Short Takes – 7-1-25

China Strikes Hard: Chinese Satellite Pulverizes Starlink With a 2-Watt Laser 36,000 KM From Earth. DailyGalaxy.com article. Pull quote: “With the continued development of these techniques, satellite-based laser communications could soon surpass traditional radio frequency systems, offering greater bandwidth, faster speeds, and reduced latency. This breakthrough not only demonstrates the potential of Chinese research but also highlights the growing competition in the race to dominate the future of space-based communications.”

Ax-4 Mission Update: Flight Day #5. AxiomSpace.com blog post. Pull quote: “Suave contributed to the Microfluidic Design experiment, using the Keyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT)  imaging to study fluid dynamics in microgravity. The goal of this study is to develop microfluidic devices that can test drug stability and quality — a vital step toward autonomous healthcare in space.”

Senator Chides FBI for Weak Advice on Mobile Security. KrebsOnSecurity.com article. Pull quote: ““This is insufficient to protect Senate employees and other high-value targets against foreign spies using advanced cyber tools,” Wyden wrote in a letter sent today to FBI Director Kash Patel. “Well-funded foreign intelligence agencies do not have to rely on phishing messages and malicious attachments to infect unsuspecting victims with spyware. Cyber mercenary companies sell their government customers advanced ‘zero-click’ capabilities to deliver spyware that do not require any action by the victim.”

After Iran-Israel clash, there’s more reason to fear a nuclear bomb. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: “Analysts suggest it wouldn’t take much for Iran to go from there toward weaponization. “A single cascade of 174 IR-6 centrifuges could produce a bomb’s worth of 90% highly enriched uranium from the 60% enriched material, whose location is unknown, in 10-20 days,” wrote James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Iran doesn’t need to rebuild enrichment facilities on their previous scale to get the bomb.””

Bird Flu is far from over: Why the worst could be yet to come. TheHill.com commentary. Pull quote: “Rollins is now also following industry talking points on opposing vaccines for our poultry supply. Mass vaccination has been successful at limiting the spread in other countries, such as France, and the United Nations has encouraged vaccinations in its recent call for governments to step up their response.”

U.S. Key data used in hurricane forecasting will be cut by end of July, NOAA says. CSBNews.com article. Pull quote: “In an email that the agency reposted online, the deputy director of its Office of Satellite and Product Operations said the Navy decided to implement that change in efforts "to mitigate a significant cybersecurity risk" but would continue to distribute the data through the end of next month. A Navy spokesperson told CBS News in an email that it is "discontinuing contributions" to the satellite program "given the program no longer meets our information technology modernization requirements."” End-of-Life lack of support.

LeoLabs secures U.S. military funding for missile-tracking mobile radar. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “LeoLabs introduced its Scout radar in April as a containerized, mobile S-band system designed for military applications and partially funded by a Small Business Innovation Research contract. Unlike fixed installations, mobile radars can be rapidly deployed and repositioned — a capability the Pentagon has identified as increasingly critical in contested environments.”

Review - HR 4213 Introduced – FY 2026 DHS Spending

Last week Rep Amodei (R,NY) introduced HR 4231, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026. The House Appropriations Committee also published their Report on the bill. Not unexpectedly, the Report includes discussions about cybersecurity, chemical security, and counter UAS operations.

This bill is similar to HR 8572, which was introduced by Amodei in June of 2024. The earlier bill passed in the House on June 28^th, 2024, by a near party-line vote of 212 to 203. No action was taken on the bill in the Senate.

The table below shows a comparison of the FY 2025 and FY 2026 spending provided for major programs and offices of specific interest here.

Excepting the large increase in Disaster Relief spending there was a total $672.63 decrease (3.7%) in the spending categories listed.

 

For more information about the provisions of this bill, including chemical security, cybersecurity and counter UAS discussions, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-4213-introduced-fy-2026-dhs-spending - subscription required.

PHMSA Publishes 16 DFRs on Standards Updates – 7-1-25

Today, DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published 16 direct final rules (DFRs) to update industry standards incorporated by reference in various PHMSA regulations.

Those standards include (link to DFR not standard):

API RP 1170 and API RP 1171,

API RP 2026,

API Spec 6D,

API STD 620,

ASTM A381/A381M,

ASTM A53/A53M,

ASTM A578/A578M,

ASTM F1973,

ASTM F2145,

ASTM F2600,

ASTM F2767,

ASTM F2817,

ASTM F2945,

NFPA 70,

PPI—TR 4,

PPI—TR3

PHMSA is soliciting public comments on these updates. To submit a comment, go to the appropriate DFR link above and then click on the “Submit a Public Comment” block at the top of the page DFR. Comments are due September 2^nd, 2025.

Review – 7 Advisories Published – 7-1-25

Today CISA’s NCCIC-ICS published control system security advisories for products from Hitachi Energy (2), Voltronic, and FESTO (4).

Advisories

Hitachi Energy Advisory #1 - This advisory discusses a cross-site scripting vulnerability (with publicly available exploit) in the Hitachi Energy Modular Switchgear Monitoring (MSM) product.

Hitachi Energy Advisory #2 - This advisory describes an allocation of resources without limit or throttling vulnerability in the Hitachi Energy Relion 670/650 and SAM600-IO series intelligent electronic devices.

