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Articles by Michael Backes
Computer Science > Computation and Language
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.
Benchmark of Benchmarks: Unpacking Influence and Code Repository Quality in LLM Safety Benchmarks
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.
AttackPilot: Autonomous Inference Attacks Against ML Services With LLM-Based Agents
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.
Image-Perfect Imperfections: Safety, Bias, and Authenticity in the Shadow of Text-To-Image Model Evolution
[Submitted on 30 Aug 2024] Title:Image-Perfect Imperfections: Safety, Bias, and Authenticity in the Shadow of Text-To-Image Model Evolution View a PDF of the paper titled Image-Perfect Imperfections: Safety, Bias, and Authenticity in the Shadow of Text-To-Image Model Evolution, by Yixin Wu and Yun Shen and Michael Backes and Yang Zhang View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Text-to-image models, such as Stable Diffusion (SD), undergo iterative updates to improve image quality and address...
[2402.02987] Conversation Reconstruction Attack Against GPT Models
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.
[2401.12233] Memorization in Self-Supervised Learning Improves Downstream Generalization
[Submitted on 19 Jan 2024 ( v1 ), last revised 24 Jan 2024 (this version, v2)] Title:Memorization in Self-Supervised Learning Improves Downstream Generalization Download a PDF of the paper titled Memorization in Self-Supervised Learning Improves Downstream Generalization, by Wenhao Wang and 5 other authors Download PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:Self-supervised learning (SSL) has recently received significant attention due to its ability to train high-performance encoders purely on...
SecurityNet: Assessing Machine Learning Vulnerabilities on Public Models
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.
[2310.04539] Generating Less Certain Adversarial Examples Improves Robust Generalization
[Submitted on 6 Oct 2023 ( v1 ), last revised 14 Jan 2025 (this version, v4)] Title:Generating Less Certain Adversarial Examples Improves Robust Generalization View a PDF of the paper titled Generating Less Certain Adversarial Examples Improves Robust Generalization, by Minxing Zhang and 2 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:This paper revisits the robust overfitting phenomenon of adversarial training.
You Are How You Walk: Quantifying Privacy Risks in Step Count Data
Wearable devices have gained huge popularity in today's world. These devices collect large-scale health data from their users, such as heart rate and step count data, that is privacy sensitive, however it has not yet received the necessary attention in the academia.
"Do Anything Now": Characterizing and Evaluating In-The-Wild Jailbreak Prompts on Large Language Models
[Submitted on 7 Aug 2023 ( v1 ), last revised 15 May 2024 (this version, v2)] Title:"Do Anything Now": Characterizing and Evaluating In-The-Wild Jailbreak Prompts on Large Language Models View a PDF of the paper titled "Do Anything Now": Characterizing and Evaluating In-The-Wild Jailbreak Prompts on Large Language Models, by Xinyue Shen and Zeyuan Chen and Michael Backes and Yun Shen and Yang Zhang View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract:The misuse of large language models (LLMs) has drawn...
Two-in-One: A Model Hijacking Attack Against Text Generation Models
Machine learning has progressed significantly in various applications ranging from face recognition to text generation. However, its success has been accompanied by different attacks. Recently a new attack has been proposed which raises both accountability and parasitic computing risks, namely the model hijacking attack. Nevertheless, this attack has only focused on image classification tasks.
[2304.08979] In ChatGPT We Trust? Measuring and Characterizing the Reliability of ChatGPT
The way users acquire information is undergoing a paradigm shift with the advent of ChatGPT. Unlike conventional search engines, ChatGPT retrieves knowledge from the model itself and generates answers for users. ChatGPT's impressive question-answering (QA) capability has attracted more than 100 million users within a short period of time but has also raised concerns regarding its reliability.
MGTBench: Benchmarking Machine-Generated Text Detection
arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs.
[2209.03463] Why So Toxic? Measuring and Triggering Toxic Behavior in Open-Domain Chatbots
Do you navigate arXiv using a screen reader or other assistive technology? Are you a professor who helps students do so? We want to hear from you. Please consider signing up to share your insights as we work to make arXiv even more open.
A framework for constructing Single Secret Leader Election from MPC
Paper 2022/1040 A framework for constructing Single Secret Leader Election from MPC , CISPA Helmholz Center for Information Security , University of Birmingham , CISPA Helmholz Center for Information Security , University of Luxembourg Abstract The emergence of distributed digital currencies has raised the need for a reliable consensus mechanism.
Dynamic Backdoor Attacks Against Machine Learning Models
Machine learning (ML) has made tremendous progress during the past decade and is being adopted in various critical real-world applications. However, recent research has shown that ML models are vulnerable to multiple security and privacy attacks. In particular, backdoor attacks against ML models that have recently raised a lot of awareness. A successful backdoor attack can cause severe consequences, such as allowing an adversary to bypass critical authentication systems.
How to Use Inspiration, Relatability & Suspense in Your Brand Storytelling
You may appreciate the importance of using inspiration, relatability and suspense in your stories. But it’s difficult to combine all three elements. We inevitably leave out one of these critical story elements unless we follow proven frameworks to our storytelling. Michael Backes is here to show you how.
