technology 24 for you

Friday, September 11, 2026

IEEE to Reward Sections for High Voter Turnout in Annual Election

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/illustration-of-a-ballot-box-inside-a-dollar-bill-symbolizing-money-in-elections.jpg?id=67749579&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C62%2C0%2C63"/> For this year’s IEEE annual <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ieee-annual-election-2026" target="_self">election</a>, the IEEE <a href="https://ethw.org/IEEE_Tellers_Committee_History" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tellers Committee </a>will recognize the Sections with the highest voter turnout (based on total eligible voters) in each Region with an incentive reward after the election results are accepted by the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/board" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Board of Directors</a>.The incentive initiative is managed by the Tellers Committee, which retains full authority over all rules, operations, and decisions regarding the program.<h2>Incentive guidelines </h2>The Section sizes and their respective reward amounts are:<ul><li>Large sections consist of more than 1,501 eligible voting members. The top-performing large section in each IEEE region will be rewarded with US $1,000. </li><li>Medium sections consist of 501 to 1,500 eligible voting members. Each region’s top-performing medium section will receive $600. </li><li>Small sections consist of 500 or fewer eligible voting members. The top-performing small section in each region will receive $400.</li></ul>To learn more about the incentive program, visit the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/election" target="_blank">IEEE annual election website</a>. If you haven’t voted in the 2026 elections, you can <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/election/candidates" target="_blank">learn about the candidates</a> and <a href="https://services10.ieee.org/idp/startSSO.ping?PartnerSpId=AnnualElection" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vote here</a>. Send questions to: <a href="mailto:elections@ieee.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">elections@ieee.org</a>. Reference: https://ift.tt/BoaQcIk

ClickFix attacks infecting PCs and Macs are going viral

It wasn’t that long ago that ClickFix attacks were exotic. Now the technique has become mainstream as attackers reap its simplicity and effectiveness in infecting users of PCs and Macs alike. All that’s required is a compromised website—a <a href="https://www.netskope.com/blog/malware-on-the-blockchain-an-ongoing-campaigns-new-webrtc-twist">painless enough</a> task—a fake CAPTCHA overlay, and the inclusion of a single terminal command. So many visitors get suckered into pasting and running the command that just about every malware pusher has adopted the technique. Even <a href="%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bhttps://arstechnica.com/security/2026/07/now-even-russias-most-elite-hackers-are-using-clickfix-to-infect-devices/">Kremlin-backed</a> hacking groups are joining in. “Reddit is becoming post after post after post of people getting their computer infected via ClickFix,” independent researcher Kevin Beaumont <a href="https://infosec.exchange/@GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social/117248119419735095">observed Thursday</a>. “Legit websites everywhere [are] getting hacked to serve the fake captcha prompts.” <h2>How many of us make things worse</h2> More seasoned Internet users—a fair number who read this site—are quick to dismiss the attack. They typically blame the people who fall for the scams and marvel at their gullibility and lack of attention. The reality is that for more casual users, using computers and the Internet has become so difficult—think impossible-to-close interstitials, CAPTCHAs with an endless series of pictures to analyze, and constantly changing interfaces that bury the features they’re looking for—that they have grown desensitized to instructions that seem ridiculous and burdensome.<a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/clickfix-attacks-infecting-pcs-and-macs-are-going-viral/">Read full article</a> <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/clickfix-attacks-infecting-pcs-and-macs-are-going-viral/#comments">Comments</a> Reference : https://ift.tt/PoQLpkS

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Codeveloper of Ethernet Predecessor Dies at 91

