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Today β€” 17 June 2024Main stream

Bird Flu Is Infecting Cats (and the Occasional Dog). Here’s What to Know.

17 June 2024 at 05:05
A few β€œreasonable precautions” can help people keep their pets safe from the H5N1 virus, experts say.

Β© Alex Wroblewski for The New York Times

An A.S.P.C.A. temporary quarantine facility for cats that were exposed to bird flu in New York during an outbreak that began in 2016.

Surgeon General Calls for Warning Labels on Social Media Platforms

17 June 2024 at 05:00
Dr. Vivek Murthy said he would urge Congress to require a warning that social media use can harm teenagers’ mental health.

Β© Susan Walsh/Associated Press

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has long indicated that he believes social media poses a health risk to children and adolescents.
Before yesterdayMain stream

Clearview AI Used Your Face. Now You May Get a Stake in the Company.

13 June 2024 at 20:07
The facial recognition start-up doesn’t have the funds to settle a class-action lawsuit, so lawyers are proposing equity for those whose faces were scraped from the internet.

Β© Amr Alfiky for The New York Times

A demonstration of Clearview AI’s facial recognition smartphone app in 2019.

California Proposes 30 AI Regulation Laws Amid Federal Standstill

10 June 2024 at 19:09
California legislators have made the biggest push to pass new laws to rein in the technology. Colorado passed one protecting consumers.

Β© Kirby Lee, via Associated Press

An aerial view of the California State Capitol building in 2022.

Can I Opt Out of Meta’s A.I. Scraping on Instagram and Facebook? Sort Of.

7 June 2024 at 15:49
Social media users voiced worries about a move by Meta to use information from public Instagram and Facebook posts to train its A.I. But the scraping has already begun. Here’s what to know.

Β© Associated Press

Meta sent notifications to European users of Facebook and Instagram letting them know that their public posts could be used to train its A.I. β€” including its chatbot and other services it develops β€” starting on June 26. In the United States, public posts are already being used to train the services.

Cancer Researchers Begin Large Long-Term Study of Black Women

7 June 2024 at 05:06
The American Cancer Society hopes to enroll 100,000 women and follow them for three decades to discover what’s causing higher case and death rates.

Β© Travis Dove for The Washington Post, via Getty Images

Participants in the study will be surveyed about their behaviors, environmental exposures and life experiences.

U.S. Clears Way for Antitrust Inquiries of Nvidia, Microsoft and OpenAI

5 June 2024 at 23:48
The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission agreed to divide responsibility for investigating three major players in the artificial intelligence industry.

Β© Grant Hindsley for The New York Times

The Federal Trade Commission will be primarily responsible for examining Microsoft’s and OpenAI’s conduct in the artificial intelligence industry.

U.S. Navy Punishes Senior Enlisted Leader for Operating Wi-Fi Network On Ship

By: Alan J
5 June 2024 at 17:15

U.S.Navy Senior Chief WiFi cyberattack

The U.S. Navy took action against a senior enlisted leader who installed an unauthorized Wi-Fi system aboard a combat ship. According to documents obtained by the Navy Times, Grisel Marrero, the former command senior chief of the littoral combat ship USS Manchester's gold crew, pleaded guilty in March to charges related to the operation of the illicit network and a subsequent cover-up. The network appears to have been set up through the use of a Starlink satellite connected to the ship.

U.S. Navy Chief Attempted to Cover Up Illicit Network

The U.S. Navy began investigating the ship's network installation in June 2023 when a crew member attempted to report the network to the ship's commanding officer. However, Marrero intercepted the tip from being sent and avoided sharing information about the deployment of the Wi-Fi network. The installation was eventually uncovered in August after Marrero edited an image of the ship's Starlink data usage to conceal the Wi-Fi network's activity. Prosecutors believe Marrero attempted this operation to impede pending disciplinary action against another sailor. It is unclear if the sailor was involved with the operation of the Wi-Fi network. Marrero, who had a background in Navy intelligence, was relieved of her leadership position aboard the Manchester in September 2023 due to a "loss of confidence," the Navy's Surface Force Pacific (SURFPAC) command said in a statement. The phrase β€œloss of confidence” is commonly used as a euphemism among military branches to announce that that enlisted officers and senior leaders have been relieved of their duty and while avoiding specific details or behavior behind the decision such asΒ  performance orΒ  misconduct. Marrero later faced a court-martial, where she pleaded guilty to willful dereliction of duty and making false statements to her superiors. She was also demoted from the E-8 level rank to E-7 as punishment.

