Security threats to mobile networks originating from PCs and adware increased significantly in the first half of 2015, Alcatel-Lucent said in a report. A significant number of “spyphone” apps also are being detected on Android and iOS mobile devices, it said Wednesday. About 80 percent of malware infections on mobile networks during the first half of 2015 originated from Windows-based computers, up from the approximately 50-50 split between Android and Windows devices that was present in 2013 and 2014, Alcatel-Lucent said. “The modern smartphone also presents the perfect platform for corporate and personal espionage, information theft, denial of service attacks on businesses and governments, and banking and advertising scams,” said Alcatel-Lucent General Manager-Network Intelligence Patrick Tan in a news release.

The FCC Office of Communications Business Opportunities (OCBO) is putting on a technology fair from 9 a.m. to 4 pm. Oct. 16 at MIST Harlem, 46 W. 116th St., New York. The fair will be alongside Silicon Harlem's annual Tech Conference and will be free and open to the public. OCBO Director Thomas Reed will participate in a Silicon Harlem panel on issues technology start-ups face, and specific issues faced by minority- and women-owned tech start-ups. The tech fair will showcase start-ups. OCBO also will host a "fast pitch" program, where tech entrepreneurs will be able to present their ideas to business experts. To register, email the OCBO at TechFair@fcc.gov. To register a start-up firm for the tech fair or to take part in the "fast pitch," contact Karen.Beverly@fcc.gov.

Following Apple’s launch of the Apple Pencil last week, the Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) said Friday membership has grown to 31 companies, sans Apple. The organization’s charter is to develop and promote a universal industry specification for an active stylus. “Having so many join within just six months only validates the need for the standard and the work we're doing,” said Chairman Peter Mueller, saying the group expects to complete a specification by year-end. Promoter members include Atmel, Hanvon Pentech, Intel, Lenovo, Sharp, Synaptics, Wacom and Waltop International. Contributor members are Dell Global, eGalax, eMPIA Technology, Elan Microelectronics and Focal Tech Electronics. The USI specification will make it possible for manufacturers to design products to a single standard, rather than the variety of proprietary approaches now in use, the group said. The spec will be compatible with multiple OS platforms, it said. “USI seeks to provide a consistent user experience while increasing the availability and consumer appeal of the active stylus, while providing industry-wide interoperability and adding functions and features not supported by current styluses,” it said.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) vetoed a drone bill Wednesday that would have allowed trespassing charges to be filed against an individual flying drones less than 350 feet above real property without the express permission of the property owner, regardless whether anyone’s privacy was violated. In his veto message to the Senate, Brown said drone technology raises “novel issues that merit careful examination” but said he vetoed SB-142 because, “while well-intentioned,” it “could expose the occasional hobbyist and the FAA-approved commercial user alike to burdensome litigation and new causes of action.” Brown asked the state Senate to look at this issue more carefully. Brown signed a bill proposed by Sen. Anthony Cannella (R), SB-676, that enables easier prosecution of those who engage in cyber exploitation and revenge porn. Meanwhile, California’s Electronic Communications Privacy Act (SB-178) passed the Senate 32-4 Wednesday.

CableLabs thinks the most important result of the FCC Downloadable Security Technical Advisory Committee report (see 1509010068) is that “there is no collective recommendation for any new FCC technology mandate,” said Chief Technology Officer Ralph Brown in a blog post Thursday. Brown said the report found some common ground among DSTAC members, but its main value to consumers was its illustration of the extent of multichannel video programming distributor support for retail set-top devices. “There are almost twice as many retail devices on average per household, that are capable of receiving MVPD content, than there are MVPD provided set-tops!” Brown said. “Consumers can take comfort knowing that a wide variety of their retail devices can receive MVPD services.”

Microsoft released 12 updates to address vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows that may allow an attacker to take control of an affected system, said a U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team alert Tuesday.

BridgeSat and Draper Laboratory will cooperate on developing ground stations for BridgeSat's optical connectivity system, BridgeSat said Tuesday. The laser-based optical connectivity system will mean better transfer of large volumes of data from satellites and high-altitude unmanned vehicles, BridgeSat said. It said Draper has developed technology for ground station operations, task automation and data delivery, and the agreement will help in developing BridgeSat's laser communications receivers and data processing centers.

Adobe released a security update to address vulnerabilities in Shockwave Player that may have allowed a remote attacker to take control of an affected system, said a U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team alert Tuesday.

The U.S. has to move forward if it wants to continue its mobile dominance, Mobile Future said in a report released Tuesday, with CTIA about to get underway in Las Vegas. Europe “has initiated a 5G public-private partnership aimed at leading the world in this next wireless frontier,” the paper said. “South Korea plans to launch a 5G trial network when it hosts the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, and Japan aims to follow suit at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. China, too, has established an interagency ‘promotion group’ to coordinate 5G activities among industry and academia.” While 5G networks are unlikely to be deployed before the end of the decade, “the global race to lead the world in this next wireless frontier is already well underway,” Mobile Future said. “Smarter wireless policy is more vital than ever.” The paper was written by Jim Kohlenberger, president of JK Strategies and a former White House technology official.

Google released Chrome v 45.0.2454.85 to address multiple vulnerabilities for Linux, Mac and Windows, said a U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team alert Tuesday. Exploitation of the vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to take control of an affected system, it said.