Serious new cyber threat from USB devices
Just when you think you have a strong defence against cyber crime along comes a new weakness in the system. The latest threat, according to Karsten Nohl, chief scientist with Berlin's SR Labs, surrounds USB devices; anything from portable thumb drives to a mouse or keyboard. Nohl and his team have discovered that the code used to drive these devices can be altered so as to pose a risk, without it being easily detected by computer users or their security software. The ‘firmware’ on these devices, which includes smartphones by the way, is not scanned by anti-virus software and is therefore undetected. As part of his tests, Nohl was able to get a computer to download a malicious program that made it believe instructions were coming from the user’s keyboard; the program then changed settings on the PC allowing Nohl remote access to files.
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Assessing the changing risk from earthquakes
The US Geological Survey recently updated its maps showing areas at risk of earthquakes and the Western Illinois University have been studying the impact of the updates. Illinois is one of the states deemed to be most at risk of quakes and Professor Leslie Melim says the maps will need to be kept up to date as rick changes, especially in light of new nuclear facilities being built. Prof. Melim says construction planning will need to pay careful attention to the earthquake data with new buildings avoiding the most at risk areas or being built to a tougher code. Meanwhile another WIU professor, Heriberto Urby , is calling for more preparedness. He says citizens should be taking part in drills and training to be more adept at dealing with an earthquake.
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TRIA delays as the House can’t reach agreement
While there is broad acceptance that the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act should be renewed, it may be a last minute renewal if current concerns can’t be overcome. While the Senate voted in favor with an overwhelming majority (93 to 4), the House looks like dragging this one out. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling acknowledges the need for cover; accepting that there is no commercial solution but cautious of over-exposing taxpayers’ money. Some Republicans are in favor of a full reauthorization of the act, others would accept if with changes, but the internal wrangling could mean that the House has not completed its process by the end of the year, when the act expires.
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Climate change spreads the risk of malaria
A report suggests that climate change could result in cooler areas of Africa being more at risk of malaria than previously thought. It highlights concerns that an unbalanced environment is not only damaging in a structural sense but could impact on public health too. The study found that as temperatures have risen in Africa, some areas that were not vulnerable to malaria infection now are. However, this is likely to be a relatively temporary risk as the US and Spanish researchers say that as temperatures increase further the risk will actually fall, as the optimum temperature for transmission will be surpassed.
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