A recent attempt at a destructive cyberattack on Poland’s power grid has prompted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to publish a warning for U.S. critical infrastructure owners and operators. Tuesday’s alert follows a Jan. 30 report from Poland’s Computer Emergency Response Team concluded the December attack overlapped significantly with infrastructure used by a Russian…
Category: Geopolitics
AI, ai safety, china, Cybersecurity, Europe, Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Government & Policy, Politics, privacy, Risk Management, Russia
Critics warn America’s ‘move fast’ AI strategy could cost it the global market
The Trump administration has made U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence a national priority, but some critics say a light-touch approach to regulating security and safety in U.S. models is making it harder to promote adoption in other countries. White House officials have said since taking office that Trump intended to move away from predecessor Joe…
AI, Compliance, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Politics, privacy, Technology
DHS privacy probe will focus on biometric tracking by ICE, OBIM
The Department of Homeland Security’s watchdog office has launched an audit of the agency’s privacy practices amid allegations that DHS and its components have used facial recognition tools and other technologies to collect data broadly and violate civil liberties. The audit, according to a Feb. 5 letter from DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari and published…
AI, Compliance, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Politics, privacy, Technology
DHS privacy probe will focus on biometric tracking by ICE, OBIM
The Department of Homeland Security’s watchdog office has launched an audit of the agency’s privacy practices amid allegations that DHS and its components have used facial recognition tools and other technologies to collect data broadly and violate civil liberties. The audit, according to a Feb. 5 letter from DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari and published…
AI, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy
US wants to push its view of AI cybersecurity standards to the rest of the world
The U.S. government wants the rest of the world to adopt its artificial intelligence cybersecurity standards, a top official with the Office of the National Cyber Director said Thursday. As part of an effort to advance American AI, the administration will be “undertaking diplomacy efforts to promote American AI cybersecurity standards and norms, establishing industry…
AI, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, privacy
Undressed victims file class action lawsuit against xAI for Grok deepfakes
A class of individuals who say they were victimized by nude or undressed deepfakes generated by Grok have filed a lawsuit against parent company xAI, calling the tool “a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that humiliates and sexually exploits women and girls by undressing them and posing them in sexual positions in deepfake images publicly posted…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Pall Mall Process, privacy
Industry, government, nonprofits weigh voluntary rules for commercial hacking tools
An international effort to create voluntary standards for the commercial cyber intrusion industry is wrestling with questions like who they should apply to, how to incentivize and measure compliance and what to do with companies with a checkered past. The first round of the Pall Mall Process focused on a code of conduct for government…
Android, Cellebrite, Citizen Lab, Geopolitics, Global Security News, North America, privacy
Researchers find Jordan government used Cellebrite phone-cracking tech against activists
Jordanian authorities used Cellebrite phone-cracking technology to access the devices of domestic activists and human rights defenders and then extract information from them, according to an investigation published Thursday. The nonconsensual access stood in conflict with international human rights treaties that Jordan ratified, the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab investigation determined, prompting the research organization…
Bennie Thompson, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy
Hill warning: Don’t put cyber offense before defense
Amid budding sentiment in the Trump administration and Congress to expand offensive cyber operations, some lawmakers and experts are warning that the United States needs to get its defenses in order before going too far down that road. A House Homeland Security subcommittee on Tuesday examined how to deter foreign cyberattacks, with an emphasis on…
AI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), deepfakes, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government
British regulator Ofcom opens investigation into X
The UK’s top internet regulator opened a formal investigation into social media network X after users, with the help of its AI chatbot Grok, flooded the site with nonconsensual, AI-manipulated nude and undressed photos of real people. On Monday, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which regulates internet and telecommunications companies, said the investigation will determine…
Commentary, Cyber warfare, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News
Is the US adopting the gray zone cyber playbook?