Other U.S. Sailors Implicated in the Wi-Fi Scandal

The Navy has also disciplined other sailors in connection with the illegal Wi-Fi network. While details of their involvement are scarce, a spokesperson for the Navy confirmed that other sailors were also punished for their role in the operation of the illicit network. The extent of their punishments is not yet clear, as the spokesman declined to provide further details. The Manchester's gold crew has faced significant changes in the past year, with Marrero and the ship's second-in-command, Cmdr. Matthew Yokeley, both being relieved of their duties. The Manchester, which was in or around San Diego, Hawaii and Guam during Marrero's alleged deeds, is a littoral combat ship assigned to SURFPAC, part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The reasons for Yokeley's ouster are unclear, and SURFPAC officials have declined to provide further details. In previous official press releases relating to the dismissal of Navy officers for unspecified reasons, such as the relieving of commodore Richard A. Zaszewski in March 2024, and commodore James Harne from duty in December 2023, the navy often made the following statement:
Navy leaders are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct. They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.
This incident serves as a reminder of the security concerns stemming from the use of unauthorized networks or digital communications while operating in official military or Navy duty. An official press release from the Navy, along with further information on other punishments involved with the unauthorized network, is expected in the coming months. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.

New Report Underscores the Seriousness of Long Covid

5 June 2024 at 12:22
The National Academies said the condition could involve up to 200 symptoms, make it difficult for people to work and last for months or years.

Β© Alex Wroblewski for The New York Times

Samantha Lewis, left, of Aurora, Ill., attending a physical therapy session to treat her long Covid symptoms in 2021.

How Electric Car Batteries Might Aid the Grid (and Win Over Drivers)

5 June 2024 at 11:36
Automakers are exploring energy storage as a way to help utilities and save customers money, turning an expensive component into an industry asset.

Β© Laetitia Vancon for The New York Times

A Mobility House customer using the company’s electric vehicle charging system in Munich.

These Teens Adopted an Orphaned Oil Well. Their Goal: Shut It Down.

24 May 2024 at 05:02
Students, nonprofit groups and others are fund-raising to cap highly polluting oil and gas wells abandoned by industry.

Β© Cornell Watson for The New York Times

From left: Lila Gisondi, Mateo De La Rocha and Sebastian Ng, high school seniors in Cary, N.C., who adopted an oil well in Ohio that was leaking gas.

Ascension Hospitals Reel From Cyberattack, Causing Patient Care Delays

23 May 2024 at 16:48
For two weeks at the 140-hospital system, doctors and nurses have had little access to digital records for patient histories, resorting to paper and faxes to treat people.

Β© Lauren Justice for The New York Times

Ascension, one of the nation’s largest medical systems with 140 hospitals in 19 states, has yet to recover from a large-scale cyberattack earlier this month.

Fate of Retired Research Chimps Still in Limbo

23 May 2024 at 05:03
The National Institutes of Health, which owns the chimps at the Alamogordo Primate Facility in New Mexico, has no plans to move the animals to sanctuary, despite a ruling from a federal judge.

Β© Emil Lippe for The New York Times

Carlee, a chimpanzee living in Chimp Haven, a 200-acre sanctuary in Louisiana that serves as the designated retirement home for federally owned chimps.

A Second Dairy Worker Has Contracted Bird Flu, C.D.C. Reports

The new case, in a Michigan farmworker, did not suggest that bird flu was widespread in people, health officials said, adding that the risk to the general public remained low.

Β© Jackie Katz Cynthia Goldsmith/CDC, via Associated Press

An electron microscope image of an avian flu virion.

EPA Steps Up Enforcement to Protect US Drinking Water from Cyber Attacks

By: Alan J
21 May 2024 at 10:04

Environmental Protection Agency Water Systems

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a stern warning on May 20th, 2024, highlighting the escalating cyber threats to the nation's drinking water systems while outlining stricter enforcement measures to protect water-related critical infrastructure. The Environmental Protection Agency is an independent U.S. agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment. These responsibilities include making sure that Americans have clean air, land and water and overseeing the implementation of federal laws related to these matters. The alert comes as part of a wider government initiative to strengthen national security and address vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.

