Canada cybersecurity agency calls out 4 countries as 'greatest strategic threats' | UK unveils National Cyber Force of hackers to target digital foes | Google working on end-to-end encryption for app
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Canada’s top cybersecurity agency has named China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea’s state-sponsored cyber activity as posing the “greatest strategic threats” to Canada’s critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and political events like elections. CTV News
Britain has unveiled its new National Cyber Force, a unit of offensive hackers that can target hostile states such as China and Russia, terror groups and even paedophiles by disrupting their online communications. The Guardian
It’s taken years, but Google today has announced that RCS messaging is now available globally — anyone with an Android phone using Google’s Messages app can take advantage of the feature. Yahoo Finance
ASPI ICPC
Mapping China's Tech Giants website Feedback
ASPI ICPC
We will soon begin the next phase of "Mapping China's Technology Giants". Part of this project will include updating the website. To ensure the website remains as useful to you and your organisation as possible, we would like to invite you to give us feedback on your use of our website. Your feedback is an important part of this process as it allows us to know what is working well, what we can improve on and what really matters to you.
World
Google is working on end-to-end encryption for its Messaging app
Yahoo Finance
@NateIngraham
It’s taken years, but Google today has announced that RCS messaging is now available globally — anyone with an Android phone using Google’s Messages app can take advantage of the feature.
Australia
Significant consequences': Growing fears of cyber attack on Australia's energy grid
The Sydney Morning Herald
@Gallo_Ways
Australian business leaders are anticipating more cyber attacks in the next 12 months than their global peers, including state-sponsored hack attacks on the nation's critical infrastructure which could shut down vital services such as hospitals. There is growing concern from businesses and the federal government that a successful cyber attack on a piece of critical infrastructure such as an energy grid would shut down services across the country.
Cyber warning: It's coming from inside the office
Australian Financial Review
@ronmjm
When the owners of HackHunter were asked by an ASX50 company to trial a new Wi-Fi tracker in their offices, the last thing they expected was to find a Wi-Fi device hidden under the floorboards.
Cyber, data, identity: Canberra's approach to delivering an 'integrated urban plan'
ZDNet
@ashabeeeee
Home Affairs and DTA bosses detail the government's plan for how the public service will 'get its act together' and get rid of the silos that currently plague 180-plus 'cities and towns' within Canberra.
Google and Facebook rejected 1 in 5 data requests from law enforcement in 2019
The Sydney Morning Herald
@LisaVisentin
Facebook and Google are rejecting one in five data disclosure requests from Australian law enforcement bodies, amid rising concerns among security agencies about platforms adopting end-to-end encryption. The tech giants defended their data disclosure practices at a parliamentary inquiry on Tuesday, where they were also grilled about the adequacy of their measures to protect users from abusive content on their platforms.
China
Massive, China-state-funded hack hits companies around the world, report says
Ars Technica
Researchers have uncovered a massive hacking campaign that’s using sophisticated tools and techniques to compromise the networks of companies around the world. The hackers, most likely from a well-known group that’s funded by the Chinese government, are outfitted with both off-the-shelf and custom-made tools.
USA
How TikTok could be used for disinformation and espionage
CBS News
@thebritfarmer
The popular social media platform TikTok has so far avoided being banned by the Trump administration. But until it addresses concerns over its national security risks, its future in the U.S. remains uncertain.
GOP senators blast Trump's firing of election security official: 'A terrible mistake'
ABC News
@AllisonMPecorin @lantrylauren
In a rare instance of breaking ranks, GOP senators on Wednesday roundly criticized President Donald Trump's firing of Chris Krebs, a top election security official who publicly contradicted his claims of voting fraud.
YouTube Is Cashing In on Trump's Election Conspiracy During Giuliani Livestream
VICE News
@jason_koebler
Thursday afternoon, Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani called a press conference and rambled uninterrupted about every possible election conspiracy theory we’ve seen over the last few weeks. While this was happening, YouTube collected direct payments from conspiracy theorists, who paid money to spread their unfounded conspiracies in the live chats.
