXEC RYAN SALAME PLEADS GUILTY TO CRIMINAL CHARGES

Former FTX Bahamas subsidiary leader, Ryan Salame, pleaded guilty to unlawful political contributions and running an unlicensed money-transmitting business. Agreeing to surrender over $1.5 billion in assets, his plea intensifies pressure on Sam Bankman-Fried, who is due for a fraud trial. Salame also faces separate investigations for questionable contributions to his girlfriend's political campaign.

I LIVED OFF CRYPTOCURRENCIES FOR ONE WEEK...WELL, TRIED TO

This blogger kind of succeeded in paying for most expenses over a week in Italy with cryptocurrencies. Despite initial challenges, the author managed to cover costs for a co-working space, food, beverages, and travel with Bitcoin, Monero, Zcash, and other forms of cryptocurrencies through various applications and gift card services. The author acknowledged the need for in-depth research and contingency plans when relying solely on digital currency.

MILLION THEFT ON STAKE

Earlier this week, Stake, a popular crypto casino and sportsbook, was exploited for $41 million. According to the FBI, the infamous Lazarus Group was responsible for this.

WAVE IN AUGUST

Riot Platforms earned $31.7 million in energy credits from Texas' ERCOT by reducing power during a heatwave, offsetting losses from declining Bitcoin revenues.

EXPERTS LINK LASTPASS SECURITY BREACH TO A STRING OF CRYPTO HEISTS

The LastPass breach in 2022 has been linked to crypto thefts totaling $35 million, and it is presumed that victims stored crypto "seed phrases" in LastPass, giving the hackers access to their wallets once LastPass was breached.

SERVICE

Crypto Facilities, owned by Kraken, has been discussing launching futures contracts denominated in fiat currency with the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority.

GOOGLE CELEBRATES CHROME'S 15TH BIRTHDAY WITH A MAKEOVER

The revamped version of Google Chrome should be more closely aligned with the design paradigm of Material You, adopting pastel colors, more rounded shapes, and a cleaner look. Google is expecting 25% improved protection from malware and phishing threats with its updated Safe Browsing.

ANNOUNCING THE 2023 WEBFLOW AWARDS FINALISTS

2023's most creative and technically impressive Webflow projects have been announced. This site organizes awards into categories and features customers, partners, and the community.

VISION PRO

Despite Apple's apparent lack of attention to game developers, Resolution Games is actively producing a version of Demeo for the company's headset. The upcoming title should be one of the first to offer players an entirely virtual version of the game that doesn't integrate passthrough images.

SUCCESSFUL ITERATION REQUIRES GOING BEYOND AGILE

UX design methods are cheaper, faster, and more effective at gathering data than “build, measure, learn” — but agile is designed not to take advantage of them. To truly take advantage of iteration, the team must be willing to set learning rather than outputs as their primary goal.

There's an immutable truth regarding ad design: ads need to stand out. This practical guide shows you how nine design trends, from AI-generated art to the return of vintage and retro design, can help you cut through all the noise.

NO CODE TOOLS — WILL DESIGNERS REPLACE DEVELOPERS?

By 2024, low-code application development will account for more than 65% of application development activity. Designers who lack coding knowledge will struggle to build products with no-code tools. Designers will not replace developers because they will want to remain on the visual side rather than fiddle with back-end code.

THE DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO BUILDING A WINNING VC PITCH DECK

Pitch decks need to tell a story that engages people and inspires them to do something. Guess what? This involves considerable intentional design.

AI-GENERATED WIREFRAMES

Thread is an AI tool for creating wireframes. Designers can tell it what needs to be in the wireframe and it will create one based on best design practices.

ALL BRANDS IN ONE PLACE

Type the logo you want, click the result, and select the format. It's that simple. Brandfetch's API allows programmatically accessing up-to-date logos, colors, fonts, and more.

GREAT FICTIONAL BRAND FOR TV AND FILM

Duff Beer, Dunder Mifflin Paper, Wonka Candies, and Barbie merchandise… We’ve seen countless made-up brands transcend seamlessly from the screen into the real world. Interviews with some of the designers behind these fake brands reveal what the key to their success is.

Effective navigation is about providing users with the best information architecture so they find what they're looking for. Tree testing is a task-based research method for finding the best way to enhance findability in a navigation element.

FATIGUE AND THE DESIGNER

There’s a noticeable trend of disconcerting chatter on Reddit, Twitter, and Medium. A growing number of designers appear to be unhappy. The dynamic pace, the ever-shifting landscapes, the layoffs, and job insecurity are making designers fatigued. To fight against it, designers need to go through a mental shift and (re)start designing for themselves to uplift and inspire themselves.

ENORMOUS SUCCESS

If you've ever considered a starter, a main course, and dessert as some sort of storytelling, you're not alone. A restaurant in London finds its way to success by investing in an atmosphere that communicates its brand essence, inviting guests (users?) to an experience that delights all senses.

ACCESSIBILITY

Starfield's unintuitive UI, fast-paced combat with no slowed mechanic, and lack of accessibility assistance to create characters show that Bethesda has not given enough attention to disabled players.

