Can the blockchain be hacked?

July 30, 2022

Several organizations, including those in the legal industry, use blockchain technology for various business functions. Blockchain enables users to record transactions over a distributed computer network. Since the server is secure and the transactions are permanent, the verification is more straightforward. However, as blockchain processes are steadily becoming a part of more and more financial lives, people are asking whether the blockchain can be hacked.

How safe is blockchain?

According to experts, the blockchain itself cannot be hacked; however, blockchain-adjacent processes can, and that too in several ways. That means that blockchain transactions can be manipulated, and blockchain assets can be stolen. Nonetheless, this is not the reality of blockchain itself. Instead, it is more about the environment in which blockchain assets are owned and traded.

Most of the so-called ‘blockchain hacks’ that have happened in the past few years have been on centralized exchanges. In some situations, one has to use an exchange to trade blockchain assets or cryptocurrency. However, hackers can access digital assets through an exchange platform or network. In simple terms, if we consider the example of Bitcoin, there is no central system to hack because it is naturally decentralized. Exchanges, however, put the assets into a ‘place,’ and those places can be exposed to hackers.

There are also instances where some hackers sniff out a vulnerability in an exchange and make off with someone else’s assets. ‘Rug pulls’ are instances where someone gets others to invest in an asset and then take off with their money. However, it must be noted that none of this happens in the blockchain itself.

The 51% Attack

In a given blockchain, the community of owners supports the integrity of network transactions. For example, Bitcoin ownership gets verified using the blockchain ledger, through the consensus of the entire community of Bitcoin owners. If one party manages to gain control of more than 50% of that ownership, then everything related to the blockchain transactions can be manipulated by them. This is called the 51% attack as the accomplishing party is the majority owner, and they have a say in what happens.

It is challenging to execute a 51% attack in reality. It is prohibitive in a network of any size. In a practical sense, it is generally not possible for anyone to own 51% of Bitcoin or Ethereum or any of the other significant blockchain assets.

Smart Contracts

During the past couple of years, new advancements have occurred in the blockchain security world, including the introduction of smart contracts. Smart contracts allow putting data and code executions on the blockchain. They can be considered non-financial blockchain transaction vehicles. Smart contracts started getting popular as users began investing more in cryptocurrency.

According to IBM, one of the benefits of smart contracts is that through them, blockchain transaction records are encrypted, thus making them very hard to hack. Moreover, hackers would have to alter the entire chain to alter a single record as each record is connected to the previous records and the subsequent ones on a distributed ledger.

To conclude, smart contracts will have to be hacked in ways that cryptocurrencies cannot. And if a hacker exploits some aspect of the smart contract that is blockchain-adjacent, it can look like the blockchain is hacked, which is not true.

Conclusion

It is a fact that the blockchain itself as a model is very resistant to almost all kinds of hacking. However, many systems and processes connected to a blockchain and assets have vulnerabilities and can be compromised. This is crucial to be kept in mind as the market continues to see more kinds of crypto coins and smart contracts develop in the constantly expanding network of fintech.

BLOOM: How the largest open multilingual model is democratizing AI

Preetipadma K

July 29, 2022

A large language model called BLOOM (BigScience Large Open-science Open-access Multilingual Language Model) with 176 billion parameters, was released by the BigScience project. On June 17, 2022, a preliminary version of the BLOOM language model was made available. The Bloom language model, which was created with the assistance of around 1,000 academics and researchers from across the world to challenge big tech’s dominance over large language models, will be open source and the first model of its magnitude to be multilingual.

The BigScience research project was initiated in 2021. It comprises over 250 institutions and researchers from more than 60 countries. While Hugging Face is the principal investigator on the project, it also includes researchers from GENCI, the IDRIS team at the CNRS, the Megatron team at NVIDIA, and the Deepspeed team at Microsoft.

How is BLOOM competing with other large language models?

