#vee version 1.5

[agamblerandatvhost]

Hi!

@dandy-dandicus-dancifer

📺Oh...hello Dandy📺 -annoyed tone-

[silentauroriamthereal]

This seems like fun! Thanks for the tag, @swissmissing! 

1. AO3 handle: SilentAuror

2. Ships I write: Johnlock. Oh, and maybe a touch of Freebatch. In the past I wrote a crapton of Harry/Draco and a few other scattered ships hither and thither, but these days it’s pretty much pure Johnlock over here. 

3. Ships I read: I don’t read much fanfic, but if I do, it’s definitely Johnlock! 

4. When I started writing: I don’t remember my first piece of fiction ever, but it was definitely sometime in childhood! My first fanfic was posted in 2002, I believe! 

5. First fic I wrote: In this fandom? Resurrection. 

6. Favorite fic I wrote: I really can’t say! 

7. Hardest fic I wrote: Again, I really can’t say. Different stories have been hard for different reasons. Against the Rest of the World comes to mind, just for sheer length and complexity & detail of plot, but Scars was very different to write for the emotional and physical abuse it contains. Some of the angst-heavy stories I’ve written have practically given me ulcers. Sometimes I make the cases so complicated that I have to keep a whole separate file just on case notes (witness The Bells of King’s College, which features not just six cold cases, but they all had to be related to: a) the murderer (obviously), b) each other, and c) a potential seventh victim, and d) Mary!). Bridging the Ravine features something like 21 named OCs, about 8 of whom have fairly major parts. And The Final Proof was hard as hell to write because it made me cry throughout, lol. Along with basically 98% of the people who have read it, which was sort of the point, but there you go. :P (See warnings!!!!!) 

8. Most research-intensive fic I wrote: That has to be a toss-up between Against the Rest of the World for the location research specifically, and Scars, for which I did extensive research (including interviewing three separate therapists who specialize in female->male abuse and gaslighting). 

9. Fic that is most dear to me: This is like asking me to pick a favourite among my children! Of which I now have 84 in this fandom alone! Really can’t say! 

10. Favourite trope to write: I mostly avoid actively writing tropes, though I’ve unapologetically used fake-couple-for-a-case twice now (once where it goes quite well for them (Bridging the Ravine) and once where it goes quite badly for them (The Bells of King’s College)), and smaller tropes like sexual coaching (Isosceles), bed-sharing (numerous), and then apparently I’ve used some accidentally, such as amnesia (The Wisteria Tree). Lol. 

11. Something I wouldn’t write: An unhappy or non-Johnlock ending, a version of Mary that doesn’t line up with her actual canon behaviour, fluffy familial sitcom that’s wholly out of character (which isn’t to say that parentlock can’t be IC, but it’s a stretch to make it fit with these two particular men, IMO). 

12. Favourite scene I ever wrote: I’ve just written too many to choose only one. :/ Sorry, I keep saying this! 

13. Where I get my inspiration: From Moftiss’ resolute determination to prevent these two from having an honest, direct, and complete conversation about their relationship, their history, and their feelings. I WILL make them talk, damn it! And then kiss. Like a lot. :) 

14. Hardest scene I ever wrote: There’s a rape scene in chapter 3 of Scars. I avoided writing it for days. Then, once I finished it, I remember literally just closing my laptop, standing up, putting on my shoes, and walking out of my apartment to clear my head. 

15. Favourite characterisation I wrote: Oooh. Okay, I’m giving this one to Sherlock in Against the Rest of the World, specifically because it’s told in first person, which means that I spent four solid months living inside this version of his head, and I found it very difficult to not be in it once the story came to its eventual finish!

In this fandom, I’ve now written in the POVs of 12 different characters (not counting the “characters” of Ben and Martin in my four Freebatch fics), and I’ve loved writing every single one of them, even if I don’t necessarily love the character themselves! The breakdown goes like this, though for the last two, it’s only single chapters/parts of stories, never a full stand-alone story: Sherlock (36 times, including both novels), John (37 times), Mycroft (3 times), Lestrade (3 times), Mary (3 times), Molly (twice), Rose (Rosie at age 19, once), Janine (once), Ella (once), Vee (Mummy) Holmes (once), Mrs Hudson (once), and Sally Donovan (once). 

My current project is one of my rare mixed-POV stories, heavily John-POV, but with contribution scenes from Sherlock, Ella, and Molly. 

