Stephan Somogyi
@thinkpanzer.bsky.social
Primum non nocere
Very probably nerding harder than you
Teaching & Research @ Columbia Journalism School
Recovering tech, business, and design journo
Weniger, aber besser.
Very probably nerding harder than you
Teaching & Research @ Columbia Journalism School
Recovering tech, business, and design journo
Weniger, aber besser.
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Dear Lazyweb: What's the current state of encrypted DNS with modern browsers/OSs? Links welcome!
(boot for reach, SVP!🙏 )
(boot for reach, SVP!🙏 )
November 18, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Dear Lazyweb: What's the current state of encrypted DNS with modern browsers/OSs? Links welcome!
(boot for reach, SVP!🙏 )
(boot for reach, SVP!🙏 )
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
PSA: tips to protect yourself from scams on Signal.
Every major comms platform has to contend w phishing, impersonation, & scams. Sadly.
Signal is major, and as we've grown we've heard about more of these attacks--scammy people pretending to be something or someone to trick and abuse others. 1/
Every major comms platform has to contend w phishing, impersonation, & scams. Sadly.
Signal is major, and as we've grown we've heard about more of these attacks--scammy people pretending to be something or someone to trick and abuse others. 1/
November 11, 2025 at 6:13 PM
PSA: tips to protect yourself from scams on Signal.
Every major comms platform has to contend w phishing, impersonation, & scams. Sadly.
Signal is major, and as we've grown we've heard about more of these attacks--scammy people pretending to be something or someone to trick and abuse others. 1/
Every major comms platform has to contend w phishing, impersonation, & scams. Sadly.
Signal is major, and as we've grown we've heard about more of these attacks--scammy people pretending to be something or someone to trick and abuse others. 1/
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Last week, MIT released a sketchy, vendor-funded report claiming more than 80% of ransomware was powered by AI. I had a deadline and didn’t get to read it when it first came out.
Now I’ll never get to read it. People pointed out so many methodological problems that they pulled it offline. 1/x
Now I’ll never get to read it. People pointed out so many methodological problems that they pulled it offline. 1/x
Security Community Slams MIT-linked Report Claiming AI Power...
Experts push back on new claims about AI-driven ransomware, warning that hype and sponsored research are distorting how the threat is understood.
socket.dev
November 3, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Last week, MIT released a sketchy, vendor-funded report claiming more than 80% of ransomware was powered by AI. I had a deadline and didn’t get to read it when it first came out.
Now I’ll never get to read it. People pointed out so many methodological problems that they pulled it offline. 1/x
Now I’ll never get to read it. People pointed out so many methodological problems that they pulled it offline. 1/x
Whomst among us hasn't at some point exclaimed PLEASE SEND THEATER CRITIC OR SYSTEM ADMIN ?
AI researchers at Andon Labs embedded various LLMs in a vacuum robot to test how ready they were to be embodied. And hilarity ensued.
AI researchers 'embodied' an LLM into a robot – and it started channeling Robin Williams | TechCrunch
AI researchers at Andon Labs embedded various LLMs in a vacuum robot to test how ready they were to be embodied. And hilarity ensued.
techcrunch.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Whomst among us hasn't at some point exclaimed PLEASE SEND THEATER CRITIC OR SYSTEM ADMIN ?
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
November 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.
Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!
#MundaneHalloween
I, too, am team No You Don't Hydrate And Get Back In There
Sometimes i get sad at those “I wanted to look up what kind of horse pulled medieval wagons It’s three hours later and playtex bra sewers made spacesuits i have a problem” no. No, you don’t. Hydrate and get back in there
I strongly recommend everyone do research sometimes 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘯.
Look something up on Wikipedia. Go to the little citation. Follow it. Read the article it's referencing. Follow links to the original interview. Read the paper written by the interviewee
It genuinely makes you appreciate journalism
Look something up on Wikipedia. Go to the little citation. Follow it. Read the article it's referencing. Follow links to the original interview. Read the paper written by the interviewee
It genuinely makes you appreciate journalism
November 2, 2025 at 2:24 AM
I, too, am team No You Don't Hydrate And Get Back In There
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
I didn’t plan to break news. I just looked out the window.
