#Reference: Waf

[judas-had-a-crown]

It's written up in the stars

To spell it out in blood

'Cause I was once in your arms

But then I fucked it up

A couple kids in the dark

With poison in a cup

A dagger right to the heart

Hush now, Juliet

There's nothing left

Hush now, Juliet

We are the death of each other

[bread-squid-uwu]

Bonus: Laurance

Since he wasn't in LLP, here is his reference for Starlight/WAF, sitting at home while the others are fighting for their lives.

More people need to put this man in a tank top.

Just queued reblogs of my other redesign posts, might as well queue this one that I totally didn't forget to post

[invinciblerodent]

I just spent a good 40 minutes searching for where I could have messed up on the whole "letting Astarion drink" matter, and.... apparently instead of responding "I'm not opposed to you feeding on me", I said "sounds good" (the option I think I thought sounds most like my self-assured, no-waffing about Iona, and the one of which he approves) 7 full hours of gameplay ago.

The romance is active. I got all the scenes I didn't get before. I could offer to let him bite her during the sex scene without issues. All that's missing is the repeatable "you can feed on me tonight" line without a cutscene, and the (frankly pretty annoying) debuff that comes with it.

.... I don't think reloading 7 hours is worth that. As far as I know, all I lose out on are some vaguely horny voice lines (frankly it's so easy to mess this up, it's a wonder I didn't the first time- it makes sense that it wouldn't be tied to a lot of extra content) so I'm not too bothered, but it's still got me a bit miffy about it.

I'll just do the same thing I do on my other run: have him bite the first bandit of the day, and just... headcanon in that she's obviously letting him feed, only it's not giving her the debuff. Because of her draconic blood or something or another.

I mean, I already headcanon in the majority of at least their early relationship (which, all things considered, is at least 32-40 total hours with nobody but the other for company- 4 hours each night, due to the elven sleep thing), what's this one more thing. It's just a missing dialogue option in recordings that nobody's gonna see anyway; I just need them for fic reference.

.... She's not impressed though.

(gwumpy gorl)

[foliarlight]

Alright, I sat my butt down and wrote out my thoughts from a previous post more in-depth. This study / headcanon pertains Nahida's 3.6 second story quest. Do not read this essay if you have not finished her story yet!

King Deshret's confirmed name is Amun, which indicates that what is written on his tomb now has more substance. The right side reads as Amun Khenti-Ament, which is his true name and likely a title. Khenti-Amentiu was a title also used for Osiris and Anubis and it appeared on necropolis cylinders, but it isn't an actual name. As such, the full true name I will be using from now on will be Amun Ra-Horakhty. Amun is known as a god of the air and often closely associated with the sun god Ra ( i. E. when merged together as Amun-Ra, in some versions they are even interchangeable. ) Horakhty represents Horus, who is known as a son of the sky, and ties into the falcon imagery that is heavily referenced with Deshret's lore. Regarding Alhaitham specifically, Horus is also well known for reincarnation, most notably rebirth in the east. ( With the desert being " western Sumeru. " ) All three of those gods also have associations in the form of Amun-Ra and Ra-Horakhty respectively, often merging together as reformed deities. And to fully round this study out, the right side of Deshret's tomb reads Mek Dsrt Waf Khasut, which very likely references Mek Kemet waf khasut, literally translating to " protector of the desert who curbs foreign lands. " This is a huge hint towards his rebellion against Celestia's Heavenly Principles and its imposed reign. King Deshret and Al-Ahmar are better known names and are more widely used.( For comparison, Buer = Amun, Kusanali = Al-Ahmar, Nahida = Deshret )

Fully confirmed that King Deshret was pursuing forbidden knowledge to challenge Celestia, as did other divine beings at the time. He was the only one to succeed because of Nabu Malikata's aid. My guess is there was generally a faction that was willing to rebel against the Heavenly Principles, which Deshret was apart of by extension, even if he was primarily pursuing his own idealistic dreams without outside influence. I cannot see Deshret adhering to the will and guidelines of someone else. But most importantly, happy that it was made clear that Deshret was not the only one who considered this path a worthwhile risk and that he was not the " crazy one " for trying to do so, which fits much better with my portrayal. Any madness Deshret had came with the Forbidden Knowledge.

King Deshret was almost certainly a Descender from Celestia, and I will write him as such. This has been hinted several times, most notably as being heavily referenced as a son of the sky and him often being seen looking up at the sky with nostalgia. The reason he descended in my headcanon is due to not agreeing with Celestia's ways / the Heavenly Principles, which ultimately led to him rebelling against them as a god. This is also in some part why King Deshret rejected the offered gnosis.

More or less confirmed that Deshret and Nabu Malikata were only briefly romantically involved ( if at all? ) in the Vourukasha's Glow description. They are not romantically involved in my personal lore to begin with, but finding out that the Goddess of Flowers then proceeded to essentially be two Lesbian Moms ™ with Rukkhadevata was an interesting turn of events. So even if King Deshret had feelings in the canon lore, he essentially still wound up watching the gals and their bird child thrive from the sidelines.

Deshret and Apep were basically frenemies. They were not exactly on good terms, but because their goals aligned, they came to a mutual understanding. Deshret came into a position where he could practically utilize Apep as a failsafe in the event the forbidden knowledge would destroy himself, indicating that Deshret actually thought pretty far ahead. When this came to pass, Apep swallowed his remains after he sacrificed himself. That is a neat reference to Apep and Ra in the original myth, where Apep was said to swallow the sun ( Ra ) every single night. This corrupted Apep and is also the reason why Deshret's tomb is empty. Apep having consumed Deshret's forbidden knowledge, and by extension also his body, is one the two primary reasons why Alhaitham's memory of his pre-reincarnation life is almost entirely missing. This is also partially rooted in Deshret's self-sacrifice, but the consumption made it worse. Alhaitham is in a similar position to Guoba where the sacrifice coupled with the assimilation of Deshret's former body and knowledge has caused him to no longer have these memories or any of the prior powers.

