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A former FCC senior official who issued false statements to reporters, claiming a cyberattack hobbled the agency’s comment system in 2014 and that the ex-chairman ordered it kept quiet, is now backpedaling amid renewed scrutiny by U.S. lawmakers and a wholesale denial by the former chairman himself. The FCC, meanwhile, has commenced a media blackout…
Google will not seek to renew its artificial intelligence contract with the Department of Defense after it expires next year, Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene told employees last week. But despite the revelation that the contract has an end date, the pushback against it continues—within the company and externally. Under the contract, Google is providing…
Naval systems that track the current position of ships have an array of vulnerabilities that could make it simple for hackers to break in, the BBC reported on Thursday, which could enable attackers to set off collision alarms on other vessels. Ken Munro of Pen Test Partners (PTP), which is releasing some details of a…
We’re still a long way from a Metroid-style space bounty hunter suit, but the U.S. military is prototyping new wearables to enhance soldiers’ combat abilities. These include an exoskeleton similar to those being trialled for factory workers, and a prosthetic arm device, officially named the “Third Arm,” meant to make heavy machinery feel weightless. The…
The gadgets we use can be a good indicator of where our society is at today, and where it’s going in the future. And judging by numbers from a recent survey by the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration), some encouraging tech trends have been occurring over the last couple years. The data, which was…
It’s becoming clear that online companies can do some of the hard things they’ve fought against tooth and nail—they just have to be forced to do it, although they apparently won’t prepare ahead of time. Case in point: Google has paused the sale of political ads in Washington state while it gets itself in line…
I’m sorry, but Instagram may start looking a lot more like YouTube in the future. On Wednesday TechCrunch reported that Instagram is looking to partner with content creators and publishers to develop long-form video content that might live on it’s own tab, somewhat akin to Snapchat Discover. This follows a recent Wall Street Journal report…
Passwords just don’t work all that well for our modern-day websites and web apps: They’re insecure, they’re hard to remember, and they’re a lot of hassle to manage for only the basic account protection that they provide. Now Chrome and Firefox are leading the charge to kill off passwords on the web for good. This…
After sales peaked in 2009 with just over 20 percent market share, BlackBerry phones quickly became irrelevant. Then TCL swooped in, bought the rights to make new BlackBerry handsets, and gave the once mighty brand a second chance. And with that rebirth came the realization that BlackBerry was now on the outside looking in, while…
Sony’s RX100 cameras, pricey point-and-shoots for those with cash to burn, have always been well-received. But smartphone cameras, now boasting features like optical zoom using multiple lenses, have made the simple dedicated camera more redundant than ever. But after spending a few hours with Sony’s latest version, the RX100 Mark VI, I realized something: Point-and-shoot…
Amazon Fire TV has always been one of my favorite gadgets. The Amazon Echo, as I’ve previously explained, gives me pause. So when I heard that Amazon was combining Fire TV with Alexa capabilities to create a whole new device called the Amazon Fire TV Cube, my first thought seemed peculiar: Uh oh, people are…
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is asking Congress to pass new legislation that would expand the agency’s power to surveil, research, and attack drones in U.S. airspace. Hayley Chang, DHS deputy general counsel, testified yesterday that there are a number of things that DHS “can’t do currently” because of outdated laws that have the…
Federal prosecutors charged security researcher Marcus Hutchins—better known by his online handle MalwareTech—with four new charges accusing him of creating and promoting malware used to steal financial information. Hutchins, recognized as the person responsible for stopping the spread of the WannaCry ransomware attack, called the charges “bullshit.” The new charges, introduced in a superseding indictment,…
A terrifying wall of lava from Kilauea volcano in its East Rift Zone has destroyed two entire tracts of suburban housing containing at least 280 units in the eastern part of Hawaii’s Big Island, Reuters reported on Wednesday, meaning that the ongoing eruption there has now claimed at least 350 homes. According to Reuters, the…
Here’s a fun thing to think about as you plan your next vacation: researchers at a number of government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security believe that a cyberattack against an airplane is inevitable and could lead to a “catastrophic disaster.” Have a nice trip! Motherboard got its hands on a number of government…
A National Guard Soldier arrested Tuesday after stealing an armored personnel carrier Tuesday was cheered on by crowds online and even drew comparisons to Marvin Heemeyer (he of Killdozer fame). But after authorities identified Joshua Philip Yabut as the Fort Pickett soldier involved in the mid-speed chase, his face and name were quickly recognized by…
Chinese telecom ZTE faced almost certain death after the Department of Commerce slapped it with a seven-year ban on purchasing or using parts from US manufacturers earlier this year amid allegations it violated sanctions on North Korea and Iran. In May, the company ceased business operations—only to soon be brought back from the brink by…
The US State Department evacuated at least two diplomats in China following a mysterious illness experienced after hearing strange noises—the latest in a series of unexplained sicknesses that have hit American diplomats and their family members in recent years. According to the New York Times, the State Department has flown in a medical team to…
Beginning in August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin piloting a new face recognition system at the Mexican border. Using a series of cameras, the CBP plans to use face recognition to remotely check the identifies of both drivers and passengers. Called the Vehicle Face System (VFS), the program will track drivers and…
If you’ve ever wanted to look like a jackass in public and maybe take home a case of conjunctivitis for the memories, well, Dave and Buster’s has a deal for you. On Monday, the arcade and food franchise announced that it will deploy the “the largest commercial VR arcade partnership launch” in history. More than…
