Dear Esteemed Colleagues and Friends,

I trust this message finds you in better shape than I currently am!

The opening act of my 2024 could best be described as a dramatic blend of misfortune and triumph. A few days back, I engaged in an unscheduled tango with adversity, resulting in first-degree burns on my left hand. Thankfully, my quick dancing footwork spared my face and eyes from making an unwanted cameo in this fiery dance. My recovery playlist for the next 3 to 4 months features a heavy rotation of bandage wraps and the hit single, "Every 2 to 3 Days at the Medical Center." Let's just say, I've inadvertently kick-started a new trend in hand accessories.

On a brighter note, amidst this personal pyrotechnic mishap, I received a beacon of excellent news. EC-Council, my training courses vendor I've been in harmony with for the past two decades, has decided to encore my performance with the prestigious Instructor Circle Of Excellence Award 2023 (https://www.eccouncil.org/ec-council-global-awards/). This isn't my first tour with this accolade, but let me tell you, this time it feels like I've gone platinum.

This award is the proverbial cherry atop a Sundae of two decadent, fulfilling decades with EC-Council products. It's a testament to the incredible feedback loop we've created together—your support, incredible student feedback, critiques, and applause have been instrumental in this achievement. For that, I owe you all a standing ovation.

So, as I juggle my new, somewhat less desirable role as a part-time mummy (of the bandaged variety) and a full-time Cybersecurity Professional, I look forward to what the future holds. Here's to more accolades, hopefully less spontaneous combustion, and a reminder that sometimes, life throws you a curveball—or in my case, a fireball—but we always come out stronger (and perhaps a bit more charred).

Thank you once again for your unwavering support.

May our future endeavors be accident-free and our victories plentiful.

Toasting to our continued success and safety

Regards

Dimitrios Zacharopoulos

Vanna is an innovative tool available on GitHub that facilitates chatting with SQL databases. It achieves accurate Text-to-SQL generation using Large Language Models (LLMs) in conjunction with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).

This approach allows for effective and precise interaction with databases through natural language queries. The tool is developed using Jupyter Notebook and Python, with its source code and documentation accessible for users interested in implementing or contributing to its development.

For more details and to explore the tool further, visit Vanna on GitHub (https://github.com/vanna-ai/vanna)

Wokwi is an online simulation tool that enables the development and testing of Internet of Things (IoT) projects in a browser environment. It supports various platforms like Arduino (Uno, Mega, Nano), ESP32, STM32, and Pi Pico.

Users can start projects using popular programming languages including Rust and MicroPython. Wokwi is suitable for simulating IoT and Arduino projects, with features like an ESP32 NTP Clock, MicroPython MQTT Weather Logger, and more.

It's an innovative tool for developers and hobbyists to experiment and learn without needing physical hardware.

For more detailed information, please visit https://wokwi.com

Unlocking the AI Revolution in Business

Welcome to the grand adventure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business! From the silent heroics of everyday AI, optimizing tasks and enhancing productivity, to the dazzling world of Generative AI, painting masterpieces from data, our journey begins. AI is no longer science fiction; it's our business partner.

Generative AI, the Picasso of tech, crafts music, art, and more. It's your Swiss Army knife, crystal ball, and secret weapon. Efficiency soars, innovation accelerates, and personalization thrives with AI by your side.

But beware the quirks - unreliable data, ethical dilemmas, and quality control pitfalls. Before you dive in, ask the tough questions, ensure transparency, and protect privacy.

Join us on this AI Odyssey, where the future is bright, and AI is your guiding star. Let's conquer the ever-evolving world of business together!

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Benefits of: Artificial Intelligence in Business
https://www.obi.academy/free-downloads

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ArchiveBox is an open-source, self-hosted web archiving solution that allows users to save and archive web content. It's designed to take various inputs like URLs, browser history, bookmarks, and content from services like Pocket and Pinboard, and then save them in multiple formats including HTML, JavaScript, PDFs, and media files.

The tool is versatile and can be set up in several ways, including as a command-line tool, a web app, and a desktop application (which is still in the alpha stage). It's compatible with multiple operating systems such as Linux, macOS, and Windows.

One of the key features of ArchiveBox is its ability to save snapshots of URLs in various formats like HTML, PDF, PNG screenshots, and WARC, among others. This ensures that the content is preserved in durable and accessible formats for long-term access.

The installation process varies based on the operating system and includes methods such as using Docker, Homebrew (for macOS), apt (for Debian/Ubuntu), or pip for a Python-based installation. After installation, you need to initialize a new directory for your archive collection and can then start adding URLs to this collection. There's also an option to schedule regular imports from different sources.

