David Klepper, Author at The Rapid City Post

FILE - China's Long March 2F rocket, carrying three astronauts for the Shenzhou 20 manned space mission, blasts off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwestern China, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

Hijacked satellites and orbiting space weapons: In the 21st century, space is the new battlefield

August 17, 2025

Outer space has emerged as the world’s next battlefield, demonstrated by recent cyberattacks on satellites blamed on Russia. National security officials have said the Kremlin also is seeking to develop a space-based weapon that could knock out American satellites, potentially devastating the U.S. economy while leaving the country vulnerable to military attack. Officials in Washington are taking notice, investing in greater efforts to defend U.S. satellites while countering threats from China and Russia. One example is the U.S. Space Force created in 2019 and tasked with protecting American interests in space.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FACT FOCUS: Trump exaggerates, misstates facts on Washington crime

August 11, 2025

In justifying a federal take over of policing in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump claims that crime in the capital city is on the rise and that homicide rates in 2023 were the highest ever seen. Neither is true, as the city’s own crime statistics show. Violent crime did spike in 2023 following the pandemic, but instances of violent crime have fallen in the intervening years. The city recently recorded a 26% drop in violent crime last year. Trump also said homicide data from decades ago isn’t available, but records from the 1980s and 1990s show the number of homicides routinely exceeded the numbers seen today.

FILE - The U.S. Capitol building gives backdrop to a homeless man resting on a steam vent on the National Mall, Dec. 18, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

Trump is promising new steps to tackle homelessness and crime in Washington

August 10, 2025

President Donald Trump is promising new steps to tackle homelessness and crime in Washington. And that’s leading the city’s mayor to voice concerns about the potential use of the National Guard to patrol the streets in the nation’s capital. Trump says in a social media post that he plans a White House news conference at 10 a.m. Monday to discuss his plans to make the District of Columbia, in his words, “safer and more beautiful than it ever was before.” On Thursday, the Republican president directed an increased federal law enforcement presence in the Democratic-run city for seven days, “with the option to extend as needed.” Federal agencies including the FBI assigned more than 120 officers and agents to assist in Washington.

FILE - A person working on a laptop in North Andover, Mass., June 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

Creating realistic deepfakes is getting easier than ever. Fighting back may take even more AI

July 28, 2025

The use of deepfakes to impersonate high-level officials in the U.S. presents a growing security challenge. Deepfakes also disrupt corporate boardrooms and family living rooms. Advances in artificial intelligence mean it’s easier and cheaper than ever before to create lifelike audio and video. These deepfakes can be used for gaining access to sensitive systems, for committing corporate espionage and for stealing national security secrets. But the size and scope of the problem are also prompting research into the best ways to counter it. Tech companies say new programs will help governments, businesses and everyday people detect deepfakes and ensure the people they see on the screen are who they say they are.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Pentagon, Monday, July 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Pentagon tightens rules on getting medical waivers to join the military

July 22, 2025

The Pentagon says people with congestive heart failure, undergoing treatment for schizophrenia or who have a history of paraphilic disorders will no longer be eligible for a medical waiver to serve in the military. The guidance signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and issued Tuesday updates a list of conditions that disqualify potential recruits from service. Waivers have long been granted for a long list of medical conditions including asthma or past sports injuries. Hegseth says the change will help ensure the physical and mental capabilities of service members. The updated rules come after the Pentagon announced it would remove transgender troops.

US calls reported threats by pro-Iran hackers to release Trump-tied material a ‘smear campaign’

July 1, 2025

A news report says hackers supporting Iran have threatened to release emails supposedly stolen from people connected to President Donald Trump. Federal authorities say the threat is a smear campaign designed to undermine Trump. They linked online to a report from Reuters about the threat. It comes after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and warnings that pro-Tehran hacking groups may target U.S. networks despite a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Following U.S. strikes, pro-Iranian hackers have attacked U.S. banks, energy companies and defense contractors but have not caused any significant disruptions.

Iranian-backed hackers go to work after US strikes

June 24, 2025

Hackers backing Iran have targeted U.S. banks, defense contractors and oil industry companies following American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. So far, the intrusions haven’t caused any serious disruptions or economic damage, but cyber experts warn that hacking groups supporting Iran may continue to seek retaliation. Experts say cyberwar is now an expected part of any military conflict, offering countries a way to cause significant economic damage that’s much cheaper than traditional weapons. Hackers linked to Iran also are expected to continue efforts to hack into the devices of prominent Americans to give them access to valuable intelligence.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard departs following a closed door meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacanang Palace in Manila, Philippines Monday, June 2, 2025. (Ezra Acayan/Pool Photo via AP)

Gabbard says AI is speeding up intel work, including the release of the JFK assassination files

June 10, 2025

The director of national intelligence says artificial intelligence is speeding up the work of America’s spy services. Speaking at a tech summit Tuesday in Washington, Tulsi Gabbard said her office has used AI to hasten the release of tens of thousands of pages of declassified material relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and his brother, New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Gabbard said that once a human would have had to read every page, but now AI can quickly scan the documents for any information that should remain classified. She says AI programs, when used responsibly, can save money and free up intelligence officers to focus on gathering and analyzing information.

FILE - A child holds an iPhone at an Apple store on Sept. 25, 2015 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

Chinese hackers and user lapses turn smartphones into a ‘mobile security crisis’

June 8, 2025

Hackers tied to China’s government have tried repeatedly to access the phones of prominent Americans, part of Beijing’s sprawling cyberespionage efforts. Smartphones and other mobile devices present significant national security and cybersecurity risks, as foreign government hackers exploit vulnerabilities in mobile networks and apps to spy on people and steal secrets. And people’s careless use of mobile devices to share sensitive information is another concern. National security experts say that mobile security hasn’t kept up as mobile devices and networks have proliferated, making them a significant vulnerability in the nation’s cyber defenses.

D-Fend Solutions counter drone technology is demonstrated, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Reston, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Nets and high-tech hijackings: Anti-drone systems offer new ways to counter rising threats

May 27, 2025

Rising concerns about the misuse of drones have led to the development of new technologies designed to counter unmanned aircraft. These include systems that fire projectiles at drones, capture them with nets or jam the controller’s signals. Other technologies hack into the unmanned aircraft, allowing it to be landed safely. Cheap and easily modified, drones have been used for purposes from intelligence gathering and surveillance to sabotage and even terrorism. Members of Congress say they want to make it easier for state and local authorities to use counter-drone technology to protect critical infrastructure and public events.

David Klepper.