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Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts

Friday, 6 October 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - October 5, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

Saudi Arabia recently removed its 2013 ban on internet and voice over internet protocols (VoIP). According to the country’s Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), “This decision comes in line with recent trends in the ICT sector; the reliance on data revenues (Internet delivery) and added services is the global trend that operators in the Kingdom should take.”

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

A leading Chinese messaging app, WeChat, has revealed that it will release the private information of users, including contacts and online searches, to Chinese authorities. WeChat currently boasts 662 million users.

Cryptography experts have found a flaw in the United States National Security Agency’s push for Simon and Speck encryption protocols to become global industry standards: although the NSA maintains these are secure protocols, the organization can, in fact, break them.

China has added messaging app WhatsApp to its list of Facebook products banned in the country. The ban is seen as a measure to limit communication leading up to October 18’s Communist Party congress, which will determine future leadership.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

The continent of Africa now has its own internet domain: .africa. Users in Africa see the measure as a step towards “cyber independence” and fostering a continent-wide “internet community”.

The 2017 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa was held in South Africa, marking the first time it was not hosted by Uganda. This year’s event recognized the second annual International Day for Universal Access to Information.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe recently held its second Internet Governance Multi-Stakeholder Conference. Noted digital security trainer, Natasha Msonza, “There is no digital world and a real world, just as there are no human rights and digital rights. The two are not mutually exclusive.”

Australia plans to build a cybersecurity cooperative research center (CRC) with funding from government, industry, and research partners. The CRC is, in part, a response to the fact that Australia ranks second to last in the world for collaboration.

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

United Kingdom-based “Big Four” accounting firm Deloitte has suffered a cyberattack. The company reports that it has contacted “each of the very few clients impacted.”

All images credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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Tuesday, 3 October 2017

The Consequences of Internet Shutdowns

You might have seen the hashtag #KeepItOn across various social media platforms, but perhaps you don't quite grasp the severity of the problem it addresses. The hashtag was started by Access Now to bring awareness about an oft used tactic by regimes to control the online behavior of their citizens, the internet shutdown.

The excuses range anywhere from "to prevent students from cheating on exams" to "to prevent violent protests," but whatever the excuse, it is always a form of oppression.

Whether governments are blocking specific websites or shutting down the entire internet, the economic consequences are severe. The problem is particularly severe among African governments. In 2016 alone, 11 African countries disrupted internet communications. Since 2015, these interruptions have cost $235 million, according to a recent study conducted by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). This at a time when the internet is making a significant contribution to the growth in GDP in many African countries.

You can get involved by visiting Access Now's #KeepItOn website. This shortsighted and undemocratic tactic must end.

Friday, 1 September 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - August 25, 2017

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

Donald Trump has raised the status of the United States Cyber Command to that of a Unified Combatant Command. According to the American president's statement, the Obama-era policy “will strengthen our cyberspace operations and create more opportunities to improve our Nation’s defense.”

Privacy, Surveillance, and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

Human rights groups are calling for the release of Radio France Internationale correspondent Ahmed Abba, who is serving a ten-year sentence in Cameroon for coverage related to the activities of Boko Haram. Said Reporters Without Borders’ Clea Kahn-Sriber, “The campaign will grow in strength if the authorities do not free Ahmed Abba.” #FreeAhmedAbba

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

The second Japan-India Cyber Dialogue has strengthened the two nations’ commitment to an “open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible” cyberspace. The dialogue will continue in Tokyo in 2018.

United States-based Apple has added an ‘Emergency SOS’ feature to its iPhone; hitting the power button 5 times will lock the fingerprint scanner and call the police, prohibiting attackers from forcing a phone to be unlocked.

China now has a cybercourt—a place to resolve online disputes. Said cybercourt Chief Justice Du Qian, “Not only will this make lawsuits as convenient as online shopping, but it will also give online shopping the same degree of judicial protection as consumption at bricks-and-mortar stores.”

Dr. Darren Wilkins, Managing Director of the Liberia Telecommunication Corporation, took advantage of a national cybersecurity forum to ask that greater attention be paid to digital safety: “We live in a time of rapid technology and social changes. The uncomfortable and inconvenient truth is that the more we experience these technological and social changes, the more we are vulnerable to cyber threats.”

Cyberattacks

the threats we all face

State-owned and private Ukrainian lenders have been warned of a new malware threat: “The nature of this malicious code, its mass distribution, and the fact that at the time of its distribution it was not detected by any anti-virus software, suggest that this attack is preparation for a mass cyber-attack on the corporate networks of Ukrainian businesses,” stated a letter from the Ukrainian central bank.

