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Category: Internet

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Launches Fully-Upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network Offerings for Markets Outside China to Accelerate Industrial Digitalization and Intelligence Oct 16, 2024

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Launches Fully-Upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network Offerings for Markets Outside China to Accelerate Industrial Digitalization and Intelligence
    Oct 16, 2024

    [Dubai, UAE, October 16, 2024] During GITEX GLOBAL 2024, Huawei announced its fully-upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network Solution and more than 20 all-new AI network products for markets outside China at the IP Club Carnival themed “Xinghe Intelligent Network, Accelerate Industrial Digitalization and Intelligence”. These purpose-built offerings help enterprise customers of all sizes to accelerate their digital and intelligent transformation.
    In the opening address, Leon Wang, President of Huawei Data Communication Product Line, Huawei, said, “Nowadays, AI is becoming a key driver of digital economic growth, bringing huge opportunities for new value creation. The global digital and intelligent wave drives networks to further innovate and take on four unique features, namely, providing ubiquitous connections, unleashing computing power potential, transmitting massive data efficiently and securely, and assuring application experience. Let’s explore how to accelerate innovation and work together to advance intelligence.”
    Leon Wang, President of Data Communication Product Line, Huawei, delivering a speech

    Yury Yin, Vice President of Data Communication Product Line, Huawei, said, “All industries ramp up intelligent transformation, driving network evolution towards the AI ecosystem. As such, Huawei Xinghe Intelligent Network focuses on intelligent innovation and lays a next-generation foundation featuring optimal application experience assurance, automatic precise traffic scheduling, ultra-high resilience and stability, and high-security ubiquitous protection. All of these help enterprises worldwide to seize new development opportunities and amplify industrial intelligence.”
    Yury Yin, Vice President of Data Communication Product Line, Huawei, giving a speech

    Leon Wang, President of Data Communication Product Line, Huawei; Vincent Liu, President of Global Enterprise Network Marketing & Solution Sales Department, Huawei, Charles Shen, Vice President of Middle East & Central Asia ICT Marketing & Solution Sales Department, Huawei, and Naveed Tahir, CTO of Pakistan Higher Education Commission, then jointly launched Huawei’s fully-graded Xinghe Intelligent Network Solution and all-new products.
    Featured offerings include:
    Xinghe Intelligent Campus: Huawei’s full range of Wi-Fi 7 APs enable no rate limiting for terminals and full wireless coverage without blind spots on the campus network. Furthermore, AI-enabled, experience-centric campus network construction ensures zero freezing for audio and video applications and zero degradation on services.
    Xinghe Intelligent Fabric: The network digital map enables converged management of network and security devices and accelerates service rollout on the current day. Moreover, AI algorithms are used to model the quality of application experience, proactively identify deteriorating application experience, and demarcate faults in minutes. Moreover, superfast switchovers at three levels (link, device, and network levels), unique in the industry, ensure ultra-reliable and ultra-stable network services.
    Xinghe Intelligent WAN: Intelligent technologies are introduced to accurately identify applications, intelligently schedule millions of flows, and precisely optimize experience. Beyond this, intelligent O&M agents draw on the massive historical experience database to proactively analyze and predict potential network risks and automatically rectify 90% faults in minutes.
    Xinghe Intelligent Network Security: AI is integrated into network security detection. Specifically, 18 small AI models are used to identify threats accurately and quickly, achieving as high as 91% accuracy in detecting unknown threats. Additionally, AI models are embedded into security devices to achieve AI inference in microseconds, ensuring robust security and ultimate experience.
    Industry-specific solutions: Huawei’s tailor-made solutions are ideal for diverse industries, such as public services, finance, energy, education, transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare, to meet their differentiated needs and stride towards the intelligent era.
    As all industries accelerate their digital and intelligent transformation, Huawei and the IEEE UAE Section jointly kicked off the “Imagine Wi-Fi 7” program. As announced at this IP Club Carnival, the “Imagine Wi-Fi 7” Program (Season 2) was successfully concluded. Prof. Hussain Al Ahmad, Chair of the IEEE UAE Section, Jason He, President of Huawei Global Enterprise Data Communication Marketing & Solution Sales Department, and Shawn Zhao, President of the Campus Network Domain at Huawei Data Communication Product Line, presented awards to outstanding winners.
    Another notable announcement was the “Discover Huawei SASE” Program for the Middle East and Central Asia Region. Moreover, industry pioneers from the security sector shared their first experience with Huawei Xinghe Intelligent SASE Solution. While experiencing real-world use cases, they also earned plenty of IP Club bonus points.
    Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to innovate and help customers build leading network infrastructure needed to accelerate their digital and intelligent journey. Doing so will help customers around the world stride into the digital–intelligence era and reap greater business value.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: O’Fallon, Missouri, Man Admits Child Sex Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    ST. LOUIS – A man from O’Fallon, Missouri on Wednesday admitted engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old that he met online and discussing child sex with another 15-year-old victim.

