Short Takes – 6-20-23

8 notable entry-level cybersecurity career and skills initiatives in 2023. CSOOnline.com article. Pull quote: ““Clearly new cybersecurity talent produced by traditional university programs is not keeping up with resignation rates and rising need,” says Dave Stapleton, CISO at CyberGRX. He admits that recruiting and training entry-level cybersecurity employees can be daunting, as these individuals are unproven in the cyber industry, so there is some risk to investing in their onboarding and education. However, the potential rewards outweigh the risks, as intrinsically motivated employees with a passion for learning and a desire for professional growth will achieve success, particularly if given the right level of mentorship and focus, he says.”

Democrats fed up with Tuberville want to change Senate rules. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““I do understand that sometimes when you’re having trouble getting a document or something like that, holding up one person or something may be part of the dialogue,” he added. “But when you start essentially saying I’m going to paralyze the operations of the executive branch or some large swath [of government,] this goes beyond the dynamic that’s acceptable between the balance of powers,” he said.”

Beijing Plans a New Training Facility in Cuba, Raising Prospect of Chinese Troops on America’s Doorstep. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “Some intelligence officials say that Beijing sees its actions in Cuba as a geographical response to the U.S. relationship with Taiwan: The U.S. invests heavily in arming and training the self-governing island that sits off mainland China and that Beijing sees as its own. The Journal reported that the U.S. has deployed more than 100 troops to Taiwan to train its defense forces.”

Submarine missing near Titanic used a $30 Logitech gamepad for steering. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: “As the potential disaster gripped social media, details about OceanGate's history of avoiding or complaining about safety regulations emerged. In particular, people began sharing a CBS Sunday Morning segment broadcast in November 2022 that shows reporter David Pogue visiting the Titan, which he later boarded for an expedition to the Titanic.”

Electrical Grid Parts Shortages Are Slowing Truck-Charging Projects. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “El-Azzi said because electric trucks have a limited range, chargers must be located close to ports or warehouse districts where land may already be in short supply. Startups must also navigate local permitting requirements and coordinate with power companies to ensure they have enough electricity, or the needed power upgrades, to charge dozens of trucks at the same time. “We are at less than 1 percent of what needs to be built out,” she said.”

Oath Keepers attorney is found incompetent to stand trial in Jan. 6 case. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: “Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy of D.C. and Assistant Federal Defender Horatio Aldredge of Austin cautioned that it could take months to find a suitable health facility. Defendants taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Prisons for competence assessments often spend longer behind bars awaiting transport, bed space and review than they might serve for minor offenses if found guilty and sentenced. Both sides said they would see whether they could find a facility in Texas near SoRelle, who lives about two hours west of Austin and San Antonio.”

The Threat to Law Enforcement and Critical Infrastructure from Chinese Drones. HSToday.us article. Pull quote: ““A 2017 Department of Homeland Security assessment warned that Chinese companies had used grape production information gathered by a [Chinese] drone purchased by a California wine producer to inform their own land purchasing decisions,” they wrote. “Even worse, the widespread use of [Chinese] drones to inspect critical infrastructure allows the CCP to develop a richly detailed, regularly updated picture of our nation’s pipelines, railways, power generation facilities, and waterways. This sensitive information on the layout, operation, and maintenance of U.S. critical infrastructure could better enable targeting efforts in the event of conflict.”” Quote pulled from Press Release from Sen Warner (R,VA).

Inside China's underground market for high-end Nvidia AI chips. Reuters.com article. Pull quote: “Reuters spoke with 10 vendors in Hong Kong and mainland China who described being able to easily procure small numbers of A100s. Their information highlighted both intense demand in China for the chips and the relative ease with which Washington's sanctions can be circumvented for small-batch transactions.”

Police got called to an overcrowded presentation on “rejuvenation” technology. TechnologyReview.com article. Pull quote: “Reik was kidding, but not really. Unlike workers at universities, Altos researchers don’t have to spend time applying for grants. Altos pays its top staff salaries of a million dollars and more and doubles what junior scientists can earn. It’s an enviable place to do science, but one with a commercial mission. Reik said that last month his group had filed its first patent application on its discoveries.”

Republican defense bill would move Mexico under US Southern Command. DefenseNews.com article. Anti-fentanyl operation support. Pull quote: “Smith said there had been no discussion on moving Mexico to SOUTHCOM, even with the House Armed Services Committee preparing to mark up the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act next week. Policy issues are usually debated in that authorization bill, while appropriations bills typically remain more focused on spending levels and funding specifics.”

Drones take flight to go where scientists dare not. ChemistryWorld.com article. Pull quote: “To address this, Dow worked with one of its manufacturers to determine the maximum speed of its drones’ propellers. That figure was then used to establish that it was sufficient to generate a spark – simply by air particle movement. ‘That spark, by the way, was above the minimum ignition energy of some of the known chemicals that we produce,’ Morgan notes.”