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OPM details expectations for new RIF rules

After a final rule upending the RIF process took full effect, performance will now be the top priority, with seniority and tenure serving as tiebreakers.

Β© AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

Anthropic Says Claude Used in Possible Bioweapon Research

11 September 2026 at 12:11

Anthropic says researchers used Claude for biological work that could support weapons development, exposing new challenges for AI safeguards.

The post Anthropic Says Claude Used in Possible Bioweapon Research appeared first on TechRepublic.

Anthropic Says Claude Used in Possible Bioweapon Research

11 September 2026 at 12:11

Anthropic says researchers used Claude for biological work that could support weapons development, exposing new challenges for AI safeguards.

The post Anthropic Says Claude Used in Possible Bioweapon Research appeared first on TechRepublic.

Amazon’s new board member is a cybersecurity founder who sold his last company to Google for $5.4B

9 September 2026 at 19:09
New Amazon board member Kevin Mandia.
New Amazon board member Kevin Mandia is a cybersecurity veteran. (Photo via Amazon)

Amazon named cybersecurity veteran Kevin Mandia to its board of directors, adding new security expertise a few months after former NSA director Keith Alexander stepped down.

Mandia founded Mandiant, the breach-investigation firm Google acquired for $5.4 billion in 2022, and remained at the search giant as a strategic advisor through July 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile. He now leads Armadin, an AI security startup he started last year.

Amazon said in its announcement that β€œcybersecurity is one of the most consequential risks and responsibilities organizations face today, and the threat landscape continues to evolve rapidly alongside advances in AI.”

Amazon added a cybersecurity specialist to its board in 2020, when it elected Alexander, who also led U.S. Cyber Command. Mandia comes from the other side of the field, with two decades spent investigating corporate breaches rather than defending government networks.

His appointment also puts an AI security entrepreneur on the board of a company whose cloud infrastructure underpins much of the internet. Armadin, founded in September 2025, uses AI to run attacks against corporate networks, probing defenses the way an intruder would.

The board’s Security Committee, which oversees Amazon’s cybersecurity policies and its response to significant cyber incidents, is now chaired by Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. Mandia joins as a member, along with former Bridgewater co-CEO Jon Rubinstein.

Amazon also named Mandia to the board’s Audit Committee, according to a securities filing.

Mandia received 4,086 restricted stock units in connection with his election to the board, vesting in three equal annual installments beginning Nov. 15, 2027, the filing shows. The shares were worth about $1.03 million at Amazon’s closing price Wednesday.

The filing disclosed that his sister-in-law, Kristin Mandia, is an Amazon employee with an annual salary of $185,000. The company said her compensation is consistent with that of other employees at her level with similar responsibilities.

Government is very good at preventing mistakes, but what if that comes at the expense of actually solving problems?

"Somewhere along the way we've lost the tolerance for federal workers to make a mistake when they're trying to do the best job that they can," said Rob Shriver.

Β© Getty Images/Rawf8

Stone colonnade and stairs detail. Classical pillars row in a building facade

Australia Proposes to Make Social Media Algorithms Optional

8 September 2026 at 13:52

Australia plans to let social media users choose algorithmic or follow-only feeds under new digital safety rules targeting platform design and control.

The post Australia Proposes to Make Social Media Algorithms Optional appeared first on TechRepublic.

Australia Proposes to Make Social Media Algorithms Optional

8 September 2026 at 13:52

Australia plans to let social media users choose algorithmic or follow-only feeds under new digital safety rules targeting platform design and control.

The post Australia Proposes to Make Social Media Algorithms Optional appeared first on TechRepublic.

Aave Governance Weighs Emergency Freeze Powers For Active Exploits

7 September 2026 at 20:30

Aave governance is considering an emergency Guardian powers proposal that would allow vulnerable lending pools to be frozen quickly during active security threats, without requiring immediate public write-ups.

It is a slightly uncomfortable proposal, and that is exactly why it matters.

On one hand, DeFi users want transparency. On the other hand, publishing too much detail during an active exploit can hand attackers a roadmap. Aave contributors are trying to solve that tension: how do you act fast enough to protect users without making governance feel opaque?

The proposal does not allow guardians to seize user funds or liquidate deposits. It is about emergency freeze powers.

For more details, visit the official Governance platform.

TL;DR

  • Aave governance is discussing emergency Guardian freeze tools.
  • The proposal would allow faster response during active exploit situations.
  • It does not give guardians power to seize deposits.

Why Emergency Tools Matter In DeFi

DeFi moves fast when things go wrong.

A bug, oracle issue, bad debt event, or market manipulation attack can escalate in minutes. Waiting for a full public governance process is not always realistic when funds are at risk.

That is why many large protocols use emergency roles.

These roles are supposed to pause, freeze, or limit certain functions while the team or DAO investigates. The difficult part is designing those powers so they are strong enough to protect users, but narrow enough that they cannot be abused.

Aave’s proposal sits right in that design problem.

Transparency Versus Security

The public-notice question is the most interesting part.

In normal conditions, users should expect clear explanations. If a market is frozen, people want to know why. They want to understand whether their funds are safe and when normal operations may resume.

During an active exploit, though, immediate disclosure can be dangerous.

If the issue is not fully contained, a public write-up may expose technical details that help attackers move faster. That is the argument behind delaying some disclosures until the threat is under control.

It is not an easy trade-off.

Aave Has To Protect A Large System

Aave is one of DeFi’s core lending protocols.

That means its risk controls matter beyond one market. Aave deployments sit across multiple chains and assets, with users relying on the protocol for borrowing, lending, collateral management, and liquidity.

Emergency response is not a side issue.

It is part of the protocol’s safety design. If governance cannot respond quickly enough, users can suffer. If emergency powers are too broad, users may worry about centralization.

Finding the middle ground is the hard part.

What The Proposal Does Not Do

The proposal should not be exaggerated.

It does not mean Aave guardians can take user funds. It does not mean deposits can be seized. It does not mean liquidations can be manually forced outside protocol rules.

The proposal is about freezing vulnerable markets during emergencies.

That distinction is important because β€œemergency powers” can sound scarier than the actual mechanism.

The DeFi Governance Lesson

Aave’s discussion shows how mature DeFi protocols are thinking about crisis management.

Early DeFi loved pure automation. Over time, protocols learned that some emergency controls may be necessary, especially when billions of dollars are at stake. The question is how to make those controls accountable.

The best version of this proposal would protect users during live threats while preserving post-incident transparency.

That is the balance Aave governance now has to debate.

This article draws on Aave governance materials relating to the emergency Guardian powers proposal.

This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.

This report is based on information released by Governance. at Governance

On 9/11, recall the patriots in 400 towers

By: Tom Temin
7 September 2026 at 14:31
Attack by air ironically showed the resilience of the air traffic control system, plus the skill and nerves of people who landed a million passengers safely.

Β© The Associated Press

In this March 16, 2017 photo, air traffic controllers work in the tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. President Donald Trump is looking to shift responsibility for the system from the government to a private, nonprofit corporation run by airlines and other aviation interests. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

G20 Backs U.S. Push to Avoid New AI Regulators

4 September 2026 at 09:23

G20 members backed a U.S.-led approach favoring existing regulators over new AI watchdogs, but major differences over oversight and safety remain.

The post G20 Backs U.S. Push to Avoid New AI Regulators appeared first on TechRepublic.

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