ICD Brief 1.
25.07.2016. – 31.07.2016.
USA
Did the Supreme Court Pave the Way for Court-Sanctioned Mass Hacking?
“In late April of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court adopted an amendment to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(b) that would allow judges to issue warrants permitting the FBI to access computers located outside the court’s jurisdiction.”
House bills seek to strengthen U.S.-Israel cybersecurity partnership
“Reps. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, introduced two bills Thursday to strengthen joint cybersecurity research and development efforts between the U.S. and Israel.”
White House releases federal cybersecurity workforce strategy
“The White House announced new measures Tuesday to strengthen the federal cybersecurity workforce, including policies that will help agencies retain, as well as recruit, highly skilled information security professionals.”
IU, Crane Partnering on Cybersecurity
“Indiana University and Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center are working together in an effort to enhance cybersecurity. The IU Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research has signed a two-year agreement with the Naval base to share personnel and cybersecurity expertise.”
Feds to hire 3,500 cybersecurity pros by year”s end
“The U.S. government plans to fulfil its plan to hire 6500 new cybersecurity IT professionals by the end of the year, out of which it already set to work 3000.”
Tackling the threat of cyberattack
“A panel debating the increasingly important topic of cybersecurity at the 72nd IATA AGM in Dublin agreed that awareness of the potential for breaches was the starting point. Airlines have to make their plans on the assumption that they will suffer from a cyberattack.”
DHS Tests On-the-Spot Hiring for Cyber Ninjas
“The Department of Homeland Security is rolling out on-the-spot hiring and adopting other time-saving moves to cut the time it takes to identify and bring on board skilled cyber talent.”
DHS expands forensic crime and document lab
“Faced with new global terrorism threats and criminals leveraging sophisticated technology to forge documents, the enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security has upgraded the lab where it detects bogus documents and scans videos and other media for criminal activity”
US Elections Implications on Global Cyber Security
“US policies regarding cyber security raise interest in governments, organizations and businesses all over the world. Many wonders whether the upcoming presidential elections in the US would bring about any shifts in these policies.”
Partnership to create cybersecurity job, education opportunities in Southwest Virginia
“The University of Virginia”s College at Wise and the MACH37 Cyber Accelerator at the Center for Innovative Technology have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding that will strengthen the cybersecurity industry and create new cyber jobs, internships, and educational programs in the Southwest Virginia region.”
Democratic Party email leak points to Russia: cyber experts, U.S. officials
“Cyber security experts and U.S. officials said on Monday there was evidence that Russia engineered the release of sensitive Democratic Party emails in order to influence the U.S. presidential election.”
Israel
Meet The General Who Positioned Israel To Win In $175 Billion Cybersecurity Market
“The conversation features ben Israel, a retired Israeli Defence Force major general. He is now, among other titles, director of the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center at Tel Aviv University. He gives five pieces of advice about how to create better cybersecurity.”
SCADAfence partners with Gigamon for joint cybersecurity solution
“SCADAfence, a pioneer in securing industrial networks in smart manufacturing industries, announced today it has joined Gigamon”s (NYSE: GIMO) ecosystem partner program to provide a joint cybersecurity solution.”
EU”s top counter-terrorism official looking to learn from Israel cyber capabilities
“EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Gilles de Kerckhove, was one of the main speakers this week at the 2nd Intelligence and Special Forces Conference in Tel Aviv. He named Israel as a positive example which should be followed if the EU wants to prevent the so-called “lone wolf” attacks. “
Meet Israel’s new cybersecurity hub
“Dubbed the “Capital of the Negev Desert,” Be’er Sheva has been locally known as a dusty pit stop between Tel Aviv and tourist destinations in the south of Israel. The article follows the city”s transformation to one of the most interesting cybersecurity hubs in Israel.”
UK
Cyber crime is outpacing all other crime in the UK
“There were more cybercrimes or cyber-enabled crimes last year in Britain than offline offenses, according to statistics in a new report from the UK’s equivalent of the FBI.”
U.K. Pols Still Devoted to Destroying Citizen”s Encryption, Privacy, and Security
“Contra some previous reporting, some political leaders in the United Kingdom have not abandoned efforts to force tech companies to build “back doors” in communication systems and software to make it easier for authorities to engage in surveillance or access citizens’ private data.”
UK rail network suffers four cyber-attacks in past 12 months
“The UK rail network has been hit by cyber-attacks at least four times in the past 12 months. Although no disruption was caused, this number is still worrying.”
Revealed: true scale of cyber crime in the UK
“The Office for National Statistics said the inclusion of 5.8 million fraud and other online offences in official statistics for the first time meant there were 12.1 million crimes in England and Wales up to the end of March this year. The previous official annual total was 6.3 million.”
UK seeking best cyber talent for European competition
“Cyber-Security Challenge UK is in search of 10 candidates, between the ages of 15 and 29, who have demonstrated an exceptional ability in digital forensics, social engineering and code breaking to compete with the best new talent in Europe. The competition will be held in Germany.”