16. Sequel I would write, if I had the chance: I’m actually somewhat planning, pending my muses’ inspiration and general whims, a sequel to Isosceles, where Sherlock and John visit Corey Graham in LA. :)

17. Story I want to write, but I don’t think people would enjoy reading: It’s so masochistic, but I never let that stop me! :P I did suppress my urge to write my first Freebatch fic (The A.G.R.A Complex) for about eight months before finally giving in. I fully expected to be shot for writing Scars, and I’m somewhat expecting people to hate my current project, but if the muses demand it, then I write it. What can you do. :P

18. A line from a WIP: I never do lines. It’ll have to be a snippet, lol. Not to channel Culverton Smith or anything... 

Ella thinks of the long story Sherlock told her one stormy afternoon only a few weeks ago, during one of the appointments she cannot, by dint of professional vow, acknowledge to John that are happening, and of the fact that Sherlock admitted that he’s never yet found a way to casually bring up the snipers in conversation with John, his hesitancy to rock the boat, the surface stability they’ve seemingly found in the wake of the events with Sherlock’s unbalanced sister. She sighs inwardly, but keeps her expression neutral. “You’re still angry about that,” she says. It isn’t a question; after all, she knows John rather well by this point.

John frowns, but nods, still looking down.

“And how has that anger come out?” Ella asks, conscious to keep her tone even. 

John’s mouth opens, his breath drawing in sharply and stopping in his chest.

19. A recent comment on a story that made me smile: That someone commented at all makes me smile! Unless it’s overt hate, I guess. :P 

20. A discontinued work I would love to finish: I have never, in my 2.1+ million words of Sherlock fiction, or 1.5 words of HP fiction, not finished a story that I started. 

21. Fic writers I admire: Honestly, for these last two, I just don’t read enough to be able to comment well on this! I also know that if I list anyone, I’ll leave out someone who really, really should be mentioned. I’ll just say this: anyone who is actively working at the craft of writing and putting themselves out there deserves all the praise and admiration in the world. Same goes for artists! You’re putting a naked little piece of your soul out there for the world to see, criticize, hopefully (but not necessarily) love, and that is SO brave! So the truest answer here is: all of you! 

22. A story I recommend: Same answer as above! I would recommend @swissmissficrecs for recs! 

Tagging: anyone who reads this post and writes. You’re tagged. :)

[hcgreys]

Kerbal space program dv map

#KERBAL SPACE PROGRAM DV MAP HOW TO#

So six 200 I sp engines still yields only 200 I sp.

When I sp is the same for all engines in a stage, then the I sp is equal to a single engine.

Xenon (max full/empty mass ratio = 4.167) Monopropellant (max full/empty mass ratio = 8.5) Kerbal Space Program official site is a game about exploration, vehicular design and physics Tag: Delta V Map We asked Brendan to suit up and go forth, in the name of science 22) by Trigger Au. (These calculations use a full/empty fuel-tank mass ratio of 9 for all engines except those noted.) ISP(Vac) (s) Kerbal Space Program Translation Support Tool 2 for KSP: MOD. No matter how much fuel you add you will never reach these ΔV without staging to shed mass or using the slingshot maneuver. Maximum Δv chart This chart is a quick guide to what engine to use for a single stage interplanetary ship. Use the atmospheric and vacuum thrust values for atmospheric and vacuum Δv, respectively. Fortunately for Jebediah, our dear Kerbals only have one brand of fuel to worry about.ĭelta-v (Δv) Basic calculation → See also: Tutorial:Advanced Rocket Designīasic calculation of a rocket's Δv. I'm sure I read you just read it in reverse but this would mean a return from Mun surface would cost 1600+ DV.

#KERBAL SPACE PROGRAM DV MAP HOW TO#

In real life, specific impulse is governed by things like combustion chamber pressure and propellant energy (hydrogen/oxygen is more efficient than kerosene/oxgyen). Whilst I totally understand how to use the DV map to get to a planet im always a bit confused how to read it for the return to Kerbin. Knocked up a handy diagram combining Delta V values from WAC's map and orbital / planetary info from the KSP wiki ticket,summary,component,version,milestone,type,severity,owner,status,created,changetime,description,reporter 4,DVDNav current time,Demuxers,master git,Features See full list on wiki Use the and buttons. The higher the specific impulse, the more efficient an engine is! May your rockets be rockety and your engines be engine-y. So youve decided to begin seriously modding Kerbal Space Program. Tutorial One: Making a 1 Meter Adapter Plate from Scratch Part 1: Blender/KSP Setup. Specific impulse is used in important equations like THE ROCKET EQUATION (see next section) to determine how much oomph (or "delta-vee") you can get out of a given amount of propellant. Kerbal Space Program Jet Engine Line Chart Surface Dessert Recipes Keto Map Location Map Desert Recipes. Most engines are designed for optimal performance either at Sea Level (the big ones that drive your first stage and boosters, which have lots of thrust!) or Vacuum (where they won't burn as much propellant, but can be VERY efficient). Because this depends on the pressure of a rocket's surroundings, this can change between Sea Level and Vacuum (in space). Specific impulse measures the efficiency of a particular engine. Specific Impulse (I sp) → See also: Specific impulse Most rockets, straight off the launch pad, will utilize a TWR between 1.5 and 2.0. If TWR is significantly above, say, 2.0, your rocket will ZOOM! But it might ZOOM too hard for your poor Kerbalnauts. To do it manually, head up to about 10km, then start tilting to 60 degrees east. You will need more engines, or perhaps MOAR BOOSTERZ! If TWR is less than one, then your rocket will not be going into space.