I was flying out of DCA and saw the East Wing being demolished. I took a photo, posted it, and by the time I landed, it was on CNN.
It's wild how fast one moment can move — and how something so ordinary can make the world pay attention.
I was flying out of DCA and saw the East Wing being demolished. I took a photo, posted it, and by the time I landed, it was on CNN.
It's wild how fast one moment can move — and how something so ordinary can make the world pay attention.
From Seat 1D to CNN: My Viral White House Photo
What a last-minute upgrade and a quick instinct taught me about transparency, timing, and the power of noticing.
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I didn’t plan to break news. I just looked out the window.
I was flying out of DCA and saw the East Wing being demolished. I took a photo, posted it, and by the time I landed, it was on CNN.
It's wild how fast one moment can move — and how something so ordinary can make the world pay attention.
I was flying out of DCA and saw the East Wing being demolished. I took a photo, posted it, and by the time I landed, it was on CNN.
It's wild how fast one moment can move — and how something so ordinary can make the world pay attention.
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Western man is externalizing himself in the form of gadgets. —Dr. Benway, in Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
October 24, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Western man is externalizing himself in the form of gadgets. —Dr. Benway, in Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Encryption without key rotation is just sparkling obfuscation
October 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Encryption without key rotation is just sparkling obfuscation
The screen caused much more than a great flattening: it accelerated to breakneck speeds, eliminating much space for contemplation.
A reason for some preoccupation with craft is to reclaim a bit of that.
Because fine-tuning turns out to affect quality.
A reason for some preoccupation with craft is to reclaim a bit of that.
Because fine-tuning turns out to affect quality.
on.ft.com/46M9mXI Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world. Free to Read.
Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
Design was once seen as a tool to improve lives — but as modernism has become marketing, that sense of social purpose has drifted away
on.ft.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
The screen caused much more than a great flattening: it accelerated to breakneck speeds, eliminating much space for contemplation.
A reason for some preoccupation with craft is to reclaim a bit of that.
Because fine-tuning turns out to affect quality.
A reason for some preoccupation with craft is to reclaim a bit of that.
Because fine-tuning turns out to affect quality.
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Today, my research group @ Georgia Tech released a paper on vulnerabilities in Tile --- the second largest device finding network after Apple's AirTags.
You can read about it in Wired, reporting by @kimzetter.bsky.social!
www.wired.com/story/tile-t...
You can read about it in Wired, reporting by @kimzetter.bsky.social!
www.wired.com/story/tile-t...
September 29, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Today, my research group @ Georgia Tech released a paper on vulnerabilities in Tile --- the second largest device finding network after Apple's AirTags.
You can read about it in Wired, reporting by @kimzetter.bsky.social!
www.wired.com/story/tile-t...
You can read about it in Wired, reporting by @kimzetter.bsky.social!
www.wired.com/story/tile-t...
The supply chain attacks will continue succeeding until FIDO increases…
September 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The supply chain attacks will continue succeeding until FIDO increases…
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
I've been struggling through the process to FOIA my own data from CBP. They keep asking for identity verification, but don't respond to queries about the ID submission process (which is where I'm stuck). Has anyone been through this and can help?
September 16, 2025 at 10:24 AM
I've been struggling through the process to FOIA my own data from CBP. They keep asking for identity verification, but don't respond to queries about the ID submission process (which is where I'm stuck). Has anyone been through this and can help?
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Some unused cover ideas for this week's issue
August 16, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Some unused cover ideas for this week's issue
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Presenting the most comprehensive list of Chinese fonts made in Hong Kong since the year 2000 💘:
March 4, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Presenting the most comprehensive list of Chinese fonts made in Hong Kong since the year 2000 💘:
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
While most vendors ship timely patches for vulnerabilities reported by Project Zero, they don’t always reach users. Today, we’re announcing Reporting Transparency, a new policy to encourage downstream fixes
googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/2025/07/repo...
googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/2025/07/repo...
