At least 70 countries have had disinformation campaigns | Telegram channels used to doxx and report Hong Kong protesters | CyberPeace Institute to support victims harmed by escalating conflicts
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Despite increased efforts by internet platforms like Facebook to combat internet disinformation, the use of the techniques by governments around the world is growing, according to a report released Thursday by researchers at Oxford University. Governments are spreading disinformation to discredit political opponents, bury opposing views and interfere in foreign affairs. The New York Times
A pro-China Telegram channel is identifying Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters and rioters with an aim to build a database of them and submitting their information to China’s Ministry of State Security Reporting Platform. Medium
Today marks a new milestone in global efforts toward de-escalating conflicts and promoting peace and stability in cyberspace with the announcement of the CyberPeace Institute, an independent NGO created to address the growing impact of major cyberattacks. The CyberPeace Institute's Advisory Board includes: Fergus Hanson, Director of International Cyber Policy Centre, Australian Strategic Policy Institute. PR Newswire
ASPI ICPC
Australia's Cyber Strategy, version 2.0
ASPI ICPC
Back in 2016, Australia launched its first national cybersecurity strategy. The strategy covers a four-year period to 2020, and given the changes in the security environment, an update is now clearly warranted. To that end, the government has just launched a discussion paper to kick off the public consultation. The closing date for submissions on the discussion paper is 1 November.To complement the public submission process, ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre is initiating a public debate on what should be included in the next cybersecurity strategy. Contributions will be compiled into a report that we will deliver to the Department of Home Affairs to inform the strategy’s development.
CyberPeace Institute to Support Victims Harmed by Escalating Conflicts in Cyberspace
PR Newswire
@FergusHanson @CyberpeaceInst
Today marks a new milestone in global efforts toward de-escalating conflicts and promoting peace and stability in cyberspace with the announcement of the CyberPeace Institute, an independent NGO created to address the growing impact of major cyberattacks. Created to address the growing impact of major cyberattacks, the CyberPeace Institute will assist vulnerable communities, promote transparency, and advance global discussions on acceptable behavior in cyberspace. The CyberPeace Institute's Advisory Board includes: Fergus Hanson, Director of International Cyber Policy Centre, Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Microsoft, Mastercard Fund Initiative to Help Thwart Hackers, Bloomberg
CyberPeace Institute to Support Victims Harmed by Escalating Conflicts in Cyberspace, CyberPeace Insights
More collaboration needed to fight digital threats: Panel
The Straits Times
@FergusHanson
They were part of a four-person panel speaking about defending the online space from foreign interference at a conference organised by the Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. The panel also included Ms Renee DiResta, technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, and Mr Fergus Hanson, director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's International Cyber Policy Centre. All four said that governments, private companies and civil society need to collaborate more to counter foreign interference.
The World
At Least 70 Countries Have Had Disinformation Campaigns, Study Finds
The New York Times
@daveyalba @satariano @oiioxford
Despite increased efforts by internet platforms like Facebook to combat internet disinformation, the use of the techniques by governments around the world is growing, according to a report released Thursday by researchers at Oxford University. Governments are spreading disinformation to discredit political opponents, bury opposing views and interfere in foreign affairs. Ms. Bradshaw said that in the case studies the Oxford team identified, advertising was not central to the spread of disinformation. Instead, she said, the campaigns sought to create memes, videos or other pieces of content designed to take advantage of social networks’ algorithms and their amplifying effects — exploiting the potential for virality on the platforms for free. Ms. Bradshaw said both government regulation and the steps taken by Facebook to combat this kind of disinformation didn’t go far enough. A lot of the regulation “tends to focus on the content” or “problems at the edges of disinformation problems,” she said, pointing to efforts like Facebook’s transparency in its ads archive.
Use of social media to manipulate public opinion now a global problem, says new report, Oxford Internet Institute
The Global Disinformation Order
Airbus hit by series of cyber attacks on suppliers
France24
@AFP
European aerospace giant Airbus has been hit by a series of attacks by hackers who targeted its suppliers in their search for commercial secrets, security sources told AFP, adding they suspected a China link.
China
Telegram channels used to doxx and report Hong Kong protesters to Chinese authorities
Medium
@DFRLab
A pro-China Telegram channel is identifying Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters and rioters with an aim to build a database of them and submitting their information to China’s Ministry of State Security Reporting Platform.
Huawei already producing 5G base stations without U.S. parts: CEO
Reuters
Sijia Jiang
Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said on Thursday the company is already producing 5G base stations that are free of U.S. components and plans to more than double production next year.
Huawei Billionaire Dangles 5G Secrets to Create a U.S. Foe
BloombergQuint
The army officer-turned-billionaire reiterated an offer Thursday to license out Huawei’s full portfolio of 5G wireless technology -- which would include chip designs, hardware and source code -- to a single, exclusive licensee. That should be a U.S. company because Europe is home to close competitors like Nokia Oyj and Ericsson AB and doesn’t need help to compete, he added.
Revolution of our times
Bloomberg
@business
For more than three months, Hong Kong protesters have taken to the streets to try to halt Beijing’s creeping influence over the semi-autonomous city. They’ve plastered their message in full-page ads in international newspapers, and displayed slogans on Mount Everest. Now their voices are being heard in Azeroth, the fantasy realm of Blizzard’s iconic game World of Warcraft.
China to send state officials to 100 private firms including Alibaba
Reuters
@horwitzjosh
China’s top technology hub Hangzhou plans to assign government officials to work with 100 private companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba, according to state media reports, in a move likely to raise concerns over the growing role of the state.
