Last year, the Biden administration signed the Secure Equipment Act into law, which aimed to block the authorization of network licenses from several Chinese companies whose hardware has been deemed a national security threat. Today, the FCC announced …
FBI reportedly considered using Pegasus spyware in criminal investigations
As recently as early last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was considering using NSO Group’s infamous Pegasus spyware in criminal investigations, reports The New York Times. Between late 2020 and early 2021, agency officials were in the “advan…
FCC proposes rules to prevent fake emergency alerts
The Federal Communications Commission is well aware of the potential damage from fake emergency alerts, and it’s hoping to minimize the threat with policy changes. The agency has proposed rules that would require stricter security for the Emergency Ale…
NTSB calls for all new vehicles to include alcohol monitoring tech
The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on its sister agency to implement regulation requiring all vehicles sold in the US to include blood alcohol monitoring systems. The NTSB sent the recommendation to the National Highway Traffic Safety …
US Treasury asks regulators to take more action against crypto scams
The Treasury Department is keenly aware that crypto scams and hacks remain serious problems, and it’s pressuring the rest of the US government to respond. As The Washington Postnotes, the Treasury has issued a report calling on other federal regulators to further crack down on scams and other illegal crypto activity. Officials want agencies to “expand and increase” investigations and enforcement, issue clearer guidance and help crypto users understand both risks and the reporting tools at their disposal.
In all cases, the Treasury asked for more coordination between government divisions. The department also asked for greater transparency on illegal activity to help spot trends in scams and other crimes.
The tougher stance is necessary given the dangers, according to the report. While proponents argue crypto can democratize financial services by making them more affordable and accessible, the Treasury found that there wasn’t much evidence to support the claim. If anything, the department found that low-income households were particularly vulnerable to ripoffs — 29 percent of crypto investors had an annual income below $50,000, according to Federal Reserve Board data.
It’s not clear that the findings will lead to decisive action. The Treasury didn’t outline a concrete strategy for battling crypto scams and security breaches, and regulators have their own sometimes-conflicting views of how to govern digital assets. The Securities Exchange Commission sees most crypto tokens as securities it can monitor, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission unsurprisingly wants to treat tokens as commodities. Although the bureaus might not be fighting, this report doesn’t do much to establish common ground.
NASA replaces Artemis 1’s leaky fuel seals
NASA has completed a critical repair of its next-generation Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. On Friday, engineers replaced the leaky seal that forced the agency to scrub its most recent attempt to launch Artemis 1. On September 3rd, a fitting on one o…