Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
April 2022
From ACM News
Google Pulls Apps that May Have Harvested Data from Millions of Android Devices
The apps took users' precise location, email, phone numbers, and more, researchers said.
From ACM News
How Retail is Using Digital Twins
From ACM News
Google Using AI to Update Business Hours on Google Maps
The predictions are run by humans along the way.
From ACM News
Europe Is Building a Huge International Facial Recognition System
Lawmakers advance proposals to let police forces across the EU link their photo databases—which include millions of pictures of people's faces.
From ACM TechNews
Drone Operators Who Halted Russian Convoy Headed for Kyiv
A Russian armored convey headed toward Kyiv was halted by night ambushes by Ukrainian special forces and drone operators who are part of an air reconnaissance unit known as Aerorozvidka.
From ACM TechNews
AI-Driven Algorithm Can Detect Autism in Brain 'Fingerprints'
A new algorithm may help detect autism by analyzing functional magnetic resonance imaging rain scans, and can also forecast the severity of autism symptoms in individuals.
From ACM TechNews
Solving the Challenges of Robotic Pizza-Making
Researchers have created an architecture for a robotic manipulation system that could teach robots to handle pizza dough.
From ACM TechNews
Apple Rushes Out Patches for Zero-Days Threatening iOS, macOS Users
Apple recently released patches for two critical zero-day vulnerabilities discovered by an anonymous researcher that affect the operating systems of iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
From ACM News
Chinese AI Turns Commercial Satellite into Spy Tracker Able to Follow Small Objects with Precision: Paper
The AI algorithm could be uploaded to processors on some of China's Earth observation satellites already in orbit without any ground assistance: researchers.
From ACM News
U.S. Disrupts Prolific Botnet Controlled by Russian Military
U.S. officials worked with law enforcement in the U.K., and network security company WatchGuard, to analyze the malware and develop detection and remediation tools.
From ACM News
Hackers Target Customers of 8 Malaysian Banks
According to Slovak security firm ESET, the malicious apps are tied to websites spoofing legitimate services in Malaysia, including six clearing services and a pet store.
From ACM News
First, There Were Bug Bounties. Now, Here Come the Bias Bounties
Offering rewards for the identification of bias in algorithms.
From ACM News
Pinterest Bans All Climate Misinformation
The image-focused social network says it will take down content that distorts or denies facts of climate crisis.
From ACM News
You're Still Being Tracked on the Internet, Just in a Different Way
Apple and Google are pushing privacy changes, but a shift in digital tracking is giving some platforms a bigger advertising advantage.
From ACM News
Researchers Identify 'Master Problem' Underlying All Cryptography
The existence of secure cryptography depends on one of the oldest questions in computational complexity.
From ACM News
Google Bans Apps With Hidden Data-Harvesting Software
Code placed in consumer-facing apps is tied to U.S. national-security contractors, documents show.
From ACM News
Hackers' Fake Claims of Ukrainian Surrender Aren't Fooling Anyone. So What's Their Goal?
Experts say the hackers' intentions might not be to actually trick anyone, but to erode confidence in Ukrainian media outlets and institutions.
From ACM News
In Memoriam Yulia Zdanovska: 2000-2022
A gifted mathematician, Zdanovska began participating in Informatics, Mathematics, and Physics Olympiads during her time in elementary school.
From ACM TechNews
'We Became Like a Big Startup.' How Kyiv Adapted Tech to Save Lives
Kyiv city officials have been working to adapt and repurpose the Ukrainian capital's technology amid the war with Russia.
From ACM TechNews
Cities Using Digital Twins Like SimCity for Policymakers
Cities like Orlando, FL, and Singapore are using digital twins to generate virtual models of themselves, in order to simulate the effects of potential new policies or infrastructure projects.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Use Decommissioned Satellite to Broadcast Hacker TV
Researchers in the Shadytel telecommunications and embedded device hacking group used a decommissioned Canadian satellite to broadcast a livestream to the Northern Hemisphere.
From ACM TechNews
AI Can Create Computer Inside Itself to Run Another AI, Play Pong
University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed an approach that enables a neural network to run a code like a standard computer.
From ACM News
ACM Prize in Computing Recognizes Pioneer of Robot Learning
Pieter Abbeel's groundbreaking research helped shape contemporary robotics and continues to drive the future of the field.
From ACM TechNews
Study Reveals Why Facebook Ads Can Miss Target
North Carolina State University researchers have determined that Facebook's targeted advertising algorithm does not account for the context of users' activities.
From ACM TechNews
Acoustic Fiber Can Turn Fabrics into Mics, Speakers
A team of multi-institutional scientists has developed a single-fiber acoustic sensor that can transform fabrics into microphones and speakers.
From ACM TechNews
Exxon Weighs Taking Gas-to-Bitcoin Pilot to Four Countries
A pilot program launched by Exxon Mobil Corp. involves powering cryptocurrency-mining operations using excess natural gas that otherwise would be burned off from oil wells in North Dakota.
From ACM News
State Department Launches Cyber Bureau
The newly-minted office starts its work as U.S. and world leaders fret about cyberattacks spilling out of Russia's unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
From ACM News
BlackByte Ransomware Bites Critical Infrastructure, the San Francisco 49ers
One ransomware attack struck a professional football team as competitors were preparing for the Super Bowl.
From ACM News
Elon Musk Buys 9.2% Stake in Twitter, Making Him the Largest Shareholder
A stake of less than 10% in a company is considered "passive" by Wall Street, but it could signal an effort by Musk to take a more active role in how Twitter is run.
From ACM TechNews
Putting 3D Printers to Work in Ukraine's War Zone
Entrepreneurs in Poland are rushing three-dimensional printers to Ukraine for the manufacture of defensive equipment.