Ben Tasker
@bentasker.co.uk
General Geek - I'm pretty good at fixing things and very good at working out how to break them.
Basically, my cores are trouble-shooting and reverse engineering.
Blog at https://www.bentasker.co.uk
Basically, my cores are trouble-shooting and reverse engineering.
Blog at https://www.bentasker.co.uk
Reposted by Ben Tasker
3. this is not the moment for an incredibly expensive increase in state surveillance infrastructure to be run for profit by private tech firms just before Labour ushers in an (even more) authoritarian right wing government.
FIX THE GODDAMN COST OF LIVING INSTEAD YOU FREAKS.
FIX THE GODDAMN COST OF LIVING INSTEAD YOU FREAKS.
September 26, 2025 at 8:28 AM
3. this is not the moment for an incredibly expensive increase in state surveillance infrastructure to be run for profit by private tech firms just before Labour ushers in an (even more) authoritarian right wing government.
FIX THE GODDAMN COST OF LIVING INSTEAD YOU FREAKS.
FIX THE GODDAMN COST OF LIVING INSTEAD YOU FREAKS.
Reposted by Ben Tasker
2. Countries that have ID cards - like the whole of Europe - still have the same irregular migration problem (you may have heard!!!)
& in fact the UK has the lowest share of its economy estimated as irregular economy in Europe so if it fixes the issue WHY DIDNT IT FIX IT THERE?
& in fact the UK has the lowest share of its economy estimated as irregular economy in Europe so if it fixes the issue WHY DIDNT IT FIX IT THERE?
September 26, 2025 at 8:27 AM
2. Countries that have ID cards - like the whole of Europe - still have the same irregular migration problem (you may have heard!!!)
& in fact the UK has the lowest share of its economy estimated as irregular economy in Europe so if it fixes the issue WHY DIDNT IT FIX IT THERE?
& in fact the UK has the lowest share of its economy estimated as irregular economy in Europe so if it fixes the issue WHY DIDNT IT FIX IT THERE?
Reposted by Ben Tasker
Ok. They’ve pissed me off.
I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:
1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.
I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:
1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.
September 26, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Ok. They’ve pissed me off.
I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:
1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.
I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:
1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.
Dealing With Nuisance Abuse Complaints
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/law/handling-abuse-complaints-being-sent-to-your-providers.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/law/handling-abuse-complaints-being-sent-to-your-providers.html?utm_source=rss
Dealing With Nuisance Abuse Complaints
This week, I've been wrong about (at least) two things, believing that:
I was done with the Copytrack stuff: I sent them proof of license
www.bentasker.co.uk
June 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Dealing With Nuisance Abuse Complaints
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/law/handling-abuse-complaints-being-sent-to-your-providers.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/law/handling-abuse-complaints-being-sent-to-your-providers.html?utm_source=rss
New Documentation: Replacing the Valve In a Stuck or Dripping Tap
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/replacing-the-valve-in-a-bathroom-tap.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/replacing-the-valve-in-a-bathroom-tap.html?utm_source=rss
Replacing the Valve In a Stuck or Dripping Tap
I hate plumbing and, as a result, tend to try and put off any job where a mistake could lead to an inexorable drip-drip that
www.bentasker.co.uk
June 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
New Documentation: Replacing the Valve In a Stuck or Dripping Tap
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/replacing-the-valve-in-a-bathroom-tap.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/replacing-the-valve-in-a-bathroom-tap.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Deploying Anubis to protect against AI scrapers
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/deploying-anubis-to-block-ai-bots.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/deploying-anubis-to-block-ai-bots.html?utm_source=rss
Deploying Anubis to protect against AI scrapers
Much like others on the net, I've seen a marked increase in traffic to my sites.
The new requests sport browser-like user-agents and originate from
www.bentasker.co.uk
June 2, 2025 at 10:15 PM
New Blog: Deploying Anubis to protect against AI scrapers
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/deploying-anubis-to-block-ai-bots.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/deploying-anubis-to-block-ai-bots.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Two years of solar
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/second-year-of-solar.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/second-year-of-solar.html?utm_source=rss
Two years of solar
We've now had a solar install for 2 years (give or take a couple of days).
Although last year's summer wasn't as sunny as the
www.bentasker.co.uk
May 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
New Blog: Two years of solar
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/second-year-of-solar.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/second-year-of-solar.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Automating an audit of my image use
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/software-development/automatically-reverse-searching-images-to-list-possible-concerns.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/software-development/automatically-reverse-searching-images-to-list-possible-concerns.html?utm_source=rss
Automating an audit of my image use
Earlier this month, I ended up with a known copyright troll in my inbox.
