Welcome to This Week’s [in]Security. Magecart. Payment Terminal Vulnerabilities. New Breaches. Chinese Communists. Ottawa. New Ransomware: planes, trains, automobiles, cameras, sewage, IoT, schools, and Kmart. $1,5M/day. COVID Apps. Crypto-wars. CSIS. 5G. DCMA. FTC v. FaceBook. Legal Sector Data Security. NIST. Brave. ODoh. BGP. Nearly free courses. Primes. Data Governance. De-noising. LLMNR/NBT-NS Poisoning. Bugs. Amnesia-33. OpenSSL. Teams. Jabber. PDF Injection. Wordpress. Struts. D-Link. Radiology. ICS. Patch Tuesday. Trends. Fireeye Hack. Treasury, US Commerce. SolarWinds supply chain. Nation States. Re-victimized. Phishing. Gootkit. Arrests, etc. Disagreement. Disinformation. Health, Safety & Environment. Covid-19: Spread, Curves, Spikes, Waves, & reinfections. Vaccine Progress. Vaccine Purgatory. Vaccine Passports? And more.

PCI Compliance and Payments

News and announcements relating to Payment Security, PCI, Card Brands, Payments, Payment Malware and Fraud.

• GTK intros touchless hygienic touchscreens https://www.mobilepaymentstoday.com/news/gtk-intros-touchless-hygienic-touchscreens/
• Payment Card Skimmer Group Using Raccoon Info-Stealer to Siphon Off Data https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/payment-card-skimmer-group-using.html
• Researchers warn of security vulnerabilities in these widely used point-of-sale terminals https://www.zdnet.com/article/update-now-researchers-warn-of-security-vulnerabilities-in-widely-used-point-of-sale-terminals/, https://threatpost.com/security-issues-pos-terminals-fraud/162210/
• Payment Processing Giant TSYS: Ransomware Incident “Immaterial” to Company https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/12/payment-processing-giant-tsys-ransomware-incident-immaterial-to-company/
• Sensitive details of of 7 million Indian cardholders available on dark web https://www.databreaches.net/sensitive-details-of-of-7-million-indian-cardholders-available-on-dark-web/
• Card brands cut off Porn website over illegal content accusations https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55267311

Breaches / Ransomware / Leaks

Covering breaches, leaks, data exposures, ransomware (as potential breach), and their fallout.

• New Breaches:

  • Major leak 'exposes' members and 'lifts the lid' on the Chinese Communist Party and its' extraterritorial members https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6215946537001, https://www.databreaches.net/major-leak-exposes-members-and-lifts-the-lid-on-the-chinese-communist-party/
  • Tip of the iceberg: Hackers sell 4000 .nz email addresses, passwords stolen from popular Nitro PDF app https://www.databreaches.net/hackers-sell-4000-nz-email-addresses-passwords-stolen-from-popular-app/
  • More than 1 million patients notified of hack involving Dental Care Alliance https://www.databreaches.net/more-than-1-million-patients-notified-of-hack-involving-dental-care-alliance/
  • Hackers Break Into Alaska Voter Database and Steal Info on 100K Voters https://thespectator.info/2020/12/04/hackers-break-into-alaska-voter-database-steal-info-on-100000-voters/
  • Foxconn Says Systems in U.S. Targeted in Cyberattack https://www.securityweek.com/foxconn-says-systems-us-targeted-cyberattack
  • 'Malwareless' ransomware campaign operators pwned 83k victims' MySQL servers, 250k databases up for sale https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/10/mysql_malwareless_ransomware/
  • OC Transpo notifying My Alerts subscribers of data breach https://www.databreaches.net/ca-oc-transpo-notifying-my-alerts-subscribers-of-data-breach/
  • Spotify Informs Users of Personal Information Exposure https://www.securityweek.com/spotify-informs-users-personal-information-exposure
  • Telecom LG U+ fined as a third party downloads and sells customer data https://www.databreaches.net/kr-telecom-lg-u-fined-as-a-third-party-downloads-and-sells-customer-data/

