Security experts warn about the possibility of scammers gravitating away from emails to use deepfake voice imitation software in phone calls. Frank Gillman of Vertex Advisors Group recommends alerting employees to call the IT department if a call seems fishy, noting, "it's pretty hard to truly imitate a natural cadence to a conversation when you're talking to a machine."

The blacklist that prohibits Microsoft and other US companies from selling technology to China's Huawei threatens to "draw some new digital iron curtain down the Pacific Ocean" that would harm the US and other democracies, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in calling for an end to the ban. He rejected the idea that US security would be undermined if Huawei used the Windows operating system or Office apps in its products.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is pushing legislation that would give the Department of Homeland Security authority to help schools and other local agencies in the event of cyberattacks. Dozens of ransomware attacks have hit schools and government agencies in Schumer's state this year alone.

Aftermarket technologies such as Wi-Fi sticks, long-range wireless power receivers and cloud-based DVR services are improving the consumer experience by effectively transforming gadgets into smart home products. Ori Mor writes that manufacturers should consider addressing consumer demands by integrating these features into their products from the start.

A delegation of semiconductor executives met with Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwan, to advocate for more government spending on basic research and on training of future employees in the microchip industry. Tsai pointed to the 5+2 Industry Transformation project for nurturing talent, a joint effort of academia, government and industry.

With slight modifications to the American Bar Association's model language, the Michigan Supreme Court has issued an ethical duty of technology competence for lawyers, making Michigan the 37th state to do so. The state's language includes a section on protecting data, noting attorneys "should take reasonable measures and act competently so that the confidential and/or privileged client information will not be revealed to unintended third parties."

Just in time for the holidays, law firm Wiley Rein has issued a smartphone app to cover the ramifications of gift exchanges involving members of Congress, their staffs and lobbyists. The product is free from the Apple and Google app stores and includes a 15-question quiz to test users' knowledge of federal gifting rules.

Officials in Jersey City, N.J., have partnered with ride-sharing company Via to offer residents on-demand transit that will enable them to travel anywhere in the city for a maximum of $2 per ride, citing a lack of state support for traditional public transit. "This is the latest step towards our larger vision of getting cars off the road, while creating mobility in neighborhoods that sometimes lack connectivity to other parts of the city," Mayor Steve Fulop said.

Legal services provider Integreon has launched its Cyber Incident Response Service to help law firms and other corporations respond quickly to cybersecurity breaches. In addition to compiling lists of the clients involved, the CIRS team prepares documents for consumer protection agencies, state attorneys general and credit bureaus.

Government contractors should understand the cybersecurity implications involving their products and potential perils under the 1863 False Claims Act, write four attorneys from Crowell & Moring. A whistleblower complaint led to Cisco Systems paying $8.6 million to settle a case where it was accused of selling the government video surveillance systems that could be hacked.