Two years after a false EAS alert about an incoming ICBM sowed terror in Hawaii, and seven years after security researchers warned about insecure, Internet connected Emergency Alert System (EAS) hardware, scores of the devices across the U.S. remain un-patched and vulnerable to cyber attack, according to security experts.
In this week’s Security Ledger Podcast episode, the UK -based policy think tank Chatham House warned last week that aging nuclear weapons systems in the U.S., the U.K. and other nations are vulnerable to cyber attacks that could be used to start a global conflagration. We talk with Eddie Habbibi of PAS Global about what can be done to secure hackable nukes. Also: with CES raging in Las Vegas last week, we go deep with security researcher Jay Harris on flaws in connected toys being sold to children.
In brief: As cyber threats increase, the U.S. military is considering big changes to attract and retain talent, from loosening standards on grooming to shorter, mission-based deployments.
In-brief: The April 7th hijacking of more than 100 civil defense sirens in Dallas was dismissed as an “old school” hack that relied copycat radio tones to set off a cacophony that lasted for nearly two hours. But was it? Security researcher Mark Loveless (aka “Simple Nomad”) has his doubts about the official explanation. In this latest Security Ledger podcast, he talks to Editor in Chief Paul Roberts about what might have really gone down in Dallas.
