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Executive Cyber Intelligence Bi-Weekly Report - Nov 1st, 2015


ISRAEL

Microsoft is set to buy Israeli cyber security company Secure Islands for $100-150 million

The purchase of Secure Islands will be Microsoft’s third acquisition of an Israeli cyber security company during the past year. Only three months ago, Microsoft bought Israeli company Adallom for $320 million. In addition, in November, Microsoft bought the predictive cybersecurity startup Aorato for a reported $200 million. According to some reports, these acquisitions are part of Microsoft’s overarching strategy to develop its cyber technologies for Windows and its cloud services in its Israeli centers in Herzliya and Haifa.

United States

Hacker arrested in Malaysia on US charges

On October 25, Malaysian authorities detained Kosovo citizen Ardit Ferizi in Malaysia on a US provisional arrest warrant, alleging that he provided material support to the Islamic State, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and committed computer hacking and identity theft violations in conjunction with the theft and release of personally identifiable information (PII) of US service members and federal employees. The United States is seeking his extradition to the US to stand trial. Charges against Ferizi were announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, US Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director-in-Charge, Paul Abbate of the FBI’s Field Office in Washington, DC. As alleged in the criminal complaint, Ferizi, also known by his hacking moniker “Th3Dir3ctorY,” is believed to be the leader of a Kosovar internet hacking group called Kosova Hacker’s Security (KHS).

China does not respect the cyber pact with United States: American firms hacked

On September 25, US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement that neither government would knowingly support cyber theft of corporate secrets to support domestic businesses. But only three weeks since Washington and Beijing agreed not to spy on each other for commercial reasons, hackers immediately began to attack at least seven US companies. According to CrowedStrike, a prominent US security firm, software placed at five US technological and two pharmaceutical companies had detected and rebuffed the attacks, which began on September 26.

Russian ships too close to data cables for United States

Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict. The ultimate Russian hack on the United States could involve severing the fiberoptic cables at some of their hardest-to-access locations, designed to halt the instant communication upon which western governments, economies, and citizens have grown dependent. While there is no evidence yet of any cable cutting, senior American and allied military and intelligence officials have expressed growing wariness over the accelerated activity by Russian armed forces around the globe. At the same time, the internal debate in Washington illustrates how the United States increasingly views every Russian move through a lens of deep distrust, reminiscent of relations during the Cold War.

EUROPE

UK Tech calls for stronger cooperation to counter cybercrime

The UK Tech Association, which represents 850 UK companies, recently expressed a desire to strengthen the cooperation between the UK cyber security industry and the UK police services in order to more efficiently counter cybercrime within UK cyberspace. A recent report published by the association, which often provides comments and analysis on a variety of issues facing the UK technology sector and UK police forces, revealed that there is a gap in the cooperation between the private and public sector in terms of cyber security. Thus, the UK Tech has launched a call in order to strengthen cooperation. This call comes after it was recently revealed that cybercrime, including online fraud and hacking have become the most popular criminal activity in the United Kingdom. This report demonstrates that around half of the police services could not provide an accurate figure of cybercrime reports without having to manually analyze each crime in their recording systems. According to Adrian Leppard, Commissioner of the City of London Police, “This report highlights the challenges that cybercrime represents for policing.” In addition, the report proposes the creation of joint police and industry cyber groups in order to share real time cyber threats intelligence, as well as develop cyber capabilities. With the largest and one of the most advanced cyber security industries in the world, the United Kingdom has probably the most appropriate environment to encourage the cooperation between the public and private sector.

European Union organized the first European cyber security challenge

The first European cyber security challenge took place two week ago in Switzerland. The best European ethical hackers competed in the “European Cyber Security Challenge,” representing Austria, Germany, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Hackers engaged in various cyber games and simulations related to computer security, including discovery of security vulnerabilities in web applications, decryption of encrypted documents, infiltration of secured networks, and their protection against malicious actions. Organized by the European Agency for the Security of Networks and Information Systems (ENISA), the competition was open only to people who hold a computer security degree. This competition provided an opportunity for private companies and law enforcement agencies to recruit cyber experts who will develop the next generation of cyber security systems, and protect states and businesses information systems and networks.

