The UK has directly accused Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, of being behind a number of cyber attacks that took place between 2015 and 2017, calling them “indiscriminate and reckless” with a range of target types including political institutions, businesses, media and even sport. It says the chaotic campaign of attacks by the GRU […]
View More UK says Russia’s GRU was behind a spate of chaotic cyber attacks between 2015 and 2017Category: national security
Unbiased algorithms can still be problematic
Creating unbiased, accurate algorithms isn’t impossible — it’s just time consuming. “It actually is mathematically possible,” facial recognition startup Kairos CEO Brian Brackeen told me on a panel at TechCrunch Disrupt SF. Algorithms are sets of rules that computers follow in order to solve problems and make decisions about a particular course of action. Whether […]
View More Unbiased algorithms can still be problematicChina splits the internet while the U.S. dithers
There are few stories as important right now as the internet being ripped asunder by the increasing animosity between the U.S. and China. Eric Schmidt, the former chairman of Alphabet, said last week at a private event in San Francisco that “I think the most likely scenario now is not a splintering, but rather a […]
View More China splits the internet while the U.S. dithersTrump’s new cyber strategy eases rules on use of government cyberweapons
The Trump administration’s new cyber strategy out this week isn’t much more than a stringing together of previously considered ideas. In the 40-page document, the government set out its plans to improve cybersecurity, incentivizing change, and reforming computer hacking laws. Election security about a quarter of a page, second only to “space cybersecurity.” The difference […]
View More Trump’s new cyber strategy eases rules on use of government cyberweaponsFacebook pilots new political campaign security tools — just 50 days before Election Day
Facebook has rolled out a “pilot” program of new security tools for political campaigns — just weeks before millions of Americans go to the polls for the midterm elections. The social networking giant said it’s targeting campaigns that “may be particularly vulnerable to targeting by hackers and foreign adversaries.” Once enrolled, Facebook said it’ll help […]
View More Facebook pilots new political campaign security tools — just 50 days before Election DayUK warns of satellite and space program problems in case of Brexit ‘no deal’
The UK government says that access to satellites and space surveillance programs will suffer in the event of a “no deal” departure from the European Union . Britain has less than six months to go before the country leaves the 28 member state bloc, after a little over half the country voted to withdraw membership […]
View More UK warns of satellite and space program problems in case of Brexit ‘no deal’UK’s mass surveillance regime violated human rights law, finds ECHR
In another blow to the UK government’s record on bulk data handling for intelligence purposes the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that state surveillance practices violated human rights law. Arguments against the UK intelligence agencies’ bulk collection and data sharing practices were heard by the court in November last year. In today’s […]
View More UK’s mass surveillance regime violated human rights law, finds ECHRWatchdog says 2020 Census systems are riddled with security flaws
With a census just two years away, the Census Bureau has a cybersecurity problem. That’s a key takeaway from the congressional watchdog, the Government Accountability Office, which oversees the government’s spending. In a new report published Thursday, the non-partisan agency said that the government’s Census Bureau has only a few months to fix thousands of […]
View More Watchdog says 2020 Census systems are riddled with security flawsT-Mobile quietly reveals uptick in government data demands
T-Mobile has revealed an uptick in the number of demands for data it receives from the government. The cellular giant quietly posted its 2017 transparency report on August 14, revealing a 12 percent increase in the number of overall data demands it responded to compared to the previous year. The report said the company responded […]
View More T-Mobile quietly reveals uptick in government data demandsApple cracks down on gambling apps in China
Apple is cracking down on illegal content in China after it removed potentially thousands of apps related to gambling, including ‘lottery’ services. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. phone-maker purged as many as 25,000 apps — that’s a figure that was first cited by state-owned broadcaster CCTV [link in Chinese]. Apple didn’t comment […]
View More Apple cracks down on gambling apps in ChinaRiskRecon’s security assessment services for third party vendors raises $25 million
In June of this year, Chinese hackers managed to install software into the networks of a contractor for the U.S. Navy and steal information on a roughly $300 million top secret submarine program. Two years ago, hackers infiltrated the networks of a vendor servicing the Australian military and made off with files containing a trove […]
View More RiskRecon’s security assessment services for third party vendors raises $25 millionRussian indictments show that the U.S. needs federal oversight of election security
Adam Eichen Contributor Share on Twitter Adam Eichen is the author of Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want. He is also an Advisor to EqualCitizens.US Phoebe Wong Contributor Share on Twitter Phoebe Wong is executive director of EqualCitizens.US, a democracy reform non profit based in Washington DC. She was […]
View More Russian indictments show that the U.S. needs federal oversight of election security