Short Takes – 1-15-25

DJI will no longer stop drones from flying over airports, wildfires, and the White House. TheVerge.com article. Pull quote: “But confusingly, amidst the greatest US outpouring of drone distrust in years, and an incident of a DJI drone operator hindering LA wildfire fighting efforts, DJI is getting rid of its strong geofence. DJI will no longer enforce “No-Fly Zones,” instead only offering a dismissible warning — meaning only common sense, empathy, and the fear of getting caught by authorities will prevent people from flying where they shouldn’t.”

Fortinet warns of a phishing campaign using legitimate links to hijack PayPal accounts, tricking users into granting unauthorized access. SecurityAffairs.com article. Hackers continue to be creative. Pull quote: ““The beauty of this attack is that it doesn’t use traditional phishing methods. The email, the URLs, and everything else are perfectly valid. Instead, the best solution is the Human Firewall—someone who has been trained to be aware and cautious of any unsolicited email, regardless of how genuine it may look.” concludes the repor. “This, of course, highlights the need to ensure your workforce is receiving the training they need to spot threats like this to keep themselves—and your organization—safe.””

Cases of HMPV are trending up in the US, especially in these states, CDC data shows. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “There are no vaccines or treatment therapies for HMPV, which makes preventing the spread of HMPV especially important. Health experts recommend washing your hands often and avoiding contact with those who are infected with HMPV if possible.”

Availability of Five Draft Toxicological Profiles; Extension of Comment Period. Federal Register ATSDR comment extension notice. Summary: “On November 8, 2024, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced the opening of a docket to obtain comments on drafts of five updated toxicological profiles. This notice extends the comment period to February 13, 2025.”

Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: Repair Criteria, Integrity Management Improvements, Cathodic Protection, Management of Change, and Other Related Amendments: Corrections To Conform to Judicial Review. Federal Register PHMSA correcting amendments. Summary: “These amendments conform part 192 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to the August 2024 order of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by removing several vacated provisions.”