[earmo-imni]

(Picture for reference)

[archupnet]

The Metropolitan Station in Lublin, designed by the Polish architectural firm Tremend, has received the main award at this year's World Architecture Festival (WAF). The event, held from 6-8th November in Singapore, is regarded as one of the most significant and prestigious in the global architecture industry. It's no surprise that the awards presented at WAF are often referred to as the 'Oscars of Architecture'. The design by Tremend was unrivalled in the 'Transport' category. The World Architecture Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious architectural events with an international reach. This multi-day event annually attracts representatives of the architectural community from around the world to Singapore. It is not only a gathering of the most esteemed architects, but the festival's program also includes a discussion panel, presentations of design concepts, thematic exhibitions, and the award ceremony for the World Architecture Festival Awards. This year, the Metropolitan Station in Lublin, designed by the Polish firm Tremend, was shortlisted as a finalist in the 'Transport' category of the World Architecture Festival Awards. Its competitors included renowned architectural practices such as Zaha Hadid Architects (UK), Kohn Pedersen Fox (UK), Wood Marsh Architecture (Australia) and line+ studio (China). The project of the Polish architectural firm earned the judges' acclaim, securing first prize. The Tremend team presented their project to the jury during a live presentation in front of an audience. Interestingly, Tremend's design had already caught the attention of the World Architecture Festival Awards jury in the past. In 2019, during the 'Future Projects' category assessment, the concept for the Integrated Transport Centre in Lublin reached the finals in the 'Infrastructure' category. At that time, the jury praised the project for its range of eco-friendly solutions, which enhanced its efficiency while significantly minimising its negative environmental impact. For more on ArchUp: https://archup.net/aarhus-school-of-architectures-drawing-of-the-year-2020/ Read the full article

[elenaagil]

AWS Security Best Practice

AWS Security Best Practice refer to a set of guidelines and recommendations designed to help users protect their cloud infrastructure and data when using Amazon Web Services (AWS). These best practices include implementing strong identity and access management (IAM) policies, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), regularly monitoring and auditing AWS resources, encrypting data both at rest and in transit, and configuring security groups and network access controls to limit unauthorized access. Additionally, users are encouraged to use AWS security tools such as AWS Shield, AWS WAF (Web Application Firewall), and Amazon GuardDuty to detect and mitigate potential threats. Following these practices helps ensure a robust security posture, safeguarding against cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

[redfoxsecseo]

Unlock Your Cybersecurity Potential with Redfox Academy: Exploring Web Hacking Basics, Web Hacking Advanced, and Windows Red Teaming Courses

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[isoimplementationinthailand]

Understanding the Importance of SOC 2 Certification for Data Security

Introduction SOC 2 Certification 

 SOC 2 Certification in Sri lanka All enterprises, especially those that contract with third-party vendors (such as SaaS or cloud computing providers) for essential business operations, should be concerned about information security. This is understandable given that improper handling of data, particularly by software and network security providers, can expose businesses to risks including malware installation, extortion, and data theft

SOC 2 is an auditing process that verifies your service providers safely handle your data to safeguard your company's interests and its clients' privacy. SOC 2 certification is a must for security-conscious companies when choosing a SaaS provider.

What is benefits of SOC 2 Certification

1. Safety

SOC 2 Implementation in Sweden The defense of system assets against unauthorized access is referred to as the security principle. Access controls aid in preventing potential misuse of software, theft or unauthorized data removal, inappropriate modification or disclosure of information, and system abuse.

IT security tools that help stop security breaches that might result in unauthorized access to systems and data include intrusion detection, two factor authentication, network or web-based application firewalls (WAFs), and intrusion detection.

Subscription and providers of cloud computing are not required to be SOC 2 compliant, but its importance in protecting your personal information cannot be emphasized.

Imperva is subject to routine audits to make sure we continue to be SOC 2-compliant and that all five trust principle requirements are fulfilled. All of the services we offer, such as load balancing, security for web applications, DDoS defense, content delivery via our CDN, and attack analytics, are compliant.

Cost Of SOC 2 Certification

SOC 2 Cost in Thailand It is challenging to estimate the SOC 2 accreditation cost for 2024 with any degree of precision because there are many factors that can influence it, including the organization's size and complexity, the audit's scope, and the amount of work required to establish and maintain effective privacy and security controls. This also covers the costs of SOC2.

The cost of complying with SOC 2 should, however, remain mostly constant in 2024, with a little fluctuation based on each company's particular situation, as per current developments and industry estimates. A recent survey conducted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) found that the average cost of a SOC 2 audit in 2020 was $29,400, with costs ranging from $3,000

SOC 2 Certification  Audit 

An unbiased evaluation of the risks connected to using service providers and other third parties is provided by SOC (The system and Organization Controls) audits, formerly known as Service Organization Controls.SOC 2 Audit in Turkmenistan

They are necessary for risk management, corporate governance, vendor management programs, and regulatory oversight.

For service organizations, SOC audits come in three levels:

Organizations' internal oversight over financial reporting, or ICFR, is the subject of SOC 1 audits. They are carried out in accordance with the SSAE (Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements) 18 or ISAE (International Standard for Guarantee Engagements) 3402 assurance standards.

In compliance with SSAE 18, SOC 2 audits evaluate the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy controls of service organizations in relation to the AICPA's (Americans Institute of Certified Public Accountants) TSC (Trust Services Criteria).

How to get a SOC certification consultant ? 

