OODA Analysis and Briefs

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Analysis

Priorities in Order

When it uncovers terrorists or uncomfortable connections close to home it is a bad thing, when it might help re-election it is a good thing.
What? Us Worry?

This isn’t to say that there is a credibility problem here, but if things hold true to form, the script for this debacle has already been written. I think we all wish them well, but we a lesson can be learned from a recent comment about another kind of software deployment. In fact, following such…
MFIC

It helps to know who is in charge. This is particularly true in the military and para-military government organizations. To outsiders this seems a tempest in a tea cup, but very specific and often powerful authorities come with being a particular person in a particular position. This is illustrative of what can happen when people…
“We’ve got to do something . . .”

“. . . to protect our (future) phony-baloney jobs!” A Senate committee yesterday rejected a bipartisan proposal to establish an independent office to oversee the enforcement of congressional ethics and lobbying laws, signaling a reluctance in Congress to beef up the enforcement of its rules on lobbying. I am tempted to say that intelligence work…
Walt’s Imperative

Thanks guys. This was just what I needed; a new reason for my kids to wonder why daddy doesn’t love them enough to move to the Magic Kingdom. 😉
It’s called “Chutzpah”

Or gall, or balls or . . .
Time For Consolidation?

What are the real (practical) priorities of our IC agencies? Here is a hint: It isn’t helping capture or kill terrorists. Give up? It’s getting more money and responsibility than the guys across town. The only significant difference between any given agency is any unique collection platform they bring to the game, otherwise what is…
Total War-Lite

In case you ever wondered what really made the world go round but were afraid to ask. Victory gardens are thing of the past, as are other efforts the government used to use to help bolster support for war efforts. Back in the day you needed that kind of commitment when waging total war. Today,…
Long nights, impossible odds . . .

None of this makes any sense to me. I’ve never been a blue collar guy (does bagging groceries as a kid count?), nor am I an expert in management-labor relations, so perhaps my view of the sanity of unions in a government agency is a little skewed. Watching the local horror that is the NWA…
A Lesson from the Coasties

The best military bar on Oahu? The Coast Guard club at Barbers Point. I long suspected that they could afford to charge only $2.00 (‘early 90s prices) for import bottled beer because it all “fell off a tanker.” But I digress . . . Distorted press reporting today points out that the Coasties had issues…
UK Style

MI5 has their Able Danger moment: MI5 is facing an internal revolt by officers alarmed about intelligence failures and the lack of resources to fight Islamic terrorism. To illustrate their concern, agents have leaked more top secret documents to The Sunday Times because they want a public inquiry into the “missed intelligence” leading up to…
Drawing from a deeper pool

If I remember right, somewhere deep in the IC reform legislation was a provision for the creation of an “Intelligence Reserve” . . . Sec 1053 of S.2845 to be exact. I thought of this as I read this latest item from Inside the Army (subscription): In his latest challenge to Pentagon policy, the chief…
Diminishing Returns

I am reminded of some old Army training . . . or was it Computer Science . . . Hmmm. Anyway, the thrust of the lesson was a little math that helped determine how many cooks one needed to make broth (figuratively speaking), but not spoil it. The vigilant Ms. Gorman drives the point home…
Taking Politics out of Intelligence

(Update below) It comes as no surprise to some that elements within our intelligence services play politics. This is not a new phenomenon, but one that has come to a head in the aftermath of the war in Iraq. Now that we have acknowledged the 800 lb gorilla, what in the world should we do…
Superficial

Roll the clock back to the late fall of 2001 and remember all the kooky, crazy schemes that everyone knew al-Qaida was getting ready to unleash; bulk purchases of personal electronics, shady characters trying to learn crop dusting, swarthy men talking about weddings while standing outside of skyscrapers . . . we’ve got to do…

Briefs

October Becomes Worst Month for Crypto Hacks With Two Weeks to Go

October has become the worst-ever month for crypto-related crimes with over $718 million in overall losses, and that’s with two more weeks to go before the month ends. Data pointed out by Chainalysis on Thursday noted the amount was stolen from several decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols across 11 different attacks. This year “will likely surpass…
Celsius Exchange Data Dump Is a Gift to Crypto Sleuths—and Thieves

