#propagation tutorial

[hychlorions]

2023 is obviously not the year of our lord because it's only january second and i already had to hear AND see the phrase "deku is a fem"

[encryptedlunacy]

Prime example of every rant I've had about moss collection ever. TW: I'm about to have another, there's a TLDR at the bottom if you don't wanna emerse yourself in it or you're welcome to skip unless you plan on doing this yourself in which case please read on

Despite the praise moss receives for it's "fast spreading" qualities, moss takes an EXTREMELY long time to grow and cutting out a section like this is a huge loss on that patch that will take probably over a year to regenerate.

Moss is so important!!! It not only provides habitats for an abundance of insects and other micro-organisms which sustain the ecosystem and soil health, but are also a vital food source for larger animals due to nutrient rich qualities as well as it's inhabitants!! Birds use moss as a source of nesting material, and some amphibians spawn their young in moss due to it's common growth habits and moisture retention qualities. All of these species need to have enough moss to sustain their populations and that's really difficult to do in it's own right with growing habitat loss without the consumer market taking it a step further. Carving out this much in one sitting - from one area - not only completely destroys any hope another species' may have had for using it but will stress the moss out and this clump likely will not even survive the transition, and the two pieces left by the road may even decay as well.

If that doesn't suffice, moss has so many benefits for the environment, it lays the groundwork for other plants to grow by stabilizing environments and trapping organic matter as it grows to basically make it's own soil for other plants to establish themselves in, filters air far more efficiently than trees and grasses, and can store CO2 for longer and trap nutrients for other organisms to process.

Another important role it plays is that scientists use moss to detect changes in our environment, purify waters and other substances, and restore habitats for other life forms - and all of these different areas are not only vastly more important than aesthetic preferences for a living room, but also require a healthy and thriving population!! Sphagnum(/peat) moss particularly is praised for a lot of different reasons, but if you ever get the chance just research the effects the loss of peat bogs has had on places like Canada and Chile because it's so crazy it's actually ridiculous - and sphagnum is probably the easiest thing in the world to propagate yourself as well!!

When people do this in mass quantities, it can be so harmful to the environment I cannot even begin to tell you. With the rising popularity of moss for the plant/herp community for terrariums, etc, and usefulness in crafting projects, the demand for it is increasing, which means that people are capitalising on an easy source of income by making businesses out of harvesting "fresh moss" as it's a readily available item for them to go out and grab. Etsy is rife with sellers using "fresh wild moss" as a marketing strategy to gather more interest, because hey if it's grown in the wild it's good quality right? And then the moss being distributed by these sellers is likely "foraged" unsustainably and having videos like this where they make this collection process seem so simplistically enjoyable and easy to do encourages other people to do the same. We (and yes I mean we, I'm not gonna stand on a soap box and pretend I'm Florence Nightingale, I've done stupid shit too, we're all learning) are so quick to trust that it's okay to do something because we assume somebody else knows better because they're doing it, and it breeds a whole community of bad practices.

I'm not saying buying moss or collecting moss is bad but PLEASE if you are going to harvest moss, there are so many videos on how to do it so that it doesn't destroy habitats (or at least lessens the damage done) by taking small portions from the middle of a patch where you can pat the other moss down around it to fill the gap and decreases the stress you're putting on it - or better yet! Take small clumps that have already dropped or been picked off by birds (our magpies love chucking moss off the roof, there's nothing we can do to stop them from tearing it up, but we can certainly make sure that it doesn't go to waste.)

There are more videos than I could swing a seal at showing you how to propagate moss as well, simply by cutting it into small pieces, spreading it out across a wider surface area, and you have even more moss to utilise in the future. P l e a s e, I am on my hands and knees begging you to challenge people who are doing this and politely inform them of the destruction it causes.

TLDR: Moss is really important for the environment and we need to make sure we're purchasing CULTIVATED MATERIAL ONLY or harvesting sustainably. Let's stop destroying habitats and harming the environment further!

