Facial recognition company's entire client list stolen in data breach | Google, Microsoft shift production from China faster due to virus | Internet shutdowns are favourite tool of governments
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A facial-recognition company that contracts with powerful law-enforcement agencies just reported that an intruder stole its entire client list, according to a notification the company sent to its customers. The Daily Beast
Google and Microsoft are accelerating efforts to shift production of their new phones, personal computers and other devices from China to Southeast Asia amid the worsening coronavirus outbreak, with factories in Vietnam and Thailand expected to be the beneficiaries. Nikkei Asian Review
From autocratic Iran to democratic India, governments are cutting people off from the global web with growing frequency and little scrutiny. Parts or all of the internet were shut down at least 213 times in 33 countries in 2019, the most ever recorded. The Wall Street Journal
ASPI ICPC
Event: Working smarter, not harder: Leveraging government procurement to improve cybersecurity
ASPI ICPC
19 March 2020
The report will be launched by Secretary of Home Affairs, Michael Pezzullo, followed by a panel discussion with report author and ASPI Fellow, Rajiv Shah, AustCyber CEO Michelle Price, and Managing Director of Macquarie Government, Aidan Tudehope.
Event: America’s China Strategy: Where is it going and what’s missing?
ASPI ICPC
17 March 2020
Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian will provide her take on America's top priorities when it comes to its relationship with China and will point out where she sees gaps, opportunities and future challenges in the US-China relationship. Bethany will be joined by ICPC’s Alex Joske and Vicky Xiuzhong Xu for an in conversation to discuss and debate America’s China strategy, where they will compare this approach with Australia's.
Far-right groups and conspiracy theories are being brought together through the internet
ABC
@elisethoma5
Far-right extremists have been quick to recognise the potential of fringe and shadowy online spaces as an opportunity to promote their propaganda, communicate with one another and win others over to their cause. But they're often not alone in these spaces.
World
Google, Microsoft shift production from China faster due to virus
Nikkei Asian Review
@dabieannie @Lauly Li
Google and Microsoft are accelerating efforts to shift production of their new phones, personal computers and other devices from China to Southeast Asia amid the worsening coronavirus outbreak, with factories in Vietnam and Thailand expected to be the beneficiaries, the Nikkei Asian Review has learned.
China
Coronavirus Weakens China’s Powerful Propaganda Machine
The New York Times
@LiYuan6
Beijing has intensified internet censorship in the past few weeks. Social media accounts have been deleted or suspended. Starting Saturday, online platforms will be subject to new regulations that could ensure even tighter limits.
USA
Report Warns of Tech Threats From ‘Other’ Chinese Companies
Next Gov
@Frank_Konkel
While the federal government has cracked down on the use of Chinese-owned companies at the federal level in recent years over espionage and data safety concerns, at least 43 states hold important IT contracts with other Chinese-owned companies and could be at risk, according to a report released Monday. The report, published by ChinaTechThreat.com, focuses predominantly on more than three dozen large tech contracts and purchase agreements with states held by Chinese-owned companies Lexmark and Lenovo, whose products are listed in the National Vulnerability Database.
Warren Has a Plan for Disinformation—What About Everyone Else?
Lawfare Blog
The 2020 U.S. presidential election is playing out in the shadow of disinformation, but few candidates are promising to take action against it.
Twitter falling short on pledge to verify primary candidates
The Hill
Twitter has pledged to proactively verify new candidates' accounts this election cycle, but an analysis by The Hill shows that effort falling short. Nearly 90 primary candidates in the five states holding congressional and gubernatorial primaries on Super Tuesday still have not received the company's coveted "blue check," with only a week until the vote.
With An Election On The Horizon, Older Adults Get Help Spotting Fake News
NPR
@gringsam
The seniors are participating in a workshop sponsored by the nonprofit Senior Planet called "How to Spot Fake News." As instructed, they pull up a reputable fact-checking site like Snopes or FactCheck.org and, within a few minutes, identify the meme is peddling fake news.
It’s Facebook vs. the Bloomberg Campaign vs. the Internet
The New York Times
@TaylorLorenz @sheeraf
The Bloomberg campaign is putting out more memes on private Instagram accounts — and running faster than Facebook can keep up.