    Andrew Haller, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to all of the charges he faced: two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography.

    Haller admitted separately meeting two 15-year-old girls on Tumblr before moving their conversations to the encrypted app Telegram.

    The 15-year-old California victim told the FBI that Haller introduced the topic of “daddy dom,” and told her he was also sexually abusing another teen. Haller listed rules for the victim, including that she would have to ask his permission once a day to urinate, wear a collar at all times, and refer to him only as “Sir,” Dad” or “Daddy.” He also asked her for nude photos and sent her photos and videos of the other victim.

    After identifying Haller and performing a court-approved search of his home in November of 2023, the FBI identified the other victim. She told the FBI that she sent Haller sexually explicit photos at his direction. They met in person twice in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller struck her during the first visit and took pictures and videos of her, his plea says. He also discussed with her his desire to abuse children too young to talk or remember the abuse.

    Haller possessed 195 images and 92 videos of known or suspected child sexual abuse material, and sent that material to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app, his plea says.

    Haller is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 28, 2025. The coercion charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and the child pornography charges each carry a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes has agreed as part of the plea to ask for no more than 25 years in prison.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iranian Cyber Actors’ Brute Force and Credential Access Activity Compromises Critical Infrastructure Organizations

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Summary

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) are releasing this joint Cybersecurity Advisory to warn network defenders of Iranian cyber actors’ use of brute force and other techniques to compromise organizations across multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including the healthcare and public health (HPH), government, information technology, engineering, and energy sectors. The actors likely aim to obtain credentials and information describing the victim’s network that can then be sold to enable access to cybercriminals.

    Since October 2023, Iranian actors have used brute force, such as password spraying, and multifactor authentication (MFA) ‘push bombing’ to compromise user accounts and obtain access to organizations. The actors frequently modified MFA registrations, enabling persistent access. The actors performed discovery on the compromised networks to obtain additional credentials and identify other information that could be used to gain additional points of access. The authoring agencies assess the Iranian actors sell this information on cybercriminal forums to actors who may use the information to conduct additional malicious activity.

    This advisory provides the actors’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs). The information is derived from FBI engagements with entities impacted by this malicious activity.

    The authoring agencies recommend critical infrastructure organizations follow the guidance provided in the Mitigations section. At a minimum, organizations should ensure all accounts use strong passwords and register a second form of authentication.

    Download the PDF version of this report:

    For a downloadable list of IOCs, see:

    Technical Details

    Note: This advisory uses the MITRE ATT&CK® for Enterprise framework, version 15. See the MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques section in Appendix A for a table of the actors’ activity mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques.

    Overview of Activity

    The actors likely conduct reconnaissance operations to gather victim identity [T1589] information. Once obtained, the actors gain persistent access to victim networks frequently via brute force [T1110]. After gaining access, the actors use a variety of techniques to further gather credentials, escalate privileges, and gain information about the entity’s systems and network. The actors also move laterally and download information that could assist other actors with access and exploitation.