If you would like yt links to video tutorials or simply channel recommendations I am happy to provide my favourite people I seriously do not mind just stop harming my moss please

DIY Terrarium

[pinkeoni]

candid tfs spoiler discussion below

So the AIDS thing is like, really on the nose isn't it. Like really really on the nose. Powers made through blood infection that is spread through blood transfusion and propagated by the US Government. Way to be subtle guys 😂 But it does make me a little excited knowing that reading the show through the AIDS lens was correct, even if they are gonna be obnoxious about it.

Will definitely has powers which I knew before but the origin is something that I got wrong, and tbf I knew I was definitely missing pieces and a lot of my assumptions about where his powers came from was, admittedly, me projecting the story that I wanted to happen rather than what the story was showing. If the show is using an over the top AIDS metaphor then it makes a lot more sense that Will's powers were inflicted on him rather than born naturally with him (even though HIV is something that can be passed on through childbirth, but it makes more sense to be inflicted in this particular case with Will)

And granted I have not seen the show with my own two eyes, and this is all taking things from bullet points that have been filtered through the experience of someone else. Honestly until I see a slime tutorial of the show myself then I won't have the full context, so take that for what you will. And I definitely need to read more into some of these spoilers.

But what I'm thinking right now for Will (because I only ever think about him and make everything about him okay!!) is that whether or not he was targeted specifically to be kidnapped or if he happened to be taken into the Upside Down (my money is still on he was targeted) I do think that Brenner and the lab had to tools to go in and get him but they decided to let him cook in there. The reason being because Brenner wanted another blood source. El herself could also be used for this, but maybe he wanted something tainted from the original original source??????? And what I'm also thinking is that Brenner had plans to "Adam and Eve" them essentially.

But all that is just me rattling off thoughts, and again, I'm taking this all through filtered spoilers from a stage play I haven't seen yet.

[buginacup]

The yellow paint discussion is mostly about level designers using yellow paint to signify interactables; climable ledges and breakable boxes and such. A lot of people think that it's handholdy.

The discussion around "hand-holding" in games is so fraught, imho.

There's a politicization of that style of tutorialization that paints big studios in a very flattering light, but is in my opinion insufficient. People tend to act as if these design elements exist solely for an accessibility purpose and therefore "accessibility" vs "difficulty" becomes the crux of the debate online. You watch it happen every time people talk about Dark Souls.

But the reality of these decisions is that studios and publishers want to be able to sell a consistent experience while also including a bunch of optional content to keep players on device. Execs don't want a large percentage of players to miss their big e3 trailer setpieces, so the funneling becomes strong-armed in order to satisfy the promises of the game. Since a lot of optional content runs parallel with the main product, you encounter a lot of design where the "correct" way forward needs to be completely obvious while also allowing space for the player to deliberately veer off and get lost. This is why so many games can't/don't do level design that funnels you forward naturally and nothing else - there is a conflict of interest stemming partly from an insecurity about variable experience with their product.

In my opinion this is one of the biggest weaknesses of AAA games - variable experience is one of the most fun things to assume/propagate as a developer. If it were as simple as assuming a level of intelligence from the player (as people act as if it is) perhaps there'd be more to say in the conversation itself, but in my opinion it's sorely simplistic on its face.

[anipgarden]

Hi Ani - I wonder do you have some resources or insights about collecting wildflower seeds? Particularly in bulk, and prepping them for distribution?

I ask because I've noticed that no-mow areas are becoming more common where I live, which is good, but since these are new projects what they amount to are areas of grass-but-taller. I have access to two properly wild abundance, and would like to propagate some of that in upcoming no-mow spaces.

Hello!

I would like to preface this by making it clear that I've never collected wildflower seeds in bulk. Honestly, the most wildflower seed collecting I usually do year by year is collecting milkweed seed when I find the pods in time, in my own backyard. Every so often I'll try and teach myself how to collect seeds from other plants (I'm pretty confident with sunflowers, tithonia rotundifolia, and zinnias, I've tried black eyed susans before but never germinated any to test the success), but for the most part I've got my One (1) specialty and am slowly learning just like you are!

With that in mind, I would like to give some encouraging news--at least in my experience, wildflowers are already producing seeds in pretty big numbers! Just one milkweed seed pod gives enough seed for at least two or three seed packets (unless your seed packs are extremely generous), so collecting from a handful of plants can give a pretty good amount! Of course, though, I don't know how big the no-mow spaces you're thinking of propagating in are...

