SumNews: February 2017

Wednesday, 22 February 2017

SumTips: How to Bring Back Cameroon's Internet

Step One: Read Access Now’s open letter to telecommunications companies in Cameroon on the internet shutdown.

“The internet shutdown in Cameroon’s anglophone regions has been continuing for a month and has significantly interfered with citizens’ daily lives. By blocking access to information and services, the disruption thwarts the exercise of human rights, including the freedoms of expression and association, and slows economic development, seriously harming the innovative businesses dependent on your services. We estimate the shutdown has already cost more than US$1.39 million and grows daily.”

Step Two: Know the open letter’s recommendations.

We recommend that [telecommunications companies]:
1.    Publicly denounce the shutdown and the harm it has caused to your customers and your company’s economic and reputational interests;
2.    Detail the geographic scope and technical implementation of the blocking;
3.    Reveal the demand from the government that required you to block internet access, and any gag order or other pressure to conceal the demand; and
4.    Jointly push back against the government demand, through all legal and policy tools at your disposal, in order to restore internet access.

Step Three: Sign Avaaz’s #BringBackOurInternet petition.

“As citizens from Cameroon and around the world, we call you to sanction the government of Cameroon until they restore internet for all it’s citizens. We condemn the actions by President Biya to shutdown the internet in anglophone areas of the country and repress freedom of expression. The United Nations considers internet shutdowns as a violation of the international human rights law, we need you to respond and act for the respect of human rights.”

Be an advocate, surf secure and stay Rando!

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Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - February 21, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has announced that it will create a commission to establish cybersecurity policies and reviews. Internet products and services that affect national security or the public interest will be subject to a security review.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

India's Software Freedom Law Centre now maintains an online Internet Shutdown Tracker. Says the organization, "We aim to stand strong with the message that the information superhighway that is the Internet is essential for the holistic socio-economic and cultural development of the country. #KeepItOn."

IBM’s Digital-Nation Africa is launching in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt. The project aims to prepare individuals for careers in cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have formed a joint project known as the Bio-Inspired Agile Cyber Security Assurance Framework (BICSAF). Professor Lam Khin Yong reported the project “will be able to develop innovative methods for combating one of the most complicated problems in cyber security – Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).”

Finland, a country known for its internet security, will open a cybersecurity hub in Helsinki this year. The center will work to stop cyberwarfare threats and will involve the cooperation of the United States, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland and the Baltic States.

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

Cybercrime cost Kenya Sh17.7 billion, or .28% of its GDP, in 2016, the highest of all African countries. The east African nation is ranked as the 69th most vulnerable country in the Global Threat Index.

Lion Soldiers Team, a Turkish hacking group, has claimed responsibility for an attack that disrupted the website of the Austrian parliament. On Facebook, the group announced, “Our reaction will be harsh in response to this racism of Austria against Muslims!!! (Parliament down.).”

Japan experienced a record-setting 128.1 billion cyberattacks in 2016. The highest number of attacks from any single country came from China.

Looking Back

a new glimpse at past alerts

An unsigned United States cybersecurity executive order has been revised to reflect a more moderate agenda: “Much of this quite literally could have been written by the Obama administration,” reported Paul Rosenzweig, a former member of the Department of Homeland Security. Whether or when President Trump will sign the revamped executive order remains uncertain.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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Tuesday, 14 February 2017

SumTips: Where Art Is Under Attack

Independent organization Freemuse, or Freedom of Musical Expression, recently released “Art Under Threat”, a 46-page report on censorship and attacks on artistic expression in 2016. The results reveal that freedom of expression for artists is a global concern, with 1,028 attacks occurring in 78 countries worldwide. Top offenders include:

6 Serious Violators:

1.    Iran: “Artists are often charged with and sentenced for “insulting the sacred”, “propaganda against the state” or “spreading depravity”. Iranian courts use the “assembly line” method for prosecuting artists and other citizens, and barbaric methods, such as lashing, to punish convicts. On 5 November 2016, Iranian singer Amir Tataloo was sentenced to five years in prison and 74 lashes after being found guilty of ‘spreading Western immorality’.”

