Our picksNational Security in the Age of Pandemics | Can Brain Scans Expose Terrorists? | Cyber-Smart Buildings

Published 7 April 2020

·  National Security in the Age of Pandemics

·  Malicious Coronavirus-Themed Emails Are Lucrative for Crooks, FBI Warns

·  Trump Said “Nobody Could Have Predicted” Coronavirus. White House Memos Show His Advisers Did.

·  Bush Devised a Plan for Pandemics Like the Coronavirus. Trump Is Ignoring It.

·  Boris Johnson’s Spokesman Accuses Russia of Spreading “Disinformation” after Russian State Media Claims the Prime Minister is on a Coronavirus Ventilator

·  While the World Battles the Coronavirus, Our Adversaries Are Planning Their Next Attack

·  Australian Government Says It Is Hacking Criminals Who Are Exploiting the Pandemic

·  Terrorists Are Still Among Us. Can Brain Scans Expose Them?

·  Making Cyber-Security a Prerequisite for Smart Buildings

National Security in the Age of Pandemics (Gregory D. Koblentz, Defense One)
We cannot reduce the danger and damage of the next pandemic by merely adding it to the ever-expanding laundry list of missions we expect the military to handle.

Malicious Coronavirus-Themed Emails Are Lucrative for Crooks, FBI Warns (Jeff Stone, Cyberscoop)
If you’re not already skeptical of emails asking for money in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the FBI wants you to remember this: It’s a common scam these days. And it works.
The bureau has issued multiple warnings highlighting how crooks are updating a profitable fraud technique to capitalize on pandemic concerns.

Trump Said “Nobody Could Have Predicted” Coronavirus. White House Memos Show His Advisers Did. (Aaron Rupar, Vox)
Trump was warned the coronavirus could kill 2 million Americans. Three days later, he said it was going away.

Bush Devised a Plan for Pandemics Like the Coronavirus. Trump Is Ignoring It. (Barbara McQuade, USA Today)
George W. Bush’s pandemic response plan is a blueprint for Donald Trump during this deadly coronavirus crisis. A responsible leader would be using it.

Barbara McQuade

Boris Johnson’s Spokesman Accuses Russia of Spreading “Disinformation” after Russian State Media Claims the Prime Minister is on a Coronavirus Ventilator (Adam Bienkov and Thomas Colson, Business Insider)
The U.K. government has accused Russia of spreading “disinformation” after the country’s state media reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was being treated on a ventilator for the coronavirus.
Johnson’s spokesman confirmed on Monday that the prime minister was admitted to St Thomas Hospital in London after continuing to experience a high temperature and a cough ten days after first testing positive for the virus.
However, he described Russian state media reports that he is on a ventilator for the condition as “disinformation.”
“That is disinformation,” his spokesman said.
“Our specialist government units have seen a rise in false reports since the coronavirus outbreak started. It’s vital that any information is knocked down quickly.”
He added that it was “vital to ensure that we press social media companies for further action to stop the spread of disinformation.”

While the World Battles the Coronavirus, Our Adversaries Are Planning Their Next Attack (Keith B. Alexander, The Hll)
Every nation is engaged in fighting the coronavirus. The pandemic has caused tens of thousands of deaths, and many nations are using drastic measures to fight its spread. While we seek to make common cause with our allies in this effort, it is worth remembering that our adversaries often use crises to further their agendas. Indeed, we already see leaders across the globe — many struggling with similar problems in their own nations — seeking to spread disinformation about the source and scope of this global pandemic. 
In the past few weeks alone, we have seen a doubling-down by ChinaRussia and Iran to conduct active media campaigns blaming the United States for the coronavirus. It is critical that our institutions, public and private alike, collaborate closely on efforts to tamp down the spread of false narratives, particularly as we approach the 2020 election cycle.

Australian Government Says It Is Hacking Criminals Who Are Exploiting the Pandemic (Sean Lyngaas, Cyberscoop)
As governments around the world consider their options for cracking down on scammers exploiting the coronavirus pandemic, Australia is touting a muscular approach in cyberspace.
The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) “has mobilized its offensive cyber capabilities to disrupt foreign cyber criminals responsible for a spate of malicious activities during COVID-19,” the Australian defense ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

Terrorists Are Still Among Us. Can Brain Scans Expose Them? (Simon Cottee, Daily Beast)
A deadly attack in France reminds us the threat remains real. Sadly, brain-scan research tells us little about the real world of terrorism and political violence.

Making Cyber-Security a Prerequisite for Smart Buildings (Indi Sall, SCMagazine)
As we continue to innovate and connect more devices to the internet, another major attack surface is growing and often being overlooked: smart buildings.