This Week’s [in]Security – Issue 162

Welcome to This Week’s [in]Security. Coronavirus update. COVID-19 hits 4M, subways, Russia & Brazil. Cats, ferrets, & Llamas. Reopening. Masks and anti-maskers. Magneto favicon skimmers. Fixing EU cookie policy. Mega-breach dumps and 10B (yes B) record breach. MFA or not. Password reuse. Power supplies and air-gaps. Azure-squatting. Remembering ILOVEYOU. Murder Hornets. Asteroid near miss. Where's the beef and other COVID fallout. And more.

Now here's this week’s selection of news, opinions, and research. Quickly skim annotated links organized by topic: compliance and payment security, breaches, regulation, bugs, privacy, hacking/malware, other security & risk, and more. We hope you enjoy and find them useful.

New - Emerging Issues and Trending Stories

Coronavirus updates. We recently change the way we report COVID articles to you so it is less overwhelming. Many COVID articles will appear within our normal blog section headings each with a sub-group dedicated to COVID-19. For example:

• Facts about its spread, direct impact, and how people react will continue under Trending.
• Regulations and restrictions to counter the virus will be under Regulations.
• Privacy Implications, PCI/Payments, Cybercrime under their respective sections
• Treatments, Vaccines, Innovations, Coping methods under Defense
• Information on how/why it spreads, improvements understanding it, etc. under Vulnerabilities
• Economic impact and articles that don't fit into the other categories will be under Other Risk.
• Breaches (and Ransomware) under Breaches.

Our first regular reports on coronavirus can be found at https://controlgap.com/blog/this-weeks-insecurity-issue-147. And our first use of the trending topic section can be found https://controlgap.com/blog/this-weeks-insecurity-issue-149.

• The spread and the curve:

  • Worldwide coronavirus cases hit 4 million https://globalnews.ca/news/6924630/coronavirus-4-million-cases/
  • More than 1,500 new coronavirus cases reported in Canada — 60% of them from Quebec https://globalnews.ca/news/6923176/canada-coronavirus-cases-deaths-may-8/
  • Ontario reports 346 new coronavirus cases marking lowest increase in over a month https://globalnews.ca/news/6924887/ontario-coronavirus-cases-may-9-covid19/
  • Flattening the coronavirus curve: How Canada compares with other countries https://globalnews.ca/news/6901193/flattening-the-curve-coronavirus-comparison-canada-other-countries/
  • People who traveled from New York across the US in early March caused nearly 65% of US cases https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-from-new-york-sparked-second-wave-coronavirus-cases-us-2020-5
  • Italy death toll tops 30,000, highest in EU https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52594570
  • Russia recorded more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases for the 7th day in a row https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-recorded-new-coronavirus-cases-2020-5
  • A French doctor says a sample shows the country had its first coronavirus case in December https://www.businessinsider.com/france-coronavirus-case-december-sample-shows-doctor-2020-5
  • Brazil’s Pandemic Is Just Beginning https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/05/brazil-coronavirus-hot-spot-bolsonaro/611401/
  • 11 Secret Service agents test positive for COVID-19 https://www.businessinsider.com/11-us-secret-service-agents-test-positive-for-the-coronavirus-2020-5
  • The 1957 flu that killed one million people https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-52582124/the-1957-flu-that-killed-one-million-people

• Things we learned:

  • The World Doesn’t Yet Know Enough to Beat the Coronavirus https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/lack-testing-holding-science-back/611422/
  • Google researchers: COVID-19 super-spreaders are a big part of the problem https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-researchers-show-how-covid-19-super-spreaders-are-a-big-part-of-the-problem/
  • Some coronavirus patients have silent hypoxia and should be unconscious from lack of oxygen but appear totally fine https://www.businessinsider.com/silent-hypoxia-coronavirus-patients-unknowingly-losing-oxygen-2020-5
  • Coronavirus Came From Bats, Can Infect Cats, Ferrets https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-08/covid-19-came-from-bats-can-infect-cats-ferrets-who-says
  • Coronavirus Might Exploit 'Silent' Mutations Hidden in People https://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-are-comparing-our-genes-to-understand-why-we-don-t-all-die-from-covid-19
  • Positive Tests For Recovered Virus Patients Are Not Reinfections https://www.sciencealert.com/those-positive-results-from-recovered-covid-19-patients-weren-t-reinfections-after-all