Colorado Officials Moving on Denver Social-Use Rules, Considering State-Wide Legislation | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet Members of Denver, Colorado’s Social Consumption Advisory Committee are set to hold their third meeting next week, continuing to devise rules under which the voter-approved Initiative 300 will operate in the city.
Lansing, Michigan Passes MMJ Home-Grow Ordinance | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet Lansing, Michigan’s City Council has set new rules for medical cannabis home-growing which require patients to register with the city if they continuously or intermittently use more than 3,500 kilowatt hours of electricity, the Lansing State Journal reports. It’s unclear whether those who register would need to pay a fee, but failure to register with the city could result in a civil infraction.
Bill Permitting CBD Use for Epilepsy Passes Indiana Senate, Moves to House | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet A measure to legalize CBD oil use for patients 18-years-old and younger has passed the Indiana Senate, which would allow some physicians, nurses, caregivers, and individuals to use the oil to treat intractable epilepsy, allowing pharmacies to dispense it. Under the proposal, the oil must be derived from industrial hemp, as it is required to meet the federal definition of hemp, which is set at .3 percent THC.
How to Start a Cannabis Extraction Company | Ganjapreneur
NAVIGATE SUBSCRIBE Precision Extraction - Wednesday, February 8th, 2017 CATEGORIES: Share Tweet Share Tweet Comments Precision® extraction equipment utilizes hydrocarbon solvents, the most efficient method to commercially extract essential oil from hemp and cannabis plants, including CBD, THC and terpene compounds, for medical and other applications.
Poll: RI Voters Favor Adult-Use Cannabis Market | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet According to a Public Policy Polling survey, Rhode Islanders are slightly more in favor of legalizing adult-use cannabis today than they were in 2015; finding 59 percent of voters support a regulated cannabis industry compared to 57 percent two years ago. About one in three, 36 percent, said they were opposed in the poll taken between January 27 and January 29, WPRI reports. The survey comes as Democratic lawmakers Rep. Scott Slater and Sen.
3rd Annual Cannabis Collaborative Conference Coming to PDX Feb. 15-16 | Ganjapreneur
The third annual Cannabis Collaborative Conference (CCC) is coming to Portland, Oregon next week, February 15-16. CCC PDX is really amping things up this year at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center (Portland Expo Center). Historically, the two-day cannabis conference and networking event has brought out the largest crowds you can find in Oregon for B2B cannabis events. George Zimmer, the founder and former CEO of Men’s Warehouse, is slated to give this year’s keynote address.
States With Medical Marijuana Experience Lower Traffic Fatality Rates, Study Shows | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet Researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health released information this week that could negate one of the most common arguments against cannabis legalization: that easier access to marijuana will mean an increase in stoned driving and therefore more traffic fatalities. In fact, the opposite appears to be the case, at least in regards to medical marijuana legislation.
DEA: Rule Change Prioritizes CBD Research | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet The DEA says that the rule change, published last week which changed the agency’s code for cannabis extracts, will make researching CBD easier, according to the U.S. News and World Report.
Did the DEA Just Outlaw Hemp-Derived CBD? | Ganjapreneur
A new rule published by the DEA today led many in the cannabis industry to assume the worst — that the agency had decided to crack down on hemp-derived CBD. Take a deep breath. This is not the case. What the rule actually does is create a new Administration Controlled Substances Code Number for cannabis extracts — concentrates such as shatter, wax or rosin.
Study: Cannabis Could Treat Sexual Dysfunctions in Both Sexes | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES According to a National Institutes of Health report, cannabis could be used to treat sexual dysfunctions in both sexes, including Erectile Dysfunction in men and Sexual Arousal Disorder in women. The study was conducted by researchers from Italy’s University of Catania, and Charles University and Masaryk University in the Czech Republic. The study is published in the Pharmacological Research journal.
The Trailer Park Boys Are Getting Their Own Cannabis Brand | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES OrganiGram Holdings is partnering with the “Trailer Park Boys” to develop branding and packaging for cannabis products aimed at Canada’s recreational users, the Canadian Press reports. The move is in anticipation of the federal government legalizing cannabis throughout the country in the spring.
Questions Abound in North Dakota About Enacting New MMJ Law | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES Officials in North Dakota are working toward implementing the medical marijuana referendum approved by voters on Election Day, which requires that the measure be enacted within 30 days of its passage, the Minot Daily News reports. The text of the law is 33 pages, filled with stipulations and some provisions could be subject to interpretation.
Share Your Opinion on Marijuana Marketing | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES Adistry and Ganjapreneur have teamed up to present The 2016 Cannabiz Marketing Survey. This report will benchmark the tactics, challenges, opportunities and priorities of marijuana marketers across the country. We need your help: All eyes are on America’s fastest growing industry — but how do companies guarantee that they get the right eyes on the many different cannabis brands and retail locations popping up?