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/black-and-white-photograph-of-a-young-asian-man-in-a-suit-and-tie.jpg?id=67750969&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C187%2C0%2C188"/> Franklin “Frank” KuoCodeveloper of ALOHAnetFellow, 91; died 14 AprilKuo helped develop <a href="https://www.comsoc.org/node/19511" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ALOHAnet</a>, a pioneering computer system at the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of Hawaii at Mānoa</a>, in Honolulu. The system went online in 1971 and represented the first public demonstration of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_radio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wireless packet data network</a>. It was an inspiration for <a href="https://ethw.org/Oral-History:Robert_Metcalfe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Robert Metcalfe</a>’s development of <a href="https://ethw.org/Milestones:Ethernet_Local_Area_Network_(LAN),_1973-1985" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ethernet</a> a couple of years later. In 2020 ALOHAnet was designated as an <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/alohanet-introduced-random-access-protocols-to-the-computing-world" target="_self">IEEE Milestone</a>.Kuo earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of Illinois</a>, Urbana-Champaign. After earning his Ph.D. in 1960, he joined <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Labs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bell Labs in Murray Hill, N.J.</a>, where he conducted research in computer communications.After six years at the company, Kuo left to become a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Hawaii. From 1968 to 1971 he and one of his colleagues, IEEE Life Fellow <a href="https://ethw.org/Norman_Abramson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Norman Abramson</a>, developed ALOHAnet. The network connected computers on Hawaiian islands using ultrahigh-frequency radio, transmitting information over radio waves instead of cables.ALOHAnet became the foundation for modern networks. Kuo pioneered the concept of a random-access protocol, or sharing a single channel without central coordination—which led to the packet-switching principles that underpin modern Wi-Fi and mobile networks.Kuo authored or coauthored several books including <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Communication-Networks-Nato-Science/dp/9401175829" target="_blank">Computer Communication Networks</a>. Published in 1972, it was one of the earliest textbooks on the subject.He served as director of the university’s <a href="https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/co/1973/06/06536796/1hJr8eqhITC" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cosine committee</a>, a project funded by the U.S. <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Science Foundation</a> to develop computer engineering courses.He took a sabbatical from 1975 to 1977 to work at the U.S. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pentagon" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pentagon</a> as director of information systems in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_the_Secretary_of_Defense" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">defense secretary’s office</a>. He oversaw computer communications applications used in command, control, and intelligence programs.During the 1980s and ’90s, he helped develop China’s Internet. In 1982 he joined <a href="https://www.sri.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SRI International</a> (formerly the Stanford Research Institute), in Menlo Park, Calif., as a researcher. He also was a consulting professor in <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stanford</a>’s electrical engineering department and taught computer networking at <a href="https://en.sjtu.edu.cn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shanghai Jiao Tong University</a>.As a <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UNESCO</a> lecturer in Beijing in 1994, he helped <a href="https://english.pku.edu.cn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Peking University</a>, <a href="https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tsinghua University</a>, and the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> connect to the Internet. He also worked with Tsinghua University to develop <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CERNET" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CERNET</a>, the country’s first nationwide education and research <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">computer network</a>, which was managed by the Chinese <a href="https://www.chea.org/international-directory/ministry-education-peoples-republic-china" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ministry of Education</a>. For his work, he received an honorary degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.In the mid-1990s, Kuo helped found General Wireless Communications, a developer of mobile phone messaging services and games that was renamed Mtone Wireless.Muhammad Rezaul KarimBell Labs researcherLife senior member, 86; died 18 MayKarim was a distinguished member of the technical staff at <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/7-bell-labs-ieee-milestones" target="_blank">Bell Labs</a> in Murray Hill, N.J. His work was instrumental in the development of modern cellular communications technology.He joined Bell Labs in 1972 and worked in its mobile telecommunications laboratory as part of the team tasked with creating one of the earliest cellular networks.In 1975 