• New Ransomware and "Incidents":

  • World’s largest manufacturer of machines and systems for solid wood processing hit in cyberattack https://www.databreaches.net/worlds-largest-manufacturer-of-machines-and-systems-for-solid-wood-processing-hit-in-cyberattack/
  • Hackney cyber-attack causes collapse of property purchases https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55260488
  • The publisher Dedalus victim of a cyber attack https://www.databreaches.net/fr-the-publisher-dedalus-victim-of-a-cyber-attack/
  • Long Beach (NY) Computer Network Shut Down After Cyber Attack Found https://www.databreaches.net/ny-long-beach-computer-network-shut-down-after-cyber-attack-found/
  • Brooklyn Defender Services Identifies and Addresses Data Security Incident https://www.databreaches.net/brooklyn-defender-services-identifies-and-addresses-data-security-incident/
  • SSQ and La Capitale sites paralyzed https://www.databreaches.net/ca-ssq-and-la-capitale-sites-paralyzed/
  • Easy Way In? 5 Ransomware Victims Had Their Pulse Secure VPN Credentials Leaked https://www.databreaches.net/easy-way-in-5-ransomware-victims-had-their-pulse-secure-vpn-credentials-leaked/

• Follow-ups and fall-out:

  • Cyberattack cost UVM Medical Center $1.5 million a day https://www.databreaches.net/cyberattack-cost-uvm-medical-center-1-5-million-a-day/
  • Norway Accuses Russian Hackers of Parliament Attack https://www.securityweek.com/norway-accuses-russian-hackers-parliament-attack
  • Norwegian DPA imposes administrative fine to Østfold HF Hospital https://www.databreaches.net/norwegian-dpa-imposes-administrative-fine-to-ostfold-hf-hospital/
  • Flight Centre hackathon behind 2017 breach, exposed 6918 customers’ data https://www.databreaches.net/flight-centre-hackathon-behind-2017-breach-exposed-6918-customers-data/

Privacy

Articles about privacy related news, risks, and trends.

• Give Virus Alert Apps a Shot https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/11/technology/coronavirus-alert-apps.html
• Senators Express Privacy Concerns Over Proctoring Apps https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/senators-express-privacy-concerns-over-proctoring-apps
• Feds ‘completely unwilling’ to hold political parties to account on privacy, expert says https://globalnews.ca/news/7518225/liberals-privacy-act/

Laws, Regulations, Standards, and Public Policy

News about laws, regulations, and standards affecting security, privacy, technology, and public interest.

• Crypto-wars:

  • EFF at 30: Saving Encryption, with Technologist Bruce Schneier https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/eff-30-saving-encryption-cryptographer-bruce-schneier
  • Court orders encrypted email biz Tutanota to build a backdoor in user's mailbox, founder says 'this is absurd' https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/08/tutanota_backdoor_court_order/

• Canada:

  • CSIS use of geolocation data could be unlawful, says watchdog https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/csis-nsira-geolocation-report-1.5838598, and https://globalnews.ca/news/7517697/csis-geolocation-data-broke-law-report/
  • Huawei and 5G Explained https://citizenlab.ca/2020/12/huawei-and-5g-explained/ and https://citizenlab.ca/2020/12/huawei-5g-clarifying-the-canadian-equities-and-charting-a-strategic-path-forward/

• US:

  • The deal with DMCA 1201 reform https://blog.erratasec.com/2020/12/the-deal-with-dmca-1201-reform.html
  • 48 U.S. States and FTC are suing Facebook for illegal monopolization https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/48-us-states-and-ftc-are-suing-facebook.html, and https://epic.org/2020/12/breaking-48-states-and-us-sue-.html
  • The Legal Industry Has Finally Created a Data Security Standard of its Own https://www.databreaches.net/the-legal-industry-has-finally-created-a-data-security-standard-of-its-own/
  • First Federal IoT Security Legislation Becomes Law https://www.databreachtoday.com/first-federal-iot-security-legislation-becomes-law-a-15539
  • Publisher or Platform? It Doesn't Matter. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/publisher-or-platform-it-doesnt-matter

