Master the Matrix

JSON Web Token - (JWT) A JSON Web Token (JWT) is a compact, URL-safe means of representing claims (information) to be transferred between two parties. It is a security mechanism used primarily for authentication and authorization in web applications, allowing a server to verify a user's identity and permissions securely. Since a JWT is digitally signed using a secret or a public/private key pair, its contents can be verified and trusted. JWTs can be used for stateful or stateless sessions, commonly replacing traditional server-side session management. JWT Structure A JWT is a string composed of three distinct parts, separated by dots (.), typically looking like this: header.payload.signature . 1. Header The header contains metadata about the token itself, specifically the type of token and the hashing algorithm used for the signature. Algorithm: (alg) This specifies the algorithm used to sign the token. The server will use this algorithm, along with the secret, to gener...

The Biggest NPM Supply Chain Attack What is a Supply Chain Attack? A supply chain attack occurs when attackers target trusted third-party components, such as libraries or registries, instead of attacking users directly. By injecting malicious code at the source, they can spread it to all downstream users. These attacks are dangerous because updates happen automatically in build pipelines, making detection harder. A small modification in a common dependency can silently compromise thousands of projects. Defenses require strong authentication, artifact signing, reproducible builds, and active monitoring of supply chain integrity. Introduction On September 8, 2025, the npm ecosystem faced one of its largest compromises. A maintainer’s account was hijacked, and malicious versions of popular packages were published. Since npm packages are used globally in countless projects, the exposure was immediate and severe. Although the financial damage was limited, the operational dis...

Unlocking the Secrets of Polyglot Files: When One File Speaks Many Languages Introduction In the world of cybersecurity, appearances can be deceiving. A file might look like an innocent image, but behind the scenes, it could also be a ZIP archive, a PDF, or even an executable. Such files are called polyglots — single files that are valid under multiple file formats at the same time. Polyglots are fascinating from a technical standpoint, but they also pose serious security risks. Attackers often use them to bypass filters, sneak past antivirus solutions, or trick unsuspecting users into executing malicious code. What Are Polyglot Files? A polyglot file is crafted in such a way that it conforms to the specifications of two (or more) different file types simultaneously. Example: A file that is both a JPEG image and a ZIP archive . When opened in an image viewer → You see a normal picture. When extracted with a ZIP tool → You find hidden file...

Cybercriminals Exploit Unicode Trick to Mimic Booking.com in Phishing Scam Threat actors have launched a new phishing campaign targeting Booking.com users , leveraging Unicode characters to disguise malicious links as legitimate ones. This attack shows how easily scammers can trick people with subtle visual deceptions. How the Attack Works The campaign uses the Japanese hiragana character “ん” (Unicode U+3093) inside phishing URLs. On some systems and fonts, this symbol looks like a forward slash (/) or part of a subdirectory, making the fake URL appear genuine. For example, a phishing email may display the link (appears safe but is deceptive): https://admin.booking.com/hotel/hoteladmin/... But the actual malicious hyperlink is different (neutralized below for safety): https://account.booking.comんdetailんrestric-access.www-account-booking[.]com/en/ At first glance, it looks like a real Booking.com page. In reality, the true registered domain is “www-account-booking[.]co...

The Mystery of Identicons: Turning Data into Unique Visual Avatars Introduction If you’ve ever signed up for a new website and seen a colorful, pixelated avatar appear next to your name — without uploading a profile picture — you’ve probably met an Identicon . Identicons are unique, algorithmically generated images based on a piece of text, usually a username, email, or IP address. They are used for visual identification and uniqueness without revealing personal information. Where Do We See Identicons? GitHub: User avatars when no profile picture is uploaded. WordPress: Default avatars for comments. StackOverflow: Generated icons for users without a custom profile picture. How Do Identicons Work? Hashing the Input – The text (e.g., "kiyotaka ayanokōji") is passed through a hash function like SHA1 or MD5, producing a fixed-length hexadecimal value. Mapping Bits to a Grid – The hash is split into smaller parts, each controlling ...

Mastering RAG: The Future of Fact-Aware AI  “An AI that thinks like L, but researches like Sherlock.” – That’s the power of RAG. What is RAG? RAG stands for Retrieval-Augmented Generation — an advanced AI technique that combines a retriever (like a search engine) with a generator (like GPT). Traditional AI only replies based on training. RAG goes further — it retrieves live facts from external documents before generating an answer. Why RAG Was Introduced Most LLMs are like students who read thousands of books last year — but can’t learn new things today. RAG fixes this by: Reducing hallucinations (wrong facts) Adding real-time knowledge to AI responses Combining search + generation into one smart process What RAG Replaces Before RAG, you needed to: Manually feed facts into prompts Use Google + ChatGPT separately Retrain your models constantly RAG solves this with one pipeline that searches, reads, and generates together. RA...