    Initial Access and Persistence

    The actors use valid user and group email accounts [T1078], frequently obtained via brute force such as password spraying [T1110.003] although other times via unknown methods, to obtain initial access to Microsoft 365, Azure [T1078.004], and Citrix systems [T1133]. In some cases where push notification-based MFA was enabled, the actors send MFA requests to legitimate users seeking acceptance of the request. This technique—bombarding users with mobile phone push notifications until the user either approves the request by accident or stops the notifications— is known as “MFA fatigue” or “push bombing” [T1621].

    Once the threat actors gain access to an account, they frequently register their devices with MFA to protect their access to the environment via the valid account:

    • In two confirmed compromises, the actors leveraged a compromised user’s open registration for MFA [T1556.006] to register the actor’s own device [T1098.005] to access the environment.
    • In another confirmed compromise, the actors used a self-service password reset (SSPR) tool associated with a public facing Active Directory Federation Service (ADFS) to reset the accounts with expired passwords [T1484.002] and then registered MFA through Okta for compromised accounts without MFA already enabled [T1556] [T1556.006].

    The actors frequently conduct their activity using a virtual private network (VPN) service [T1572]. Several of the IP addresses in the actors’ malicious activity originate from exit nodes tied to the Private Internet Access VPN service.

    Lateral Movement

    The actors use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for lateral movement [T1021.001]. In one instance, the actors used Microsoft Word to open PowerShell to launch the RDP binary mstsc.exe [T1202].

    Credential Access

    The actors likely use open-source tools and methodologies to gather more credentials. The actors performed Kerberos Service Principal Name (SPN) enumeration of several service accounts and received Kerberos tickets [T1558.003]. In one instance, the actors used the Active Directory (AD) Microsoft Graph Application Program Interface (API) PowerShell application likely to perform a directory dump of all AD accounts. Also, the actors imported the tool [T1105] DomainPasswordSpray.ps1, which is openly available on GitHub [T1588.002], likely to conduct password spraying. The actors also used the command Cmdkey /list, likely to display usernames and credentials [T1555].

    Privilege Escalation

    In one instance, the actors attempted impersonation of the domain controller, likely by exploiting Microsoft’s Netlogon (also known as ”Zerologon”) privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2020-1472) [T1068].

    Discovery

    The actors leverage living off the land (LOTL) to gain knowledge about the target systems and internal networks. The actors used the following Windows command-line tools to gather information about domain controllers [T1018], trusted domains [T1482], lists of domain administrators, and enterprise administrators [T1087.002] [T1069.002] [T1069.003]:

    • Nltest /dclist
    • Nltest /domain_trusts
    • Nltest /domain_trusts/all_trusts
    • Net group “Enterprise admins” /domain
    • Net group “Domain admins” /domain

    Next, the actors used the following Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query in PowerShell [T1059.001]to search the AD for computer display names, operating systems, descriptions, and distinguished names [T1082].

                                               $i=0
                                               $D= [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
                                               $L='LDAP://' . $D
                                               $D = [ADSI]$L
                                               $Date = $((Get-Date).AddDays(-90).ToFileTime())
                                               $str = '(&(objectcategory=computer)(operatingSystem=*serv*)(|(lastlogon>='+$Date+')(lastlogontimestamp>='+$Date+')))'
                                               $s = [adsisearcher]$str
                                               $s.searchRoot = $L.$D.distinguishedName
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('cn') > $Null
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('operatingsystem') > $Null
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('description') > $Null
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('distinguishedName') > $Null
                                               Foreach ($CA in $s.FindAll()) {
                                                             Write-Host $CA.Properties.Item('cn')
                                                             $CA.Properties.Item('operatingsystem')
                                                             $CA. Properties.Item('description')
                                                             $CA.Properties.Item('distinguishedName')
                                                             $i++
                                               }
                                               Write-host Total servers: $i

    Command and Control

    On one occasion, using msedge.exe, the actors likely made outbound connections to Cobalt Strike Beacon command and control (C2) infrastructure [T1071.001].