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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!

Wednesday, 10 May 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - May 10, 2017

Wait For It - Change Is Coming to SumRando!

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

A new Rwandan draft law has established the National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA). The Bill intends to protect private and government information from cyberattacks and cybercrime.

Kenya expects the president will sign a Computer and Cybercrime Bill into law before 2018. The Bill will address illegal online access, online fraud, money laundering, phishing, cyber-stalking and child abuse.

New metadata retention laws in Australia are sending many internet users straight to their nearest VPN. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telco companies are now required to collect and retain customer metadata, including personal information and mode, location, and length of communication.

A draft Russian bill hopes to block anonymous proxies and VPN services that continue to provide access to forbidden websites. Currently, 100 ban-bypassing resources are blocked in Russia.

Privacy, Surveillance, and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

The United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed that it can share encrypted data regarding terrorists and criminals with India via the internet. “Sometimes, the data comes in months or years, and sometimes, by the time we approach the authorities there, private companies don’t keep backup, or it is not possible to decrypt everything on the internet,” clarified a National Investigation Agency official.

Israel’s NSO Group is thought to be responsible for the Chrysaor malware. The malware is an adaptation of Pegasus and is used to spy on Android phones.

Turkey recently blocked access to Wikipedia, in protest of the online encyclopedia’s inclusion of articles that link Ankara to terrorism. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales countered the decision: “Access to information is a fundamental human right. Turkish people, I will always stand with you to fight for this right.”

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

In a European first, the United Kingdom’s Cardiff University has launched the Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Analytics. In conjunction with Airbus, the center will study machine learning, data analytics and artificial intelligence.

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!

Thursday, 20 April 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - April 20, 2017

Change Is Coming to SumRando - Stay Tuned!

Policy

their legislation today could be yours tomorrow

New United States legislation has prompted Americans everywhere to turn to VPNs to protect their ISPs: “We saw a noticeable increase [in downloads] around the time Congress was considering the bill until the time Trump signed it,” reported Caleb Chen of London Trust Media. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are now free to collect and resell personal and browsing data to ad targeters and data brokers alike.

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

The United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) has penetrated the SWIFT banking network and monitored various Middle East banks, according to anonymous hacker Shadow Brokers. The released files reveal vulnerabilities in several Microsoft Windows products.

The Iranian government is requiring “Telegram channels with more than 5,000 followers to register with the country’s Culture Ministry.” The block of the encrypted messaging app precedes upcoming national elections; between 16,000 and 20,000 Telegram channels were blocked each week in March.

Ugandan academic and activist Stella Nyanzi has been charged with cyber-harassment. Her crime? Labeling President Yoweri Museveni a “pair of buttocks” on Facebook. According to her lawyer, “Dr. Nyanzi is within her constitutional rights and we are for an all-out legal battle with the state to defend her rights.”

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has asked social media activists to defend the government via cyberspace: “We have long been in defensive mode. Enough. It is now time to attack,” reads a post on najibrazak.com.

Germany’s Cyber-Security Council and Israel’s Checkmarx have opened a joint international chapter. “Cyber threats are not bound to national borders, so that transnational cooperation and networking is inevitable for the exchange of know-how and best practices,” acknowledged Council president Philipp von Saldern.

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!

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

Digital Divide: World Cyber Alerts - March 27, 2017

Privacy, Surveillance and Censorship

government isn't always on your side

Foreign governments have the right to spy on Americans by remote control, says a United States Court of Appeals decision. The verdict was in response to the case of Kidane v. Ethiopia, in which Mr. Kidane was monitored by the Ethiopian government in his United States home via computer malware.

Privacy International has found that Kenyan security agencies are violating privacy rights and committing human rights abuses. “Telecommunications operators end up handing over their customers’ data because they largely feel that they cannot decline agencies’ requests, in part due to the vagueness in the law,” acknowledged the report.

Research and Initiatives

making your world a more cybersecure place

Microsoft is opening a cybersecurity center in Mexico. “By opening this Cyber Security Center, we are offering our clients protection from attacks and security risks, as well as ways to detect them and find solutions,” noted Jorge Silva of Microsoft Mexico.

The National University of Singapore now has a cybersecurity facility, which aims to provide a “realistic environment” for research and testing.

The United Kingdom’s GCHQ recently held a cybersecurity summit in response to fears a Russian hack would interfere with the country’s upcoming election. Of particular concern were the security of internal emails and databases of voters’ political views.

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!

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!

Image credit of BOLDG/Shutterstock.com.

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

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.

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!