By aggregating vast quantities of data and uncovering subtle patterns, AI can reduce the cognitive burden on human cyber professionals and help create more resilient organizations. Cyber threats have long tested the resilience of organizations around the world, but the growing shift to virtual ways of working is dramatically altering the threat landscape, with the potential for greater risks than ever. Increasingly, AI can provide valuable assistance, not only in the race to detect new threats or the spread of new diseases, but also to uncover threat actors and criminal groups taking maximum advantage of the situation to target cyber vulnerabilities, according to Deborah Golden, U.S. cyber practice leader at Deloitte & Touche LLP. "Cyber is everywhere, and the gap in cyber talent remains a challenge," Golden said. "Adversaries can try thousands of times to attack any one cyber vulnerability, but they only need to be right once; in the fight against these threats, organizations need to be right every single time. Now, with so many people working remotely, many for the first time, the risks to data, systems, and networks are further compounded."

Faced with a congressional mandate to test its GPS system for cyber vulnerabilities, the Air Force commissioned a digital replica of the satellites and then asked contractors to hack the system. The use of "digital twins" is expanding from modelling in conventional simulators to include testing of emerging technologies and systems, predicting engine performance, or training automated systems to fly a plane. With GPS, Booz Allen Hamilton built the SatSim twin for Lockheed Martin's Block IIR GPS satellite for the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), in El Segundo, Calif. "The satellite itself was on orbit," BAH Vice President Kevin Coggins told Air Force Magazine. "So we built this digital model … and then we went looking for vulnerabilities. We did [penetration] testing and we saw what we could discover."

The U.S. Army ordered units to halt the use of DJI drones, it was revealed last week, but officials still won't say why it banned the company's products. DJI told International Business Times it reached out to officials about the direction to discontinue the use of its drones, but the U.S. army did not respond to them. "The US Army has not explained why it suddenly banned the use of DJI drones and components, what'cyber vulnerabilities' it is concerned about, or whether it has also excluded drones made by other manufacturers," DJI said. In a letter obtained by sUAS News, the U.S. Army Research Lab and U.S. Navy found there were operational risks associated with DJI products. The memo cited a classified report, "DJI UAS Technology Threat and User Vulnerabilities," and a U.S. Navy memo, "Operational Risks with Regards to DJI Family of Products."

The US Army has increasingly used small consumer drones in the field, purchasing them as needed from consumer manufacturers like the well-known Chinese maker DJI. But documents indicate that the Army Aviation Directorate is now enforcing new orders, banning DJI drones "due to increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities associated with DJI products." The documents, first obtained by Small UAS News, don't explain the Army's security concern, but refer to classified studies about DJI drones that first went out at the end of May. Previously, hackers have been able to jailbreak some DJI drones to control and modify things like safety features on the devices. Some reports have also indicated that DJI can gather location, audio, and even visual data from user flights. It's unclear what data DJI can access without customer consent, but location and media data from an Army drone could potentially reveal extensive information about US military operations.

NEW YORK – The U.S. Army has ordered its members to stop using drones made by the Chinese manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. because of "cyber vulnerabilities" in the products. An Aug. 2 army memo posted online and verified by Reuters applies to all DJI drones and systems that use DJI components or software. It requires service members to "cease all use, uninstall all DJI applications, remove all batteries/storage media and secure equipment for follow-on direction." The memo says DJI drones are the most widely used by the army among off-the-shelf equipment of that type. DJI said in a statement that it was "surprised and disappointed" at the army's "unprompted restriction on DJI drones as we were not consulted during their decision."

The U.S. Army has ordered units to cease the use of DJI drones, according to a memo obtained by sUAS News. The letter, dated this week, said the U.S. Army Research Lab and U.S. Navy found there were operational risks linked to DJI equipments. Officials cited a classified report called "DJI UAS Technology Threat and User Vulnerabilities," as well as a U.S. Navy memorandum called "Operational Risks with Regards to DJI Family of Products." The report and the memo were both dated May 2017, which suggests officials have been looking into this for a while. In the letter, the U.S. Army's Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson said: "DJI Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] products are the most widely used non-program of record commercial off-the-shelf UAS employed by the Army. The Army Aviation Engineering Directorate has issued over 300 separate Airworthiness Releases for DJI products in support of multiple organisations with a variety of mission sets. Due to increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities associated with DJI products, it is directed that the US Army halt use of all DJI products."

According to a memo obtained by sUAS News, the US Army will stop using DJI drones, effective immediately. "Due to increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities associated with DJI products, it is directed that the US Army halt use of all DJI products," said the memo, which listed flight computers, cameras, radios, batteries, speed controllers, GPS units, handheld control stations and any device with DJI software applications installed on it as products that must cease being used. According to the document, the Army Aviation Engineering Directorate has issued over 300 Airworthiness Releases for DJI products. "Cease all use, uninstall all DJI applications, remove all batteries/storage media from devices, and secure equipment for follow on direction," the memo continued. The memo cites a report from the Army Research Laboratory and a memo from the US Navy, both compiled in May, that reference operational risks and vulnerabilities with DJI products.

A drone flies May 11, 2017, in the showroom of the DJI headquarters in Shenzhen, China. A Chinese company that is the world's largest drone manufacturer said Friday it is "surprised and disappointed" by reports the U.S. Army has halted use of its remote-controlled aircraft because of cyber vulnerabilities. An Army memo Wednesday, obtained by sUASnews.com The memo from Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, the deputy chief of staff, cited possible threats from any DJI electrical components, software, cameras, radios, GPS units or handheld controllers, the publications reported. It ordered U.S. Army personnel to uninstall all DJI applications and remove all batteries and media storage devices.

The topic of "artificial intelligence" has recently brought a confluence of nationally significant announcements. In September, Stanford University released its One Hundred Year Study on Artificial Intelligence, which was quickly followed by the announcement in early October that five firms -- Amazon, DeepMind of Google, Facebook, IBM, and Microsoft -- have formed a nonprofit named the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society (Partnership on AI). A week after the Partnership on AI announced its formation, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), which is overseen by the Executive Office of the President, released Preparing for the Future of Artificial Intelligence. For the release of the Stanford and the NSTC reports, perhaps, but the formation of the Partnership on AI is no coincidence. The members of the Partnership on AI realize the marketplace is at an important "tipping point" when it comes to the increasing utilization of AI in the U.S. AI is already used in automobiles to enable enhanced driving safety features and GPS services, in smartphone apps, and in wearable medical device -- to name just a few examples.