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Bell" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Illinois Bell Telephone</a> petitioned the U.S. <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Federal Communications Commission</a> to develop and test a cellular system. The FCC, which now regulates radio, TV, telephone, Internet, satellite, and wireless services, authorized the project in March 1977. Karim and his team helped develop key elements of the technology, including the Bell Labs logic that controlled the cellular system, turning the concept into a working one. They also built radio receivers, transmitters, control systems, and cell-site equipment used in the first trial of the cellular system.The following year, Bell Labs and Illinois Bell deployed the Advanced Mobile Phone Service system across Chicago, with its switching office located in Oak Park, Ill. The initial test used approximately 100 mobile phones to work through hardware, software, and system-design problems.A subsequent test in 1979 involved 2,500 mobile users, providing a demonstration of the cellular technology in practice.The trials in Illinois helped establish the technical foundation for the commercial cellular networks that followed.Later in his career, Karim worked on the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technique, a high-speed networking technology crucial to the transition from traditional telephone networks to broadband and digital ones.In 2000 he published <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0130851221?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ATM Networks: Application, Systems, and Design</a>, a textbook that served as a guide for designing and implementing ATM-based services.Karim received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the <a href="https://www.buet.ac.bd/web/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology</a>, in Dhaka. He then earned a master’s degree in EE from the <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of Manchester</a>, England, and a Ph.D. in EE from <a href="https://www.stevens.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stevens Institute of Technology</a>, in Hoboken, N.J.Harry BosticFormer IEEE Region 4 directorLife senior member, 86; died 18 MarchBostic was an active IEEE volunteer who served as the 1998–1999 director of <a href="https://r4.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Region 4</a>. In 2007 he received a <a href="https://ieeecentralindiana.org/reporter/TheReporter2007-02.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lifetime achievement award</a> from the <a href="https://ieeecentralindiana.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Central Indiana Section</a> for “outstanding commitment and dedicated service as regional advisor to the volunteers and members of Region 4 and the Institute.”He was an engineer for 30 years at U.S. Navy’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Warfare_Center,_Indianapolis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">avionics facility</a>, a research, development, and manufacturing concern in Indianapolis. He worked on flight control, navigation, and weapons systems there. (The facility closed in 1996.)Edwin C. Jones Jr.ProfessorLife Fellow, 91; died 10 March<a href="https://ethw.org/First-Hand:Edwin_C._Jones,_Jr." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jones</a> was widely recognized for his contributions to engineering education, curriculum development, and accreditation through decades of service to IEEE, <a href="https://www.abet.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ABET</a>, and the <a href="https://www.asee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Society for Engineering Education</a>.He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1955 from <a href="https://www.wvu.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">West Virginia University</a> in Morgantown. The following year he earned a diploma of membership (equivalent to a master’s degree) from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Imperial College</a>, London. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army <a href="https://www.armyheritage.org/soldier-stories-information/keeping-the-lines-open-the-united-states-army-signal-corps/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Signal Corps</a> for two years. After his service ended, he studied engineering education at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign</a>, earning a Ph.D. in 1961. Jones then joined the university’s faculty.The following year, he left Illinois to join <a href="https://www.iastate.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iowa State University</a>, in Ames, as an assistant professor. He was promoted to professor in 1995. Two years later he became associate chair of the <a href="https://www.ece.iastate.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">electrical and computer engineering department</a> and served in that position until 2001, when he retired and was named professor emeritus. In recognition of his commitment to students, Iowa State established a <a href="https://iastate.academicworks.com/?page=30" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">scholarship</a> in his honor.In 2006 he accepted a part-time position as an adjunct professor in Minnesota at the <a href="https://www.stthomas.