National security

…

When it comes to data privacy in our present, hyper-connected age, many of your worst fears and biggest anxieties are probably correct. Yes, smartphones and our manifold other devices collect an incredible array of information on our habits, choices, and movements at all times. Yes, all of this information is compiled by companies to sell for profit. Yes, the U.S. government is among the many clients buying up that data. And yes, it represents a significant and persistent threat to your civil liberties and safety, as…

High-level officials from the CIA, FBI, and NSA are testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, asking Congress to continue allowing the agency to spy on the communications of US citizens. They are urging Congress to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)—one of the nation’s most hotly contested government surveillance programs. Intelligence agencies have long cited the powerful 2008 FISA provision as an invaluable tool to effectively combat global terrorism, but critics,…

Russia claimed Apple’s iPhones are spying on its citizens on Thursday and accused the U.S. of being behind it. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claims the U.S. National Security Agency used malware and backdoors created on the devices to carry out a plot to spy on the citizens and government.How To Prep Your iPhone or iPad Before SellingThe FSB said in a statement to Sputnik International, a Russian state-owned news outlet, that the U.S. hacked thousands of Apple phones, including those of domestic Russian…

State-sponsored hackers based in China have been working to compromise critical infrastructure in the U.S., Microsoft said on Wednesday. It’s thought the attacks could lead to the disruption of important communications between the U.S. and its interests in Asia during future crises. Dall-E 2 Notable target sites include Guam, a small island in the Pacific with an important U.S. army base that could play an important role in any clash with China over Taiwan. The malicious activity, which is believed to be ongoing, is…

“Survival is an infinite capacity for suspicion,” goes the line from John Le Carre's classic Cold War-era novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. And right now, in the technology realm, China is fighting hard just to stay in the game.Three brief paragraphs posted by the Cyberspace Administration of China to its website on Sunday night outlined the latest round of digital paranoia between Beijing and Washington, with Boise-based Micron Technology Inc. the most-recent victim. “Micron products have relatively serious potential…

Police in Spain have arrested 69 people accused of using bots to circumvent the asylum system in the country. Spanish authorities said on Friday a gang had used the bots to obtain open time slots for the country’s online booking system, which is free, and resold the appointments to asylum seekers for 200 euros ($217) each.Sam Bankman-Fried Using a VPN, McDonald’s AI Drive Thru Fails, Buzzfeed AI Quizzes Suck | Editor PicksSpain’s asylum site takes measures to identify bots, but the group’s automated software system was…

The FBI says it has disrupted a long-running malware operation that allowed Russian spies to steal sensitive information from numerous countries, including NASA-member governments, prominent journalists, and other targets deemed to be of interest to the Russian government. The court-authorized operation, codenamed MEDUSA, disrupted a global peer-to-peer network of computers compromised by sophisticated malware called “Snake,” described by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as the “premier cyberespionage malware” of…

Artificial Intelligence cameras are being installed in the United Kingdom to combat the ongoing littering problem on the region’s highways. The UK government is rolling out the cameras in a trial run in the South East of England which will be programmed to identify and fine drivers who litter on the highway.Pentagon Employees Too Horny to Follow RulesLaw enforcement officials currently have to comb through hours of footage to identify anyone who is in violation of the nation’s littering laws, but the new AI cameras will…

The Alpha rocket for the Space Force's Victus Nox mission stands on the launchpad at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.Firefly AerospaceThe name says it all: Victus Nox, or, translated from Latin, "conquer the night."It's an experimental test run of national security capabilities in space, and a high-stakes mission for a pair of burgeoning space companies — a crucial chance to prove they can handle the high-speed demands of the U.S. Space Force.The mission for the military's Los Angeles-based Space Safari team calls…