ArchiveBox provides a self-hosted web UI that allows users to view and manage their archived content. For command-line enthusiasts, it offers a comprehensive command-line interface to manage the archive.

The developers of ArchiveBox emphasize the importance of it being free and open-source, without the need for signing up for any service, and storing all data locally. This approach aligns with the tool's goal to ensure that users can keep a personal archive of internet content that they find valuable.

This is an invaluable tool if you wish to stay ahead of the curb and not be fooled by the data on the internet by either misinformation of disinformation, which is today an epidemic and systemic problem online.

For more detailed information on the installation process, usage, and features of ArchiveBox, you can visit their GitHub page (https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox) and official documentation https://archivebox.io/).

CurlyQ is a utility tool developed by Brett Terpstra, designed to enhance the functionality of the curl command, which is commonly used for transferring data to or from a server. CurlyQ provides a more user-friendly interface and adds several features useful for tasks like web scraping and processing web data.

Some key features of CurlyQ include:

Enhanced Curl Functionality: It acts as a helper for the curl command, allowing users to easily grab web page contents and providing a breakdown of metadata, page images, links, and even handling dynamic pages loaded through JavaScript.

Scripting Pipeline Integration: CurlyQ is designed for use in scripting pipelines, simplifying tasks like extracting page titles, finding images, or validating links on a web page. It allows querying of results based on various attributes.

Element Retrieval: The tool incorporates Nokogiri, enabling element selection using CSS selectors or XPaths, and supports output in JSON or YAML formats.

Failure Handling: CurlyQ includes multiple User Agent strings and custom headers to handle request failures, retrying with different User Agent strings if necessary. It also has the capability to handle gzipped data.

Screenshot Capability: It can take screenshots of web pages in different modes like full page, visible page, or print output. This feature particularly works well with Firefox.

JSON Response Handling: CurlyQ has limited support for handling JSON responses, focusing on GET requests and providing response headers along with the parsed JSON results.

CurlyQ is still under development, with plans for future enhancements like adding POST capabilities and further developing its web scraping functionality. Terpstra encourages feedback from users to improve and expand the tool's capabilities.

For more detailed information and updates, you can visit the GitHub page of CurlyQ (https://github.com/ttscoff/curlyq) and Brett Terpstra's blog post (https://brettterpstra.com/2024/01/10/introducing-curlyq-a-pipeline-oriented-curl-helper/) introducing CurlyQ.

In a recent Ars Technica article a discussion on a new and sophisticated worm that has been targeting Linux devices globally for the past year was documented. This worm, named NoaBot, is a modified version of the infamous Mirai malware. Originally, Mirai became notorious in 2016 for initiating large-scale Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. The unique aspect of Mirai is its ability to infect devices and then use them as a platform to spread to other vulnerable devices, a characteristic that categorizes it as a worm because it self-replicates.

The main difference with NoaBot, compared to traditional Mirai attacks, is its method of propagation and the nature of the attack. Instead of exploiting weak Telnet passwords, NoaBot targets SSH connections with weak passwords. Once it infects a device, it doesn't just stop there. Unlike the original Mirai, which was primarily used for launching DDoS attacks, NoaBot installs a cryptomining application on the infected devices. This cryptomining malware is designed to be difficult to detect, employing unique methods to conceal its activities.

The worm's approach, combining the use of common hacking techniques with new, more covert methods of operation, makes it particularly dangerous. Given the large bandwidth capacities of many infected devices, the worm can generate significant amounts of junk traffic, empowering the botnet substantially.

This situation highlights the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals and underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures. Key preventive actions include using strong and unique passwords, especially for SSH connections, and staying updated with the latest malware detection tools and cybersecurity practices.

For more detailed information, you can read the full article on Ars Technica (https://upmytech.com/linux-devices-are-under-attack-by-a-never-before-seen-worm-ars-technica/), and additional insights are available on Digital Chew (https://digitalchew.com/2024/01/10/virulent-mirai-based-malware-worm-attacks-linux-devices-globally/).

joshua.hu, introduces SSH-Snake, a tool developed for automatic traversal of networks using SSH private keys. This tool is designed to find SSH private keys on the current system, identify potential hosts or destinations for these keys, and then attempt SSH connections to all discovered destinations.

SSH-Snake is unique in its recursive ability to repeat these tasks at each new destination, making it self-replicating and self-propagating.

The tool's primary function initially was to create visual representations of systems accessed via compromised SSH private keys, aiding in understanding network connections and dynamics.

