What I Read This Week #3 - Feb 2024
News at the Intersection of Technology and Intelligence
AI
Tech giants like Palantir, Microsoft, and Amazon are supplying Ukraine with AI, cloud storage, and cybersecurity muscle, turning the war-torn nation into a real-world AI lab.
Focus on Palantir and Ukraine. Palantir's software analyzes data from satellites, drones, and even social media to give Ukrainian commanders a battlefield edge. But it's not just about fighting; they're also using it to gather evidence of war crimes, resettle refugees, and fight corruption.
https://time.com/6691662/ai-ukraine-war-palantir/
Chinese hackers are using deepfakes in mobile banking attacks. This targeted strike is a sneak peek into the future of online heists, demanding we beef up our digital defenses and get scam-savvy.
https://thehackernews.com/2024/02/chinese-hackers-using-deepfakes-in.html
Deepfakes are now targeting the bigwigs, with a recent attempt to spoof the world's longest-serving central bank chief. Romania’s Mugur Isarescu, was depicted in this deepfake video calling for fraudulent investments. In our last week edition, we showed a very similar case from Hong Kong (check it out here).
The report calls for tighter regulations on this hardware, like adding tags and a global registry to track them.
https://thenextweb.com/news/artificial-intelligence-safety-report-ai-chips-hardware
Crypto
AI-generated fake IDs are breezing past crypto exchange security, raising major red flags for money laundering and worse. This $15 hack exposes a gaping hole in "know your customer" checks. Crypto platforms, get patching!
https://cointelegraph.com/news/ai-generated-fake-ids-pass-crypto-exchange-kyc-onlyfake
Millions moved out of wallets linked to executives who vanished, with whispers of anti-money laundering concerns. The funds are bouncing between exchanges and decentralized platforms, making tracking tough.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/56-million-moved-defunct-exchange-executives-fled-report
North Korea's Lazarus Group is cooking up some high-tech money laundering, using crypto mixers and "insta mules" to clean dirty cash. This highlights the evolving tactics of cybercriminals and the need for smarter tech defenses and global cooperation to stay ahead.
https://thenextweb.com/news/geoff-white-lazarus-group-high-tech-money-laundering
Congressman Brad Sherman discusses approaches to combat crypto crime during a House Financial Services Digital Assets Subcommittee hearing. Mentions mixers, ransomware, terror financing and trillions of $$$.
National Security
Thousands of military personnel had their info exposed due to an unsecured cloud server, likely a forgotten password issue. 🤯
https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/14/department-defense-data-breach-microsoft-cloud-email/
SpaceX launched a prototype of hypersonic "missile tracer".
https://www.wired.com/story/spacex-hypersonic-missile-satellites/
The Ukraine conflict has been a real-world stress test for the cyber world, says Google's Threat Analysis Group. Hackers are targeting both sides, with destructive malware hitting Ukraine and phishing campaigns aimed at both Ukrainians and NATO countries. Read the report here:
Law enforcement and governments are gearing up with location intelligence, social media analysis, and other tech to fight crime and terrorism. Here’s an overview of the market trends.
One telco’s fight against "smishing" with fake 8080 messages.
https://business.inquirer.net/444559/globe-moves-to-stop-8080-spoofing-messages
Recent China-linked breach of the Dutch Ministry of Defence is just a reminder how nation-states are vulnerable in the digital age. The attack's impact was limited thanks to smart network segmentation.
https://securityaffairs.com/158765/apt/china-linked-apt-dutch-mod.html
Hong Kong cops eye facial recognition to fight crime and bolster national security. Move that caused mixed reactions. 😏
US warns of China's growing cyber muscle, targeting critical infrastructure. The digital Cold War escalates, potentially crippling entire systems. It’s a one-sided view, but in any case, it’s time to deescalate and normalize the relations.
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/us-official-warns-of-chinas-growing-offensive-cyber-power/
Turns out, some of X’s coveted blue badges ended up with unsavory folks like Hezbollah, according to a new report. Freedom of speech or growth at all cost?
Attackers are having a field day with a major flaw in Ivanti's VPN software! Millions of devices are potentially exposed.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/08/researchers-say-attackers-are-mass-exploiting-new-ivanti-vpn-flaw/
This article contains cybersecurity news roundup and covers a bunch of hot topics, like:
New SEC cybersecurity rules: Time for companies to beef up their defenses!
Managed security services: Outsource your security woes to the pros.
Railway cybersecurity: Keeping trains safe from cyberattacks (who knew?).
Tabletop exercises: Practicing for the worst-case cyber scenario.
Neurodiversity in cybersecurity: Bringing different minds to the fight against hackers.
QR code phishing attacks: Don't scan suspicious QR codes, they might be a trap!
What’s new in Indonesia? Hackers are stealing millions of data points, from financial info to criminal records and selling them on the dark web. Looks like universities, government agencies, and even regular folks are getting targeted. This isn't the first attack either, and it raises concerns about Indonesia's cybersecurity defenses.
https://thecyberexpress.com/cyberattacks-on-indonesia/
Silicon Valley giants team up to fight election deepfakes with a "voluntary pledge." This toothless agreement raises hopes but lacks bite.
Spyware
The new PM claims the previous government used spyware illegally on a "very long" list of people, including political opponents.
Spyware startup Variston on life support? Google's exposé and staff exodus seem to be taking their toll.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/15/variston-spyware-losing-staff-some-say-closing/
Meta details actions against eight spyware firms. This and more in their Q4 2023 Adversarial Threat Report.
Interesting Tech
Starlink's satellite swarm is filling the airwaves, leaving players like Globalstar scrambling. But they have Apple to back them up.
https://advanced-television.com/2024/02/08/starlink-gets-tough-with-apple-globalstar/
Vietnam's new tech council is building a national innovation workshop – as a means to boost the economy, security, and join the global tech scene. Fingers crossed they invent the future they envision!
https://opengovasia.com/vietnams-national-council-for-science-technology-and-innovation/
Events and Shows
World CyberCon META Edition 2024
🔃 Status: Upcoming
📅 23.05.2024
🗺 Dubai, UAE
🌐 https://thecyberexpress.com/cyber-security-events/world-cybercon-3rd-edition-meta/
Munich Security Conference
🔃 Status: Ended
📅 16-18.02.2024
🗺 Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich, Germany
🌐 https://securityconference.org/en/msc/
The Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2024 is a forum for international security discussions that focuses on strengthening the rules-based international order. Some of the main topics that were addressed included Europe’s role in security and defense, new visions of the global order, and the security implications of climate change.
ISS World Middle East and Africa
🔃 Status: Ended
📅 13-15.02.2024
🗺 JW Marriot Marquis, Dubai, UAE
🌐 https://www.issworldtraining.com/iss_mea/.
Just ended, the show attracted a wide audience and lots of chatter on social media.