The researchers explain in their paper that large language models are algorithms that learn statistical correlations between billions of words and phrases to accomplish tasks including creating summaries, translating, answering queries, and categorizing material. The models are trained by tweaking values, referred to as parameters, by redacting words and comparing their predictions with reality. BLOOM contains 176 billion parameters, matching one of the most well-known models of its kind, GPT-3, developed by the nonprofit OpenAI and licensed by Microsoft.

Despite the impressive accomplishments these large language models have produced (such as writing articles), they cannot comprehend the fundamentals of human communication and language, leading them to produce nonsensical output. The fact that they might encourage abuse or self-harm and reflect pre-existing racial or gendered stereotypes woven into the human-written content they learn from is even more concerning. Furthermore, training these models typically costs millions of dollars and has a massive carbon footprint.

Thorough knowledge of how these language models are created, how they work, and how the larger community can improve them is essential, considering the possible influence of such language models. Popular models, like GPT-3, are not available as open source. This indicates that only a small number of individuals are aware of how these models work internally. Most large technology companies creating cutting-edge large language models prohibit others from using them and keep their models’ inner workings secret. It is challenging to hold them responsible because of this.

The main inspiration behind BLOOM was to challenge and change these norms of opacity and exclusivity!

BLOOM was created by hundreds of academics, including philosophers, lawyers, and ethical experts, in addition to staff members from Facebook and Google, unlike previous large language models. A US$7 million investment in public computing time is being used to train BLOOM. BigScience was given free access to France’s national Jean Zay supercomputer (IDRIS) facility outside of Paris in order to train BLOOM.

To fully utilize the computational power available, the researchers polished up the data collection using a multilingual web crawl, vetted for quality and with minor redaction for privacy. The team also made an effort to lessen the typical over-representation of porn sites, which might cause sexist connotations in the model, without eliminating keywords that would exclude information related to open discussions of sexuality in frequently under-represented communities.

Despite the aforesaid precautions, researchers acknowledge that BLOOM will not entirely be bias-free, but they expect to advance current models by supplying it with diverse and excellent sources. Importantly, since the model’s code and data collection are public, researchers could try to identify the causes of undesirable behaviors, which could enhance subsequent versions. In addition, BLOOM attempts to disrupt the sway of major businesses over large language models. It achieved that since the project was created in an open environment and makes use of an open license based on the Responsible AI license. BigScience created this license to discourage the use of BLOOM in high-risk industries like law enforcement or health care, as well as to harm, defraud, exploit, or mimic individuals. According to Danish Contractor, an AI researcher who volunteered for the project and co-created the license, the license is an experiment in self-regulating large language models before laws catch up.

Addressing Availability

Bloom is capable of understanding texts in 46 native languages and dialects, as well as 13 computer languages. The native languages include French, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Indonesian, Catalan, 13 Indic languages (such as Hindi), and 20 African languages. Only little over 30% of its training data was in English – thus making it an exception from large language models, where English dominates.

Bloom can be tasked with creating summaries or translations of text, output code from instructions, and follow prompts to complete original tasks like writing recipes, extracting data from news articles, or constructing sentences using a newly-defined invented word, despite the fact that it was never trained on any of those particular tasks.

For researchers who want to experiment with it or train it on fresh data for particular applications, the fully trained BLOOM model has been made accessible for download. However, downloading and using it call for a sizable amount of hardware. BigScience has also provided scaled-down, less resource-intensive versions of the model as well as developed a distributed system that will enable laboratories to share it across several servers. Hugging Face has even released a web application that will allow anybody to query BLOOM without installing it.

Wrapping Up

Large language models are one of the most exciting and hottest topic of research in the AI industry. As this trend dominates the sector, companies are racing to build a larger (in terms of parameters) and more capable model. Cerebras Systems said last month that it has achieved a record for the biggest AI models ever trained on a single device, in this instance a massive silicon wafer with hundreds of thousands of cores.

While some businesses have chosen to compromise on the unfairness and privacy loss posed by large-scale language models, others have chosen to open source some of their language models, such as Yandex’s YaLM 100B.

At the same time, experts are questioning the use of enormous datasets and computing power by DeepMind’s Gopher and Chinchilla models, OpenAI’s GPT-3, Google’s LaMDA and PaLM, and DeepMind.