• Lockdown and reopening:

  • Safely relaxing social distancing comes down to numbers https://scienmag.com/safely-relaxing-social-distancing-comes-down-to-numbers/
  • Researcher testifies to Congress that not a single state meets Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security criteria to reopen safely https://www.businessinsider.com/no-states-meet-criteria-to-reopen-johns-hopkins-researcher-2020-5
  • Arizona, which is about to re-open, told its virus experts to stop making projections after they suggested the outbreak there has not yet peaked https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-arizona-stops-experts-predict-worsening-outbreak-reopen-2020-5
  • 60,000 people headed to Georgia after it allowed some businesses to open — and it led to the exact scenario researchers warned of https://www.businessinsider.com/out-of-state-visitors-georgia-re-opened-risking-coronavirus-uptick-2020-5
  • Germany infection rate rises as lockdown eases https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52604676
  • The WHO says the risk of sliding back into coronavirus lockdowns is 'very real' without a careful, staged lift approach https://www.businessinsider.com/who-how-to-lift-a-coronavirus-lockdown-responsibly-phased-approach-2020-5
  • U.S. researchers predict 135,000 coronavirus deaths by August, citing eased restrictions https://globalnews.ca/news/6905396/coronavirus-us-deaths-projections/
  • If lockdowns go on for 6 months, there could be 31 million new domestic violence cases globally https://www.businessinsider.com/who-domestic-violence-to-rise-during-lockdowns-2020-5

• Treatments, Testing, Triage, and Trials:

  • Temperature screening not always reliable to mitigate coronavirus risk https://globalnews.ca/news/6901510/temperature-screening-coronavirus-canada/
  • Triple drug therapy helps coronavirus patients recover more quickly, study finds https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/08/health/coronavirus-triple-therapy-hong-kong-health/index.html
  • London, Ont., researchers first in world to treat COVID-19 with specialized dialysis https://globalnews.ca/news/6913313/london-research-coronavirus-treatment-dialysis/ and https://scienmag.com/canadian-team-first-in-world-to-treat-covid-19-with-specialized-dialysis/
  • New antigen test for detecting COVID-19 could help triage patients during the pandemic https://scienmag.com/new-antigen-test-for-detecting-covid-19-could-help-triage-patients-during-the-pandemic/
  • Scientists are racing to create a coronavirus vaccine that can halt the pandemic in its tracks. Top 3 candidates https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccines-that-could-be-ready-first-moderna-pfizer-oxford-2020-5
  • Possible vaccine for virus linked to type 1 diabetes https://scienmag.com/possible-vaccine-for-virus-linked-to-type-1-diabetes/
  • In the quest for a coronavirus treatment, scientists are turning to a 4-year-old llama named Winter https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-study-llama-antibodies-to-neutralize-coronavirus-2020-5

• Guidance, Response and Recovery:

  • New Zealand PM: No open borders for 'a long time' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-52540733
  • Doug Ford calls for a national strategy on contact tracing of COVID-19 cases https://globalnews.ca/news/6905555/ontario-contact-tracing-national-strategy-covid19-coronavirus/
  • Dock workers in Belgium are wearing monitoring bracelets that enforce social distancing https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-in-belgium-use-social-distancing-wearable-tech-2020-5
  • UK to launch Covid-19 alert system https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52602635
  • Cubicles Could Make a Big Comeback https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624041/cubicles-could-make-comeback

• Behaviour - the good, the bad, and the ugly:

  • BlackburnNews.com - $5.8M in fines for breaking pandemic rules https://blackburnnews.com/windsor/windsor-news/2020/05/05/5-8-million-fines-breaking-pandemic-rules/
  • OPP clocked teen going 308 km/h on QEW in dad’s car https://globalnews.ca/news/6926938/speeding-teen-308-km-h-qew/

