Dec 8, 2009 9:02 AM

Five for Fighting 12/8/09

# Gates in Astan: “We are in this thing to win.” # Karzai: We need 15 years to pay for our own troops # How Russia’s cyber-crooks help Iran’s online propagandists # Coordinated bombings in Baghdad kill 121 # Iraqi military to U.S.: Please don’t go!

# Gates in Astan: "We are in this thing to win."
# Karzai: We need 15 years to pay for our own troops
# How Russia's cyber-crooks help Iran's online propagandists
# Coordinated bombings in Baghdad kill 121
# Iraqi military to U.S.: Please don't go!

TopicsDanger Room

Anduril Wants to Own the Future of War Tech. Mishaps, Delays, and Challenges Abound

From drones to missiles to submarines, the $30.5 billion defense startup wants to transform how the tools of war are made. It’s not all going as planned.

Paresh Dave

How Trump’s Plot to Grab Iran's Nuclear Fuel Would Actually Work

Experts say that an American ground operation targeting nuclear sites in Iran would be incredibly complicated, put troops’ lives at great risk—and might still fail.

Caroline Haskins

Livestream Replay: The War Machine

A panel of WIRED experts dissected the defense tech industry’s impact on modern warfare.

Tim Marchman

US Takes Down Botnets Used in Record-Breaking Cyberattacks

The Aisuru, Kimwolf, JackSkid, and Mossad botnets had infected more than 3 million devices in total, many inside home networks, according to the US Justice Department.

Andy Greenberg

The US Military’s GPS Software Is an $8 Billion Mess

The GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System was due for completion in 2016. Ten years later, the software for controlling the military’s GPS satellites still doesn’t work.

Stephen Clark, Ars Technica

Your Vape Wants to Know How Old You Are

Companies hope that biometric age-verification tech in cartridges could put flavored vapes back in business. But it's unlikely to solve the real problems.

Boone Ashworth

Exclusive LegalZoom Promo Code for 10% Off Services for April

Save on top services at LegalZoom, like LLC registration, incorporation, estate plans, and more with coupons and deals from WIRED.

Parker Hall

CBP Facility Codes Sure Seem to Have Leaked Via Online Flashcards

The Quizlet flashcards, which WIRED found through basic Google searches, seem to include sensitive information about gate security at Customs and Border Protection locations.

Sammy Sussman

Using a VPN May Subject You to NSA Spying

US lawmakers are pressing Tulsi Gabbard to reveal whether using a VPN can strip Americans of their constitutional protections against warrantless surveillance.

Dell Cameron

Arm’s CEO Insists the Market Needs His New CPU. It Could Piss Everyone Off

Arm just confirmed the rumors: It’s producing its own chip for the first time. CEO Rene Haas explains why this won’t alienate the many chipmakers who license the company’s designs.

Lauren Goode

Iranian Hackers Breached Kash Patel’s Email—but Not the FBI’s

Plus: Apple makes big claims about the effectiveness of its Lockdown Mode anti-spyware feature, Russia moves to implement homegrown encryption for 5G, and more.

Andrew Couts

‘A Rigged and Dangerous Product’: The Wildest Week for Prediction Markets Yet

As the prediction market boom continues, backlash is growing, too, with Arizona filing criminal charges against Kalshi and public outcry after Polymarket traders threatened a journalist.

Kate Knibbs