While BLOOM claims to address all these concerns, it also needs to improve on its performance before going mainstream.

IIIT Delhi offers full sponsorship from MTech and PhD students; undertakes joint research projects on AI with Vehant Technologies

Sahil Pawar

July 29, 2022

IIIT Delhi offers full sponsorship from MTech and PhD students

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi has announced a collaboration with Vehant Technologies to undertake joint research projects focused on applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The research will enhance physical security, surveillance, and traffic monitoring.

Under the collaboration, Vehant Technologies will sponsor research projects and consultancies at IIIT Delhi. The company will also support MTech and Ph.D. students, starting with sponsoring up to five MTech students for the academic session 2022-23. The projects are all set to commence in August.

Through the sponsorship, students will receive full coverage of the cost of their education, including reimbursement of living costs. They will also get first-hand industry experience on live projects while simultaneously continuing their regular academics.

The IIIT-Delhi MTech students receiving the sponsorships will be called Vehant fellows. Each fellowship will have a commitment of Rs.10 lakh from Vehant Technologies throughout students’ academic courses, i.e., two years. Students can flexibly utilize the fund for research and educational purposes.

The Institute said, while IIIT-Delhi researchers and faculty are well equipped with experience in the field of computer science and engineering, the collaboration with Vehant Technologies will further propagate the system knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning among students.

IBM report says cost of data breaches averaged ₹17.6 Crore in 2022

Sahil Pawar

July 29, 2022

IBM report says cost of data breaches averaged ₹17.6 Crore

According to an IBM Cost of Data Breach Report 2022, which calls cyberattacks the biggest challenge to the industry, data breaches have cost Indian businesses an average of ₹17.6 crore in 2022, the highest amount ever recorded.

The cost increased 6.6% from last year, when the average breach cost was Rs 16.5 crore. The IBM report said the cost was up 25% from ₹14 crore in 2020.

Industrial companies, including engineering, chemical processing, and manufacturing, paid the highest for data breaches. The average cost of each breach was about ₹9,024 this year.

For the services industry, including legal, accounting, and consultancy, the average cost of a breach was ₹7,085, and for technology industries comprising software and hardware companies, the cost was ₹6,900.

Costs incurred after a security breach was the largest at ₹71 million for the sixth year, among four categories of lost business, notification, post-breach response, and detection and escalation. According to the report, the global average data breach cost reached an all-time high of US $4.35 million for surveyed organizations.

According to the report, keeping security capabilities flexible enough to match attacker agility will be the biggest challenge as the industry moves forward. To stay on top of growing cybersecurity challenges, investment in mature security practices, zero-trust deployments, and AI-based platforms can help, the report added.

Meta witnesses first ever revenue decline in second quarter earnings

Sahil Pawar

July 28, 2022

Meta revenue decline in second quarter earnings

Facebook has reported its first-ever yearly decline in revenue for the second quarter, witnessing a 1% drop which left it at $28.8 billion. It is predicted that growth in the third quarter could fall even more. The overall profit for its parent company, Meta, fell by 36% to $6.7 billion.

The Reality Labs division responsible for building Mark Zuckerberg’sZuckerberg’s metaverse dreams lost $2.8 billion in the quarter. Suddenly, Meta’s business has become challenged on all fronts.

The reason behind the decline is Apple’s ‘‘Ask app not to track’’ prompt. The prompt on iPhones has made Meta’s ads much less effective, costing the company $10 billion in ad revenue last year alone. Now, a rapidly slowing economy has caused advertisers to pull back on their spending.

Meta, to compete with TikTok, is rearchitecting Instagram and Facebook to place emphasis on short videos and posts that its system recommends to people.

According to Zuckerberg, the company had seen stronger than anticipated engagement trends on Facebook due to an increase in the consumption of videos. In the long run, the company expects Reels to be a revenue driver. However, even though the company is prioritizing reels, it is not making much money from them.

