Welcome to the March 11, 2026 edition of ACM TechNews, providing timely information for computer professionals twice a month.
White House Calls On Private Companies to Take Bigger Role in Cyber Defense U.S. President Trump released a new National Cybersecurity Strategy calling on private companies to take a larger role in defending the U.S. from cyber threats. The plan suggests expanding industry participation in cyberoperations, potentially allowing firms to help disrupt adversary networks and respond to attacks. Currently, companies can assist the government through contracts, but direct offensive actions such as “hacking back” are illegal. The strategy also promotes stronger infrastructure security, workforce development, and the use of AI in cyber defense.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] The New York Times; Adam Sella (March 6, 2026)  China Suspected in Breach of FBI Surveillance Network Investigators believe hackers linked to China may be responsible for a cyber intrusion into an internal network used by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. The compromised system contains information related to court-approved surveillance orders, including call records, routing data, and IP addresses tied to criminal suspects and others under government surveillance, though not the content of communications. The investigation is still in its early stages, and officials say the extent of the breach remains unclear.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] The Wall Street Journal; Dustin Volz (March 6, 2026)  Singapore to Train 100,000 Workers to Apply AI Singapore announced a plan in its 2026 budget to train 100,000 workers to use AI through a new National AI Impact Program. Digital Development Minister Josephine Teo (pictured) said the initiative expands the TechSkills Accelerator program into non-tech sectors, starting with legal and accounting professions. The training will teach workers how to integrate AI into workflows, automate routine tasks, and understand responsible AI use.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] Business Times (Singapore); Young Zhan Heng (March 2, 2026)  Indonesia Bans Social Media Use by Under-16s Indonesia announced a new regulation banning social media access for users under 16, becoming the first non-Western country to adopt such a policy. Communications Minister Meutya Hafid said the rule will roll out in phases starting March 28, aiming to protect children from pornography, cyberbullying, fraud, and online addiction. The move follows Australia’s recent under-16 social media ban, while Malaysia is considering similar restrictions.[ » Read full article ] Nikkei Asia; Natsumi Kawasaki; Rezha Hadyan (March 6, 2026)  Oracle Plans Thousands of Job Cuts in Face of AI Cash Crunch Oracle is planning to cut thousands of jobs across multiple divisions as it manages the financial strain of a massive expansion of AI-focused datacenters. The layoffs, which could begin as early as this month, will target roles the company expects to need less as AI automates an increasing number of tasks. The move comes as Oracle invests in cloud infrastructure to support AI workloads for customers such as OpenAI.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] Bloomberg; Brody Ford (March 5, 2026) Western Governments Seek to Lock Down 6G Before It Exists A coalition of Western governments, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Japan, Australia, Sweden, and Finland, unveiled 6G Security and Resilience Principles at Mobile World Congress to influence the next-generation mobile network before it is standardized. The principles aim to embed supply chain controls, cybersecurity safeguards, quantum-resistant cryptography, and breach containment into 6G designs, addressing risks from disaggregated architectures, AI integration, and expanded software layers. While non-binding, the initiative seeks to shape standards and vendor behavior early.[ » Read full article ] The Register (U.K.); Carly Page (March 3, 2026)  Phantom Codes Could Help Quantum Computers Avoid Errors Phantom codes, algorithms developed by researchers in the U.S. and Switzerland, reduce errors in quantum computers by enabling logical qubits to become entangled without physical manipulation. Simulations showed the use of phantom codes resulted in up to 100 times greater accuracy in tasks like preparing qubit states and modeling quantum materials. Phantom codes cannot help with every quantum computing program, but excel in situations where a computation requires a lot of entanglement, according to Harvard University’s Shayan Majidy.[ » Read full article ] New Scientist; Karmela Padavic-Callaghan (March 3, 2026)  Where Are China’s AI Doomers? People in China are generally more optimistic about AI than those in the U.S. and other Western countries. A KPMG survey of 47 countries last year found that 69% of people in China said the technology’s benefits outweighed its risks, while only 35% of Americans agreed. The difference stems partly from Chinese tech companies’ emphasis on practical everyday uses for the technology, while leaders like President Xi Jinping actively promote the technology as a driver of economic growth and national progress.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] The New York Times; Vivian Wang (March 4, 2026)  India Seeks Dutch Knowhow in Semiconductor Push India is courting expertise to boost its domestic semiconductor industry, offering billions in subsidies to attract fabrication plants and related manufacturing. A trade delegation recently visited the Dutch city of Eindhoven, home to chip equipment leader ASML and chipmaker NXP Semiconductors, highlighting opportunities for Dutch firms to export equipment or establish production in India as part of a “China-plus-one” strategy.[ » Read full article ] Reuters; Toby Sterling (March 4, 2026)  Can AI Save Local News? Struggling local news outlets in the U.S. are experimenting with AI to expand coverage and cut costs as the industry faces declining revenue and shrinking staffs. For example, reporters at The Philadelphia Inquirer use AI tools to scan community meetings and generate potential story ideas for local newsletters, while other publishers use systems like AI chatbots to summarize documents or draft articles. Critics warn AI errors and lower-quality writing could undermine trust in local journalism.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] The Wall Street Journal; Alexandra Bruell (March 4, 2026)  Researchers Trick Bot That Prescribes Meds Security researchers at AI red-teaming firm Mindgard used simple jailbreaking techniques to hijack health tech startup Doctronic’s public chatbot. The researchers succeeded in getting the bot to promote methamphetamine as a treatment, spread false vaccine claims, and triple a patient’s OxyContin dose. The AI system powering Utah’s prescription refill bot operates inside the state’s regulatory sandbox, but the researchers said a failure of the system’s guardrails would pose safety risks.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] Axios; Sam Sabin (March 3, 2026)  Apple Blocks U.S. Users from Downloading ByteDance’s Chinese Apps Apple blocked U.S. users from downloading or updating certain ByteDance apps, as part of its compliance with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, while apps like TikTok, CapCut, and Lemon8 remain available under a U.S. business transfer deal led by Silver Lake, Oracle, and MGX. The move highlights Apple’s increasing use of geoblocking, enabled by systems like “countryd,” which determine a device’s location via GPS, Wi-Fi, and SIM data.[ » Read full article *May Require Paid Registration ] Wired; Zeyi Yang (March 5, 2026) |