Short Takes – 4-16-25

Funding Expires for Key Cyber Vulnerability Database. KregsOnSecurity.com article. Pull quote: “Several people close to the matter told KrebsOnSecurity this is not the first time the CVE program’s budget has been left in funding limbo until the last minute. Barsoum’s letter, which was apparently leaked, sounded a hopeful note, saying the government is making “considerable efforts to continue MITRE’s role in support of the program.”” Morning article.

CVE Program Almost Unfunded. Schneier.com blog post. Pull quote: “This is a big deal. The CVE program is one of those pieces of common infrastructure that everyone benefits from. Losing it will bring us back to a world where there’s no single way to talk about vulnerabilities. It’s kind of crazy to think that the US government might damage its own security in this way—but I suppose no crazier than any of the other ways the US is working against its own interests right now.” Evening article.

Bipartisan caucus criticizes proposed NASA science budget cuts. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: ““If enacted, these proposed cuts would demolish our space economy and workforce, threaten our national security and defense capabilities, and ultimately surrender the United States’ leadership in space, science, and technological innovation to our adversaries,” they wrote. “We will work closely with our colleagues in Congress on a bipartisan basis to push back against these proposed cuts and program terminations and to ensure full and robust funding for NASA Science in Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations.”” That Caucus has only 18 members, two of which are Republicans. Not a lot of influence there.

US company fined after chemical fire forced evacuation of 17,000 people. HazardExOnTheNet.net article. Pull quote: “The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s investigation found that the incident originated at a company warehouse that stored various chemicals. OSHA cited Bio-Lab for four serious and two other-than-serious violations and proposed $61,473 (£47,554) in penalties.”

Minotaur IV rocket launches spy payloads for National Reconnaissance Office. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The Minotaur IV is a four-stage vehicle derived in part from decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles. The first three stages are government-furnished Peacekeeper solid rocket motors, while the upper stage is a commercial Orion solid motor built by Northrop Grumman.”

Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment. Federal Register BIS investigation notice. Summary: “The Secretary of Commerce initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME), and their derivative products. This investigation has been initiated under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, data, analyses, or other information pertinent to the investigation to the Department of Commerce's (Department) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security. This notice identifies issues on which the Department is especially interested in obtaining the public's views.”

Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Federal Register BIS investigation notice. Summary: “The Secretary of Commerce initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients, including finished drug products, medical countermeasures, critical inputs such as active pharmaceutical ingredients, and key starting materials, and derivative products of those items. This investigation has been initiated under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, data, analyses, or other information pertinent to the investigation to the Department of Commerce's (Department) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security. This notice identifies issues on which the Department is especially interested in obtaining the public's views.”

Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “The Trump administration is reportedly planning to cut NASA’s science budget in half, eliminating future space telescope and other astrobiology projects. If that happens, Dr. Krissansen-Totton said, “the search for life elsewhere would basically stop.””