[desperatlytryingtowriteabook]

Primum Sanguis Snippet ~ The Dance

I thought I would share a little something: a ballroom scene, one of my favourites in the WiP so far. Please keep in mind it’s only draft 1.5! The first version can be found here, and there is a small scene with a change of POV here.

For context,  the Duke of Milan is hosting a ball to entertain his guest, Girolamo Riario, who is to marry the Duke’s niece, Costanza Fogliani. But Caterina, the Duke’s daughter, seems to have caught the man’s eye.

Once again, Caterina was mesmerised as her cousin gracefully made her way across the room, smiling shyly at every man who crossed her path. Costanza was as bright as the stars in the moonlight, a welcome light in a dim world. It was as if the sad smiles and teary eyes from earlier had been a product of Cat’s mind. “You look happy, sister,” said Carlo, coming from behind and linking an arm around his sister's waist. “Yet, thoughtful.” “It's a ball, I'm supposed to be enjoying myself, am I not?” retorted Cat with a grin. “Tell that to our dear guest,” Carlo whispered in her ear. “Maybe he regrets to be leaving so soon, after all.” Cat looked across the ballroom to find Riario's dark eyes disapprovingly surveying the crowd. She teased him with a smile when he glanced her way, and he acknowledged her with a simple nod. To her surprise, Cat saw no sign of Cardinal della Rovere. “Do you think he'll tell dirty stories about us when he gets back to Rome?” asked Carlo, his hand caressing Cat’s waist, while his lips trailed dangerously close to her neck. “You would love that, wouldn't you?” Cat replied jokingly, placing her hand on his cheek. “Maybe…” Carlo picked a kiss on her neck and let go of her, installing a more decent distance between them. “If you'll excuse me, sister, there is someone I must go and see.” Cat smiled as her brother gently pressed her hand in his before crossing the room to join a group of young men who were discussing vehemently. Milan's politics, surely. Cat took a sip off her glass, briefly resting her lips on the side of the cup. “Signorina Sforza…” Count Riario’s dark and piercing eyes made Caterina's stomach twitch. She clutched her glass in surprise and spilled some of her wine on the floor. The Count deftly sidestepped to avoid it. “I'm sorry.” She blushed, embarrassed as the memories of every time she had been clumsy around him resurfaced. “There is no need to apologise. This wine is not worth a lot anyway.” Caterina looked at him with astonished eyes, mouth half-open as she pondered what to respond. Riario’s lips twitched. “I suppose I should be the one apologising, now. I shouldn't slander my most gracious host in front of his charming daughter.” “And perhaps you shouldn't pay me compliments when you are supposed to court my cousin,” Cat retorted with a smirk, taking a new sip of wine. Riario’s gaze turned to the dancers and to Costanza, who was dancing with Cardinal della Rovere. “Your cousin seems otherwise engaged for now. And I like to practice my compliments.” There was a teasing gleam in his eyes and the hint of a smile on his lips. Cat bit her own. The Count scarcely smiled. When he smiled at her, she felt special, no matter how silly that was. “You realize not all women can be wooed with the same words?” “I do.” His gaze grew more intense, and Cat’s heart missed a beat. “Yet, most of them appreciate being told they are charming.” “Do you know many women?” “Do you?” Cat hid her snort behind her glass. “Do you have any idea of how improper this all is?” “Could I add to the scandal by asking you for the honour of a dance?” She considered him for a second: dark shining eyes, long dark hair, dark clothes, an extended bare hand. She had never payed attention to his hands before, for they were often concealed by gloves. Seeing his fingers reminded her of how they had felt against her cheek. The chatter of courtesans was echoing all over the room and the music was barely audible. Cat smiled and put her glass on a tray. “Why not? I owe you something, after all.” Riario slightly closed his hand around her fingers and led her to the dancefloor. His skin was warmer than Cat had expected. They took their place in the small line of dancers – most of the court was watching rather than dancing, and that made Cat slightly uneasy. With any other partner, she wouldn’t have cared for the gazes on her, she might even have welcomed them. But she was dancing with her cousin’s betrothed. If Costanza would likely not take offence, others could. Riario bowed to her. Cat curtsied the best she could, despite her knees trembling from the heat and the wine, and the look her partner was giving her. Softer than usual, and pleased. As if he could gaze upon her for hours if she’d let him, and never get bored. The music grew louder, and they began to dance. Cat wasn't surprised to see her partner moving with grace, as he had before. All nobles were taught how to dance, as a way of courting and expressing interest in one another. The moves were studied to allow closeness then distance then closeness again, small touches of the hands or bolder grasps on the waist. “You are a delightful dancer, Signorina,” Count Riario whispered as they circled each other closely. “Thank you,” Cat replied, looking him straight in the eye, which turned the man's lips slightly up. They remained silent for the rest of the dance, and Cat eventually forgot the myriads of eyes that were inevitably scrutinising them. When the music stopped and they bowed in a final salute, Riario brought Cat's hand to his lips and gently kissed her fingers. Her cheeks flushed red, but she kept good countenance with a smile. “Could I be so bold as to ask for a second dance?” Riario’s hand was still holding hers, and Cat’s heart was beating so fast she feared he could feel it through her fingertips. “You like to push your luck.” He answered her smile when she closed her hand on his and they resumed their dancing. Cat noticed Costanza and her mother amongst the crowd gathered around the dancefloor. Gabriella's eyes were shooting daggers and her features had become twisted and stiff. By her side, her daughter looked more puzzled and surprised than angry or jealous. Considering Gabriella had been against this union since the very beginning, her reaction seemed strange to Cat. Not far from them, Bianca gave her granddaughter a disapproving look, while Lucrezia gazed at Cat with what seemed like worry. “Are you alright?” Riario asked. Cat quickly settled her gaze back on her dance partner, nodding and smiling slightly. “Are you afraid people will gossip?” Riario went on, his voice hushed. “If I were, I wouldn't have been so foolish as to accept to dance with you,” Cat answered with a shrug. “Everyone knows you are to marry my cousin. Everyone knows you should be dancing with her. Everyone knows you have no interest in her.” Riario’s eyes narrowed and frowned. “How could you possibly tell?” “I am a woman,” Cat replied before spinning on her heel, which drew her closer to Riario, their faces inches away from touching. She could feel his breath on her cheek, see him bite his lower lip. “And?” he asked. A whisper, only for her to hear. She took advantage of the dance to draw even closer, her lips nearly brushing against his ear. “I thought you knew everything about the female mind.” She whisked away with a smile and a little curtsy, hastily making her way through the dancing crowd, concealing the smile that was broadening on her lips.