SOC 2 Certification Consultants in United Kingdom To find a consultant for B2B certifications like B2B Cert (which I'll assume is a hypothetical certification for business-to-business transactions), you can follow a similar process to finding a SOC certification consultant. Clarify the specific B2B  cert certification requirements you need for your business. This could involve aspects like data security, compliance with industry standards, or adherence to specific regulations related to B2B transactions. Look for consultants or consulting firms that specialize in B2B  cert certifications or related areas such as data security, compliance, or industry-specific standards. Utilize online searches, industry forums, and professional networks to identify potential consultants Verify the credentials and expertise of the consultants or firms you're considering. Look for certifications, relevant experience, and a track record of success in helping businesses achieve B2B  cert certifications or compliance.

[judas-had-a-crown]

What a beautiful truth that a human can choose To become more than just what they feel. 'Cause the hell in your head will be nothing compared To the person that it couldn't kill.

[bread-squid-uwu]

are you the one who keeps adding "love interest" into the dante/travis wiki pages and changing characters skin complexion description pages to say they're darker than they canonically are?

if so, i've reviewed these edits, and some text added contains misinformation, poor wording, and strong bias against katelyn/travlyn and that's the reason why some edits have been reverted and/or adjusted. i apologize if that caused any personal harm to you (/calm /trying not to sound aggressive here)

I'm not, however I have fixed Aphmaus from saying she was "lightly tanned" because that is blatantly not true. She is a darker tone.

I don't put my opinions into the wiki, thats not the place for writing with a bias. Which is something that happens there a lot, for example unwarranted character negativity and ship negativity such as Travlyn and also Travis or Aaron. though I don't edit Aarons wiki, only Dante and Travis.

I don't agree with putting personal thought into places for direct canon. Its unhelpful, and annoying that people take the wikis and use them for that. Although I dislike Travlyn myself, its beyond dumb to force that into places for strict canon.

However I do think its important to write in her mistreatment of him and their scene in season two, and how it was connected to Travis no longer flirting - and Katelyn going forward to control her anger. Which was a section I added a long time ago, though not using any harsh language or opinionated language. I believe that section has been changed from my original wording, which isn't ideal at all.

I rewrote the WAF area to fix it into saying possession instead of "split personality" which was absolutely necessary, and added the mobility aid parts. The entire reason that I started editing it was because the wiki had referred to Michael taking control over him as some "split personality disorder" which was disgustingly wrong.

I also added the smaller parts about Travis not actually being as innocent during high school, and Dante knowing him since middle school. All canon information and things shown on screen. I don't know if these parts are still there.

My last edits were absolute months ago, before this blog was created. I made posts back before my original blog was terminated explaining these changes and such, and my apologies for no longer having access to those posts.

I also added to his appearance description, because it had completely left out the color of his pants and shoes, which was honestly just a personal bother because I have some visual struggles and believe that any and all descriptions should include the most basic information they can.

Again, my last edits were at the very very beginning of this year, and this is genuinely on me for not keeping up with the wikis. They're an odd place that receives many weird or unwanted changes, such as Zanes name being changed or people putting two characters as love interests who weren't.

I'm simply upset at losing so much work because I'm not able to fix it until I get a new laptop or my pain flare up ends and I can use my hands for longer than half an hour. MyStreet is very important to me, it's my primary special interest. Travis and Dante are also very important to me, I'm not very sure why. I was only expressing this sort of frustration because it was overwhelming to me finding my work gone, I'm autistic and struggle greatly with being mentally well off after finding out things I do are ultimately going to disappear in the end.

EDIT: My original wording is gone, the wiki now says the word "abuse" when talking about Travlyn and Season 2, this was not my work. So I was right when saying it's been changed from what was originally written. However the part during the "Personality" section talking about the same thing, has not been changed from my original edits. For some weird reason, his shoe color was also removed?

[sunaleisocial]

Understanding the impacts of mining on local environments and communities

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/understanding-the-impacts-of-mining-on-local-environments-and-communities/

Understanding the impacts of mining on local environments and communities

Hydrosocial displacement refers to the idea that resolving water conflict in one area can shift the conflict to a different area. The concept was coined by Scott Odell, a visiting researcher in MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI). As part of ESI’s Program on Mining and the Circular Economy, Odell researches the impacts of extractive industries on local environments and communities, especially in Latin America. He discovered that hydrosocial displacements are often in regions where the mining industry is vying for use of precious water sources that are already stressed due to climate change.

Odell is working with John Fernández, ESI director and professor in the Department of Architecture, on a project that is examining the converging impacts of climate change, mining, and agriculture in Chile. The work is funded by a seed grant from MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS). Specifically, the project seeks to answer how the expansion of seawater desalination by the mining industry is affecting local populations, and how climate change and mining affect Andean glaciers and the agricultural communities dependent upon them.

By working with communities in mining areas, Odell and Fernández are gaining a sense of the burden that mining minerals needed for the clean energy transition is placing on local populations, and the types of conflicts that arise when water sources become polluted or scarce. This work is of particular importance considering over 100 countries pledged a commitment to the clean energy transition at the recent United Nations climate change conference, known as COP28.

Play video

J-WAFS Community Spotlight on Scott Odell

Water, humanity’s lifeblood

At the March 2023 United Nations (U.N.) Water Conference in New York, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned “water is in deep trouble. We are draining humanity’s lifeblood through vampiric overconsumption and unsustainable use and evaporating it through global heating.” A quarter of the world’s population already faces “extremely high water stress,” according to the World Resources Institute. In an effort to raise awareness of major water-related issues and inspire action for innovative solutions, the U.N. created World Water Day, observed every year on March 22. This year’s theme is “Water for Peace,” underscoring the fact that even though water is a basic human right and intrinsic to every aspect of life, it is increasingly fought over as supplies dwindle due to problems including drought, overuse, or mismanagement.  

The “Water for Peace” theme is exemplified in Fernández and Odell’s J-WAFS project, where findings are intended to inform policies to reduce social and environmental harms inflicted on mining communities and their limited water sources.

