-
Chinese hackers target DoD, DHS smart cards
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered malicious code developed by Chinese hackers to target the smart cards used by Defense Department, DHS, and State Department personnel
-
-
Twelve Chinese hacker groups responsible for attacks on U.S.
U.S. cybersecurity experts say as few as twelve different Chinese hacker collectives, working at the behest of the government, are responsible for the majority of cyberattacks on U.S. businesses and government agencies; the bulk of the attacks are stealthy in nature and have resulted in the loss of billions of dollars’ worth of intellectual property and state secrets from the private and public sector
-
-
GAO reports problems in cybersecurity hiring strategy
An audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that some government agencies have failed to effectively develop or implement cybersecurity workforce planning strategies; agencies also reported problems in filling some cybersecurity positions, particularly those requiring specialized skills
-
-
House Intelligence panel investigates Chinese telecom giants
As Chinese telecom giants Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp continue to eye the lucrative American market, they have come under increasing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers who fear their technology could be used by Chinese hackers to steal U.S. secrets; the two Chinese companies are now the subject of a House Intelligence Committee investigation aimed at determining whether they are a threat to the United States
-
-
China and Russia using cyberspies to steal U.S. secrets
A new Congressional report concludes that Chinese and Russian hackers backed by their respective states are stealing U.S. trade and technology secrets to boost their economic development; the report, titled “Foreign Spies Stealing U.S. Economic Secrets in Cyberspace” and written by the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, found that foreign hackers can easily gather large quantities of sensitive data without being detected because so much of it is stored on computers
-
-
Sharp rise in number of holders of security clearances
As of 1 October 2010, the number of Americans holding security clearances was 4,266,091; of those, 1,419,051 federal employees and contractors hold Top Secret clearances
-
-
Living bacteria for perfect encryption system
Researchers have developed fluorescent bacteria that encode secret messages, creating, in effect, a living invisible ink; this method could be harnessed for secret communications as well as for anti-counterfeiting; messages may be encoded by genetically engineering bacteria to produce fluorescent colored proteins, then printing them in a grid
-
-
North Dakota receives $10 million for border security
To help secure the U.S.— Canada border, North Dakota will receive more than $9.6 million in DHS grants; the funds are aimed at helping local law enforcement agencies prevent a terrorist attack, secure the border, and bolster emergency preparedness
-
-
Chinese TV shows cyber-attack software
A Chinese government TV station, perhaps inadvertently, shows a government cyberattack aimed at Falun Gong computers; the video identifies the software as being written by the Electrical Engineering University of the People’s Liberation Army; the video — which has been removed from the TV station’s Web site — provides direct evidence of Chinese government involvement in cyberattacks
-
-
Cyber experts dispute McAfee's Shady RAT report
Earlier this month, cybersecurity experts discovered a five-year operation that infiltrated U.S. government and UN computer networks; China is believed to be the culprit behind the systematic attacks, dubbed “Operation Shady RAT,” which also hit major defense contractors and private businesses; many within the cybersecurity community are disputing the significance of the finding
-
-
Pakistan likely let China examine U.S. stealth helo
U.S. intelligence officials believe that Pakistan’s intelligence service allowed Chinese military engineers to examine the wreckage of a new stealth helicopter used in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden; the helicopter was damaged in the assault on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan in May and Navy SEALs were forced to leave it behind
-
-
Senator Schumer targets fake IDs from China
Fake IDs have long been a problem for law enforcement agencies, but the recent discovery of counterfeit IDs from China that appear nearly identical to the real thing have lawmakers particularly concerned
-
-
China's sustained cyberattacks on U.S. are an economic, strategic threat
China has been engaged in a sustained guerrilla cyber war against the United States, with two goals in mind: first, stealing research and development, software source code, manufacturing know-how, and government plans; second, to counter American military superiority by threatening to damage the underpinning of the U.S. economy; that Congress and the administration do nothing in the face of these cyber assaults is puzzling
-
-
Pakistan charges 5 with helping U.S. kill OBL
Pakistan arrested five men and charged them with leaking information relating to the 2 May killing of Osama bin Laden; no, they were not accused of being informants for al Qaeda or the Taliban; rather, they are charged with secretly providing information to the united States — information which led to the successful operation; among the detainees are the Pakistani who rented and maintained to safe house in Abbottabad , from which CIA operatives kept an eye on bin Laden’ compound, and a Pakistani Army major who is credited with photographing the license plate of the car of bin Laden trusted couriers; following the courier’s car was the key to locating bin Laden’s hideout; deputy CIA director, when asked to rate Pakistan’s cooperation with the United States in fighting terrorism, replied: “Three”
-
-
Bill prohibits joint U.S.-China scientific activity
Language inserted into the 2011 spending bill would prohibit any joint scientific activity between the United States and China that involves NASA or is coordinated by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP); Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Virginia), the author of the prohibition, says: “China is spying against us, and every U.S. government agency has been hit by cyberattacks —- They are stealing technology from every major U.S. company. They have taken technology from NASA, and they have hit the NSF computers. —- You name the company, and the Chinese are trying to get its secrets”
-
More headlines
The long view
How AI Bots Spread Misinformation Online and Undermine Democratic Politics
As we navigate this era of digital discourse, awareness of blind spots in our social psychology is our best defense. Understanding how cues or triggers affect us can reduce their influence over time. The more aware we are of bots and how they work, the more able we are to protect ourselves from misleading rhetoric, ensuring our democratic processes remain robust and inclusive.
Emerging Threats to the U.S. Financial System
In early 2021, a freewheeling, freethinking group of investors on Reddit plowed their money into GameStop, a video game retailer that several big hedge funds had bet against. The stock price shot up, some people made millions—and, to the delight of those on Reddit, the hedge funds had some very bad days. Researchers saw the GameStop story as a cautionary tale. If investors on Reddit could work together to move the markets like that, what could an adversary like China do?