Short Takes – 4-23-25

CISA launches new wave of job cuts. CybersecurityDive.com article. Pull quote: ““The recent layoffs at CISA have made the cybersecurity workforce less stable, further complicating efforts to secure critical infrastructure,” Grant Guyer, chief strategy officer at Claroty, said via email. “Losing skilled professionals due to job instability, especially with government roles not being as attractive as private sector positions, leaves the country more vulnerable to cyber threats.””

Mass Evacuation After Massive Explosion at Russian Weapons Depot in Vladimir Oblast. Novinite.com article. Sophia, Bulgaria based news site. Pull quote: “The facility is believed to be the 51st Arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, located roughly 530 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi, this arsenal is one of the largest in Russia, known for storing a broad range of weaponry, including medium-caliber artillery shells, anti-aircraft missiles, and ammunition for multiple launch rocket systems. The site also reportedly houses a laboratory for monitoring artillery propellants and workshops for testing high-tech weapon systems.” Safety issue or attack by Ukraine?

Atmos Space Cargo declares first test flight a success despite reentry uncertainty. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “However, five weeks before the launch, SpaceX informed Atmos of a change in trajectory because of “operational constraints” of the primary payload, a South Korean reconnaissance satellite. That resulted in a splashdown well off the coast of Brazil, ruling out any attempt to recover Phoenix after splashdown. It also meant a steeper reentry than previously planned, creating higher loads on the spacecraft.” Demonstrates the limits of a ride-share mission.

Exclusive: AI Outsmarts Virus Experts in the Lab, Raising Biohazard Fears.  Pull quote: “But bad-faith actors can now use AI models to walk them through how to create viruses—and will be able to do so without any of the typical training required to access a Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory, which deals with the most dangerous and exotic infectious agents. “It will mean a lot more people in the world with a lot less training will be able to manage and manipulate viruses,” Inglesby says.” No mention of the attendant dangers to the inexperienced researchers.

Is a Military Coup Unfolding at the Pentagon?  Pull quote: “As he and others I talked to have explained, Hegseth is being undermined and perhaps even drummed out of office by the uniformed military, aided by the permanent bureaucracy. One official told me that there had been tension between Hegseth’s office and the top commander in the Middle East over policy and priorities. A senior military intelligence specialist told me that Hegseth is near-universally loathed by the uniformed colleagues he works with.” The classic and ‘accepted’ recourse for military officers has always been to resign when conflicts with higher authority are untenable.

The guardian’s rifle: why mission-essential space support cannot be outsourced. SpaceNews.com commentary. Pull quote: “This means the satellites that provide these critical connections — especially during combat operations — must be owned, operated and secured by the U.S. government. Not leased. Not borrowed. Not at the mercy of commercial availability, cost models or external interference.” Does anyone else hear the echo of ‘like turning off Starlink service’?

Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service. Federal Register, OPM notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule to increase career employee accountability. Agency supervisors report great difficulty removing employees for poor performance or misconduct. The proposed rule lets policy-influencing positions be moved into Schedule Policy/Career. These positions will remain career jobs filled on a nonpartisan basis. Yet they will be at-will positions excepted from adverse action procedures or appeals. This will allow agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions who engage in misconduct, perform poorly, or undermine the democratic process by intentionally subverting Presidential directives.” Public comments due May 23^rd, 2025.