• World:

  • Google and Apple are banning technology for sharing users’ location data https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/11/22169905/google-apple-removing-location-tracking-data-sale-government-advertisers
  • Huawei reportedly worked with 4 additional companies to build surveillance tools that track people by ethnicity https://www.businessinsider.com/huawei-built-more-surveillance-tools-to-track-uyghurs-report-2020-12
  • Black Hat Europe: Hackers Need to Educate Policymakers https://www.databreachtoday.com/black-hat-europe-hackers-need-to-educate-policymakers-a-15557
  • Mastercard Facing £14 Billion UK Class Action Suit https://www.pymnts.com/mastercard/2020/mastercard-facing-14-billion-uk-class-action-suit/

• New NIST:

  • New supplemental materials and errata for NIST SP 800-53 and SP 800-53B https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-53/rev-5/final and https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-53b/final
  • Workshop in a new series focusing on the Open Security Controls Assessment Language (OSCAL) on February 2-03, 2021 https://go.usa.gov/xAqnR
  • NCCoE Cybersecurity Practice Guides for Securing Data Integrity Against Ransomware Attacks https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/1800-25/final, https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/1800-26/final, https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/1800-11/final
  • Draft NIST Internal Report (NISTIR) 8320A, Hardware-Enabled Security: Container Platform Security Prototype https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/nistir/8320a/draft
  • Virtual Conference DevSecOps and Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) for Multi-Cloud Environments January 27, 2021 https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2021/01/devsecops-and-zero-trust-architecture-zta-multi-cloud-environments

Defense / Techniques / Solutions

Covering developments and opportunities that may help improve security.

• Brave browser-maker launches privacy-friendly news reader https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/12/brave-browser-maker-launches-privacy-friendly-news-reader/
• OPAQUE: The Best Passwords Never Leave your Device https://blog.cloudflare.com/opaque-oblivious-passwords/
• Improving DNS Privacy with Oblivious DoH in 1.1.1.1 https://blog.cloudflare.com/oblivious-dns/ and https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/12/oblivious-dns-over-https.html
• Microsoft Details Plans to Improve Security of Internet Routing https://www.securityweek.com/microsoft-details-plans-improve-security-internet-routing
• AWS, Cisco, and CompTIA Exam Prep — Get 22 Courses for $4.50 Each https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/aws-cisco-and-comptia-exam-prep-get-22.html
• UK Ministry of Defence: We won't prosecute bug bounty hunters – oh btw, we now have one of those https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/10/uk_mod_bug_bounty/
• Designer Primes https://eprint.iacr.org/2020/1535
• Data Governance: Take Control of Your Data in 2020 https://www.cloudwards.net/what-is-data-governance/
• New Computational Method Validates Images Without ‘Ground Truth’ https://scienmag.com/new-computational-method-validates-images-without-ground-truth/
• How the Atheris Python Fuzzer Works https://security.googleblog.com/2020/12/how-atheris-python-fuzzer-works.html

Bugs / Design Flaws / Vulnerabilities / Research

Articles about newly discovered vulnerabilities and research.