@greenmountaingirl @chaptersonetoinfinity @i-dragonqueen @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables @create-and-procrastinate @scribble-dee-vee @meridianrose @saeberry @bluecoattallmadge @zephfair Please let me know if you wish to be tagged/untagged!

[perksofwifi]

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: 8 More GT500 Engine Nuggets

Ford likes to tease information about the hot new 2020 Shelby GT500 one tiny piece at a time. And before we get ourselves behind the wheel, here are eight cool facts we recently learned about the Mustang:

850 Gross Horsepower

According to Pat Morgan, powertrain manager at Ford Performance, in order to produce the GT500’s 760 peak horsepower, the cylinders are producing at least 850 horses, some 90 of which spin the supercharger—that’s less than we’d originally guessed. It takes six heat exchangers in front (another one cools the axle) to release all the heat that creates. Oh, we also just learned that the engine produces a minimum of 531 (net) horsepower from 3,000 rpm to its 7,500 rpm redline (85 percent of peak).

More on the new GT500: How its 760 HP Stacks Up to Hellcat, ZL1, and More

0–100–0 mph on an Aircraft Carrier Deck

Ford is still unwilling to commit to a 0–60 or quarter-mile acceleration statistic, but Morgan did quote a 0–100–0-mph time of 10.6 seconds. This performance metric was popularized by the original Shelby Cobra roadster, which famously managed the feat in 13.6 seconds (sans ABS, a twin-clutch tranny, or a supercharger). He claims the GT500 could launch, hit 100 mph, and stop within the 1,092-foot length of an aircraft carrier deck.

Boost by the Dozen

We now know for certain that the 2.7-liter Eaton twin-vortices screw supercharger nestled deep in the valley of the 5.2-liter engine’s vee is huffing up 12 psi of peak boost, which gets sent up through the intercooler, and then back down toward the intake valves.

Blown GT4 Engine

The Ford Mustang GT4 race car essentially uses a naturally aspirated version of this same 5.2-liter engine, sharing the same cross-plane, forged, filleted micro-alloy crankshaft and many other race-hardened components.

Race the Gas Tank Dry

The GT500’s saddle-style tank features a jet-type pump (which uses a small powerful stream of fuel to move a larger quantity of fuel) in the remote side of the tank to ensure there is always ample fuel around the well baffled pickup-point for the main fuel pump feeding the engine. We’re told that even during high-g track lapping, it is possible to burn nearly every drop of gas in the tank—which might just propel the GT500 over the finish line while a competitor peters out in the last turn.

