A vendor described a shared-savings HVAC-controls installation that integrates with Delta Controls and uses rebates and a shared-savings payment model; board members pressed the vendor on cybersecurity, measurement and rebate intercepts, and a motion to enter a service agreement with Pacific Impact was made with no recorded vote in the transcript.

During a CivicPlus presentation, staff showed ADA tools (AudioEye, WCAG checks), language-translation capacity and integration features; council members pressed for security assurances and staff time savings before final contract.

The US has added Chinese giants like Alibaba and BYD to a list of entities aiding Beijing's military development. Simultaneously, the Defense Intelligence Agency raised Israel's counterintelligence threat level to "critical" after US personnel discovered spyware on their phones. In science policy, a proposed OMB rule could allow political appointees to veto federal research grants based on ideology.

Cal is moving its flagship open-source program to a proprietary model because it can't cope with the dangers of AI hacking its open code.

Multiple public commenters raised concerns about ballot-room observation, use of devices and missing livestream monitors; speakers urged county officials to restore meaningful live observation and answer observer questions in real time.

During public comment speakers raised concerns about 2024 voting irregularities and urged a hand‑count contingency; Kern County's auditor‑controller said the county's voting system is standalone, not internet‑connected, and described a 1% manual tally process.

  Sunbird has relaunched its iMessage app for Android users nearly three years after security issues forced the company to pause the service in 2023. The app is now available on the Google Play Store and allows Android users to access iMessage conversations, including blue-bubble messages and group chats with iPhone users. Sunbird has also combined iMessage with Google Messages, RCS and SMS/MMS in the same application. The company says the new version has been rebuilt with changes to how messages, Apple ID credentials and media are handled. Sunbird claims messages are encrypted on the Android device before they leave it, protected while travelling through its infrastructure and encrypted at rest using AES-256. It also says Apple ID passwords are used once to establish an iMessage session and then deleted. The relaunch comes after researchers identified serious security problems in Sunbird's earlier implementation, including the transmission of Apple ID credentials over an unencrypted HTTP connection and access to messages and media stored through Firebase. Those findings led to the removal of Nothing Chats, an iMessage app developed by Nothing using Sunbird's technology, and Sunbird subsequently paused its own service. Sunbird returns to the Google Play Store Sunbird Messaging announced on August 5 that its Android application was open to all users through Google Play following an early-access period. The company said more than 181,000 people had signed up before the public launch. The application is designed to allow Android users to participate in iMessage conversations without owning an iPhone, Mac or another Apple device. Sunbird says users can appear in blue-bubble conversations on iPhones and participate in iMessage group chats through the Android application. The new app also acts as a unified messaging platform. Instead of limiting the application to iMessage, Sunbird has brought iMessage, Google Messages through RCS and SMS/MMS into one inbox. The application now includes a Primary and Secondary inbox. Sunbird says the Primary section is intended for important conversations, while less important messages can be placed in Secondary. Users can control how their conversations are organised. The company has also said it plans to add WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger support later in 2026. The service is available with a 14-day free trial, after which Sunbird charges $2.99 per month or $24.99 annually. What happened to Sunbird in 2023 Sunbird's return follows a security incident that brought its earlier service offline in November 2023. The issue became widely known after Nothing announced Nothing Chats, an Android application that used Sunbird's technology to provide iMessage functionality on the Nothing Phone (2). Users were required to provide their Apple ID credentials to connect the service to iMessage. Security researchers then examined the application and identified several problems with how the service handled authentication and user data. One of the issues involved Apple ID credentials being transmitted to Sunbird's servers over HTTP. Because HTTP does not encrypt the connection, the credentials could potentially be intercepted while being transmitted. Researchers also found that messages and other user data were being sent to and stored through Firebase without encryption. An investigation by 9to5Google found that researchers could use insecurely transmitted JSON Web Tokens to access Sunbird's Firebase database and view messages and files belonging to users. The exposed information was not limited to text messages. Researchers reported that the database contained media files including images, videos, PDFs and audio files. More than 630,000 media files were reportedly stored through Sunbird's Firebase infrastructure at the time. Researchers also found vCards containing information such as names, phone numbers and email addresses. The problem also involved Sentry, an error-monitoring service. Researchers reported that messages and attachments were being sent to Sentry in plaintext, meaning information intended to be part of private conversations could appear in an error-reporting system. These findings conflicted with Sunbird and Nothing's earlier statements about encryption. The companies had presented the service as providing end-to-end encryption, but researchers found that data could be accessed through the systems supporting the application. Nothing removed Nothing Chats from the Google Play Store less than 24 hours after its launch. The company said it was delaying the application while working with Sunbird to address the security problems. Sunbird also paused its own service shortly afterward. Sunbird says the new architecture handles data differently For the relaunched application, Sunbird says it has changed how messages and authentication information are processed. According to the company's security documentation, messages are encrypted on the user's phone before they leave the device. The data is then encrypted while travelling through Sunbird's