• A look at a dangerous, common, often overlooked, and easily exploited vulnerability https://controlgap.com/blog/LLMNR-NBT-NS-is-Poison
• Record Levels of Software Bugs Plague Short-Staffed IT Teams in 2020 https://threatpost.com/record-levels-software-bugs-it-teams-2020/162095/
• Critical Flaws in Millions of IoT Devices May Never Get Fixed https://www.wired.com/story/amnesia33-iot-vulnerabilitiesmay-never-get-fixed/, https://www.tenable.com/blog/amnesia33-researchers-disclose-33-vulnerabilities-tcpip-libraries-uip-fnet-picotcp-nutnet
• OpenSSL Ships ‘High Severity’ Security Patch https://www.securityweek.com/openssl-ships-%E2%80%98high-severity%E2%80%99-security-patch
• Zero-Click Wormable RCE Vulnerability Reported in Microsoft Teams https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/zero-click-wormable-rce-vulnerability.html and https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/07/microsoft_teams_rce_flaw/
• Wormable Code Execution Flaw In Cisco Jabber and flawed patch https://packetstormsecurity.com/news/view/31843/Wormable-Code-Execution-Flaw-In-Cisco-Jabber-Is-Bad.html and https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/10/cisco_jabber_xss_rce_ntlm_hash_patches/
• New Injection Technique Exposes Data in PDFs https://www.securityweek.com/new-injection-technique-exposes-data-pdfs
• Zero-day in WordPress SMTP plugin abused to reset admin account passwords https://www.zdnet.com/article/zero-day-in-wordpress-smtp-plugin-abused-to-reset-admin-account-passwords
• Possible Code Execution Flaw in Apache Struts https://www.securityweek.com/possible-code-execution-flaw-apache-struts
• D-Link Routers at Risk for Remote Takeover from Zero-Day Flaws https://threatpost.com/d-link-routers-zero-day-flaws/162064/
• GE puts default password in radiology devices, leaving healthcare networks exposed https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/12/default-password-in-radiology-devices-leaves-healthcare-networks-open-to-attack/
• Siemens, Schneider Electric Address Serious Vulnerabilities in ICS Products https://www.securityweek.com/siemens-schneider-electric-address-serious-vulnerabilities-ics-products and https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2020/12/vulnerability-spotlight-remote-code.html
• Patch Tuesday, Good Riddance 2020 Edition https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/12/patch-tuesday-good-riddance-2020-edition/
• Bitter war of words erupts between UK cops and web security expert over alleged flaws in Cyberalarm monitoring tool https://www.databreaches.net/bitter-war-of-words-erupts-between-uk-cops-and-web-security-expert-over-alleged-flaws-in-cyberalarm-monitoring-tool/
• Valve's Steam Server Bugs Could've Let Hackers Hijack Online Games https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/valves-steam-server-bugs-couldve-let.html

Hacking / Malware / Cybercrime / Exploitation

News covering active trends, alerts, events.

• Trends, Alerts, and Events:

  • FireEye Says It Was Hacked by a Nation-State https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/08/technology/fireeye-hacked-russians.html and https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/12/fireeye-hacked.html
  • US Government Confirms Cyberattacks https://www.securityweek.com/us-government-confirms-cyberattack, https://www.databreachtoday.com/us-commerce-treasury-hit-in-network-intrusions-a-15584
  • SolarWinds admits product updates were subverted by nation state while FireEye warns exploit is rampant https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/14/solarwinds_fireeye_cozybear/

• Nation State Actors:

  • Hackers Breached Israeli Water Reservoir HMI System https://www.databreachtoday.com/hackers-breached-israeli-water-reservoir-hmi-system-a-15537
  • COVID-19 vaccine data has been unlawfully accessed in hack of EU regulator https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/12/hackers-unlawfully-access-data-related-to-promising-covid-19-vaccines/ and https://threatpost.com/pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-cyberattack/162170/
  • MoleRats APT Returns with Espionage Play Using Facebook, Dropbox https://threatpost.com/molerats-apt-espionage-facebook-dropbox/162162/
  • Russian APT28 Hackers Using COVID-19 as Bait to Deliver Zebrocy Malware https://thehackernews.com/2020/12/russian-apt28-hackers-using-covid-19-as.html
  • SideWinder APT Targets Nepal, Afghanistan in Wide-Ranging Spy Campaign https://threatpost.com/sidewinder-apt-nepal-afghanistan-spy-campaign/162086/
• CISA Warns of Increasing Cyberthreats to US K-12 Schools https://www.databreachtoday.com/cisa-warns-increasing-cyberthreats-to-us-k-12-schools-a-15580
• Ransomware gangs are getting faster at encrypting networks. That will make them harder to stop https://www.zdnet.com/article/ransomware-gangs-are-getting-faster-at-encrypting-networks-that-will-make-them-harder-to-stop/
• Most Victim Organizations Suffer Second Intrusion Within a Year https://www.databreaches.net/most-victim-organizations-suffer-second-intrusion-within-a-year/
• Phishing Campaign Targets 200M Microsoft 365 Accounts https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/phishing-campaign-targets-200m-microsoft-365-accounts/d/d-id/1339637
• 2020's worst cryptocurrency breaches, thefts, and exit scams https://www.zdnet.com/article/2020s-worst-cryptocurrency-breaches-thefts-and-exit-scams
• Investigating the Gootkit Loader https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/20/l/investigating-the-gootkit-loader.html

