Microsoft discloses onslaught of Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine | US tech giants duped into giving data used to sexually extort minors | Bitcoin becomes official currency in Central African Republic
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Russian government hackers carried out multiple cyber operations against Ukraine that appeared to support Moscow's military attacks and online propaganda campaigns, Microsoft said in a report on Wednesday. Reuters
Major technology companies have been duped into providing sensitive personal information about their customers in response to fraudulent legal requests, and the data has been used to harass and even sexually extort minors, according to four federal law enforcement officials and two industry investigators. The South China Morning Post
The Central African Republic has approved Bitcoin as legal tender - just the second country to do so. BBC News
ASPI ICPC
World
Ukraine-Russia
Microsoft discloses onslaught of Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine
Reuters
Raphael Satter, Christopher Bing and James Pearson
Russian government hackers carried out multiple cyber operations against Ukraine that appeared to support Moscow's military attacks and online propaganda campaigns, Microsoft said in a report on Wednesday.
Special Report: An overview of Russia’s cyberattack activity in Ukraine
Microsoft
This report details the cyber activity Microsoft has observed as part of the war in Ukraine, and the work we have done in collaboration with Ukrainian cybersecurity officials and private sector enterprises to defend against cyberattacks.
Chinese drone firm DJI pauses operations in Russia and Ukraine
BBC News
Chris Vallance
The world's largest commercial drone-maker DJI has suspended all business activities in Russia and Ukraine.
Australia
Election Policy Brief | Tech Policy
Asia Society
Harry Rolf
“Tech policy” is an increasingly important but difficult term to define as the influence of tech in our lives is constantly growing in depth and complexity. Consequently, policymaking in the tech space is increasingly entangled with many other policy domains.
China
China’s transformed military must not be underestimated
The Sydney Morning Herald
Mick Ryan
Their recent, official doctrine, known as Systems Destruction, would see the Chinese military leveraging an “informationised” global environment and new technologies like artificial intelligence and space-based technologies to systemically break down the organisational cohesion of adversaries.
Chinese state-backed hackers now target Russian state officers
Bleeping Computer
Bill Toulas
Security researchers analyzing a phishing campaign targeting Russian officials found evidence that points to the China-based threat actor tracked as Mustang Panda (also known as HoneyMyte and Bronze President).
China’s Covid lockdown outrage tests limits of triumphant propaganda
The New York Times
Vivian Wang, Paul Mozur and Isabelle Qian
As the Omicron variant continues to spread across the country, officials have defended their use of widespread, heavy-handed lockdowns. They have pushed a triumphalist narrative of their Covid response, which says that only the Chinese government had the will to confront, and hold back, the virus. But among a populace with growing evidence of the costs of that approach, an alternate story — of rage, frustration and despair — is finding an audience. The anger, if not contained, could pose the biggest political test for China’s leadership since the outbreak began.
USA
US tech giants duped into giving up data used to sexually extort minors
The South China Morning Post
Major technology companies have been duped into providing sensitive personal information about their customers in response to fraudulent legal requests, and the data has been used to harass and even sexually extort minors, according to four federal law enforcement officials and two industry investigators.
US to probe claims that top Chinese chipmaker violated ban on Huawei
Financial Times
Demetri Sevastopulo and Kathrin Hille
The Biden administration is looking into claims that Yangtze Memory Technologies Co, a Chinese semiconductor maker, has supplied Huawei with chips, in a potential violation of US export controls.
State Dept offering $10 million for information on Russian cyber criminals
The Hill
Olafimihan Oshin
The State Department has announced it is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on a group of Russian cybercriminals The department said its Rewards for Justice program is seeking information on six individuals who are allegedly connected to a criminal conspiracy involving malicious cyber activities affecting U.S. critical infrastructure.
Europe
Spain got judicial approval to use Israeli spyware on Catalan separatists – report
The Times of Israel
Spain’s intelligence service CNI had court approval to spy on Catalan separatist figures, the El Pais newspaper said Tuesday, citing sources close to the agency.
Americas
Cuba approves cryptocurrency services, requires central bank license
Reuters
Marc Frank
The Cuban central bank issued regulations on Tuesday for virtual asset service providers, after giving a nod last year to the personal use of cryptocurrencies, a move some experts said could help the Communist-run Caribbean island skirt stiff U.S. sanctions.
Africa
Bitcoin becomes official currency in Central African Republic
BBC News
Marc Frank
The Central African Republic (CAR) has approved Bitcoin as legal tender - just the second country to do so. El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency in September 2021 - a move criticised by many economists, including the International Monetary Fund, which said it increased the risk of financial instability.
Mapping disinformation in Africa
Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Africa has been the increasingly frequent target of disinformation campaigns. In recent years, dozens of carefully designed campaigns have pumped millions of intentionally false and misleading posts into Africa’s online social spaces. The ensuing confusion in deciphering fact from fiction has had a corrosive effect on social trust, critical thinking, and citizens’ ability to engage in politics fairly—the lifeblood of a functioning democracy.
Big Tech
Twitter says mass deactivations after Musk news were ‘organic’
NBC News
Ben Collins
Twitter has been flooded with user reports of high-profile accounts losing thousands of followers after news broke that Tesla CEO Elon Musk would purchase the social network. The company said Tuesday that the “fluctuations in follower counts” came from “organic” account closures.
Musk’s Twitter ambitions to collide with Europe’s tech rules
Associated Press
Kelvin Chan
A hands-off approach to moderating content at Elon Musk’s Twitter could clash with ambitious new laws in Europe meant to protect users from disinformation, hate speech and other harmful material.
Elon Musk boosts criticism of Twitter executives, prompting online attacks
The Washington Post
Cat Zakrzewski, Elizabeth Dwoskin and Faiz Siddiqui
Two days after striking a deal to purchase Twitter, Elon Musk used his powerful Twitter account to elevate conservative criticism of two executives at the social media company, roiling a workforce already uneasy about how he will balance his abrasive social media style and embrace of “free speech” with his stewardship of the company.
Misc
Jobs
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.