National security

Insomniac Games Sony-owned studio Insomniac Games was hacked by a ransomware group, resulting in a leak of previously unknown details about Marvel’s Wolverine, as well as the studio and Sony’s future plans. Ransomware group Rhysida released around 1.67 terabytes of data obtained from Insomniac via a hack on Monday night, according to Cyber Daily. Reporting by Axios shows that the organization has a reputation for stealing personal information like Social Security numbers through cyberattacks on companies like…

There is currently legislation before Congress that, if passed, could be one of the most important laws in US history. The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2023, which calls for transparency in matters related to UFOs, is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and has considerable bipartisan support, although it may fail due to Republican opposition.One early version of the bill would, among other provisions, create a board of experts that would decide whether classified UAP information…

Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang, who runs the semiconductor industry's most valuable company, said the US is as much as 20 years away from breaking its dependence on overseas chipmaking.Huang, speaking at the New York Times's DealBook conference in New York, explained how his company's products rely on myriad components that come from different parts of the world — not just Taiwan, where the most important elements are manufactured.  “We are somewhere between a decade and two decades away from supply…

But the sanctions also cut HiSilicon off from the global network of factories (called “foundries” or “fabs” in the semiconductor industry) that are vital in manufacturing and testing the products. TSMC, the Taiwanese chip fab that was making chips for HiSilicon at the time, stopped supplying it in 2020. This further narrowed the options for Huawei. It could only turn to Chinese fabs, and that was a costly and time-consuming process. “Anytime you’ve designed a chip in a fab and then, for some reason, you cannot source…

Carli Lloyd of NJ/NY Gotham FC battles for control against in the second half of the NWSL Match against Sydney Leroux of Orlando Pride at Red Bull Arena on August 29, 2021.Ira L. Black - Corbis | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesThe National Women's Soccer League announced a four-year contract Thursday for media distribution with CBS Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and Scripps Sports.The contract, set to begin in 2024, includes agreements for 118 national windows on the media channels, the league said, which is expected…

The U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects, a former Air Force intelligence officer testified Wednesday to Congress. The Pentagon has denied his claims.Retired Maj. David Grusch's highly anticipated testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee was Congress' latest foray into the world of UAPs — or “unidentified aerial phenomena," which is the official term the U.S. government uses instead of UFOs. While the study of mysterious aircraft or objects…

When I contemplate the return of the crypto wars—attempts to block citizens’ use of encryption by officials who want unfettered spying powers—I look back with dread on the late Middle Ages. I wasn’t alive back then, but one feature of those times lingers in my consciousness. Starting around 1337 and all the way until 1453, England and France fought a series of bloody battles. The conflict went on so long it was immortalized by its centenarian length: We know it as the Hundred Years’ War.The crypto wars haven’t yet reached…

A simple typo has caused millions of U.S. military emails to be misdirected to Mali over the last decade, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Monday. The emails can sometimes include highly sensitive data such as diplomatic documents, tax returns, passwords, and travel information linked to leading military officers, the report said. The error occurs when senders accidentally type the wrong email address, inputting the .ml domain — for Mali — instead of .mil, the one used for U.S. military addresses. The FT said…

Protestors clash with police in Nanterre, France last week after the killing of Nahel Merzouk.Image: Ameer Alhalbi (Getty Images)Amidst ongoing protests in France, the country has just passed a new bill that will allow police to remotely access suspects’ cameras, microphones, and GPS on cell phones and other devices.What Drew John Boyega Back Into Sci-Fi? | io9 InterviewAs reported by Le Monde, the bill has been criticized by the French people as a “snoopers” charter that allows police unfettered access to the location…

Eyeing the increasing threat of damaging cyberattacks by hackers backed by hostile foreign states, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) on Tuesday announced the creation of the National Security Cyber Section — aka NatSec Cyber — within its National Security Division (NSD). Hackers operating out of countries like China, Russia, and North Korea seek to cause disruption across a wide range of sectors, steal government and trade secrets, spy on targets, and raise revenue via extortion. Such nefarious activities have long…