When it comes to learning how to collect seeds from specific plants, I usually hit up Google or YouTube and find a tutorial there. A channel I often find myself on for this stuff is GrowIt BuildIt--he has a playlist dedicated to all of his seed-saving videos that you may find helpful!

The Xerces foundation also has a downloadable PDF on their site that speaks extensively about a variety of seed collecting and cleaning methods which may be helpful as well! They talk about machine-collecting as well as hand-collecting.

I will say, though, that a general good rule of thumb is to try not to take more than 20-30% of what's present, so that the wildflower population in that location can continue on. Wouldn't want to wipe out chances of wildflowers growing in one location in order to propagate them elsewhere! Not to mention the various animals that feed on seeds in the wild needing some seed around as a food source. Maybe collecting along the edges of the property, along paths where any seeds that fall would otherwise get trimmed or mowed? That way the seeds in the middle of it all are left as-is!

I can definitely say that one of the general things I've learned is that oftentimes, seeds are ready to collect from plants when they're looking pretty fucking dead. The backs of a sunflower head turning brown, zinnia petals turning brown and brittle, tithonias losing all their petals and becoming spiky brown seedheads--if it's brown, it's time to go to town, in a sense.

Seeing as milkweed is My Thing, I just feel I should point out that there are many ways to harvest milkweed seed. Some people will put organza bags over seed pods that are forming, so that when they split open the seeds don't escape and stay in the bag for later collection.

I have no doubt that this works--if anything, I think it'd be fantastic! I just don't feel like buying a lot of organza bags, so instead I usually just put rubber bands on the seed pods if they look like they're gonna split soon--this keeps it from splitting all the way open, so you can come back later and get your seeds! This is my favorite method for saving milkweed in my backyard--one or two seeds will escape, but for the most part, all the seeds are kept intact!

Regarding getting the seeds without the fluff, there's a few methods. The fluff on them (called comas) is designed to allow the milkweed to float in the air, similarly to dandelions--so it gets everywhere. I've seen methods to put the seeds in a bag or bucket with a few coins and shake it around to dislodge the seeds, but honestly the most life-changing revelation was seeing this video sometime in high school.

A common milkweed seedpod is used in this example, but I've found it still works perfectly with other milkweeds I've tried it on. Usually I leave the center support in the pod and just press my thumb on it while brushing the seeds off, then shake them out.

At this rate! I have gone on about milkweeds way too long. But I hope this was helpful to you and others! If anyone else seeing this has special advice to give, by all means, go ahead!

[kitehaizaki]

Sorry for the weird question but that thingy you do where you draw something in black and white and then when you click on the image the colours invert and the drawing changes, is there a name for doing that? Because I keep seeing you do it and it’s the coolest thing ever and I’m like “I wanna do that!” So naturally I go to consult YouTube tutorials but I have no idea what to search up to learn

Ah, you are referring to my works for the #KGS3rdProject if I'm not mistaken? I'm not quite sure what to call it either since I mostly find and experiment on exploiting the Twitter mechanics by myself (also after seeing other people do them), so it wasn't something I based off of a certain tutorial either. I guess I would call it something like an art that makes use of the Twitter's Dark Mode??? I do remember back then I got the hang of it after experimenting many times and found the pattern so it works maybe 90% of the process I came up with, but I would have to check on my files and recall how it went lol. Maybe with enough motivation and demand, I'll get to making a simple tutorial (the way I did mine at least). On a personal note, I believe it's not something so propagated since I myself have only seen them from Japanese artists (including myself).

[nanojungle]

Propagating moss

So awhile back I bought this silly little contraption called a “moss dome” which came with 3 sprigs of willow moss. It’s a semi circular cage which fits onto a solid plastic dome with some ceramic balls in it. When it came in the mail and I was mega unimpressed but thought, fuck it let’s see how it goes. A couple of months later, it didn’t grow to become a sphere/bush of moss like the packaging promised. The one in the photo was possibly created using a co2 setup but I can’t bring myself to commit to one.