2.    Turkey: “The attempted coup against President Erdoğan on 15 July 2016 and the following State of Emergency led to a clampdown on oppositional voices in Turkey hitting media, academia and the arts world hard, literally silencing and imprisoning tens of thousands of people.”

3.    Egypt: “Article 65 in Egypt’s 2014 constitution grants citizens the right to express their opinions verbally, in writing, through imagery, or by any other means of expression and publication. Another article guarantees freedom of artistic and literary creativity stating that “the state shall encourage arts and literature, sponsor creative artists and writers and protect their productions, and provide the means necessary for achieving this end”. However, Egypt’s legislation still allows for the jailing of artists and citizens on the charge of ‘contempt of religion’.”

4.    Nigeria: “Artists face a complex system of censorship carried out by a variety of actors, further complicated by multiple censorship boards. In addition to the national censorship boards, states such as Kano in the North and Lagos in the South even have their own censorship boards, with the consequence that artists and cultural producers of these states face double censorship mechanisms.”

5.    China: “In China, legal bodies are not separated from political institutions and opinions considered in opposition with the government and country’s “One China” policy are not allowed. Censorship of arts, media and academia is widespread. “Objectionable” content, including references to controversial Chinese historical details, Chinese politics, details about Chinese leaders, sexually explicit material and, in some instances, material relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues are not allowed.”

6.    Russia: “Nationalism and political allegiance also continue to drive what type of art is allowed on stage and in halls, or what is funded by state coffers. Plays are vetted and cancelled for their political and moral content and artists are blacklisted for their political views on issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”

Top 10 Countries for ‘Serious Violations’—killings, abductions, attacks, imprisonments, prosecutions, persecutions and threats:
1.    Iran: 30 serious violations
2.    Turkey: 23 serious violations
3.    Egypt: 18 serious violations
4.    Nigeria: 15 serious violations
5.    China: 14 serious violations
6.    Russia: 10 serious violations
7.    Syria: 4 serious violations
8.    Malaysia: 4 serious violations
9.    Tanzania: 4 serious violations
10.   Uzbekistan: 4 serious violations

Top 10 Countries for Acts of Censorship:
1.    Ukraine: 557 censorship violations
2.    Kuwait: 61 censorship violations
3.    China: 20 censorship violations
4.    Egypt: 19 censorship violations
5.    India: 17 censorship violations
6.    Russia: 16 censorship violations
7.    Turkey: 13 censorship violations
8.    United States: 13 censorship violations
9.    Pakistan: 11 censorship violations
10. Iran: 9 censorship violations

Support the arts, surf secure and stay Rando!

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Friday, 10 February 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - February 10, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

After much talk of efforts to enhance United States government cybersecurity capabilities, United States President Donald Trump did not follow through on signing a cybersecurity overhaul executive order. The event marks the second time in a week that the president has neglected to sign an executive action.

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

when government isn't on your side

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) and Citizen Lab have concluded that Egyptian human rights groups are being targeted by an Egyptian intelligence agency phishing campaign. Those targeted are NGOs accused by the government of receiving illegal foreign funding.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

Australia and Indonesia have agreed to fight terrorism through strengthened mutual cybersecurity. Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto of Indonesia noted that he expects “tighter and stronger cooperation in law and security.”

ISACA, an association previously known as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, will host information technology and cybersecurity events in the African countries of Egypt and Ghana this year. The Best of Cybersecurity Nexus (CSX) will take place in Cairo in July; the Africa Computer Audit, Control and Security (CACS) will be held in Accra in September.