• Crime:

  • Rogue ex-Cisco employee who crippled WebEx conferences and cost Cisco millions gets two years in US prison https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/12/in_brief_security/
  • Federal Aviation Administration Employee Arrested for Using Confidential Information for Attempted Extortion Scheme https://www.databreaches.net/va-federal-aviation-administration-employee-arrested-for-using-confidential-information-for-attempted-extortion-scheme/
  • Individual Pleads Guilty to Participating in Internet-of-Things Cyberattack in 2016 https://www.databreaches.net/individual-pleads-guilty-to-participating-in-internet-of-things-cyberattack-in-2016/
  • British voyeur escapes US extradition over 770 cases of webcam malware https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/11/christopher_taylor_webcam_perv_extradition_case/

Other Security / Risk

Articles covering other types of risks.

• Why IT and Security Teams Do Not See Eye to Eye https://www.databreachtoday.com/it-security-teams-do-see-eye-to-eye-a-15541
• Artificial Intelligence Is Now Shockingly Good at Sounding Human https://www.scientificamerican.com/video/artificial-intelligence-is-now-shockingly-good-at-sounding-human/
• Zodiac Killer cipher is cracked after eluding sleuths for 51 years https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/12/zodiac-killer-cipher-is-cracked-after-eluding-sleuths-for-51-years/
• Google Chrome's crackdown on ad blockers and browser extensions https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/10/googles_browser_extension_platform_rewrite/
• With guns drawn, police raid home and seize computers of COVID-19 data whistleblower https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/7/22160181/rebekah-jones-raid-seizure-search-warrant-covid-19-whistleblower-florida
• Coronavirus Shows You May Not Be as Good at Detecting Misinformation as You Think https://www.sciencealert.com/coronavirus-reveals-you-may-not-be-as-good-at-detecting-misinformation-as-you-think
• (Bullet Missed) A huge eruption on the sun could interfere with power grids and GPS this week. The aurora may appear from Pennsylvania to Oregon https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eruption-storm-could-bring-aurora-to-northern-us-2020-12

• Health, Safety & Environment:

  • Clinical Trials of 'Universal' Flu Vaccine That Blocks Multiple Strains Show Promise https://www.sciencealert.com/early-clinical-trials-promise-a-universal-vaccine-that-blocks-multiple-flu-strains
  • Patients with non-cardiac chest pain are reassured with brief education https://scienmag.com/patients-with-non-cardiac-chest-pain-are-reassured-with-brief-education/
  • How clean is the air in your office? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55235252
  • Test your heart health by climbing stairs https://scienmag.com/test-your-heart-health-by-climbing-stairs/

COVID-19 updates.

COVID related articles. We have been following coronavirus risks since https://controlgap.com/blog/this-weeks-insecurity-issue-147.