“Despite broad academic engagement with mining and climate change separately, there has been a lack of analysis of the societal implications of the interactions between mining and climate change,” says Odell. “This project is helping to fill the knowledge gap. Results will be summarized in Spanish and English and distributed to interested and relevant parties in Chile, ensuring that the results can be of benefit to those most impacted by these challenges,” he adds.

The effects of mining for the clean energy transition

Global climate change is understood to be the most pressing environmental issue facing humanity today. Mitigating climate change requires reducing carbon emissions by transitioning away from conventional energy derived from burning fossil fuels, to more sustainable energy sources like solar and wind power. Because copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, it will be a crucial element in the clean energy transition, in which more solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles will be manufactured. “We are going to see a major increase in demand for copper due to the clean energy transition,” says Odell.

In 2021, Chile produced 26 percent of the world’s copper, more than twice as much as any other country, Odell explains. Much of Chile’s mining is concentrated in and around the Atacama Desert — the world’s driest desert. Unfortunately, mining requires large amounts of water for a variety of processes, including controlling dust at the extraction site, cooling machinery, and processing and transporting ore.

Chile is also one of the world’s largest exporters of agricultural products. Farmland is typically situated in the valleys downstream of several mines in the high Andes region, meaning mines get first access to water. This can lead to water conflict between mining operations and agricultural communities. Compounding the problem of mining for greener energy materials to combat climate change, are the very effects of climate change. According to the Chilean government, the country has suffered 13 years of the worst drought in history. While this is detrimental to the mining industry, it is also concerning for those working in agriculture, including the Indigenous Atacameño communities that live closest to the Escondida mine, the largest copper mine in the world. “There was never a lot of water to go around, even before the mine,” Odell says. The addition of Escondida stresses an already strained water system, leaving Atacameño farmers and individuals vulnerable to severe water insecurity.

What’s more, waste from mining, known as tailings, includes minerals and chemicals that can contaminate water in nearby communities if not properly handled and stored. Odell says the secure storage of tailings is a high priority in earthquake-prone Chile. “If an earthquake were to hit and damage a tailings dam, it could mean toxic materials flowing downstream and destroying farms and communities,” he says.

Chile’s treasured glaciers are another piece of the mining, climate change, and agricultural puzzle. Caroline White-Nockleby, a PhD candidate in MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society, is working with Odell and Fernández on the J-WAFS project and leading the research specifically on glaciers. “These may not be the picturesque bright blue glaciers that you might think of, but they are, nonetheless, an important source of water downstream,” says White-Nockleby. She goes on to explain that there are a few different ways that mines can impact glaciers.

In some cases, mining companies have proposed to move or even destroy glaciers to get at the ore beneath. Other impacts include dust from mining that falls on glaciers. White-Nockleby says, “this makes the glaciers a darker color, so, instead of reflecting the sun’s rays away, [the glacier] may absorb the heat and melt faster.” This shows that even when not directly intervening with glaciers, mining activities can cause glacial decline, adding to the threat glaciers already face due to climate change. She also notes that “glaciers are an important water storage facility,” describing how, on an annual cycle, glaciers freeze and melt, allowing runoff that downstream agricultural communities can utilize. If glaciers suddenly melt too quickly, flooding of downstream communities can occur.

Desalination offers a possible, but imperfect, solution

Chile’s extensive coastline makes it uniquely positioned to utilize desalination — the removal of salts from seawater — to address water insecurity. Odell says that “over the last decade or so, there’s been billions of dollars of investments in desalination in Chile.”

As part of his dissertation work at Clark University, Odell found broad optimism in Chile for solving water issues in the mining industry through desalination. Not only was the mining industry committed to building desalination plants, there was also political support, and support from some community members in highland communities near the mines. Yet, despite the optimism and investment, desalinated water was not replacing the use of continental water. He concluded that “desalination can’t solve water conflict if it doesn’t reduce demand for continental water supplies.”

However, after publishing those results, Odell learned that new estimates at the national level showed that desalination operations had begun to replace the use of continental water after 2018. In two case studies that he currently focuses on — the Escondida and Los Pelambres copper mines — the mining companies have expanded their desalination objectives in order to reduce extraction from key continental sources. This seems to be due to a variety of factors. For one thing, in 2022, Chile’s water code was reformed to prioritize human water consumption and environmental protection of water during scarcity and in the allocation of future rights. It also shortened the granting of water rights from “in perpetuity” to 30 years. Under this new code, it is possible that the mining industry may have expanded its desalination efforts because it viewed continental water resources as less secure, Odell surmises.

As part of the J-WAFS project, Odell has found that recent reactions have been mixed when it comes to the rapid increase in the use of desalination. He spent over two months doing fieldwork in Chile by conducting interviews with members of government, industry, and civil society at the Escondida, Los Pelambres, and Andina mining sites, as well as in Chile’s capital city, Santiago. He has spoken to local and national government officials, leaders of fishing unions, representatives of mining and desalination companies, and farmers. He observed that in the communities where the new desalination plants are being built, there have been concerns from community members as to whether they will get access to the desalinated water, or if it will belong solely to the mines.

Interviews at the Escondida and Los Pelambres sites, in which desalination operations are already in place or under construction, indicate acceptance of the presence of desalination plants combined with apprehension about unknown long-term environmental impacts. At a third mining site, Andina, there have been active protests against a desalination project that would supply water to a neighboring mine, Los Bronces. In that community, there has been a blockade of the desalination operation by the fishing federation. “They were blockading that operation for three months because of concerns over what the desalination plant would do to their fishing grounds,” Odell says. And this is where the idea of hydrosocial displacement comes into the picture, he explains. Even though desalination operations are easing tensions with highland agricultural communities, new issues are arising for the communities on the coast. “We can’t just look to desalination to solve our problems if it’s going to create problems somewhere else” Odell advises.

Within the process of hydrosocial displacement, interacting geographical, technical, economic, and political factors constrain the range of responses to address the water conflict. For example, communities that have more political and financial power tend to be better equipped to solve water conflict than less powerful communities. In addition, hydrosocial concerns usually follow the flow of water downstream, from the highlands to coastal regions. Odell says that this raises the need to look at water from a broader perspective.

