FBI probes use of Israeli firm's spyware in personal and government hacks | Russia moves to fine Facebook, Twitter again under data localization law | Raytheon engineer arrested for taking US missile
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The FBI is investigating the role of Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group Technologies in possible hacks on American residents and companies as well as suspected intelligence gathering on governments, according to four people familiar with the inquiry. Reuters.
FBI arrests former Raytheon electric engineer for taking classified info about US missile defense systems to China and then lying about it. ZD Net.
Facebook and Twitter were each threatened Friday with being fined nearly $100,000 apiece for allegedly failing to comply with a data localization law on the books in Russia. Washington Times.
Australia
The man who stopped Huawei: A former spook speaks out
SMH
@Ageinvestigates
Simeon Gilding’s job at the Australian Signals Directorate was one of the most secretive in the agency - no mean feat in a place in which even the lowest order business is marked "classified". He was in charge of the people trying to launch attacks on Australia’s adversaries by hacking into phone and computer systems.
Toll Group shuts down several systems after suspected cyber attack
Splash 247
Australian transport and logistics company Toll Group has had to shut down a number of systems in response to a suspected cyber security incident.
Kazakhstan has faster internet than Australia, report says
CNET
Australia's internet ranks 68th in the world, below Kazakhstan's spot at 65. The US is No. 11.
China
Apple removes 805 apps from China
Abacus News
@mashaborak
Over the course of a year, Apple took down 805 apps in mainland China by its own account. In Apple’s latest transparency report accounting for the first half of 2019, the iPhone maker said it removed 288 apps from China’s iOS App Store for both legal and policy violations.
China’s Funding of U.S. Researchers Raises Red Flags
WSJ
When officials at the Texas A&M University System sought to determine how much Chinese government funding its faculty members were receiving, they were astounded at the results—more than 100 were involved with a Chinese talent-recruitment program, even though only five had disclosed their participation..The arrest of a leading Harvard University scientist this week for allegedly concealing more than $2 million in Chinese backing underscored how serious Beijing is about attracting top talent. Such funding is just the tip of the iceberg, by China’s own account. A decade ago the Chinese government pledged to spend what would amount to more than $2 trillion today to reverse a longstanding brain drain to the developed world in a quest to dominate the technologies of the future.
[Podcast] Tracking one of China’s hidden hacking groups - Research Saturday
The Cyber Wire
Tracking one of China's hidden hacking groups - Research Saturday
Twitter bans Zero Hedge account after it doxxed a Chinese researcher over coronavirus
Washington Post
@d_hawk
Twitter on Friday permanently suspended the right-leaning finance blog Zero Hedge after it published a conspiracy theory suggesting that a Chinese scientist might be responsible for the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
USA
FBI probes use of Israeli firm's spyware in personal and government hacks - sources
Reuters
@Reuters
The FBI is investigating the role of Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group Technologies in possible hacks on American residents and companies as well as suspected intelligence gathering on governments, according to four people familiar with the inquiry.
FCC Confirms 'One or More' Carriers Broke the Law Selling Location Data
Vice
@josephfcox
More than a year after a Motherboard investigation revealed that wireless carriers were collecting and selling user location data to often dubious data brokers who then sold it to bounty hunters, the head of the FCC is finally acknowledging that at least one and possibly several wireless carriers broke the law.
Raytheon engineer arrested for taking US missile defense data to China
ZD Net
@campuscodi
The FBI arrested a Raytheon employee last week for taking a work laptop with classified information about US missile defense systems to China despite his employer's warnings -- and by doing so breaking arms and weapons export laws.
Asia
Japan set to give domestic drone industry a lift
Nikkei Business Review
The government will submit a bill to parliament as soon as February to make it easier for domestic drone makers to raise money, while increasing procurement of drones for infrastructure inspection and disaster relief.
Lawsuit in India Seeks to Shut Down Access to U.S. Journalism Website
EFF
A company is seeking to block Indian readers from accessing journalism by the American security journalist known as Dissent Doe. If it succeeds, more than a billion people in India would be blocked from reading Dissent Doe’s reporting.
UK
The UK Exited the EU—and Is Leaving a 'Meme Ban' Behind
Wired
@willbedingfield
Article 13—a controversial piece of copyright legislation that is now called Article 17 but is more colloquially known as "the meme ban"—is no more, in the UK at least. Last week, the country's minister for universities and science, Chris Skidmore, confirmed that the UK will not implement the EU Copyright Directive after leaving the EU.
BT will build UK’s emergency network using Huawei kit despite security concerns
Telegraph
BT will use Huawei kit to build a telecoms network for Britain’s emergency services despite government advice that it could pose a security threat.
Europe
Huawei denies German report it colluded with Chinese intelligence
Reuters
@Reuters
“Huawei Technologies has never, and will never, do anything to compromise the security of networks and data of its customers,” the Chinese company said in response to the report in the Handelsblatt business daily.
Welcome To The World’s Next Tech Hub: Armenia
Forbes
@wadeshepard
Tech is now the largest foreign investment in Armenia and many of the world’s most powerful technology firms—including Intel, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Synopsys and Cisco—all have a physical presence there, as the country’s tech sector grew 33% in 2018 to become a $250 million a year industry.
Russia, China use 'digital war' to undermine democracies, EU says
CBC
European Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova, who leads efforts to preserve democratic principles across the bloc, said the two countries have "weaponized information" and won't back down until Europe stands up to them.
Russia
Russia moves to fine Facebook, Twitter again under data localization law
Washington Times
Facebook and Twitter were each threatened Friday with being fined nearly $100,000 apiece for allegedly failing to comply with a data localization law on the books in Russia.
Middle East
Jordan adopts sweeping cybersecurity legislation
Middle East Institute
Jordan is bracing for protracted cyber insecurity. Since 2010, the Hashemite Kingdom has rolled out a raft of policies to manage digital vulnerabilities. In keeping with its proactive approach to cybersecurity, Amman is taking additional measures to inoculate the kingdom against digital ailments, including, most recently, the adoption of the 2019 Cybersecurity Law.
Misc.
Hackers are hijacking smart building access systems to launch DDoS attacks
ZD Net
@campuscodi
Hackers are actively searching the internet and hijacking smart door/building access control systems, which they are using to launch DDoS attacks, according to firewall company SonicWall.
Leila Janah, Entrepreneur Who Hired the Poor, Dies at 37
NYT
@RichSandomir
A child of Indian immigrants, she created digital jobs that pay a living wage to thousands in Africa and India, believing that the intellect of the poor was “the biggest untapped resource” in the world.
Jobs and opportunities
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.
ASD is seeking two highly motivated, outcome-driven senior executives.
Policy Advisor (Electorate Officer)
Tim Watts MP
I'm now accepting applications for a Policy Advisor based in my Footscray electorate office (6kms from the Melbourne CBD).
Open Grants Process – Cyber Cooperation Program
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is pleased to invite project proposals for Australia's Cyber Cooperation Program. The Cyber Cooperation Program provides the framework to partner with countries in the Indo-Pacific region so they are equipped to respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by the growth of the global Internet and digital technologies.
“Closing the Gap” Conference Call For Papers
EU Cyber Direct
ASPI ICPC is inviting scholars, policy analysts and practitioners - in particular from Southeast Asia and the Pacific (!) - working on cyber-related issues to answer this call for papers. Organised by EU Cyber Direct and supported by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we're looking for thought-provoking and insightful abstracts in the areas of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace; international cooperation against cybercrime; international law and stability in cyberspace; comparative analysis of national or regional approaches to build cyber resilience; and/or new technologies and cybersecurity.