Fedscoop December 7, 2018 An inspector general (Open Access audit ) of the Department of Defense ballistic missile defense systems found a host of existing network vulnerabilities that could allow adversaries to access technical information on those systems and sidestep the nation’s defenses. Auditors broadly recommend using multifactor authentication; mitigating vulnerabilities in a timely manner; protecting data stored on removable media; and implementing adequate physical security controls…read more.
Tag Archives: National security
National Climate Assessment
Globalchange.gov November 1, 2018 The Third National Climate Assessment is the result of a three-year analytical effort by a team of over 300 experts, overseen by a broadly constituted Federal Advisory Committee of 60 members. It was developed from information and analyses gathered in over 70 workshops and listening sessions held across the country. It was subjected to extensive review by the public and by scientific experts in and out of government, including a special panel of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. This process of unprecedented rigor and transparency was undertaken so that the findings […]
Why space debris cleanup might be a national security threat
Phys.org November 13, 2018 From the 23,000 pieces of debris in Earth orbit that are larger than 5-10 centimeters that we can track and catalog, to the hundreds of millions that we cannot, there is little question that both big and small objects whizzing around at lethal speeds endanger the prospects for civilian, commercial and military missions in outer space. Both the old and new space powers can easily cloak their military intentions in legitimate concerns about, and possibly commercial solutions to, debris hazards. And there are now a number of open assessments about space junk removal technologies that can […]
The US Is Woefully Underprepared For The Next Pandemic
Science Alert August 20, 2018 Pandemic policy scholars believe that it is essential to prepare the country and the world for the next pandemic. It is not a matter of if, but when, the next disease will sweep the world with deadly and costly consequences. Topic areas that national leaders must address to create better preparedness and response capabilities include – overuse and misuse of antibiotics; ensuring continuity of supply chains; the absence of high-level leadership. If the United States chooses to elevate the issue of pandemic preparedness and biosecurity as a national security priority, we could be prepared Outbreaks […]
Analysis Chronicles Changes in US Investment in R&D
R&D Magazine August 03, 2018 The distribution of U.S. investment in R&D across countries and industries has undergone a dramatic shift since the 1990s, with R&D becoming less concentrated geographically and growing rapidly in less developed markets such as China and India. A team of researchers in the US (Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University) documents three important issues: the growing globalization of R&D, the increasing importance of software and IT to firms’ innovation, and the rise of new R&D hubs and the differences in the types of activity done there. Based on their analysis, the researchers conclude that the United […]
Accelerating the Exploration of Promising Artificial Intelligence Concepts
DARPA July 7, 2018 Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) will constitute a series of unique funding opportunities that use streamlined contracting procedures and funding mechanisms to achieve a start date within three months of an opportunity announcement. Researchers will then work to establish the feasibility of new AI concepts within 18 months of award. The agency’s diverse portfolio of fundamental and applied AI research programs is aimed at shaping a future in which AI-enabled machines serve as trusted, collaborative partners in solving problems of importance to national security… read more. BAA
Protecting autonomous grids from potentially crippling GPS spoofing attacks
Science Daily July 19, 2018 Knowing the speed at which electricity moves, the distance between sensors, and the time it takes an oscillation to move between sensors, one can determine whether the oscillation is real. Phasor measurement units (PMUs) allow synchronous real-time measurements of voltage, phase angle, and frequency from multiple remote locations in the grid, enabled by their ability to align to (GPS) clocks. A team of researchers in the US (Clemson University, UC Santa Clara) proposes a distributed real-time wide-area oscillation estimation approach that is robust to GPS spoofing on PMUs and their associated phasor data concentrators. The […]
Solutions to water challenges reside at the interface
Phys.org July 17, 2018 Interfaces between components of water systems and the water-based fluids themselves govern the performance of the vast majority of water treatment and conveyance processes. A team of researchers in the US (Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago) examines many of these interfaces, ranging from those in sorbents and sensors to membranes and catalysts, and surveys opportunities for scientists and engineers to reveal new insights into their function and, thereby, to design novel technologies for next-generation solutions to our collective energy-water challenges… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Are Countries Prepared for the Increasing Threat of Engineered Bioweapons?
Harvard Business Review June 18, 2018 The low cost and do-it-yourself accessibility of genomic technologies makes it possible for weapons to be deployed by almost any aggressor. If a highly contagious agent were released in a major city, it could spread far and wide and kill thousands before it is even clear what is happening and we would likely have a window of only several weeks to prevent it from causing a global catastrophe. Responding effectively to such threats will require a paradigm shift towards approaches that are faster and more agile and decentralized approaches underpinned by new technologies are […]
In desert trials, next-generation water harvester delivers fresh water from air (w/video)
Eurekalert June 8, 2018 In 2017, researchers at UC Berkeley successfully field tested their newest prototype water harvester in the Arizona desert. It worked as designed, sucking water out of the air without any power other than sunlight. They demonstrated that the harvester should be easy to scale up by simply adding more of the water absorber, a highly porous MOF. A team of researchers in the US (UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) has created a new MOF based on aluminum, called MOF-303, that is at least 150 times cheaper and captures twice as much water in lab tests. This […]