Techlife News #546

Multiple U.S. government agencies issued a joint alert this week warning of the discovery of a suite of malicious cyber tools created by unnamed advanced threat actors that are capable of sabotaging the energy sector and other critical industries. The public alert from the Energy and Homeland Security Departments, the FBI and National Security Agency did not name the actors or offer details on the find. But their private sector cybersecurity partners said the evidence suggests Russia is behind the industrial control system-disrupting tools — and that they were configured to initially target North American energy concerns. One of the cybersecurity firms involved, Mandiant, called the tools “exceptionally rare and dangerous.” In a report, it called the tools’ functionality was “consistent with the malware used in Russia’s prior physical attacks” though it acknowledged…

California wants electric vehicle sales to triple in the next four years to 35% of all new car purchases, an aggressive target set as part of the goal to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by the middle of next decade. The California Air Resources Board’s proposal would slowly raise the sale of new cars that are electric, hydrogen-powered or plug-in hybrids to 100% by 2035. About 11% of all new passenger car sales nationally happen in California, giving the state significant influence over the auto market. Californians would still be allowed to drive gas-powered cars and sell used ones, meaning planet-warming emissions will still spew from the state’s roadways. The hoped-for boost in electric vehicle sales will also require a major increase in charging stations. California has set a goal…

Toyota is recalling about 460,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix a software problem that can inadvertently disable the electronic stability control system. The automaker says that when the vehicles are restarted, in rare cases the software may not automatically switch the system into the “on” mode. That can disable the system, which uses a computer to individually brake wheels to help drivers keep control. The recall covers vehicles from the 2020 to 2022 model years including the Toyota brand’s Venza, Mirai, RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Sienna Hybrid, and Highlander Hybrid. Also included are the LS500h, LX600, NX350h, and NX450h-plus from the Lexus luxury brand. Dealers will update software on the skid control computer to fix the problem. Owners will be notified by mid-June.…

Smaller airlines are looking to bulk up to take advantage of an expected recovery in air travel. Fleet size is a key motive for JetBlue’s recent bid to woo budget carrier Spirit Airlines and break up that company’s deal with rival Frontier. Both JetBlue and Frontier have small fleets relative to legacy carriers like American, United and Delta, which limits their ability to add flights and routes in an effort to compete for business. Adding Spirit’s current fleet would boost JetBlue’s by 60% to more than 450 planes. Growing a fleet through a buyout may turn out to be easier in 2022 than purchasing new planes from Boeing and Airbus, which saw a resurgence in orders in 2021 and are working through backlogs. “The way I think about it, it is speeding up…

Should Netflix and other streaming services have to pay local governments the same fees levied on cable operators? That was the question before the Ohio Supreme Court during a Wednesday hearing, as the court debates whether streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu are covered by a state law that would require them to pay to play. The argument is similar to one in several other states, where cities are trying to force streaming service companies to pay cable operator fees. At issue in Ohio is the state’s 2007 Video Service Authorization law, which directed the state Commerce Department to determine what entities must obtain permission to physically install cables and wires in a public right-of-way. Companies deemed video service providers must pay a fee to local governments under that law. Officials with Maple…

Amazon is taking a step to offset its rising costs, announcing this week it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the e-commerce giant’s fulfillment services. The Seattle-based company said on its website that the added fees, which take effect April 28, are “subject to change”and will apply to both apparel and non-apparel items. The latest fee hike follows one announced in November and went into effect in January. Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for further details on the recent move. But in a notice sent to sellers Wednesday, the company said its costs had gone up since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic due to increases in hourly wages, the hiring of workers and construction of more warehouses. It said it…