• Masks and anti-maskers:

  • Customers must wear masks, say Canadian grocery stores https://www.healthing.ca/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/canadian-grocery-stores-mandate-that-customers-wear-masks
  • B.C. supermarkets ask customers to wear masks https://globalnews.ca/news/6921355/bc-supermarkets-face-masks-requirement/
  • How to stop your glasses from fogging up when you wear a mask https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/05/health/how-to-de-fog-glasses-wearing-mask-wellness-trnd/index.html
  • These surprisingly relevant vintage ads show how officials tried to convince people to wear masks after many refused during the 1918 flu pandemic https://www.businessinsider.com/people-vintage-mask-ads-spanish-flu-1918-pandemic-2020-5
  • Why is there a US backlash to masks? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52540015
  • 'Anti-maskers' say they should not be forced to cover their faces in public because medical conditions mean they cannot wear a mask https://www.businessinsider.com/anti-maskers-say-they-cant-wear-masks-because-medical-conditions-2020-5
  • 2 McDonald's employees were reportedly shot in Oklahoma City after informing two customers the dining room was closed due to COVID-19 https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-employees-shot-in-oklahoma-city-over-covid-19-closure-2020-5
  • Security guard shot and killed after telling customer to put on face mask https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/us/michigan-security-guard-mask-killing-trnd/index.html
  • US family 'murdered shop guard for enforcing mask policy' https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52540266

PCI Compliance and Payments

News and announcements relating to Payment Security, PCI, Card Brands, Payments, Payment Malware and Fraud.

• Favicons Found Housing Credit Card Skimming Malware on myicons[.]net target Magneto sites https://www.scmagazine.com/home/retail/favicons-found-housing-credit-card-skimming-malware/
• Visa Postponing Most Interchange Rate Changes Until April 2021 https://www.digitaltransactions.net/visa-postponing-most-interchange-rate-changes-until-april-2021/

Breaches / Ransomware / Leaks

Covering breaches, leaks, data exposures, ransomware (as potential breach), and their fallout.

• ShinyHunters group is selling more than 73 million user records from Zoosk, Chatbooks, SocialShare, Home Chef, Minted, Chronicle of Higher Education, GGuMi, Mindful, Bhinneka, and StarTribune on the dark web https://www.zdnet.com/article/a-hacker-group-is-selling-more-than-73-million-user-records-on-the-dark-web/
• Hacker sells 22 million Unacademy user records after data breach https://www.databreaches.net/hacker-sells-22-million-unacademy-user-records-after-data-breach/
• Adult Cam Site CAM4 Exposed 10.88 Billion Records Online https://www.wired.com/story/cam4-adult-cam-data-leak-7tb/
• Hackers Breach 3.5 Million MobiFriends Dating App Credentials https://threatpost.com/hackers-breach-3-5-million-mobifriends-dating-app-credentials/155590/
• No data, security breach: Aarogya Setu says after hacker claims 'privacy of 90 million Indians at stake' https://www.databreaches.net/no-data-security-breach-aarogya-setu-says-after-hacker-claims-privacy-of-90-million-indians-at-stake/
• Our data is secure: Bukalapak denies reports of user data breach https://www.databreaches.net/our-data-is-secure-bukalapak-denies-reports-of-user-data-breach/
• Australian Home Affairs Breach Leaks Details On 700K Migrants https://packetstormsecurity.com/news/view/31174/Australian-Home-Affairs-Breach-Leaks-Details-On-700-000-Migrants.html
• Data from Hundreds of Law Firms Left Exposed on Old Database https://www.databreaches.net/data-from-hundreds-of-law-firms-left-exposed-on-old-database-report-says/
• GoDaddy confirms security breach affecting 28K hosting accounts https://www.engadget.com/go-daddy-confirms-security-breach-120534835.html
• Ulmon - 777,769 breached accounts now on HIPB https://haveibeenpwned.com/PwnedWebsites#Ulmon
• Elanic - 2,325,283 breached accounts now on HIBP https://haveibeenpwned.com/PwnedWebsites#Elanic
• Nintendo Source Code for N64, Wii and GameCube Leaked https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/nintendo-source-code-for-n64-wii-gamecube-leaked-a-14220
• Australian Shipping Giant Toll Hit by Ransomware for Second Time https://www.securityweek.com/australian-shipping-giant-toll-hit-ransomware-second-time
• Class-action lawsuit dismissed against Laurentian University hacker https://www.databreaches.net/class-action-lawsuit-dismissed-against-laurentian-university-hacker/