The paradoxical nature of cryptocurrency’s privacy is that the blockchain, that unchangeable ledger of all a cryptocurrency’s transactions, serves as both a map and a mask: Bitcoin are easy enough to follow from one address to the next. But only a few entities, like the cryptocurrency exchanges that allow users to trade their crypto for…
Singtel’s Australian IT Firm Dialog Suffers Data Breach

Telecommunications giant Singtel has confirmed that another one of its Australian subsidiaries was the victim of a cyberattack just a week after the Optus breach. Singtel reported to the Singapore stock exchange on Monday to confirm the cybersecurity incident. According to the telecom giant, an unauthorized party may have accessed company data and potentially affected…
UN General Assembly condemns Russia annexation

The United Nations held a vote to condemn Russia’s attempts to annex four regions of Ukraine. 143 countries supported the resolution to condemn Russia, while 35 states abstained from voting. Five countries rejected the vote, North Korea, Belarus, Syria, Nicauragua and Russia. While this was a symbolic vote, it was the highest number of votes…
Syrian soldiers killed in army bus bombing near Damascus

At least 16 Syrian government soldiers have been killed in a bomb blat near the capital of Syria, Damascus. This is one of the deadliest attacks in months in the country. 20 or more other soldiers were injured in the blast. The bomb detonated on Thursday morning on an army bus. No group has claimed…
IP Cameras, VoIP and Video Conferencing Revealed as Riskiest IoT Devices

According to new research discovered by Forescout’s cybersecurity research branch Vedere Labs, IoT devices such as conferencing systems and IP cameras are among the five riskiest IoT devices connected to networks. The security company has identified themes in its recent research that highlight the growing attack surface these devices are facing. As more devices are…
FormBook Tops Check Point’s Most Wanted Malware List For September

According to new data from Check Point Research, FormBook is the most prevalent malware across the world. In addition, an infostealer called Vidar has also made the top ten list at eighth for the first time due to a widespread fake Zoom campaign. Check Point Research shared its September 2022’s Most Wanted Malware report earlier…
The Future Hasn’t Arrived: Identifying the Next Generation of Technology Requirements at OODAcon 2022

OODAcon 2022: The Future Hasn’t Arrived – Identifying the Next Generation of Technology Requirements Panel Description: In an age when the cyber and analytics markets are driving hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and solutions is there still room for innovation? This panel brings together executives and investors to identify what gaps exist in…
Canceling the Apocalypse: Funding the Next Generation of Innovation at OODAcon 2022

OODAcon 2022: Canceling the Apocalypse – Funding the Next Generation of Innovation Panel Description: What problem sets and global risks represent strategic investment opportunities that help reduce those risks, but also ensure future global competitiveness in key areas of national defense? This session will provide insights from investors making key investments in these technologies and…
DeFi Firms Sets a Brand-New Record With Four Hacks in a Day

Crypto hacking has been the most tragic thing to happen in the crypto market. The prominent Binance exchange also hacked on October 7. And the crypto market claimed this morning that four attacks in one day are a new record in the crypto sector. Rabby Swap, a feature of the Rabby crypto wallet, was hack yesterday,…
SEC Investigating Bored Ape Creator Yuga Labs Over Securities Violations: Report

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Yuga Labs over whether its Bored Ape Yacht Club Ethereum NFTs and the ApeCoin token are unregistered securities, according to Bloomberg. The report, which cites an unnamed source, claims that the agency is exploring whether the crypto startup broke federal law by issuing NFTs that act like…
DPRK hackers sneak US$52 mln in crypto into S.Korean exchanges: Chainalysis

Hackers from North Korea have sent around US$52.46 million worth of cryptocurrencies to digital asset exchanges in South Korea since 2019 in an effort to evade sanctions or to launder the money, said Yoon Han-hong, a South Korean lawmaker, on Wednesday. Yoon, a member of the ruling People Power Party, cited an investigation by New York-based…
What is the future for cryptocurrency mixers after U.S. sanctions on Tornado Cash?

