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NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson announced a 12-month review that aims to prioritize how the service conducts research for the future.

“Today, I am announcing a 12-month effort to conduct a broad review and revision of our science and technology strategy,” Wilson told audiences during a speech at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference.

“It will define our highest research priorities, to be sure, but it will also help us strengthen new relationships between our Air Force and the science community, our universities, and our industry partners,” she said.

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Wilson didn’t detail any specific programs or research areas. The Air Force Research Laboratory, for example, studies everything from lasers to stealth technology in hopes of developing potential future defense applications.

The secretary said her goal is to simultaneously strengthen partnerships between American universities and the service on basic and applied research, especially given the U.S. finds itself “at a time when federal research funding may be uncertain.”

Making her AFA debut as service secretary — the first military secretary to be confirmed in the Trump administration — Wilson said the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, will lead the review alongside the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and the National Academies of Science and Engineering.

“We will listen broadly and engage those who are on the cutting edge of science so we can focus on research efforts on the pathways that are vital to our future as a service,” she said.

It is time for the Air Force “to be the sponsor of choice for research scientists,” Wilson said, referencing next-generation engineering as the Pentagon begins to look at next best platforms, aircraft and weapons systems for a potential high-end fight.

The push for more research development comes as the Air Force wants to boost funding for next-generation technologies, such as a potential sixth-generation fighter.

The service’s fiscal 2018 budget request released in May included $25.4 billion for research, development, test and evaluation programs — an increase of $5 billion, or 26 percent, from the current year, according to budget documents.

Innovation has always been rooted in the Air Force’s vision, Wilson said.

She said she and an aide had made a relevant discovery this week, as she was moving items around in her office at the Pentagon.

Her military aide discovered in an old desk a memo written by Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold, the first and only leader to hold the position General of the Air Force. The memo, dated Dec. 6, 1945, was addressed to Arnold’s successor and first Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Carl A. Spaatz.

Wilson reminded the audience that Arnold was also an innovator.

“A large part of [his] memo had to do with research and science and innovation,” she said.

Citing Arnold’s stark reminder that the Air Force must get more out of science and research programs in order to stay ahead, Wilson said, “From time to time, it is important to refresh our science and technology strategy, to step back from the programs and problems of today, and project 10 or 20 years into the future.”

via Defensetech
Air Force to Poll Researchers ‘On the Cutting Edge of Science’ in Review

Swords are cool. Who doesn’t like swords? They are big knifey things that slash and stab and whatnot! But more people like swords than own them… especially when it comes to kids. But this little girl reportedly bucked the trend by finding a magnificent sword in Dozmary Pool — the very body of water into which King Arthur’s Excalibur was thrown, according to legend.

Seven-year-old Matilda Jones, from Norton, Doncaster, England, spotted the sword as it lay flat on the bottom of the lake, as she waded waist-deep in the pool. Her father didn’t believe her until he saw it for himself.

‘I told her not to be silly and it was probably a bit of fencing, but when I looked down I realised it was a sword. It was just there laying flat on the bottom of the lake.’

Matilda’s father had told her and her younger sister about the King Arthur legend during their drive to the lake.

Dozmary Pool has numerous Arthurian connections:

It is… the home of the Lady of the Lake and is where a young Arthur rowed out to claim the mighty Excalibur.

…

Folklore has it that Dozmary Pool is where Excalibur was thrown by Sir Bedivere after the Battle of Camlann and Arthur’s death.

According to local tradition after three attempts to relinquish the sword, Sir Bedivere finally managed to comply with King Arthur’s wish and threw it into the lake, an arm rose from the surface, caught the sword and vanished back into the water.

Theoretically, someone may have flung this sword into the lake in order to reenact Sir Bedivere’s legendary toss.

This is no small sword — it’s as long as its discoverer is tall!

‘The sword is 4ft long – exactly Matilda’s height,’ added Paul. ‘I don’t think it’s particularly old about 20 or 30 years old. It’s probably an old film prop.’

At the end of their six-day holiday the family brought the sword home and Matilda and Lois are enjoying telling all her family and friends about her discovery.

I have found a lot of cool stuff, but never a sword. Unless a machete counts…?

The post Excalibur Found? Schoolgirl Finds Sword in Dozmary Pool. appeared first on AllOutdoor.com.

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Excalibur Found? Schoolgirl Finds Sword in Dozmary Pool.