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

The United States Treasury Department is allowing new cybersecurity transactions with the Russian Federal Security Service. According to the Russian Duma’s Nikolai Kovalyov, “This shows that actual joint work on establishing an anti-terrorism coalition is about to begin,” but United States Representative Eric Swalwell had different ideas: “This is the same group that, just a month ago, our intelligence community determined was responsible for the attack on our democracy. We just made it easier for the same group to import into Russia the tools they could use to hack us or our allies again.”

Looking Back

a new glimpse at past alerts

#TurnOnVPN has countered concerns that all VPN usage is now illegal in China. According to the non-partisan organization, Chinese businesses are forbidden from using VPNs, but individuals are not.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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Thursday, 9 February 2017

SumTips: 4 Digital Activists You Should Know

It’s February, which means the 2017 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards are right around the corner. This week, the shortlist of nominees was announced in four categories: arts, campaigning, digital activism and journalism. Featured below are the nominees for digital activism, recognized “for innovative uses of technology to circumvent censorship and enable free and independent exchange of information”.

Jensiat: a (heavily censored) Iranian online graphic novel that offers accessible sexual health and cybersecurity awareness and provides access to verified digital security resources. According to Jensiat’s creators, “Our interactions with readers leads us to believe they have picked up what we’ve been discussing, and are incorporating them into their online lives.”

Bill Marczak: Marczak’s Bahrain Watch promotes accountable and transparent governance by investigating and running campaigns in response to activists’ social media posts. Said Marczak, “There’s many an activist who face serious risks from their government of being beaten up or being tortured just because they express opinions. I think that’s unacceptable and that’s one of the things I am trying to prevent.”

Evan Mawarire: When Pastor Mawarire expressed his displeasure with the Zimbabwean government by posting a video of himself draped in the country’s flag, people listened. More than eight million people joined a government boycott in response. Explained Mawarire, “I called the campaign #ThisFlag because it encouraged citizens to get involved in reclaiming national pride by condemning the shameless actions of government and its officials.”

Turkey Blocks: an Alp Toker-led team that monitors, reports on and investigates internet restrictions in Turkey. Turkey Blocks’ successful tools have begun to be utilized elsewhere. Reported Alp Toker, “Our alerts, issued within minutes of detection, have helped Turkish citizens to stay online when shutdowns get implemented and provided the media with enough confidence to report assertively on digital censorship in Turkey.”

Index on Censorship will celebrate the award recipients at a gala on April 19.

Thank an activist, surf secure and stay Rando!

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Thursday, 2 February 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - February 2, 2017

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has promised to arrest anyone who plans chaos in response to this year’s general elections. “I will not allow anyone in Kenya to lose their lives or property because of elections again. The government will legally deal with leaders planning to cause chaos,” reported Kenyatta.

Microsoft is enabling the Thai government to spy on its citizens, says Privacy International. Unlike other operating systems, Microsoft’s Windows is designed to automatically trust the Thai government’s root certificate, which in turn allows the government to install malware on websites or misrepresent websites altogether.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has hired Indian startup Spherical Defense to assist the British spy agency. Spherical Defense will monitor for hacking attempts via its Banking Intrusion Detection System.

It’s Right to Be Forgotten Week in Brazil. The event, hosted by InternetLab, strives to bring attention to an important issue that frequently goes unnoticed. Later this year, the organization will also host InternetLab School 2017, an initiative that invites journalists to explore the intersection of technology and the internet.

Hamilton, New Zealand will host the International Standards Organisation (ISO) conference in April, which will examine the standardization of cybersecurity worldwide. The conference expects attendees from 100 countries, including experts from Interpol and the American National Security Agency.

United States-based National Cyber Security Alliance celebrated Data Privacy Day on January 28. The international celebration focused on Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data and Enabling Trust.

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

Ruslan Stoyanov, manager of Kaspersky Lab’s computer incidents investigations unit, has been arrested for hacking. The Russian is accused of treason and is under investigation for actions committed prior to joining Kaspersky Lab.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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