Next to the moss dome in the first photo there is a plant pot the Anubias came in which I had weighed down with a ceramic plant weight and stuffed a load of moss in. Not tightly packed in, but the idea was that the moss would get a lot more water flowing through it, because moss feeds from the water column, not through roots. The plant pot grew so much more than the dome did. So I had another idea…

I had this idea that I wanted to try a take on the Dutch aquascape using only moss, but using 4 varieties of it in these neat little squares like you would see from an aerial view of the countryside landscape. The idea was that I would make a cage which would trap the moss and let water flow through it but also allow the shrimp to pick at it like they were little farmers. I actually preferred using them like big picture frames on the back wall of the aquarium and the shrimp love to pick at them.

A sortof tutorial:

Materials:

- fishing line

- barbecue sticks

- tank safe super glue

- a new plastic bath luffa (the one that’s made of a bunch of nets)

- airline pipe suction cups

- Hair elastic (possibly not aquarium safe so go with caution on this one, but I’ve had this in my tank for 2 months and we’ve been good )

Step 1, make the frames

I cut some barbecue sticks to 10cm cutting off the pointy ends and then cut little notches 1cm from the ends which would allow them to slot into eachother nicely. I then used an aquarium safe super glue to glue them into a square. Make two of these. They should fit together neatly when layed on top of each other.

Step 2 adding the netting

Cut the plastic bath luffa into 2 neat 10 x 10cm squares

Take some fishing line and use either your hands or a sewing needle, evenly thread the fishing line through the net and wind it around the one of the wooden frames, secure it at the corner with a knot and then continue until the net is evenly distributed. It’s good to have a bit of slack so the moss isn’t completely squashed. Do this for the other side and then tie them together at one side so they open like a book. You now have the frame!

Step 3 Adding to aquarium

Loosely pack some moss into the frame. You should allow all the moss to get some water flow and light. If you pack too much or too tightly it might suffocate and go brown.

To close the frame, tie one corner shut with a small hair elastic. (As I’ve mentioned before, I use this to secure my nets and have had no problems but if you can find something more certified fish-safe then go for it)

Fix an airline suction cup to the wall of your aquarium and then hook the frame onto it like a picture frame.

Hope this helps someone! It was a very quick and satisfying craft project that can be done in an hour or two :3

[jbird-the-manwich]

Stop pouring noodle water in your houseplants. No do not fix your mouth to respond with "its ohkay if...." its not. Use that energy to google why we use sterile ph balanced potting mix, how fungus grows in excess free sugars, and why npk balance matters and i guarantee youll change your mind before you hit enter. If that doesnt work checkout planttok i bet you money every dumdum tutorializing this absolute nonsense has a video six months after like "remember this one? He died! So today were propagating!" Make the fuckin connection already

[trasignal]

Introduction Trasignal

Trasignal  is a comprehensive and attractive platform for financial market enthusiasts. On this site, you can share your signals, analytics and tutorials with other users and benefit from their experiences and knowledge. Using the rating system and user reviews, Trasignal separates professional analysts from scammers and helps you learn from reputable analysts and in the markets Make better financial decisions.

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At Trasignal, we are always striving to build and update services. We respect your comments and suggestions and try to provide better service by hearing your voice. Trasignal is a platform for all those interested  in learning and advancing in financial markets.

[digital-lab-english-language-lab]

English Language in India

World English is broadly categorised into three varieties: English as a Native Language (ENL), English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). India is considered as an ESL territory.

Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India also paved way for the introduction to English language. The English spoken in India tends to be more British English than American English language but in many cases it is its own style. Even before the independence, English language in India started getting its prominence. The socio- historical stage for the introduction to English language in education was set by the end of the 18th century.English language training at that time was based on literature and grammar and the means of studies was the grammar-translation method and not the social English. Social English is the language of everyday communication in oral and written forms.

Uses of English language is much beyond our expectations.English language continues to be the tool for professional success. Listening practice and English language activities are not evaluated although practiced during the classes. This has been a drawback in educational institutes till now. Realising this problem and the uses of English language, the system is gradually being transformed by K-12 digital content service providers. Listening practice (listening English conversation), English language communication skills are now given high priority by the intervention of K-12 digital content service providers. Introduction of language lab in school is done to improve English language of students

Recognising the need of English for professional success, many English language training centres are also being established across the country. They devised many methods to improve English language communication skills, propagate English language activities, familiarize American English language. Listening practice (listening English conversation) is also being given importance so that it can play a key role to improve English language and learn English vocabulary.

