What I Read This Week #4 - Feb 2024
News at the Intersection of Technology and Intelligence
AI
Microsoft-developed LLM models used by Chinese, Russian and Iranian hackers.
An ex-Googler and ex-Palantir(ian?) made an AI company called ElevenLabs. Yada, yada, yada…Biden deepfake.
https://www.wired.com/story/biden-robocall-deepfake-elevenlabs/
Meta is forming a task force to combat disinformation campaigns in the upcoming EU elections, fearing the use of AI-generated content to mislead voters. They'll remove harmful content, expand fact-checking, and label debunked content.
Fear of AI-powered attacks is driving increased cybersecurity spending in the Middle East and Africa. Businesses are focusing on data privacy and cloud security to stay ahead of these evolving threats.
Crypto
"Pig butchering" scams involve online romance and fake crypto investments to steal money. The article reveals a connection between these scams and human trafficking in Myanmar, with forced victims used to carry out the schemes.
https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/pig-butchering-human-trafficking/
National Security
Operation Cronos: law enforcement takedown of a LockBit ransomware gang. This includes seizing control of LockBit's dark web leak site and servers.
Hold on, is LockBit really dead? LockBit claims to be back in business, while law enforcement isn't so sure. It's a game of cat and mouse, and it seems like the cat might have nine lives.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/26/lockbit-ransomware-takedown-now-what/
Ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a company that processes a large portion of US healthcare transactions, caused outages and disruptions across hospitals and pharmacies. The attack is believed to be by the BlackCat ransomware group.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/26/ransomware-attack-change-healthcare-prescription-pharmacy-outages/
Big security snafu at the Chinese Ministry of Public Security! A private contractor spilled the beans, leaking sensitive data, including details on undercover ops and even spyware. No comment from the officials yet. 😏
https://thecyberexpress.com/chinese-ministry-of-public-security-breach/
Baze, a company from San Francisco USA, selling data which can locate people in sensitive areas, such as army bases and embassies.
Follow-up on another company selling user data. Avast was fined $16.5M by FTC for selling data to advertisers.
https://thehackernews.com/2024/02/ftc-slams-avast-with-165-million-fine.html
A new Russian PSYOP campaign targets Ukrainians with war misinformation, disguising it with Canadian pharmacy spam and references to Alexei Navalny. Researchers condemn the manipulative tactics used to sow discord.
https://thenextweb.com/news/new-russian-psyops-mix-disinformation-spam-and-navalny
Looks like AT&T got hit by a cyberattack, causing major disruptions to calls, texts, and even emergency services in big cities. The US cyber agency, CISA, is on the case, teaming up with AT&T to figure out what went wrong.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-cyber-agency-working-closely-181159716.html
China is tightening control over its mass surveillance system, cracking down on local governments' excessive use of monitoring equipment to collect fines. This move aims to standardize surveillance practices while maintaining coercive capabilities, balancing control with centralized oversight.
https://qz.com/china-mass-surveillance-system-control-1851273607
A Chinese state-linked hacker group targeted Indian government offices, including the Prime Minister's Office, Air India, and Reliance Industries. The group allegedly stole data from I-Soon, a company that allegedly works for the Chinese Ministry of Public Security. The leak also included data from other countries, such as Pakistan and Nepal.
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is warning banks to brace for the encryption-cracking power of quantum computers!
The Philippine education ministry's online platform for student vouchers had a vulnerability that leaked information of over 210,000 people. This is the second data leak the ministry has had this year, highlighting the need for better security practices.
Continuing the story from the last week, Chinese cyber security firm i-Soon claimed it could hack the UK's Foreign Office. The article discusses leaked documents that suggest the firm has been working to extract data and gain access to systems in the UK, France and several places in Asia.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68372568
Cohort of companies, including Palantir, complains that DOD is not fast enough in implementing new technologieshttps://www.foxnews.com/tech/patriot-entrepreneurs-fight-dod-bureaucracy-green-light-future-tech-defense-expert
A university vending machine malfunction revealed a hidden facial recognition system, sparking outrage from students and leading to the program's cancellation.
OSINT, Social Media & Web
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal finally rolled out usernames, allowing users to ditch phone numbers for contact. While it doesn't offer complete anonymity, it's a welcome step for those prioritizing privacy.
https://www.wired.com/story/signal-launches-usersnames-phone-number-privacy/
Spyware
MMS messages exploited in 'MMS Fingerprint' attack. This exploit was allegedly used by the NSO’s Pegasus product. Protection mechanism include disabling MMS auto-download and urging mobile operators to block internet access through MMS ports.
https://cybersecuritynews.com/mms-fingerprint-hack-revealed/
A massive leak allegedly reveals China's government using a previously unknown spyware tool called IsoHunt. Experts are scrambling to analyze the leak, but one thing's clear: the finger-pointing between the US and China over cyberespionage is likely to heat up.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/23/isoon-china-government-hacking-spyware-leak/
The article discusses spyware firms whos products target iOS, Android, and Windows devices. These products can collect a wide range of information from mobile devices, including location, photos, messages, call logs, etc.. Meta has taken action against eight of these companies.
https://thehackernews.com/2024/02/meta-warns-of-8-spyware-firms-targeting.html
Hackers infiltrated the phones of two EU Parliament members with spyware. This is not the first time it's happened, and it raises concerns about the Parliament's cybersecurity, especially with elections coming up. The Parliament is investigating and has advised all members to get their phones checked.
https://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-defense-subcommittee-phones-checked-for-spyware/
Interesting Tech
Apple's plan to scan phones for child abuse material (CSAM) has flipped again! They initially said it was privacy-friendly, then changed their mind due to privacy concerns, and now they're using those same concerns to fight an Australian law forcing them to scan. The main point: Apple worries governments will misuse the tech for mass surveillance, not just catching bad guys.
https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/22/csam-scanning-apple-australia/
Apple is raising the bar for secure messaging. They've revamped iMessage with "PQ3," a new encryption protocol they claim is the strongest in the world for messaging apps. This upgrade aims to future-proof iMessage against the potential threats of quantum computers.
Events and Shows
World Police Summit
🔃 Status: Upcoming
📅 5-7.03.2024
🗺 World Trade Center, Dubai, UAE
🌐 https://www.worldpolicesummit.com/
World CyberCon META Edition 2024
🔃 Status: Upcoming
📅 23.05.2024
🗺 Dubai, UAE
🌐 https://thecyberexpress.com/cyber-security-events/world-cybercon-3rd-edition-meta/