I.
Aircraft communications are susceptible to interception, interference, spoofing, and jamming. A new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, published earlier this week, says the Federal Aviation Administration “may not have sufficient information to identify, prioritize, and respond to” such threats. The report makes nine recommendations to improve security, which the FAA says it agrees with.
II.
At the DEF CON security conference in 2025, Andrew Logan highlighted how AI can be used to impersonate air traffic controllers and issue false clearance commands. It’s unclear if the recommendations from the GAO are related to his presentation, though they’re likely aware of it.
III.
Austin Tice, a U.S. Marine turned war correspondent, was abducted in Syria in 2012. He has yet to be found. A YouTube video published that same year shows Tice bound, blindfolded, and surrounded by armed men. Journalists and researchers have tried to geolocate the video for years — and they’ve now succeeded. Here’s an incredible step-by-step thread on X from Thomas Bordeaux with CNN. This week’s podcast episode of “Where is Austin Tice?” covers the video in more detail.
IV.
In last week’s newsletter, I noted that “most people likely don’t consider that other humans can read their [AI] chats” and there’s a “need for user awareness and control.” I’m thrilled to see that Andy Greenberg has written a guide for WIRED on how to use AI with your privacy intact.