Many English language tutorials and language learning software came into existence. While the language learning software is being very efficient to learn English vocabulary, English listening exercises, English language tutorial is being important for many things like English language practice, English listening exercises, English language phrases and for overall English language development.

Ultimately, all these institutions and the idea of language lab in school are leading to language acquisition which can be the major contribution for a good relationship of Indians with the rest of the world.

[devinschumacher]

Cloudflare Redirects: How to Setup 301 Redirects (URL Forwarding) Using CloudFlare’s DNS & Page Rules

Setting up a 301 redirect at CloudFlare isn’t that self-explanatory…

And since nobody likes reading documentation I figured that a true hero needed to step up and make this easy on the rest of the world.

So here I am, the hero of the internet, come to make your life easier once again – with an article, video & SOP for you to save and use later.

Let’s get after it.

Table of Contents

Cloudflare Redirects: How to Setup 301 Redirects (URL Forwarding) Using CloudFlare’s DNS & Page Rules

How to setup a CloudFlare 301 redirect using “page rules”:

Free Gifts

1. Add Domain to CloudFlare

2. Update NameServers

3. Update CloudFlare DNS

4. Setup Page Rules for URL Forwarding

How to setup a CloudFlare 301 redirect using “page rules”:

The process of setting up redirects using Cloudflare’s DNS is pretty simple. You add your domain, point the CloudFlare DNS records (A record & CNAME record) to Cloudflare’s server, and then setup a URL forwarding rule. That’s pretty much it.

The first two steps of this walkthrough have nothing to do with the actual CloudFlare 301 setup. They are the things you need to do before any of this works. So, if you’ve already added your domain to your CF account and pointed your domain registrar’s nameservers to it – you can skip them and start at Step 3.

1. Add Domain to CloudFlare

At the dashboard (dash.cloudflare.com) of your CloudFlare account click the “Add a site” button, and enter your domain on the next screen.

Once you do that, you’ll be presented with pricing options. Just choose the free one (bottom of screen) and move on.

Cloudflare will scan for existing DNS records and bring them over.

Keep them or delete them – the choice is yours (and depends on what you’re trying to do).

Click continue, and you’ll get your account’s nameservers.

You’ll need to update your current domain’s nameservers, which you can find at the domain registrar – aka the place where you login to see your domain, and probably where you purchased it.

2. Update NameServers

I can’t make a tutorial for updating nameservers at every web hosting company, because there’s like a trillion of them.

But you’ll just need to go to your account > select your domain > choose ‘edit nameservers’ or something similar > paste in the nameservers that Cloudflare gave you in the last step.

Now, it will take anywhere from 10 minutes to 48 hours for those changes to take effect. This is called propagation.

But you don’t have to wait for that to continue. You will have to wait for it for all the things you do next to work, however.

3. Update CloudFlare DNS

This is where the actual process starts.

Go to your domain settings in CloudFlare and choose “DNS”.

If redirecting the whole domain I usually start with deleting the current DNS records that CloudFlare ported over. Don’t do that if you have records in there you need.

Yes, captain obvious I know but… Common sense isn’t always so common in these extremely tense IT settings…

Next, we’re going to add in the CloudFlare DNS records you need for your URL Forwarding to work.

Click ‘Add record’ and add the following information, and click the ‘Save’ button:

Type: A

Name: @

IPv4 Address: 192.0.2.1

Now, click the ‘Add record’ button again, add the following information, and click the ‘Save’ button:

Type: CNAME

Name: www

Target: @

4. Setup Page Rules for URL Forwarding

Navigate to the “Rules” area on the sidebar, then click “Page Rules” and click the ‘Create Page Rule` button.

Now it’s time to set your 301s!

I’m going to setup a 301 redirect to forward all traffic coming to ‘domain A’ to ‘domain B’, but you can easily just change the URL & destination to fit your needs.