Cryptocurrency mixers, a software that provides anonymity in crypto transactions, are at the forefront of the latest clash between regulators and the emerging world of digital assets, with legal actions, arrests, counter lawsuits, and North Korean hackers all part of the picture. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) slapped sanctions on the Tornado…
Google’s Cloud Business Targets Web3 With Cryptocurrency Payments

Google-parent Alphabet’s cloud computing business will accept customer payments using cryptocurrencies starting in early 2023. Google stock edged down a fraction amid the news, which came Tuesday at the company’s annual cloud computing conference. The crypto payment platform involves a partnership with Coinbase. Crypto stocks have been under pressure. But COIN stock popped 4.7% to…
Critical Open Source vm2 Sandbox Escape Bug Affects Millions

A remote code execution vulnerability has been identified in a widely used JavaScript sandbox. The vulnerability has earned a rating of 10, the highest number on the CVSS vulnerability scale. Therefore, the bug is described as high severity. The flaw could allow threat actors to execute a sandbox escape and run shell commands through the…
Floods are submerging whole houses in Nigeria. At least 80 have died trying to escape

76 people have died when their boat capsized trying to flee high floodwaters in southern Nigeria. The boat was carrying over 80 people and it capsized on Friday in the state of Anambra in southeastern Nigeria. Floodwaters in the area had risen as high as rooftops and the people were attempting to escape. The flooding…
Polonium Uses Seven Backdoor Variants to Spy on Israeli Organizations

European cybersecurity firm ESET has discovered previously unknown custom backdoors and tools it believes are being leveraged by an APT group called Polonium. The group is relatively new and was discovered in June 2022 by Microsoft. The group is highly sophisticated and currently active. It appears to be exclusively targeting Israeli organizations with the goal…
Toyota Reveals Data Leak of 300,000 Customers

Japanese car company Toyota has confirmed that roughly 300,000 customers may have been impacted by a data leak that exposed personal data. According to the car manufacturer, an access key was left publicly available on GitHub for almost five years. The personal information exposed in the leak is customers’ email addresses and customer control numbers…
A New Wave of PayPal Invoice Scams Using Crypto Disguise

Security researchers at Trend Micro have identified a new wave of PayPal invoice scams that are leveraging blockchain and cryptocurrency related-businesses to lure victims. The scammers are using a common method of impersonating PayPal sellers to deliver invoices to random targets. The invoices state that the users have been charged a sum of money and…
Tomorrowland: A Global Threat Brief at OODAcon 2022

OODAcon 2022: Tomorrowland – A Global Threat Brief Panel Description: The Pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine, demographic inversions, and technological labor force disruption have combined to forever shift the global geo-strategic environment. This session will examine the new world economy, seeking actionable insights for practitioners who need a deeper understanding of new realities. Impacts on…
Future Wars – Beyond Cyberconflict at OODAcon 2022

OODAcon 2022: Future Wars – Beyond Cyberconflict Panel Description: Twenty years ago, cybersecurity experts warned of attacks against power grids and planes falling from the sky. They predicted a future that has not manifested itself yet. Will it? Or will the future of war be a conflict waged for the hearts and minds of social…
Iran Weaponizes Information to Control Narratives

Tehran recognizes the blade cuts both ways and the same technologies that threaten regime security can also be harnessed to support its own objectives. The weaponization of information comes with many nomenclatures. Propaganda, disinformation, misinformation, and influence operations are all tools that rely on crafted messaging to affect targeted audiences to achieve specific objectives.
America’s Oldest Bank, BNY Mellon, Will Hold That Crypto Now

The nation’s oldest bank said it would begin receiving clients’ cryptocurrencies on Tuesday, becoming the first large U.S. bank to safeguard digital assets alongside traditional investments on the same platform. BNY Mellon won the approval of New York’s financial regulator earlier this fall to begin receiving select customers’ bitcoin and ether starting this week. The bank…
The Crypto World Is on Edge After a String of Hacks

Not long after dropping out of college to pursue a career in cryptocurrencies, Ben Weintraub woke up to some bad news. Mr. Weintraub and two classmates from the University of Chicago had spent the past few months working on a software platform called Beanstalk, which offered a stablecoin, a type of cryptocurrency with a fixed…
Crypto Rule Suggestions From U.S. Panel Seek To Plug Holes

Although a panel of state and federal financial regulators has identified three areas in which new laws could help plug holes in U.S. cryptocurrencies rules, widely seen as a necessary precursor to broader adoption of blockchain-based finance, Congress may not be able to act on them any time soon. That could leave the market overseen…
Cryptocurrency Spoofing: Why Should Investors Care About It?