11-Quart Sump

The structural aluminum oil pan (the transmission bolts up to it) features flap baffles that retain oil around the sump during 1.5-g cornering and features a pair of sizable “ears” on either side that help to expand the pan’s volume to an almost dry-sump-like 11 quarts.

Two Techs, One Engine

Like the GT350 engine, every GT500 engine will be built from start to finish in Romeo, Michigan by a team of two technicians who will sign each completed unit.

Seven Speeds, Five Modes

The new Tremec TR-9070 dual-clutch transmission gets paddles for those who insist on calling their own shifting shots, but there are also five automatic shifting modes: normal, sport, drag, track, and slippery. Normal strives for max comfort. Sport delivers shifts as quick as 80 milliseconds. Drag slows shifts down a bit to ensure the engine is producing strong torque when the clutch engages. Track pays attention to steering input and g-loading to ensure that torque in the next gear won’t upset the car’s balance in a turn. Slippery runs in higher gears to limit torque that could prompt wheelspin.

The post 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500: 8 More GT500 Engine Nuggets appeared first on MotorTrend.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/2020-ford-mustang-shelby-gt500-8-engine-facts/ visto antes em https://www.motortrend.com

[agamblerandatvhost]

🎲I DID IT! I FINALLY DID IT! I HAVE EVERYTHING! EVERY TRINKET! EVERY SKIN TICKET SKIN! EVERY VINTAGE SKIN! EVERY MASTERY! I'M FREE!🎲 -excited gachapon running around in circles-

📺Alright alright, calm down there your stamina is lower than mine📺

🎲I'LL BE FINE I SURVIVED BLACKOUT GLISTEN GOOB AND TOODLES NOTHING CAN STOP ME-🎲 -she keeps running until she falls over from exhaustion-

📺I think it's time to take a little break...I need one anyways📺 -picks her up bridal style, walking to the break room-

[toomanysinks]

VDOO secures $32M for a platform that uses AI to detect and fix vulnerabilities on IoT devices

Our universe of connected things is expanding by the day: the number of objects with embedded processors now exceeds the number of smartphones globally and is projected to reach some 18 billion devices by 2022. But just as that number is growing, so are the opportunities for malicious hackers to use these embedded devices to crack into networks, disrupting how these objects work and stealing information, a problem that analysts estimate will cost $18.3 billion to address by 2023. Now, an Israeli startup called VDOO has raised $32 million to address this, with a platform that identifies and fixes security vulnerabilities in IoT devices, and then tests to make sure that the fixes work.

The funding is being led by WRVI Capital and GGV Capital and also includes strategic investments from NTT DOCOMO (which works with VDOO), MS&AD Ventures (the venture arm of the global cyber insurance firm), and Avigdor Willenz (who founded both Galileo Technologies and Annapurna Labs, respectively acquired by Marvell and Amazon). 83North, Dell Technology Capital and David Strohm, who backed VDOO in its previous round of $13 million in January 2018, also participated, bringing the total raised by VDOO now to $45 million.

VDOO — a reference to the Hebrew word that sounds like “vee-doo” and means “making sure” — was cofounded by Netanel Davidi (co-CEO), Uri Alter (also co-CEO) and Asaf Karas (CTO). Davidi and Alter previously co-founded Cyvera, a pioneer in endpoint security that was acquired by Palo Alto Networks and became the basis for its own endpoint security product; Karas meanwhile has extensive experience coming to VDOO of working, among other places, for the Israeli Defense Forces.

In an interview, Davidi noted that the company was created out of one of the biggest shortfalls of IoT.

“Many embedded systems have a low threshold for security because they were not created with security in mind,” he said, noting that this is partly due to concerns of how typical security fixes might impact performance, and the fact that this has typically not been a core competency for hardware makers, but something that is considered after devices are in the market. At the same time, a lot of security solutions today in the IoT space have focused on monitoring, but not fixing, he added. “Most companies have good solutions for the visibility of their systems, and are able to identify vulnerabilities on the network, but are not sufficient at protecting devices themselves.”

The sheer number of devices on the market and their spread across a range of deployments from manufacturing and other industrial scenarios, through to in-home systems that can be vulnerable even when not connected to the internet, also makes for a complicated and uneven landscape.

VDOO’s approach was to conceive of a very lightweight implementation that sits on a small group of devices — “small” is relative here: the set was 16,000 objects — applying machine learning to “learn” how different security vulnerabilities might behave to discover adjacent hacks that hadn’t yet been identified.

“For any kind of vulnerability, using deep binary analysis capabilities, we try to understand the broader idea, to figure out how a similar vulnerability can emerge,” he said.

Part of the approach is to pare down security requirements and solutions to those pertinent to the device in question, and providing clear guidance to vendors for how to best avoid problems in the first place at the development stage. VDOO then also generates specific “tailor-made on-device micro-agents” to continue the detection and repair process. (Davidi likened it to a modern approach to some cancer care: preventive measures such as periodic monitoring checks; followed by a “tailored immunotherapy” based on prior analysis of DNA.)

