Chapter 2
Fibonaccis
Fibonacci numbers, the sequence where each next number is a sum of the two previous. They have a lot of interesting features, they are found in nature, etc.
Learn more:
- https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/fibonacci-sequence.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahXIMUkSXX0 (a beautiful explanation from Vi Hart)
LiveJournal
A social network platform created in 1999 that used to be popular before Facebook and Twitter. In 2007 it was sold to Russian media company SUP Media. Written in Perl.
Learn more:
Blogger
A blogging platform owned by Google. Created in 1999 by Pyra Labs. Written in Python.
Learn more:
MySpace
A social network that used to be the largest social networking site in the world (between 2005 and 2009).
Learn more:
XML (Extensible Markup Language)
A markup language used by many applications to store and exchange information and documents.
Learn more:
ARGs (Alternate Reality Games)
Interactive games that are usually played in real world mixed with multimedia and online services. Usually they use stories that are created and controlled by game designers.
Learn more:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_reality_game
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_alternate_reality_games
- https://www.argn.com/
WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
A protocol that was used by cell phones to access the Internet in the early 2000s. WAP browser is an application that can display text and pictures on the phone’s screen. It was used before smartphones became widely available because it could work with really small screens and low transmission speeds of that time.
Learn more:
Microfiche
A sheet of flat film, 105x148 mm in size, that contains a set of microimages, usually of size 10x14 mm. It is used to store books, magazines, newspapers in a compact and durable form.
Learn more:
Backdoor
A hidden method to access a computer or network device bypassing the normal authentication scheme, usually created as a part of the software running on that computer.
Learn more:
Reverse shell
A method to connect back to the attacking computer from the target computer. Because it is initiated from the target computer it can be a way to bypass a firewall or NAT (Network Address Translation) service.
Learn more:
- https://www.netsparker.com/blog/web-security/understanding-reverse-shells/
- https://hackernoon.com/reverse-shell-cf154dfee6bd
RFID (Radio-frequency identification)
A method of exchanging identification information over radio. It includes RFID tags and RFID readers. RFID tags can be passive (i.e. not containing any battery) and really cheap. They get the energy they need to operate from the reader that reads from them.
Learn more:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification
- https://www.rfidjournal.com/
- https://resources.bishopfox.com/resources/tools/rfid-hacking/attack-tools/
Usenet
A “prehistoric” social network that was created around 1980. The name comes from the term “users network”. It was used for discussions and asking questions. It has a hierarchical structure of topics called “newsgroups”. Even before Internet became widely available it used UUCP (Unix-to-Unix Copy) program to exchange posts and updates over telephone lines.
Learn more:
Caller ID spoofing
A method or tool that allows the caller to pretend that the call is coming from a different number. Masha uses it to read friends’ voicemails pretending she is calling from their numbers. Scammers use this method to pretend they are calling from the same area code – that way there is more chances that you pick the call. Sometimes scammers even pretend they are calling from the actual 800-number which belongs to IRS.
Learn more:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID_spoofing
- https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id
- https://blog.rapid7.com/2018/05/24/how-to-build-your-own-caller-id-spoofer-part-1/
Data-collecting light bulbs
Most likely Masha means this report: https://darkcubed.com/iot-security-technical. Short versions:
- https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/03/10/is-your-smart-bulb-collecting-data-iot-smartdevice/
- https://www.cnet.com/news/smart-light bulbs-could-be-exporting-your-personal-data-to-china/
Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)
This phrase was first used in November 1957 and is still quite popular among programmers and mathematicians. It’s related to the terms FIFO (first in, first out) and LIFO (last in, first out) that describe the behavior of the queue and stack data structures, respectively.
Learn more:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_in,_garbage_out
- https://techterms.com/definition/gigo
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFO_(computing_and_electronics)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_(abstract_data_type)
Bayesian inference
A method of statistical inference in which Bayes’ theorem is used to update the probability for a hypothesis as more evidence or information becomes available.
Learn more:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_inference
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayes%27_theorem
- https://seeing-theory.brown.edu/bayesian-inference/index.html (interactive, with pictures)
- https://towardsdatascience.com/probability-concepts-explained-bayesian-inference-for-parameter-estimation-90e8930e5348