When President Trump referenced America’s ability to “darken” parts of Caracas during Operation Absolute Resolve, the comment stood out not because of what it confirmed, but because of what it implied. Delivered without technical detail, the remark hinted at capabilities that sit somewhere between diplomacy and force, and between cyber operations and traditional military action.…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, privacy, Threats
Trump pulls US out of international cyber orgs
The Trump administration is withdrawing the United States from a handful of international organizations that work to strengthen cybersecurity. As part of a broader pullback from 66 international organizations, the administration is leaving the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, the Online Freedom Coalition and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats. Trump’s decision…
Asia Pacific, china, critical infrastructure, energy, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Geopolitics, Global Security News
Taiwan blames Chinese ‘cyber army’ for rise in millions of daily intrusion attempts
Taiwan endured a year-long intensified cyber offensive from China in 2025, that targeted the government and critical infrastructure — with an increasing focus on the energy and hospital sectors, according to a Taiwan government analysis published this week. Cyberattacks from China rose 6% compared to 2024, the National Security Bureau analysis concluded. Every major sector…
AI, disinformation, Election Security, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America
AI, voting machine conspiracies fill information vacuum around Venezuela operation
The surprise raid by U.S. armed forces and law enforcement agencies in Caracas, Venezuela had observers around the world scouring social media and news for updates on an operation that saw Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro and his wife captured and flown to the United States to face criminal charges. The Trump administration initially offered few…
Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Policy, privacy
Treasury removes Intellexa spyware-linked trio from sanctions list
The Trump administration this week removed three Iranians from its sanctions list who were previously accused of working for Intellexa, the consortium behind the Predator spyware that recent investigations say has circumvented human rights safeguards. The Biden administration imposed sanctions against the trio in 2024 as part of a broader move to sanction spyware operators.…
alibaba, Asia Pacific, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Technology
Senate Intel chair urges national cyber director to safeguard against open-source software threats
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton is raising the spectre of foreign adversaries playing too heavy a role in open-source software, and asking the national cyber director to counter the risks. The Oklahoma Republican wrote to National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross Thursday, saying he was concerned about reports that “state-sponsored software developers and cyber espionage…
Cybersecurity, Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Research, Threats
Amazon warns that Russia’s Sandworm has shifted its tactics
Attackers associated with Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) have targeted Western-based critical infrastructure with a special focus on the energy sector as part of an ongoing campaign dating back to 2021, Amazon Threat Intelligence said in a report Monday. The threat group simplified operations earlier this year by shifting away from vulnerability exploitation to focus…
AI, Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Policy
As White House moves to send AI chips to China, Trump’s DOJ prosecutes chip smugglers
As the Trump administration considers loosening restrictions on the sale of high-performance computer chips that power modern artificial intelligence systems to China, his Department of Justice continues to prosecute businesses and individuals who sell or divert these same technologies to companies based in China. On Monday, federal prosecutors announced that it had secured a guilty…
Amnesty International, Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, privacy, Technology, Threats
Intellexa remotely accessed Predator spyware customer systems, investigation finds
Leaked training videos suggest that Intellexa retained the ability to remotely access the systems of customers who had used its Predator spyware, raising questions about human rights safeguards, according to an investigation published Thursday. That was just one finding from a series of separate but overlapping probes released over the past 24 hours. The training…
Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy
Legislation would designate ‘critical cyber threat actors,’ direct sanctions against them
A House Republican introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at deterring cyberattacks against the United States at a time when the Trump administration is prioritizing the punishment of malicious hackers. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, revived legislation he first sponsored in 2022, the Cyber Deterrence and Response Act. The legislation would direct the executive branch to formally designate…
AI, Cybersecurity, Emerging Tech, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Policy
Congress calls on Anthropic CEO to testify on Chinese Claude espionage campaign
The House Homeland Security Committee is calling on Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to provide testimony on a likely-Chinese espionage campaign that used Claude, the company’s AI tool, to automate portions of a wide-ranging cyber campaign targeting at least 30 organizations around the world. The committee sent Amodei a letter Wednesday commending Anthropic for disclosing the…
Android, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
CISA alert draws attention to spyware’s targeting of messaging apps
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned Monday about threat groups using commercial spyware to target messaging apps, and urged users to take protective steps. “CISA is aware of multiple cyber threat actors actively leveraging commercial spyware to target users of mobile messaging applications (apps),” the agency said in a brief online notice. “These cyber…
Commentary, Cybercrime, Financial, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government
Five Eyes just made life harder for bulletproof hosting providers
The Treasury Department, along with officials from the United Kingdom and Australia, imposed sanctions Wednesday against two bulletproof hosting providers and key people involved in their operations, in a globally coordinated effort aimed at thwarting the role these services have in enabling ransomware, phishing operations, and data extortion campaigns around the world. Authorities sanctioned Media…
Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Policy, Technology
Dozens of groups call for governments to protect encryption
On Monday, more than 60 digital commerce and trade groups called on governments around the globe to reject efforts or requests to weaken or bypass encryption, saying strong encrypted communications provides critical protections for user privacy, secure data protection and trust that underpin some of society’s most important interactions. “Encryption is a vital tool for…
AI, Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Research, Technology
China’s ‘autonomous’ AI-powered hacking campaign still required a ton of human work
Anthropic made headlines Thursday when it released research claiming that a previously unknown Chinese state-sponsored hacking group used the company’s Claude AI generative AI product to breach at least 30 different organizations. According to Anthropic’s report, the threat actor was able to bypass Claude’s security guardrails using two methods: breaking up the work into discrete…
Asia Pacific, Australia, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy, Threats
While White House demands deterrence, Trump shrugs
The Trump administration’s top cyber officials have emphasized the urgent need to take aggressive action to deter increasingly brazen foreign cyberattacks. Trump himself, however, has repeatedly brushed aside the notion that foreign cyber activity is anything even really noteworthy. When Trump’s team talks about foreign hacking, be it China’s alleged massive cyberespionage campaign against telecommunications…
Cybercrime, Financial, Geopolitics, Global Security News, North America, Policy, Threats
Google files lawsuit against Lighthouse ‘phishing for dummies’ text scammers
Google on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against pesky text message scammers — like those who flood targets with notices that they have unpaid road tolls, or have a package waiting — in an attempt to disrupt a “phishing for dummies” operation the company accuses of victimizing more than 1 million people. The lawsuit against 25…
Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, privacy, Research, Threats
New Landfall spyware apparently targeting Samsung phones in Middle East
A new commercial-grade spyware has apparently been targeting Samsung Galaxy phones in the Middle East, but it’s not clear who’s behind it, researchers said in a blog post Friday. Whoever’s responsible, they seized upon a previously unknown, unpatched vulnerability known as a zero-day — a flaw Samsung has since closed, the researchers from Palo Alto…
Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Exclusive, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government
Congressional leaders want an executive branch strategy on China 6G, tech supply chain
Congressional leaders are pressing federal agencies to provide more information on their plans to compete with China on a range of tech and cybersecurity issues, including a strategy for promoting American 6G telecommunications infrastructure and limiting Chinese tech in US supply chains. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., ranking member on the House Select Committee on the…
AI, Andrew Garbarino, Asia Pacific, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology
House GOP leaders seek government probe, restrictions on Chinese-made tech
A Commerce Department office should investigate Chinese government-connected products in more than a dozen emerging industries for security threats, a group of House GOP committee leaders said in a letter they released Wednesday. In the missive, the lawmakers said the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services has the power to both investigate and…
Asia Pacific, Cybercrime, Financial, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Policy
North Korean companies, people sanctioned for money laundering from cybercrime, IT worker schemes
The Treasury Department on Tuesday sanctioned eight people and two companies it accused of laundering money obtained from cybercrime and IT worker schemes to fund North Korean government objectives. According to the department, over the last three years North Korea-linked cybercriminals have stolen over $3 billion, mostly in cryptocurrency. In addition, it said, North Korean…
Cybersecurity, Department of Justice (DOJ), Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology
Ex-L3Harris exec pleads guilty to selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker
An ex-L3 Harris executive pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of trade secrets Wednesday, admitting to selling eight zero-day exploits to a Russian broker in exchange for millions of dollars. Peter Williams, 39, pleaded guilty in the District Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of theft of trade secrets. Court records…
Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, privacy, Research
Hacking Team successor linked to malware campaign, new ‘Dante’ commercial spyware
Kaspersky researchers said Monday that they’ve unearthed a malware campaign they’re linking to the successor company of the infamous Italy-based surveillance tech firm Hacking Team, and at the same time discovered new commercial malware tied to the same firm. The malware campaign that Kaspersky dubbed Operation ForumTroll targeted government organizations, media outlets, financial institutions, universities,…
china, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy
National cyber director says U.S. needs to counter Chinese surveillance, push American tech
The United States needs to counter China’s “attempt to export a surveillance state across planet Earth,” and instead push a “clean American tech stack” globally, National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said Friday. “It’s important that we send that message and engage with not only partners that we have now, but potential partners who are looking…
Cybersecurity, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Threats
North Korea’s Lazarus group attacked three companies involved in drone development
North Korea’s Lazarus threat group attacked three Europe-based companies with active operations in the defense sector last spring to potentially steal sensitive data about drone components and software, ESET researchers said in a report released Thursday. The attacks initiated by North Korea’s long-running advanced persistent threat group, which specializes in espionage, sabotage and financial gain,…
Asia Pacific, china, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
China’s spy agency accuses NSA of yearslong attack on the country’s timekeeping service
China’s Ministry of State Security accused the National Security Agency of conducting a yearslong attack on China’s national timekeeping infrastructure to steal sensitive data and infiltrate the service for potential sabotage. The NSA gained initial access to China’s National Time Service Center systems in April 2023 by using credentials lifted from employees’ mobile devices that…