As a result of not doing much (if any) due diligence,
www.bentasker.co.uk
May 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM
New Blog: Automating an audit of my image use
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/software-development/automatically-reverse-searching-images-to-list-possible-concerns.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/software-development/automatically-reverse-searching-images-to-list-possible-concerns.html?utm_source=rss
Reposted by Ben Tasker
Understanding the sentence of Lucy Connolly
Had it not been for competent legal advice, her sentence could have been far harsher
By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Had it not been for competent legal advice, her sentence could have been far harsher
By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
May 23, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Understanding the sentence of Lucy Connolly
Had it not been for competent legal advice, her sentence could have been far harsher
By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Had it not been for competent legal advice, her sentence could have been far harsher
By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
Reposted by Ben Tasker
New from 404 Media: authors are getting caught leaving AI prompts in their novels, telling the AI to follow someone else's style. We bought a copy to confirm.
www.404media.co/authors-are-...
www.404media.co/authors-are-...
May 23, 2025 at 1:33 PM
New from 404 Media: authors are getting caught leaving AI prompts in their novels, telling the AI to follow someone else's style. We bought a copy to confirm.
www.404media.co/authors-are-...
www.404media.co/authors-are-...
Reposted by Ben Tasker
In the real actual world we already live in, restaurants are already reverting to only taking reservations by phone, or charging huge reservation fees, to stop automated booking. This is with basic bots!
May 20, 2025 at 7:48 PM
In the real actual world we already live in, restaurants are already reverting to only taking reservations by phone, or charging huge reservation fees, to stop automated booking. This is with basic bots!
New Blog: Examining A Copyright Claim From Copytrack
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/general/copytrack-sent-me-a-copyright-claim.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/general/copytrack-sent-me-a-copyright-claim.html?utm_source=rss
Examining A Copyright Claim From Copytrack
This morning, I awoke to find an email from Copytrack in my inbox.
If that name sounds vaguely familiar, it's because they made a
www.bentasker.co.uk
May 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
New Blog: Examining A Copyright Claim From Copytrack
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/general/copytrack-sent-me-a-copyright-claim.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/general/copytrack-sent-me-a-copyright-claim.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Doggy Boot Build
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/converting-a-zafiras-boot-to-a-dog-transportation-area.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/converting-a-zafiras-boot-to-a-dog-transportation-area.html?utm_source=rss
Doggy Boot Build
The Mini is now gone: It failed one time too many, so we sent it to the great scrapyard in the sky (via, uhhh, the
www.bentasker.co.uk
April 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Ben Tasker
"Even worse, when you Google one of these slop-squatted package names, you’ll often get an AI-generated summary from Google itself confidently praising the package, saying it’s useful, stable, well-maintained. But it’s just parroting the package’s own README, no skepticism, no context."
April 13, 2025 at 12:48 AM
"Even worse, when you Google one of these slop-squatted package names, you’ll often get an AI-generated summary from Google itself confidently praising the package, saying it’s useful, stable, well-maintained. But it’s just parroting the package’s own README, no skepticism, no context."
Reposted by Ben Tasker
1. LLM-generated code tries to run code from online software packages. Which is normal but
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
LLMs hallucinating nonexistent software packages with plausible names leads to a new malware vulnerability: "slopsquatting."
LLMs can't stop making up software dependencies and sabotaging everything
: Hallucinated package names fuel 'slopsquatting'
www.theregister.com
April 12, 2025 at 11:43 PM
1. LLM-generated code tries to run code from online software packages. Which is normal but
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
2. The packages don’t exist. Which would normally cause an error but
3. Nefarious people have made malware under the package names that LLMs make up most often. So
4. Now the LLM code points to malware.
New Documentation: Running Imaginary on Kubernetes for Fast Nextcloud Thumbnailing
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/kubernetes/deploying-imaginary-onto-kubernetes-for-thumbnailing.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/kubernetes/deploying-imaginary-onto-kubernetes-for-thumbnailing.html?utm_source=rss
Running Imaginary on Kubernetes for Fast Nextcloud Thumbnailing
We have quite a few photos in Nextcloud and, after a big upload, thumbnail generation can be quite demanding.
About six years ago, I hacked
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM
New Documentation: Running Imaginary on Kubernetes for Fast Nextcloud Thumbnailing
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/kubernetes/deploying-imaginary-onto-kubernetes-for-thumbnailing.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/kubernetes/deploying-imaginary-onto-kubernetes-for-thumbnailing.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Isolating our Guest Wireless Network in OPNSense
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/creating-isolated-ipv4-and-ipv6-networks-with-vlans-and-opnsense.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/creating-isolated-ipv4-and-ipv6-networks-with-vlans-and-opnsense.html?utm_source=rss
Isolating our Guest Wireless Network in OPNSense
I've changed jobs and, whilst setting my new work laptop up, decided that I'd create a completely isolated LAN segment for it.