Does Congress actually plan to rein in Big Tech companies?
ABC News
@KristineFrazao
As for now, the only disciplinary actions out of Washington against Big Tech have come from the Department of Justice.
State, federal antitrust lawsuits likely to challenge Facebook for buying rivals and weaponizing data. The Washington Post
North-East Asia
Pro-China TV station in Taiwan ordered off air over disinformation
The Guardian
@heldavidson
A pro-China TV station will be taken off air after Taiwan’s media regulator found it had failed to address serious and frequent findings of bias and disinformation.
UK
UK unveils National Cyber Force of hackers to target foes digitally
The Guardian
@dansabbagh
Britain has unveiled its new National Cyber Force, a unit of offensive hackers that can target hostile states such as China and Russia, terror groups and even paedophiles by disrupting their online communications.
How I talk to the victims of conspiracy theories
BBC News
Sebastian's mum is one of the leaders of Britain's conspiracy community. He spoke exclusively to the BBC's specialist disinformation reporter Marianna Spring about the impact that his mother is having on public health - and their relationship.
Defence funding boost 'extends British influence', says PM
BBC News
The UK military is to receive an extra £4bn a year over the next four years, the government has said. The money will fund space and cyber defence projects such as an artificial intelligence agency, and could create 40,000 new jobs.
Europe
Ericsson chief hits out at Swedish 5G ban on Huawei
Financial Times
Ericsson’s chief executive has criticised the decision of his home country Sweden to ban Huawei from its 5G telecoms networks, arguing such a move restricts free competition and trade and will lead to a delay in rolling out the new technology.
We’re all living in America, and it is not wunderbar
EUvsDisinfo
Disinformation often mirrors the news stream. Therefore, it might not be surprising this week’s disinformation heavily features events in the United States. Among the frequent targets: Joe Biden’s policy towards Russia, Covid-19 and alleged plans of the US establishment to abuse the pandemic and rig the US presidential elections.
Russia
Huawei’s push in Russia exploits Kremlin fears of Western technology
Atlantic Council
@jshermcyber
Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei, a leading developer and vendor of 5G technology, has been the target of a years-long US campaign to see the company’s products banned in partner countries worldwide. Huawei has pushed back the US efforts but also made forays in another direction: Russia.
Canada
Cybersecurity agency calls out four countries as the 'greatest strategic threats' to Canada
CTV News
@rachaiello
Canada’s top cybersecurity agency has named China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea’s state-sponsored cyber activity as posing the “greatest strategic threats” to Canada’s critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and political events like elections.
Parliament passes Conservative motion to demand Liberal government decision on Huawei, 5G within 30 days
The National Post
A united federal opposition has supported a Conservative motion to insist the Liberal government take a harder line against what it says are national-security threats from China. The motion, sponsored by Tory foreign affairs critic Michael Chong, passed Wednesday by 179 votes to 146 and calls on the government to decide within 30 days whether to allow China’s Huawei Technologies to supply equipment for Canada’s next generation 5G wireless networks.
Misc
A Facebook Messenger Flaw Could Have Let Hackers Listen In
Wired
@lilyhnewman
Discovered by Natalie Silvanovich of Google's Project Zero bug hunting team, the vulnerability, which is now patched, could have been exploited on Messenger for Android if an attacker simultaneously called a target and sent them a specially crafted, invisible message to trigger the attack.
Events
Jobs
Senior Researcher / Project Lead
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has an outstanding opportunity for a senior researcher to lead a one-year project looking at leadership networks across Asia. Interviews will start immediately.
Senior Strategic Communications Manager
ASPI
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has an outstanding opportunity for a highly experienced, strategic comms professional to contribute to the launch of a new, high profile global project. The Senior Strategic Communications Manager will be an integral member of a bespoke team that will liaise with the Australian government, foreign governments, industry and civil society to build up this exciting new project from scratch. The position will work closely with the Executive Director and the Institutes’s International Cyber Policy Centre.
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