    Exfiltration and Collection

    In a couple instances, while logged in to victim accounts, the actors downloaded files related to gaining remote access to the organization and to the organization’s inventory [T1005], likely exfiltrating the files to further persist in the victim network or to sell the information online.

    Detection

    To detect brute force activity, the authoring agencies recommend reviewing authentication logs for system and application login failures of valid accounts and looking for multiple, failed authentication attempts across all accounts.

    To detect the use of compromised credentials in combination with virtual infrastructure, the authoring agencies recommend the following steps:

    • Look for “impossible logins,” such as suspicious logins with changing usernames, user agent strings, and IP address combinations or logins where IP addresses do not align to the user’s expected geographic location.
    • Look for one IP used for multiple accounts, excluding expected logins.
    • Look for “impossible travel.” Impossible travel occurs when a user logs in from multiple IP addresses with significant geographic distance (i.e., a person could not realistically travel between the geographic locations of the two IP addresses during the period between the logins). Note: Implementing this detection opportunity can result in false positives if legitimate users apply VPN solutions before connecting into networks.
    • Look for MFA registrations with MFA in unexpected locales or from unfamiliar devices.
    • Look for processes and program execution command-line arguments that may indicate credential dumping, especially attempts to access or copy the ntds.dit file from a domain controller.
    • Look for suspicious privileged account use after resetting passwords or applying user account mitigations.
    • Look for unusual activity in typically dormant accounts.
    • Look for unusual user agent strings, such as strings not typically associated with normal user activity, which may indicate bot activity.

    Mitigations

    The authoring agencies recommend organizations implement the mitigations below to improve organizations’ cybersecurity posture based on the actors’ TTPs described in this advisory. These mitigations align with the Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) developed by CISA. The CPGs, which are organized to align to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, are a subset of cybersecurity practices, aimed at meaningfully reducing risks to both critical infrastructure operations and the American people. These voluntary CPGs strive to help small- and medium-sized organizations kick-start their cybersecurity efforts by prioritizing investment in a limited number of essential actions with high-impact security outcomes. Visit CISA’s Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals for more information on the CPGs, including additional recommended baseline protections.

    • Review IT helpdesk password management related to initial passwords, password resets for user lockouts, and shared accounts. IT helpdesk password procedures may not align to company policy for user verification or password strength, creating a security gap. Avoid common passwords (e.g. “Spring2024” or “Password123!”).
    • Disable user accounts and access to organizational resources for departing staff [CPG 2.D]. Disabling accounts can minimize system exposure, removing options actors can leverage for entry into the system. Similarly, create new user accounts as close as possible to an employee’s start date.
    • Implement phishing-resistant MFA [CPG 2.H]. See CISA’s resources Phishing-Resistant Multifactor Authentication and More than a Password for additional information on strengthening user credentials.
    • Continuously review MFA settings to ensure coverage over all active, internet-facing protocols to ensure no exploitable services are exposed [CPG 2.W].
    • Provide basic cybersecurity training to users [CPG 2.I] covering concepts such as:
      • Detecting unsuccessful login attempts [CPG 2.G].
      • Having users deny MFA requests they have not generated.
      • Ensuring users with MFA-enabled accounts have MFA set up appropriately.
    • Ensure password policies align with the latest NIST Digital Identity Guidelines.
      • Meeting the minimum password strength [CPG 2.B] by creating a password using 8-64 nonstandard characters and long passphrases, when possible.
    • Disable the use of RC4 for Kerberos authentication.

    These mitigations apply to critical infrastructure entities across sectors.

