Largest Botnet Takedown, Mistral's AI Coding Model, BYD's 1,300-Mile Hybrid, and Cosmic Ray Archaeology in Greece
May 30, 2024
08:05
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YunHe Wang led the takedown of the 911 S5 botnet, responsible for cybercrimes. Mistral AI's Codestral AI model aids coders across 80 languages. BYD's hybrids achieve 1,300-mile range. Cosmic rays date Greek settlement. Global myopia epidemic discussed.
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Quick takeaways
911 S5 botnet takedown led to arrests, highlighting the significant impact of cybercrime crackdowns.
Mistral's Codestral AI model supports over 80 languages, revolutionizing coding by aiding in functions, tests, and code completion.
Deep dives
Takedown of 911-S5 Cybercrime Network
Authorities including the US DOJ and FBI successfully dismantled the large cybercrime network 911-S5, arresting key figure Yunhe Wang who faces serious charges for creating this botnet. Wang and his associates utilized malicious VPN apps to distribute malware to millions of devices, resulting in massive cybercrimes like theft of relief funds and child exploitation. The international collaborative effort led to seizing Wang's assets, including luxury items, upon the network's disruption, illustrating the significant impact of such cybercrime crackdowns.
Mistral's CodeStral AI Model for Developers
Mistral, with support from Microsoft, introduced CodeStral, a comprehensive AI model aiding developers in coding tasks for over 80 programming languages. CodeStral's capabilities extend to completing code functions, writing tests, and facilitating code fill-ins through advanced mechanisms, elevating efficiency in development processes. The model's impressive specifications, like 22B parameters and unmatched performance in long-range code generation assessments, stand as a revolutionary tool. Its availability for free during an eight-week beta period aims to transform coding practices, with integrations into popular coding environments further highlighting its potential impact.
Welcome to Discover Daily, where we bring you the latest in tech, science, and culture. In today's episode, we start with the takedown of the 911 S5 botnet by the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI, which was responsible for a wide range of cybercrimes, including the theft of $5.9 billion in COVID-19 relief funds. The botnet, managed by YunHe Wang, hacked into over 19 million IP addresses globally, using malicious VPN applications to push malware onto victims' devices.
Next, we explore Mistral AI's launch of Codestral, a generative AI model designed to assist developers in writing and interacting with code across more than 80 programming languages. This model, with its high performance and broad language support, is set to revolutionize the coding process by completing coding functions, writing tests, and filling in partial code. We also discuss BYD's new plug-in hybrid sedans, the Qin L and Seal 06, which boast an impressive driving range of over 1,300 miles on a single tank of fuel and a fully charged battery, thanks to their advanced DM-i 5.0 plug-in hybrid platform.
We then dive into the innovative use of cosmic rays to date archaeological sites, highlighting a prehistoric settlement in northern Greece dated to between 5328 and 5140 BC. This method combines dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating with the identification of cosmic ray events, providing precise chronological reference points. Finally, we address the global myopia epidemic, discussing its causes, consequences, and preventive measures. The rise in myopia is attributed to factors like excessive near work and reduced outdoor time, with high myopia leading to severe vision-threatening conditions.
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