For more detailed information, please visit the website: https://github.com/MegaManSec/SSH-Snake

The document "9 Steps To - Effective Strategies for Integrating AI Automation into Your Process Orchestration Workflows" by Dimitrios Zacharopoulos, published by Obipixel Ltd & Obi.Academy, offers a comprehensive guide on integrating AI-powered automation into business process orchestration. It covers various aspects such as the potential of AI automation, predictive and generative AI, challenges in AI implementation, augmented intelligence, and custom AI integrations.

Key topics include:

• The Potential of AI-Powered Automation: Discussing the transformative impact of AI in various domains.

• Process Orchestration Possibilities: Exploring how AI can be used to orchestrate complex business processes.

• Predictive AI: The use of AI for predicting future trends based on data insights.

• Generative AI: Focusing on the creative potential of AI in automating and enhancing processes.

• Challenges in AI Automation: Addressing common obstacles and how to overcome them.

• Augmented Intelligence: Enhancing decision-making processes with AI assistance.

• Custom AI Integrations: Tailoring AI solutions to specific business needs for improved process orchestration.

The guide emphasises the importance of a strategic approach to AI integration, highlighting the benefits of enhanced efficiency and the potential for innovative solutions in process management. It's designed for both technical and business professionals seeking to leverage AI for process improvement and competitive advantage.

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9 Steps To - Effective Strategies for Integrating AI Automation into Your Process Orchestration Workflows
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Apple's warranty policy does not cover damage from liquids, even for its water-resistant devices such as iPhones, Apple Watches, and certain AirPods models. To identify liquid exposure, Apple employs various detection methods. In their latest Mac computers, Apple has introduced a system to detect liquid presence in USB-C ports. As reported by 9to5Mac, macOS Sonoma 14.1 features a new system component called “liquiddetectiond.” This tool is specifically designed to detect when a Mac has come into contact with liquids, particularly monitoring each USB-C port for any signs of liquid exposure.

The system, known as "Liquid Detection and Corrosion Mitigation Daemon," functions similarly to a feature in iPhones and iPads. In these devices, the system alerts users when liquid is detected in the connector, advising them to disconnect the charging cable to avoid damage. On Macs, this daemon appears to be focused more on gathering diagnostic data rather than providing direct alerts to users. It's speculated that Apple might use this data to help technicians determine whether a Mac qualifies for complimentary repairs under certain conditions.

In addition to this new digital detection method, Apple's laptops and some keyboards already include Liquid Contact Indicators (LCI). These indicators, placed strategically within the devices, change color upon contact with liquids, aiding in the assessment of liquid damage. The addition of a digital detector in USB-C ports is another step to ensure accurate diagnostics when evaluating liquid exposure in Macs.

Currently, it remains unclear if this new detection system is compatible with all Macs running the latest macOS version or if it is exclusive to Macs with the M3 chip, possibly due to additional hardware requirements.

https://9to5mac.com/2023/11/03/macs-liquids-detected-in-usb-c-ports/

Aurora Flight Sciences has been chosen by DARPA to construct a large-scale X-plane, showcasing the feasibility of using active flow control (AFC) actuators as the main mechanism for flight control. This forms Phase 3 of the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) initiative.

Rewinding to December 1903, when the Wright brothers achieved a breakthrough in aviation with the first fully controllable aircraft using wing warping, nearly every subsequent aircraft has relied on traditional, movable external control surfaces for maneuvering.

The innovative X-65 aircraft disrupts this long-standing design approach by employing air jets from a pressurized source to manipulate airflow over its surface. Utilizing AFC effectors on multiple surfaces, it controls the aircraft's roll, pitch, and yaw. This design, devoid of external moving parts, aims to reduce weight and complexity while enhancing performance.

https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2024-01-03

A recent incident at the company responsible for creating ChatGPT underscores growing concerns about how commercial interests may be working counter to the responsible development of artificial intelligence systems.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03700-4

A comprehensive guide to CSS grid, focusing on all the settings both for the grid parent container and the grid child elements.

https://css-tricks.com/snippets/css/complete-guide-grid/

If you peruse the initial evaluations of Apple's latest Macs powered by the M3 chip, you might get the impression that not much has altered within their CPU cores, aside from some number tweaks and an increase in the peak frequency of their P cores. With my early arrival of the MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max, this article offers an initial assessment of the modifications within their CPU cores and how these changes may influence your selection of the right chip for your next Apple silicon Mac. In line with Apple's approach, I will draw comparisons between the M1 and M3 chips, as, in most of the aspects discussed here, the M2 CPU cores did not undergo as significant a transformation from those found in the M1, and I have had the opportunity to test four different M1 models.

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