North Asia
Can the U.S. and Japan handle cyberattacks?
Japan Times
Given these challenges, especially when Japan limits the use of force more strictly than the U.S., despite receiving enormous numbers of cyberattacks, further discussion of the criteria for collective self-defense is critically important for Japan and the U.S. in the framework of the alliance.
Japan’s 5G: a Mirror for Europe
Institut Montaigne
@mtdtl
Japan has a radically different profile when it comes to three important areas of 5G deployment: the allocation of frequencies, the management of the Huawei risk, and the national industry solutions to ensure multi-vendor architectures and create space for policy options.
No Email. No WhatsApp. No Internet. This Is Now Normal Life In Kashmir.
Buzzfeed News
@PranavDixit
To prevent public opposition from turning into open rebellion, India’s government detained Kashmiri politicians, arrested thousands of activists and academics, and imposed a complete communications blackout. Overnight, mobile phones and landlines stopped working, broadband lines were frozen, and text messaging stopped.
Middle East
Smart cards for rationing: how the Syrian government is outsmarting accountability
Syrian Direct
@rohadvani
On February 1, the Syrian government launched its initiative to expand the “smart card” system to include subsidized prices for rationed quantities of tea, rice, and sugar. Using the “smart card,” each family is allowed to purchase up to 1 kilogram of tea for SYP 900 ($0.87) per 200g, 3 kilograms of rice for SYP 400 ($0.39) per kg, and 4 kilograms of sugar for SYP 350 ($0.34) per kg every month.
Huawei gets the green light for 5G in Oman
Developing Telecoms
James Barton
Oman has cleared Huawei to supply equipment for 5G network deployments in the market. The Chinese vendor is already a major provider of 4G network equipment in Oman, with two of the country’s three operators (Omantel and Ooredoo) now opting to use Huawei gear in their 5G rollouts.
Green Trend Sues 40 Social Media Users for Insulting Saleh
Tolo News
Afghanistan Green Trend (AGT), a social and youth empowerment organization, which is led by Amrullah Saleh, the former Directorate General of National Directorate of Security (NDS) and the first running mate to President Ashraf Ghani, on Tuesday said that it has referred at least 40 social media users to the Attorney General for "using insulting and abusive language" against Saleh.
Misc
Facial-Recognition Company That Works With Law Enforcement Says Entire Client List Was Stolen
The Daily Beast
@woodruffbets
A facial-recognition company that contracts with powerful law-enforcement agencies just reported that an intruder stole its entire client list, according to a notification the company sent to its customers.
Internet Shutdowns Become a Favorite Tool of Governments: ‘It’s Like We Suddenly Went Blind’
Wall Street Journal
Governments increasingly order telecoms to turn off web access in neighborhoods, regions or whole countries, sometimes for months.
Jobs
Analyst – Technical
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre has an outstanding opportunity for a talented and passionate technically-focused analyst to join its growing centre. We are looking for a creative and passionate individual who can contribute unique technical skills to work across a range of projects in the centre. This individual may possess skills and experience in one or more of the following areas including malware analysis, reverse-engineering, data analysis and web scraping (for work on online disinformation for example) and/or a deep technical knowledge of critical technologies. The successful candidate will be offered a remuneration package at a level aligned with their demonstrated skills and expertise. This is a contract position for an initial 1 year term with the option of extension. At any one time ASPI has multiple people working at the institute who are on secondments or unpaid leave from the Australian Public Service (APS). Similar arrangements - including secondments - can be negotiated in this instance pending approval from the APS department/agency.
Researcher – Cyber, Technology, Asia-Pacific
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre has an outstanding opportunity for an emerging researcher to join its growing centre and work directly with the ICPC Director. Staff in the centre have diverse backgrounds and are usually involved in several projects at once. We are looking for a team member with a flexible, entrepreneurial approach, who is a self-starter, has the ability to deliver to deadlines and enjoys working in a collaborative team environment. Foreign languages (particularly Asian languages) and social media analysis skills are desirable but not essential. We are looking for a creative and passionate individual who can work collaboratively in a team environment to support the centre’s program of work. This will include working with a variety of centre staff to conduct research on a range of priority projects, on project coordination and administration, working to facilitate international fellowships, supporting public and private events and engaging with key stakeholders.
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