China’s ByteDance in Talks to Sell Its Overseas News App
The Information
@JuroOsawa @beijingscribe @carletonenglish
China’s ByteDance, whose TikTok video app has taken the U.S. by storm, is trying to sell its overseas news and entertainment app, called TopBuzz, people familiar with the matter said.
China is eroding the U.S. edge in AI and 5G
Axios
@kavehwaddell @erica_pandey
The U.S. has the upper hand in pivotal emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, in part because American universities and companies boast world-class talent. But experts say its dominance could soon slip.
US
Experts criticize White House use of sensitive computer system to store Trump transcripts
Yahoo News
@JennaMC_Laugh
White House officials’ decision to move records of the president’s calls with foreign officials to a highly sensitive and protected computer system at the National Security Council — one of the revelations contained in a whistleblower complaint made public Thursday — was highly unusual and likely inappropriate, according to experts familiar with the normal procedures for handling such information.
How The U.S. Hacked ISIS
National Public Radio
A response to ISIS required a new kind of warfare, and so the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command created a secret task force, a special mission, and an operation that would become one of the largest and longest offensive cyber operations in U.S. military history. Few details about Joint Task Force ARES and Operation Glowing Symphony have been made public.
Jeff Bezos says Amazon is writing its own facial recognition laws to pitch to lawmakers
Vox
@DelRey
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says his company is developing a set of laws to regulate facial recognition technology that it plans to share with federal lawmakers.
Attorney General Barr Seeks DOJ Facebook Antitrust Probe
Bloomberg
@DavidMcLA
The Justice Department intends to investigate Facebook Inc. after prodding from U.S. Attorney General William Barr, according to a person familiar with the matter, even though the Federal Trade Commission already has an inquiry underway. The social-media giant now faces parallel probes by two federal agencies over whether it has harmed competition in violation of antitrust laws.
Brace Yourself for the Internet Impeachment
The New York Times
@kevinroose
Even before the impeachment inquiry against President Trump was announced on Tuesday, the president’s re-election campaign blasted an email to supporters, urging them to defend Mr. Trump against the “baseless and disgusting attacks.” Facebook quickly filled with ads for impeachment-themed merchandise, including $3 “Impeach Now!” bumper stickers and $35 “Impeach This!” T-shirts. In a private chat room, pro-Trump internet trolls discussed which memes, videos and news stories to push on social media in order to reclaim the narrative.
Southeast Asia
PcShare Backdoor Attacks Targeting Windows Users with FakeNarrator Malware
Threat Vector
Over the course of the last two years, BlackBerry Cylance researchers uncovered a suspected Chinese advanced persistent threat (APT) group conducting attacks against technology companies located in south-east Asia.
UK
Chip designer Arm says Huawei ties unaffected by US trade restrictions
Technode
@weishengn
China’s top technology hub Hangzhou plans to assign government officials to work with 100 private companies including e-commerce giant Alibaba, according to state media reports, in a move likely to raise concerns over the growing role of the state.
Europe
Czech intelligence blames China for major cyber attack
CNA
China was behind a major cyber attack at a key government institution in the Czech Republic last year, the EU member's intelligence agency said in a report on Wednesday.
Misc
DoorDash confirms data breach affected 4.9 million customers, workers and merchants
Tech Chrunch
@zackwhittaker
The food delivery company said in a blog post Thursday that 4.9 million customers, delivery workers and merchants had their information stolen by hackers.
Google Says Google Translate Can’t Replace Human Translators. Immigration Officials Have Used It to Vet Refugees
ProPublica
@yjtorbati
Documents shared with ProPublica show that immigration officials have been told to vet refugees’ social media posts using Google Translate. Language experts caution even students against using the service.
How Tortoiseshell created a fake veteran hiring website to host malware
Cisco Talos
@SecurityBeard @r00tbsd @JSSJHJTS
Cisco Talos recently discovered a threat actor attempting to take advantage of Americans who may be seeking a job, especially military veterans.
Hello! My name is Dtrack
Securelist
Konstantin Zykov
Our investigation into the Dtrack RAT actually began with a different activity. In the late summer of 2018, we discovered ATMDtrack, a piece of banking malware targeting Indian banks. Further analysis showed that the malware was designed to be planted on the victim’s ATMs, where it could read and store the data of cards that were inserted into the machines. Naturally, we wanted to know more about that ATM malware, so we used YARA and Kaspersky Attribution Engine to uncover more interesting material: over 180 new malware samples of a spy tool that we now call Dtrack.
Pulp diction: Samuel L Jackson to voice Amazon's Alexa
The Guardian
Interactions with Amazon’s virtual personal assistant Alexa could soon become considerably more entertaining – and profane – after actor Samuel L Jackson signed up to lend his voice to the device.
Events
The Digital Revolution in the Pacific
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre warmly invites you to attend a panel discussion to consider how governments and businesses in the Pacific Islands are reaping the benefits and tackling the challenges stemming from increased internet and mobile connectivity.
The rise of information warfare: in-conversation with Peter W. Singer
ASPI ICPC
ASPI's International Cyber Policy Centre invites you to an in-conversation with Peter W. Singer and Danielle Cave to consider the rise of information warfare. Peter Warren Singer is strategist and senior fellow at New America. He has been named by the Smithsonian as one of the nation’s 100 leading innovators, by Defense News as one of the 100 most influential people in defense issues, by Foreign Policy to their Top 100 Global Thinkers List, and as an official “Mad Scientist” for the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command. A drinks and canapes reception will conclude the event. This event is kindly supported by Microsoft.