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Canadian Intelligence Service CSIS Warns Against ‘Smart City’ Technology
The Canadian intelligence service warns that adversaries like the Chinese government could use “Smart City” technology innovations to harvest sensitive data, target diaspora communities, and interfere in elections.
Before “smart city” platforms are widely adopted, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service urges policymakers and the technology industry to consider steps that can be taken to address and mitigate the emerging security threat.
These systems include electronically linked devices that gather, analyze, store and transmit data via centralized platforms. Municipalities, in turn, can use artificial intelligence to control operations and services more efficiently, such as changing traffic lights at the optimal time, managing energy use, or tracking the location of publicly rented bicycles.
“One of the primary security concerns associated with smart cities is the requirement for the selection and retention of massive, continuously processed data pools that could be exploited to reveal patterns of individual and societal behavior,” according to the report.
“These worries are exacerbated by a lack of control and visibility over where this data is stored and who has access to it.”
The CSIS report, completed in 2021, was only recently made available to CTV News in response to an access-to-information request filed in October.
While integrating technological innovations and data can improve process efficiency, CSIS warns that it can also introduce security risks.
“Smart city devices collect massive amounts of personal data, such as biometric data and other information highlighting personal life choices and patterns. Hostile state actors are investigating various methods of gaining access to future smart city platforms, including access provided by state-owned or state-linked technology firms.”
CSIS warns that Canadian municipalities may willingly enter into technological partnerships with foreign companies that allow hostile or undemocratic states access to collect data.
Smarty City Tech Projects
Smart city projects in Western countries have faced opposition due to privacy concerns, but China has “embraced the concept wholeheartedly,” according to the report, giving the country’s technology companies a competitive advantage. Beijing’s artificial intelligence advantage stems from its access to large amounts of data, lax privacy regulations, and cheap labor to categorize data and develop AI algorithms.
According to CSIS, China is utilizing new technologies to support “digital authoritarianism,” which uses advanced technology to monitor, repress, and manipulate domestic and foreign populations.
Meanwhile, the report predicts that next-generation networks and interconnected technology will become deeply embedded in municipal critical infrastructures over the next decade, increasing the possibility of “back door” access. A major concern is that a single breach could expose all devices to interference or attack.
“In other words, data collected via a bike-sharing app could theoretically increase access to other connected devices, such as a city’s energy grid, water supply, or traffic-light management database,” according to the report.
“This exposure will have serious financial, social and health and safety implications in Canada. Consider a scenario in which a coordinated cyberattack disables safety locks that prevent catastrophic explosions at a petrochemical facility while controlling traffic lights to thwart emergency response.”
According to the report, legal access to data could come from contracts between cities and companies, whereas illicit access could occur internally through a built-in function of foreign equipment or software or externally due to a cyberattack or data breach.
The data can then target specific elements of Canadian society, such as Chinese diaspora communities, infrastructure such as natural gas plants, water treatment facilities, and central government databases, democratic political processes such as elections, or civil society groups, it adds.
Data-harvesting techniques
The use of data-harvesting techniques by countries such as China, Iran, and Russia to track diaspora populations, specifically individuals considered adversaries, is a legitimate concern, according to David Murakami Wood, a University of Ottawa professor who specializes in surveillance, security, and technology.
“There is no such thing as innocent data,” he said in an interview.
Murakami Wood cautioned against believing that keeping data entirely in Canadian hands makes it safer. According to him, it is common for organizations to seek access to large pools of data for reasons unrelated to why the data was gathered in the first place.
“You can be sure if there’s a very large-scale national database constructed, for example, that the police will want access to it sooner or later. And they’ll make a compelling case for why they should.”
While connecting some municipal services to the internet makes sense, others, such as hospitals, may be too sensitive to the risk of being linked to cyberspace, according to Murakami Wood.
“If you want a very smart city, we should first consider what you don’t want to connect.”
Taking the necessary steps to address the security threats posed by smart cities will necessitate informed debate and consultation at all levels of government, according to the CSIS report.
“Various authorities have jurisdiction over different aspects of this challenge. Municipalities, particularly, are leading the way regarding implementation and contractual arrangements with technology vendors.”
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
(VOR News) – The European Union’s medical regulator has granted approval to Wegovy, a blockbuster weight loss treatment manufactured by Novo Nordisk, in order to expand its application to include the reduction of major heart events in overweight or obese adults.
In order to expand the scope of the medication’s applicability, this authorisation was granted. The purpose of obtaining this approval was to broaden the medicine’s application.
The Danish pharmaceutical company announced on Thursday that the European Medical Agency has formulated a “positive opinion” regarding the label’s expansion.
The agency made this determination after conducting a comprehensive examination of the results of a SELECT study that was subjected to rigorous monitoring. Other applications of the substance are facilitated by this conclusion.
The SELECT experiment, which was financed by Novo Nordisk and published in August 2023.
Wegovy and Ozempic contain semaglutide as the active ingredient.
Reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by twenty percent when compared to a placebo. The researchers arrived at this conclusion. This realisation was the outcome of the researchers’ investigation.
The notion that the European Medicines Agency label for Wegovy should be amended is a significant step forward for patients who are coping with cardiovascular disease and obesity, according to Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president and director of development at Novo Nordisk.
The company’s statement, which was disclosed, indicated that the recommendation to update the label is a substantial advancement.
It is evident that Wegovy has the potential to save lives by reducing the likelihood of significant adverse cardiovascular events, as evidenced by the findings of the SELECT research. An additional benefit of participating in this exercise is that it helps individuals effectively manage their weight, which is a benefit in and of itself.
The company also stated that the label update incorporates data from the SELECT trial, which showed a 15% reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes and a 19% reduction in the risk of death from any cause when compared to situations in which a placebo was used in conjunction with the product.
The SELECT trial was conducted in the United States, according to the company. Furthermore, the organisation disclosed that the SELECT investigation was conducted in the United States of America.
It is anticipated that the label amendment will be implemented within the next month, as per the statement issued by Novo Nordisk.
Wegovy has also been approved for use in the United States.
Similarly, the UK medical regulator has taken similar actions. The United Kingdom on Tuesday granted its clearance for the use of Wegovy to reduce the risk of significant cardiac difficulties or strokes in adults who are overweight or obese, such as heart attacks or strokes.
The Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America granted sanction for the medicine to be used in specific applications during the month of March.
This resulted in a rise in the number of distinct applications for the highly popular treatment, which coincides with the sector’s increasing level of competition.
On Thursday, Roche, a global pharmaceutical company with its headquarters in Switzerland, announced that its Wegovy competitor weight reduction tablets will be incorporated into a collection of pharmaceuticals designed to mitigate the adverse effects of obesity.
The pharmaceutical collection will encompass a diverse selection of weight loss medications.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Schinecker, conveyed his satisfaction with the exceptional early-stage trial results of the two potential weight-reduction pharmaceuticals that the company is currently developing. In addition, he asserted that these medications demonstrated the “best in disease potential.”
In making this assertion, Schinecker was alluding to the fact that the medications exhibited the “best in disease potential.” He also stated that they will be a part of a more comprehensive portfolio that is intended to set the Swiss company apart from its competitors in the growing obesity therapy market.
This adds insult to injury. This strategy will be implemented in order to distinguish the Swiss company from other businesses in the market.
SOURCE: CNBC
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