ICD Brief 122.
18.02.2019.-24.02.2019.
Greetings from the US, Australia, Estonia, China, Czech Republic, the EU, Germany, India, Israel, NATO, Thailand, Singapore and the UK. The news this week reminds me of My Fair Lady’s special Push Me Pull animal: comforting and worrying all at the same time.
Crowdstrike’s 2019 Global Threat featured here reports that Russian hackers are the quickest and most nimble. How and why we ask.
I recommend you read Unmasking Maskirovka: Russia’s Cyber Influence Operations by the Czech Republic’s top cyber strategist Daniel Bagge. It’s comprehensive, readable and succint with many experts’ praises already. Just out this week published by Sean Costigan, Defense Press. Available on Amazon.
US
Mastercard, GCA Create Small Business Cybersecurity Toolkit
“A new toolkit developed by the Global Cybersecurity Alliance aims to give small businesses a cookbook for better cybersecurity.” See also: Financial, Reputational Costs of Cyber Attacks Can Ruin Small, Medium Firms: Chubb
Russian Hackers Eight Faster than Chinese, Iranians, North Koreans, report says
“In its latest threat report, CrowdStrike — the company that discovered that the Russians had hacked he Democratic National Committee — finds that Russian intelligence hackers are quicker and more nimble than the North Koreans, the Chinese, the Iranians and sophisticated criminals.”
Canadian delegation inspired by Georgia Cyber Center
“AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) – Members of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) came to Augusta Friday to learn about the Georgia Cyber Center and its mission to address cyber incidents and attacks. This is the third international group to come to the Cyber Center. Several states have also toured the facility.”
Students and Alumni Test Cyber Skills in Cyber 2.0 Challenge
“Students and alumni from the University of North Georgia (UNG) were among the 58 competitors for a $100,000 prize in the USA Hackers Challenge hosted by UNG and Israeli cybersecurity company Cyber 2.0 on Feb. 14 at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).”
Georgia Economic Leaders Paid a Visit to Maryland Cyber Canters
“Building on a big presence from the federal government’s cybersecurity force, a state is looking to expand commercial research and training activities that can become a force in the region.”
Australia
“February may be the shortest month but reports that Toyota Australia has been targeted by cybercriminals lend further weight to arguments that the risk of data breaches has never been more severe.” See also Canada helping Australia determine ‘full extent’ of hack
Baltics/Estonia
Estonia Is Running Its Country Like a Tech Company
“Estonia is often described as a genuinely digital society. Today a majority of government services are offered 24/7 online, and data integrity is ensured by blockchain technology. You can use medical e-prescriptions, file taxes, or even buy a car online without needing to go to the vehicle registration office. There are only a few things that you still need to do in the analog world, such as get married or buy property.”
China
China Accuses US of Trying to Block Its Tech Development by Stoking Cybersecurity Fears
“China’s government on Monday accused the United States of trying to block its industrial development by alleging that Chinese mobile network gear poses a cybersecurity threat to countries rolling out new internet systems.” See also China Rejects Australian Parliament Cyber Attack Claims as “Baseless” and “Irresponsible”
EU
Cooperation a Key Theme of Brussels Cybersecurity Symposium
“Cyber trust, close transatlantic relations, strong European cyber autonomy and regional cooperation in particular were highlighted at the 2019 CyberSec Brussels Leaders’ Foresight symposium.”
ESMA Supervision to Focus on Data, Brexit and Cybersecurity in 2019
“The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published today its 2019 Supervision Work Programme,”
Germany
Germany Sees Big Rise in Security Problems Affecting Infrastructure
“Germany has experienced a big increase in the number of security incidents hitting critical infrastructure such as power grids and water suppliers, the BSI cybersecurity agency said on Sunday, adding however that they were not all due to hacking.”India
India Targets Cryptocurrency Crime as Part of Cybersecurity Offensive
“Cryptocurrency crime forms one focus of a dedicated cybercrime lab launched by Indian authorities this week.”
Israel
Israel Launches Cybersecurity Hotline for Suspected Hacking
“Israel has launched a cyber hotline, staffed mostly by veterans of military computing units, to enable businesses and private individuals to report suspected hacking and receive real-time solutions.”
NATO
Rethink 2%: NATO “Defense Spending” Should Favor Cyber
“Today, a dollar or euro spent on network security goes farther than one spent on conventional arms.”
Singapore
How Singapore Is Future-Proofing Itself for Information Warfare, Cybersecurity and Digital Conflict
“Connectivity infrastructure is a key building block for Singapore’s economy and the changing needs of the digital economy require trusted, secure and resilient next-generation connectivity infrastructure, including 5G and narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) sensor networks.”
Thailand
Cobra Gold 19: Royal Thai, US conduct first ever cyber range
“The Royal Thai Armed Forces alongside the U.S. Marine Corps and Washington Air National Guard executed the first Cobra Gold Cyberspace Field Training Exercise at the Royal Thai Air Force Headquarters in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 11-22, 2019.”
UK
UK Committed to Working with EU Cybersecurity Partners
“NCSC CEO uses cybersecurity conference in Brussels to set out his agency’s position on Brexit, 5G security, Huawei, market incentives and international cooperation on active cyber defence. The UK is committed to working with cybersecurity partners in Europe after Brexit, according to Ciaran Martin, CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).” See also Major SME Focused Cybersecurity Report Published
Feature
How to Regulate the Internet Without Becoming a Dictator
by Justin Sherman
“Democracies are grappling with the differences between the internet as idealized in their policy documents—with principles such as freedom and openness—and the internet in reality—an insecure, increasingly centralized, and increasingly restricted network. Democratic internet strategies face tensions that need to be resolved, including the need to find a balance between total network openness (which dangerously allows anything through) and total network control (an authoritarian model for the internet).”