There have been big-time cases of such criminal activities in the past, and many developers and users have learned the hard lesson. It’s a concern that seems to have no end in sight as the cryptocurrency continues to grow and attract more people across the globe. Perhaps the best natural way to deal with it…
In a Record, Crypto Exchange Is Fined $24 Million for Breaking U.S. Sanctions

The cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex was fined $24 million for breaking United States sanctions, the Treasury Department announced on Tuesday, the largest penalty the government has imposed on a crypto business for violating sanctions. Between 2014 and 2017, Bittrex allowed customers in Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria and the Crimea region of Ukraine to make virtual currency transactions…
UK Spy Chief to Warn of ‘Huge’ China Tech Threat

On Tuesday, Britain’s GCHQ spy agency chief is expected to warn Western countries of an emerging threat originating from China seeking to exploit its tech dominance in order to exercise control over its own citizens. In addition, the country is looking to gain influence abroad. The Chinese Communist Party, according to the director of the…
IMF warns worst is yet to come for world economy

The International Monetary Fund has warned that the world economy will experience worsening conditions as the war in Ukraine continues and prices spiral. After its latest assessment of the global economy, the IMF stated that 2023 will feel like a recession for many people. The organization has downgraded its economic growth forecasts due to the…
North Korea says missile tests are practice for ‘tactical nuclear strikes’ on South Korea

North Korean state media has claimed that the country’s recent missile tests are part of simulated procedures to demonstrate its preparedness to fire tactical nuclear weapons at potential targets in South Korea. North Korea has tested ballistic missiles seven times since September 25, and has performed 25 launch events of ballistic and cruise missiles this…
Calls for Better Microsoft Teams Backup as Confidential Info Sent on the Platform

Cybersecurity researchers at Hornetsecurity have called on Microsoft to create greater backup for Microsoft Teams. According to the security researchers, nearly half of users send confidential or critical information over the platform frequently. Therefore, this sensitive information should be better protected. Internal business communications via the chat feature on Microsoft Teams have reached the same…
Pro-Russian Group KillNet Claims Responsibility for 14 US Airport DDoS Attacks

The websites of several US airports were reportedly disrupted yesterday, October 10, due to a large-scale campaign of distributed-denial-of-service attacks. According to security researchers, the airports’ websites were flooded with web traffic ultimately knocking some of them offline. Among those targeted were Los Angeles International Airport, Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and locations…
A Fireside Chat with Futurist and Author Karl Schroeder on Digital Self-Sovereignty, Blockchain, and AI at OODAcon 2022

OODAcon 2022: Digital Self Sovereignty, Blockchain, and AI – A Fireside Chat with Futurist and Author Karl Schroeder Fireside Chat Description: You are big data. Every day the technology you own, use, and otherwise interact with (often unintentionally) collects rich data about every element of your daily life. This session provides a quick overview of…
Facebook Login Details at Risk as Meta Identifies Over 400 Malicious Apps

Meta has allegedly identified over 400 malicious Android and iOS apps that are targeting individuals with the goal of stealing their Facebook login information. The parent company of Facebook stated that the app discoveries were all made this year and have since been reported to the appropriate parties, Apple and Google. The malicious apps are…
A Keynote Conversation with Vint Cerf at OODAcon 2022

OODAcon 20222: Keynote Conversation with Vint Cerf, Google Research Keynote Conversation Description: Vint Cerf will join us for a special keynote conversation focused on the emerging technology challenges and opportunities we face over the coming decade.
EU’s Russian Crypto Ban Confirmed as Bloc Tightens Sanctions

The European Union has confirmed a sweeping ban on providing crypto services to Russians as it tightens sanctions in the wake of what it calls “sham” secession votes in four Ukrainian regions. The news was first reported by CoinDesk last week. The bloc introduced an eighth set of economic and political measures against Russia after…
How zero-knowledge proofs will guarantee compliance for DeFi adoption