“We tend to address water concerns one by one and that can, in practice, end up being kind of like whack-a-mole,” says Odell. “When we think of the broader hydrological system, water is very much linked, and we need to look across the watershed. We can’t just be looking at the specific community affected now, but who else is affected downstream, and will be affected in the long term. If we do solve a water issue by moving it somewhere else, like moving a tailings dam somewhere else, or building a desalination plant, resources are needed in the receiving community to respond to that,” suggests Odell.

The company building the desalination plant and the fishing federation ultimately reached an agreement and the desalination operation will be moving forward. But Odell notes, “the protest highlights concern about the impacts of the operation on local livelihoods and environments within the much larger context of industrial pollution in the area.”

The power of communities

The protest by the fishing federation is one example of communities coming together to have their voices heard. Recent proposals by mining companies that would affect glaciers and other water sources used by agriculture communities have led to other protests that resulted in new agreements to protect local water supplies and the withdrawal of some of the mining proposals.

Odell observes that communities have also gone to the courts to raise their concerns. The Atacameño communities, for example, have drawn attention to over-extraction of water resources by the Escondida mine. “Community members are also pursuing education in these topics so that there’s not such a power imbalance between mining companies and local communities,” Odell remarks. This demonstrates the power local communities can have to protect continental water resources.

The political and social landscape of Chile may also be changing in favor of local communities. Beginning with what is now referred to as the Estallido Social (social outburst) over inequality in 2019, Chile has undergone social upheaval that resulted in voters calling for a new constitution. Gabriel Boric, a progressive candidate, whose top priorities include social and environmental issues, was elected president during this period. These trends have brought major attention to issues of economic inequality, environmental harms of mining, and environmental justice, which is putting pressure on the mining industry to make a case for its operations in the country, and to justify the environmental costs of mining.

What happens after the mine dries up?

From his fieldwork interviews, Odell has learned that the development of mines within communities can offer benefits. Mining companies typically invest directly in communities through employment, road construction, and sometimes even by building or investing in schools, stadiums, or health clinics. Indirectly, mines can have spillover effects in the economy since miners might support local restaurants, hotels, or stores. But what happens when the mine closes? As one community member Odell interviewed stated: “When the mine is gone, what are we going to have left besides a big hole in the ground?”

Odell suggests that a multi-pronged approach should be taken to address the future state of water and mining. First, he says we need to have broader conversations about the nature of our consumption and production at domestic and global scales. “Mining is driven indirectly by our consumption of energy and directly by our consumption of everything from our buildings to devices to cars,” Odell states. “We should be looking for ways to moderate our consumption and consume smarter through both policy and practice so that we don’t solve climate change while creating new environmental harms through mining.”

One of the main ways we can do this is by advancing the circular economy by recycling metals already in the system, or even in landfills, to help build our new clean energy infrastructure. Even so, the clean energy transition will still require mining, but according to Odell, that mining can be done better. “Mining companies and government need to do a better job of consulting with communities. We need solid plans and financing for mine closures in place from the beginning of mining operations, so that when the mine dries up, there’s the money needed to secure tailings dams and protect the communities who will be there forever,” Odell concludes.

Overall, it will take an engaged society — from the mining industry to government officials to individuals — to think critically about the role we each play in our quest for a more sustainable planet, and what that might mean for the most vulnerable populations among us.

[jcmarchi]

Understanding the impacts of mining on local environments and communities

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/understanding-the-impacts-of-mining-on-local-environments-and-communities/

Understanding the impacts of mining on local environments and communities

Hydrosocial displacement refers to the idea that resolving water conflict in one area can shift the conflict to a different area. The concept was coined by Scott Odell, a visiting researcher in MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI). As part of ESI’s Program on Mining and the Circular Economy, Odell researches the impacts of extractive industries on local environments and communities, especially in Latin America. He discovered that hydrosocial displacements are often in regions where the mining industry is vying for use of precious water sources that are already stressed due to climate change.

Odell is working with John Fernández, ESI director and professor in the Department of Architecture, on a project that is examining the converging impacts of climate change, mining, and agriculture in Chile. The work is funded by a seed grant from MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS). Specifically, the project seeks to answer how the expansion of seawater desalination by the mining industry is affecting local populations, and how climate change and mining affect Andean glaciers and the agricultural communities dependent upon them.

By working with communities in mining areas, Odell and Fernández are gaining a sense of the burden that mining minerals needed for the clean energy transition is placing on local populations, and the types of conflicts that arise when water sources become polluted or scarce. This work is of particular importance considering over 100 countries pledged a commitment to the clean energy transition at the recent United Nations climate change conference, known as COP28.

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J-WAFS Community Spotlight on Scott Odell

Water, humanity’s lifeblood

At the March 2023 United Nations (U.N.) Water Conference in New York, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned “water is in deep trouble. We are draining humanity’s lifeblood through vampiric overconsumption and unsustainable use and evaporating it through global heating.” A quarter of the world’s population already faces “extremely high water stress,” according to the World Resources Institute. In an effort to raise awareness of major water-related issues and inspire action for innovative solutions, the U.N. created World Water Day, observed every year on March 22. This year’s theme is “Water for Peace,” underscoring the fact that even though water is a basic human right and intrinsic to every aspect of life, it is increasingly fought over as supplies dwindle due to problems including drought, overuse, or mismanagement.  

The “Water for Peace” theme is exemplified in Fernández and Odell’s J-WAFS project, where findings are intended to inform policies to reduce social and environmental harms inflicted on mining communities and their limited water sources.

“Despite broad academic engagement with mining and climate change separately, there has been a lack of analysis of the societal implications of the interactions between mining and climate change,” says Odell. “This project is helping to fill the knowledge gap. Results will be summarized in Spanish and English and distributed to interested and relevant parties in Chile, ensuring that the results can be of benefit to those most impacted by these challenges,” he adds.