Privacy

Articles about privacy related news, risks, and trends.

• COVID-19 Contact tracing:

  • Pew Survey: Use of Location Data to Enforce Social Distancing “Unacceptable” https://epic.org/2020/05/pew-survey-use-of-location-dat.html
  • The LawBytes Podcast, Episode 49: Lilian Edwards on the Legal, Ethical and Technology Debate over Coronavirus Contact Tracing Apps https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2020/05/lawbytes-podcast-episode-49/
  • Privacy expert says flawed Alberta COVID-19 contact tracking app shouldn’t have been released https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/privacy-expert-says-flawed-alberta-covid-19-contact-tracking-app-shouldnt-have-been-released/430252
  • Google, Apple Reveal More Contact-Tracing Details https://www.databreachtoday.com/google-apple-reveal-more-contact-tracing-details-a-14227
  • Why countries keep bowing to Apple and Google’s contact tracing app requirements https://www.theverge.com/interface/2020/5/8/21250744/apple-google-contact-tracing-england-germany-exposure-notification-india-privacy
  • UK may ditch NHS contact-tracing app for Apple and Google model https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/may/07/uk-may-ditch-nhs-contact-tracing-app-for-apple-and-google-model
  • The Inventors of Bluetooth Say There Could Be Problems Using Their Tech for Coronavirus Contact Tracing https://theintercept.com/2020/05/05/coronavirus-bluetooth-contact-tracing/
• The EU is trying to fix its abysmal cookie consent policy https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/7/21250300/eu-cookie-consent-policy-updated-guidelines-cookie-wall
• Hacker buys old Tesla parts on eBay, finds them full of user data https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/05/hacker-mines-passwords-locations-and-more-from-retired-tesla-infotainment-gear/
• Xiaomi Devices Found Tracking And Recording Browsing Data Of Millions https://fossbytes.com/xiaomi-devices-found-tracking-and-recording-browsing-data-of-millions/
• 'Breach of privacy': Ontario Privacy Commissioner on electronic information found abandoned by MLHU https://www.databreaches.net/breach-of-privacy-ontario-privacy-commissioner-on-electronic-information-found-abandoned-by-mlhu/
• WeChat, They Watch: How International Users Unwittingly Build up WeChat’s Chinese Censorship Apparatus https://citizenlab.ca/2020/05/we-chat-they-watch/
• WeChat Surveillance Explained https://citizenlab.ca/2020/05/wechat-surveillance-explained/
• How My Boss Monitors Me While I Work From Home https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/technology/employee-monitoring-work-from-home-virus.html
• What the Facebook-OPC court case could mean for Canadian privacy enforcement https://iapp.org/news/a/what-the-facebook-opc-court-case-could-mean-for-canadian-privacy-regulation/
• New York AG Reaches Agreement with Zoom over Privacy Violations https://epic.org/2020/05/new-york-ag-reaches-agreement-.html

Laws & Regulations / Standards

News about laws, regulations, and standards affecting security, privacy,  technology, and public interest.