Department of Justice (DOJ), email, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
John Bolton indictment says suspected Iranian hackers accessed his emails, issued threats
Suspected Iranian hackers infiltrated former national security adviser John Bolton’s email account and threatened to release sensitive materials, his indictment alleges. The indictment on charges that Bolton mishandled classified information, released Thursday, comes after President Donald Trump’s unprecedented public call for the Justice Department to prosecute his enemies. Bolton served under Trump in his first…
Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
Researchers find a startlingly cheap way to steal your secrets from space
How much private and sensitive data can you get by pointing $600 worth of satellite equipment at the sky? Quite a bit, it turns out. Researchers from the University of Maryland and the University of California, San Diego say they were able to intercept sensitive data from the U.S. military, telecommunications firms, major businesses and…
Android, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Russia, Spyware, Threats
Russian spyware ClayRat is spreading, evolving quickly, according to Zimperium
A fast-spreading Android spyware is mushrooming across Russia, camouflaging itself as popular apps like TikTok or YouTube, researchers at Zimperium have revealed in a blog post. The company told CyberScoop they expect the campaign is likely to expand beyond Russian borders, too. In three months, Zimperium zLabs researchers observed more than 600 samples, the company…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Election Security, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, privacy
German government says it will oppose EU mass-scanning proposal
Encryption lives on in Europe. For now. The German government has said it will oppose a piece of European Union legislation later this month that would subject phones and other devices to mass scanning — prior to encryption — by the government for evidence of child sexual abuse material. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig…
Cybersecurity, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy, privacy, Technology
Potential EU law sparks global concerns over end-to-end encryption for messaging apps
Tech experts and companies offering encrypted messaging services are warning that pending European regulation, which would grant governments broad authority to scan messages and content on personal devices for criminal activity, could spell “the end” of privacy in Europe. The European Union will vote Oct. 14 on a legislative proposal from the Danish Presidency known…
Cybersecurity, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy, privacy, Technology
Potential EU law sparks global concerns over end-to-end encryption for messaging apps
Tech experts and companies offering encrypted messaging services are warning that pending European regulation, which would grant governments broad authority to scan messages and content on personal devices for criminal activity, could spell “the end” of privacy in Europe. The European Union will vote Oct. 14 on a legislative proposal from the Danish Presidency known…
Cybersecurity, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy, privacy, Technology
Potential EU law sparks global concerns over end-to-end encryption for messaging apps
Tech experts and companies offering encrypted messaging services are warning that pending European regulation, which would grant governments broad authority to scan messages and content on personal devices for criminal activity, could spell “the end” of privacy in Europe. The European Union will vote Oct. 14 on a legislative proposal from the Danish Presidency known…
Cybersecurity, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy, privacy, Technology
Potential EU law sparks global concerns over end-to-end encryption for messaging apps
Tech experts and companies offering encrypted messaging services are warning that pending European regulation, which would grant governments broad authority to scan messages and content on personal devices for criminal activity, could spell “the end” of privacy in Europe. The European Union will vote Oct. 14 on a legislative proposal from the Danish Presidency known…
Cybersecurity, Europe, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Policy, privacy, Technology
Potential EU law sparks global concerns over end-to-end encryption for messaging apps
Tech experts and companies offering encrypted messaging services are warning that pending European regulation, which would grant governments broad authority to scan messages and content on personal devices for criminal activity, could spell “the end” of privacy in Europe. The European Union will vote Oct. 14 on a legislative proposal from the Danish Presidency known…
Asia Pacific, china, Cloud, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
China’s ‘Typhoons’ changing the way FBI hunts sophisticated threats
Major cyber intrusions by the Chinese hacking groups known as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon have forced the FBI to change its methods of hunting sophisticated threats, a top FBI cyber official said Wednesday. U.S. officials, allied governments and threat researchers have identified Salt Typhoon as the group behind the massive telecommunications hack revealed last…
critical infrastructure, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Policy
Critical infrastructure security tech needs to be as good as our smartphones, top NSC cyber official says
The top cyber official at the National Security Council said Tuesday that he’s dismayed by the lag in security technology embedded in critical infrastructure, saying it pales in comparison to the tech in modern smartphones. “I worry a lot about critical infrastructure cybersecurity,” Alexei Bulazel said at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit. “I also think about…
Asia Pacific, china, Cybersecurity, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government
Top FBI official says Chinese reliance on domestic firms for hacking is a weakness
China’s reliance on domestic technology companies to carry out large-scale hacking operations—as highlighted by the U.S. government and its allies this week—is a weakness that poses risks for Beijing, a top FBI official told CyberScoop. Cyber agencies from around the world published an alert Wednesday about what officials have described as an indiscriminate cyberespionage campaign…
Asia Pacific, Australia, Canada, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
Salt Typhoon hacking campaign goes beyond previously disclosed targets, world cyber agencies say