U.S. Cannabis Expansion Could be Good News for Canadian MMJ Companies | Ganjapreneur
Canadian cannabis companies could benefit from the record number of states that passed cannabis initiatives on Green Tuesday by investing in and entering into partnerships with companies that acquire new cannabis licenses, according to a Canadian Press report. One of the states that successfully passed an adult-use initiative, Maine, shares a border with Canada, while border-states North Dakota and Montana adopted or expanded medical cannabis programs.
Part of Massachusetts' Question 4 Takes Effect Dec. 15 | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES The most immediate effect the passage of Question 4 will have in Massachusetts is that, as of Dec. 15, adults over 21-years-old will be able to possess and use 1 ounce of cannabis and people will be allowed to grow up to 12 plants per household. Yet, retail sales are likely more than a year away, according to reports from Fox25 and CBS, as there is a lot of bureaucracy that needs to happen before legal sales commence. On Feb. 1, 2017, Republican Gov.
Irish Health Minister Asks for MMJ Review, Mulling Legislation | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES Irish Health Minister Simon Harris has requested a report on medicinal cannabis from the Health Products Regulatory Agency, promising to consider introducing legislation based on the findings, according to an Irish Times report. He has asked the agency to provide recommendations on recent developments in the use of medical cannabis and an overview of the “wider ongoing and emerging clinical research” associated with the plant’s medicinal efficacy.
New Mexico Advisory Board Votes ‘Yes’ on Treating Opioid Addiction with MMJ | Ganjapreneur
New Mexico’s Medical Advisory Board has voted 5-1 to add “opioid use disorder” to the list of conditions approved for access to the state’s medicinal cannabis program, according to a report by the Santa Fe New Mexican. The lone dissenting vote was cast by the Board’s chairman Dr. Mitch Simson, who said he was concerned about substituting one addiction for another.
Oregon Local Cannabis Tax Measures Results: Live Updates | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES Dozens of Oregon communities are asking their voters tonight to approve a 3% retail cannabis sales tax, which would be added on top of the state’s mandatory tax on cannabis sales. The extra 3% tax would be earmarked for local government use. Currently, Oregon cannabis sales are subject to a 25% state tax. Starting January 1, tax rates will drop to 17% or 20%, depending on whether or not local voters chose to embrace the extra 3% retail tax.
Idaho Mother Loses Custody of Children After Treating Daughter’s Seizures with Cannabis | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES A mother in Idaho has had her two children taken from her after she gave her 3-year-old. who suffers from seizures, a smoothie infused with a tablespoon of canna-butter, KTVB 7 reports. Idaho does not allow medical marijuana use. Kelsey Osborne said that providing cannabis to her daughter for her seizures was her “last resort” but maintains that she did the right thing. The fits stopped 30 minutes after she provided the smoothie to her child.
PenSimple: New Grinder Technology for the Active Cannabis Consumer | Ganjapreneur
NAVIGATE SUBSCRIBE Press Releases - Thursday, November 3rd, 2016 CATEGORIES: Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES Share Tweet Comments Press Releases Ganjapreneur publishes press announcements for cannabis companies, events, and causes. To learn about the submission & publishing process, contact us at grow@ganjapreneur.com. LeafedIn.org The Cannabis P2P Network.
Humboldt State University Panel Debates Pros and Cons of Prop. 64 | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet 0 TOTAL SHARES Some California growers have already voiced their concerns over the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, and during a Humboldt State University panel discussion, one researcher called marijuana the “last small farm industry in California.” In the Times-Standard report, Fred Krissman, a research associate with the HSU Anthropology Department and Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research, pointed out that Proposition 64 allows for large-scale grows five...
New West Summit Brings Industry Minds Together | Ganjapreneur
New West Summit was truly a meeting of the minds. Last weekend’s San Francisco trade show, in its second year, covered the latest intersections of technology, investment, and media in the cannabis space, with huge implications for the entire industry. “At New West Summit 2.0 we saw both attendance and exhibitor numbers double,” said executive director Jim McAlpine.
Adelson Makes Another $1M Contribution to Anti-Legalization Campaign | Ganjapreneur
Share Tweet SHARES Sheldon Adelson has donated another $1 million to anti-legalization efforts, this time in Massachusetts, according to a report by the Boston Globe. The Las Vegas casino mogul, a Dorchester native, made the donation to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts. Adelson’s donation constitutes more than the $634,000 the campaign has raised all year, according to campaign finance reports. Comparatively, the Yes on 4 campaign has raised more than $3.3 million this year.
Growers’ Opinions of Prop 64 Mixed Month Before Vote | Ganjapreneur
Some California growers are opposing Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, over fears that the measure will cause too much red tape and onerous oversight, with some saying the required regulatory inspection are akin to warrantless searches, according to a report from Reuters.
Charlo Greene Faces 54 Years in Prison for Cannabis Club Proprietorship | Ganjapreneur
In 2014, Charlo Greene made national headlines when she said “Fuck it, I quit” as a TV news reporter for KTVA while announcing her plans to push for marijuana legalization in Alaska. Now, as the owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club, she faces 54 years in prison, according to a report by Newser.
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