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of St. Thomas</a>, in St. Paul. He advised graduate students and helped develop the university’s systems engineering program.An active IEEE volunteer, he served as 1975–1976 president of the <a href="https://ieee-edusociety.org/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Education Society</a>. He was a member of the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/education/eab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Educational Activities Board</a>, helping strengthen the relationship among engineering education, professional practice, and accreditation organizations. He received an IEEE Centennial Medal in 1984 and the EAB <a href="https://www.ieee.org/education/awards/accreditation-activities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities</a> in 1986. The IEEE Education Society later named its <a href="https://ieee-edusociety.org/award/society-award/edwin-c-jones-jr-meritorious-service-award" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meritorious Service Award</a> in his honor.Jones was elected a Fellow of ABET in 1986. During his years of service as a program evaluator and leader, he helped advance the quality of engineering education and accreditation programs. ABET recognized him with its <a href="https://www.abet.org/awards/linton-e-grinter-distinguished-service-award/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grinter Distinguished Service Award</a>, its highest honor.Alexander Robert SpitzerClinical neurology researcherLife senior member, 70; died 27 FebruarySpitzer was a neurologist for 40 years at the <a href="https://www.med.wayne.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wayne State University School of Medicine</a>, in Detroit, where he also was a director of the electromyography laboratory at <a href="https://www.dmc.org/locations/detail/dmc-harper-university-hospital" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harper University Hospital</a>. The lab studied patients’ brain and spinal cord activity in response to sensory stimuli. The evaluations assessed nerve pathway integrity to help diagnose multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and other conditions.After earning his medical degree from the <a href="https://einsteinmed.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Einstein College of Medicine</a>, in New York City, Spitzer completed a fellowship at the U.S. <a href="https://www.nih.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>, in Bethesda, Md. He then joined Wayne State as a clinical neurology researcher. His pioneering research in applying neural network analysis to electromyography and clinical neurophysiology resulted in peer-reviewed publications, grants, and several U.S. patents.He mentored generations of neurologists in electrodiagnostic medicine, a medical specialty that uses nerve-conduction and electromyography tests to evaluate and diagnose muscle and nerve disorders.In 2020 he founded <a href="https://www.mackinacislandnews.com/articles/mackinac-neurology-opens-provides-new-option-for-medical-care/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mackinac Neurology</a>, a telemedicine-based practice that treated patients virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.A longtime IEEE volunteer, he held numerous roles on the IEEE Regional Activities Board, now known as the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/communities/geographic-activities" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Member and Geographic Activities Board</a>. He was a member of the IEEE <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/ethics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ethics and Member Conduct</a> and <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/nominations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nominations and Appointments</a> committees, as well as the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/education/eab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Educational Activities</a> and <a href="https://ieeeusa.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE-USA</a> boards. He served as 1977–1979 director of the <a href="https://ieeecentralindiana.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Central Indiana Section</a>.Donald Leo DietmeyerProfessorLife Fellow, 93; died 13 FebruaryDietmeyer was a professor of electrical and computer engineering for 40 years at the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>.He developed a lifelong interest in radio and electronics at high school in Wausau, Wisc., and earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1959 from the University of Wisconsin. He’d joined the university’s electrical engineering faculty as a professor in 1958 while pursuing his doctorate.Dietmeyer’s research focused on computer-aided design in the areas of switching theory, hardware description languages, and the decomposition of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boolean_functions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Boolean functions</a>. His research contributed to the development of automation tools for integrated circuit design.He worked with Jim Duley, a former student, to pioneer the use of the <a href="https://www.computer.org/csdl/journal/tc/1968/09/01687472/13rRUyoPSVK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">digital system design language</a>. He wrote the textbook <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Design-Digital-Systems-Donald-Dietmeyer/dp/0205112943" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Logic Design of Digital Systems</a>, published in 1978.In the early 1980s, Dietmeyer worked with researchers to develop ConLan, a language-construction method that combined hardware description languages in one underlying framework.He served as associate dean of the University of Wisconsin’s electrical and computer engineering department from 1983 to 1995. In 1998 he retired and was named professor emeritus. Reference: https://ift.tt/c7aW6wu