A notorious Chinese hacking campaign against telecommunications companies has now reached into a variety of additional sectors across the globe, including government, transportation, lodging and military targets, according to an alert U.S. and world cybersecurity agencies published Wednesday. The alert is an effort to give technical details to potential victims of the campaign from the…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, North America, Policy, Ransomware
Google previews cyber ‘disruption unit’ as U.S. government, industry weigh going heavier on offense
Google says it is starting a cyber “disruption unit,” a development that arrives in a potentially shifting U.S. landscape toward more offensive-oriented approaches in cyberspace. But the contours of that larger shift are still unclear, and whether or to what extent it’s even possible. While there’s some momentum in policymaking and industry circles to put…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Ransomware, Research
Social engineering attacks surged this past year, Palo Alto Networks report finds
Social engineering — an expanding variety of methods that attackers use to trick professionals to gain access to their organizations’ core data and systems — is now the top intrusion point globally, attracting an array of financially motivated and nation-state backed threat groups. More than one-third (36%) of the incident response cases Palo Alto Networks’…
Asia Pacific, china, Exchange, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Microsoft
China accuses US of exploiting Microsoft zero-day in cyberattack
U.S. intelligence agencies launched cyberattacks on two Chinese military enterprises dating back to 2022, in one case exploiting a Microsoft zero-day, China alleged Friday. The Cyber Security Association of China said that in the first case, U.S. agencies from July of 2022 to July of 2023 “exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Mail to…
Asia Pacific, Biden administration, china, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
Feds still trying to crack Volt Typhoon hackers’ intentions, goals
Federal analysts are still sizing up what the Chinese hackers known as Volt Typhoon, who penetrated U.S. critical infrastructure to maintain access within those networks, might have intended by setting up shop there, a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency official said Thursday. “We still don’t actually know what the result of that is going to…
APT, Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Research, Threats
Russia-affiliated Secret Blizzard conducting ongoing espionage against embassies in Moscow
A Russian nation-state threat group has been spying on foreign diplomats, managing continuous access to their communications and data in Moscow since at least 2024, according to Microsoft Threat Intelligence. Secret Blizzard is gaining “adversary-in-the-middle” positions on Russian internet service providers and telecom networks by likely leveraging surveillance tools and deploying malware on targeted devices,…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology, Threats
Sen. Hassan wants to hear from SpaceX about scammers abusing Starlink
It’s time for SpaceX to take strong action against scammers abusing the company’s Starlink internet service, Sen. Maggie Hassan said in a letter to CEO Elon Musk on Monday. The New Hampshire Democrat cited evidence accumulating over the past two years that some Southeast Asian fraudsters scamming billions of dollars from U.S. citizens have leaned…
Department of Justice (DOJ), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North Korea, North Korean IT workers
US offers $15 million reward for info on North Korean nationals involved in global criminal network
The State Department announced Thursday it will pay up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of seven North Korean nationals accused of operating criminal schemes that generate revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons programs, marking the latest effort to disrupt financing networks that have funneled money around sanctions. The coordinated action that also involved…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Money, Policy, Technology
Contract lapse leaves critical infrastructure cybersecurity sensor data unanalyzed at national lab
Data from sensors that detect threats in critical infrastructure networks is sitting unanalyzed after a government contract expired this weekend, raising risks for operational technology, a program leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory told lawmakers Tuesday. That news arrived at a hearing of a House Homeland Security subcommittee on Stuxnet, the malware that was discovered…
Asia Pacific, Commentary, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Technology, Threats
Why it’s time for the US to go on offense in cyberspace
The U.S. is stepping into a new cyber era, and it comes not a moment too soon. With the Trump administration’s sweeping $1 billion cyber initiative in the “Big Beautiful Bill” and growing congressional momentum under the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to strengthen cyber deterrence, we’re seeing a shift in posture that many…
Europe, Financial, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Money, Policy
UK sanctions Russian hackers, spies as US weighs its own punishments for Russia
As the U.S. government contemplates additional sanctions on Moscow, the United Kingdom went ahead and levied its own Friday against what it said was a group of Russia’s hackers and spies. The sanctions target 18 military intelligence officers and three divisions of the Russian military unit known as the GRU. Cyber operations in support of…
Andrew Garbarino, critical infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America
House hearing will use Stuxnet to search for novel ways to confront OT cyberthreats
Congress is set to revisit Stuxnet — the malware that wreaked havoc on Iran’s nuclear program 15 years ago — next week in the hopes that the pioneering attack can guide today’s critical infrastructure policy debate, CyberScoop has learned. The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection will hold a hearing July 22…
Cybercrime, DDoS, Europe, Europol, Geopolitics, Global Security News, hacktivism
Pro-Russian DDoS group NoName057(16) disrupted by international law enforcement operation
An international law enforcement operation conducted this week targeted the members of and infrastructure used by NoName057(16), a pro-Russian hacktivist group that has conducted distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks across Europe since early 2022. Operation Eastwood disrupted over 100 servers worldwide and resulted in two arrests, seven international arrest warrants, and 24 house searches across multiple…
china, Cybercrime, Department of Justice (DOJ), Exchange Server, Geopolitics, Global Security News, North America
French police arrest Russian pro basketball player on behalf of US over ransomware suspicions
