California Governor Vetoes New AI Safety Bill - 1

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California Governor Vetoes New AI Safety Bill

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • California Governor Gavin Newsom shared a public statement vetoing SB 1047
  • Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi agreed with Newsom
  • Scott Wiener, State Senator and author of SB 1047, considered the veto a setback

Gavin Newsom, California Governor, vetoed the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act (SB 1047), a new AI safety bill approved by the State Assembly a few weeks ago.

The AI safety bill had gone through multiple amendments and sparked big debates among tech giants as it would obligate tech companies to comply with safety measures and requirements to develop AI technologies.

While large companies and relevant figures in the industry like Elon Musk supported SB 1047 , other tech giants like Google, Meta, and OpenAI opposed it.

“I am returning Senate Bill 1047 without my signature,” said Newsom in a public statement yesterday. “While well-intentioned, SB 1047 does not take into account whether an AI system is deployed in high-risk environments, involves critical decision-making, or the use of sensitive data.”

The governor criticized the bill for affecting mostly companies developing large-scale models when, according to his statement, small AI models can also have a big impact on society, and for its lack of “empirical evidence.”

According to TechCrunch , Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi also opposed the bill and applauded Newsom “for recognizing the opportunity and responsibility we all share to enable small entrepreneurs and academia – not big tech – to dominate.”

State Senator Scott Wiener, author of SB 1047, also shared his public statement after Newson vetoed the bill on X : “This veto is a setback for everyone who believes in oversight of massive corporations that are making critical decisions that affect the safety and welfare of the public and the future of the planet.”

Wiener considered the veto a “missed opportunity for California to once again lead on innovative tech regulation,” but assured that they would continue to address AI safety: “We are not going anywhere.”

Kia’s Security Flaw Lets Hackers Seize Control Of Vehicles Using License Plates - 2

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Kia’s Security Flaw Lets Hackers Seize Control Of Vehicles Using License Plates

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Vulnerability discovered in Kia’s systems exposes millions to potential hacking risks.
  • License plate access lets hackers control key functions, including unlocking doors.
  • Kia’s fix for the vulnerability remains incomplete, allowing ongoing security issues.

A recent investigation has uncovered a security vulnerability in Kia’s internet-connected systems, exposing millions of vehicles to potential hacking.

Independent security researchers discovered that by having a Kia vehicle’s license plate, one could hack into the car and gain unauthorized control over key functions, such as unlocking doors, tracking location, and even starting the ignition—in just seconds.

The researchers, who previously identified similar vulnerabilities across various automakers, alerted Kia to this issue in June. Although the company implemented a fix, it appears the problem has not been fully resolved.

“The more we’ve looked into this, the more it became very obvious that web security for vehicles is very poor,” said Neiko Rivera, one of the researchers involved in the discovery, as reported by WIRED .

During their investigation, the researchers found a vulnerability in a web portal operated by Kia. This flaw allowed them to take control of the internet-connected features in most modern Kia vehicles.

The affected models represent millions of cars on the road. By exploiting this vulnerability, the researchers could transfer control from the vehicle owner’s smartphone to their own devices.

According to Sam Curry, another member of the research team, this flaw could enable a hacker to monitor a person’s movements.

“If someone cut you off in traffic, you could scan their license plate and then know where they were whenever you wanted and break into their car,” Curry told WIRED.

“If we hadn’t brought this to Kia’s attention, anybody who could query someone’s license plate could essentially stalk them.”

The researchers tested their method on various Kia vehicles, including rentals and cars on dealer lots, confirming its effectiveness across the board.

To illustrate how easily these vulnerabilities could be exploited, the researchers created a user-friendly dashboard.

This tool allowed users to input a license plate number and retrieve the owner’s personal information, demonstrating how an attacker could take over a vehicle and exert control.

The dashboard included a form that converted the license plate number into the vehicle identification number (VIN). A “Takeover” button executed a series of steps to gain access to the vehicle.

Additionally, another button displayed the owner’s personal information. Finally, a “Garage” tab enabled the attacker to execute commands on the compromised vehicles.

WIRED highlights that the numerous vulnerabilities in car manufacturers’ websites, which enable remote control of vehicles, stem from a push to attract consumers with smartphone-enabled features.

Stefan Savage, a computer science professor at UC San Diego, emphasizes that the integration of these features heightens security risks, as noted by WIRED.