I once caught
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 21, 2025 at 8:00 PM
New Blog: Isolating our Guest Wireless Network in OPNSense
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/creating-isolated-ipv4-and-ipv6-networks-with-vlans-and-opnsense.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/creating-isolated-ipv4-and-ipv6-networks-with-vlans-and-opnsense.html?utm_source=rss
New Documentation: Automatically Deleting Old Gitlab Issues
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/autopruning-old-issues-from-projects.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/autopruning-old-issues-from-projects.html?utm_source=rss
Automatically Deleting Old Gitlab Issues
Normally, tickets in an issue tracker are expected to exist forever (with the exception of ticket spam, which'll vanish once an admin purges it).
However,
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
New Documentation: Automatically Deleting Old Gitlab Issues
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/autopruning-old-issues-from-projects.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/autopruning-old-issues-from-projects.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: My Scammer Girlfriend: Baiting A Romance Fraudster
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/security/seducing-a-romance-scammer.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/security/seducing-a-romance-scammer.html?utm_source=rss
My Scammer Girlfriend: Baiting A Romance Fraudster
At the beginning of the year, a spate of very similar mails appeared in my spam-box. Although originating from different addresses (and sent to
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
New Blog: My Scammer Girlfriend: Baiting A Romance Fraudster
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/security/seducing-a-romance-scammer.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/security/seducing-a-romance-scammer.html?utm_source=rss
New Documentation: Geoblocking the UK with BunnyCDN
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/geoblocking-uk-users-with-bunnycdn.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/geoblocking-uk-users-with-bunnycdn.html?utm_source=rss
Geoblocking the UK with BunnyCDN
I recently wrote about performing an Online Safety Act assessment for my Mastodon server.
In that post, I noted that Ofcom's vague statements meant that
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 10, 2025 at 3:15 PM
New Documentation: Geoblocking the UK with BunnyCDN
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/geoblocking-uk-users-with-bunnycdn.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/geoblocking-uk-users-with-bunnycdn.html?utm_source=rss
Mini Cooper: Battery Replacement
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/vehicles/replacing-the-battery-on-a-bmw-mini-cooper.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/vehicles/replacing-the-battery-on-a-bmw-mini-cooper.html?utm_source=rss
Mini Cooper: Battery Replacement
Earlier this week, the Mini's battery gave up.
When the start-stop button was pressed, none of the usual warning lights illuminated, only the handbrake and
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Mini Cooper: Battery Replacement
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/vehicles/replacing-the-battery-on-a-bmw-mini-cooper.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/vehicles/replacing-the-battery-on-a-bmw-mini-cooper.html?utm_source=rss
New Documentation: Automatically Backing Up Zones Stored In ClouDNS
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/automatically-backing-up-cloudns-dns-records.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/automatically-backing-up-cloudns-dns-records.html?utm_source=rss
Automatically Backing Up Zones Stored In ClouDNS
I recently moved DNS providers and migrated my domains to using ClouDNS.
What I didn't write about in that post, though, was setting up local backups
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
New Documentation: Automatically Backing Up Zones Stored In ClouDNS
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/automatically-backing-up-cloudns-dns-records.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/documentation/general/automatically-backing-up-cloudns-dns-records.html?utm_source=rss
The end of NATO, Televised
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/videos/trump-and-vance-childlike-bullies.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/videos/trump-and-vance-childlike-bullies.html?utm_source=rss
The end of NATO, Televised
This made for hard watching and seemed a significant enough moment to be worth noting.
There should be a video here, you may need to visit
www.bentasker.co.uk
March 1, 2025 at 12:00 AM
The end of NATO, Televised
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/videos/trump-and-vance-childlike-bullies.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/videos/trump-and-vance-childlike-bullies.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Manually Charging Our US2000C Solar Battery
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/reviving-our-pylontech-us2000c-solar-battery-with-a-wall-charger.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/reviving-our-pylontech-us2000c-solar-battery-with-a-wall-charger.html?utm_source=rss
Manually Charging Our US2000C Solar Battery
Earlier this month, I discovered a couple of issues with our Solar setup.
Two apparent bugs had combined and resulted in our solar battery going completely
www.bentasker.co.uk
February 25, 2025 at 8:15 PM
New Blog: Manually Charging Our US2000C Solar Battery
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/reviving-our-pylontech-us2000c-solar-battery-with-a-wall-charger.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/house-stuff/reviving-our-pylontech-us2000c-solar-battery-with-a-wall-charger.html?utm_source=rss
New Blog: Moving bentasker.co.uk services to European Providers
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/migrating-my-services-away-from-us-providers.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/migrating-my-services-away-from-us-providers.html?utm_source=rss
Moving bentasker.co.uk services to European Providers
I must admit, I've struggled a bit to write the introduction to this blogpost, given that it relates to an intersection between technology and
www.bentasker.co.uk
February 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
New Blog: Moving bentasker.co.uk services to European Providers
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/migrating-my-services-away-from-us-providers.html?utm_source=rss
https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/migrating-my-services-away-from-us-providers.html?utm_source=rss