Environmental Protection Agency Concerned By Recent Inspection Results

Recent EPA inspections have revealed alarming cybersecurity gaps in a majority of water systems. More than 70% of inspected systems were found to be non-compliant with the Safe Drinking Water Act, with some exhibiting severe vulnerabilities such as unchanged default passwords and single logins. These weaknesses leave systems susceptible to cyberattacks, which have been observed by the agency to have become increasingly more frequent and severe in recent times. In response to the escalating threat, the EPA is ramping up its enforcement activities under the Safe Drinking Water Act. This includes increasing the number of inspections, initiating civil and criminal enforcement actions where necessary, and ensuring that water systems are adhering to the requirements of risk assessment and emergency response planning. The EPA is also working closely with federal and state partners, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI, to fortify the nation's water systems against cyber threats. This collaboration includes providing technical assistance, guidance, training, and resources to help water systems implement crucial security measures. "Defending our nation's water supply is central to our mission at the EPA," emphasized Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. We are leveraging all available tools, including enforcement, to shield our water from cyber threats. The alert reflects the current government's dedication to dealing with the urgency of cyber threats to critical infrastructure, and ensuring that water systems are adequately equipped to counteract these risks to public health.

EPA's Key Recommendations for Water Systems

The EPA's enforcement alert warned that cyberattacks on water systems could have devastating consequences, potentially disrupting treatment, distribution, and storage of water, damaging critical infrastructure, and even manipulating chemical levels to hazardous amounts. The alert added that small water systems are not exempt from this threat, as recent attacks by nation-state actors have targeted systems of all sizes. The EPA, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the FBI strongly recommend that water systems implement the following cybersecurity measures:
  • Reduce exposure to the public-facing internet.
  • Conduct regular cybersecurity assessments.
  • Immediately change default passwords.
  • Conduct an inventory of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) assets.
  • Develop and practice cybersecurity incident response and recovery plans.
  • Backup OT/IT systems.
  • Reduce exposure to vulnerabilities.
  • Conduct cybersecurity awareness training.
The EPA and CISA are offering free assistance to water systems to help them implement these crucial changes. Utilities can contact the EPA through its Cybersecurity Technical Assistance Form or email CISA Cyber Hygiene Services at vulnerability@cisa.dhs.gov with the subject line 'Requesting Cyber Hygiene Services'. [caption id="attachment_69563" align="alignnone" width="184"]Environmental Protection Agency Water Systems EPA Source: epa.gov[/caption] The EPA's heightened enforcement measures reflect the urgency of the threat facing the nation's water systems. By working together with federal and state partners and implementing recommended security practices, water systems can significantly enhance their resilience and protect this critical resource from malicious threat actors. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information. Β 

Ed Dwight Goes to Space 63 Years After Training as 1st Black Astronaut

19 May 2024 at 18:34
Edward Dwight was among the first pilots that the United States was training to send to space in 1961, but he was passed over. On Sunday, he finally made it on a Blue Origin flight.

Β© Blue Origin, via Agence France-Presse β€” Getty Images

Edward Dwight was one of six people who went to space aboard the Mission NS-25 crew capsule from Blue Origin on Sunday. Upon exiting, he raised his arm and said, β€œLong time coming.”

Overdose Deaths Dropped in U.S. in 2023 for First Time in Five Years

15 May 2024 at 11:40
Preliminary numbers show a nearly 4 percent decrease in deaths from opioids, largely fentanyl, but a rise in deaths from meth and cocaine.

Β© Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Empty cartridges of Kloxxado, a naloxone nasal spray that is twice as concentrated as Narcan, lay on the street after being used to revive a man in Portland, Ore., last year.

New Rules to Overhaul Electric Grids Could Boost Wind and Solar Power

13 May 2024 at 18:22
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the biggest changes in more than a decade to the way U.S. power lines are planned and funded.

Β© Renaud Philippe for The New York Times

A transmission line construction project near Bingham, Maine, in 2022.

