American Water, a major US utility, has disconnected parts of its computer network following a cybersecurity incident. The company, which serves over 14 million people, paused billing and customer service as a precaution.
The utility detected unauthorised activity on its systems on 3rd October, prompting the immediate disconnection of several systems. This step was taken to safeguard customer data and prevent potential damage to the environment.
Based in New Jersey, American Water has not yet provided further details about the nature of the breach. However, the US has faced numerous cyberattacks in recent years, often from criminals seeking cryptocurrency ransoms.
At the 79th annual UN General Assembly, 18 nations, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, and several Pacific nations, endorsed a joint statement addressing the security and resilience of undersea cable infrastructure. The statement highlights the indispensable role of these cables and underscores the pressing need to safeguard them against emerging threats, both natural and manufactured.
Earlier this year, undersea data cables in the Red Sea reportedly were damaged, and large parts of West and Central Africa were left without internet services in March 2024 because of failures on four of the fibre optic cables that run below the world’s ocean. The joint statement begins by acknowledging communications networks’ central role in modern society, with undersea cables being critical infrastructure for global data transmission.
The nations stress that the rapid expansion of undersea cable networks has led to greater interdependence among countries, making the protection of this infrastructure a priority. They advocate for adopting policies to ensure that the infrastructure remains efficient, secure, resilient, and redundant to mitigate risks posed by its vulnerability.
The joint statement outlines key principles for a unified global approach to securing undersea cable infrastructure, focusing on building resilient and secure systems while incorporating cybersecurity best practices. Nations highlighted the importance of promoting secure cable providers, improving government-industry coordination, providing transparent ownership, and emphasising careful planning to prevent disruptions. Additionally, they outlined the need to consider regular risk assessments and compliance with international laws.
Google has restricted the creation of new accounts for Russian users, according to Russia‘s digital ministry. The move follows mounting pressure on the tech giant over its failure to remove content deemed illegal by Moscow and for blocking Russian media channels on YouTube following the invasion of Ukraine. Telecom operators have also reported a sharp decline in the number of SMS messages sent by Google to Russian users.
The digital ministry warned there is no guarantee that two-factor authentication SMS confirmations will continue functioning for Google services. It advised users to back up their data and consider alternative authentication methods or domestic platforms. Google had already deactivated AdSense accounts in Russia in August and halted serving ads in the country in March 2022.
Google has blocked over 1,000 YouTube channels linked to state-sponsored Russian media, as well as more than 5.5 million videos. Slower speeds on YouTube in Russia have been recorded recently, with Russian lawmakers blaming the issue on Google’s equipment, a claim the company disputes.
America’s Three Mile Island energy plant, infamous for the worst nuclear accident in US history, is preparing to reopen after Microsoft signed a 20-year deal to purchase power from the facility. The plant is scheduled to restart in 2028 following upgrades and will supply clean energy to support Microsoft’s growing data centres, especially those focused on AI. The agreement is pending regulatory approval.
Constellation Energy, the plant owner, confirmed that the reactor set to restart is separate from the unit involved in the 1979 accident, which, while not fatal, created significant public fear surrounding nuclear power. This deal represents a revival of interest in atomic energy, driven by increasing concerns about climate change and rising energy needs. The CEO of Constellation described this move as a “rebirth” of nuclear power, highlighting its potential as a dependable source of carbon-free energy.
The plant’s reopening is projected to create 3,400 jobs and add over 800 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the grid, driving significant economic activity. Although the revival has faced some protests, it underscores a growing trend among tech companies, with Amazon also exploring nuclear energy to meet its expanding energy demands.
In 2024, the storage market is seeing notable advancements, especially in NAND flash technology, as key players like Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix innovate to meet rising demands. Samsung has recently begun mass production of its 9th generation QLC V-NAND, boasting impressive enhancements in bit density and performance. This new model improves data retention and significantly lowers power consumption, addressing the growing need for efficient storage solutions in AI applications. Micron and SK Hynix are also pushing forward with their high-performance SSDs, reflecting a broader trend toward optimising storage for increased data demands.
Micron and SK Hynix are advancing their storage solutions as well, with Micron’s latest SSDs featuring 9th-generation TLC NAND technology that delivers impressive data transfer speeds. Meanwhile, SK Hynix is developing high-performance SSDs tailored for data centres. As the demand for storage continues to surge due to AI applications, there is a growing preference for higher-capacity SSDs, leading manufacturers to prioritise both TLC and QLC technologies in their offerings. This shift reflects the industry’s response to the increasing need for efficient and powerful storage solutions.
Market research forecasts that the demand for AI-related SSDs will surpass 45 exabytes in 2024, with the share of AI SSDs in the NAND flash market expected to grow significantly. Despite facing challenges in the PC and smartphone sectors, NAND flash revenue has risen, driven by strong demand from the AI industry. As companies ramp up production capacity, they are well-positioned to meet the increasing needs of data centres and AI applications. This trend underscores a transformative period for the NAND flash market, reflecting its critical role in supporting advancements in technology.