RUSSIA

Russian forces are using high-tech equipment to jam drones and block battlefield communications

Russian forces are using high-tech equipment to jam drones and block battlefield communications, and forcing the United States to scramble to catch up. Sophisticated Russian electronic warfare, used in the recent conflict in the Ukraine, is being used in military operations in Syria, says Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of US military units in Europe. Equipment like the Krasukha-4, which jams radar and aircraft communications, forced American military officials to admit they are rushing to catch up. The electronic war has been on display since the Russian incursion into Crimea in spring 2014. Col. Jeffrey Church, the Army’s chief of electronic warfare, said in an interview with Foreign Policy that Russian units are deploying “with specific electronic warfare equipment and with specific electronic warfare chains of command.”

ARAB COUNTRIES

Islamic State capable of cyberattack on US power grid infrastructure

The US government is concerned about attempts by the Islamic State’s cyber branch to attack US power grids. Although law enforcement officials do not consider the threat to be dangerous at the moment, they are aware of the great potential risk for this critical infrastructure. The main US concern is not the will as it is the lack of capability to conduct this kind of a cyberattack. As a result, the FBI fears that the radical Islamic group will pay professional hackers to conduct the attack.

CHINA and APAC

Australian Information Security Association (AISA) 8th National Conference in Melbourne

The AISA National Conference is the single largest member event for the Information Security profession in Australia. This year, the guest speaker was Lynwen Connick, First Assistant Secretary of Cyber Policy and Intelligence, and who represented the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Connick opened the conference and used the opportunity to elaborate on the theme of “trust in information security” in the context of the Australian Government’s Cyber Security Review. She described the government’s impending cyber security strategy, revealing a focus on education, guidelines, and international partnerships. Compromising one organization’s systems will affect all others, Connick said, and therefore it was important to take a coordinated approach to online security across the economy. According to Connick, while global partnerships are important because many threats originate outside Australia's borders, there are also global business opportunities in the export of cybersecurity products and services. The cybersecurity strategy will also focus on education. Connick said governments needed to do more to develop skills at all levels of the education system and get more students interested in cybersecurity careers.

“Cyber Security is Everywhere” graphic design contest

The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Hong Kong Police Force, and the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre jointly organized the “Cyber Security is Everywhere” Graphic Design Contest. The contest aims to promote the awareness of information security and adoption of best security practices in the community, and appeals to the public to be vigilant and thereby avoid falling into the trap of criminals. The deadline for contest submission was October 16, 2015 and the awards will be announced on November 27, 2015 at the Hong Kong Central Library in Hong Kong.

Philippines to train core group of cybersecurity instructors

The Philippine Institute of Cyber Security Professionals (PICSPro) announced a plan to conduct training for its core group of cybersecurity instructors in Manila before the end of 2015. The participants will undergo cybersecurity training developed by PICSPro itself, said Maj. Joey T. Fontiveros, PICSPro executive vice president in an exclusive interview to the BusinessMirror at the Philippines Army headquarters in the City of Taguig. According to Fontiveros, the training will produce people who will become defenders of the Philippine cyberspace and who will be “globally competitive, globally acceptable, globally relevant, and globally reliable” cybersecurity practitioners.

China continues cyberattacks on US companies

Cybersecurity and espionage have been a growing source of tension between the United States and China. The new cybersecurity agreement signed on September 25 by US President Barack Obama and Chinese president Xi Jinping should therefore have marked a significant change in commercial espionage in the cyberspace. According to a recently published analysis from the California-based monitoring group CrowdStrike, China almost immediately began violating its newly arranged cyber agreement with the United States. Since the agreement, seven Chinese cyberattacks against US technology and pharmaceuticals companies allegedly were committed.

Malaysian police arrest man for hacking files for Islamic State

Authorities have arrested a Malaysia-based hacker on a provisional US arrest warrant. Ardit Ferizi, a Kosovo citizen, has been accused of stealing personal information of US military members and giving it to several Islamic State figures. According to the criminal complaint, he stole personally identifiable information, including home addresses and photos, of more than 1,300 US service members and federal employees. He will now be charged with computer hacking and identity theft, and faces up to 35 years in jail. US Assistant Attorney General John Carlin called the case against Ferizi, which combines cybercrime and terror charges, as part of the aim of the United States to step up their crackdown on the Islamic State.

China and UK cybersecurity agreement

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that China and the United Kingdom agreed not to condone or engage in spying on each other’s intellectual property and confidential corporate information. Furthermore, he said the cyber agreement is a first step towards wider potential security cooperation between the two countries. Like the United States, the United Kingdom had been facing a high number of cyberattacks on companies. The new agreement mirrors the cybersecurity deal between China and the United States made last month. Notably, malicious attacks conducted for national security purposes by either China, the United States, or the United Kingdom are not covered by any of the agreements.


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