GOOGLE ROASTS APPLE'S RUMOURED IPHONE 15 REDESIGN

Against Apple's wishes, the Lightning port is finally getting replaced by USB-C. Users have been crying out for this for years, as it could offer greater peripheral compatibility and charging speeds. Google's latest ad takes a dig at the iPhone as it compares it to its Pixel phone.

THE BRANDS REINVENTING EXPERIENCES WITH AR

Using the world as a canvas can be highly inspiring. This interactive guide brought by Google shows how Gorillaz, Gap, and Taito used AR to create immersive and engaging experiences.

WOFF HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

Almost 95% of users have a browser with support for WOFF2 today. WOFF files aren’t needed anymore, but if still used, WOFF2 files should be included before WOFF in the @font-face syntax so that modern browsers use the correct, more compact file format.

CONSUMER SERVICES

The idea of personalized services beyond what we have around shopping is really interesting and a16z agrees. In this post, a16z breaks down the opportunities and some of the companies already playing in this space.

THE RISE OF DATA LAKES IN SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE

The term “fracking of user data” is one that resonates even if the term fracking has negative connotations. The opportunities around unstructured data and LLMs as it relates to existing structured systems like databases are seriously limitless and we’re only just now starting to see the opportunities.

A NEW “GOLDEN AGE” FOR ALTERNATIVE LENDING

Despite economic challenges and a shift in the lending landscape due to rising interest rates and inflation, we might be coming to a new era for alternative lending thanks to five catalysts: the return of affordable capital, the competitive advantage of alternative lenders in attracting new borrowers, streamlined operations, trust in risk models, and the potential for market share growth.

ONBOARDING EXECUTIVES

This article walks through some of the things to consider as you’re onboarding an executive. While these may seem obvious, in the rough-and-tumble world of daily startup life, they can get lost in the shuffle. Always a good refresher.

10 ESSENTIAL STEPS TOWARD BUILDING A DIGITAL PR STRATEGY

A complete guide to boosting your digital brand awareness online, with methods including defining your audience, researching and building your list of journalists, and monitoring coverage.

PRODUCT-LED AI

In an age where foundation models make it possible for anyone to build an AI company, what makes for a defensible business? Instead of using AI to enhance a product, the technology should be the key unlock to drive a company’s entire product development and business strategy. This article outlines how AI-first products can reinvent networks and marketplaces, create entirely new startup categories, and establish AI co-pilots for knowledge workers.

A STATE OF THE UNION FOR EARLY STAGE VENTURE

The new technological epoch of AI and mixed reality makes this a seminal time for startup creation.

RESPECT AND ADMIRATION

We all get caught up in chasing money and status, but don’t forget to chase respect and admiration as well.

EVERY SOFTWARE PROJECT IS A STARTUP THAT WILL PROBABLY FAIL

The majority of software projects, whether in startups or established companies, often fail to generate substantial value. They propose a shift towards incentivizing developers based on project success and allowing developers more autonomy in project selection to improve outcomes.

HOW TO FIND TIME TO LEARN AFTER WORK

The trick is to refine some of the time spent doing other tasks into learning time - for example, listen to podcasts while commuting to work.

OPENAI WILL HOST ITS FIRST DEVELOPER CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 6TH

OpenAI is planning to host its first developer conference on November 6th.

EXPERTS FEAR CROOKS ARE CRACKING STOLEN LASTPASS KEYS

A steady trickle of cryptocurrency heists targeting security-conscious tech professionals has led some to believe that LastPass Vaults that were involved in the November 2022 breach were cracked. Taylor Monahan, lead product manager of MetaMask, documented the heists on X and notes that the victims of the cryptocurrency schemes are unique in that they have not suffered from any of the attacks (such as email compromise) that tend to predate these attacks. More details and interviews are presented in the article.

THE WILD

Two zero-day vulnerabilities fixed by Apple in emergency security updates were exploited to deploy Pegasus commercial spyware onto fully patched iPhones through iMessage. The attackers were able to infect iPhones without victim interaction by sending PassKit attachments containing malicious images. Apple and Citizen Lab are encouraging device updates and the activation of Lockdown Mode for those at risk of targeted attacks.

Ticketing services agency See Tickets has notified more than 300,000 individuals that their payment card data was stolen in a new web skimmer attack. The ticketing services agency also notes that it has no evidence to suggest that the stolen personal information was fraudulently used. However, such data is typically shared between cybercriminals and used to perform various types of fraud.

Security researcher Nea Paw has created a fully autonomous AI disinformation system called CounterCloud using existing AI tools. The CounterCloud AI system can scrape, generate, and distribute AI-generated disinformation tweets and articles. This research project has not been made publicly available and all tweets and articles have been kept private. Experienced journalists who received access to the generated content reported that it seemed very realistic.

GETTING STARTED WITH ETHICAL HACKING SERIES

Ethical hacking refers to the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, and applications with the intention of improving their security. This series dives into how anyone can get into ethical hacking.

ACCOUNTS

In a post-mortem report, Microsoft revealed how hackers stole a cryptographic consumer key and used it to forge tokens for Outlook.com and Outlook Web Access. The key was stolen from a software dump that was created when a Microsoft computer crashed. Microsoft has now fixed the bugs that allowed the breach to happen, but users should still be vigilant and take steps to protect their accounts.