Violet Blue

Wrote a proposal for a weird engineering capstone project (Victoria University), it got matched to a student, and the student just gave his first code demo -- and nailed it!!!! We're at the halfway point, it's going to be a rad public art project that keeps Wellington weird and I'm so psyched! 🥳

New: hackers on 0day revenge spree vow to 'shatter Microsoft's bones', Adafruit goes dark after CFAA threats, Huawei thanks the US for changing the chip market in their favor, Timnit Gebru was right, SF Airbnbs wrecked by dishonest housecleaning bot startup, a revolutionary new pickup truck EV starts with a real key and has no internet connection (!), and much more: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-2-159904656 #Cybersecurity

Context free, but feeling pretty steely right now about the choice fucking words and receipts I had in my Black Hat Asia keynote about *certain* companies and their bug bounties

Can't wait until that keynote is public. SOON.

This is the best video about Covid that has ever been made

Don't worry, it's short 🙃

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqWx2W39Zbw

New: you're not nuts, your autocorrect has been quietly poisoned by AI.

Also, Snowden fronts for the FSB, a burglary suspect successfully fled in a Waymo, ads in New York must now label AI-generated "synthetic performers", this week's infosec arguments, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/violetblue/posts/cybersecurity-16-161223878

Not luck, just science, all clear after Wellington-Christchurch-Singapore-Auckland-Wellington! 3M respies* for airports and planes (I broke two straps, had backups), KF / N95 for the rest, mini air purifier (Medify MA10) on the planes at all times. More details in alt text.

Covid is airborne, it's not "just a cold." Take it seriously. We *can* prevent it.

* My trusty Flo Mask is still in a box somewhere after having just moved.

New: Google is "proud" to work with Trump admin, ShinyHunters bro busted after posting selfies in a diamond “Hack the Planet” gangsta necklace, Five Eyes countries publish AI guidance, Richard Dawkins feminizes Claude AI, we miss journalism with context, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-5-157412472

New: I wrote about why we need to fight the calculated forgetting of recent history so we can make a better future.

Also: how Musk killed 100's of thousands, details on the new Covid prevention drug, a look inside the fight to restart US Ebola programs, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/violetblue/posts/pandemic-roundup-162031691

NEW: Meta and the Heritage Foundation are behind online age-check laws being pushed worldwide, Iran hacked a multinational US company and remote-wiped most of its devices, BuzzFeed nears bankruptcy after pivot to AI, random acts of Kiwi compassion, and more.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-17-153242517

I'm seeing *so much* misinformation right now -- I hope people find this helpful: https://www.patreon.com/posts/hantavirus-on-mv-157506297

This week: US police hand ICE protestors’ phones to FBI for secret cracking with Cellebrite, the US Supreme Court just blew up EU-US data transfers, gorgeous DEF CON badges are already here, and much more. #cybersecurity

https://www.patreon.com/violetblue/posts/cybersecurity-30-162474210

New: Ebola updates, the USDA now has a Screwworm Dashboard, Covid ⬆️ as much as 300% in Southeast Asia countries, OBGYNs rebuke US CDC, pop icon Tiffany opens up about Long Covid, a new "Three good pieces" feature, cats losing it for chicken, and more: https://www.patreon.com/violetblue/posts/pandemic-roundup-160784505

For me, the report this week from OECD on the global financial costs of Long Covid is a smoking gun. This isn’t about “the next pandemic.” It’s about the fact that the economic ruin we’re all racing toward and #LongCovid are the same thing. I explain why here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/covid-april-9-155159308

Hey I have some good news! I finally found an apartment, YAY!

I started a small fundraiser because I need to move quickly to avoid doubling up on rent as much as possible. Details on everything here, with more to come: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-our-quick-move-to-a-safe-warm-apartment

By the way, I'm keynoting Black Hat Asia 2026.

It's not going to be like anything you've seen from me before now.

And it's not some bullshit TED "privacy" talk.

https://blackhat.com/asia-26/briefings/schedule/index.html#keynote-privacy-is-the-captain-security-is-the-practice-54361

Updated: Twenty‑three passengers from the MV Hondius have been on land for more than two weeks. Post includes full list of ports the ship visited, why the US isn't involved in WHO data sharing despite two US passengers now under monitoring in Georgia, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/hantavirus-on-mv-157506297

New in #cybersecurity: Adafruit to sue Flux AI over CFAA attacks (and more), Meta denies then removes Meta glasses facial recognition code (for now), 20K Insta accounts hacked via Meta AI, a cat-detection keyboard app, Mamdani clone dreams in the comments, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-9-160602859

New newsletter, new format: Fauci aide arrested at gunpoint, great clinical trial news about azelastine (prevention) nasal spray, Whoopi Goldberg (4 infections) makes a strong case about Long Covid on The View, WHO finally removes its "airborne" tweet, C19 travel tips, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/covid-april-30-156948727

For those wondering, yep, total faceplant rn: https://downdetector.com/status/bluesky/

New: where we're at with the Ebola outbreak, Covid risk assessment by location, why a new variant is hitting kids hard, trial confirms metformin reduces Long Covid risk, US demands Africa health data for aid money, RFK Jr now runs US disability education, and more.

https://www.patreon.com/violetblue/posts/ebola-hantavirus-161406105

Counting down the hours until Widow's Bay

RE: @violetblue@mastodon.social

Who profits from digital age check laws? Who gets the data?

