FS24

The winning group is: Alice Glaus, Mischa Binder, and Nils-Robin Grob

Co-Puzzle Web App is a collaborative puzzle using websockets, deployed interally at OST: https://dsys-puzzle.network.garden. For the load balancer they used Traefik, everything dockerized of course, for the frontend/backend they used React with next, and for the database, they used MongoDB. Congratulations, very impressive work!

The price is sponsored by Axelra, a tech venture builder that accelerates digital business models.

The admin part gives an overview over this lecture and presents the challenge task for this course (Slides: FS24-DSy-01-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on blockchain news. The first article is about a paper analyzing the feasibility and costs of attacks on Bitcoin and Ethereum, introducing the Total Cost to Attack (TCA) metric and noting past attacks on smaller chains like Ethereum Classic. The paper concludes that attacking these major blockchains is economically impractical, underscoring their robust security. The next article discusses the independence movement of Nginx development through freenginx.org after its acquisition by F5, reflecting on the importance of maintaining the project's openness and integrity. Lastly, two articles touches on the significance of fault tolerance in distributed systems, citing advancements in ECC RAM for desktops and strategies for enhancing Raspberry Pi reliability, emphasizing the ever-present risk of hardware failures and the importance of preparing for them (Slides: FS24-DSy-01-news.pdf). The third video show the first part of the motivation why distributed systems are necessary (Slides: FS24-DSy-01-intro1.pdf). [104min]

The admin part is about group forming (Slides: FS24-DSy-02-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports reports on distributed systems and blockchain news. The first article showcases a Java optimization effort, illustrating how leveraging advanced coding techniques, e.g., the use of sun.misc.Unsafe, can dramatically reduce data processing times from 71 seconds to 1.7 seconds. The next article shifts to a court case revealing emails between Satoshi Nakamoto and Adam Back, which brings new insights into the early development of Bitcoin but leaves Nakamoto's true identity a mystery. The next topic is about scalability challenges faced by large language models (LLMs), emphasizing the difficulties of running these sophisticated models on consumer hardware and the critical importance of distributed systems. The final article serves as a reminder on the vulnerability of hardware failure, highlighting the importance of distributed systems in mitigating the impact of such failures (Slides: FS24-DSy-02-news.pdf). The third video show the second part of the motivation why distributed systems are important (Slides: FS24-DSy-02-intro2.pdf). [73min]

The admin part is about group forming and lecture content (Slides: FS24-DSy-03-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on recent incidents and developments. The first article is an Economic Denial of Sustainability (EDoS) attack, exemplified by incidents at Netlify and Vercel, where scalability features led to unexpectedly high bills for users due to DDoS attacks, raising concerns about platform security measures. The next topic is the alleged sabotage of underwater internet cables by the Houthi movement, affecting data traffic between continents and showcasing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. Lastly, Bocek touches on malware targeting GitHub dependencies through repository confusion attacks, stressing the importance of secure development practices and the potential benefits of developing within Docker to mitigate risks (Slides: FS24-DSy-03-news.pdf). The third video introduces load balancing (Slides: FS24-DSy-03-load.pdf). [110min]

