Short Takes – 2-1-23

Hacked Electrify America Charger Exposes Major Cybersecurity Risk. ScreenRant.com article. My future news story wasn’t so future. Pull quote: “Electrify America is already under scrutiny for bricking some EVs, and it now appears that its chargers are easy targets for cyber criminals. Twitter user The Kilowatts was able to gain access to an Electrify America charger in Kettleman City, and even posted a couple of videos showing how easy it was to breach the chargers’ security network. The first video shows the Electrify America charger’s screen displaying an image of a red Tesla Model 3. The second video shows how The Kilowatts was able to take control of the Electrify America charger using the simple TeamViewer app.”

GOP moves to stop unelectable Senate candidates. TheHill.com article. Headline a bit of an overreach. Pull quote: ““There is no more welcome sight than the committee activating again and indicating their interest in delivering success for Senate Republicans in 2024 after the cycle we just went through with a committee that seemed more interested with the chairman’s campaign for president than the GOP’s campaign for Senate,” one GOP operative involved in Senate races told The Hill. “It’s just nice to have a team in charge that puts Senate Republicans ahead of themselves.””

TEEX aims to make disaster training almost like the real thing. CEN.ACS.org article. Pull quote: “These trainers stress that TEEX wants to ingrain a clear response plan in students through real-life practice and education, avoiding or at least mitigating incidents like the one at the West warehouse, which claimed so many lives. Such knowledge may prove very important, as OSHA and the EPA chose not to implement the CSB’s recommendations to toughen FGAN regulations.”

Seawater split to produce green hydrogen. Newswise.com article. Cheaper route to hydrogen production. Pull quote: ““Our work provides a solution to directly utilise seawater without pre-treatment systems and alkali addition, which shows similar performance as that of existing metal-based mature pure water electrolyser.””

Enter the Hunter Satellites Preparing for Space War. Wired.com article. According to a recent filing with the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC), True Anomaly is now gearing up for its first orbital mission. In October, True Anomaly hopes to launch two Jackal “orbital pursuit” spacecraft aboard a SpaceX rocket to low earth orbit. The Jackals will not house guns, warheads, or laser blasters, but they will be capable of rendezvous proximity operations (RPO)—the ability to maneuver close to other satellites and train a battery of sensors upon them. This could reveal their rivals’ surveillance and weapons systems, or help intercept communications.”