Techstrong News Recap – February 14, 2023
On Feb. 14, William Willis covered the U.S. Treasury Department and UK government enacting sanctions on individuals believed to be a part of the Russian cybercriminal group Trickbot, General Motors signing a deal with computer chip supplier GlobalFoundries and several tech companies announcing layoffs including Yahoo, Disney and Affirm. He also talked about the U.S. awarding a $2 billion green energy loan to a Nevada-based battery recycling company. Finally, he previewed articles from Digital CxO, Security Boulevard and Container Journal, which covered a report showing the dangers of data distrust, when the first ChatGPT generated cyberattacks will launch and how the U.S. Department of Defense selected DeciSym and Sylabs to develop a virtual fabric for framework testing.
Transcript
Hi again, everyone here the headlines for February 14th. First up the US Treasury Department in the UK government have announced a joint effort to impose sanctions on seven individuals believed to be part of a russian-based cybercrime group known as trickbot. Trickbot is responsible for widespread ransomware attacks, including a hospital attack during the covid-19 pandemic in 2020 in bangkok's over a decade ago.
the sanctioned individuals include developers money launderers and hackers the US Treasury Department has described these sanctions as historic in the first of their kind in the UK as part of a wired efforts by both to disrupt Russian cyber crime. Next General Motors assigned to deal with shipmaker global foundries to secure a supply chain of computer chips for its vehicles. And a joint statement Global Foundry says that it will expand its production capacity at one of its New York plants to exclusively Supply GM.
The factory will supply finished chips to GM part suppliers will then manufacture computer modules that control various Vehicle Systems such as Transmissions breaks and radios. It's expected that the deal is for a long-term partnership with investment from both sides, but will take at least two years for the chips to start flowing. This comes as GM is trying to reduce the number of unique chips in each vehicle while at the same time doubling its need for semiconductors over the next several years as Vehicles become more technology dependent.
The global shortage of semiconductors has been affected in the Auto industry since 2020 causing shortages at dealerships and driving up prices and is expected to continue into at least 2024. In other news in the past few weeks several technology companies have cut their Workforce due to a Slowdown in client spending and efforts to restructure their businesses. This seems that every single sector of the tech industry ranging from Yahoo, which is laying off a thousand workers or 12% of its Workforce the Disney, which is eliminating 7,000 positions as it restructures into different divisions.
Additionally godaddy's laying off 500 workers or 8% of its Workforce and even fintech is being hit with a firm laying off 19% of its employees. These layoffs come as a reminder of the impact of the current economic situation on the technology industry in the broader economy. Next up the United States has awarded a 2 billion dollar green energy loan to Redwood materials a Nevada based battery cycling company founded by the former Chief technology officer of Tesla.
The US made the announcement at redwoods facility in Nevada. The loan comes from the energy Department's advanced technology Vehicles manufacturing program, which will help the US establish its own electric vehicle supply chain a key goal in the fight against climate change. Redwood materials is expected to create about 3,000 400 construction jobs and employ about 1,600 full-time workers.
5 billion dollar battery Manufacturing in recycling facility in South Carolina. The Advanced Technologies vehicle manufacturing program has supported the production of over 4,000 advanced technology vehicles and it's helped several major EV companies in the past including Tesla. On digital cxo we have an article looking at a report that shows the dangers of data distrust and Enterprises.
Company is so much data in the palms of their hands. But if they don't believe in the accuracy of the data, then it becomes a sunk cost. The article gives a deep dive into a survey done by contexta that shows the current state of data distrust.
com On Security Boulevard, we have an article that looks at when the first chat GTP Bay cyber attacks will launch. Well ai-driven cybersecurity has some optimistic many see AI is a serious threat to security. Jack GDP can easily write malware code.
So it is only a matter of time before it is start being used. This article looks at how chat GDP is most likely going to be used for cyber attacks to learn more go to Security Boulevard calm. Finally on container Journal we have an article that looks at how the Department of Defense has selected Dusty Sim inside labs to develop a virtual data fabric for framework.
Testing that is based on Singularity containers. The goal is to develop a mechanism to integrate cyber test results with real-world activities. com.
And that's today's text wrong news recap.