Follow these steps:

Enter the URL pattern you want 301ing

Click the dropdown and choose ‘URL Forwarding��

Select your ‘Status Code’ from the drop down (probably 301)

Enter the destination

Click ‘Save and Deploy Page Rule’

I entered the root domain, and put an asterisk ( * ) at the end, which means that if anyone goes to an inner url, like “domain.com/whatever-asdfadf” it will also get redirected.

You can setup inner URL specific 301s too.

Now, I’m simply going to do the exact same thing again – but this time add the www. version.

Same steps from above:

Enter the URL pattern you want 301ing

Click the dropdown and choose ‘URL Forwarding’

Select your ‘Status Code’ from the drop down (probably 301)

Enter the destination

Click ‘Save and Deploy Page Rule’

That’s it! You’re done!

You should be able to go to your forwarded domain, and be taken to the destination.

If it doesn’t work, make sure:

You’ve given enough time for your nameservers to propagate (see step #2)

You clear the CloudFlare cache (if you transferred your domain from another Cloudflare account)

You clear your browser cache, or try in ‘incognito mode’ (press shift + command + n on most browsers (MAC) to open an incognito window)

Free Gifts

Get the free How to setup a Cloudflare 301 Redirect checklist, and run it anytime you need to repeat this process.

[crazyplantchica]

Happy Friday! Today we got crafty and made some DIY plant hangers 👏🏻. Perfect for cuttings and propagations, these hangers allow me to place these babies in bright warm sunlight ALL DAY to promote that root growth. love to see it!💚

Do we want a tutorial?

Let me know your thoughts! 💭

[decaffeinatedsweetspaper]

Why Choose Solana for Token Creation?

In the fast-evolving world of blockchain technology, choosing the right platform for token creation is crucial for the success of any project. Among the myriad of blockchain platforms available, Solana has emerged as a leading choice for developers and businesses. This article delves into the reasons why Solana stands out as an ideal platform for token creation, exploring its unique features, advantages, and potential applications.

1. High Throughput and Scalability

One of Solana's most significant advantages is its high throughput, capable of processing over 65,000 transactions per second (TPS). This impressive performance is achieved through a unique combination of technologies:

Proof of History (PoH): This innovative consensus mechanism allows Solana to order transactions efficiently without the need for extensive communication between nodes.

Tower BFT: A variant of Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), Tower BFT ensures the security and reliability of the network.

Turbine: A block propagation protocol that breaks data into smaller packets, enabling faster transmission across the network.

These technologies collectively enhance Solana's scalability, making it an ideal platform for projects requiring high transaction speeds and large user bases.

2. Low Transaction Costs

Transaction fees on Solana are exceptionally low, often costing less than a cent. This cost-efficiency is a crucial factor for developers and users, particularly for projects involving microtransactions, high-frequency trading, or decentralized applications (dApps) with a large number of transactions. Low fees also make Solana more accessible to a broader audience, fostering greater adoption and participation in the network.

3. Robust Security

Solana prioritizes security through its decentralized architecture and consensus mechanisms. The combination of PoH and Tower BFT ensures that the network can resist various attack vectors, including Sybil attacks and double-spending. Additionally, Solana's rapid transaction processing and finality reduce the time window for potential attacks, further enhancing the security of the platform.

4. Developer-Friendly Ecosystem

Solana offers a comprehensive suite of tools and resources for developers, making it easier to create, deploy, and manage tokens and dApps. Key components of Solana's developer ecosystem include:

Solana SDKs: Software development kits for various programming languages, including Rust, C, and C++.

CLI Tools: Command-line interface tools for interacting with the Solana network, managing accounts, and deploying smart contracts.

Solana Web3.js: A JavaScript library for integrating Solana with web applications.

Comprehensive Documentation: Extensive and well-organized documentation, tutorials, and guides to help developers get started and troubleshoot issues.

This developer-friendly environment accelerates the development process and reduces the learning curve for new entrants to the ecosystem.

5. Interoperability and Ecosystem Integration

Solana is designed to be interoperable with other blockchain networks and ecosystems, enhancing its utility and reach. Through initiatives like Wormhole, a bi-directional bridge between Solana and other major blockchains (e.g., Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain), developers can create cross-chain applications and assets. This interoperability facilitates asset transfers and liquidity between different platforms, enabling more complex and innovative use cases.