The effects of mining for the clean energy transition

Global climate change is understood to be the most pressing environmental issue facing humanity today. Mitigating climate change requires reducing carbon emissions by transitioning away from conventional energy derived from burning fossil fuels, to more sustainable energy sources like solar and wind power. Because copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, it will be a crucial element in the clean energy transition, in which more solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles will be manufactured. “We are going to see a major increase in demand for copper due to the clean energy transition,” says Odell.

In 2021, Chile produced 26 percent of the world’s copper, more than twice as much as any other country, Odell explains. Much of Chile’s mining is concentrated in and around the Atacama Desert — the world’s driest desert. Unfortunately, mining requires large amounts of water for a variety of processes, including controlling dust at the extraction site, cooling machinery, and processing and transporting ore.

Chile is also one of the world’s largest exporters of agricultural products. Farmland is typically situated in the valleys downstream of several mines in the high Andes region, meaning mines get first access to water. This can lead to water conflict between mining operations and agricultural communities. Compounding the problem of mining for greener energy materials to combat climate change, are the very effects of climate change. According to the Chilean government, the country has suffered 13 years of the worst drought in history. While this is detrimental to the mining industry, it is also concerning for those working in agriculture, including the Indigenous Atacameño communities that live closest to the Escondida mine, the largest copper mine in the world. “There was never a lot of water to go around, even before the mine,” Odell says. The addition of Escondida stresses an already strained water system, leaving Atacameño farmers and individuals vulnerable to severe water insecurity.

What’s more, waste from mining, known as tailings, includes minerals and chemicals that can contaminate water in nearby communities if not properly handled and stored. Odell says the secure storage of tailings is a high priority in earthquake-prone Chile. “If an earthquake were to hit and damage a tailings dam, it could mean toxic materials flowing downstream and destroying farms and communities,” he says.

Chile’s treasured glaciers are another piece of the mining, climate change, and agricultural puzzle. Caroline White-Nockleby, a PhD candidate in MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society, is working with Odell and Fernández on the J-WAFS project and leading the research specifically on glaciers. “These may not be the picturesque bright blue glaciers that you might think of, but they are, nonetheless, an important source of water downstream,” says White-Nockleby. She goes on to explain that there are a few different ways that mines can impact glaciers.

In some cases, mining companies have proposed to move or even destroy glaciers to get at the ore beneath. Other impacts include dust from mining that falls on glaciers. White-Nockleby says, “this makes the glaciers a darker color, so, instead of reflecting the sun’s rays away, [the glacier] may absorb the heat and melt faster.” This shows that even when not directly intervening with glaciers, mining activities can cause glacial decline, adding to the threat glaciers already face due to climate change. She also notes that “glaciers are an important water storage facility,” describing how, on an annual cycle, glaciers freeze and melt, allowing runoff that downstream agricultural communities can utilize. If glaciers suddenly melt too quickly, flooding of downstream communities can occur.

Desalination offers a possible, but imperfect, solution

Chile’s extensive coastline makes it uniquely positioned to utilize desalination — the removal of salts from seawater — to address water insecurity. Odell says that “over the last decade or so, there’s been billions of dollars of investments in desalination in Chile.”

As part of his dissertation work at Clark University, Odell found broad optimism in Chile for solving water issues in the mining industry through desalination. Not only was the mining industry committed to building desalination plants, there was also political support, and support from some community members in highland communities near the mines. Yet, despite the optimism and investment, desalinated water was not replacing the use of continental water. He concluded that “desalination can’t solve water conflict if it doesn’t reduce demand for continental water supplies.”

However, after publishing those results, Odell learned that new estimates at the national level showed that desalination operations had begun to replace the use of continental water after 2018. In two case studies that he currently focuses on — the Escondida and Los Pelambres copper mines — the mining companies have expanded their desalination objectives in order to reduce extraction from key continental sources. This seems to be due to a variety of factors. For one thing, in 2022, Chile’s water code was reformed to prioritize human water consumption and environmental protection of water during scarcity and in the allocation of future rights. It also shortened the granting of water rights from “in perpetuity” to 30 years. Under this new code, it is possible that the mining industry may have expanded its desalination efforts because it viewed continental water resources as less secure, Odell surmises.

As part of the J-WAFS project, Odell has found that recent reactions have been mixed when it comes to the rapid increase in the use of desalination. He spent over two months doing fieldwork in Chile by conducting interviews with members of government, industry, and civil society at the Escondida, Los Pelambres, and Andina mining sites, as well as in Chile’s capital city, Santiago. He has spoken to local and national government officials, leaders of fishing unions, representatives of mining and desalination companies, and farmers. He observed that in the communities where the new desalination plants are being built, there have been concerns from community members as to whether they will get access to the desalinated water, or if it will belong solely to the mines.

Interviews at the Escondida and Los Pelambres sites, in which desalination operations are already in place or under construction, indicate acceptance of the presence of desalination plants combined with apprehension about unknown long-term environmental impacts. At a third mining site, Andina, there have been active protests against a desalination project that would supply water to a neighboring mine, Los Bronces. In that community, there has been a blockade of the desalination operation by the fishing federation. “They were blockading that operation for three months because of concerns over what the desalination plant would do to their fishing grounds,” Odell says. And this is where the idea of hydrosocial displacement comes into the picture, he explains. Even though desalination operations are easing tensions with highland agricultural communities, new issues are arising for the communities on the coast. “We can’t just look to desalination to solve our problems if it’s going to create problems somewhere else” Odell advises.

Within the process of hydrosocial displacement, interacting geographical, technical, economic, and political factors constrain the range of responses to address the water conflict. For example, communities that have more political and financial power tend to be better equipped to solve water conflict than less powerful communities. In addition, hydrosocial concerns usually follow the flow of water downstream, from the highlands to coastal regions. Odell says that this raises the need to look at water from a broader perspective.