infrastructure and remains encrypted on the user's device using AES-256. Sunbird also says its connections use certificate pinning. The company says it does not retain copies of users' conversations on its own servers. Instead, message history remains on the sender's and recipient's devices. Sunbird says messages passing through its infrastructure are released after delivery. It also says photos and videos sent through the service are automatically deleted from its systems, normally within 48 hours and no later than 72 hours. The handling of Apple ID credentials has also been changed. Users still need an Apple ID to connect Sunbird to iMessage. However, Sunbird says the Apple ID password is used only once to establish the session and is then destroyed. The company says it does not retain the password or an authentication token that could later be used to sign into the account. Sunbird also says each user's iMessage connection operates inside its own private environment. According to the company, that environment is destroyed when the user disconnects or deletes their account. For messages travelling to an iPhone, Sunbird says Apple's existing iMessage end-to-end encryption protects the final part of the communication. The company says it does not modify or weaken Apple's encryption. These changes address several of the areas that created problems in the previous version. However, they remain claims made by the company and need to be considered separately from what independent researchers have been able to verify. Company says independent testing found no critical vulnerabilities Sunbird CEO Danny Mizrahi has said that an independent security firm tested the rebuilt application and found no critical vulnerabilities. The company is using this assessment as part of its security case for the relaunched service. The distinction between an independent assessment being conducted and its findings being publicly available is important here. A publicly available audit would allow security researchers and other experts to examine what was tested, which parts of the application were included, what methodology was used and what limitations applied to the assessment. For now, Sunbird's public security information provides details about the architecture and the company's data-handling practices, but users should still distinguish between those statements and independent verification of the complete system. That is particularly relevant because Sunbird's previous service also made strong security claims before researchers found problems with the implementation. The current application may have been rebuilt to address those problems, but continued independent testing would provide a stronger way to determine whether the new security controls work as intended. Sunbird adds an AI assistant Security is not the only area Sunbird is changing with the relaunch. The company is preparing an AI assistant called Sunbird Intelligence, which is expected to arrive later in 2026. Sunbird says the AI will run directly on the user's phone rather than sending conversations to a remote service for processing. One planned feature, called "Catch Me Up," is designed to summarise conversations that users have missed. The company also plans features that can draft replies and suggest actions based on conversations. Sunbird says its AI system will eventually be able to perform tasks such as moving conversations between inbox categories, archiving chats and drafting or sending replies. The planned AI features introduce another privacy consideration because the assistant would need to process the content of users' conversations to provide summaries and generate replies. Sunbird's decision to run the AI on the device is therefore relevant to its privacy claims. However, the actual privacy protections will depend on how the system is implemented, what information it can access and whether any conversation data leaves the device when the feature is used. RCS has also changed the reason for using Sunbird The messaging market has changed since Sunbird's first attempt to bring iMessage to Android. Apple introduced support for RCS with iOS 18, giving Android-to-iPhone conversations access to features such as higher-quality media, read receipts and typing indicators when RCS is supported. This reduces some of the practical differences that previously existed between Android and iPhone messaging. Sunbird is therefore returning to a market where Android users already have a better cross-platform messaging experience than they did in 2023. The main distinction Sunbird offers is continued access to Apple's iMessage system and the blue-bubble experience. There are also technical differences. Sunbird's iMessage service does not register a user's Android phone number with iMessage. According to MacRumors, users appear to iPhone contacts through their email address when using Sunbird. This means the company's proposition has changed from simply providing Android users with features that were missing from SMS-based conversations. It is now combining iMessage access with a broader messaging application that brings several services together. Sunbird now has to prove its security claims Sunbird's new application contains several changes compared with the service that was paused in 2023. The company says messages are encrypted on the device and during transmission, Apple ID passwords are used once and destroyed, media is automatically deleted from its infrastructure, and conversations are not permanently stored on its servers. These changes address some of the security problems researchers identified in the previous implementation. However, the history of the service makes independent verification particularly important. In 2023, researchers were able to demonstrate that sensitive information could be accessed through Sunbird's infrastructure despite the company's previous claims about encryption. Sunbird now has another opportunity to establish whether its redesigned architecture can provide the privacy and security protections it promises. More than 181,000 people signed up during the early-access period, showing that there is still interest in using iMessage from Android. But with RCS now supported on both major mobile platforms and with the security problems of the previous Sunbird implementation still part of the company's history, the new application's long-term success will depend heavily on whether its security controls withstand continued independent testing. For Sunbird, bringing back the blue bubble is only one part of the challenge. The larger test is whether users can trust the infrastructure carrying their messages this time.