• International Production Orders Bill will give ASIO access to encrypted communications https://www.zdnet.com/article/international-production-orders-bill-will-give-asio-access-to-encrypted-communications/
• Courts Issue Rulings in Two Cases Challenging Law Enforcement Searches of License Plate Databases https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/courts-issue-rulings-two-cases-challenging-law-enforcement-searches-license-plate
• The Patent Office Is “Adjusting” to a Supreme Court Ruling by Ignoring It https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/patent-office-adjusting-supreme-court-ruling-ignoring-it
• Unix and Adversarial Interoperability: The ‘One Weird Antitrust Trick’ That Defined Computing https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/unix-and-adversarial-interoperability-one-weird-antitrust-trick-defined-computing
• Compliance In Canada Today https://www.datex.ca/blog/compliance-in-canada-today

Defense / Techniques / Solutions

Covering developments and opportunities that may help improve security.

• COVID-19 countermeasures:

  • A group of military and manufacturing experts teamed up to create a new type of face mask with a swappable filter, and it could help alleviate shortages for workers returning to their jobs https://www.businessinsider.com/reusable-filter-mask-design-building-momentum-ewi-2020-5
• Executive Order's Focus: Protecting Power Grid Supply Chain https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/executive-orders-focus-protecting-power-grid-supply-chain-a-14224
• Nest is rolling out mandatory two-factor authentication starting this month https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/5/21247706/nest-two-factor-authentication-default-email-six-digit-hack-breach-password-re-use
• Most Attacks Don't Generate Security Alerts https://www.securityweek.com/most-attacks-dont-generate-security-alerts-mandiant
• Protecting Scanning Credentials for Windows Hosts https://www.tenable.com/blog/how-to-protect-scanning-credentials-overview and https://www.tenable.com/blog/5-ways-to-protect-scanning-credentials-for-windows-hosts
• We beg, implore and beseech thee. Stop reusing the same damn password everywhere https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/05/logmein_password_survey/
• So you've set up MFA and solved the Elvish riddle, but some still think passwords alone are secure enough https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/07/thales_password_survey/
• A Microbe That Seems to Stop Mosquitoes Spreading Malaria Has Been Found https://www.sciencealert.com/a-microbe-that-naturally-occurs-in-mosquitoes-could-help-us-stop-malaria
• Researchers unlock TB vaccine puzzle in findings that could save millions of newborns https://scienmag.com/researchers-unlock-tb-vaccine-puzzle-in-findings-that-could-save-millions-of-newborns/

Bugs / Design Flaws / Vulnerabilities / Research

Articles about newly discovered vulnerabilities and research.

• Samsung patches 0-click vulnerability impacting all smartphones sold since 2014 https://www.zdnet.com/article/samsung-patches-0-click-vulnerability-impacting-all-smartphones-sold-since-2014/
• Google Android RCE Bug Allows Attacker Full Device Access https://threatpost.com/google-android-rce-bug-full-device-access/155460/
• OK, so you've air-gapped that PC. Cut the speakers. Covered the LEDs. Disconnected the monitor. Now, about the data-leaking power supply unit... https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/04/power_supply_attack/
• SAP notifying 9% of customers about security bugs in some cloud products https://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-notifying-9-of-customers-about-security-bugs-in-some-cloud-products/
• Malware in Google Apps https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/05/malware_in_goog_1.html
• Naikon APT Hid Five-Year Espionage Attack Under Radar https://threatpost.com/naikon-apt-five-year-espionage-attack/155492/
• SAP discloses security lapses; says there was no data breach https://www.databreaches.net/sap-discloses-security-lapses-says-there-was-no-data-breach/
• TP-Link Patches Multiple Vulnerabilities in NC Cloud Cameras https://www.securityweek.com/tp-link-patches-multiple-vulnerabilities-nc-cloud-cameras
• GAO: HHS Has Failed to Act on Security Recommendations https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/gao-report-a-14225
• Airplane Hack Exposes Weaknesses of Alert and Avoidance Systems https://threatpost.com/airplane-hack-exposes-weaknesses-of-alert-and-avoidance-systems/155451/

Hacking / Malware / Cybercrime / Exploitation

News covering active trends and events.

