ICD Brief 129.
08.04.2019.-14.04.2019.
Greetings from Washington DC, Brussels, Ottawa, Belgrade, Budapest, Tokyo, Mons, Pyongyang, Moscow, Singapore and London.
It used to be when a light bulb went off intellectually, we cheered. Now, with clarity we have consequence, as this week’s Brief demonstrates.
USA
Trump’s Homelands Security Purge Worries Cybersecurity Experts
“This week kicked off a new, chaotic era at the Department of Homeland Security, where the only certainty seems to be the president’s obsession with immigration. As former Customs and Border Protection commissioner and prominent family-separation advocate Kevin McAleenan takes over as acting secretary, it’s fair to wonder what will happen to the rest of DHS’s many essential responsibilities.”
Major Bank CEOs Testify at US Congress, Topics Include Blockchain and Crypto
Chief executive officers of leading banks testified before the United States House of Representatives Financial Services Committee on April 10 on how the banking industry has transformed since the 2008 financial crisis.”
The Next Generation of Cyber Warriors are Trained at Cyber Shield 19
“There are many new faces among the hundreds of Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Army Reserve network defenders that are gathered at Camp Atterbury, Ind., for a week of cyber training, seminars and lab work designed to keep our state and local computer networks and critical infrastructure safe.”
DHS-Led Agency Works to Visualize, Share Cyber-Risk Information
“Representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, say a big part of its goal is to create more visibility into cyberthreats and risks.”
Visualizing the AI Revolution in One Infographic
“Today’s infographic from TechJury helps you understand the context around this emerging force. Entitled “The AI Revolution”, it covers the brief history of AI, the industries that will be affected, as well as some key AI statistics that are likely to catch your eye.”
The “Algorithm Game” and Its Implications for Chinese War
Jamestown Foundation Publication: China Brief Volume:
By: John Dotson, Howard Wang
“Editor’s note: A recent China Brief article referenced the concept of the “algorithm game” as a theoretical concept connected to developments in artificial intelligence and future Chinese military operations. (See: Brent Eastwood,“A Smarter Battlefield?: PLA Concepts for ‘Intelligent Operations’ Begin to Take Shape,” February 15, 2019). This article builds upon that earlier discussion, and is intended to further explore the concept of the “algorithm game”—as well as the potential implications of this idea for evolving PLA ideas regarding future warfare and escalation management.”
Game of Thrones: A Tale of Fire(walls) and ICE (Infiltrating Cyber Espionage) Splunk by Matt Davies
Belgium
SWIFT Report Shares Insights into Evolving Cyber Threats
“Cyber attackers are varying and adapting their methods and practises, according to a new SWIFT report, ‘Three Years on from Bangladesh: tackling the adversaries’, based on investigations conducted over the last 15 months.
Canada
China Poses Security Threat to Canada: Report
“China poses a significant national security cyber threat to Canada and uses businesspeople and mobilizes Chinese students in Canada to influence politics, says a new report to Parliament.”
Eastern Europe
China’s Spreading Influence in Eastern Europe Worries West
“BELGRADE (AP) — Coal-powered plants, mobile networks, major bridges, roads and railways: Chinese investments have been booming throughout Central and Eastern Europe’s cash-strapped developing countries, even as European Union officials scramble to counter Beijing’s mounting economic and political influence on the continent. EU member Croatia is set to host a summit Thursday between China and 16 regional countries — the eighth so far — that focuses on expanding business and other links between China and the region, which Beijing sees as a gateway into Europe.”
EU
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Top 5 Emerging Risks Businesses Face
“With the onset of GDPR, privacy regulation compliance now tops talent shortages as the largest emerging business risk, according to Gartner.”
Hungary
Hungary See Huawei as Strategic Partner Despite Security Concerns
“Hungary regards China’s Huawei Technologies as a strategic IT partner, the Finance Ministry said on Tuesday, shrugging off security concerns about using its products among many western governments.”
Japan
Japanese Mobile Operators Will Spend $14.4 Billion on 5G Networks by 2024
“5G mobile network deployment plans in Japan are ramping up, with total investment between network operators reaching 1.6 trillion yen ($14.4 billion) over the next five years, according to Nikkei Asian Review.”
NATO
NATO Launches Cyber-Defense Drill Simulating Elections Under Attack
“NATO’s cybersecurity arm is set to launch a four-day exercise April 9 that simulates the response to hackers sowing chaos in a fictitious country conducting national elections.”
North Korea
US Government Publishes Details on North Korea’s HOPLIGHT Malware
“The US government has put out a security alert today about a new malware strain used by North Korean hackers, which the US government has named HOPLIGHT.”
RISK
Proposed ISO Standard on Cyber Insurance Is ‘Premature and Inappropriate’ According to FERMA
“The Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) has expressed concern about the ISO/IEC 27102 ‘Information Security Management Guidelines For Cyber Insurance’ standard, which is currently under development.”
Marsh Reveals How Cyber Insurance Market Is Surging
“’As risk awareness has grown, more organizations – particularly those focused on their business interruption risk – are turning to the cyber insurance market for protection,’” said Tom Reagan, US cyber practice leader for Marsh.”
Russia
Russian Lawmakers Approve Second Reading of ‘Sovereign’ Internet Bill
“Russian lawmakers backed tighter Internet controls on Thursday to defend against foreign meddling, in a preliminary vote on draft legislation that critics say could disrupt Russia’s Internet and be used to stifle dissent.”
Singapore
The Singapore Cybersecurity Consortium’s Take on IoT Protection
“IoT in the business space comes with security risks that each organization needs to assess for themselves as these would depend on the nature of the business, scale, and criticality of the IoT functionalities, the IoT deployment model, and so on,” said Singapore Cybersecurity Consortium Executive Director Vivy Suhendra at the recent IoTAsia Summit in Singapore.”
UK
UK Councils Team Up to Boost Cyber Security
“Orbis, a partnership of three local councils in Southeast England, has teamed up with big data analysis firm Splunk to improve their ability to protect data and defend against cyber attacks.”
Anticipating and Preparing for Cyber-Attacks
Call for Participants Said Business School, University of Oxford
“As part of our research project, Anticipating and Preparing for Cyber-Attacks, we are looking to interview managers within organisations that have experienced cyber-attacks.
If your organisation has experienced a cyber-attack (or you know managers in organisations that have), and would like to know more, please contact us. We are happy to speak with you informally and in full anonymity and confidentiality about our research.”