OUR PICKSMapping Biosafety Laboratories | Post-Quantum Systems Migration | DHS Shuts Down Disinformation Board, and more

Mapping Biosafety Level-3 Laboratories by Publications  (Caroline Schuerger, Sara Abdulla, and Anna Puglisi, CSET, Georgetown University)
Biosafety Level-3 laboratories (BSL-3) are an essential part of research infrastructure and are used to develop vaccines and therapies. The research conducted in them provides insights into host-pathogen interactions that may help prevent future pandemics. However, these facilities also potentially pose a risk to society through lab accidents or misuse. Despite their importance, there is no comprehensive list of BSL-3 facilities, or the institutions in which they are housed. By systematically assessing PubMed articles published in English from 2006-2021, this paper maps institutions that host BSL-3 labs by their locations, augmenting current knowledge of where high-containment research is conducted globally.

Top German Court Rejects Appeals in Far-Right Killing  (AP)
Germany’s top court on Thursday dismissed appeals in the killing of a regional politician who had advocated helping refugees, confirming the life sentence handed to a far-right extremist convicted of carrying out the execution-style slaying that shocked the country. Walter Luebcke, a member of then-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party who led the regional administration in the Kassel area of central Germany, was shot dead on his front porch in 2019. A Frankfurt regional court last year convicted neo-Nazi Stephan Ernst and ruled that he would not automatically be eligible for release after 15 years due to the severity of his crime. The Federal Court of Justice rejected an appeal by Ernst’s lawyers challenging that decision. Judges also dismissed an appeal by Luebcke’s family against the Frankfurt court’s decision to acquit an acquaintance of Ernst’s of accessory to murder in the case. Markus H., whose surname wasn’t released for privacy reasons, was instead convicted of weapons violations and sentenced to 18 months probation.

Large Network of Proud Boys Accounts Taken Down from Facebook, Instagram  (CBS Bay Area)
Facebook parent Meta says it has removed a network of accounts linked to the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group it banned in 2018. Meta said on Thursday that it recently uncovered and removed about 480 Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to the Proud Boys. That brought the total number of Proud Boys assets it has removed to around 750 this year, it said. Although the group has been banned from Meta’s platforms, the company said it has seen repeated attempts by its members at evading the ban. People behind the efforts are not identifying themselves as Proud Boys openly, creating front groups and using Facebook or Instagram to steer people to other, less moderated platforms, it said. Such tactics are commonly used by extremist groups and those spreading misinformation as they try to evade social media companies’ crackdowns. While the Proud Boys and other extremist groups have at times found homes on smaller internet platforms that cater to right-wing audiences, none come close to the reach of Meta’s properties, where they can recruit members more easily. The former leader of the Proud Boys and other members of the group were charged this summer with attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.

China Could Overtake US in Space Without ‘Urgent Action,’ Warns New Pentagon Report  (Jacqueline Feldscher, Defense One)
America needs a long-term goal in space to be able to compete with Beijing, Pentagon industrial-base group writes.

CISA’s Cyber Info-Sharing Program Didn’t Always Deliver, Watchdog Says  (Chris Riotta, Defense One)
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is supposed to give more than 300 agencies and firms the info they need to fix vulnerabilities. That hasn’t always happened, the DHS inspector general found.

CISA Warns Critical Infrastructure to Prepare for Mass Post-Quantum Systems Migration  (Alexandra Kelley, Nextgov)
Quantum computing is the latest frontier in technological innovation, and its hacking potential has regulators advising companies to begin to safeguard their networks.

Department of Homeland Security Shuts Down Disinformation Board That Drew Fire from GOP  (Rebecca Shabad, NBC News)
Republicans denounced the disinformation board when it was created this year, eventually leading to a pause in its work and the resignation of its director.

DHS Takes Step to “Preserve” DACA for Young Migrants Amid Looming Legal Challenge  (Quinn Owen and Armando Garcia, ABC News)
The government estimates more than 825,000 people have enrolled in the program.