• The spread, curves, spikes, and waves - now reinfection:

  • Record deaths in Germany and Russia https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/55273817
  • U.S. could see more coronavirus deaths per day than 9/11 for months https://globalnews.ca/news/7515674/coronavirus-deaths-us-9-11/
  • Canada’s coronavirus cases surpass 460K as first vaccine shipments arrive https://globalnews.ca/news/7519817/coronavirus-canada-update-dec-13/
  • Ontario reports 1,677 new coronavirus cases, 16 more deaths https://globalnews.ca/news/7519210/ontario-coronavirus-cases-december-13-covid19/
  • Quebec reports 40 additional COVID-19 deaths, 1,898 more cases https://globalnews.ca/news/7518406/quebec-covid-19-coronavirus-dec-12/
  • A medical conference held in late February in Boston may have caused up to 300K coronavirus infections https://www.businessinsider.com/february-medical-conference-caused-up-to-300000-covid-19-cases-2020-12
  • Whitby nursing home now reports almost 160 coronavirus cases, including 40 staff https://globalnews.ca/news/7507093/coronavirus-sunnycrest-nursing-home-whitby/
  • Hundreds of mink dead from COVID-19 on Fraser Valley farm in B.C. https://globalnews.ca/news/7518149/hundreds-of-mink-dead-from-covid-19-on-fraser-valley-farm-in-b-c/

• Guidance, Response and Recovery:

  • New Zealand and Australia agree on quarantine-free travel bubble https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-55298324
  • Canada-U.S. border closure extended to Jan. 21 as coronavirus cases soar, CBSA says https://globalnews.ca/news/7518359/coronavirus-canada-us-border-closure-extension/
  • York Region to enter lockdown zone in Ontario’s COVID-19 pandemic plan https://globalnews.ca/news/7515895/york-region-lockdown-grey-zone-ontario-coronavirus/
  • Pandemic has 1 in 4 Canadians thinking about switching careers https://globalnews.ca/news/7519633/covid-19-pandemic-has-1-in-4-canadians-thinking-about-switching-careers/

• Treatments, Testing, Triage, Trials, and things we Learned:

  • Five key genes linked to severe COVID-19 found, suggesting drug targets https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/five-key-genes-linked-to-severe-covid-19-found-suggesting-drug-targets-1.5227383
  • We Just Got Even More Evidence That Some Dogs Can Reliably Detect COVID-19 https://www.sciencealert.com/early-tests-show-dogs-have-some-ability-to-smell-covid-19-on-our-sweat
  • A saliva-based smartphone platform could rapidly expand COVID-19 testing https://scienmag.com/a-saliva-based-smartphone-platform-could-rapidly-expand-covid-19-testing/
  • Scientists Show How SARS-CoV-2 Causes Multiple Organ Failure in Experimental Mouse Model https://www.sciencealert.com/experimental-breakthrough-shows-how-sars-cov-2-causes-multiple-organ-failure-in-mice
  • In case you were wondering, the 1981 Spanish Flu ended in heard immunity https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/09/01/1918-flu-pandemic-end/
  • Children need not worry, Santa Claus granted travel exemption for Christmas in Ottawa https://globalnews.ca/news/7516291/coronavirus-ottawa-santa-claus/_Vaccines Progress:
  • Russia’s Sputnik coronavirus vaccine and alcohol don't mix https://nationalpost.com/news/world/an-unforeseen-problem-with-russias-sputnik-coronavirus-vaccine-stop-drinking-alcohol
  • How to Build Trust in the Vaccines https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/how-to-build-trust-vaccines/617367/
  • U.S. FDA approves Pfizer coronavirus vaccine https://globalnews.ca/news/7518069/us-approves-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine/
  • Canada approves Pfizer coronavirus vaccine https://globalnews.ca/news/7510755/pfizer-vaccine-approval-canada/
  • UK allergy warning over Pfizer jab https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55244122
  • No, there isn’t evidence that Pfizer’s vaccine causes infertility https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/technology/no-there-isnt-evidence-that-pfizers-vaccine-causes-infertility.html
  • Canada’s 1st batch of coronavirus vaccines have arrived https://globalnews.ca/news/7520018/canada-coronavirus-vaccine-1st-batch/
  • Australia has become the first country to abandon a vaccine attempt https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-australia-scrap-750m-project-false-hiv-test-results-2020-12
  • Welcome to Vaccine Purgatory https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2020/12/the-next-six-months-will-be-vaccine-purgatory/617373/
  • Deaths rise along with vaccine hopes as Canada faces grim coronavirus winter https://globalnews.ca/news/7517817/canada-coronavirus-cases-dec-11/

