Communications of the ACM
An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM News
China’s Virus Apps May Outlast the Outbreak, Stirring Privacy Fears
With the disease there mostly under control, officials are looking for new uses for the government software that's now on many phones.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers: Nearly Half Of Accounts Tweeting About Coronavirus Are Likely Bots
Computer scientists have determined that nearly half of all Twitter accounts spreading messages about the Covid-19 pandemic are likely bots.
From ACM News
Yoshua Bengio and Collaborators Unveil the Name of Their COVID-19 Tracing Application, Launch a White Paper
Bengio was co-recipient of the 2018 A.M. Turing Prize, considered the "Nobel Prize of Computer Science." In 2020, he was elected by his peers to The Royal Society...
From Communications of the ACM
Hiring from the Autism Spectrum
Companies increasingly are looking to hire people who are on the autism spectrum to fill IT roles.
From ACM News
Alabama, North Dakota, South Carolina to Debut Apple/Google’s Covid-19 Contact Tracing
Apple and Google released software on Wednesday that will allow public health agencies around the world to build their own apps to track who may have been exposed...
From ACM News
Google Inks Deal with Defense Department to Help Respond to Cyberthreats
The contract is for "seven figures," Google says.
From ACM TechNews
Coding for Covid-19: Contest Calls on Developers to Help Fight the Pandemic
One track in this year's IBM Call for Code challenge focused on the Covid-19 pandemic.
From ACM TechNews
Sneakier, More Sophisticated Malware On the Loose
After analyzing more than 1 million samples of Android malware, researchershave found that malware coding is being hidden more cleverly.
From ACM News
COVID-19's YouTube Misinformation Outbreak
Study finds a quarter of most watched videos with "non-factual" information.
From ACM TechNews
Kaiji Malware Targets IoT Devices Via SSH Brute-Force Attacks
Researchers have discovered a new strain of malware built to infect Linux-based servers and smart Internet of Things devices.
From ACM News
Trump Administration Weighs Suspending Program for Foreign Students
The Trump administration may suspend OPT, a program for foreign students to stay in the U.S. to get 1 or 2 years of occupational training after their educations...
From ACM TechNews
Apple, Google Start to Win Over Europe to Their Virus-Tracking Technology
European nations are considering, or have opted for, technology developed by Apple and Google for smartphone contact-tracing applications to contain the coronavirus...
From ACM TechNews
Risks Overshadow Benefits with Online Voting, Experts Warn
With a handful of U.S. states launching online voting pilots, many experts warn the technology carries more pitfalls than benefits.
From ACM TechNews
Supercomputers Hacked Across Europe to Mine Cryptocurrency
Hackers have compromised multiple supercomputers in the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, and possibly Spain with cryptocurrency-mining malware.
From ACM TechNews
Software Developed by SMU Stops Ransomware Attacks
New software identifies ransomware attacks before attackers can cause catastrophic damage, even if the ransomware has not been previously used.
From ACM News
China Hacking Poses 'Significant Threat' to U.S. Covid-19 Response, Says FBI
Organizations conducting research into Covid-19 may be targeted by computer hackers linked to the Chinese government, according to the FBI and the U.S. Department...
From ACM TechNews
Companies Wrestle With Growing Cybersecurity Threat: Their Own Employees
As companies navigate an increase in cyberattacks amid the coronavirus pandemic, they must contend with the security threats posed by their own employees.
From ACM TechNews
Hastily Introduced Fake News Laws Could Damage Efforts to Counter Disinformation, UNESCO Warns
Reports warn that legislation to curb disinformation on the coronavirus could damage legitimate journalism's efforts to combat this "disinfodemic."
From ACM News