• COVID-19 Crime and Cybercrime:

  • APT Groups Targeting COVID-19 Researchers https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/alert-apt-groups-targeting-covid-19-researchers-a-14230
  • A hacker is trying to break Ohio’s tool for reporting workers who quit during the pandemic https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/8/21252185/ohio-employee-reporting-unemployment-fraud-system-spam-code
  • Two Men Charged In First US Case Of PPP Stimulus Fraud https://www.pymnts.com/news/security-and-risk/2020/two-men-charged-in-first-us-case-of-ppp-stimulus-fraud/
• A hacker group tried to hijack 900,000 WordPress sites over the last week https://www.zdnet.com/article/a-hacker-group-tried-to-hijack-900000-wordpress-sites-over-the-last-week/
• Tech Support Scam Uses Child Porn Warning https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/05/tech-support-scam-uses-child-porn-warning/
• CVE-2020-11651, CVE-2020-11652: Critical Salt Framework Vulnerabilities Exploited in the Wild https://www.tenable.com/blog/cve-2020-11651-cve-2020-11652-critical-salt-framework-vulnerabilities-exploited-in-the-wild
• Vulnerabilities allow hackers access to two popular VPNs https://betanews.com/2020/05/06/vpn-vulnerabilities/
• Jump in vulnerable RDP ports is leaving networks open to hacking and cyberattacks https://www.databreaches.net/jump-in-vulnerable-rdp-ports-is-leaving-networks-open-to-hacking-and-cyberattacks/
• (Just Weird) For 8 years, a hacker operated a massive IoT botnet just to download Anime videos https://www.zdnet.com/article/for-8-years-a-hacker-operated-a-massive-iot-botnet-just-to-download-anime-videos/
• DigiCert Hit By Hackers Through Buggy Config Tool https://packetstormsecurity.com/news/view/31180/DigiCert-Hit-By-Hackers-Through-Buggy-Config-Tool.html
• Taiwan’s Formosa Petrochemical gas stations hit by malware attack https://www.databreaches.net/taiwans-formosa-petrochemical-gas-stations-hit-by-malware-attack/
• Hacker Bribed ‘Roblox’ Insider to Access User Data https://www.databreaches.net/hacker-bribed-roblox-insider-to-access-user-data/
• Hackers Turned Virginia Government Sites Into eBook Scam https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/88947x/hackers-virginia-government-websites-ebooks-scam
• (Azure-squatting) X-rated ads plastered over derelict corner of accountants' website https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/06/pwc_azure_squatting/
• Hacker group selling databases with millions of user credentials busted in Poland and Switzerland https://www.databreaches.net/hacker-group-selling-databases-with-millions-of-user-credentials-busted-in-poland-and-switzerland/
• Student Hacks Into Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District’s Email Server https://www.databreaches.net/student-hacks-into-santa-monica-malibu-unified-school-districts-email-server/
• 20 Years ago - ILOVEYOU Virus https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/05/iloveyou_virus.html

Other Security / Risk

Articles covering other types of risks.

• COVID-19 Other risks and impact:

  • Canadians are accidentally poisoning themselves while cleaning to prevent COVID-19 https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid-19-accidental-poisoning-cleaning-products-1.5552779
  • Russian hospital staff 'working without masks' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-52508834/coronavirus-russian-hospital-staff-working-without-masks
  • (Odd) Three Russian doctors fall from hospital windows, raising questions amid coronavirus pandemic https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/04/europe/russia-medical-workers-windows-intl/index.html
  • Where's the beef - Wendy’s removes burgers from some U.S. menus amid beef shortage https://globalnews.ca/news/6906357/wendys-burgers-beef-shortage-coronavirus/
  • We're headed for a faceless future as masks become the norm. That's a big security concern https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/10/world/face-masks-security-intl-gbr/index.html
  • Wharton economists predict the 3 biggest dangers America could face if states reopen their economies this summer https://www.businessinsider.com/tradeoffs-between-fatalities-gdp-and-job-loss-as-us-reopens-2020-5
  • Coronavirus: Pandemic sends US jobless rate to 14.7% https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52591262
  • Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs shuts down Toronto smart city project https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/7/21250594/alphabet-sidewalk-labs-toronto-quayside-shutting-down
• Potentially fatal combinations of humidity and heat are emerging across the globe https://scienmag.com/potentially-fatal-combinations-of-humidity-and-heat-are-emerging-across-the-globe/
• Virus Experts Aren’t Getting the Message Out https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/health-experts-dont-understand-how-information-moves/611218/
• 11 Explosive Facts About Mount St. Helens https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624139/mount-st-helens-facts
• On May 4th, a tiny asteroid missed Earth… but just barely https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/on-may-4th-a-tiny-asteroid-missed-earth-but-just-barely
• Just How Dangerous Is the 'Murder Hornet'? https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/just-how-dangerous-is-the-murder-hornet/
• Eight great sites that offer online classes https://www.theverge.com/21227892/online-classes-free-college-skill-coursera-udemy-edx-harvard-skillshare
• Terminology - Forget Whitelists and Blacklists: Go for 'Allow' or 'Deny' https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/blogs/forget-whitelists-blacklists-go-for-allow-or-deny-p-2898

