Hacked News Channel and Deepfake of Zelenskyy Surrendering Is Causing Chaos Online | US DOJ Admission on Predictive Policing Tools | Meta is going on a subpoena spree, targeting Snap, Twitter and more
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Broadcast news outlet Ukraine 24 was allegedly hacked on Wednesday, and a video of a faked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is spreading on social media. VICE
The Justice Department has acknowledged its own lack of oversight over controversial cop grants in a long-awaited letter. Gizmodo
Seven large tech companies — Snap, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Oracle and Match Group — are asking a judge to limit Meta's access to "millions" of confidential documents, which Meta has subpoenaed as part of its antitrust fight with the FTC. Protocol
Ukraine-Russia
Hacked News Channel and Deepfake of Zelenskyy Surrendering Is Causing Chaos Online
VICE
Samantha Cole
Broadcast news outlet Ukraine 24 was allegedly hacked on Wednesday, and a video of a faked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is spreading on social media.
The online volunteers hunting for war crimes in Ukraine
MIT Technology Review
Tanya Basu
Since the war started, people around the world have been trying to help refugees and the Ukrainian cause. For those with investigative skills... that means using their time and effort to analyze material posted on the web by Ukrainians to document possible war crimes, such as bombing civilian buildings or protected spaces like hospitals, and confirm their exact location.
Russians to launch 'Rossgram' photo-share app after Instagram blocked
Reuters
Russian tech entrepreneurs are set to launch a picture-sharing application on the domestic market to help fill the void left by Instagram, which the authorities blocked this week. The new service, known as Rossgram, will launch on March 28 and have additional functions such as crowdfunding and paid access for some content, its website said on Wednesday.
As Russian Troop Deaths Climb, Morale Becomes an Issue, Officials Say
The New York Times
Helene Cooper, Julian Barnes and Eric Schmitt
In 36 days of fighting on Iwo Jima during World War II, nearly 7,000 Marines were killed. Now, 20 days after President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia invaded Ukraine, his military has already lost more soldiers, according to American intelligence estimates.
Russia is risking the creation of a “splinternet”—and it could be irreversible
MIT Technology Review
James Ball
Russia's disconnection from the online services of the West has been as abrupt and complete as its disconnection from real-world global routes. Facebook has been blocked entirely by Russian authorities, while Twitter is almos completely cut off.
Russia’s Digital Iron Curtain Is Starting To Take Shape
VICE
Janus Rose By Janus Rose
Sanctions, censorship, and digital roadblocks have dramatically changed how Russians use the internet since the invasion of Ukraine.
Hackers Provide Livestream of Dozens of Cameras Inside Russia
VICE
Joseph Cox
Hackers claiming affiliation with the hacking collective Anonymous have taken dozens of CCTV cameras seemingly located inside Russia and displayed the message "Putin is killing children” and other messages over them. The hackers have also created a website containing live feeds of these security cameras called “Behind Enemy Lines.”
‘We are unstoppable’: How a team of Polish programmers built a digital tool to evade Russian censorship
The Record
Emma Vail
Over the last two weeks, as the Kremlin has increasingly tightened its control on independent media and censored news about its invasion of Ukraine, people around the world have used a new tool to send messages to random Russian citizens about the reality of the ongoing war.
Why the Kremlin is still active on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
The Washington Post
Cristiano Lima
There are still several Kremlin accounts active on Twitter. How come?
The internet forgot about Clubhouse. Anti-war Russians didn’t.
Input Mag
Chris Stokel-Walker
The audio app may have fallen out of vogue, but it has become some Russians’ lifeline amid a social media crackdown.
Australia
Accenture’s Albert Tan says Australia isn’t making the most of 5G networks – B&T
World Nation News
The tech company’s head of network services pointed out that the Australian private sector is still far behind compared to some other countries in the world, and that 5G services in rural areas could have a significant impact.
China
Hong Kong can take advantage of any ‘mass delisting’ of Chinese firms in US, Financial Secretary Paul Chan says
South China Morning Post
Georgina Lee
Hong Kong’s capital market could expect a boost from Chinese firms seeking listings closer to home amid intensified scrutiny in the United States, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Wednesday.
‘We’ll kill you’: Uyghur exile who fled to Arctic Circle still fears reach of Chinese state
The Guardian
The allegations of human rights abuses facing China’s Uyghur population have been widely documented and internationally condemned, with an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities thought to be locked up in a network of internment camps.