The admin part is about answers questions from the exercises (Slides: FS24-DSy-04-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on various topics in his lecture series on distributed systems and blockchain, including the results of a 1 billion row challenge showcasing the performance of different programming languages, where Java, Rust, C, and Golang demonstrated comparable speeds. He reports on the impact of broken sea cables, likely caused by an anchor attack by Huthi rebels, on internet traffic and mentions a significant Meta outage affecting services relying on Facebook login. The series also covers the European Commission's scrutiny of Apple's web app policy for iOS, leading to a reversal on home screen web app functionality in the EU. Additionally, this video shares insights on personal projects involving the deployment of fiber optic cable at home and setting up a home lab, emphasizing the fun and educational aspects of such endeavors, and briefly mentions innovative projects like dockur for automating Windows installations in VMs and an alternative method for running containers without Docker (Slides: FS24-DSy-04-news.pdf). The third video dives into VMs and containers (Slides: FS24-DSy-04-container.pdf). [129min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content (Slides: FS24-DSy-05-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on a continued critiqued for Apple's continued monopolistic practices in app distribution. Other topics include how to update online services without downtime, using the example of Erlang/OTP, and Meta (formerly Facebook) building huge computer systems to work on advanced AI projects. Figma, a design tool, had to make big changes to its database to handle more users, showing how companies need to grow their systems as they get more popular. Another article talks about how PostgreSQL, a database program, is getting better at handling different kinds of data work, which could simplify tech setups for many people. There's also a mention of a video that explains containers and virtual machines, tools for running software efficiently. The Tor Project's new WebTunnel feature is designed to help users bypass internet censorship by disguising their internet traffic. Lastly, a court case confirmed that Craig Wright, who claimed to have created Bitcoin, was not the real inventor, according to a judge (Slides: FS24-DSy-05-news.pdf). The third video finishes the introduction with a categorization and definition of distributed systems (Slides: FS24-DSy-05-cat.pdf). The last video (2nd admin video, use VPN!) shows how to handle issues with docker and docker compose (Slides: FS24-DSy-05-debug.pdf). [100min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and exercises (Slides: FS24-DSy-06-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on on how web bloat impacts users with low-end devices, examines the benefits and constraints of passkeys as a secure authentication alternative, debates the efficacy of HTTP/2 versus HTTP/3, and shares thoughts on terminal latency improvements. Additionally, an article is presented that shows an analysis on the cost-efficiency of on-premise data centers over cloud services and a critique of new EU anti-money laundering laws is mentioned for their potential impact on financial privacy. (Slides: FS24-DSy-06-news.pdf). The third video discusses the difference between a monorepo and polyrepo (Slides: FS24-DSy-06-repo.pdf). [50min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and exercises (Slides: FS24-DSy-07-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on significant tech developments, including the release of Podman 5.0.0 which enhances compatibility and performance for Mac and Windows, and discusses the occasional challenges in transitioning from Docker. Next, the universal need for Kubernetes is questioned, noting its operational complexity despite its scalability benefits. A critical security flaw in XZ Utils, identified as CVE-2024-3094, which permits remote code execution is discussed. Additionally, challenges in handling JSON numbers across different programming environments are touched, along with improvements in Docker caching strategies in GitHub Actions, and a notable decrease in GNOME 46 terminal latency. The news video concludes with insights on the rapid development of Meta's Threads app, which leverages the existing architecture of Instagram. (Slides: FS24-DSy-07-news.pdf). The third video discusses authentication (Slides: FS24-DSy-07-auth.pdf). The forth video is an interview with Simon Tuck from TrustSquare where we talk about Artwork.ID within the Certify project. [107min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and exercises (Slides: FS24-DSy-08-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on significant tech developments, including the recent Bitcoin halving, which halves the block rewards for miners every 210,000 blocks as part of the protocol to limit Bitcoin's supply, historically leading to price surges due to anticipated scarcity. He also discusses the One Billion Row Challenge, highlighting a significant speed improvement in data processing using CUDA compared to traditional C++ implementations, which shows not all tasks are suited for GPU acceleration. Additionally, Thomas Bocek contrasts the programming philosophies of "think twice, code once" versus "think once, code twice," emphasizing the value of rapid prototyping in revealing unforeseen issues and practical constraints that theoretical planning may miss. (Slides: FS24-DSy-08-news.pdf). The third video discusses protocols (Slides: FS24-DSy-08-protocols.pdf). [89min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and exercises (Slides: FS24-DSy-09-admin.pdf). The second video (news) reports on the vulnerability of even robust systems, highlighted by hardware failures on the Voyager 1 spacecraft, emphasizing the importance of durable design. In cybersecurity, he notes significant findings on password security, revealing that modern GPUs can crack simpler passwords rapidly, advocating for stronger security measures. Lastly, he covers the legal issues surrounding cryptocurrency mixers, such as the case against Samourai Wallet for facilitating illegal transactions, underscoring the clash between privacy and regulatory enforcement in crypto activities. (Slides: FS24-DSy-09-news.pdf). The third video discusses web architectures (Slides: FS24-DSy-09-arch.pdf). [88min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and exam preparation (Slides: FS24-DSy-10-admin.pdf, Exam: FS23-DSy-exam.pdf). The second video (news) provides a weekly roundup on distributed systems and blockchain. The economic vulnerability of cloud systems, termed "Denial of Wallet," where cloud resources can be exploited to cause significant financial losses is discussed. Highlighting security challenges, the risks associated with development environments, comparing security and simplicity in containerized setups and emphasizing the dangers of malicious repositories in Docker is explored. Finally, contrasting legal outcomes in the cryptocurrency sector, detailing the substantial differences in prison sentences between Sam Bankman-Fried and Changpeng Zhao, which underscores the clash between the severity of charges and regulatory enforcement in crypto activities are covered. (Slides: FS24-DSy-10-news.pdf). The third video discusses deployments (Slides: FS24-DSy-10-deployment.pdf) [97min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and challenge task presentations (Slides: FS24-DSy-11-admin.pdf. The second video (news) discussed recent developments in the blockchain and distributed systems: a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) has triggered potential severe geomagnetic storms, with visible auroras possible in central Europe. The discussion around database technologies has highlighted the benefits of API database architecture using PostgREST with PostgreSQL. The Open Source Security (OpenSSF) and OpenJS Foundations have issued warnings about social engineering attacks targeting open source projects, exemplified by an attempted backdoor in the XZ Utils project. A Visa co-developed study indicates that over 90% of stablecoin transactions might not involve genuine users, challenging the potential of stablecoins to revolutionize the payments industry soon. (Slides: FS24-DSy-11-news.pdf). The third video introduces blockchains, Bitcoin, and Ethereum (Slides: FS24-DSy-11-bitcoin.pdf) [111min]