It currently supports Linux- and Android-based operating systems, as well as FreeRTOS and support for more systems coming soon, Davidi said. It sells its services primarily to device makers, who can make over the air updates to their devices after they have been purchased and implemented to keep them up to date with the latest fixes. Typical devices currently secured with VDOO tech include safety and security devices such as surveillance cameras, NVRs & DVRs, fire alarm systems, access controls, routers, switches and access points, Davidi said.

It’s the focus on providing security services for hardware makers, in fact, that helps VDOO stand out from the others in the field.

“Among all startups for embedded systems, VDOO is the first to introduce a unique, holistic approach focusing on the device vendors which are the focal enabler in truly securing devices,” said Lip-Bu Tan, founding partner of WRVI Capital. “We are delighted to back VDOO’s technology, and the exceptional team that has created advanced tools to allow vendors to secure devices as much as possible without in-house security know-how, for the first time in many decades, I see a clear demand for security, as being raised constantly in many meetings with leading OEMs worldwide, as well as software giants.”

Over the last 18 months, as VDOO has continued to expand its own reach, it has picked up customers along the way after identifying vulnerabilities in their devices. Its dataset covers some 70 million embedded systems’ binaries and more than 16,000 versions of embedded systems, and it has worked with customers to identify and address 150 zero-day vulnerabilities and 100,000 security issues that would have potentially impacted 1.5 billion devices.

Interestingly, while VDOO is building its own IP, it is also working with a number of vendors to provide many of the fixes. Davidi says that VDOO and those vendors go through fairly rigorous screening processes before integrating, and the hope is that down the line there will more automation brought in for the “fixing” element using third-party solutions.

“VDOO brings a unique end-to-end security platform, answering the global connectivity trend and the emerging threats targeting embedded devices, to provide security as an essential enabler of extensive connected devices adoption. With its differentiated capabilities, VDOO has succeeded in acquiring global customers, including many top-tier brands. Moreover, VDOO’s ability to uncover and mitigate weaknesses created by external suppliers fits perfectly into our Supply Chain Security investment strategy,” said Glenn Solomon, managing partner at GGV Capital, in a statement. “This funding, together with the company’s great technology, skilled entrepreneurs and one of the best teams we have seen, will allow VDOO to maintain its leadership position in IoT security and expand geographies while continuing to develop its state-of-the-art technology.”

Valuation is currently not being disclosed.

source https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/24/vdoo-secures-32m-for-a-platform-that-detects-and-fixes-vulnerabilities-on-iot-devices/

[fmservers]

VDOO secures $32M for a platform that detects and fixes vulnerabilities on IoT devices

Our universe of connected things is expanding by the day: the number of objects with embedded processors now exceeds the number of smartphones globally and is projected to reach some 18 billion devices by 2022. But just as that number is growing, so are the opportunities for malicious hackers to use these embedded devices to crack into networks, disrupting how these objects work and stealing information, a problem that analysts estimate will cost $18.3 billion to address by 2023. Now, an Israeli startup called VDOO has raised $32 million to address this, with a platform that identifies and fixes security vulnerabilities in IoT devices, and then tests to make sure that the fixes work.

The funding is being led by WRVI Capital and GGV Capital and also includes strategic investments from NTT DOCOMO (which works with VDOO), MS&AD Ventures (the venture arm of the global cyber insurance firm), and Avigdor Willenz (who founded both Galileo Technologies and Annapurna Labs, respectively acquired by Marvell and Amazon). 83North, Dell Technology Capital and David Strohm, who backed VDOO in its previous round of $13 million in January 2018, also participated, bringing the total raised by VDOO now to $45 million.

VDOO — a reference to the Hebrew word that sounds like “vee-doo” and means “making sure” — was cofounded by Netanel Davidi (co-CEO), Uri Alter (also co-CEO) and Asaf Karas (CTO). Davidi and Alter previously co-founded Cyvera, a pioneer in endpoint security that was acquired by Palo Alto Networks and became the basis for its own endpoint security product; Karas meanwhile has extensive experience coming to VDOO of working, among other places, for the Israeli Defense Forces.

In an interview, Davidi noted that the company was created out of one of the biggest shortfalls of IoT.

“Many embedded systems have a low threshold for security because they were not created with security in mind,” he said, noting that this is partly due to concerns of how typical security fixes might impact performance, and the fact that this has typically not been a core competency for hardware makers, but something that is considered after devices are in the market. At the same time, a lot of security solutions today in the IoT space have focused on monitoring, but not fixing, he added. “Most companies have good solutions for the visibility of their systems, and are able to identify vulnerabilities on the network, but are not sufficient at protecting devices themselves.”

