Short Takes – 1-9-24

New Google tool lets budding generative AI scientists practice their prompting. NextGov.com article. Pull quote: “The job of a prompt engineer is to skillfully write queries that can be given to a generative AI so that it can provide accurate answers to complex questions. And that is a lot more difficult than it sounds, since AIs have no real understanding of context or subtlety. If a prompt or question is not detailed enough, the AI might return the wrong answer or even a nonsensical one. Even worse, most generative AIs will never say that they don’t know an answer, so if a prompt does not provide the AI with enough context, it could very likely hallucinate or make something up.”

The Red Sea conflict threatens to spread. TheHill.com opinion piece. Pull quote: “In contrast, the U.S. and its allies will likely respond with sophisticated, high-cost defense systems and weaponry. American military technology, known for its high efficacy, comes with a significant price tag. Using such advanced systems to counter relatively inexpensive drones presents an economic mismatch. This disparity means that even if the U.S.-led coalition can effectively counter the immediate threats, the financial burden of doing so is disproportionately high. The sustained use of expensive defense technologies in response to continuous low-cost attacks could substantially drain resources.”

NNSA Principal Deputy Administrator Frank Rose and Associate Administrator for Defense Nuclear Security Lew Monroe view state-of-the-art tech to counter unauthorized drones. Energy.gov article. Pull quote: ““It is clear that the work done at NNSS and Sandia is keeping NNSA at the forefront of security technology,” said Mr. Rose. “These capabilities are applicable across all of NNSA’s sites. We are developing the tools we need not only to counter the UAS of today but also to defend against evolving threats.”” Counter UAS operations are lawful in these national security restricted airspace sites.

The True Dangers of Long Trains. HomelandSecurityNewsWire.com article. Somewhat slanted look at complex problem, but worth the read. Pull quote: “At any moment, Congress could intervene and limit the length of trains. If it did, independent experts say, there’d be more trains, moving faster with fewer breakdowns and derailments, and customer service would improve. But the rail companies, which move 40% of the country’s cargo, have a lot of leverage. For more than a century, the industry has convinced lawmakers that the success of America is tied to the success of the rails; it’s a view that persists today, sustained by the $10 million the Association of American Railroads spends some years lobbying Congress.”

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee; February 2024 Meeting. Federal Register CG meeting notice. Summary: “The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a series of meetings over three days in conjunction with the 11th Annual Maritime Security East Conference in Arlington, VA to discuss the Committee's open taskings concerning NVIC 03–03 updates, Active Shooter/Active Threat in the Maritime Environment, and Unmanned Systems in the Maritime Environment. All meetings will be open to the public and will not require registration to the Conference.” Meeting dates February 5^th thru 7^th, 2024.

Toxic Substances Control Act New Chemicals Program Decision Framework: Hazard Identification of Eye Irritation and Corrosion. Federal Register EPA Guidance Notice. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of a new document supporting the new chemicals program under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) titled “New Chemicals Program Decision Framework for Hazard Identification of Eye Irritation and Corrosion.” The document provides a decision framework for use by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) New Chemicals Division (NCD) for identification of eye irritation or corrosion hazards for new chemical substances based on prioritization of reproducible, human-relevant data.”

Age-old problems to sharing cyber threat info remain, IG report finds. CyberScoop.com article. Pull quote: “Officials at the Department of Homeland Security told the IG that “federal entities continue to be reluctant to share information into the public collection,” the IG wrote. The officials said some entities have a preference to share “exclusively” within the federal government and others have policy requirements to only share with “their relevant sector among eligible stakeholders.””