Month: August 2016

Risk Grows As Climate Change Drives Extreme Weather

Scientists agree that there is growing evidence that climate change is driving people from their homes.  Dozens were killed and more than 100,000 homes were damaged in flooding in Louisiana and 82,000 people were evacuated in San Bernardino County just in the past few weeks.  According to the Washington Post,

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New Technology Could Help Combat Wildfires

With the threat of wildfires on the rise in California, firefighters are overhauling basic firefighting equipment to get ahead. Sam Wu, Project Leader with the San Dimas Technology and Development Center, told KPCC Southern California Public Radio that his team is working to make sure firefighters have the most up-to-date

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Cloud controlled solar panels pose a hacking risk

Installing solar panels on your home seems like a great way to save on the electricity bill, but it could also open your home up to hackers. Researcher Frederic Bret-Mounet is sounding the alarm about solar’s potential pitfalls at the computer security industry’s top hacking conferences. Bret-Mounet hacked his own solar panels,

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Judge Says State Farm Should Issue Premium Refunds

California customers were charged excessive premiums for rental and home insurance policies by State Farm a judge ruled, recommending millions in refunds. Consumer advocacy groups challenged State Farm’s proposed 7 percent rate increase, which the insurance giant said was needed to cover new risks from wildfires. Administrative Law Judge John

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Experts Call on Auto Industry to Take Car Hacking Seriously

The hackers who stopped a Jeep remotely are back proving more of today’s vehicles have security vulnerabilities. This time, cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek hijacked the steering and brake systems by plugging into the car’s electronic system. What the researchers have done is difficult, but they believe car

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Are you covered for the sharing economy? Likely no

Uber and Airbnb have emerged as the leaders of the sharing economy.  More people than ever are branching away from traditional hospitality services such as hotels or taxis. Instead, consumers are opting for cheaper home or ride sharing services.  But peer-to-peer sharing companies are not sharing the risk. Instead, they

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