“We tend to address water concerns one by one and that can, in practice, end up being kind of like whack-a-mole,” says Odell. “When we think of the broader hydrological system, water is very much linked, and we need to look across the watershed. We can’t just be looking at the specific community affected now, but who else is affected downstream, and will be affected in the long term. If we do solve a water issue by moving it somewhere else, like moving a tailings dam somewhere else, or building a desalination plant, resources are needed in the receiving community to respond to that,” suggests Odell.

The company building the desalination plant and the fishing federation ultimately reached an agreement and the desalination operation will be moving forward. But Odell notes, “the protest highlights concern about the impacts of the operation on local livelihoods and environments within the much larger context of industrial pollution in the area.”

The power of communities

The protest by the fishing federation is one example of communities coming together to have their voices heard. Recent proposals by mining companies that would affect glaciers and other water sources used by agriculture communities have led to other protests that resulted in new agreements to protect local water supplies and the withdrawal of some of the mining proposals.

Odell observes that communities have also gone to the courts to raise their concerns. The Atacameño communities, for example, have drawn attention to over-extraction of water resources by the Escondida mine. “Community members are also pursuing education in these topics so that there’s not such a power imbalance between mining companies and local communities,” Odell remarks. This demonstrates the power local communities can have to protect continental water resources.

The political and social landscape of Chile may also be changing in favor of local communities. Beginning with what is now referred to as the Estallido Social (social outburst) over inequality in 2019, Chile has undergone social upheaval that resulted in voters calling for a new constitution. Gabriel Boric, a progressive candidate, whose top priorities include social and environmental issues, was elected president during this period. These trends have brought major attention to issues of economic inequality, environmental harms of mining, and environmental justice, which is putting pressure on the mining industry to make a case for its operations in the country, and to justify the environmental costs of mining.

What happens after the mine dries up?

From his fieldwork interviews, Odell has learned that the development of mines within communities can offer benefits. Mining companies typically invest directly in communities through employment, road construction, and sometimes even by building or investing in schools, stadiums, or health clinics. Indirectly, mines can have spillover effects in the economy since miners might support local restaurants, hotels, or stores. But what happens when the mine closes? As one community member Odell interviewed stated: “When the mine is gone, what are we going to have left besides a big hole in the ground?”

Odell suggests that a multi-pronged approach should be taken to address the future state of water and mining. First, he says we need to have broader conversations about the nature of our consumption and production at domestic and global scales. “Mining is driven indirectly by our consumption of energy and directly by our consumption of everything from our buildings to devices to cars,” Odell states. “We should be looking for ways to moderate our consumption and consume smarter through both policy and practice so that we don’t solve climate change while creating new environmental harms through mining.”

One of the main ways we can do this is by advancing the circular economy by recycling metals already in the system, or even in landfills, to help build our new clean energy infrastructure. Even so, the clean energy transition will still require mining, but according to Odell, that mining can be done better. “Mining companies and government need to do a better job of consulting with communities. We need solid plans and financing for mine closures in place from the beginning of mining operations, so that when the mine dries up, there’s the money needed to secure tailings dams and protect the communities who will be there forever,” Odell concludes.

Overall, it will take an engaged society — from the mining industry to government officials to individuals — to think critically about the role we each play in our quest for a more sustainable planet, and what that might mean for the most vulnerable populations among us.

[govindhtech]

Cybersecurity Attack Surface Layers: A Multifaceted Threat

Applications Based Attack Surface Reducing the attack surface, identifying and countering cyberthreats, and recovering from an assault throughout the infrastructure—edge, core, and cloud—are the first three key practice areas to be prioritized in order to advance cybersecurity and Zero Trust maturity. In order to improve your security posture, this blog article will concentrate on decreasing the attack surface, which is an essential part of cybersecurity.

Any region inside an environment that a cyber attacker may target or exploit is referred to as the attack surface. These points may include improper setups, insufficient authentication procedures, unpatched systems, high user rights, exposed network ports, inadequate physical protection, and more.

Across cybersecurity, reducing the attack surface refers to decreasing possible ports of entry and vulnerability that an attacker may use to breach a system, network, or organization across a variety of domains, such as the edge, the core, or the cloud. By lowering the attack surface, firms may innovate and prosper while simultaneously giving bad actors less opportunity to carry out effective assaults.

Organizations use a variety of techniques and tactics to lessen the attack surface, such as:

Put the Zero Trust principles into practice: The idea behind Zero Trust security is that businesses shouldn’t blindly trust anything that’s attempting to access their systems from the inside or the outside. Instead, they should make sure that everything is legitimate before allowing access. By implementing technologies like multi-factor authentication (MFA), identity and access management (IAM), micro-segmentation, and security analytics, to mention a few, organizations may realize a Zero Trust model.

Regularly patch and update: It is possible to mitigate known vulnerabilities and reduce the chance of exploitation by keeping operating systems, software, and applications updated with the most recent security updates.

Make sure the setting is safe: In order to minimize the attack surface, systems, networks, and devices must be appropriately configured using security best practices, such as turning down superfluous services, creating strong passwords, and enforcing access limits.

Put the least privilege principle into practice: Restrict user and system accounts to the minimal amount of access required to carry out their duties. This strategy lessens the possibility of an attacker getting access without authorization.

Segment your network: By isolating important assets and restricting access across various network segments, segmenting a network into zones or segments with varying security levels helps contain an attack and stops a cyber threat from moving laterally.

Assure the security of the application: In order to defend against frequent application-level assaults and minimize the attack surface of online applications, safe development methods, frequent security testing, code reviews, and the use of web application firewalls (WAFs) are recommended.

Apply ML and AI: Use these tools to proactively find and fix vulnerabilities so that the attack surface is considerably reduced. Businesses may expand their security capabilities with the use of AI/ML technologies.