At the request of the United States, French police arrested a professional Russian basketball player who had a brief tenure at Penn State over accusations that he was part of a ransomware ring, according to overseas reports. News of the arrest of Daniil Kasatkin came in a court in Paris on Wednesday. His lawyer denied…
El Salvador, Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, NSO Group, privacy, Spyware
Appeals court clears path for El Salvadoran journos to sue spyware maker
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday revived a lawsuit that El Salvadoran journalists had brought against leading spyware maker NSO Group. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concluded that a district court that dismissed the suit — on the grounds that the California court wasn’t the right forum — abused its discretion.…
china, COVID-19, Department of Justice (DOJ), Geopolitics, Global Security News, North America, Threats
Italian authorities arrest Chinese man over Microsoft Exchange Server hack, targeting of COVID-19 researchers
The Justice Department said Tuesday that Italian authorities arrested a Chinese national whom DOJ said was involved in the massive Microsoft Exchange Server hack from 2020 to 2021, an arrest made at the United States’ request. The arrest stems from a nine-count indictment dating back to 2023, which named the arrested man, Xu Zewei, 33,…
Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Exploits, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Research, Threats
China-linked attacker hit France’s critical infrastructure via trio of Ivanti zero-days last year
Multiple critical infrastructure sectors were hit last year during an attack spree in France via a trio of zero-day vulnerabilities affecting Ivanti Cloud Service Appliance devices, the country’s cybersecurity agency said in a report released Tuesday. Government agencies and organizations in the telecommunications, media, finance and transportation industries were impacted by widespread zero-day exploits of…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, Threats, Workforce
Top FBI cyber official: Salt Typhoon ‘largely contained’ in telecom networks
The Chinese hackers behind the massive telecommunications sector breach are “largely contained” and “dormant” in the networks, “locked into the location they’re in” and “not actively infiltrating information,” the top FBI cyber official told CyberScoop. But Brett Leatherman, new leader of the FBI Cyber division, said in a recent interview that doesn’t mean the hackers,…
FCC, Geopolitics, Global Security News, social media, Trump Administration
FCC commissioner blasts Trump administration censorship policies
When Donald Trump was on the campaign trail, he argued that coordination by the Biden administration and social media companies on disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and elections amounted to political censorship. He claimed that supposed censorship stifled the free and unencumbered exchange of ideas essential to democracy, and posed a clear threat to the…
AI, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Department of Justice (DOJ), Geopolitics, Global Security News, North Korea, North Korean IT workers, sanctions, Treasury Department
North Korea’s ‘state-run syndicate’ looks at cyber operations as a survival mechanism
Over the past few years, cybersecurity experts have increasingly said that nation-state operatives and cybercriminals often blur the boundaries between geopolitical and financial motivations. A new report released Wednesday shows how North Korea has flipped that idea on its head. North Korea has silently forged a global cyber operation that experts now liken to a…
Europe, Fancy Bear, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Russia, Ukraine
Fancy Bear campaign sought emails of high-level Ukrainians and their military suppliers
Fancy Bear, the hacking group linked to Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), has been targeting the email accounts of high-ranking Ukrainian officials as well as executives at defense contractors located in other countries who sell weapons and equipment to Kyiv, according to new research from ESET. The campaign, ongoing since at least 2023, has taken…
AI, Asia Pacific, china, Congress, deepseek, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government
Senators move to quash the use of Chinese AI system by federal contractors
A bipartisan Senate bill would formally ban the use of DeepSeek by federal contractors, part of a larger effort to keep the Chinese-made large language model out of government systems and networks, where lawmakers fear it could pose cybersecurity and national security concerns. The bill, introduced by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.,…
AI, Asia Pacific, china, Congress, Cybersecurity, deepseek, export control, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, House Select Committee on Chinese Communist Party, openai, Technology
House investigation into DeepSeek teases out funding, security realities around Chinese AI tool
A House panel has concluded that the U.S. government should double down on export controls and other tools to slow down the progress of Chinese AI companies like DeepSeek, while also preparing for a future where those efforts fail. In a report released Wednesday, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party further fleshes…
Asia Pacific, china, critical infrastructure, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Microsoft, National Security Agency
Chinese law enforcement places NSA operatives on wanted list over alleged cyberattacks
China stepped up its allegations of U.S. cyberattacks Tuesday, with local law enforcement saying they were investigating three National Security Agency operatives they had placed on a wanted list and a national official condemning the alleged attacks. State media outlet Xinhau advanced the claims in two stories, one detailing a hacking campaign during the Asian…
Amnesty International, Cellebrite, Geopolitics, Global Security News, JD Work, Jen Ellis, National Security Council, National Security Council (NSC), NCC Group, North America, NSO Group, Pall Mall Process, privacy, Romania, Spyware
Cyber experts offer lukewarm praise for voluntary code governing use of commercial hacking tools
Cybersecurity professionals who participated in discussions over a code of conduct for nations to use commercial hacking tools said the final voluntary guidelines offer modest promise, even if they fall short of what some wanted. The next step for the joint France/U.K.-led Pall Mall Process, which last week got 21 signatories to the code, is…
Australia, Canada, china, Citizen Lab, fbi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Geopolitics, Germany, Global Security News, Lookout, National Security Agency, New Zealand, North America, Spyware, taiwan, Threats, Tibet, Uighur, United Kingdom (U.K.)