Solar Storm Disrupts Some Farmers’ GPS Systems

13 May 2024 at 11:38
The storm interfered with navigational systems used in tractors and other farming equipment, leaving some farmers temporarily unable to plant their crops.

Β© Tiffany Graham

A tractor at O’Connor Family Farms near Blooming Prairie, Minn.

On Instagram, a Jewelry Ad Draws Solicitations for Sex With a 5-Year-Old

Advertisers of merchandise for young girls find that adult men can become their unintended audience. In a test ad, convicted sex offenders inquired about a child model.

Β© Illustration by Amir Hamja/The New York Times

How to View the Northern Lights on Sunday Night

12 May 2024 at 12:57
The best weather conditions for viewing the colorful light display will be in much of the West while New England was β€œa question mark,” a forecaster said.

Β© Blake Benard/Getty Images

A geomagnetic storm lit up the night sky above the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah, on Friday.

GM to Retire the Chevy Malibu to Make More EVs

8 May 2024 at 17:19
The gasoline-powered Malibu was the last sedan sold by Chevrolet, the General Motors brand, in the United States.

Β© Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images, via LightRocket, via Getty Images

Since the car’s introduction in the 1960s, G.M. has sold more than 10 million Malibus. But sales have slumped in recent years.

Are Schools Too Focused on Mental Health?

6 May 2024 at 05:00
Recent studies cast doubt on whether large-scale mental health interventions are making young people better. Some even suggest they can have a negative effect.

Β© Sandra Mickiewicz for The New York Times

Portrait of Lucy Foulkes and Jack Andrews outside the Department of Experimental Psychology in Oxford.

Widening Racial Disparities Underlie Rise in Child Deaths in the U.S.

4 May 2024 at 15:30
New research finds that the death rate among Black youths soared by 37 percent, and among Native American youths by 22 percent, between 2014 and 2020, compared with less than 5 percent for white youths.

Β© Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

Flowers for Karon Blake, 13, who was shot and killed in Washington, D.C., in January 2023. Gun-related deaths were two to four times higher among Black and Native American youth than among white youth.

Tesla Pullback Puts Onus on Others to Build Electric Vehicle Chargers

The automaker led by Elon Musk is no longer planning to take the lead in expanding the number of places to fuel electric vehicles. It’s not clear how quickly other companies will fill the gap.

Β© Lauren Justice for The New York Times

Tesla’s change of direction is likely to delay construction of fast chargers, which are concentrated on the two coasts and in parts of Texas.

Campus Protests Give Russia, China and Iran Fuel to Exploit U.S. Divide

America’s adversaries have mounted online campaigns to amplify the social and political conflicts over Gaza flaring at universities, researchers say.

Β© Amir Hamja/The New York Times

A protester with a Palestinian flag on a Columbia University building on Monday. So far, there is little evidence that U.S. adversaries have provided material or organizational support to the protests.

UnitedHealth’s CEO Slammed Over Cyberattack

Several lawmakers questioned whether the company had become so large β€” with tentacles in every aspect of the nation’s medical care β€” that the effects of the hack were outsize.

Β© Ting Shen for The New York Times

Andrew Witty, the chief executive of UnitedHealth Group, acknowledged before the Senate Finance Committee that hackers had found a weakness in its cybersecurity that forced the shutdown of a vast billing and payments system.

Tesla Fires Charger Team Amid Hundreds of Layoffs

30 April 2024 at 20:07
The carmaker dismissed 500 employees in a unit that was critical to its success and seen as important to the future of electric vehicle sales in the United States.

Β© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

Tesla agreed last year to open up its network of Supercharger stations to electric cars made by other automakers.

U.S. Plan to Protect Oceans Has a Problem, Some Say: Too Much Fishing

30 April 2024 at 14:48
An effort to protect 30 percent of land and waters would count some commercial fishing zones as conserved areas.

Β© Karsten Moran for The New York Times

The primary driver of biodiversity declines in the ocean, according to researchers, is overfishing.

U.S. Investigating Tesla Recall of Autopilot

26 April 2024 at 16:03
The National Highway Safety Administration also released an analysis of crashes involving the system that showed at least 29 fatal accidents over five and a half years.

Β© Hannah Yoon for The New York Times

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating Tesla’s recall of its Autopilot system.
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