Hackers Exploited Web Scripting Vulnerabilities Days Before They Were Patched

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Hackers Exploited Web Scripting Vulnerabilities Days Before They Were Patched (Maria)

The author writes, “The internet’s mad scramble on Wednesday to patch a pair of critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a widely used web scripting language, was already too late to stop every attack, newly released details reveal. Wednesday’s release of fixes for two critical vulnerabilities caused administrators and security staff to race to identify and patch vulnerable websites and apps, while attackers inevitably reverse-engineered the fixes to learn how to exploit the flaws.”

Sickening Ad Drags Ohio Governor’s Race to New Low (Reader Jim)

The author writes, “The race for governor in Ohio hit an appalling low on Monday, after an attack ad that features Democratic nominee Amy Acton’s allegedly abusive mother leaked on social media. In the ad, Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, calls Acton a ‘liar’ who ‘needs help.’ Not included in the ad, however, is the fact that Arthur lost custody of Acton and her brother, Philip Stearns, when Acton was 12 years old. According to a 2019 report in a local Ohio news outlet, Arthur married a man who allegedly sexually abused Acton and was ultimately charged with child molestation. The last time Acton saw her mother was at the courthouse after her stepfather’s arrest.”

Military Power Rising as Power of Diplomacy Falling, Diplomats, Crisis Monitors, Allies Say (Sean)

From Defense One: “International norms and humanitarian law are losing influence just as new military capabilities are becoming easier to access — a central theme of two days of talks among diplomats, government officials and humanitarian workers here. ‘Conflicts are now a first resort in many cases. Diplomacy and dialog are being delegitimized,’ said Pierre Krähenbühl, director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Krähenbühl was far from alone in his assessment at the Global Security Forum. … Officials from Europe and the Middle East, as well as former senior intelligence officials from Australia and Britain, questioned the durability of the alliance structure that the United States and its Western allies put in place after World War II.” 

PODCAST: Is It a Relationship if No One’s on the Other Side? (Jeff)

From The Ezra Klein Show: “Roughly half of American adults are using chatbots. Nearly one in five U.S. adults has chatted with an A.I. that simulates a romantic partner. And some children now struggle to distinguish between talking to chatbots and humans. What does this mean for the future of our relationships?”

Scientists Create Super Ice That’s Almost as Tough as Concrete (Siobhán)

The author writes, “Anyone who’s fallen face-first on thick ice will testify that it’s pretty strong. But it’s nothing compared to a new type of ice created by researchers. The aptly nicknamed super ice is an incredible 10 times stronger under compression than regular frozen water, making it close to the strength of concrete. … The intended destination … is construction in Arctic and Antarctic regions. Shipping concrete and steel to these locations can be difficult and expensive. A material based mainly on water and plant cellulose could offer a biodegradable alternative with a potentially smaller carbon footprint.” 

Photographing the Microscopic: Winners of Nikon Small World 2026 (Dana)

From The Atlantic: “Some of the winning and honored images from this year’s photomicrography competition, selected from more than 1,800 entries.”