Violet Blue®
@violetblue.bsky.social
Awarded author, journalist: cybersecurity, privacy, Covid. WIRED, PopSci, Spinoff, Engadget, FT, IFJ. Visiting Scholar at Stout Research Centre, NZ. Black Hat keynote. S/her. Bio: about.me/violetblue More: linktr.ee/viblue News: patreon.com/violetblue
📣 Aug 4 #ThreatModelCybersecurity: Coordinated cyberattacks on water systems in 12 states, #DEFCON34, & more 👩💻 Please share & support 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙡 newsletters (𝘛𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 #infosec / 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 #covid) & their author, independent journalist @violetblue.bsky.social www.patreon.com/violetblue/p... 𝟷/𝟹
Cybersecurity: August 4, 2026 | Threat Model
This week: water systems in seven twelve US states targeted in a coordinated cyberattack, the “escaped AI” story gets worse, deliberately ba
patreon.com
Today they published my submission on Aoteartoa New Zealand's proposed legislation "Definitions of Woman and Man" Amendment Bill. Read it here: www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/sub...
I don't understand why people aren't more freaked out about the coordinated water systems cyberattack that hit *seven* US states (over 30 facilities in one state alone; people had to boil water). Anyway, if you missed the new #Cybersecurity roundup this morning: www.patreon.com/violetblue/p...
Cybersecurity: August 4, 2026 | Threat Model
This week: water systems in seven US states targeted in a coordinated cyberattack, the “escaped AI” story gets worse, deliberately backdoore
patreon.com
More cops have been arrested for using flock cameras to stalk women than there are transgender athletes in youth sports.
I’m old enough to remember when mask mandates were an intolerable intrusion on our freedoms.
Gillian Branstetter@gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 2d agoAn initiative on the ballot in Washington state in November would require all athletes seeking to play girl's sports from kindergarten to high school to undergo "genetic screening, a testosterone-levels test, or an examination of their reproductive anatomy" before they can play
Explaining to the away team that planetary surface conditions are unsuitable for today's mission and transport is restricted.
NNew Zealand Herald (Unofficial)@nzherald.nzcow.com · 2d ago
📢 Light snow falls in Wellington. Video / Melissa Nightingale, Max Reed, Supplied
Two days ago, on Orbital Leisure Lounge, @violetblue.bsky.social and I were talking about Winston Peters and today he made everything we mentioned come true for him, in just the stupidest way possible.
Just went out to check my mail and I think that's the last time my downstairs neighbor's boyfriend will play guitar on the couch naked with the curtains open
This conference can be attended online: store.2600.com/products/tic...
TICKETS TO HOPE 26 (VIRTUAL ATTENDEE)
user@hope26:~/tickets $ cat announcement-virtual.txt TICKETS TO HOPE 26ARE NOW AVAILABLE! [ EVENT_START ] Friday, August 14th, 2026 [ EVENT_END ] Sunday, August 16th, 2026 > More information is bei...
store.2600.com
2600 - The Hacker Quarterly@2600.com · 5d ago
So that’s the thing to know, if you’re a tabloid that’s going to name-check me in another round of transphobic shit about Bluesky discourse. I don’t stand with you. I stand with my trans friends and family members. ⏹️
I think of the headlines below whenever someone insists the worst most horrible thing that happened "during covid" was that children were harmed by schools being closed. We had YEARS of coast-to-coast waves of running out of room for dead bodies * "during covid" is now, we're still during covid
Jonathan Howard@joho.bsky.social · 3d ago
ALSO "ICU beds" actually relates to worker capacity, so if a facility lost beds it was usually because too many health workers had gotten sick or died
Gabriel Bosslet@gbosslet.bsky.social · 3d agoWe opened an ICU that had been shuttered for well over a decade so that a hospital that has 18 MICU beds could fit 46 patients on ventilators
Don't get long covid. Every day is some new bullshit and then you have to listen to an entire social media site go on about how nothing is worse than staying home for two months.
The most important thing to understand from this exchange is that there is no plan.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 3d agoBASH: How do you prepare for next pandemic? RFK Jr: We did almost everything wrong B: But what about now? K: We need to protect our rights B: ? K: During covid we dismantled our rights B: But I'm asking what *to* do K: You were part of the problem B: You want to sit here and attack me?
"A society that treats naming racism as the greater offence has confused the mirror with the wound." e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-...
We must name racism when it happens | E-Tangata
"It is not impolite to name racism, to document it, or to organise against it. What is impolite is telling a New Zealander of 30 years to go home. What is indecent is a cabinet that shelters him." — M...
e-tangata.co.nz
Australians have recently been able to access Nuvaxovid (Novavax) through the SAS. We've launched an Expression of Interest for people seeking access, doctors willing to consider prescribing, and pharmacists willing to administer if supply becomes available. pandemicresistance.org/novavax
the irony of publishing a report saying these groups are funded by outside actors and misrepresenting themselves as rights groups- right before being blackmailed by an outside actor and saying that these groups are actually rights groups
Valerie.vg (formerly DIYHRT.Market)@valerie.vg · 5d agoSo the key findings of Amnesty's report was that these anti-rights groups have massive funding, that it comes largely from far-right christian groups in the US, and that they're abusing UK charity law to misrepresent themselves as pro-rights organisations.
Solidarity with PNW because these new fire seasons are brutal and shocking and watching this from afar brings up a lot of stuff. Nothing is normal anymore.
Spokane Rising@spokanerising.com · 4d agoHoly crap. Level 3 (GO NOW!) zone now includes urban Spokane, south of Francis to Wellesley. Level 2 (GET SET!) zone now extends east of Division. Not to be alarmist, but at this rate, it’s not inconceivable that the Old Trails Fire merges with the Fairview Fire.
Clacton bin day leaflet, make sure the local Facebook and tiktok groups have a copy
New episode! What will RFK Jr. make on his cooking show? youtu.be/sMJN2LSWlMA
Orbital Leisure Lounge 005
YouTube video by Orbital Leisure Lounge
youtu.be
New episode! What will RFK Jr. make on his cooking show? youtu.be/sMJN2LSWlMA
Orbital Leisure Lounge 005
YouTube video by Orbital Leisure Lounge
youtu.be
The most infuriating thing about all the Fauci stuff this week is that everyone is past tensing a pandemic that is still happening. Covid is still disabling and killing people.
I’m exploring the mental health effects of AI coding. This is a super quick (blazing fast), anonymous survey. Please fill out and share so that the responses will be well rounded. forms.gle/dpD8Tk1QnXAz...
AI Coding & Mental Health
All answers are anonymous.
forms.gle