July 2017

Friday 28 July 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - July 28, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

Russia's legislature has passed a bill banning the use of virtual private networks, web proxies, and Tor. Thousands in Moscow protested the attack on a free and open internet; the legislation will next go to President Vladimir Putin for approval.

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

Chinese telecommunications carrier Guangzhou Huoyun Information Technology has been directed to block virtual private networks (VPNs) that would otherwise be used to work around China’s Great Firewall. Said David Bandurski, editor of HKU’s China Media Project, “We can be sure that as the news in China increasingly goes digital, and as television goes mobile, the Cyberspace Administration of China’s power will grow.”

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

CyberSecurity Malaysia has announced plans to improve the country’s cyber resilience. CEO Amirudin Abdul Wahab reported, “The prevention of cyber-criminal activities is the most critical aspect in the fight against cybercrime. CyberSecurity Malaysia will continue to play a more aggressive role in educating the public on cyber security measures and helping curb cyber-criminal activities in Malaysia.”

The United States and Russia have entered talks to create a joint cybersecurity working group, but even US President Donald Trump has his concerns: “The fact that President Putin and I discussed a Cyber Security unit doesn’t mean I think it can happen. It can’t,” he said in a tweet.

The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Strategy will soon include the opening of a cybersecurity innovation center in London. The center will invest in the technology necessary to make the UK a safe place for digital business and online activity.

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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Thursday 13 July 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - July 13, 2017

Privacy, Surveillance, and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

The United States Executive Office of the President has requested that secure voter registration data be sent to an insecure email address. Let’s Encrypt acknowledged, “Without point to point encryption anyone with access to the internet link between a user and their mail server, or between two mail servers, can see exactly what has been written, who wrote it, and who it is being sent to.”

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

A celebration of 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel included talks of cybersecurity cooperation. Said Israel’s Netanyahu, “Once it was a disadvantage to say that you are from Israel. Today when you talk about cyber or advanced technology, it is an advantage to say we are an Israeli company.”

Researchers in Switzerland have created Oblivious Ride (“ORide”), a method of encrypting data such as a user’s location and destination from American-based rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft. The technology remains unpatented in an effort to increase availability.

The United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has four new Active Cyber Defence measures, which will strive to make infrastructure, products, and services automatically safer to use while also increasing the cost to criminals when carrying out cyberattacks.

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

The website of South Africa’s Department of Basic Education experienced a cyberattack at the hands of Team System Dz, a hacking group in support of Isis. In response, the South African government took the website and the photos posted by Dz offline and opened an investigation into how the hacking had occurred.

Malware known as Petya first hit Ukraine, and then Russia, Europe, and the United States, affecting the Kiev international airport, Russian oil company Rosneft, and American pharmaceutical giantMerck. Raj Samani of McAfee reported, “Fundamentally, this was a wiper campaign. It appears to be a campaign meant for destruction or disruption.”

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

Want more emerging economy cyber alerts? Read on!

Want Emerging Economy Cyber Alerts sent to your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletter ("Security Tips and News" at bottom of page).

Have valuable insight to share from your part of the world? Write for us!

SumRando Cybersecurity is a Mauritius-based VPN, Web Proxy and Secure Messenger provider. Surf secure and stay Rando!