Technology

Catch Of The Week: Akira Ransomware Cripples Emergency Dispatch System

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By BECKY RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
For the Los Alamos Daily Post

In case of emergency, we all know to call 911, but what if something happens to the software utilized by emergency response departments across America?

In today’s world, emergency responders use a software called Computer Aided Dispatch systems, known as “CAD” systems to help them automate response to emergencies by prioritizing and recording calls, identify status and location  of responders in the field, provide access to law enforcement databases, and effectively dispatch responder personnel. Without this software suite, Read More

LANL: Picturing Science At Summer Camp & More

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Picturing science at summer camp

This past summer, students hailing from diverse backgrounds — high schools and colleges across the Navajo reservation, New Mexico, southern Colorado and a historically black university in Louisiana — participated in the Wildfire Simulation & Data Visualization Camp at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Read the full story as it first appeared in the Santa Fe New Mexican. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) shares a compilation of news stories for the week of Jan. 29, 2024.

Science: Experimentation explores defects and fluctuations Read More

Los Alamos National Laboratory Research Demonstrates Material’s Quantum Topological Potential

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New research into topological phases of matter may spur advances in innovative quantum devices. As described in Nature Communications, a research team including Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists used a novel strain engineering approach to convert the material hafnium pentatelluride to a strong topological insulator phase, increasing its bulk electrical resistance while lowering it at the surface, a key to unlocking its quantum potential. Read the full article here. Courtesy/LANL Read More

LANL: Atmospheric Pressure Changes Could Be Driving Mars’ Elusive Methane Pulses

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New simulations are helping inform the Curiosity rover’s ongoing sampling campaign. Courtesy/NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

LANL News:

New research shows that atmospheric pressure fluctuations that pull gases up from underground could be responsible for releasing subsurface methane into Mars’ atmosphere; knowing when and where to look for methane can help the Curiosity rover search for signs of life.

“Understanding Mars’ methane variations has been highlighted by NASA’s Curiosity team as the next key step towards figuring out where it comes from,” John Ortiz said, a graduate student at Los Read More

Catch Of The Week: Xfinity Data Breach

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By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
For the Los Alamos Daily Post

Data breaches happen…a lot.

How many data breaches do you think there were in the US in 2023?

          • A. 12
          • B. 1,000,000
          • C. 267,000
          • D. 2,116

The answer is D. 2,116. 

So approximately 6 breaches a day, just in the US. 

Total number of victims in the US, about 234 million.  

In a notice released in December, Xfinity said “there was unauthorized access” to its systems from Oct.  16 to Oct. 19, 2023.

How did this happen? The same way many data breaches happen…vulnerabilities.

In this case, there was a vulnerability in Citrix network appliances used by businesses Read More

McQuiston: What To Do If Your Identity Is Stolen

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By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos since 1963

The fastest-growing white-collar crime in the United States is identity fraud. ID fraud is when someone commits a crime or fraud in your name using your stolen personal information.

No one, regardless of background or financial status, is immune to identity fraud and various cyber threats continue to grow with no sign of slowing down.

If your identity is stolen, it can affect your finances, credit history and reputation.

Take Action Immediately:

  • Flag your credit reports. Contact the fraud department of one of the three
Read More

Muñoz, Herndon Reintroduce Bill To Protect Kids Online

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Sen. George Muñoz

U.S. SENATE News:

SANTA FE — Sen. George Muñoz and Rep. Pamelya Herndon Thursday  announced their sponsorship and introduction of the New Mexico Kids Code, legislation to make technology safer for young users and protect their privacy.

Advocates including parents, families, educators, medical professionals hailed the lawmakers’ reintroduction of the age-appropriate design code bills as a landmark step in efforts to enhance public safety by protecting New Mexico children and teens online.

“Despite skyrocketing rates of youth depression, anxiety, eating disorders Read More

FBI Tech Tuesday: Beware Of ‘Check Cooking’ Scams

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FBI News:

EL PASO, Texas — Scammers are taking advantage of technological innovations and finetuning their methods to be more successful in manipulating unsuspecting victims.

Scammers have become very good at impersonating legitimate organizations with fewer grammatical errors and other well-known red flags published by law enforcement and private entities such as Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission.

Scammers have taken check washing to a new level called “check cooking” or “check baking”. It’s much more lucrative, efficient and allows them to easily manufacture Read More

Catch Of The Week: ‘LOOK WHO’S DIED’ Facebook Scams

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By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
For the Los Alamos Daily Post

It seems like every other day a new friend of mine is tagged in, or is posting, the “look who’s died” Facebook scam, so I thought it was time for an article. What is this scam? Glad you asked! 

Why would anyone care about your Facebook account? Your account is full of personal info like your date of birth, email address, phone number, etc. that a scammer can grab and potentially use … plus your account is linked to your friends accounts as well, adding potential accounts that can be compromised! 

A compromised Facebook account can lead to so much more, Read More

Heinrich, Markey, Tonko Lead Bicameral Letter Urging FERC To Strengthen And Finalize Transmission Planning Rule

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From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, along with U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), led 134 lawmakers in sending a letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) Chairman Willie Phillips urging FERC to strengthen and finalize its proposed transmission planning and cost allocation rule.

Improved and increased Read More