Off-Topic / Science & Tech / Lighter Side

A variety of scientific, technical, historical, and more light-hearted news.

• Scientists explain magnetic pole's wanderings https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52550973
• Physicists Think They've Found a New Way to Stabilise And Control Fusion Reactors https://www.sciencealert.com/physicists-have-figured-out-a-novel-way-to-predict-and-control-fusion-reactors
• Clever New Device Can Produce Hydrogen Fuel Using Water And Sunlight https://www.sciencealert.com/new-device-splits-water-into-hydrogen-fuel-to-create-perpetual-energy-source
• Scientists Create a Prototype 'Air Plasma' Engine That Works Without Fossil Fuels https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-created-a-fossil-fuel-free-jet-engine-prototype
• This 500-Piece Black and White Gradient Puzzle Is Your Next Quarantine Project https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624137/500-piece-black-and-white-gradient-puzzle
• Watch a $2 million McLaren supercar drag race an F-35 fighter jet https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/03/watch-a-2-million-mclaren-supercar-drag-race-an-f-35-fighter-jet.html
• (Curious) He broke the AI - To understand Trump, an AI bot had to be de-programmed from using English grammar https://www.businessinsider.com/an-ai-bot-unlearned-english-grammar-to-better-understand-trump-2020-5
• U.S. teen finds $135K cash next to ATM, returns it to police https://globalnews.ca/news/6920945/teen-finds-135k-cash-atm/
• Man discovers he has 3 kidneys after going to doctor for lower back pain https://globalnews.ca/news/6920351/man-finds-third-kidney-back-pain/
• Review of 21st Century ‘Smart Telescope’ for Amateur Astronomers https://www.universetoday.com/145924/our-review-of-stellina-a-smart-telescope-for-21st-century-astronomy/
• SpaceX Describes Exactly How They’re Planning to Make Starlink Satellites Less Visible From Earth https://www.universetoday.com/145949/spacex-describes-exactly-how-theyre-planning-to-make-starlink-satellites-less-visible-from-earth/
• How to Grow Vegetables on Mars https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/blogs/observations/how-to-grow-vegetables-on-mars/
• Scientists obtain 'lucky' image of Jupiter https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52587488
• Astronomers Can Actually See the Clouds and Weather on Brown Dwarf 6.5 Light-Years Away https://www.universetoday.com/145960/astronomers-can-actually-see-the-clouds-and-weather-on-brown-dwarf-6-5-light-years-away/
• Renowned string theorist proposes new way to hunt our solar system's mysterious 'Planet 9' https://www.livescience.com/planet-9-laser-breakthrough-starshot-ed-witten.html
• Astronomers Find a Planet With Three Times the Mass of Jupiter https://www.universetoday.com/145942/astronomers-find-a-planet-with-three-times-the-mass-of-jupiter/
• New black hole discovered closer than any other to Earth https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/black-hole-earth-space-eso-closest-planet-a9501511.html