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

4 groups caught using the same Chrome and Windows exploit kit

A nearly identical exploit kit that targets critical vulnerabilities in both Chromium-based browsers and older versions of Windows is being actively used by at least four hacking groups, some of which have ties to the Chinese government. Researchers from security firm Proofpoint <a href="https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/once-bluemoon-multiple-state-aligned-threat-actors-rapidly-adopt-novel-exploit">said Wednesday</a> that BlueMoon, the name they gave to the kit, chains three vulnerabilities together so the attackers using it can install malware of their choice. BlueMoon exploits two Chromium vulnerabilities and one in the kernel of Windows 10 (Oct 2018 Update), Windows Server 2019, Windows 10 2004, Windows Server 2022, and the initial release of Windows 11. All three vulnerabilities have received patches in the past 24 hours. <h2>Deployed rapidly, widely shared</h2> The attacks lacked the stealth found in many campaigns. More often, hackers want to exploit newly discovered vulnerabilities sparingly to lengthen their longevity. Proofpoint hypothesized that one reason for the widely used and visible exploit chain was to take advantage of a “patch gap” in the Chromium supply chain, which spans the time a patch is available from developers and the time that patch is incorporated into browsers such as Chrome and Edge. Another likely contributor was the use of AI, which can often spot vulnerabilities faster than discovery performed solely by humans.<a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/09/4-groups-caught-using-the-same-chrome-and-windows-exploit-kit/">Read full article</a> <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2026/09/4-groups-caught-using-the-same-chrome-and-windows-exploit-kit/#comments">Comments</a> Reference : https://ift.tt/egNwpoF

An Engineer’s Guide to Surviving a Layoff

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/an-illustration-of-stylized-people-wearing-business-casual-clothing.webp?id=65257424&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C112%2C0%2C113"/> This article is crossposted from IEEE Spectrum’s careers newsletter. <a href="https://engage.ieee.org/Career-Alert-Sign-Up.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up now</a> to get insider tips, expert advice, and practical strategies, written in partnership with tech career development company <a href="https://www.parsity.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Parsity</a> and delivered to your inbox for free!I lost a cushy engineering management position at the same time I purchased a business, with a mortgage, three kids, and every other financial obligation of being an adult. It was one of the most stressful stretches of my life. If something similar has happened to you, I feel your pain.You lose more than the incomeFor many of us, our work became our identity, so we don’t just think, “I don’t have a job anymore.” We start thinking, “I’m not an engineer anymore.”An apple tree in winter is still an apple tree. A car parked in a driveway is still a car. You’re still an engineer, the same way you were still one every evening you clocked out, and the same way you’ll be one at the next job. Your skills took years to build and won’t evaporate because a company stopped paying for them. This feeling can be particularly rough if part of your identity was tied to a recognizable employer. However, this can also be a chance to catch up on what you’ve been putting off: working out, being present with your kids, writing, whatever hobby got shelved for a deadline three years ago.Once you’ve caught your breath, here are some tips for when the actual work starts:1. Don’t sprint on day oneI started applying for jobs the next morning after the layoff. It felt productive, but it gave me no time to settle my nervous system or consider what I actually wanted next. I took the first offer that came along, at a company I already knew wasn’t right, and quit after exactly 30 days. Give yourself a few days before deciding anything. Plans built out of desperation rarely work out well.2. Audit your spendingGo through every subscription and recurring charge and cut what isn’t essential. Every dollar you stop bleeding buys you patience instead of forcing a bad offer out of fear.3. Build