Lenovo has announced plans to begin manufacturing AI servers at its plant in Puducherry, southern India, and has opened an AI-focused research and development lab in Bengaluru. The company intends to produce 50,000 AI rack servers and 2,400 GPU servers annually, designed for machine learning and other resource-intensive tasks.
These servers will not only serve local demand but also be exported, according to Amar Babu, Lenovo’s Asia Pacific president. Although no specific investment or hiring targets were disclosed, Lenovo already manufactures laptops, notebooks, and personal computers at the Puducherry plant.
The demand for AI chips has surged following the rise of generative AI in late 2023, with AI hardware expected to capture 12% of the global AI market by 2027. Lenovo, which now earns nearly half its revenue from non-PC businesses, is joining other tech giants like Apple and Dell in boosting production in India, partly to reduce reliance on China.
India has attracted global companies with manufacturing incentives, although Lenovo’s AI server production is not tied to any such scheme. However, its collaboration with Dixon Technologies on PC and Motorola phone production does benefit from these incentives.
Slack is undergoing a major transformation as it integrates AI features into its platform, aiming to evolve from a simple messaging service to a ‘work operating system.’ CEO Denise Dresser said Slack will now serve as a hub for AI applications from companies like Salesforce, Adobe, and Anthropic. New, pricier features include AI-generated summaries of conversations and the ability to interact with AI agents for tasks such as data analysis, web searches, and image generation.
This shift follows Salesforce’s 2021 acquisition of Slack and its broader move toward AI-driven solutions. Slack’s AI integration seeks to enhance productivity by offering tools to catch up on team discussions, analyse business data, and create branded content, all within the chat environment. However, questions remain about whether users will embrace and pay for these premium features and how this change aligns with Slack’s core identity as a workplace communication tool.
Concerns around data privacy have also surfaced as Slack leans further into AI. The company faced criticism earlier this year for handling customer data, which was used for training purposes, but maintains that it does not use user messages to train its AI models. As Slack continues integrating AI, it must address growing scepticism around managing and safeguarding data.
Cyprus and Greece are making progress in talks about the creation of a high-speed electric cable network, known as the Great Sea Interconnector, linking Europe to the Middle East through the Mediterranean seabed. The project aims to connect transmission networks from Greece via Crete and Cyprus to Israel, with an estimated cost of €2.4 billion, of which €1.9 billion covers the Cyprus section.
Once complete, the interconnector will be the world’s longest and deepest high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable, stretching 1,240 km and descending to 3,000 metres. The European Union has expressed its willingness to finance part of the project, which is expected to be completed by 2030. However, overlapping jurisdictional claims in the Mediterranean, involving Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey, could present future challenges.
Cyprus has sought clarity on its financial contribution and the potential impact of geopolitical risks, particularly concerning Turkey’s opposition, which could lead to delays and additional costs. Deputy government spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou said discussions have made progress, and the issue may be raised in an upcoming cabinet meeting.
The matter is also set to be discussed during a meeting between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens later this week.
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Jessica Rosenworcel, has called for increased competition to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. Starlink currently operates nearly two-thirds of all active satellites and is responsible for a significant portion of space-based internet traffic.
Rosenworcel highlighted that monopolies do not benefit the economy, emphasising the need to bring in more companies to develop satellite constellations and drive innovation in space. She stressed that competition in communications markets typically leads to lower prices and more innovation, and the space sector should not be an exception.
The FCC has been working to support new entrants in the space economy, offering guidance on licensing processes and promoting outreach efforts. Rosenworcel aims to encourage more players to enter the market and challenge Starlink’s dominant position.
In 2022, the FCC withdrew $885.5 million in rural broadband subsidies from Starlink, citing the service’s inability to meet basic program requirements. SpaceX had originally agreed to deliver high-speed internet to over 600,000 rural homes and businesses across 35 US states.
US authorities have taken down over 350 websites selling gun silencers and parts from China used to convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic machine guns. The move follows an investigation that started in August 2023, targeting illegal sales of these dangerous devices.
Undercover operations revealed shipments from China, falsely labelled as items such as ‘necklaces’ or ‘toys’. Instead, these packages contained machine gun conversion devices, known as ‘switches’, and ‘silencers’, both banned under the National Firearms Act. Some websites even sold counterfeit goods, misusing the trademark of gun manufacturer Glock Inc.
Acting US Attorney Joshua Levy emphasised the importance of seizing these websites to halt the influx of illegal and dangerous contraband. Law enforcement has so far seized over 700 machine gun conversion devices, 87 illegal suppressors, 59 handguns, and 46 long guns.
Officials highlighted the growing problem of such devices being easily accessible, posing a serious threat to public safety. The seizures are part of a broader effort to tackle the illegal gun parts trade and protect communities.