Despite the declining revenue, Meta has managed to grow Facebook’s daily users by 3% to 1.97 billion. It comes after an alarming user decline observed a couple of quarters ago. Meta reported that a total of 2.88 billion people now use its suite of social apps, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which is an increase of 4 percent from a year ago.

Artificial intelligence discovers variables suggesting alternate physics

Sahil Pawar

July 28, 2022

Artificial intelligence discovers variables suggesting alternate physics (2)

A team of roboticists at Columbia Engineering has developed an artificial intelligence program that has detected physical phenomena and discovered relevant variables, which are a necessary precursor to any physics theory. The study was published in the Nature Computational Science journal.

Researchers gave the artificial intelligence program raw video footage of the phenomena for the study. They already knew the answer for the same. The video showed a swinging double-pendulum with four state variables, i.e., the angle and angular velocity of each of the two arms.

After several hours of analysis, the AI system gave a nearly correct answer of 4.7 variables.

According to researchers, the answer was close enough since all the AI had access to was raw video footage and no knowledge of physics or geometry. However, the team wanted to know what the variables were, not just their number.

The study reported that two of the variables the AI program chose roughly corresponded to the angles of the arms. However, the other two remain a mystery. The team tried correlating the different variables with angular and linear velocities, kinetic and potential energy, and combinations of known qualities. But nothing seemed to match perfectly.

The study claims the program found a valid set of four variables since it made good predictions. However, the program’s mathematical language has not yet been understood.

The team found that the number of variables each time the AI program restarted was the same. However, certain variables were different. This proves that there are alternative ways to describe the universe and thus alternate physics.

Wallaroo Labs bags contract from Space Force to model AI performance during space mission

Sahil Pawar

July 28, 2022

Wallaroo Labs bags contract from Space Force

Wallaroo Labs, an enterprise platform for production AI, announced that it has bagged a Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research study contract from the US Space Force. Under this contract, the company will model the performance of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms during space missions.

The contract was awarded by the technology arm of the US Space Force, SpaceWERX, in support of the Orbital Prime program. The program aims to develop technologies for space debris cleanup and other on-orbit services.

The five-year-old startup, Wallaroo Labs, based in New York City, has developed a software platform that enables businesses to assess the performance of AI applications. The platform determines if the data analyzed with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms provide any real value.

Wallaroo Labs, under this contract, will model the deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning software that the Space Force will use in On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM) missions. This is when the Space Force will have to rely on edge computers to analyze data in space.

The startup company will also examine the challenges of executing AI and ML algorithms on edge computers. The algorithms will be used for on-orbit refueling, active debris removal, satellite life extension, and the recycling of materials which will be used to build the foundation for manufacturing and assembly in space.

For OSAM and other missions, the Space Force will rely on edge computing. Edge computing involves moving computer power closer to the place where data is generated, e.g., a sensor in space. For spacecraft avoidance and automated retasking of sensors, machine learning is a crucial technology.

Top Kubernetes Certifications & Why They Matter?

Sahil Pawar

July 28, 2022

Many times, it happens when applications developed on one computing system do not work on others. They may consume too much space and resources, which inhibits the working of other applications. This problem is prevalent nowadays among IT and cloud-based companies. Hence, a highly effective solution to this problem is containerization, and the technology enabling this is Kubernetes. Let us understand in detail.

What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes is an open-source platform for container orchestration that allows automating of manual processes involving scaling and managing containerized applications. It is efficient to use while working on dev optimization for clouds. During this process, it provides a platform to run and schedule containers on clusters of virtual or physical machines. To know more about the use of Kubernetes in dev, individuals can check out the best online DevOps courses.

Additionally, Kubernetes allows to perform:

Orchestration of containers with multiple hosts.
Utilization of hardware to increase the resources required to run applications.
Updation of apps and automation and controlling deployment.
Addition of storage to run applications.
Scaling containerization applications.
Declaration of managing services that ensure that the applications are running when needed.
Auto-replication, auto-placement, auto restart, autoscaling of apps.

What is Kubernetes Certification?

