Short Takes – 8-9-23

Meet the Brains Behind the Malware-Friendly AI Chat Service ‘WormGPT’. KrebsOnSecurity.com article. Pull quote: ““These ‘jailbreaks’ are specialised prompts that are becoming increasingly common,” Kelley wrote. “They refer to carefully crafted inputs designed to manipulate interfaces like ChatGPT into generating output that might involve disclosing sensitive information, producing inappropriate content, or even executing harmful code. The proliferation of such practices underscores the rising challenges in maintaining AI security in the face of determined cybercriminals.””

House GOP moderates’ patience with conservative demands wearing thin. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “Asked what he would say to moderates who are frustrated by the pressure from conservatives on spending bills and beyond, former House Freedom Caucus chairman Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) responded: “Now you know what I felt like for seven years when the moderates are trying to cram crap down my throat.””

Under a Hellish Ocean Habitat, Bizarre Animals Are Lurking. NYTimes.com article. Pull quotes: “For some, this discovery has engendered dreams of otherworldly life. “I always think about ocean worlds when I am studying vents,” Dr. Huber said. Biological crucibles may exist within the icy, carapace-covered seas of Enceladus, a moon of Saturn that has key ingredients for life and that potentially may also have hydrothermal vents on its seafloor.”

Healthcare research report reveals exploitable vulnerabilities that allow hackers to breach devices, systems. IndustrialCyber.co article. Pull quote: “The research revealed that software applications used in the healthcare sector account for the highest percentage (64 percent) of vulnerabilities found. Healthcare applications are crucial for managing patient care, appointment scheduling, and accessing medical records. Many medical devices (such as infusion pumps, pacemakers, and monitoring systems) also rely on software applications. Therefore, vulnerabilities in these applications can enable attackers to disrupt essential healthcare services, leading to delayed treatments or compromising the functionality of medical devices, potentially endangering patients’ lives.”

Iran warns of more ship seizures in defiance of US Marines' Gulf deployment. Al-Monitor.com article. Pull quote: “"The Islamic Republic is capable of reciprocating any mischief by the Americans … including through seizure of their vessels in reciprocation," said Brig. Gen. Ramezan Sharif, spokesman for Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in comments covered by Fars News Agency. 

China Signals Recent Patrols Near Alaska Are Only the Beginning. USNEws.com article. Pull quote: ““In the future, the Chinese Navy could conduct more far sea patrols like this, either alone or together with other countries,” Chinese military analyst Fu Qianshao told the English-language Global Times in a story published late Monday. “The Americans should get [used] to it.””