Voltronic Advisory - This advisory describes two vulnerabilities in UPS monitoring products from Voltronic and Powershield.

Festo Advisory #1 - This advisory describes four command injection vulnerabilities in the Festo Hardware Controller and Hardware Servo Press Kit products.

Festo Advisory #2 - This advisory discusses three vulnerabilities in the FESTO CODESYS Gateway Server.

Festo Advisory #3 - This advisory discusses an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in multiple Festo advisories.

Festo Advisory #4 - This advisory discusses an improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer vulnerability in FESTO Didactic CP, MPS 200, and MPS 400 products.

 

For more information on these advisories, including links to 3^rd party advisories, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/7-advisories-published-7-1-25 - subscription required

OSHA Publishes 16 Respirator NPRMs – 7-1-25

Today the DOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published 1 notices of proposed rulemakings (NPRMs) in the Federal Register concerning respirator requirements for various OSHA safety standards, aligning those rules with the OSHA respiratory protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134). These are substances covered in the proposed rulemakings (first link is to the individual notice and the second to the standard being revised).

• 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (29 CFR 1910.1044) – OSHA-2025-0019,

• 1,3-Butadiene (29 CFR 1910.1051) – OSHA-2025-0020,

• 13 Carcinogens (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0013,

• Acrylonitrile (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0017,

• Asbestos (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0024,

• Benzene (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0023,

• Cadmium (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0021,

• Coke Oven Emissions (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0014,

• Cotton Dust (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0011,

• Ethylene Oxide (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0018,

• Formaldehyde (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0026,

• Inorganic Arsenic (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0016,

• Lead (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0022,

• Methylene Chloride  (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0012,

• Methylenedianiline (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0025, and

• Vinyl Chloride (29 CFR 1910 subpart Z) – OSHA-2025-0015

OSHA is soliciting public comments on these rulemakings. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking portal (www.Regulations.gov, see listings above for docket numbers). Comments should be submitted by September 2^nd, 2025.

Short Takes – 7-1-25 – Federal Register Edition

Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Quality System Considerations and Content of Premarket Submissions; Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Availability. Federal Register FDA notice of availability. Summary: “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a final guidance entitled “Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Quality System Considerations and Content of Premarket Submissions.” This guidance updates the previous version of the guidance, of the same title, issued on September 27, 2023, and finalizes the draft guidance entitled “Select Updates for the Premarket Cybersecurity Guidance: Section 524B of the FD&C Act” issued on March 13, 2024. This guidance provides FDA's recommendations to industry regarding cybersecurity device design, labeling, and the documentation that FDA recommends be included in premarket submissions for devices with cybersecurity risk. Additionally, this guidance has been updated to identify the information FDA generally considers to be necessary for cyber devices to support obligations under the new amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) for ensuring cybersecurity of devices.”

Determinations Regarding Use of Chemical Weapons by Sudan Under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. Federal Register State Department public notice. Summary: “The Senior Official performing the functions of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, acting under authority delegated pursuant to an Executive order, has determined pursuant to section 306(a) of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (the Act), 22 U.S.C. 5604(a), that the Government of Sudan has used chemical weapons in violation of international law. In addition, the Senior Official performing the functions of the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security has determined and certified to Congress pursuant to section 307(d) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 5605(d)) that it is essential to the national security interests of the United States to partially waive the application of the sanctions required under section 307(a) of the Act with respect to foreign assistance, licenses and other authorizations for the export of items on the U.S. Munitions List (USML), and the licensing of national security-sensitive goods and technology. The following is a notice of the sanctions to be imposed pursuant to section 307(a) of the Act, subject to these waivers.”

Removal of Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) Regulation. Federal Register Air Force interim final rule. Summary: “The DAF is rescinding its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations because the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) NEPA regulations, which they were meant to supplement, have been rescinded, and because the DoD is promulgating Department-wide NEPA procedures that will guide DAF's NEPA process.” Comments due: July 31^st, 2025.

Amending the Medical Evaluation Requirements in the Respiratory Protection Standard for Certain Types of Respirators. Federal Register OSHA notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “OSHA is proposing to remove some medical evaluation requirements in the Respiratory Protection Rule for certain types of respirators. This proposed change would only impact filtering facepiece respirators and loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirators.” Comments due: September 2^nd, 2025.

Pipeline Safety: Integration of Innovative Remote Sensing Technologies for Right-of-Way Patrols on Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipelines. Federal Register PHMSA direct final rule. Summary: “This DFR clarifies that PHMSA's right-of-way patrol requirements are technology neutral, and that remote sensing technologies, such as unmanned aerial systems and satellites, can be used for compliance purposes.” Comments due: September 2^nd, 2025.

Hazardous Materials: Improving Efficiencies for Special Permits and Approvals Renewals. Federal Register PHMSA notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “This NPRM streamlines the Hazardous Materials Regulations by allowing a grantee to file an application to renew a special permit or approval any time before its expiration date rather than requiring the application to be filed 60 days in advance.” Comments due: September 2^nd, 2025.

Review - Bills Introduced – 6-30-25 – House Only

Yesterday, with the House meeting in pro forma session (and the Senate still in session doing a votarama on HR 1), there were 27 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

 HR 4249 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026 Valadao, David G. [Rep.-R-CA-22] 

 

For more information on these bills, including legislative history for similar bills in the 118th, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-6-30-25-house-only - subscription required.