USA
Justice Department Admits: We Don't Even Know How Many Predictive Policing Tools We've Funded
Gizmodo
Dell Cameron
The Justice Department has acknowledged its own lack of oversight over controversial cop grants in a long-awaited letter.
The fight over anonymity is about the future of the internet
Protocol
David Pierce and Issie Lapowsky
Jeff Kosseff’s last book turned out to be pretty prescient. He published “The Twenty-Six Words That Created The Internet,” a deep look at the history and future of Section 230, right as those 26 words became central to the regulatory fight over the future of the internet.
U.S. bars ex-spies from becoming 'mercenaries,' following Reuters series
Reuters
Joel Schectman and Christopher Bing
A new law bans the United States' former spies from hiring themselve out to foreign governments right after they stop working for Washington.
North Asia
SK-Netflix battle over network usage fee resumes at high court
The Korea Herald
Son Ji-hyoung
Netflix brings up network architecture to avoid internet clog in first hearing; SK Broadband labels claim as ‘nothing new’
Southeast Asia
Mindanao Gold Star Daily, PressOne.ph, Interaksyon hit by DDoS attacks
Rappler
Gelo Gonzales
Three websites – the Mindanao Gold Star Daily in Cagayan de Oro, and PressOne.ph and Interaksyon in Manila – went down on Wednesday, March 16 due to distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS).
NZ & Pacific Islands
How China is winning the information war in the Pacific
The Strategist
Sue Ahearn
As China seeks greater influence in the South Pacific, its manipulation of local news outlets is having a serious impact on media independence.
Island Kingdom’s Communication Cable Repaired
Australian Institute of International Affairs
Amanda Watson and Gemma Malungahu
After more than five weeks, the sole communication cable for Tonga has been repaired. For members of the Tongan diaspora, the restoration of telephone calls and internet-based communication with people in Tonga has been a welcome relief.
Europe
Google discovers threat actor working as an ‘initial access broker’ for Conti ransomware hackers
TechCrunch
Carly Page
Google’s Threat Analysis Group has observed a financially motivated threat actor working as an intermediary for the Russian hackers, including the Conti ransomware gang.
Big Tech
Meta is going on a subpoena spree, targeting Snap, Twitter and more
Protocol
Issie Lapowsky
Seven large tech companies — Snap, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Oracle and Match Group — are asking a judge to limit Meta's access to "millions" of confidential documents, which Meta has subpoenaed as part of its antitrust fight with the FTC.
Exclusive: Facebook removes more Russia posts claiming children's hospital bombing a hoax
Reuters
Mayaan Lubell
Facebook on Wednesday removed official Russian posts that falsely claimed reports of Russia bombing a children's hospital in Ukraine were a hoax, a company spokesperson said, even as similar messages appeared on other social media platforms.
Misc
Events and Podcasts
The Sydney Dialogue: Who Works? The Crisis of Automation in the Indo-Pacific
The Sydney Dialogue
The world is undergoing the largest workforce transition since the industrial revolution, and the Indo-Pacific is at the epicentre of this shift. Post pandemic, public and private sector enterprises of all sizes are capitalising on improvements in productivity, efficiency, and profitability by accelerating the rate at which they are applying technology to automate and augment work with more machines doing the work once done by people. Watch on catch up now.
Research
Securing AI: How Traditional Vulnerability Disclosure Must Adapt
Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Like traditional software, vulnerabilities in machine learning software can lead to sabotage or information leakages. Also like traditional software, sharing information about vulnerabilities helps defenders protect their systems and helps attackers exploit them.
Jobs
The Sydney Dialogue - Director
ASPI ICPC
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) is currently recruiting for a Director to lead the second iteration of ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue - the world’s premier summit on emerging, critical and cyber technologies.
The Sydney Dialogue - Senior Events Coordinator
ASPI ICPC
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) is currently recruiting for an experienced events professional to coordinate the planning and logistics of the second iteration of ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue - the world’s premier summit on emerging, critical and cyber technologies.
ICPC Senior Analyst or Analyst - China
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has a unique opportunity for exceptional and experienced China-focused senior analysts or analysts to join its centre. This role will focus on original research and analysis centred around the (growing) range of topics which our ICPC China team work on. Our China team produces some of the most impactful and well-read policy-relevant research in the world, with our experts often being called upon by politicians, governments, corporates and civil society actors to provide briefings and advice.
Important disclaimer: This digest is a daily collation of material designed to provide authoritative information and commentary in relation to the subject matters covered. The views expressed in this material are those of the authors only. To provide feedback please contact: icpc@aspi.org.au