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Today’s cotton candy is made by heating and spinning sugar using a motor. Eater host Clifford Endo is here to show you how to make it the old fashioned way, using a technique similar to noodles, hand-pulling inverted sugar to make thousands of hair-thin sugar strands.

via The Awesomer
DIY Dragon’s Beard Cotton Candy

Cybersecurity is a major concern no matter what size or type of business you are running, but most people just aren’t doing enough. We don’t tend to think about information security until it is too late – after a breach has already occurred. And those breaches can be costly, often putting small businesses completely out of business within a few months in some instances. Many large corporations have recommended practices in place that should stave off most attacks, but unfortunately since humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity chain ultimately breaches are going to happen no matter how well prepared your company is. The new preferred model for cybersecurity is the zero trust model with network segmentation.

What Is Zero Trust?

In the old way of doing cybersecurity, gaining access to a network was as simple as putting in your username and password. Once you were in, you were in, and you pretty much had access to everything once you were inside. A username and password granted you trusted access to the network. Unfortunately this model has some pretty obvious vulnerabilities – hackers only need to gain access to login data, and that has turned out to be pretty easy to do through social engineering.

In the zero trust model, everyone is assumed to be a hacker. Login info will get you into the front door, but there are many more doors inside once you get there thanks to network segmentation. Activity logs are inspected regularly, sometimes even in real time, to detect any threats as quickly as possible. Employees only have access to what they absolutely need, which leaves fewer open doors for hackers to exploit once they do break into a network. And traffic is monitored so that suspicious activity can be detected quickly and threats eliminated before they do serious damage.

Even the Department of Homeland Security recommends zero-trust segmented networks. Among their recommendations:
Design network segments around need-to-know and zero trust principles
Ensure that sensitive information is segmented, even from other sensitive information
Layer security measures so each segment has its own requirements for access

How Much Do Data Breaches Cost, Anyway?

According to Hackerpocalypse: A Cybercrime Revelation from Cybersecurity Ventures:
“Cybersecurity Ventures predicts global annual cybercrime costs will grow from $3 trillion in 2015 to $6 trillion annually by 2021, which includes damage and destruction of data, stolen money, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property, theft of personal and financial data, embezzlement, fraud, post-attack disruption to the normal course of business, forensic investigation, restoration and deletion of hacked data and systems, and reputational harm.”

The individual cost of cleaning up breached records varies by company and by industry. Retail breaches, which are often the most publicized type of breaches because they affect vast numbers of consumers at once, cost millions of dollars per incident to clean up. They also cost the retail outlet in lost sales and reputational damage. But even small data breaches that happen to small businesses that only cost in the tens of thousands to clean up can put a company out of business. After all, how many small businesses have tens of thousands of dollars they aren’t using to put toward cleaning up a data breach?

How To Implement Zero Trust Segmented Networks

Even if you don’t have a large corporation with an information security team and a network architecture specialist there are still ways to get the needed security measures to protect your small business.
Software can automate some security needs
Next generation firewalls can provide greater security
BYOD and password hygiene policies can go a long way
Security consultants often specialize in working with small businesses to find infosec solutions
SaaS and NaaS providers can give your business the same level of security as large corporations

Don’t Let Infosec Get Away From You

Doing something about your company’s information security before it’s too late is crucial if you want to stay in business. Hackers are always looking for vulnerabilities to exploit, so the time to act to make your network safer is now. You are the weakest link and hackers know that. Don’t let them destroy your businesses by not acting to protect it. Learn more about zero trust network segmentation http://ift.tt/2uQZ1uj from this infographic!

The post Using Zero Trust Network Segmentation To Protect Your Business From Hackers appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

via Dumb Little Man – Tips for Life
Using Zero Trust Network Segmentation To Protect Your Business From Hackers

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GoldPointProps walks us through the process of creating an incredible replica of the Dark Lord’s infamous head gear using sheet metal, bending tools, tin snips, an arc welder, a Dremel, and a heaping helping of elbow grease.

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Building a Metal Darth Vader Helmet

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Days after Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc across the Caribbean and several U.S. states, government officials and residents are beginning to assess the widespread damage, pick up the pieces, and figure out their next steps. For some Caribbean islands, like Saint Martin, the destruction is nearly total, with evacuations underway as officials try to rebuild basic infrastructure. FEMA reports that 25 percent of all homes in the Florida Keys were destroyed, while 65 percent were significantly damaged.

via In Focus
The Wreckage Left in Irma’s Path Across the Caribbean and Southeastern U.S. (35 photos)