The first admin part is about the lecture content and challenge task hand in (Slides: FS24-DSy-12-admin.pdf). The second video (news) discussed recent developments in the blockchain and distributed systems: UniSuper experienced a major service disruption due to a Google Cloud misconfiguration, underscoring the importance of robust backup strategies like 3-2-1. Cloudflare's new HTTP proxy, Pingora, offers improved performance and resource efficiency, providing developers with customization flexibility. Traefik's latest version addresses websocket issues on macOS, enhancing its usability and robustness for load balancing. In crypto news, Alexey Pertsev, the developer behind Tornado Cash, was sentenced for money laundering, raising concerns about developer liabilities in open-source projects. Finally, the leader of the LockBit ransomware group was identified, demonstrating ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime despite persistent threats. (Slides: FS24-DSy-12-news.pdf). The third video discusses mail infrastructure (Slides: FS24-DSy-12-mail.pdf) [56min]

The first admin part is about the challenge task hand in (Slides: FS24-DSy-13-admin.pdf). The second video (news) is about Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin who discusses the similarities and differences between Layer 2 solutions and execution sharding, highlighting their use of ZK-SNARKs and Data Availability Sampling (DAS) for computation and data verification. Layer 2 solutions, managed through smart contracts, offer flexibility but require better coordination, which EIP 7683 aims to address by improving interoperability. Next, we revisit an SMTP bug where missing periods in emails were traced to line length limits and improper character escaping, with significant real-world impacts like incorrect financial statements. A fascinating tutorial shows how modifying QLC SSD firmware can transform it into an SLC SSD, increasing durability and speed at the cost of storage capacity, though the method involves dubious tools from unofficial sources. Finally, we cover a Google Cloud network issue caused by an automation bug, affecting services for nearly three hours, and a Microsoft incident that disrupted web search functions for several hours, underlining the complexity and interdependence of distributed systems. (Slides: FS24-DSy-13-news.pdf). [12min]

CT/News (MP4)

This week's summary of Distributed Systems and Blockchain news highlights several key topics, and this week's focus is on the challenge task where students must implement a dockerized distributed system to pass the course. The winner of the challenge task is the Co-Puzzle Web App from Alice, Mischa, and Nils-Robin, a collaborative puzzle using WebSockets, React, Next.js, MongoDB, and Traefik, deployed internally at OST. Each winning student receives 50 CHF in Bitcoins. Congratulations! This news segment will resume in the fall with the blockchain lecture.. (Slides: FS24-DSy-14-news.pdf). [7min]