PopSci Best of What’s New 2021: Top 10 Security List
The second year of the pandemic has brought a new wave of security concerns, nationally, internationally and, of course, digitally. But companies and researchers have stepped up their game. The US military has demonstrated its most comprehensive anti-drone technology to date in the New Mexico desert; the Los Angeles Fire Department put the United States’ first robot firefighting vehicle on the streets; and a router maker has launched a partnership to bring high-end antivirus technology to smart devices. This may not be enough to ensure that you will sleep peacefully at night, but at least there is less risk of being hacked through your alarm clock’s Bluetooth.
Looking for the full list of 100 winners? Check it out here.
Grand Prize winner: a “cookie jar” that showcases online trackers
Cookies make the internet easier to work by remembering a user’s browsing habits, but when data trackers follow individuals across different sites, a useful tool becomes a commitment to privacy. Firefox, Mozilla’s browser, introduces an optional feature called “Total Cookie Protection”, which significantly limits the traces of crumbs you leave online. Instead of storing all of an individual’s information together, this new approach allows each site to keep their tracking in a separate “cookie jar” without pulling data from the others. This means that you can click “accept” with more abandon when you are beset by the cookie disclaimers that are now standard on the web.
Defeat drones with directed energy
THOR (Tactical High Power Operational Responder) from the US Air Force Research Laboratory
It looks like a giant satellite dish, but THOR marks an important first step in strengthening defenses against drones. Air Force Research Laboratory
Small disposable drones can spy on soldiers, or worse, attack them with explosives. Battling these machines, many of which are built cheaply or with commercial parts, means looking for a cost-effective countermeasure that can disable multiple drones at once. With the Air Force’s THOR, the military has a new tool to fry an entire swarm. The system emits high power microwaves that harm electronics, but not people or wildlife. Compact enough to fit in a shipping container or C-130 cargo plane, this electric weapon can be set up in hours, ready to protect anyone nearby.
Let robot battles tackle the toughest fires
Textron Thermite RS3
Thermite RS3 replaces firefighter red with highlighter yellow. Howe & Howe / Textron Systems
Firefighters rush into danger to put out dangerous fires. But what if they don’t always have to? Newly adopted by Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), the Thermite RS3 is a 7ft tall, 3000lb robot that can help put out fires without risking the lives of firefighters. The remote controlled RS3 rolls over tank treads, thermal and optical sports cameras and can spray 25,000 gallons of water per minute. In December 2020, the LAFD used its new award to push back a fire inside a building, after human firefighters were called to safety outside.
Encrypted biometric security at your fingertips
YubiKey Bio Series – FIDO Edition by Yubico
The manufacturer of USB keys and security favorite has finally cracked the code for biometric access. Yubico
Physical security keys provide an option for passwordless logins or two-factor authentication that do not require entering codes or relaying text messages. YubiKey, who has been making this kind of useful and buttoned up material since 2008, launched its first biometric key chains in 2021. The key reads a fingerprint, a personalized marker that it stores securely and locally on the device itself. Using the gadget, available in both USB-A and USB-C models, for password-less authentication allows it, along with the fingerprint, to work together as a multi-factor verification of connections.
Turn bomb craters into better armor
Analysis of the debris left after a bomb explosion can lead to a better understanding of the explosive and inform the design of better armor. The Computed Tomography Rapid Fragmentation Analysis Generator, or FRAG-CT, is a tool designed by the Army Development Command that can process data from a test range 200 times faster than the current method, which involves meticulously collecting shrapnel and mapping explosions by hand. By collecting 3D images of fragments, the technology can lead to armor designs more capable of withstanding blasts, among other vital ballistic information.
A tracked boat that’s a real amphibian
IG-PRO 31 interceptor by Iguana Pro USA
The vehicle flies over the water, then cruises on the sandy beaches. Iguana Pro United States
What has a top speed of 50 knots and two sets of retractable steps? A morphing craft called the IG-PRO 31. Built by Iguana Pro, the 32-foot-long vessel is an amphibious powerboat that can hoist itself onto beaches and hide. Sold to the US Navy in October 2020, the Interceptor gives Special Forces more options for knowing where to land and how to bring their boat to safe shelter once ashore. In the field, the tracks can pull the machine forward at more than 4 miles per hour. The machine also offers a useful tool for rescue work at sea or on the beach.
A dual mirror trick for email tracking
Apple Mail Privacy Protection in iOS 15
See trackers in your inbox before they see you. Apple
Some email marketing techniques rely on web beacons, a hidden code that lets the sender know whether you’ve opened a message or not. A privacy feature included in iOS 15 update introduces a new behind-the-scenes process that blocks these sniffers in their tracks. With the feature enabled, Apple first opens the email on its servers and then forwards the message to the user, preventing tools from knowing when (or even if) the recipient opened the email. . It’s a clean way to restore privacy to inboxes that are normally packed with data collection.
Flood risk of the past and present, mapped for the future
In the face of climate change, knowing where and when water levels have already risen is an invaluable resource. The Global Flood Mapping Tool, designed for the United Nations, runs in a browser and can show where past flooding has occurred, down to street level, anywhere on the globe. The tool draws on Google Earth and Landsat data collected since 1985, is accurate to 30 meters, and includes both population and land use filters, both of which should help planners mitigate damage. caused by future floods. Later versions will include AI-generated risk maps.
A mega router with total smart home protection
NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender by NETGEAR and Bitdefender
The average number of smart devices in American homes rose from 11 to 25 in 2021. NETGEAR
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Every new internet-connected device in a home has the potential to be a new avenue of security for a malicious actor. NETGEAR Armor includes virus protection in a router, providing protection at the connection point between a growing army of intelligent doo-dads and the outside Internet. In addition to using algorithms to learn a user’s normal behavior and report unusual activity, the system’s security tools also analyze outgoing data for logins, social security numbers and banking information, and prevent those here to reach prying eyes.
A mobile network and disaster response center, all in one van
Response to Tactical Humanitarian Operations (THOR) by Verizon Frontline
You might recognize this chassis from a Ford F-650. Verizon Frontline
After a natural disaster, most Americans must rely on ad hoc infrastructure to stay connected. by verizon THOR is a mobile all-in-one vehicle built for disaster response. The platform can restore cellular service to its own 5G or LTE mobile network, which is powered by a small retractable cell tower and satellite uplinks. To aid first responders, THOR can also launch a tethered drone or a fleet of winged robots to view the surrounding area, capturing useful real-time information about what is and is not passable terrain.