a list wider than LinkedInStart with former colleagues and vendors, or businesses with a relationship to your previous employer. They already know you or your company, which gives you the halo effect: Some of the trust from your employer carries over to you automatically.LinkedIn is table stakes and is the most popular place to find work, but that doesn’t mean your search should stop there. Try Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channels too, where plenty of people who aren’t on LinkedIn might have leads for open roles. I found my first job years ago from a Facebook post, and both roles I landed after being laid off came from startup job boards and recruiters I found entirely outside LinkedIn. Your mileage may vary, but LinkedIn isn’t the only game in town.Don’t skip your inner circle either: Text your family and friends. Good leads rarely come from someone you know directly, but they do come from someone that person knows. Work this list daily and track who you’ve contacted.4. Eight hours is a long timeWith no work to fill your day, you may default to treating the search like an eight-hour shift. You can’t apply productively for 8 hours straight, and that’s why people burn out. Use a focused morning block for the list in step 3, then spend the rest of your day on activities you’ve been putting off.5. Catalog your wins before you study interview questionsCataloging your wins is a higher-leverage move than drilling practice questions this early. Can you explain the most impactful project you worked on in the last year? Probably not.Most people skip this step, then default to generic answers when a recruiter asks about their last role. Write down specific stories showing leadership, technical ability, and grace under pressure. They’ll come up once you’re in interviews, and cataloging them rebuilds your confidence along the way too. Save the deep prep for once an interview is on the calendar. Ask yourself daily whether today’s work is generating interest in you, or leading you to someone who might hire you. If not, consider skipping it.One last thingA layoff rarely reflects your skills. It’s usually a company protecting revenue—nothing more personal than that. Knowing that doesn’t make it easier, but hopefully this gets you back on your feet faster.—Brian<h2><a href="https://careerfair.ieee.org/global/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Global Careers Fair: September 23-24</a></h2>Looking for a job? For the first time, IEEE is taking its Career Fair worldwide. The inaugural IEEE Global Virtual Career Fair runs September 23 (5:00 PM EST) through September 24 (8:00 PM EST), following the sun across every region to connect engineering and technology professionals with employers around the world. Read more <a href="https://careerfair.ieee.org/global/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. <h2><a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nsf-iphd-phd-in-engineering" target="_self">United States Invests in Industry Partnerships for Ph.D. Training</a></h2>While most engineering Ph.D. grads end up in jobs at commercial companies, academia and industry often operate in their own bubbles. Now, the U.S. National Science Foundation is investing in a program to integrate industry experience into STEM doctoral programs and help bridge the gap. Modeled after similar programs in other countries, students in the I-PhD will spend at least one year working on research at an industry site and receive a combination of funding from the company, NSF, and the university. Read more <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nsf-iphd-phd-in-engineering" target="_self">here</a>.<h2><a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-engineer-skills" target="_self">AI Efficiency Could Cost Us the Next Generation of Experts</a></h2>When systems engineer Richard Mitchell designed a digitally-controlled nuclear plant, he made a counterintuitive decision: including manual steps for the human operator that a machine could execute on its own. The strategy was meant to keep the operator sharp, and it’s one that could help address one of the biggest issues facing the workforce today: What happens to human expertise when AI does the work that used to build it?Read more <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-engineer-skills" target="_self">here</a>. Reference: https://ift.tt/5UE1IoW