• Vaccine Passports:

  • Proof of vaccination wades into ‘murky territory’ ethically, experts say https://globalnews.ca/news/7510650/coronavirus-proof-of-vaccination-ethics-experts/
  • Issues may arise if employers ask employees if they’re vaccinated https://globalnews.ca/news/7517468/coronavirus-issues-employers-ask-employees-vaccinated-ipc/
  • Ontario to provide proof of COVID vaccination, those without it may face restrictions https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/12/08/ontario-to-provide-proof-of-covid-vaccination-those-without-it-may-face-restrictions/
  • Vaccinated? Show Us Your App https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/technology/coronavirus-vaccine-apps.html

• Masks, anti-maskers, distancing, compliance, and repercussions:

  • The mask-wearing US city that bucked the trend https://www.bbc.com/news/55216518
  • What Motivates COVID Rule Breakers? https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-motivates-covid-rule-breakers/
  • Man fined $3,500 for breaking Taiwan coronavirus quarantine for 8 seconds https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/07/asia/taiwan-quarantine-fine-scli-intl/index.html
  • Regina police ready to enforce public health orders at anti-mask rally https://globalnews.ca/news/7518519/regina-police-enforce-public-health-orders-anti-mask-rally/
  • Cambridge gym, Waterloo restaurant fined for not following COVID-19 rules https://globalnews.ca/news/7517166/cambridge-waterloo-coronavirus-violation-fines/
  • Europol Warns of COVID-19 Vaccine Crime Gangs https://www.databreachtoday.com/europol-warns-covid-19-vaccine-crime-gangs-a-15536

Off-Topic / Science & Tech / Lighter Side

A variety of scientific, technical, historical, and more light-hearted news.

• Scientists Just Set a New World Record in Solar Cell Efficiency https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-just-beat-another-solar-cell-efficiency-world-record
• New African Potato Resists The Same Disease That Caused The Irish Potato Famine https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-create-a-new-potato-with-complete-resistance-to-a-disastrous-disease
• Chuck Yeager: First pilot to fly supersonic dies aged 97 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55225903
• SpaceX Mars rocket launches successfully, explodes upon landing https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/spacex-starship-1.5832868
• If We Used the Sun as a Gravitational Lens Telescope, This is What a Planet at Proxima Centauri Would Look Like https://www.universetoday.com/149214/if-we-used-the-sun-as-a-gravitational-lens-telescope-this-is-what-a-planet-at-proxima-centauri-would-look-like/
• Does Planet Nine exist? An alien world 300 light years away gives hope https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/does-planet-nine-exist-an-alien-world-300-light-years-away-gives-hope
• Physicists Give Schrodinger's Cat a Cheshire Grin https://www.sciencealert.com/schrodinger-s-cat-gets-a-cheshire-grin-in-a-mind-bending-quantum-physics-analysis
• This Teen's Brilliantly Simple Explainer on Quantum Mechanics Just Won a Global Prize https://www.sciencealert.com/17-year-old-wins-global-science-prize-for-brilliant-explainer-on-quantum-mechanics
• Dogs Probably Don't Understand Us as Well as We Think https://www.sciencealert.com/dogs-may-not-actually-understand-us-as-much-we-think-brain-scans-reveal
• Weird grammar rule that most people who were brought up speaking English know but aren't aware of (older) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/13/sentence-order-adjectives-rule-elements-of-eloquence-dictionary