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” Targeted attacks are the trend in cyberspace. Six months ago, the world’s first cyber superweapon – Stuxnet – was discovered to be targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. This week millions of e-mail addresses were reported stolen from Epsilon, a firm that supplies e-mail marketing to BestBuy, Disney, and many others. The two highlight a trend…
“The technical sophistication of cybercriminals is swamping the world’s ability to cope, a top U.S. official warned on Friday, demanding an accelerated cross-border campaign to combat the security threat. “ (Source: Cyber attacks outpace global response, U.S. warns | Reuters.)
“A new strain of the TDSS malware has been pegged as ‘the most sophisticated threat’ to computer security in the world today by a Kaspersky Labs researcher and is being used to slave more than 4.5 million PCs in a massive botnet that’s equipped with an ‘anti-virus’ to prevent other bot-creating viruses from taking it…
“Federal contractors whose information systems contain unclassified Defense Department information would have to safeguard that information from unauthorized access and notify DOD of any breaches under a proposed rule published today.” (Source: DOD wants contractors to safeguard unclassified info, report breaches — Federal Computer Week.)
“Computer security experts say they have detected what appears to be the world’s largest-ever computer ‘botnet,’ a network of millions of computers controlled clandestinely by a criminal cyber gang with roots in Eastern Europe.” (Source: Biggest-ever criminal botnet links computers in more than 172 countries – CSMonitor.com.)
“Hackers broke into a Gannett Co database containing personal information about subscribers to publications read by U.S. government officials, military leaders and rank-and-file soldiers, the media company said on Tuesday.” (Source: Cyber attack on Gannett targets U.S. soldiers – baltimoresun.com.)
“Department of Homeland Security worked with non-profits and the private sector to come up with a list of the most worrisome threats and how organizations can mitigate them.” (Source: Feds Identify Top 25 Software Vulnerabilities — InformationWeek.)
“Three years after what the Pentagon called the most significant breach of U.S. military networks ever, new versions of the malware blamed for the attack are still roiling U.S. networks, Reuters has learned.” (Source: Old worm won’t die after 2008 attack on U.S. military | Reuters.)
“The Pentagon’s advanced research arm, the same group credited with developing the forerunner of the Internet in the 1960s, is working on many fronts to boost U.S. defenses against computer-generated attacks.” (Source: Pentagon’s advanced research arm tackles cyberspace | Reuters.)
The National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) in Oklahoma City focuses on “preventing and deterring terrorism or mitigating its effects.” Since April 2001, MIPT has funded Project Responder, an effort by Hicks & Associates, Inc. and the Terrorism Research Center, Inc., aimed ultimately at improving local, state and federal emergency responders’ capabilities…
This paper explores methods for capitalizing on existing law enforcement intelligence capabilities to provide intelligence support to decision makers for a full spectrum of public safety and emergency service operations. Intelligence-led mitigation is a management philosophy and business process to proactively guide strategic, operational, and tactical decisions for mitigating the effects of intentional, accidental, and…
“What good did social media actually do for the people of Iran?” TechCrunch‘s Paul Carr asks. “Despite a slew of YouTube videos and a couple of thousand foreign Twitter users turning their avatar green and pretending to be in Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still in power.” While harsh, this criticism is essentially correct. New technologies,…
In the finger-pointing-fest after 9/11, the US Intelligence Community was blamed for failing to “connect the dots.” As incomplete a description of the intelligence analysis process as that may be, it brought to the fore a point that many of us in the business had been complaining about for years: stovepipes and parochial interests inhibited…
On Monday, Hong Kong police placed bounties on eight prominent democracy activists in self-imposed exile over seas. $127,603 in rewards were offered for information leading to each of their arrests. The activists have been accused of violating national security laws with allegations ranging from collusion with foreign forces to subversion of state power. Many of…
Russia claims to have avoided a Ukrainian assassination attempt on Sergey Aksyonov, Russia’s installed head of Crimea. The Federal Security Service says it had arrested a Russian national recruited as an assassin by Ukraine’s intelligence agency on Monday. The suspect was alleged to have undergone explosives, reconnaissance and sabotage training in Ukraine. There has been…
Israeli launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank and there have been Israeli drone strikes and gun battles between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Jenin. Eight Palestinians have been killed and 50 have been injured, according to health officials. Israel claims it has dealt a blow to terrorist organizations Jenin while…
Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer released in a prisoner exchange for US basketball star Brittney Griner, has been selected as a candidate by a far-right party for a seat in a Russian regional legislature. Bout, previously known as “The merchant of death,” served 10 years of a 25-year sentence in the US on arms…
Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina has died as a result of injuries sustained in a missile attack on a pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk. She was dining with a group of Colombian journalists when the Russian missile struck, causing her fatal wound. Amelina, known for documenting war crimes and working with children affected by the conflict, is…
The Israeli army has initiated a major military operation in the Jenin camp of the occupied West Bank, beginning with drone strikes on a residential block. The ongoing raid has resulted in the deaths of at least three Palestinians and over 20 injuries, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated…
Burkina Faso’s military government has suspended a French news channel after it reported on armed groups’ activity. This is the latest incident in a crackdown on French media. The government claimed the news report lacked objectivity and credibility. Relations between France and Burkina Faso have staled after two military takeovers occurred last year. The French…
A French policeman has been charged with homicide after a teenager was killed during a traffic stop near Paris on Tuesday. The 17-year-old was shot at point-blank range and crashed soon afterwards. Anger after the killing has sparked violence and unrest across the country. In a third night of this unrest, 667 people were arrested.…
A satellite image obtained by the BBC reveals new tent-like structures at a suspected Wagner camp in Belarus. This finding follows an agreement to relocate Wagner mercenaries and Yevgeny Prigozhin to Belarus after the recent mutiny against Russian forces. The satellite images appear to show activity at the disused military base, approximately 64 miles from…
Sri Lanka has initiated a five-day bank holiday to facilitate the restructuring of $42 billion in domestic debt as the country grapples with its worst economic crisis since gaining independence. The government’s move aims to mitigate potential bank runs and market volatility. President Ranil Wickremesinghe assured the public that the restructuring would not lead to…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that an alleged Russian agent involved in the deadly missile attack in Kramatorsk will be charged with treason, emphasizing that those aiding Russia in destroying lives should face the “maximum penalty.” The attack resulted in the death of twelve individuals, including three teenagers. Ukraine claims that the suspect, a…
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins signed a new cooperative arrangement during a week-long visit to China. Hipkins seeks to increase market access and boost New Zealand exports to China, represented by Premier Li Qiang. The joint declaration promises to strengthen trade in e-commerce, the green economy, and new energy vehicle industries. The two representatives…