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Why this month's Microsoft patch release is a doozy

Microsoft’s patch for September is a doozy, with a record number of roughly 972 vulnerabilities fixed and 112 of them meeting the high critical-severity threshold. It was only two months ago that Microsoft patched a then-record 570 vulnerabilities. Then, last month, Microsoft patched some 620 of them. Google and other companies have also published record numbers of vulnerabilities in recent months. Two weeks ago, OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, and 100 companies and organizations published an <a href="https://openai.com/collective-cyberdefense">open letter</a> warning of a narrowing window for patching vulnerabilities ahead of an expected tsunami of AI-enabled attacks that actively exploit them first. The industry is taking the threat seriously by pumping out unprecedented numbers of patches in their software. <h2>Welcome to the new normal</h2> Dustin Childs, a researcher at the Zero Day Initiative, calls the spikes the “new normal” and also cautions that despite them, the damage that’s likely to result from AI-assisted attacks could eventually be substantial.<a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/microsoft-patches-a-record-972-vulnerabilities-112-of-them-critical/">Read full article</a> <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/09/microsoft-patches-a-record-972-vulnerabilities-112-of-them-critical/#comments">Comments</a> Reference : https://ift.tt/l62LGtb

The Growing Proof That Autonomous Cars Save Lives

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-road-scene-shot-from-the-perspective-of-a-driver-shows-red-splotches-to-indicate-where-nearby-vehicles-were-detected-using-l.png?id=67724498&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=102%2C0%2C102%2C0"/> Plenty of people remain spooked by autonomous vehicles, or AVs. Some experts and policymakers have cautioned that AVs won’t necessarily make roads safer. When it comes to partial or full autonomy, the picture isn’t entirely clear, in part because there aren’t enough self-driving cars to make meaningful apples-to-apples comparisons.<div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe height="110px" id="noa-web-audio-player" src="https://embed-player.newsoveraudio.com/v4?key=q5m19e&id=https://spectrum.ieee.org/are-self-driving-cars-safe?draft=1&bgColor=F5F5F5&color=1b1b1c&playColor=1b1b1c&progressBgColor=F5F5F5&progressBorderColor=bdbbbb&titleColor=1b1b1c&timeColor=1b1b1c&speedColor=1b1b1c&noaLinkColor=556B7D&noaLinkHighlightColor=FF4B00&feedbackButton=true" style="border: none" width="100%"></iframe></div>Yet mounting research suggests that self-driving cars crash significantly less often than people, and with far fewer injuries. Evidence also shows the building blocks of autonomy, including advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS—which are already mandated on every new car—are also reducing occupant and pedestrian injuries and deaths, along with insurance claims.On the ADAS front, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems that recognize people in front of the car<a href="https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/advanced-driver-assistance" target="_blank"> cut pedestrian crashes</a> by 27 percent. A separate IIHS study found that automated braking greatly reduced rear-end crashes, by 50 percent, and their injuries by 56 percent. The Highway Loss Data Institute found that cars with AEB alone showed a 13 percent drop in property-damage claims. Cars that <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/safety-benefits-stack-up-from-driver-assistance-features" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">bundled ADAS features</a>, including automatic braking for pedestrians, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warnings, saw claims reductions up to 39 percent.Move to Level 4 autonomy, and Waymo says its <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/robotaxi" target="_blank">robotaxis</a> have now given 20 million paid rides over <a href="https://scienceblog.com/b-waymos-robotaxis-have-now-completed-more-than-20-million-paid-rides-and-over-the-same-distance-they-caused-92-fewer-pedestrian-injuries-than-human-drivers-the-company-is-now-targeting-1-million-ride/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">220 million miles</a>, the equivalent of 250 lifetimes of driving. In March, Waymo’s independent study showed 92 percent fewer fatal or serious-injury crashes, a <a href="https://waymo.com/blog/shorts/waymo-safety-impact-update-170m/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">13-fold reduction</a> versus human drivers in comparable city environments. That included 92 percent fewer pedestrian injuries, 83 percent fewer crashes with airbag deployments, and 82 percent fewer crashes with any injuries whatsoever. That included a 96 percent reduction in injury-causing crashes at intersections, among the deadliest environments for any automobile.<h2>How Does Limited Fair-Weather Data Compare to Traditional Crash Statistics?