The sheer number of devices on the market and their spread across a range of deployments from manufacturing and other industrial scenarios, through to in-home systems that can be vulnerable even when not connected to the internet, also makes for a complicated and uneven landscape.

VDOO’s approach was to conceive of a very lightweight implementation that sits on a small group of devices — “small” is relative here: the set was 16,000 objects — applying machine learning to “learn” how different security vulnerabilities might behave to discover adjacent hacks that hadn’t yet been identified.

“For any kind of vulnerability, using deep binary analysis capabilities, we try to understand the broader idea, to figure out how a similar vulnerability can emerge,” he said.

Part of the approach is to pare down security requirements and solutions to those pertinent to the device in question, and providing clear guidance to vendors for how to best avoid problems in the first place at the development stage. VDOO then also generates specific “tailor-made on-device micro-agents” to continue the detection and repair process. (Davidi likened it to a modern approach to some cancer care: preventive measures such as periodic monitoring checks; followed by a “tailored immunotherapy” based on prior analysis of DNA.)

It currently supports Linux- and Android-based operating systems, as well as FreeRTOS and support for more systems coming soon, Davidi said. It sells its services primarily to device makers, who can make over the air updates to their devices after they have been purchased and implemented to keep them up to date with the latest fixes. Typical devices currently secured with VDOO tech include safety and security devices such as surveillance cameras, NVRs & DVRs, fire alarm systems, access controls, routers, switches and access points, Davidi said.

It’s the focus on providing security services for hardware makers, in fact, that helps VDOO stand out from the others in the field.

“Among all startups for embedded systems, VDOO is the first to introduce a unique, holistic approach focusing on the device vendors which are the focal enabler in truly securing devices,” said Lip-Bu Tan, founding partner of WRVI Capital. “We are delighted to back VDOO’s technology, and the exceptional team that has created advanced tools to allow vendors to secure devices as much as possible without in-house security know-how, for the first time in many decades, I see a clear demand for security, as being raised constantly in many meetings with leading OEMs worldwide, as well as software giants.”

Over the last 18 months, as VDOO has continued to expand its own reach, it has picked up customers along the way after identifying vulnerabilities in their devices. Its dataset covers some 70 million embedded systems’ binaries and more than 16,000 versions of embedded systems, and it has worked with customers to identify and address 150 zero-day vulnerabilities and 100,000 security issues that would have potentially impacted 1.5 billion devices.

Interestingly, while VDOO is building its own IP, it is also working with a number of vendors to provide many of the fixes. Davidi says that VDOO and those vendors go through fairly rigorous screening processes before integrating, and the hope is that down the line there will more automation brought in for the “fixing” element using third-party solutions.

“VDOO brings a unique end-to-end security platform, answering the global connectivity trend and the emerging threats targeting embedded devices, to provide security as an essential enabler of extensive connected devices adoption. With its differentiated capabilities, VDOO has succeeded in acquiring global customers, including many top-tier brands. Moreover, VDOO’s ability to uncover and mitigate weaknesses created by external suppliers fits perfectly into our Supply Chain Security investment strategy,” said Glenn Solomon, managing partner at GGV Capital, in a statement. “This funding, together with the company’s great technology, skilled entrepreneurs and one of the best teams we have seen, will allow VDOO to maintain its leadership position in IoT security and expand geographies while continuing to develop its state-of-the-art technology.”

Valuation is currently not being disclosed.

Via Ingrid Lunden https://techcrunch.com

[finchbeak]

eiffel’s 2017 holiday gift guide for awesome ladies

I  do not have a real following. I have no reason to do this at all. But? Yeah, it’s the internet. I’m going to throw my gift guide out into the internet ether and I hope it helps somebody. Without further ado: awesome shit, for awesome ladies of a certain means and taste.  

1. Relax with a  ridiculously lovely neck pillow ($41-$43)

Okay. So. Neck pillows. Decidedly mostly useless. And if you ever go on a trip with me and bring one on the plane? Yeah. We are no longer traveling together. But this isn’t a sleep pillow. 1) It’s heavy. 2) It smells heavenly. 3) For best results you need to throw it in the microwave for a few minutes. Then, put it on your neck, sip a cup of tea or glass of red wine (or a finger of bourbon... I think bourbon might actually compliment the scent best of all), close your eyes, and just bliss out. I first experienced this loveliness at the Exhale Spa in Santa Monica. (Turns out they are in all Exhale Spas, but I’d never seen them before). They keep them in a towel warmer so you don’t have to wait 1.5 to 2 minutes to experience the neck pillow bliss.  Bonus points: Tara Spa seems like a nice, small, woman owned business with other lovely products.

