Two “groundbreaking research reports” on open source security were announced this week by the Linux Foundation in partnership with the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) and Linux Foundation Europe. The reports specifically address the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (or CRA) and “highlight knowledge gaps and best practices for CRA compliance.”

“Unaware and Uncertain: The Stark Realities of CRA-Readiness in Open Source” includes a survey which found that when it comes to CRA requirements, 62% of respondents were either “not familiar at all” (36%) or “slightly familiar” (26%) — while 51% weren’t sure about its deadlines. (“Only 28% correctly identified 2027 as the target year for full compliance,” according to one infographic, which adds that CRA “is expected to drive a 6% average price increase, though 53% of manufacturers are still assessing pricing impacts.”)

Manufacturers, who bear primary responsibility, lack readiness — many [46%] passively rely on upstream security fixes, and only a small portion produce Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs). The report recommends that manufacturers take a more active role in open source security, that more funding and legal support is needed to support security practices, and that clear regulatory guidance is essential to prevent unintended negative impacts on open source development.

The research also provides “an in-depth analysis of how open collaboration can strengthen software security and innovation across global markets,” with another report that “examines how three Linux Foundation projects are meeting the CRA’s minimum compliance requirements” and “provides insight on the elements needed to ensure leadership in cybersecurity best practices.” (It also includes CRA-related resources.)

“These two reports offer actionable conclusions for open source stakeholders to ready themselves for 2027, when the CRA comes into force,” according to a Linux Foundation reserach executive cited in the announcement. “We hope that these reports catalyze higher levels of collaboration across the open source community.”

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Computer programming jobs in the US have declined by more than a quarter over the past two years, placing the profession among the 10 hardest-hit occupations of 420-plus jobs tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and potentially signaling the first concrete evidence of artificial intelligence replacing workers.

The timing coincides with OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT in late 2022. Anthropic researchers found people use AI to perform programming tasks more than those of any other job, though 57 percent of users employ AI to augment rather than automate work. “Without getting hysterical, the unemployment jump for programming really does look at least partly like an early, visible labor market effect of AI,” said Mark Muro of the Brookings Institution.

While software developer positions have remained stable with only a 0.3 percent decline, programmers who perform more routine coding from specifications provided by others have seen their ranks diminish to levels not seen since 1980. Economists caution that high interest rates and post-pandemic tech industry contraction have also contributed to the decline in programming jobs, which typically pay $99,700 compared to $132,270 for developers.

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After mass layoffs at NOAA, meteorologist Andrew Hazelton finds himself in a bureaucratic no man’s land—fired, then reinstated, but still unable to work.

Save up to 50% on Amazon’s streaming stick that can turn any TV into a smart TV.

The same activist said he felt Elon Musk had no idea ‘what he’s fucking with’ when it comes to the social benefit program.

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Apple’s latest iOS 18.3.2 update is automatically re-enabling its Apple Intelligence feature even for users who previously disabled it, adding to mounting concerns about the company’s AI strategy.

The update presents a splash screen with no option except to tap “Continue,” which activates the feature. Users must then manually disable it through settings, with the AI consuming up to 7GB of storage space. This forced activation comes amid broader troubles with Apple’s AI initiatives.

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Save 20% on LG’s 2023 C3 OLED smart TV over at Amazon for a limited time.

Anyone who has suffered the indignity of splinter, a blister, or a paper cut knows that small things can sometimes be hugely annoying. You aren’t going to die from any of these conditions, but it’s still hard to focus when, say, the back of your right foot is rubbing a new blister against the inside of your not-quite-broken-in-yet hiking boots.

I found myself in the computing version of this situation yesterday, when I was trying to work on a new Mac Mini and was brought up short by the fact that my third mouse button (that is, clicking on the scroll wheel) did nothing. This was odd, because I have for many years assigned this button to “Mission Control” on macOS—a feature that tiles every open window on your machine, making it quick and easy to switch apps. When I got the new Mini, I immediately added this to my settings. Boom!

And yet there I was, a couple hours later, clicking the middle mouse button by reflex and getting no result. This seemed quite odd—had I only imagined that I made the settings change? I made the alteration again in System Settings and went back to work.

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Skywatchers will get a rare chance to see Saturn in its full glory, without chunks of ice and rock swarming around it.