ICYMI: Meta, Heritage Foundation, and NCOSE - formerly Morality in Media - have been traced in open records (including IRS) as the source of lobbying and funding behind age-check laws *globally*

DCA's leadership traces directly to NCOSE ⬇️

"[Trump officials] designated antifa, short for anti-fascist, a domestic terrorist group, even though the president did not have the lawful authority to do so. Antifa is also not an organization... [it's] akin to designating Marxism or feminism as a terror group."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/13/texas-terrorism-trial

If you need to look at something else for a minute: let's dump "CEO Said A Thing!" journalism, no you can’t cheat at chess with a hacked buttplug, circumventing Russia’s Telegram comms ban with a wifi cat feeder, Audre Lorde's"The Master's Tools" in tech discourse, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-7-154983896

#Cybersecurity

New: Physics Girl is back! #LongCovid books for kids, Covid is 2x as deadly as RSV in AU + US, new research: Covid can directly infect heart tissue, places lighting up for International Long Covid Awareness Month, updated local risk levels, and more.

And I had somehow missed that Wil Wheaton caved to antimask pressure and got C19 (and talked about it).

Cats await you: https://www.patreon.com/posts/covid-march-5-152269864

Art by Anna Zagerson.

New newsletter, new format -- and a full report after Singapore (no handcuffs in the locksport area!) SANS got a big ICE training contract, a look at KitKat's new Faraday cage (protest friendly) wrapper, Covid travel thoughts, lively comments, more: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-28-156746057

We're almost at the finish line for our fundraiser -- just 5 low-income students left on the waiting list (and we feed them both days of the conference). They're so excited for this!

We just need $60USD per student! Anyone can donate, any little bit helps, plz boost: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/stout-centre/about/donations-and-fundraising

New by me: wild details on the ISS’s medical scare, OKCupid/Match gets no penalties for selling 3M users’ biometric data to a facial recognition broker, FBI’s Patel email hacked (twice in 2 years), people are giving AI control to sex toys… and I have exciting news.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-31-154388966

RE: @violetblue@mastodon.social

Iran has fired back and issued this statement: “Our response will be public, and there are no red lines… All American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become legitimate targets.”

Threat Model is dedicated to finding the highest quality news sources of stories that deserve your attention – never behind a paywall. Since 2016.

Seeing outlets I byline for in the buyout today. Indies like me need your support more than ever. Please share.

https://www.patreon.com/cw/violetblue

New episode of Orbital Leisure Lounge for your evening respite! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jymplBVtXx4

And now you can find Queen Olivia III and I on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and 17 (!) other platforms: https://linktr.ee/orbitleisure

Gutted to lose FX.

https://blog.recurity-labs.com/2026-03-02/Farewell_Felix

Known for the default password list and Huawei's router backdoors, remembered always as a dear, loving friend who was always there and ready to understand. Great dancer, too.

We first met when spies attended his talk in Malaysia: https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/hack-in-the-box-researcher-reveals-ease-of-huawei-router-access/

Please spread the word: early bird registration is now open for the conference I'm helping with next month!

Any kind of share helps (repost, email, pneumatic tubes, screaming) and it's for an excellent cause that's more timely than ever: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/stout-centre/about/events/kia-tika-kia-pono-for-a-just-society

FYI: per NYT, WSJ, other sources the U.S. and Israel are bombing Iran right now

NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/28/world/iran-strikes-trump?unlocked_article_code=1.PlA.OuCP.Mcm1HtD_9RCN&smid=url-share

Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/feb/28/israel-attacks-iran-as-blasts-heard-in-tehran-live-updates

New: UK Inquiry report live, 150,000+ uncounted 2020-2021 US deaths, a sex worker Covid safety workshop (online, this weekend), Netherlands is experiencing record C19 lows (see, it *can* be done!), 400K in NZ have #LongCovid as surge continues, Long Covid affects 18 million Americans, local risk levels, more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/covid-march-19-153403657

New:

-Chaos at the CDC (again)
-ACIP announces meeting on #LongCovid and vaccines*
-Covid ⬆️ in US, AU, UK, NZ
-Christina Applegate goes on Jimmy Kimmel while infected
-A fab look at treating Covid safety like STI prevention
-A free ‘zine you’re going to love, plus more!

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/covid-february-151686773

Sex Week at Vic Uni coincides with Pride and the beginning of the trimester so the entire country is pregnant now, and according to the student 'zine quiz I must now burst into flames

New: @micahflee@infosec.exchange 's ICE Contracts Explorer, LinkedIn/Persona verification data collection exposé, how to find the Nearby Glasses app, Wharton's "Cognitive Surrender" study, a tartan for witches, @temporalinvestigations.com launches, @defcon@defcon.social Franklin/Hacker's Almanack -- and remembering FX 💔 #cybersecurity #StarTrek #hackers

All here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cybersecurity-3-152109509