Want to slow the response to a terrorist attack? Knock out communications.

NY: Sheriffs warn of hackers after brute force attack

Joe Mahoney reports:

In a recent incident that officials say illustrates the vulnerability of local government computer networks, the communications system of an upstate New York police agency was disrupted by a hacking attack.

The Schuyler County Sheriff’s Department, headquartered in Watkins Glen, had to get support from surrounding counties after the hacking temporarily crippled its 911 emergency system and ability to dispatch deputies to calls, said Peter Kehoe, director of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association.

[…]

A memo circulated by Schuyler County Sheriff William Yessman Jr. last week described the hacking episode there as a “direct attack from a foreign country on our system,” coming from a computer that “kept trying various passwords until it accessed our system.”

Read more on The Daily Star.

How smart are the folks at the Times? If Denver wins, they’re gonna seem pretty smart.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/09/upshot/where-should-amazon-new-headquarters-be.html

Dear Amazon, We Picked Your New Headquarters for You

… So Denver it is. The city’s lifestyle and affordability, coupled with the supply of tech talent from nearby universities, has already helped build a thriving start-up scene in Denver and Boulder, 40 minutes away. Big tech companies, including Google, Twitter, Oracle and I.B.M., have offices in the two cities. Denver has been attracting college graduates at an even faster rate than the largest cities. The region has the benefits of places like San Francisco and Seattle — outdoor recreation, microbreweries, diversity and a culture of inclusion (specifically cited by Amazon) — but the cost of living is still low enough to make it affordable, and lots of big-city refugees have been moving there for this reason. Amazon would be smart to follow them.

Something for my nephew.

http://www.lightreading.com/video/video-services/boom!-hulu-just-blew-up-the-tv-bundle/a/d-id/736162?f_src=lightreading_editorspicks_rss_latest&google_editors_picks=true

Boom! Hulu Just Blew Up the TV Bundle

In an unexpected move, Hulu and Spotify have teamed up to offer college students a new TV-plus-music bundle for only $4.99 per month. That includes Spotify Premium with no ads and unlimited song skips, and Hulu's Limited Commercials plan.

And it's a big deal. Not because of the cost, which isn't remotely sustainable across the broader market, but because the companies are changing the concept of what an entertainment service could and should look like. (See Hulu & Spotify Bundle Up for Students.)

… But what about the money? Hulu and Spotify have to be taking a massive loss on their deal, and that's not good in the long run. However, the two companies are explicitly targeting college students, betting that their investment pays off when those students graduate and enter the workforce.

… Undergraduate students, enrolled in a U.S. Title IV accredited college or university, who are already a Spotify Premium for Student subscriber, should access their Spotify accounts to switch their plan to Spotify Premium for Students, now with Hulu. New student subscribers can visit spotify.com/us/student to learn more and sign-up.