June 25, 2021
Security: My Book Live Users Wake Up to Wiped Devices
Threatpost
If you haven’t already, stop reading and go yank your My Book Live storage device offline, lest you join the ranks of those who woke up on Thursday to find that years of data had been wiped clean on devices around the world.

Western Digital’s My Book storage device is designed for consumers and businesses. It typically plugs into computers via USB. The specific model involved in the data-demolition incident is known as My Book Live: a model that uses an Ethernet cable to connect to a local network. Users can remotely access files and make configuration changes through Western Digital’s cloud infrastructure. Read more
Healthcare IT: Could Telehealth Worsen Inequity? 'Not Under My Watch,' Says HHS Sec. Becerra
Healthcare IT News
In recent public appearances, U.S. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and VA Secretary Denis McDonough both indicated their support for telemedicine in the long term.  

Even as states have moved to enact their own laws aimed at telehealth expansion, questions have persisted about a federal response.  

"We are absolutely supportive of efforts to give us the authority to be able to utilize telehealth in greater ways," said Becerra during a Washington Post live event earlier this week.  "We want to make sure that we don't leave anyone behind … so that telehealth should be available to all Americans universally." Read More
Homeland Security: Reimagining and Rebuilding America’s Energy Grid
Homeland Security Today
As we reimagine and rebuild America to prepare for a net-zero future, a modernized electricity grid is a critical component to increasing resiliency in our most essential services and infrastructure. Strengthening the electric grid will lessen disruptions caused by malicious actors, reduce power outages in homes across America, and help lower energy bills for all Americans by moving cheaper, cleaner electricity to where it is needed most.

The U.S. electric grid is made up of more than just power plants. It includes transmission lines designed to transport energy over long distances, and distribution systems that carry electricity to the individual customer. It is a complex network of asset owners, manufacturers, service providers, and government officials at the federal, state, and local levels, all working together to provide reliable, resilient, and secure electricity. Read More
Transportation: Technology is Changing Transportation, but the NTSB is Focused on Safety
Washington Post
Not many high school seniors may be inspired to take flying lessons after visiting the scene of a plane crash, or spend their free time in college combing through accident reports by NTSB investigators. But Robert L. Sumwalt, who is stepping down as NTSB chairman at the end of this month, said he became curious at a young age about how such systems operate and what could be done to make them safer.

Sumwalt, a former airline pilot, was appointed to the NTSB in 2006 by President George W. Bush.

In an interview reflecting on his tenure,... he said the agency must stay on top of new technology, including self-driving cars, to ensure they are safe for the public. Read More
Human Resources: Quits Rate Reaching Record High in 2021, BLS Data Shows
HR Dive
Burnout may be the main culprit causing workers to quit their jobs, according to experts. A 2021 study by BambooHR found that about eight in 10 remote workers said their career development has been negatively affected over the past year. The top two factors cited were burnout (25%) and the task of re-negotiating work-life balance (25%).

Executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas underscored in its June 2021 press release how remote and non-remote workers have burnout-related reasons to quit. Those who could work from home were forced to overhaul their workflow. In turn, in-person employees had no choice but to toil in unsafe work conditions every shift. Read More
Business & Technology: What is Digital Transformation? A Necessary Disruption
CIO
Already a key strategic initiative, digital transformation — a catchall term for describing the implementation of new technologies, talent, and processes to improve business operations and satisfy customers — has taken on heightened importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Companies’ adoption of digital technologies has sped up by three to seven years in just months, with companies accelerating efforts for fear of being outflanked by competitors, according to Laura Laberge, McKinsey director of capabilities for digital strategy. Indeed, what was once viewed as best-in-class speed for most business cases just a few years ago is now slower than average. Read More