The latest move in modernizing the U.S. government sees the new Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy open its doors for the first time.
government
New Malware Coming Through Email Posing as IRS
A new phishing scam posing at the IRS is making the rounds through email. Infamous botnet Emotet is behind many of the attacks.
FBI Launches Virtual Asset Exploitation Team
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is launching the Virtual Asset Exploitation Team (VAXU) to investigate crypto-crime.
Missouri Backs Away From 'View Source' Hacking Prosecution
A Cole County prosecutor has declined to prosecute reporter Josh Renaud over claims that he hacked into the state’s website.
Cool Stuff Found
Senators Reveal CIA Program That Collects American Data
According to two Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee, the CIA has an undisclosed repository of data collected from Americans.
IRS Will No Longer Require Facial Recognition for Taxes
Backpedaling among public backlash, the IRS won’t require citizens to use facial recognition for taxes, The New York Times reported.
Officials Accuse Apple of Lying About NDA Concealment Clauses
Eight state treasurers have accused Apple of lying about concealment clauses, in a letter to SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.
The EARN It Act is Back and Coming for Social Media Companies
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have reintroduced their EARN It Act. The bill aims to reform Section 230.
Treasury Considers ID.Me Alternatives Over Privacy Concerns
The Treasury Department is looking into ID.me alternatives for accessing the IRS website over privacy concerns.
CEO Blake Hall this week said that the company also used one-to-many technology, which compares selfies taken by users as part of the verification process against a larger database. The company said it maintained an internal database of selfies taken by users and compared new selfies against it using Amazon’s controversial Rekognition technology. As of January 25, 20.9 million users’ selfies had been verified against that database, the company said.
FCC Now Requires Broadband Nutrition Labels for Consumers
The FCC will force ISPs to disclose broadband “nutrition labels” to give information on prices, introductory rates, data allowances, broadband speeds, and management practices.
The law directs the Commission “to promulgate regulations to require the display of broadband consumer labels, as described in the Public Notice of the Commission issued on April 4, 2016 (DA 16–357), to disclose to consumers information regarding broadband Internet access service plans.” Id. See also Consumer and Governmental Affairs, Wireline Competition, and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus Approve Open Internet Broadband Consumer Labels, GN Docket No. 14-28, Public Notice, 31 FCC Rcd 3358 (CGB/WCB/WTB 2016) (2016 Public Notice).