The debate in the decentralized finance (DeFi) community rages following sanctions from the U.S. Treasury against a popular crypto mixer, but the real progress is happening below the surface. Technologies underpinning privacy-preserving protocols, like zero-knowledge proofs, have found new compliant use cases that go far beyond finance itself. Zero-knowledge proofs are a tool that can…
Solana Phantom security update NFTs push password-stealing malware

Hackers are airdropping NFTs to Solana cryptocurrency owners pretending to be alerts for a new Phantom security update that lead to the installation of password-stealing malware and the theft of cryptocurrency wallets. This ongoing attack started two weeks ago, with NFTs titled ‘PHANTOMUPDATE.COM’ or ‘UPDATEPHANTOM.COM’ sent that claim to be warnings from the developers of…
Binance’s $570m major crypto hack “will lengthen crypto-winter,” says expert

The fortress of security surrounding cryptocurrencies is under attack, as crypto hackers continue to compromise firms and make away with large amounts of cash. Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, announced on Thursday they had been compromised by hackers. The hackers stole two million BNB tokens, estimated to be worth around $570m, according to CNBC.…
North Korea’s Crypto Hackers Are Paving the Road to Nuclear Armageddon

It was an astonishing interview for recruiter Elliott Garlock. While screening candidate engineers for a crypto firm in February, Garlock encountered one applicant who raised almost every conceivable red flag. The interviewee joined the Zoom interview with his camera off and had to be cajoled into turning it on. There was constant chatter in the background,…
OODAcon 2022: Twenty Years of Cyber Threat Intelligence

OODAcon 2022: Twenty Years of Cyber Threat Intelligence Panel Description: Twenty years ago, the first cyber threat intelligence company was launched. What was once an obscure business idea based upon Presidential Decision Directive 63, has now developed into an essential component of cyber risk management. This panel of experts from the leading cyber-threat companies will…
OODAcon 2022: The Future of Money

OODAcon 2022: The Future of Money Panel Description: Ten years ago, resilient cryptocurrencies did not exist, yet today the infrastructure to create them is available to anyone. The blockchain is often described as having the potential to be more disruptive than the Internet itself and the rules of finance are being rewritten every day. This…
OODAcon 2022: Keynote Conversation with Congressman Will Hurd

OODAcon 2022: Keynote Conversation with Congressman Will Hurd Keynote Conversation Description: Will Hurd joins us for a keynote conversation covering the domains of cybersecurity, AI, and the current and future threat environment.
Speculative Design: DARPA’s Airborne Optical Energy Relays

It was inevitable that one (if not a few) posts in our ongoing Speculative Design series would consider a project over at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)- the pioneer GOAT organization in the history of large-scale speculative design projects. Explore with us DARPA’s Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program, which “aims to…
The Hack Factory: A Startup Studio and Growth Accelerator

OODA CEO Matt Devost has launched the Hack Factory, a startup studio and growth accelerator designed to launch new business endeavors and support the local startup ecosystem. The new initiative will be located in the Reston Town Center and will focus on building an environment for new entrepreneurs custom-tailored to their unique requirements.
NIST Seeks Feedback on Stablecoin Technology Draft Report

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is looking for public feedback on a draft report on stablecoin technologies and related security concerns in an effort to better understand the digital assets industry. Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency that aim to maintain a stable price relative to a specified asset, such as the U.S.…
Security and interoperability, the challenges ahead of Web3 mass adoption

By 2030, Web3 is expected to reach a market size of $81.5 billion, according to Emergen Research, but the industry still has challenges to overcome, including security and interoperability, said players interviewed by Cointelegraph. Interoperability, in short, provides communication between blockchains, aiming to offer a similar experience to users as Web2, hiding infrastructure complexity away and…
US-Brazil investigation leads to disruption of transnational cryptocurrency fraud ring

An investigation by the Brazilian Federal Police, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and multiple law enforcement partners led to the disruption of a transnational cryptocurrency fraud ring based in Curitiba, Brazil, Oct. 6. As part of Operation Poyais, the Brazilian Federal Police executed 20 search and seizure warrants in the states of Parana, Santa Catarina, Sao…
Ethereum PoS Is Not a Security, Here Is Why