6. Vibrant and Growing Community

The Solana community is one of the most active and rapidly growing in the blockchain space. This vibrant community contributes to the platform's development, offers support to new developers, and fosters collaboration on various projects. Regular hackathons, meetups, and community events further strengthen the network and provide opportunities for developers to showcase their work and connect with like-minded individuals.

7. Real-World Use Cases and Adoption

Solana's robust features and advantages have attracted numerous high-profile projects and partners, demonstrating its real-world applicability and potential. Some notable examples include:

Serum: A decentralized exchange (DEX) built on Solana, known for its high speed and low transaction costs.

Audius: A decentralized music streaming service that migrated to Solana to leverage its scalability and performance.

Star Atlas: A blockchain-based space exploration game utilizing Solana's high throughput for seamless in-game transactions and interactions.

These successful implementations highlight Solana's capability to support diverse and demanding applications across various industries.

8. Future-Proof Infrastructure

Solana's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation ensures that it remains at the forefront of blockchain technology. The platform's development roadmap includes plans for further scalability enhancements, new features, and integrations with emerging technologies. This forward-thinking approach makes Solana a future-proof choice for developers looking to build long-lasting and adaptable solutions.

9. Strong Financial Backing and Strategic Partnerships

Solana has received significant financial backing from prominent investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Polychain Capital, and Alameda Research. This financial support provides stability and resources for ongoing development and expansion. Additionally, strategic partnerships with major players in the blockchain and tech industries further enhance Solana's credibility and reach.

10. Commitment to Decentralization

Despite its high performance, Solana remains committed to maintaining a decentralized network. The platform's consensus mechanisms and architecture ensure that control is distributed among a wide array of validators, preventing centralization and preserving the core principles of blockchain technology.

Conclusion

Solana's high throughput, low transaction costs, robust security, developer-friendly ecosystem, interoperability, and growing community make it an exceptional platform for token creation. Its real-world use cases, future-proof infrastructure, strong financial backing, and commitment to decentralization further solidify its position as a leading blockchain platform.

For developers and businesses looking to create and deploy tokens, Solana offers a compelling combination of performance, scalability, and support. As the blockchain space continues to evolve, Solana is well-positioned to play a crucial role in shaping the future of decentralized technology and digital assets.

[jcmarchi]

How the Internet of Things (IoT) became a dark web target – and what to do about it - CyberTalk

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-the-internet-of-things-iot-became-a-dark-web-target-and-what-to-do-about-it-cybertalk/

How the Internet of Things (IoT) became a dark web target – and what to do about it - CyberTalk

By Antoinette Hodes, Office of the CTO, Check Point Software Technologies.

The dark web has evolved into a clandestine marketplace where illicit activities flourish under the cloak of anonymity. Due to its restricted accessibility, the dark web exhibits a decentralized structure with minimal enforcement of security controls, making it a common marketplace for malicious activities.

The Internet of Things (IoT), with the interconnected nature of its devices, and its vulnerabilities, has become an attractive target for dark web-based cyber criminals. One weak link – i.e., a compromised IoT device – can jeopardize the entire network’s security. The financial repercussions of a breached device can be extensive, not just in terms of ransom demands, but also in terms of regulatory fines, loss of reputation and the cost of remediation.

With their interconnected nature and inherent vulnerabilities, IoT devices are attractive entry points for cyber criminals. They are highly desirable targets, since they often represent a single point of vulnerability that can impact numerous victims simultaneously.

Check Point Research found a sharp increase in cyber attacks targeting IoT devices, observing a trend across all regions and sectors. Europe experiences the highest number of incidents per week: on average, nearly 70 IoT attacks per organization.

Gateways to the dark web

Based on research from PSAcertified, the average cost of a successful attack on an IoT device exceeds $330,000. Another analyst report reveals that 34% of enterprises that fell victim to a breach via IoT devices faced higher cumulative breach costs than those who fell victim to a cyber attack on non-IoT devices; the cost of which ranged between $5 million and $10 million.