Kubernetes certification aims to help individuals, organizations, and administrators to set up value and credibility in the business environment through Kubernetes practices. It allows companies to find high-quality teams to contribute to their growth. The purpose of the certification is to ensure that Kubernetes administrators develop skills, competency, and knowledge to perform Kubnertes-related roles and responsibilities. People willing to learn more about Kubernetes can join Kubernetes training programs to earn certifications.

Popular Kubernetes Certifications

Kubernetes certifications are provided by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), a conducting body for the Kubernetes exam. Here are some of the popular Kubernetes certifications.

Kubernetes Certifications for Professionals and Students

1. Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)

Level- Beginner
Validity- 3 years
Duration- Flexible

The CKA certification allows developers to acquire knowledge, competency, and skills to manage Kubernetes-based tasks and responsibilities. It helps candidates establish themselves as certified Kubernetes expert in the job market and allow organizations to hire them.

The CKA exam is conducted online, and test-takers need to solve various tasks based on Kubernetes practices. The Certified Kubernetes Administrator program covers the following domains.

Applications of lifestyle management.
Core Kubernetes concepts.
Configuration, installation, and management.
Scheduling, networking, and security.
Cluster maintenance
Monitoring and logging
Troubleshooting and storage

The certification is valid for up to 3 years. After this, professionals need to reappear for the exam and pass it to get certification to maintain its validity. Candidates need to score at least 74% to pass the exam.

2. Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)

Level- Expert or Intermediate
Validity- 3 years
Duration- Flexible

The CKAD certification focuses on the growth of Kubernetes Application Developers. It highlights the ability of a developer to design, build, expose and configure conventional cloud apps for Kubernetes. These developers can work and manage core resources to monitor, troubleshoot and create apps in Kubernetes.

Candidates need to have the following skills before appearing for the exam.

Implementing codes in different programming languages, including Node.js, JAVA, Python, etc.
Knowing the cloud-native architecture and application concepts.
Using an OCI-based container runtime.

The CKAD certification checks an individual’s knowledge of various domains, such as;

Kubernetes main concepts
Multi-container pods
Configuration
Pod design
Observing ability
Networking and services
State persistence

The exam is conducted in online mode, and the certification’s validity is for 3 years. Candidates need to get a minimum score of 66% to pass it.

Kubernetes Certifications for Companies and Vendors

1. Certified Kubernetes Software Conformance

Many cloud computing and software providers have Certified Kubernetes offerings. Companies providing any Kubernetes-based software are required to have Certified Kubernetes Software Conformance certification.

Vendors and organizations who are interested in getting this certification need to submit their conformance testing outcomes. The results are evaluated by the CNCF to determine whether the applicant is eligible to get the certification or not. By receiving this certification, companies ensure that each Kubernetes vendor version supports needed Application Performing Interfaces or APIs. It ensures consistency when installing Kubernetes and provides timely updates and conformity of platforms.

2. Kubernetes Certified Service Provider (KCSP)

The KCSP certificate aims to provide support to companies to roll out new applications quickly and efficiently. It offers professional services such as consulting, training, and support. The certification is suitable for companies providing professional services. It helps to increase brand awareness and recognition in the business community as a Kubernetes expert.

Why Get Kubernetes Certifications Matter?

Kubernetes is the most important skill to have when it comes to cloud computing and networking. A Kubernetes certification comes with numerous advantages that help individuals grow both personally and professionally. Some of the benefits of the certifications are;

Helps Stand Out From the Crowd: A Kubernetes certification can help individuals to improve their resumes and cut down the competition. It helps them look professional and explains why they are the perfect fit for a role in the tech industry. As more companies are using Kubernetes-based software, a certification like this can show relevant expertise and enhances the chances of getting hired.

High Salary: A well-renowned certification like CKAD or CKA comes with an expectation of a high salary. Therefore, candidates having this certification are expected to earn a decent income. Passing a Kubernetes exam is tough, so organizations looking for Kubernetes experts know that they are not only experienced but comprehend the platform thoroughly.

Helps in Personal Growth: While preparing for the exam, individuals can learn skills like time-management and strategy planning and execution which will not only help them pass the examination but will also be proved beneficial while entering the co-operate culture.