Policy and Disclosure: 2025 Edition
Posted by Tim Willis, Google Project Zero In 2021, we updated our vulnerability disclosure policy to the current "90+30" model. Our goals we...
googleprojectzero.blogspot.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:05 PM
While most vendors ship timely patches for vulnerabilities reported by Project Zero, they don’t always reach users. Today, we’re announcing Reporting Transparency, a new policy to encourage downstream fixes
googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/2025/07/repo...
googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/2025/07/repo...
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Time to find the right journalist(s) for live hacking demo video pieces. If you're coming to DEF CON and want a scoop, lmk:
1. How AI voice clones are currently being used to target Execs and their orgs in the wild for wire transfer fraud, passwords, and document stealing & how to stop it
1. How AI voice clones are currently being used to target Execs and their orgs in the wild for wire transfer fraud, passwords, and document stealing & how to stop it
July 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Time to find the right journalist(s) for live hacking demo video pieces. If you're coming to DEF CON and want a scoop, lmk:
1. How AI voice clones are currently being used to target Execs and their orgs in the wild for wire transfer fraud, passwords, and document stealing & how to stop it
1. How AI voice clones are currently being used to target Execs and their orgs in the wild for wire transfer fraud, passwords, and document stealing & how to stop it
Simply epic. What extraordinary commitment to the bit.
With Tom Lehrer's passing, I suppose this is a moment to share the story of the prank he played on the National Security Agency, and how it went undiscovered for nearly 60 years.
July 28, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Simply epic. What extraordinary commitment to the bit.
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
37yrs ago, our second single from Vivid, Cult Of Personality, was released - July 14, 1988!
Thank you to every fan who’s ever cranked it to 11, moshed to it, studied the lyrics, questioned authority, and demanded more. This song belongs to all of you now.
#LivingColour #CultOfPersonality
Thank you to every fan who’s ever cranked it to 11, moshed to it, studied the lyrics, questioned authority, and demanded more. This song belongs to all of you now.
#LivingColour #CultOfPersonality
July 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM
37yrs ago, our second single from Vivid, Cult Of Personality, was released - July 14, 1988!
Thank you to every fan who’s ever cranked it to 11, moshed to it, studied the lyrics, questioned authority, and demanded more. This song belongs to all of you now.
#LivingColour #CultOfPersonality
Thank you to every fan who’s ever cranked it to 11, moshed to it, studied the lyrics, questioned authority, and demanded more. This song belongs to all of you now.
#LivingColour #CultOfPersonality
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
As more journalists are driven out of their jobs, I keep hearing this drumbeat of "it's ok -- they can start their own newsletter or publication." Some can. But becoming your own business is a huge job, and will eliminate many talented reporters from the public sphere. Here's why. (1/5)
July 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
As more journalists are driven out of their jobs, I keep hearing this drumbeat of "it's ok -- they can start their own newsletter or publication." Some can. But becoming your own business is a huge job, and will eliminate many talented reporters from the public sphere. Here's why. (1/5)
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
I keep telling people that Ao3 should be better known in the open culture community but uh not like this 😂
Original post: hachyderm.io/@vashti/1147...
Original post: hachyderm.io/@vashti/1147...
July 4, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I keep telling people that Ao3 should be better known in the open culture community but uh not like this 😂
Original post: hachyderm.io/@vashti/1147...
Original post: hachyderm.io/@vashti/1147...
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
Ibaraki prefecture’s veteran toy poodle police dog Anzu was recognized yesterday for finding an elderly man who had gone missing in the woods at night.
After being dispatched, Anzu located the man in 45 min just from the scent of his pajamas.
After being dispatched, Anzu located the man in 45 min just from the scent of his pajamas.
June 13, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Ibaraki prefecture’s veteran toy poodle police dog Anzu was recognized yesterday for finding an elderly man who had gone missing in the woods at night.
After being dispatched, Anzu located the man in 45 min just from the scent of his pajamas.
After being dispatched, Anzu located the man in 45 min just from the scent of his pajamas.
Reposted by Stephan Somogyi
And don't forget: cryptography is a tool for turning lots of different problems into key distribution problems. Key distribution (including rotation) problems are way harder than I would have expected before touching actual real-world systems /6
June 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM
And don't forget: cryptography is a tool for turning lots of different problems into key distribution problems. Key distribution (including rotation) problems are way harder than I would have expected before touching actual real-world systems /6