Other examples of IoT-based attacks include botnet infections, turning devices into zombies so that they can participate in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), ransomware and propagation attacks, as well as crypto-mining and exploitation of IoT devices as proxies for the dark web.

The dark web relies on an arsenal of tools and associated services to facilitate illicit activities. Extensive research has revealed a thriving underground economy operating within the dark web. This economy is largely centered around services associated with IoT. In particular, there seems to be a huge demand for DDoS attacks that are orchestrated through IoT botnets: During the first half of 2023, Kaspersky identified over 700 advertisements for DDoS attack services across various dark web forums.

IoT devices themselves have become valuable assets in this underworld marketplace. On the dark web, the value of a compromised device is often greater than the retail price of the device itself. Upon examining one of the numerous Telegram channels used for trading dark web products and services, one can come across scam pages, tutorials covering various malicious activities, harmful configuration files with “how-to’s”, SSH crackers, and more. Essentially, a complete assortment of tools, from hacking resources to anonymization services, for the purpose of capitalizing on compromised devices can be found on the dark web. Furthermore, vast quantities of sensitive data are bought and sold there everyday.

AI’s dark capabilities

Adversarial machine learning can be used to attack, deceive and bypass machine learning systems. The combination of IoT and AI has driven dark web-originated attacks to unprecedented levels. This is what we are seeing:

Automated exploitation: AI algorithms automate the process of scanning for vulnerabilities and security flaws with subsequent exploitation methods. This opens doors to large-scale attacks with zero human interaction.

Adaptive attacks: With AI, attackers can now adjust their strategies in real-time by analyzing the responses and defenses encountered during an attack. This ability to adapt poses a significant challenge for traditional security measures in effectively detecting and mitigating IoT threats.

Behavioral analysis: AI-driven analytics enables the examination of IoT devices and user behavior, allowing for the identification of patterns, anomalies, and vulnerabilities. Malicious actors can utilize this capability to profile IoT devices, exploit their weaknesses, and evade detection from security systems.

Adversarial attacks: Adversarial attacks can be used to trick AI models and IoT devices into making incorrect or unintended decisions, potentially leading to security breaches. These attacks aim to exploit weaknesses in the system’s algorithms or vulnerabilities.

Zero-tolerance security

The convergence of IoT and AI brings numerous advantages, but it also presents fresh challenges. To enhance IoT security and device resilience while safeguarding sensitive data, across the entire IoT supply chain, organizations must implement comprehensive security measures based on zero-tolerance principles.

Factors such as data security, device security, secure communication, confidentiality, privacy, and other non-functional requirements like maintainability, reliability, usability and scalability highlight the critical need for security controls within IoT devices. Security controls should include elements like secure communication, access controls, encryption, software patches, device hardening, etc. As part of the security process, the focus should be on industry standards, such as “secure by design” and “secure by default”, along with the average number of IoT attacks per organization, as broken down by region every week.

Collaborations and alliances within the industry are critical in developing standardized IoT security practices and establishing industry-wide security standards. By integrating dedicated IoT security, organizations can enhance their overall value proposition and ensure compliance with regulatory obligations.

In today’s cyber threat landscape, numerous geographic regions demand adherence to stringent security standards; both during product sales and while responding to Request for Information and Request for Proposal solicitations. IoT manufacturers with robust, ideally on-device security capabilities can showcase a distinct advantage, setting them apart from their competitors. Furthermore, incorporating dedicated IoT security controls enables seamless, scalable and efficient operations, reducing the need for emergency software updates.

IoT security plays a crucial role in enhancing the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (a measurement of manufacturing productivity, defined as availability x performance x quality), as well as facilitating early bug detection in IoT firmware before official release. Additionally, it demonstrates a solid commitment to prevention and security measures.

By prioritizing dedicated IoT security, we actively contribute to the establishment of secure and reliable IoT ecosystems, which serve to raise awareness, educate stakeholders, foster trust and cultivate long-term customer loyalty. Ultimately, they enhance credibility and reputation in the market. Ensuring IoT device security is essential in preventing IoT devices from falling into the hands of the dark web army.

This article was originally published via the World Economic Forum and has been reprinted with permission.

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