Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
May 2021
From ACM TechNews
Pipelines Now Must Report Cybersecurity Breaches
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has announced new reporting mandates for pipeline operators following the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline.
From ACM TechNews
You'll Soon be Able to Use Your Apple Watch Without Touching the Screen
Apple later this year will launch features that enable hand gesture-based control of Apple Watches, and eye-motion control of iPads.
From ACM TechNews
Germany Greenlights Driverless Vehicles on Public Roads
Legislation passed by the lower house of Germany's parliament would permit driverless vehicles on that nation’s public roads by 2022.
From ACM TechNews
Slender Robotic Finger Senses Buried Items
Researchers have developed a slender robot finger with tactile sensing capabilities that can help locate and identify buried objects.
From ACM News
As Chips Shrink, Rowhammer Attacks Get Harder to Stop
A full fix for the "Half-Double" technique will require rethinking how memory semiconductors are designed.
From ACM News
Why Apple and Google's Virus Alert Apps Had Limited Success
The virus-tracing effort raises questions about the power of Big Tech to set global standards for public health tools.
From ACM News
Russian Hackers Launch Major Cyberattack Through U.S. Aid Agency's Email System, Microsoft Says
Microsoft said the hacking group known as Nobelium targeted over 150 organizations worldwide in the last week.
From ACM News
AI Could Soon Write Code Based on Ordinary Language
From ACM News
Facial Recognition Software Results in Few Arrests, Raises Concerns
Clearview AI has been marketing facial recognition software to law enforcement around the country. In Minnesota, some agencies are finding out the technology doesn't work the way it's marketed, raising concerns for privacy advocates…
From ACM TechNews
WhatsApp Sues India's Government to Stop New Internet Rules
Facebook's WhatsApp mobile-messaging service sued India's government to block new regulations that would force the company to enable outside parties to trace people's messages.
From ACM TechNews
Geico to Use AI to Speed Up Car Repairs
Auto insurer Geico has partnered with Tractable Ltd. to use artificial intelligence (AI) to obtain accurate damage estimates more quickly in an effort to speed up vehicle repairs.
From ACM TechNews
Malware Caught Using macOS Zero-Day to Secretly Take Screenshots
Researchers found XCSSET malware has been exploiting a newly discovered zero-day vulnerability to bypass macOS security defenses and take screenshots without the user's permission.
From ACM TechNews
EU Beefs Up Disinformation Code to Prevent Digital Ad Profit
The EU has released plans to strengthen its three-year-old voluntary code of practice on online disinformation.
From ACM News
Hackers Release Patient Data Stolen from New Zealand Health Systems
The release comes a week after the health system's information services were shut down by hackers.
From ACM News
Regulation of AI Remains Elusive
About 130 jurisdictions globally have implemented data protection laws, often seen as a starting point for the regulation of artificial intelligence.
From ACM News
Russia Pressures Tech Firms to Obey Online Crackdown
Its campaign is part of a global wave of actions by governments that are testing how far they can go to control online speech.
From ACM TechNews
ACM Recognizes Far-Reaching Technical Achievements with Special Awards
ACM has named the recipients of four awards, chosen by peers for technical achievements that advance research and industry, and which create a basis for transformative technologies.
From ACM TechNews
Going to the Moon via the Cloud
The wide availability of high-performance computing accessed through the cloud is fostering creativity worldwide.
From ACM TechNews
Warehouses Look to Robots to Fill Labor Gaps, Speed Deliveries
Warehouses are deploying robots to offset staff shortages and deliver orders rapidly as online demand for products surges due to the pandemic.
From ACM TechNews
The Army's Latest Night-Vision Tech Looks Like Something Out of a Video Game
The U.S. Army is training on a new night-vision system that generates a videogame-like view of a scene.
From ACM TechNews
More Efficient LiDAR Sensing for Self-Driving Cars
A new machine learning system for driverless cars uses an end-to-end mapless driving framework that taps raw Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for autonomous navigation.
From ACM News
GCHQ Violated Human Rights with Mass Data Interception, European Court Rules
However, the decision to operate such scheme did not itself breach the European convention on human rights, it says
From ACM News
Government Funding Could Help Set Up 'Seven to 10 New Chip Factories'
Government funding is needed to unlock private capital for chip invest, suggests U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
From ACM TechNews
The Costly Pursuit of Self-Driving Cars Continues On. And On. And On.
The development of self-driving vehicles has become a goal that only the most well-heeled companies are currently pursuing.
From ACM TechNews
Drones Flying Near Airports, Infrastructure Prompt U.S. Action
With consumer drone use surging in U.S. airspace above critical sites like airports, federal agencies are acting to address potential safety and security issues.
From ACM TechNews
Digital Twin Technology a Powerful Tool but Requires Significant Investment, Say Experts
Researchers say digital twin technology can play a significant role in predictive and precision medicine and in improving decision-making for aerospace systems.
From ACM News
Fed Takes Closer Look at Creating Digital Money
The U.S. wants to make sure it has a prominent seat at the table as the rules of future cross-border payments are drawn.
From ACM News
Is 5G Opening Security Holes in the Internet of Things?
The new 5G networks increase hacker access to the Internet of Things.
From ACM News
An NTSB for Cyber Attacks?
Critics grapple with Biden's Cybersecurity Safety Review Board plan.
From ACM TechNews
Vulnerabilities in Billions of Wi-Fi Devices Let Hackers Bypass Firewalls
A security researcher found 12 fragmentation vulnerabilities and aggregation attack exploits in Wi-Fi systems.