BadBazaar and Moonshine malware targets Taiwanese, Tibetan and Uyghur groups, U.K. warns
Two spyware variants are targeting Uyghur, Taiwanese and Tibetan groups and individuals, the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre warned in a joint alert Wednesday with Western allies. Cybersecurity researchers have previously linked the BADBAZAAR and MOONSHINE spyware to the Chinese government. The variants mentioned in Wednesday’s alert trojanize apps that are of interest to the…
Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Threats
Cybercom discovered Chinese malware in South American nations — Joint Chiefs chairman nominee
The post Cybercom discovered Chinese malware in South American nations — Joint Chiefs chairman nominee appeared first on CyberScoop.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Asia Pacific, china, cloud computing, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, quantum computing, sanctions, semiconductors, Technology
Commerce limits 19 Chinese, Taiwanese companies from buying U.S. tech
The Commerce Department plans to finalize economic sanctions this week on nearly 20 Chinese and Taiwanese organizations, citing the need to limit their access to U.S. cloud, artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies. The sanctions, which will be detailed and published Friday in the Federal Register , would place additional license requirements on, and limit…
Asia Pacific, china, FCC, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Huawei, Technology, telecommunications, ZTE
FCC’s Carr alleges Chinese companies are making ‘end run’ around Chinese telecom bans, announces investigation
The first initiative from The Federal Communications Commission’s newly-created Council on National Security will be a “sweeping” investigation of Chinese-made equipment in America’s telecommunications infrastructure, the agency announced Friday. In particular, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the focus will be on equipment and services from Chinese companies already barred from U.S. networks under the Secure…
CryptoCurrency, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Department of Justice (DOJ), Elliptic, Europe, Europol, Garantex, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Ransomware, Russia, sanctions, Secret Service, Technology, Telegram
Russian crypto exchange Garantex seized in international law enforcement operation
U.S. and European law enforcement agencies have seized the infrastructure of Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange accused of laundering billions in criminal proceeds, in a sweeping international operation that signals heightened focus on illicit financial flows in cryptocurrency markets. According to Justice Department documents unsealed Friday, the Moscow-based exchange processed approximately $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions…
Asia Pacific, china, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, indictment, Legal, Threats, Treasury Department
US indicts 12 Chinese nationals for vast espionage attack spree
The Justice Department on Wednesday indicted 12 Chinese nationals for their alleged involvement in an extensive nation-state-backed espionage campaign that included a spree of attacks on U.S. federal and state agencies, including the late 2024 attack targeting the Treasury Department. Officials accused the Chinese individuals, including two officers of China’s Ministry of Public Security, eight…
CISO, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, liability, Policy, Russia, SolarWinds
SolarWinds CISO says security execs are ‘nervous’ about individual liability for data breaches
SolarWinds’ top cybersecurity executive said chief information security officers are increasingly grappling with how to do their jobs while avoiding individual legal liability for breaches that happen on their watch. Tim Brown, now CISO at SolarWinds, was a vice president and the highest-ranking security official at the company when hackers working on behalf of the…
APT, Asia Pacific, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, industrial control systems (ICS), operational technology, Ransomware
Dragos: Surge of new hacking groups enter ICS space as states collaborate with private actors
Cyberattacks against industrial organizations surged in 2024 as a glut of new threat actors increasingly targeted operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS), according to cybersecurity firm Dragos. According to a report released Tuesday, attacks on industrial organizations soared by 87% last year, while the number of ransomware groups impacting the OT/ICS space jumped…
Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence (AI), china, Gen. Paul Nakasone, Geopolitics, Global Security News, hunt forward operations, Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Agency, North America, openai, Paul Nakasone, Pete Hegseth, Ransomware, Russia, Salt Typhoon, telecommunications, telecoms, Threats, Vanderbilt University, Workforce
Former NSA, Cyber Command chief Paul Nakasone says U.S. falling behind its enemies in cyberspace
The United States is falling “increasingly behind” its adversaries in cyberspace, a former Cyber Command and National Security Agency boss said Saturday. Speaking at the DistrictCon cybersecurity conference in Washington, D.C., retired Gen. Paul Nakasone said that “our adversaries are continuing to be able to broaden the spectrum of what they’re able to do to…
Asia Pacific, children, china, Cybersecurity, fbi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Salt Typhoon, sanctions, telecommunications, telecoms, Threats
Salt Typhoon telecom breach remarkable for its ‘indiscriminate’ targeting, FBI official says
One of the most notable elements of the monumental hack of major telecommunications companies is just how “indiscriminate” it was in its pursuit of data, a top FBI official said Wednesday. The FBI has been investigating the breach, which it has blamed on Chinese government hackers commonly known as Salt Typhoon. “What we found particularly…
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Asia Pacific, cyber attack, Geopolitics, Global Security News, openai, Technology, website registration
DeepSeek AI claims services are facing ‘large-scale malicious attacks’
DeepSeek, the Chinese startup whose open-source large language model is causing panic among U.S. tech and AI companies this week, said it is having difficulty registering new users due to “large-scale malicious attacks” on its services. On Monday, the company’s website posted a banner note stating that it was temporarily pausing new registrations to deal…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, North Korea, North Korean IT workers, sanctions, Treasury Department
Treasury sanctions North Korea over remote IT worker schemes
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions Thursday against two individuals and four entities allegedly involved in generating revenue for North Korea through illicit remote IT workforce operations, the latest salvo in ongoing efforts to disrupt financial streams that support Pyongyang’s weapons programs. The sanctions focus on efforts in which North Korea sent thousands of skilled…
