ICD Brief 49
10.07.2017. – 16.07.2017.
Today we feature an interview with Dr. Steven Bucci, and Professor Tim Watson, on What You Need to Know About Hybrid and Cyber Warfare .as well as updates from the US, Australia, China, EU, India, ITU, Japan, NATO, Russia, Singapore, the UK, the Insurance industry and two Features.
USA
Government Challenges Can Be Answered by Private Sector Solutions
“Since the start of the 21st century, the United States has given birth to an incredible boom in technological innovation, which has granted Americans the opportunity to live more comfortable and productive lives. America’s unique combination of free markets, intellectual property rights, and entrepreneurial spirit has led to the rapid development of a changing world, creating new challenges and threats along the way.”
US Issues Revised Security Directive to Airlines Worldwide
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to begin taking effect next week, the agency said on Friday. “This clarifying update will strengthen global aviation security and is a testament to our shared commitment to raising the baseline,” said James Gregory, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, which is part of the DHS.”
DHS Updates on Federal Network Cybersecurity, Infrastructure
“The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) recently posted updates on federal network cybersecurity measures, along with current steps being taken to strengthen infrastructure cybersecurity and national cybersecurity.”
Trump Backtracks on Cyber Unit with Russia After Harsh Criticism
“U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday backtracked on his push for a cyber security unit with Russia, tweeting that he did not think it could happen, hours after his proposal was harshly criticized by Republicans who said Moscow could not be trusted. Trump said on Twitter early on Sunday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed on Friday forming “an impenetrable Cyber Security unit” to address issues like the risk of cyber meddling in elections.”
Australia
Australia’s Planned Decryption Law Would Weaken Cybersecurity
“The Australian government plans to introduce new legislation forcing companies such as Google and Facebook to de-crypt messages in the name of fighting terrorism and other crimes. But the move will have serious implications for cybersecurity.”
China
Apple Sets Up China Data Center to Meet New Cybersecurity Rules
“Apple Inc on Wednesday said it is setting up its first data center in China, in partnership with a local internet services company, to comply with tougher cybersecurity laws introduced last month. The U.S. technology company said it will build the center in the southern province of Guizhou with data management firm Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co Ltd (GCBD).”
EU
MEPs Push Cyber Security Rules as ‘Political Message’ Before EU Overhaul
“MEPs are pressuring the European Commission to propose new cyber crime rules on hacking vulnerabilities, encryption and information sharing between EU countries, ahead of a legal overhaul planned for September.”
India
Jio Data Breach Triggers Call for Stringent Cyber Security Laws in India
“After suffering a massive data leak on 9 July, Indian telecom upstart Reliance Jio Infocomm has been facing the wrath of its users and independent security researchers over weak data protection standards. The data breach, reportedly the biggest in India, affected more than 100 million Jio users and triggered a wave of calls for the country to adopt stringent data security laws. The information compromised included names, email addresses, sim activation points, Aadhaar numbers, and other details of the users.”
India and Bangladesh Sign MoU Cyber Security Cooperation
“The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and its Bangladeshi counterpart Bangladesh Government Computer Incident Response Team (BGD e-Gov CIRT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cyber security cooperation. The MoU was originally signed in April 2017, and will be implemented through a Joint Committee on Cyber Security, which is yet to be set up.”
ITU
Cybersecurity Cooperation Is in the Air – but ITU Believes Australia Is Choking
“Observers of this month’s G20 meeting are still scratching their heads over the proposed strategic cybersecurity partnership between the United States and Russia, whose leader Vladimir Putin went into the meeting expecting chastising over alleged Russian interference in the US elections.”
Japan
Tokyo Plans Cybersecurity Hub to Protect Infrastructure During 2020 Olympics
“The government said Thursday it will create a new body to oversee the protection of crucial infrastructure from cyberattacks during the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020.”
NATO
NATO: We’re Supplying New Cybersecurity Equipment to Ukraine
“NATO’s secretary-general says the 29-member alliance is supplying hardware to the Ukrainian government to help protect its government networks from cyberattacks. At a news conference in Kiev alongside Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Monday, Jens Stoltenberg told journalists that “we are in the process of providing Ukraine with new equipment to some key government institutions.”
Russia
Russian Foreign Ministry Says It Suffered ‘Large-Scale’ Cyber Attack
“Russia’s Foreign Ministry experienced “large-scale” cyber-attacks originating in Iran and Hungary last month, its spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Friday. Zakharova said the attacks on the ministry’s mail server, which occurred on June 29, “resulted in grave consequences,” the RBC news outlet reported.”
Singapore
What Singapore Can Learn from Israel’s Cyber Security Playbook
“A former Unit 8200 captain from the Israel Defense Forces shares what Singapore can learn from Israel’s approach to cyber security. In a 2009 book on Israel’s startup culture, Unit 8200, the country’s cyber intelligence unit, was likened to the Ivy League institutions in the US from which tech companies sought out top talent.”
UK
UK Firms Still Relying on Perimeter Defences for Cyber Security
“Despite the increasing number of data breaches and the looming GDPR compliance deadline, many companies are still relying on perimeter defences and are underinvesting in technologies to keep data safe, research has revealed. Some 96% of UK businesses feel as though their network perimeter security is effective at keeping unauthorised users out of their network, according to the fourth-annual Gemalto Data Security Confidence Index. ”
Insurance
Is Cyber Attack Insurance Worth It?
“UK financial services body the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has issued a warning to insurers regarding the risk of claims for damages arising from cyber-attacks on their customers. The PRA recommendations include the carrying out of stress testing of their capability to respond to a large number of claims at once – no doubt inspired by the recent WannaCry and notPetya attacks.”
Feature
Cyber Laws Ramped Up Around the Globe as Attacks Increase
“Several countries have beefed up their cyber security laws in recent years amid an ever-increasing spate of cyberattacks. Some, such as Germany and the Czech Republic, have gone the route of an omnibus cyber security law, just as Singapore is seeking to do.”
Why the Responsibility of Schools’ Cybersecurity Rests with Principals
“When it comes to protecting schools from cyber threats, principals have an important role to play, whether this means ensuring the right ICT safeguards are in place, or ensuring the training of staff and students in identifying these threats is up to scratch. Nick FitzGerald, a senior research fellow at ESET, a global IT firm based in Slovakia, told The Educator that there are two different constituencies they have to consider – staff and students.”