Collaborate with vendors that uphold a safe supply chain: With infrastructure and devices that are created, produced, and supplied with security in mind, you can guarantee a reliable base. Suppliers that provide a safe development lifecycle, a secure supply chain, and thorough threat modeling help you stay ahead of potential attackers.

Inform users and raise awareness: By teaching staff members and users how to identify and report possible security risks, phishing scams, and social engineering techniques, the likelihood of successful attacks that take use of user weaknesses is reduced.

Make use of partnerships and skilled professional services: Knowledge and solutions that may not be accessible internally can be brought in by working with skilled and experienced cybersecurity service providers and establishing alliances with business and technological partners. An organization’s entire security posture may benefit from this.

With the assistance of seasoned services or partners, you may uncover opportunities for improvement within your attack surface by conducting frequent audits, penetration tests, and vulnerability assessments in addition to starting with an assessment. It’s critical to keep in mind that maintaining cybersecurity is a continuous effort, since cyber threats continue to change. Furthermore, cybersecurity is crucial for businesses hoping to develop a strong, profitable, and inventive company. Through the proactive use of these measures, businesses may successfully decrease the attack surface, therefore mitigating risks and increasing the difficulty with which attackers can exploit vulnerabilities. This improves the defensive posture against both new and evolving threats. You may improve your cybersecurity maturity by decreasing your attack surface.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[turbo4gproxy]

Reverse Proxies: An Integral Part of Web Application Security

Introduction: In an era where web applications are becoming increasingly complex and vulnerable to cyber threats, ensuring robust security measures is paramount. One essential component of web application security is the use of reverse proxies. In this article, we will explore the role of reverse proxies in safeguarding web applications and discuss their importance in maintaining a secure online environment.

Understanding Web Application Security: Web application security refers to the protection of online applications from unauthorized access, data breaches, and other malicious activities. It encompasses various measures and technologies aimed at mitigating risks and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of web applications.

The Need for Web Application Security: Web applications are prone to a wide range of security vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and cross-site request forgery (CSRF). These vulnerabilities can lead to data leaks, unauthorized access, and potential damage to a company’s reputation.

Introducing Reverse Proxies: A reverse proxy acts as an intermediary between client devices and web servers, handling incoming requests on behalf of the servers. Unlike traditional forward proxies that protect clients’ identities, reverse proxies protect servers by providing an additional layer of security.

How Reverse Proxies Work: When a client sends a request to access a web application, it first reaches the reverse proxy. The reverse proxy then forwards the request to the appropriate server. This process helps shield the server from direct exposure to external threats.

Load Balancing and Scalability: Reverse proxies often incorporate load balancing mechanisms. By distributing incoming requests across multiple servers, they help optimize performance and ensure high availability. This scalability is particularly important for popular websites experiencing heavy traffic.

Protecting Against DDoS Attacks: Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks can cripple web applications by overwhelming them with a flood of traffic. Reverse proxies can help mitigate such attacks by filtering out malicious traffic and distributing the legitimate requests across multiple servers.

SSL/TLS Termination: Reverse proxies can handle SSL/TLS termination, decrypting incoming encrypted requests and forwarding them to the web servers in plain text. This offloads the computational burden of encryption from the servers, improving performance while maintaining secure communication.

Web Application Firewall (WAF) Functionality: Many reverse proxies incorporate Web Application Firewall (WAF) functionality, offering an additional layer of protection against common web application vulnerabilities. WAFs can detect and block malicious traffic, including attempts to exploit known vulnerabilities.

Caching and Content Delivery: Reverse proxies can cache static content, such as images, CSS, and JavaScript files. By serving cached content directly to clients, they reduce the load on web servers, improve response times, and enhance user experience.

Enhancing Privacy and Anonymity: Reverse proxies can help protect user privacy and anonymity. By acting as an intermediary, they mask the identity and location of clients, making it more difficult for malicious actors to track or target individuals.

Monitoring and Logging: Reverse proxies often provide valuable monitoring and logging capabilities. They can record and analyze incoming traffic, detect patterns of suspicious behavior, and generate logs for auditing and forensic analysis.

Reducing Attack Surface: By serving as a shield between clients and web servers, reverse proxies reduce the attack surface exposed to potential threats. This isolation helps safeguard sensitive information and prevent direct exploitation of server vulnerabilities.

Implementing Reverse Proxies Effectively: To maximize the benefits of reverse proxies for web application security, consider the following best practices:

Proper Configuration: Ensure that the reverse proxy is correctly configured to handle requests and forward them securely to the web servers.

Regular Updates and Patches: Keep the reverse proxy software up to date with the latest security patches to address any vulnerabilities.

Access Controls: Implement strong access controls to restrict unauthorized access to the reverse proxy and the underlying web servers.

Logging and Monitoring: Regularly monitor and analyze the logs generated by the reverse proxy to detect and respond to potential security incidents.

Potential Challenges and Considerations: While reverse proxies offer significant security benefits, there are a few considerations to keep in mind:

Performance Impact: Reverse proxies can introduce additional latency due to the extra layer of processing involved. Proper configuration and optimization are crucial to minimize performance impact.

SSL/TLS Certificates: Implementing SSL/TLS termination in reverse proxies requires managing and renewing certificates to ensure secure communication.

Single Point of Failure: If the reverse proxy fails, it can disrupt access to the web application. Implement redundancy and failover mechanisms to mitigate this risk.

Conclusion: In an increasingly interconnected and vulnerable digital landscape, web application security is of utmost importance. Reverse proxies play a vital role in safeguarding web applications by providing an additional layer of protection, load balancing, scalability, SSL/TLS termination, and security features like WAF. By implementing reverse proxies effectively and following best practices, organizations can enhance the security and reliability of their web applications, protecting sensitive dataand ensuring a secure online environment for users.