Ukrainian defence capabilities targeted by cyberattacks | Chinese hackers attack Taiwan financial sector | UN members to vote on the next secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union
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As Ukrainian cities come under air attack from Russian forces, the country has also suffered the latest blows in an ongoing campaign of cyber attacks. With a full-scale invasion now evident, Ukraine can expect to contend soon with more cyber attacks. The Conversation
A hacking group affiliated with the Chinese government is believed to have carried out a months-long attack against Taiwan’s financial sector by leveraging a vulnerability in a security software solution used by roughly 80% of all local financial organizations. The Record
In September this year, UN member states will cast their votes for the next secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). While elections for bureaucratic positions in obscure, technical UN bodies normally pass unnoticed, the ITU has emerged as the major battleground in Russia and China’s fight for control of the internet. The Interpreter
The World
The election for the future of the internet
The Interpreter
Mercedes Page
In September this year, UN member states will cast their votes for the next secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). While elections for bureaucratic positions in obscure, technical UN bodies normally pass unnoticed, the ITU has emerged as the major battleground in Russia and China’s fight for control of the internet.
Asia most targeted region in 2021, taking on one in four cybersecurity attacks
ZDNet
Elleen Yu
Financial services and manufacturing sectors bore the brunt of attacks, taking on almost 60% of cybersecurity incidents in the region where Japan, Australia, and India were the most targeted markets, according to IBM data.
Australia
No specific cyber threat from Russia
Seven News
Dominic Giannini and Andrew Brown
Australian authorities are not aware of any current or specific cyber threats against businesses or critical infrastructure, such as banks or telcos, after imposing sanctions on Russia. But Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the most likely retaliation against Australia would be cyber attacks, as malicious cyber activities against Ukraine continues alongside Russia's military build-up on the border.
Russia’s playbook of revenge cyber-attacks should not surprise
Australian Financial Review
Marcus Thompson
The Prime Minister issued a public warning for Australian government agencies and businesses to be prepared for any potential cyber attacks in retaliation for Australia’s imposition of sanctions on Russia. And even if Russia decides not to retaliate against Australia directly, there is always the potential for Australian organisations to be targeted as intermediaries as a way of gaining indirect access to US, British or other foreign entities.
China
Chinese hackers linked to months-long attack on Taiwanese financial sector
The Record
Catalin Cimpanu
A hacking group affiliated with the Chinese government is believed to have carried out a months-long attack against Taiwan’s financial sector by leveraging a vulnerability in a security software solution used by roughly 80% of all local financial organizations.
Chinese Cybersecurity Company Doxes Apparent NSA Hacking Operation
VICE
A Chinese cybersecurity company accused the NSA of being behind a hacking tool used for ten years in a report published on Wednesday.
USA
Russian cyberattacks could soon strike the West, analysts say. ‘The risk right now is high and rising’
Fortune
David Meyer
The Department of Homeland Security this week also launched a “shields up” drive to protect the U.S.’s critical infrastructure from Russian actions, warning companies they are at risk. The FBI and Homeland Security have previously accused “Russian government cyber actors” of targeting American energy, nuclear, water, and other sectors.
Fearing crypto and China, the US hesitates to pull Russia’s SWIFT access
Protocol
Hirsh Chitkara
The U.S. is hesitant to block Russia from SWIFT, in part because doing so could push the global economy away from the U.S. dollar.
The Justice Department is ending its controversial China Initiative
NPR
Ryan Lucas
The Justice Department said Wednesday that it is scrapping its China Initiative, a program that it launched under the Trump administration to counter Beijing's theft of American intellectual property but increasingly came under criticism from civil rights groups that say it created a climate of fear among Asian Americans.
Southeast Asia
Digital Authoritarianism In Southeast Asia: Emerging Trends – Analysis
Eurasia Review
Angkuran Dey
Governments in the region are using digital media as leverage to stifle dissent, push forward surveillance, and pass new cyber-security laws. The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified these trends. This commentary seeks to explore the broad themes from Southeast Asia that indicate how authoritarian tendencies are gradually being catapulted into cyberspace, and affecting civil rights and democratic norms.
Europe
Ukraine lobbies U.S. officials for bans on Russia software, aviation -diplomat
Reuters
Raphae Satter
Ukraine's government is lobbying the Biden administration to cut Russia off from U.S. software updates, to ban Russian flights, and to block the supply of goods to Russia's civil aviation industry in an effort to rally support for drastic sanctions while the Kremlin pushes deeper into Ukrainian territory.
Cyber operations play a key part in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The Strategist
Lesley Seebeck
Russia has made a specialty of integrating its cyber efforts with broader offensives. It’s been refining the practice, as was evident in its invasion of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, and now in 2022.