Royal Society report says cyber security should top government agenda
“A report from the Royal Society asks for more sharing of threat and breach data, as well as increased support for global collaboration and research.”
Brexit Exposes Old and Deepening Data Divide between EU and UK
“Although EU citizens will see stronger privacy and cybersecurity protections through EU law post-Brexit, multinational companies should be particularly worried about how future regulation will treat the loads of data they traffic about customers, employees, and deals between the EU and the UK. Axel Arnbak encounters the different implications of Brexit in the field of cybersecurity.”
Is digital fraud big in UK? British abacus-botherers finally have some answers
“Reports of fraud have doubled, according to official statistics – because the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is now including cyber crimes in its figures. The UK’s ONS reckons, in crime statistics released last week, that more than two million computer misuse offences and 3.8 million online fraud offences took place in the 12 months to the end of March.”
Baltics/Estonia
NATO CCDCOE considers cyber-warfare cooperation
“The need for international cooperation in training cyber-defence experts was emphasised by Finnish Defence Forces chief of general staff vice admiral Kari Juhani Takanen during his visit to the Tallinn-based NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Estonia last Thursday.”
Estonia Wants UK “Data Embassy” To Protect Citizen Data Amid Cyberattack Fear
“Amid growing concerns over the safety of citizens’ data in Estonia, the country’s officials are in talks with the British government to possibly pursue “backing up” masses of data from electoral rolls, banking credentials and property deeds in a British data centre.According to the Financial Times, escalating tensions between Tallinn and Moscow have only heightened concerns about cyberattacks in the country”
Netherlands
Police, cyber firms tackle “ransomware” hacking threat
“Dutch police, Europol and a coalition of cyber security firms launched a new website Monday to fight a surge in “ransomware” which locks users’ data until they pay criminals to retrieve it.”
Poland
Polish telecom suffers major data breach following hack
“Polish telecom Netia suffered a major data breach following an attack that allowed hackers gain access to 14GB of customer data. Following the incident, which took place on July 7, the company’s website was down until later that day.”
China
China detains over 1900 in privacy-related cyber crimes
“More than 1,900 suspects have been detained in a crackdown by Chinese authorities against crimes involving illegal obtainment of citizens’ private information.”
This Government Agency”s Cover-Up May Have Hindered US Cybersecurity
“The Chinese government may have hacked into computers at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on multiple occasions between 2010 and 2013, according to a congressional report.”
Iran
A Virus Altered the Face of Security in Iran
“Stuxnet, a self-replicating computer virus that disrupted 20 percent of Iran’s nuclear centrifuges. Discovered in 2010, it was the first highly public instance of state-supported cyberwarfare. Stuxnet has had a lasting and significant impact on the country’s industry, politics, and culture. Cybersecurity experts and journalists later uncovered evidence to suggest Stuxnet was a result of a cyber weapons collaboration between the U.S. and Israeli governments aimed at Iran”s growing nuclear enrichment program.”
Russia
Russian security firm denies links to Carbanak Trojan
“An investigation into the origins of financial Trojan Carbanak has revealed alleged connections to a Russian cybersecurity firm. Carbanak is a sophisticated Trojan which is used in campaigns against banks, e-payment systems, and financial institutions worldwide.”
EU
European Defence Agency Formalizes Cooperation with EU Satellite Center
“The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Union Satellite Center (SATCEN) have exchanged letters to formalize their existing cooperation, in place since 2004. The letters establish a more structured cooperation, increasing the number of mutually pursued activities such as studies, workshops, projects and programs.”
European Commission Publishes Communication on Cybersecurity
“On 5 July, the European Commission (EC) published a communication outlining measures to improve resilience to cyber incidents, improve cooperation and information sharing, and promote innovation and competition in the European cybersecurity industry.”
Firms warned of EU cyber security fines
“A large number of Irish firms will be liable for multi-million euro penalties if they fail to comply within 21 months with new EU-wide cyber security rules due to come into effect next month.”
EU dual-use tech ban plan could classify smartphones as weapons
“European Union plans to extend export controls on so-called “dual-use” technologies to include cyber-surveillance tools could put the brakes on sales of smartphones. Dual-use technologies are those that can serve civil or military purposes, and some countries impose restrictions on their sale because of fears that they could be used to abuse human rights in the destination country.”
Swiss cyber security firms Wisekey, OpenLimit to merge
“Swiss cyber security companies Wisekey and OpenLimit have signed an MoU to merge their operations. Under the terms of the deal, OpenLimit would be merged with and into Wisekey, with Wisekey being the surviving entity.”
ITU
ITU help sought to control Afghan SIMs usage
“Pakistan has taken up the issue of Afghan Sims with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).Use of Afghan SIMs in Pakistan is not new and law enforcing agencies in recent past have been claiming that most of the criminal activities in KP have been carried out with those alien SIMs.”