The town board adopted a local law placing BESS uses in limited districts, requiring 500‑foot setbacks, screening rules and emergency response plans after residents and firefighters raised concerns about fires, toxic emissions and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

School committee member announces decision not to seek reelection amid cybersecurity concerns affecting district.

The Board of Finance approved budget amendments and accepted budget performance reports through Jan. 31, 2026; officials announced S&P assigned S&P 1+ short‑term rating and set a bond anticipation note sale for $16,325,000 on Feb. 24, with closing March 12. The assessor reported the grand list was signed on time.

House Bill 17-54, described as chiefly a procurement bill with ITS and cybersecurity implications, was advanced by the committee and will proceed to AET; the transcript records motion and that the motion "carried," but does not provide a numerical vote tally.

The Pentagon is reportedly using an AI content mill to spread propaganda in Latin America, while Microsoft faces accusations of unfairly promoting Edge via Windows. In medicine, a new drug has shown the ability to shrink tumors by 30%. Meanwhile, Japan moves toward strict immigration limits under 'Sakoku 2.0,' and many corporations are diverting employee raises to fund massive AI investments.

US military personnel are being tracked by adversaries using smartphone location data, prompting calls for stricter device protections. In cybersecurity, a researcher has threatened a major 0-day release following a dispute with Microsoft, while Carnival confirmed that 6 million customer records were stolen. Additionally, experts warn Europe must moderate datacenter growth to avoid power and water shortages.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a Florida static fire test, stalling NASA’s Artemis mission. In the EU, new satellite regulations may sideline SpaceX to favor local firms. Meanwhile, the 'Trump Accounts' app launched, offering $1,000 for children born during the second term. Finally, New York is targeting untraceable 3D-printed guns, as tenants face privacy risks from smart home tech.

Satellite imagery shows Iranian airstrikes hit significantly more U.S. military targets in the Middle East than reported, damaging hundreds of structures. Meanwhile, a U.S. appeals court struck down an FCC rule against broadband discrimination based on race and income. Additionally, experts warn of risks to privacy and accuracy as nearly half of young Europeans increasingly turn to AI for mental health support.

Internal emails in the Musk v. Altman trial reveal Elon Musk’s 2017 attempts to gain majority control over OpenAI. Joby Aviation successfully completed its first electric air taxi flight from JFK to Manhattan. Meanwhile, new research warns that finetuning LLMs can trigger the recall of copyrighted books, and Apple continues to dominate the satellite smartphone market with a 71.6% share.

Chinese agencies are investigating Meta's $2 billion deal with Manus, sparking fears of tech sector regulation. At the Supreme Court, a pivotal case will determine if a woman can sue a Baltimore hospital for her months-long involuntary detention. Meanwhile, SpaceX has moved up the employee share sale date to April, and Ronan Farrow has shared new details regarding the recent OpenAI board drama.