Department of Justice (DOJ), FSB, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Microsoft, phishing, Russia, Star Blizzard, Threats, WhatsApp
Microsoft catches Russian state-sponsored hackers shifting tactics to WhatsApp
The cat-and-mouse game between state-sponsored Russian hackers and one of the world’s biggest technology companies has continued into 2025. Microsoft’s threat intelligence team published research Thursday examining how a state-sponsored Russian threat actor group, known as Star Blizzard, has altered its longstanding attack strategies to target WhatsApp accounts. This attack vector is a significant change…
china, Cybersecurity, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, North America, offensive cybersecurity, Salt Typhoon, Stuxnet, Technology, Volt Typhoon
Trump and others want to ramp up cyber offense, but there’s plenty of doubt about the idea
In recent months, incoming Trump administration national security adviser Mike Waltz and some lawmakers have suggested that in response to Chinese cyber breaches, the United States needs to prioritize taking more aggressive offensive actions in cyberspace rather than emphasizing defense. It’s been said before. And it’s easier said than done. Experts that spoke with reporters…
Asia Pacific, china, fbi, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Financial, Flax Typhoon, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Integrity Technology Group, internet of things, Internet of Things (IoT), State Department, Technology, Treasury Department
U.S. sanctions take aim at Chinese company said to aid hackers’ massive botnet
The U.S. government on Friday sanctioned a Chinese company that Western nations had connected to a Beijing-sponsored hacking group’s botnet, which had compromised hundreds of thousands of devices before a joint takedown operation last year. Flax Typhoon hackers made use of infrastructure at Integrity Technology Group to exploit victims, according to the Treasury Department’s Office…
disinformation, election hacking, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Russia, sanctions, Technology, Threats
US sanctions Russian, Iranian groups for election interference
The U.S. State Department has sanctioned two foreign organizations and one individual who it alleges worked on behalf of Russian and Iranian intelligence agencies to interfere in the 2024 U.S. general election. “These actors sought to stoke sociopolitical tensions and undermine our election institutions during the 2024 U.S. general election,” said State Department Press Secretary…
Cybercrime, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Geopolitics, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, Global Security News, human rights, North America, Policy, privacy, Russia, State Department, treaties, United Nations
After UN adoption, controversial cybercrime treaty’s next steps could prove vital
A divisive United Nations cybercrime treaty — one that critics say is a huge danger to human rights and that the United States cautiously agreed to advance — is now in the hands of member nations. The U.N. General Assembly adopted the treaty without a vote last week, leaving ratification to individual states. If the…
Asia Pacific, china, Commentary, critical infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Federal Communications Commission, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Salt Typhoon, Threats, White House
Feds lay blame while Chinese telecom attack continues
The United States’ telecommunications infrastructure has been infiltrated by actors affiliated with China. Some of our nation’s most powerful leaders have been targeted — including President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. This is one of the most severe cybersecurity incidents against telecom the United States has ever been subject to, and — worse…
Asia Pacific, china, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, Microsoft Exchange, National Security Agency, Salt Typhoon, telecoms, trojan
Chinese cyber center points finger at U.S. over alleged cyberattacks to steal trade secrets
China’s national cyber incident response center accused the U.S. government of launching cyberattacks against two Chinese tech companies in a bid to steal trade secrets. In a notice Wednesday, the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China (CNCERT) said a suspected U.S. intelligence agency was behind the attacks, and that CNCERT had…
Geopolitics, Global Security News, Google, Kaspersky, Mastercard, Money, North America, Recorded Future, Russia, Ukraine
Russia bans cybersecurity company Recorded Future
Russia banned the cybersecurity company Recorded Future on Wednesday, labeling it an “undesirable” organization — much to its CEO’s delight. The company stands accused of collaborating with the Central Intelligence Agency, Ukraine and other countries. “They provide information and technical support for the propaganda campaign launched by the West against Russia,” Russia’s Office of Prosecutor…
Asia Pacific, backdoor, china, Cybercrime, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Government, malware, nation-state hackers, php, QiAnXin, Threats, Winnti
PHP backdoor looks to be work of Chinese-linked APT group
Cybersecurity researchers at a China-based cybersecurity company have uncovered an advanced PHP backdoor that suggests a new asset in the arsenal of Chinese-linked Advanced Persistent Threat group Winnti. Researchers at QiAnXin’s XLab discovered the backdoor, which they titled Glutton, targeting China, the United States, Cambodia, Pakistan, and South Africa. After initially discovering the malware in…
Amnesty International, Cellebrite, Donald Trump, Geopolitics, Global Security News, Norway, NoviSpy, NSO Group, pegasus, privacy, Serbia, Spyware, surveillance, Threats
Amnesty International exposes Serbian police’s use of spyware on journalists, activists
Serbian police and intelligence authorities have combined phone-cracking technology with spyware to eavesdrop on activists and journalists there, Amnesty International revealed in a report Monday, in what the human rights group says could be a disturbing preview of a future era of digital surveillance. Amnesty International’s 87-page document surveys the broader picture of digital spying…
china, Cybercrime, Department of Justice, Department of Justice (DOJ), Geopolitics, Global Security News, Justice Department, Mandiant, North America, North Korea, North Korean IT workers, Russia, State Department, U.S. courts, U.S. Department of Justice
Court indicts 14 North Korean IT workers tied to $88 million in illicit gains
A federal court has indicted 14 more North Korean IT workers as part of an ongoing U.S. government campaign to crack down on Pyongyang’s use of tech professionals to swindle American companies and nonprofits. The Justice Department said the 14 indicted workers generated at least $88 million throughout a conspiracy that stretched over approximately six…