Amid war fears, archivists are racing to preserve Ukraine’s internet
Input
Chris Stokel-Walker
On Tuesday, cyberattacks knocked offline the websites of Ukraine’s army, defense ministry, and several of its major banks. While Ukraine’s cyberdefense lead official didn’t point the finger explicitly at Russia, there were strong hints contained in the country’s public statement: “It is possible that the aggressor resorted to tactics of petty mischief, because his aggressive plans aren’t working overall.”
Russia
Russia is using an onslaught of cyber attacks to undermine Ukraine’s defence capabilities
The Conversation
Mamoun Alazab
As Ukrainian cities come under air attack from Russian forces, the country has also suffered the latest blows in an ongoing campaign of cyber attacks. With a full-scale invasion now evident, Ukraine can expect to contend soon with more cyber attacks.
Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Is Already Taking Down the Internet
VICE
David Gilbert
“Network data from NetBlocks confirm a significant disruption to internet service in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city,” the group wrote on its website Thursday morning.
Biden has been presented with options for massive cyberattacks against Russia
NBC News
Ken Dilanian and Courtney Kube
President Joe Biden has been presented with a menu of options for the U.S. to carry out massive cyberattacks designed to disrupt Russia’s ability to sustain its military operations in Ukraine, four people familiar with the deliberations tell NBC News.
Disturbing Mass Text Operation Terrorizes Ukraine as Russian Troops Move In
Daily Beast
Shannon Vavra
Ukrainian troops are receiving threatening messages, and websites and banks are being hit with new cyberattacks, in what could presage more military conflict with Russia.
The end of ‘fog of war’: how open-source intelligence has made everyone into a Russia-Ukraine analyst
Crikey
Cam Wilson
Satellite images of moving Russian troops. TikTok videos showing explosions in Ukraine. Filmed speeches from officials released via Telegram. Bird's-eye live streams. Voices chattering over internet radio. An endless delivery of data from every perspective that can tell us exactly what is happening in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
How to spot video and photo fakes as Russia invades Ukraine
Poynter
Al Tompkins
The Biden administration has been warning for weeks that, in the days and hours leading up to the invasion of Ukraine that arrived before dawn on Thursday, Russian sources would release “false flag” photos and videos to make it appear that the Ukrainian military attacked Russian forces unprovoked.
Middle East
US says Iranian ‘MuddyWater’ cyber actors targeting various sectors worldwide
Reuters
Tim Ahmann and Katharine Jackson
Iran-linked cyber operations are targeting a range of government and private-sector organizations in multiple sectors across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, US security and law enforcement agencies said in a notice on Thursday.
Dubai-based Gems Education hit by cyber attack
The National News
Alkesh Sharma
Gems Education, the largest education operator in the UAE, faced a cyber attack that had a minimal impact on the group’s operations, the company said on Thursday.
Misc
Fed Up With Google, Conspiracy Theorists Turn to DuckDuckGo
The New York Times
Stuart Thompson
Praise for DuckDuckGo has become a popular refrain during the pandemic among right-wing social media influencers and conspiracy theorists who question Covid-19 vaccines and push discredited coronavirus treatments. Some have posted screenshots showing that DuckDuckGo appears to surface more links favorable to their views than Google does.
Events and Podcasts
The Sydney Dialogue: Who Works? The Crisis of Automation in the Indo-Pacific
The Sydney Dialogue
In this panel discussion, speakers will discuss where the effects of automation pose the greatest challenges for the region and how we can ensure career pathways for those displaced to mitigate the risk of civil unrest and ensure that critical skills gaps do not open up and restrict growth in the long term.
The Path Forward: Cryptocurrency with Paul Grewal
The Washington Post
Paul Grewal
Coinbase is one of the world’s most popular exchange platforms for cryptocurrency. On Thursday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m. ET, join Washington Post Live for a conversation with Paul Grewal, chief legal officer at Coinbase, about the growth of digital currency, blockchain technology, the regulatory landscape and the future of money
Research
Jobs
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. Analysts usually have at least 5 years, often 7-10 years’ of work experience. Senior analysts usually have a minimum of 15 years relevant work experience and, in addition to research, they take on a leadership role in the centre and tend to be involved in staff and project management, fundraising and stakeholder engagement.
ICPC Data Analyst
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has an outstanding opportunity for talented Data Analysts to join its growing centre. ASPI’s ICPC undertakes complex research on some of the most challenging issues at the intersection of technology and public policy. How do we develop international norms to deter information operations and coercive diplomacy, how should we build international cooperation on the development of emerging critical technologies, what is the right balance between regulation and innovation? We deliver empirical research that is policy-relevant and we’re looking for people who can help us analyse data at scale.
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.
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.