‘The Ukrainians Are Listening’: Russia’s Military Radios Are Getting Owned | NYPD accused of collecting DNA for 'rogue' database | Indonesia preparing tough new curbs for online platforms
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Russia’s communications systems are failing at higher-than-expected rates during the nearly monthlong war in Ukraine, U.S. and European officials and experts said, forcing invading troops in the field to rely on open systems that can be readily intercepted by Ukrainian forces. Foreign Policy
The Legal Aid Society has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the New York Police Department of surreptitiously collecting genetic material from thousands of New Yorkers and storing it indefinitely in a “rogue” DNA database. Associated Press
Indonesia is readying tough new rules that will allow it to fine and criminally charge internet and social media platforms, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, potentially slowing online firms' rapid growth. Reuters
Ukraine - Russia
‘The Ukrainians Are Listening’: Russia’s Military Radios Are Getting Owned
Foreign Policy
Jack Detsch and Amy Mackinnon
Russia’s communications systems are failing at higher-than-expected rates during the nearly monthlong war in Ukraine, U.S. and European officials and experts said, forcing invading troops in the field to rely on open systems that can be readily intercepted by Ukrainian forces.
The rise of the Twitter spies
The Washington Post
Pranshu Verma
The war in Ukraine has turned ordinary Twitter users into hobbyist intelligence analysts, war sleuths who could impact who’s held accountable for the conflict — or bring danger to those living through it.
Ukraine Starts Using Facial Recognition To Identify Dead Russians And Tell Their Relatives
Forbes
Thomas Brewster
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister says the tech will help provide transparency about how many Russian soldiers are dying in the war. Critics say the use of facial recognition in war zones is a disaster in the making.
The hunt for superyachts of sanctioned Russian oligarchs
BBC News
The UK, US and EU have said they will target superyachts, and at least eight have been seized so far. More remain at large - some are on the move, others are moored in places that are currently safe from sanctions, including the Maldives.
Sanctioning an Oligarch Is Not So Easy: Why the Money Trail of Alisher Usmanov, One of Russia’s Wealthiest Men, Is Difficult to Follow
OCCRP
Olesya Shmagun, Matthew Kupfer, Rustam Ismailov, and Cecilia Anesi
OCCRP reviewed over a dozen suspicious activity reports showing that banking professionals had trouble figuring out how Usmanov’s cash flowed around the world and were puzzled by the number of seemingly unrelated companies with which he engaged in transactions.
Russia Is Facing a Tech Worker Exodus
Wired
Gian Volpicelli
With founders and developers scrambling for the exit, the Russian tech scene is taking a major hit.
Popular podcasters spread Russian disinformation about Ukraine biolabs
The Brookings Institute
Jessica Brandt, Valerie Wirtschafter, and Adya Danaditya
Over a 10-day period beginning March 8—when U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said that the United States had provided funding to Ukrainian labs carrying out research to prevent the diffusion of harmful pathogens (not bioweapons)—13 popular political podcasters devoted segments in 30 episodes to the false theory that the United States had funded biological weapons research in Ukrainian labs.
Reuters removes TASS Russian news agency from its content marketplace
Reuters
Kenneth Li and Guy Faulconbridge
Reuters has removed TASS from its business-to-business marketplace for customers, according to a Reuters message to staff on Wednesday, amid growing criticism of how Russia's state-owned news agency is portraying the war in Ukraine.
Australia
Meta says Australia's anti-defamation laws are at odds with FTAs
ZDNet
Campbell Kwan
Australia's proposed anti-defamation laws seek to require social media platforms to establish nominated Australian entities that can access user data for users who post potential defamatory material, which Meta warns is inconsistent with the country's agreements with its largest trading partners.
China
Net Worth: How the Chinese Government & US Stock Investors are Funding the Illegal Activities of a Major Chinese Fishery Company
C4ADS
Austin Brush and Mary Utermohlen
Despite proven instances of illicit activities conducted by their vessels around the world, Pingtan Marine Enterprise’s associated fleet has nearly tripled in size in the recent past and remains authorized by Chinese government authorities to operate abroad. The Chinese government and fisheries authorities should monitor Pingtan Marine Enterprise, and the broader Chinese DWF fleet, more closely to ensure that government funds are not supporting illegal or unsustainable fishing activity.
USA
NYPD accused of collecting DNA for 'rogue' database
Associated Press
The Legal Aid Society has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the New York Police Department of surreptitiously collecting genetic material from thousands of New Yorkers and storing it indefinitely in a “rogue” DNA database.
Okta says hundreds of companies impacted by security breach
TechCrunch
Zack Whittaker
Okta says 366 corporate customers, or about 2.5% of its customer base, were impacted by a security breach that allowed hackers to access the company’s internal network.
CHIPS Act Would Help Semiconductor Industry ‘Go Bigger and Faster,’ Congress Told
Bloomberg
Daniel Flatley
The chief executives of some of the largest U.S. chip manufacturing companies urged Congress to pass legislation that includes $52 billion in incentives for their industry, calling it “essential” to maintaining competitiveness with China and other countries.
Schools nationwide are quietly removing books from their libraries
The Washington Post
Hannah Natanson
Administrators, afraid of attracting controversy, were quietly removing books from library shelves before they could be challenged.
Powell: Digital currencies will require new regulations
Associated Press
Christopher Rugaber
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said new forms of digital money such as cryptocurrencies and stablecoins present risks to the U.S. financial system and will require new rules to protect consumers.
SEC claims authority to subpoena Elon Musk about tweets
Associated Press
Tom Krisher
U.S. securities regulators say they have legal authority to subpoena Tesla and CEO Elon Musk about his tweets, and that Musk's move to throw out a 2018 court agreement that his tweets be pre-approved is not valid.
CISA Call with Critical Infrastructure Partners on Potential Russian Cyberattacks Against the U.S
CSIA
CISA Holds Call with Critical Infrastructure Partners on Potential Russian Cyberattacks Against the United States. Easterly urged all organizations, regardless of size, to contact CISA immediately if they believe they may have been impacted by a cyber incident.
Southeast Asia
Indonesia preparing tough new curbs for online platforms
Reuters
Fanny Potkin and Stefanno Sulaiman
Indonesia is readying tough new rules that will allow it to fine and criminally charge internet and social media platforms, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, potentially slowing online firms' rapid growth.
Europe
A Mysterious Satellite Hack Has Victims Far Beyond Ukraine
Wired
Matt Burgess
The biggest hack since Russia’s war began knocked thousands of people offline. The spillover extends deep into Europe.
The Middle East
Israel blocked Ukraine from getting potent Pegasus spyware
The Washington Post
Craig Timberg, Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Souad Mekhennet, Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris
Ukraine’s efforts to bolster its surveillance capabilities, like its efforts to strengthen its military, had support from the United States, Israel’s closest ally. But Israeli officials balked at any move that might provoke a confrontation with Russia.
Who gets to speak out against their occupier on social media?
+972 Magazine
Mona Shtaya
Social media giants are taking action to protect Ukrainians' free speech as they resist a military occupation. Why aren't they doing the same for Palestinians?
Events
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.
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.
Senior Analyst, Social Media and Conflict
International Crisis Group
The Senior Analyst advises the FoC program director, regional program directors and the policy team on where trends in social media are most relevant to deadly conflict and how Crisis Group should position our research, analysis and advocacy to best respond.
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