The French National Assembly has rejected a controversial provision that would have forced messaging platforms like Signal and WhatsApp to allow government access to encrypted private conversations, lawmakers voted Thursday night. The measure, embedded within anti-drug trafficking legislation, would have implemented a “ghost participant model” allowing law enforcement to silently join encrypted chats without users’ knowledge.

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London’s Heathrow Airport resumed operations late Friday after an electrical fire at a nearby substation forced a full-day closure, causing global travel chaos with hundreds of canceled flights and thousands of stranded passengers. The explosion at a Hayes substation 1.5 miles from the airport knocked out power early Thursday, requiring 70 firefighters to battle a blaze in a transformer containing 25,000 liters of cooling oil.

Despite backup generators, Europe’s busiest airport couldn’t maintain normal operations, forcing flights to divert to airports across Europe and as far as Bangor, Maine. “Contingencies of certain sizes we cannot guard ourselves against 100%,” Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye told the BBC. “This is as big as it gets for our airport.” British Airways, which planned to carry 100,000 passengers Friday, prioritized long-haul flights to Australia, Brazil and South Africa when operations resumed after 4 p.m.

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Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is pushing to cut bureaucracy by reducing management layers, according to a recording of a recent internal all-hands meeting obtained by Business Insider. Amazon plans to increase the ratio of individual contributors to managers by 15% by March-end, a process the company says is now complete and affected a “relatively small subset of employees.”

“The way to get ahead at Amazon is not to go accumulate a giant team and fiefdom,” Jassy told employees, stressing that successful leaders “get the most done with the least amount of resources.” Jassy has established a “No Bureaucracy” email alias that has received over a thousand suggestions, leading to more than 375 changes aimed at speeding operations. “It’s a meritocracy,” Jassy said, urging employees to “move fast and act like owners.”

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Hollywood filmmaker Carl Erik Rinsch has been charged with defrauding Netflix of $11 million after allegedly misusing funds intended for an unfinished science fiction series, federal prosecutors said.

Rinsch, 47, was arrested in West Hollywood this week on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions that could result in decades of imprisonment if convicted. The FBI and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York allege Rinsch diverted funds meant for his series “Conquest” to speculate on cryptocurrency, stay in luxury hotels and purchase high-end items including five Rolls-Royces and a Ferrari.

Netflix had paid Rinsch $44 million between 2018 and 2019 for the science fiction project about an artificial humanlike species. Prosecutors say he then requested an additional $11 million but never completed the production. An arbitrator ruled in Netflix’s favor last year, ordering Rinsch to pay the company $11.8 million. Rinsch appeared in federal court with shackles and posted a $100,000 bond.

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Also: Universal Studios Hollywood previews Fan Fest Nights bites, Alamo Drafthouse throws Snow White family parties, and more theme park news.

Apple has been hit with a federal lawsuit claiming that the company’s promotion of now-delayed Apple Intelligence features constituted false advertising and unfair competition. From a report: The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, seeks class action status and unspecified financial damages on behalf of those who purchased Apple Intelligence-capable iPhones and other devices. “Apple’s advertisements saturated the internet, television, and other airwaves to cultivate a clear and reasonable consumer expectation that these transformative features would be available upon the iPhone’s release,” the suit reads.

“This drove unprecedented excitement in the market, even for Apple, as the company knew it would, and as part of Apple’s ongoing effort to convince consumers to upgrade at a premium price and to distinguish itself from competitors deemed to be winning the AI-arms race. […] Contrary to Defendant’s claims of advanced AI capabilities, the Products offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version of Apple Intelligence, misleading consumers about its actual utility and performance. Worse yet, Defendant promoted its Products based on these overstated AI capabilities, leading consumers to believe they were purchasing a device with features that did not exist or were materially misrepresented.”

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After an exciting first race in Australia, find out how to watch the F1 Chinese GP online for free.

Meta is testing an AI feature that generates comment suggestions for Instagram posts. Users with access to the test see a pencil icon beside the comment field that activates “Write with Meta AI.” The system analyzes photos before offering three comment suggestions, which users can refresh for alternatives. For a photo showing someone smiling with a thumbs-up in their living room, suggested comments include “Cute living room setup” and “Love the cozy atmosphere.”

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