Short Takes – 1-22-25

Costa Rica refinery cyberattack was first deployment for new US response program, ambassador says. TheRecord.media article. Pull quote: “The small team was a mix of State Department personnel and federal contractors from two private firms. Fick declined to name the companies involved out of concern their involvement would make them targets for ransomware operators as well.”

CIA nominee tells Senate he, too, wants to go on cyber offense. CyberScoop.com article. Pull quote: ““The deployment of those capabilities would of course be a policy decision for others to make,” he said. “But I would like to make sure we have all the tools necessary to go on offense against our adversaries in the cyber means.””

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources Technology Review. Federal Register EPA notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to establish a new area source category to address chemical manufacturing process units (CMPUs) using ethylene oxide (EtO). The EPA is proposing to list EtO in table 1 to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Chemical Manufacturing Area Sources (referred to as the CMAS NESHAP in this document) and to add EtO-specific requirements to the CMAS NESHAP. The EPA is also proposing to add a fenceline monitoring program for EtO. In addition, the EPA is proposing new requirements for pressure vessels and pressure relief devices (PRDs). This proposal also presents the results of the EPA's technology review of the CMAS NESHAP as required under the Clean Air Act (CAA). As part of this technology review, the EPA is proposing to add new leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements to the CMAS NESHAP for equipment leaks in organic HAP service and heat exchange systems. The EPA is also proposing performance testing once every 5 years and to add provisions for electronic reporting. We estimate that the proposed amendments to the CMAS NESHAP, excluding the proposed EtO emission standards, would reduce hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from emission sources by approximately 158 tons per year (tpy). Additionally, the proposed EtO emission standards are expected to reduce EtO emissions by approximately 4.6 tpy.” Comments due March 24^th, 2025.

Half a million hotel guests at risk after hackers accessed sensitive data. BitDefender.com blog post. Pull quote: “Security breaches like this underline the growing risk posed by the supply chain. It isn't enough to know that your own business is doing a good job at protecting the data entrusted to it by its customers. You also need to consider how well the data is being secured by the third-parties and services you partner with to process sensitive information.”

Trump administration dismantles CSRB, leaves future of cybersecurity oversight in question. IndustrialCyber.co article. Pull quote: ““Given the CSRB is tasked with investigating significant cyber intrusions — such as the Microsoft Exchange incident my committee examined last year — President Trump’s new DHS leadership should have the opportunity to decide the future of the Board,”  he [Rep Mark Green (R,TN)] added. “This could include appointing new members, reviewing its structure, or deciding if the Board is the best way to examine cyber intrusions.””

A tether covered in solar panels could boost the ISS's orbit. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “So, while there are still a few good years left in the station, it likely won't benefit as much from the BPT system as it would have a few decades ago. That being said, there will likely be a replacement in orbit someday, and it could benefit from such a system from the outset, which could save hundreds of tons of fuel in orbit over its lifetime.”

Trump Administration Freezes Many Health Agency Reports and Posts. MedPageToday.com article. Pull quote: “In a memo obtained by the Associated Press, acting HHS Secretary Dorothy Fink, MD, told agency staff leaders Tuesday that an "immediate pause" had been ordered on -- among other things -- regulations, guidance, announcements, press releases, social media posts, and website posts until such communications had been approved by a political appointee.”