</h2>A key question is whether Waymo’s robotaxis, currently limited to fair-weather operation in a handful of cities in the U.S., are directly comparable to humans driving a wider variety of roads in much more variable conditions.The IIHS is looking to<a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/waymos-driverless-cars-crash-less-often-than-people" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> dig deeper</a> by cleaning up often-incomplete data. Researchers estimate roughly half of human crashes <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2598382/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">go unreported</a>, and up to one-third of injury accidents, because drivers hope to avoid insurance price hikes. That potentially skews safety numbers in favor of human drivers. And while Waymo leads the industry in transparency, and robotaxi operators are required to report even the tiniest scrape to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), not every company voluntarily reports their <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/26/21142685/california-dmv-self-driving-car-disengagement-report-data" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">total miles driven</a>.Related: <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/rivian-self-driving" target="_blank">Rivian’s Gambit for Full Autonomy</a>The IIHS’s latest July study flatly stated that automated cars<a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/waymos-driverless-cars-crash-less-often-than-people" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> crash less often</a> than people. But it also sought clarity by creating a more-reliable category of “police-reportable crashes.” It then compared crash rates of human-driven cars against Waymo taxis in San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin. Waymo’s Jaguar I-Pace taxis traveled about 50 million driverless miles over the study period, versus 222 billion human miles in the same cities.In a potential boost for public trust, the study generally supported Waymo’s own findings. Waymo taxis were involved in 68 percent fewer crashes overall than human drivers: 76 percent lower in Phoenix, 71 percent in LA, and 35 percent in San Francisco. A 4 percent higher Waymo rate in Austin may reflect an extremely small sample size. Significantly, Waymo’s injury crashes were still 81 percent lower on a per-mile basis.The industry and its supporters continue to press the safety advantages of autonomous vehicles that never get drunk, drowsy, or distracted. Yet for this fledgling AV industry, there are still no national performance or safety standards. A crazy quilt of state or local regulations can allow or prohibit their deployment. That balkanized approach makes it harder to compare crash rates, according to the IIHS, which is calling for better federal reporting standards.<a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/waymos-driverless-cars-crash-less-often-than-people" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A posting</a> on the IIHS website quotes the institute’s director of statistical services, Eric Teoh: “Those are encouraging signs for the future of driverless vehicles.” Teoh, who was also the lead author of the institute’s study, added that “Now we need to get the data-collection system right, so that we can ensure that level of safety continues as these technologies become more prevalent.”<h2>Amazon’s Zoox Gets an Exemption for its Robotaxis</h2>On July 30, in a move seen as <a href="https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2026/08/04/nhtsa-announces-a-host-of-actions-on-autonomous-vehicles/" target="_blank">fast-tracking</a> the tech’s deployment, NHTSA granted <a href="https://zoox.com/" target="_blank">Zoox</a>, a subsidiary of Amazon, the first-ever exemption from certain motor-vehicle safety standards. That will allow commercial operation of <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/meet-zoox-the-robotaxi-startup-taking-on-google-and-uber" target="_blank">Zoox</a>’s toaster-shaped robotaxis, which have no steering wheel or pedals aboard. The agency determined that Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxi “would provide an <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/cutting-red-tape-safely-fast-track-automated-vehicle" target="_blank">equivalent level of safety”</a> as a compliant vehicle, thereby satisfying the standard for an exemption.On that final day of the SAE’s <a href="https://www.sae.org/events/automated-transportation-symposium" target="_blank">Automated Transportation Symposium</a>, NHTSA also announced a partnership with SAE Industry Technologies to develop the nation’s first performance and competency standards for AVs, via a three-year, $5 million <a href="https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2026/08/04/nhtsa-announces-a-host-of-actions-on-autonomous-vehicles/" target="_blank">“A2SCEND” consortium.</a>Some doctors and health professionals are arguing that policymakers need to stop viewing self-driving cars as a tech moonshot but rather as a critical public-health intervention. Jonathan Slotkin, a neurosurgeon, makes <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/opinion/self-driving-cars.html" target="_blank">a powerful case f</a>or the medical and societal benefits of AVs. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health say that highlighting <a href="https://washingtondc.jhu.edu/news/social-value-of-avs/" target="_blank">the social value of AVs</a> is critical to driving public trust and adoption.Consider that roughly 40,000 people in the U.S., including more than 7,000 pedestrians, are <a href="https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813791" target="_blank">killed each year</a> in roadway accidents. About <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries" target="_blank">1.16 million people die</a> in roadway crashes around the world, making them the leading cause of death for children and young adults between the ages of 5 and 29. Cutting that by even 50 percent—let alone the 90 percent reductions suggested by some studies—would save 580,000 lives a year. That social and economic gain would dwarf that of seat-belt adoption or anti–drunk driving campaigns. Reference: https://ift.tt/kY5ag1U