The second largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum, may be under the tight scrutiny of the SEC after it shifted to the Proof-of-Stake model. Is ETH PoS security? The Securities and Exchange Commission is closely examining the cryptocurrency market. They are already fighting a legal battle against Ripple Labs, the company behind XRP. The SEC alleges that the…
Crypto: Spectacular Hack Reinforces Concern About Industry Security

The crypto industry just took a huge blow. The young industry is going through one of its most difficult years, defined by the slump in cryptocurrency prices. The market has lost more than $2 trillion from its November 2021 all-time high of $3 trillion. It’s currently valued at $986 billion, according to data firm CoinGecko. The difficulties…
Hacker Steals Over $570m from Binance Bridge

Cybercriminals have allegedly stolen roughly two million Binance coins valued at $570 million from a popular cross-chain bridging service. A security researcher at the cryptocurrency investment firm Paradigm explained how the cyberattack occurred and the funds were stolen. The hacker may have been able to leverage a vulnerability in the way that the service validates…
US Warns of Foreign Disinfo Ops Ahead of Midterms

US authorities have warned of the possibility of disinformation campaigns ahead of the midterm elections. The authorities believe that it might be a target for foreign actors who want to create doubt about the results or sway public opinion. The warning was detailed in a Public Service Announcement published by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security…
Android Spyware ‘RatMilad’ Targets Enterprise Devices in Iran

A newly discovered Android spyware has been dubbed RatMilad and is infecting enterprise devices in the Middle East. Cyber security company Zimperium discovered the threat and claim that the original variant was found behind a VPN and phone spoofing app. The RatZMilad spyware was uncovered alongside a live sample of the malware family distributed through…
Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to civilian EU mission alongside border

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to a civilian EU mission along their border, where the worst fighting between the two countries since 2020 killed over 200 people last month according to the EU. The mission will start by the end of the month and aims to help delineate the border between the two countries for…
Pakistan flood losses estimated at $40bn according to Ex-finance minister

Pakistan has estimated the total losses from its recent floods could be as high as $40 billion. This estimate is revised from the original estimate of $30bn. The government is appealing for debt relief from global lenders and more aid from the international community in fighting the environmental catastrophe. The former finance minister for Pakistan,…
Bolsonaro speeds up payments to the poor as election looms

Brazil’s government has announced plans to speed up the welfare payments to the needy this month as a second-round election is coming up. President Jair Bolsonaro will face leftwing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a run-off vote on October 30. The payments of an equivalent to $120 will be sent to over 20…
Facing risk of blackouts this winter, the UK will drill for more oil

The UK government may award over 100 new licenses to oil and gas companies to drill in the North Sea to improve energy security during a global supply shortage. The licensing round was launched on Friday and won’t lead to new production for several years. When the drilling does begin, the UK will remain dependent…
OODAcon 2022: Swimming with Black Swans – Innovation in an Age of Rapid Disruption

OODAcon 2022: Swimming with Black Swans – Innovation in an Age of Rapid Disruption Panel Description: If Yogi Berra were to evaluate today’s pace of global change, he might simply define it as “the more things change, the more they change”. Are we living in an exponential loop of global change or have we achieved…
Bitcoin can solve the DeFi onboarding crisis, argues exec

As the decentralized finance space remains plagued with hacks, people have become less interested in jumping in and engaging with DeFi. But, according to Dennis Jarvis, the CEO of Bitcoin.com, there is a way for DeFi adoption to move forward through Bitcoin. In a keynote speech at the Blockchain Economy Dubai Summit 2022, Jarvis pointed…
Bitcoin Defi Protocol Sovryn Gets Hacked for Over $1 Million

Sovryn – a Bitcoin-based decentralized finance protocol – was drained of over $1 million in funds on Tuesday using a price manipulation exploit. The attack allowed the culprit to drain over $1 million worth of crypto from the protocol, including 44.93 RBTC and 211,045 USDT. According to Sovryn’s blog post on the topic, the attacks…