Be a Kubernetes Expert: Once candidates have passed the exam, Kubernetes concepts will become simple and easy for them to understand. However, they need to reappear for the exam after the certification expires on the given validity date. But, the good news is that they don’t need to invest more time learning the concepts again. They only need to do a thorough revision.

Get into DevOps: Kubernetes skills are required for high-profile operational roles such as site reliability engineering (SRE) and DevOps jobs. These roles are popular and have a high earning potential. For system administrators looking to have an SRE or DevOps role, Kubernetes is one of the criteria for shortlisting candidates in most software-based companies. The certification shows their commitment and proficiency in cloud development techniques.

Get Recognition in Companies: Most of the time, getting a certificate is a part of the usual business learning path, where organizations pay for the courses and allow their employees to prepare for the exams. These certifications let employees, including managers, show the company owners that they are coping with the changing business environment and helping juniors to understand modern technologies. Kubernetes certifications add value to management and other teams to achieve desired business goals.

Conclusion

Container orchestration combined with Kubernetes is one of the most demanding skills in the tech sector. The demand and salary for highly qualified and skilled tech professionals have been increasing since industrialization. As the competition among cloud networking companies is increasing, recruiters are looking for individuals with strong certifications. Hence, it is vital to enroll in the best Kubernetes training and acquire this certification to validate your tech skills, strengthen the CVs and stand apart from the crowd.

IIT Madras to open off-shore campuses in several countries to provide high demand AI courses.

Sahil Pawar

July 27, 2022

IIT Madras to open off-shore campuses in several countries

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, which is one of the top ranking institutions in India, is considering opening off-shore campuses in several countries due to the high demand for its courses, especially courses in artificial intelligence (AI). The institute is still in the discussion stage with several countries.

Some of these countries include Tanzania, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. IIT Madras is considering providing country-specific courses to generate employment opportunities in the host nation. According to an IIT Madras spokesperson, there is demand for courses in mining in African countries and energy Systems in Nepal. He added that courses in artificial intelligence are a top choice almost everywhere.

IIT Madras claims several countries have expressed interest in hosting IIT off-shore campuses. The institute is yet to narrow down the list of countries where it wants to establish campuses. A final decision is yet to be taken.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, during his recent visit to Africa, thanked Jamaica in his speech for its interest in hosting an IIT. He said India plans to start a new IIT abroad under the National Education Policy released in 2020. He added that Jamaica is one of the first countries to express interest in hosting an IIT.

IIT Delhi is also considering the idea of establishing a campus in the UAE. At the time of submitting its proposal to the government, IIT Delhi had suggested including SAT as an entry-level requirement for international students, as very few of them manage to clear JEE Advanced. On the other hand, IIT Madras has yet to finalize its entry requirements.

UK bank Barclays to acquire crypto custody firm Copper worth $2 billion

Sahil Pawar

July 26, 2022

Barclays to acquire crypto custody firm Copper

One of the UK’s largest banks, Barclays, is looking to acquire a stake in the cryptocurrency custody firm Copper. Copper is advised by former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Hammond and is a unicorn valued at roughly US $2 billion.

According to the report by Sky News, Barclays will work alongside a new group of investors who will join the latest funding round of Copper. Barclays is expected to invest a handsome sum worth a few million dollars in Copper as part of the funding round, which will close within the next few days.

Copper is a prime brokerage, institutional custody, and settlement firm catering to the needs of significant market entities looking to deploy their money into various digital assets. Launched in 2018, the company has since been able to acquire investments from prominent venture capital firms, including Dawn Capital, MMC Ventures, and LocalGlobe.

Earlier reports concerning the fundraiser suggest that Copper had targeted a valuation of US $3B following its latest fundraiser. However, the company had to lower its financial goals due to the ongoing bear market plaguing across the board.

It is worth noting that Copper has not yet received a regulatory green light from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the UK. As of now, the government body requires all cryptocurrency service providers to acquire a temporary registration in order to continue their day-to-day operations.

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