VMware users are planning widespread usage reductions due to rising costs following Broadcom’s acquisition, citing migration challenges and limited alternatives. Stack Overflow’s daily question volume has plummeted 99%, likely due to AI adoption and moderation changes. Researchers leveraged GPT-5.4 Pro to solve a complex math problem in hypergraph theory, a breakthrough poised to advance Ramsey theory. Microsoft has blocked a registry trick for a performance-boosting NVMe driver, though workarounds remain, and OpenAI is urging UK regulators to include chatbots in Google’s search choice screen.

A tragic airstrike in Iran, utilizing a Palantir-built AI system called Maven with outdated data, resulted in over 175 child fatalities, prompting scrutiny of flawed bureaucratic processes rather than solely focusing on advanced AI. Meanwhile, Tesla and SpaceX are jointly building a massive fabrication facility for robotics, AI, and chip manufacturing. Concerns are rising over user privacy as researchers leverage publicly available data to create detailed profiles of Hacker News users. Finally, a shift toward AI-native development is reshaping software engineering, emphasizing new roles and risk management while developers grapple with "bloat" in JavaScript applications.

Colorado lawmakers have proposed a bill to require mobile operating systems to collect and verify users' ages when an account is established, aiming to limit minors' access to online content deemed harmful. Meanwhile, a marketing agency has reported being repeatedly banned by Facebook's automated security system despite having millions in annual ad spend, with Meta's inconsistent responses causing significant business impacts.

Senate committee endorses bill for floating holidays, promoting inclusivity for diverse communities.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the UK’s largest automaker and a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has confirmed that the recent cyberattack on its systems has not only disrupted global operations but also resulted in a data breach. The company revealed during its ongoing investigation that sensitive information had been compromised, although it has not yet specified whether the data belonged to customers, suppliers, or employees. JLR stated that it will directly contact anyone impacted once the scope of the breach is confirmed.  The incident has forced JLR to shut down its IT systems across the globe in an effort to contain the ransomware attack. Production has been halted at its Midlands and Merseyside factories in the UK, with workers told they cannot return until at least next week. Other plants outside the UK have also been affected, with some industry insiders warning that it could take weeks before operations return to normal. The disruption has spilled over to suppliers and retailers, some of whom are unable to access databases used for registering vehicles or sourcing spare parts.  The automaker has reported the breach to all relevant authorities, including the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office. A JLR spokesperson emphasized that third-party cybersecurity experts are assisting in forensic investigations and recovery efforts, while the company works “around the clock” to restore services safely. The spokesperson also apologized for the ongoing disruption and reiterated JLR’s commitment to transparency as the inquiry continues.  Financial pressure is mounting as the costs of the prolonged shutdown escalate. Shares of Tata Motors dropped 0.9% in Mumbai following the disclosure, reflecting investor concerns about the impact on the company’s bottom line. The disruption comes at a challenging time for JLR, which is already dealing with falling profits and delays in the launch of new electric vehicle models.  The attack appears to be part of a growing trend of aggressive cyber campaigns targeting global corporations. A group of English-speaking hackers, linked to previously documented attacks on retailers such as Marks & Spencer, has claimed responsibility for the JLR breach. Screenshots allegedly showing the company’s internal IT systems were posted on a Telegram channel associated with hacker groups including Scattered Spider, Lapsus$, and ShinyHunters.  Cybersecurity analysts warn that the automotive industry is becoming a prime target due to its reliance on connected systems and critical supply chains. Attacks of this scale not only threaten operations but also risk exposing valuable intellectual property and sensitive personal data. As JLR races to restore its systems, the incident underscores the urgent need for stronger resilience measures in the sector.

 DeepSeek-R1, an AI model developed in China, is facing intense scrutiny following a study by cybersecurity firm Enkrypt AI, which found it to be 11 times more vulnerable to cybercriminal exploitation compared to other AI models. The research highlights…

A proposed mandate (debated as 'Harvey's Law') to require video monitoring in some childcare settings drew extensive debate over cybersecurity, cost, scope, and parental consent. Multiple amendments were considered; after roll calls and discussion the committee chair announced the motion did not prevail and the bill did not move forward.

LD2211 would implement unanimous recommendations of an AG-led working group that followed the 2023 voter-initiated right-to-repair law. Supporters say it preserves consumer choice and local repair jobs; automakers and dealers urged stricter limits on direct access and raised cybersecurity and litigation concerns.