2. Speaking of Exhale Spa.... ($110-$205)

Get thee a Cool Beam Facial. At $205 for an hour, it is kinda spendy... but Gilt often has a nearly 50% off special on the regular (CLICK HERE). And then add in your percent back from eBates? (WHAT!? YOU AREN’T ON EBATES? WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?)  It’s a goddamned steal! And your gift recipient (or you) will walk out looking ten years younger. 

3. Keep that facial going ($58)

I am pretty much in love with all things Herbivore, but this is my most recent purchase and my Boston winter exposed skin is loving me for it. It is thick. And luxurious. I love the unobtrusive smell. And it is very aesthetically pleasing.  

4. Wax poetic about your new beautiful skin in the best journaling system ever ($30-$45)

The Midori Traveler’s Notebook has a cult following for a reason. I have two. One in black and one in brown. With multiple inserts (inserts, inserts, inserts). I keep one with me constantly. I write lists, I write down appointments, I plan dinner parties, I journal the profound and the mundane. This is also where all first drafts of my travelogues go. They are messy, dirty, have wine and coffee stains (and probably food stains too), are stuffed to the gills with receipts, business cards, and other ephemera, and I don’t know how I ever lived without one.

5. You need a pen to write in that journal... ($108)

I collect fancy pens. I have vintage fountains. I have a very fancy Mont Blanc. But this is my everyday. It is the smoothest ballpoint I’ve ever written with. It makes my Mont Blanc seem clunky in comparison, and at a fraction of the price. It comes in a variety of colors, but I opted for the black and gold classic. It’s mechanics are smooth, the pen is just hefty enough to feel expensive, but not so much that you wouldn’t hesitate to use it all the time. And, I never thought I’d say this, but once you go good ballpoint? You never go back. It. Doesn’t. Smudge. It doesn’t transfer to your skin! Stop the gel pen/Ink madness!!

6.  Smell something pretty while you are journaling ($11-$32)

P. F. Candle Co started out on Etsy (like me! I haven’t sold anything since... 2010? I don’t know? I used to bind books. Never mind.)  Kristen and her cohorts make the best candles, bang for the buck, I think, than anyone else. And I know fancy candles. The hipster aesthetic. The unique scents. The perfect sillage. The beautiful glow that results from that perfect amber colored container? Yeah. I’m currently burning a Spruce. And I have a half dozen others in the wings. If I only had one candle to burn for the rest of my life? It’d be this one.

7. But then you have to transfer your journal to the interwebs.... ($22-$30)

And you need to make sure your phone/tablet is fully charged. 

I have two of these. One with mini USB for my Samsung and one for my iPhone. This is my keychain. And it has been a lifesaver more than once. In the last year it has been, probably, one of the most used items I own. Native Union also makes amazing charging cords in general. That nautical knot is a feature- it allows you to keep the charger where you want it. It’s a small thing, but it is a brilliant thing.

8. But sometimes you don’t have an outlet.... ($26)

I received my very first portable charger at my office’s Yankee Swap. It is still the best Yankee Swap present ever. I carry one with me always. I have a variety of sizes, but most of them are Anker in brand. This one is particularly lovely, because you don’t need a separate charger. You just plug it directly into the wall.  I keep a pocket sized one for when I’m skiing and a larger one (or two, or three) when I travel. Combined w/ my Native Union key chain? I’m never without a charge.

9. And when you need to be simply chic...

Every woman needs a solid, white vee. 

And the Everlane version is ethically made, chic as hell, and priced for everyone. I probably have a half dozen in my possession. It’d be more, but I toss them when I do dumb shit like spill red wine on them. (Or stupidly miss a Burt’s Bee lip balm in the dryer...)

A classic v-neck is almost universally flattering, especially for giant chested ladies like myself. A set of five, with a personalized token gift? I’d swoon.

10. So..... when I got my Zoe Box of Style...

I mean, I love my Box of Style. I HIGHLY recommend. Seriously, it’s the best $100 I spend every 3 months (sign up here)

But, oddly? The ONE thing that has probably changed my life the most?

A goddamned water bottle. 

I love this thing. I want to buy the one with fancy crystals. 

In this box I’ve received WAAAAY fancier things. WAAAAY more expensive things. But the one thing I love unabashedly? the one thing I use daily? This dumb water bottle. It is..... just.... lovely.

And sometimes all you want is lovely.

Or practical, or pragmatic, or beautiful, or useful, or whatever. But mostly lovely. 

Who doesn’t want to be lovely?

[agamblerandatvhost]

VEE! can you play video games son your screen? (I dunno I someone already asked something like this)

📺No not really, anything on my screen besides my face blinds me, but others can play video games on my screen...very few though I ain't just letting anyone do it📺

[agamblerandatvhost]

📺Sorry guys I'm having some delays I think I might need a mechanic because why else is that dinosaur always on the board?📺

[agamblerandatvhost]

📺Alright...I think I remember now. I can confidently say I am Vee Version 1.5📺