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Cloudflare Explains Its Worst Outage Since 2019

Slashdot.org - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 09:47
Cloudflare suffered its worst network outage in six years on Tuesday, beginning at 11:20 UTC. The disruption prevented the content delivery network from routing traffic for roughly three hours. The failure, writes Cloudflare in a blog post, originated from a database permissions change deployed at 11:05 UTC. The modification altered how a database query returned information about bot detection features. The query began returning duplicate entries. A configuration file used to identify automated traffic doubled in size and spread across the network's machines. Cloudflare's traffic routing software reads this file to distinguish bots from legitimate users. The software had a built-in limit of 200 bot detection features. The enlarged file contained more than 200 entries. The software crashed when it encountered the unexpected file size. Users attempting to access websites behind Cloudflare's network received error messages. The outage affected multiple services. Turnstile security checks failed to load. The Workers KV storage service returned elevated error rates. Users could not log into Cloudflare's dashboard. Access authentication failed for most customers. Engineers initially suspected a coordinated attack. The configuration file was automatically regenerated every five minutes. Database servers produced either correct or corrupted files during a gradual system update. Services repeatedly recovered and failed as different versions of the file circulated. Teams stopped generating new files at 14:24 UTC and manually restored a working version. Most traffic resumed by 14:30 UTC. All systems returned to normal at 17:06 UTC.

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Simplify the holidays with 4 new Google Maps featuresSimplify the holidays with 4 new Google Maps featuresChief Holiday Officer

GoogleBlog - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 09:00
Learn more about Maps’ new features to help you find inspiration and plan in advanceLearn more about Maps’ new features to help you find inspiration and plan in advance
Categories: Technology

Netgear Accused by Rival of China Smear To Fan Security Fear

Slashdot.org - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 08:49
An anonymous reader shares a report: California-based TP-Link says it may take a sales hit of more than $1 billion because of erroneous reports that the networking company's technology has been "infiltrated" by Beijing. In a lawsuit, TP-Link claims its competitor, Netgear, orchestrated a smear by planting false claims with journalists and internet influencers with the goal of scaring off customers. Closely held TP-Link, which makes wireless routers, alleges in a complaint filed Monday that Netgear's campaign "threatens injury to well over a billion dollars in sales" and violates a 2024 settlement of a patent fight. That accord, in which TP-Link agreed to pay Netgear $135 million, includes a provision that the public company promises not to disparage its rival, according to the suit in Delaware federal court. The suit comes as TP-Link faces growing scrutiny in Washington over national-security issues. US lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern that TP-Link's wireless equipment could be exploited by Chinese hackers following a series of attacks on its routers.

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At our Research@ Poland event we shared how AI is helping us solve big challenges.At our Research@ Poland event we shared how AI is helping us solve big challenges.

GoogleBlog - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 04:00
From AI education to disaster response, see how collaboration is at the heart of the work at Google Research.
Categories: Technology

Man Who Cryogenically Froze Late Wife Sparks Debate By Dating New Partner

Slashdot.org - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 02:00
A Chinese man who cryogenically preserved his wife after her death has sparked a heated online debate after it emerged he began dating a new partner in 2020. Some argue it's natural for him to move on, while others say he's being selfish or disrespectful to both his late wife and his current partner. The BBC reports: As a sign of his devotion, Gui Junmin decided to freeze his wife Zhan Wenlian's body after she died from lung cancer in 2017, aged 49, making her China's first cryogenically preserved person. But after a November interview revealed he had been dating a different partner since 2020, Chinese social media has been torn on Mr Junmin's predicament. Whilst some asked why the 57-year-old didn't just "let go" another commenter remarked he appeared to be "most devoted to himself." After Zhan Wenlian was given months to live by doctors, Gui Junmin decided to use cryonics - which is scientifically unproven - to preserve her body once she died. Following her death, he signed a 30-year agreement to preserve his wife's frozen body with the Shandong Yinfeng Life Science Research Institute. Since then, Zhan's body has been stored in a 2,000-litre container at the institute in a vat of -190C liquid nitrogen. Chinese newspaper Southern Weekly revealed that although Mr Junmin lived alone for two years after the procedure, in 2020 he began dating again, despite his wife remaining in cryopreservation. He told the newspaper that a severe gout attack which left him unable to move for two days began to change his mind about the benefits of living alone. Soon after, he started seeing his current partner Wang Chunxia, although Mr Junmin suggested to the paper the love was only "utilitarian" and that she hadn't "entered" his heart.

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A conversation on smarter and safer age assurance for EuropeA conversation on smarter and safer age assurance for EuropeVice President

GoogleBlog - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 01:00
Google outlines a risk-based approach to age verification that protects teens online without sacrificing privacy or access for everyone.Google outlines a risk-based approach to age verification that protects teens online without sacrificing privacy or access for everyone.
Categories: Technology

US Backs Three Mile Island Nuclear Restart With $1 Billion Loan To Constellation

Slashdot.org - Tue, 11/18/2025 - 22:30
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNBC: The Trump administration will provide Constellation Energy with a $1 billion loan to restart the Crane Clean Energy Center nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, Department of Energy officials said Tuesday. Previously known as Three Mile Island Unit 1, the plant is expected to start generating power again in 2027. Constellation unveiled plans to rename and restart the reactor in Sept. 2024 through a power purchase agreement with Microsoft to support the tech company's data center demand in the region. Three Mile Island Unit 1 ceased operations in 2019, one of a dozen reactors that closed in recent years as nuclear struggled to compete against cheap natural gas. It sits on the same site as Three Mile Island Unit 2, the reactor that partially melted down in 1979 in the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history. The loan would cover the majority to the project's estimated cost of $1.6 billion. The first advance to Constellation is expected in the first quarter of 2026, said Greg Beard, senior advisor to the Energy Department's Loan Programs Office, in a call with reporters. The loan comes with a guarantee from Constellation that it will protect taxpayer money, Beard said.

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Google DeepMind is opening a new AI research lab in Singapore to advance AI in Asia PacificGoogle DeepMind is opening a new AI research lab in Singapore to advance AI in Asia Pacific

GoogleBlog - Tue, 11/18/2025 - 21:30
Google DeepMind is opening a new AI research lab in Singapore with the goal of accelerating the adoption and real-world benefits of AI across the Asia-Pacific region. Th…
Categories: Technology

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