    The authoring agencies also recommend software manufacturers incorporate secure by design principles and tactics into their software development practices to protect their customers against actors using compromised credentials, thereby strengthening the security posture of their customers.  For more information on secure by design, see CISA’s Secure by Design webpage and joint guide.

    Validate Security Controls

    In addition to applying mitigations, the authoring agencies recommend exercising, testing, and validating organization security programs against the threat behaviors mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK for Enterprise framework in this advisory. The authoring agencies recommend testing your existing security controls inventory to assess how they perform against the ATT&CK techniques described in this advisory.

    To get started:

    1. Select an ATT&CK technique described in this advisory (see Table 1 to Table 12).
    2. Align your security technologies against the technique.
    3. Test your technologies against the technique.
    4. Analyze your detection and prevention technologies’ performance.
    5. Repeat the process for all security technologies to obtain a set of comprehensive performance data.
    6. Tune your security program, including people, processes, and technologies, based on the data generated by this process.

    The authoring agencies recommend continually testing your security program, at scale, in a production environment to ensure optimal performance against the MITRE ATT&CK techniques identified in this advisory.

    Contact Information

    Organizations are encouraged to report suspicious or criminal activity related to information in this advisory to:

    • CISA via CISA’s 24/7 Operations Center [report@cisa.gov or 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472)] or your local FBI field office. When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment used for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.
    • For NSA cybersecurity guidance inquiries, contact CybersecurityReports@nsa.gov.

    Disclaimer

    The information in this report is being provided “as is” for informational purposes only. The authoring agencies do not endorse any commercial entity, product, company, or service, including any entities, products, or services linked within this document. Any reference to specific commercial entities, products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the authoring agencies.

    Intrusion events connected to this Iranian group may also include a different set of cyber actors–likely the third-party actors who purchased access from the Iranian group via cybercriminal forums or other channels. As a result, some TTPs and IOCs noted in this advisory may be tied to these third-party actors, not the Iranian actors. The TTPs and IOCs are in the advisory to provide recipients the most complete picture of malicious activity that may be observed on compromised networks. However, exercise caution if formulating attribution assessments based solely on matching TTPs and IOCs.

    Version History

    October 2, 2024: Initial version.

    Appendix A: MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques

    See Tables 1–12 for all referenced actors’ tactics and techniques in this advisory. For assistance with mapping malicious cyber activity to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, see CISA and MITRE ATT&CK’s Best Practices for MITRE ATT&CK Mapping and CISA’s Decider Tool.

    Table 1: Reconnaissance
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Gather Victim Identity Information T1589 The actors likely gathered victim information.
    Table 2: Resource Development
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Obtain Capabilities: Tool T1588.002 The actors obtained a password spray tool through an open-source repository.
    Table 3: Initial Access
    Technique Title ID Use
    Valid Accounts T1078 The actors used password spraying to obtain valid user and group email account credentials, allowing them access to the network.
    Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts T1078.004 The actors used accounts hosted on Microsoft 365, Azure, and Okta cloud environments as additional methods for initial access.
    External Remote Services T1133 The actors exploited Citrix systems’ external-facing remote services as another method for gaining initial access to the system.
    Table 4: Execution
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell T1059.001 The actors used PowerShell commands to maintain and expand access.
    Table 5: Persistence
    Technique Title ID Use
    Account Manipulation: Device Registration T1098.005 The actors used PowerShell commands to maintain and expand access.
    Modify Authentication Process T1556 The actors used a public facing Active Directory Federation Service (ADFS) domain to reset the passwords of expired accounts.
    Modify Authentication Process: Multi-Factor Authentication T1556.006 The actors used an MFA bypass method, such as Multi-Factor Authentication Request Generation, providing the ability to modify or completely disable MFA defenses.
    Table 6: Privilege Escalation
    Technique Title ID Use
    Exploitation for Privilege Escalation T1068 The actors attempted impersonation of the domain controller likely by exploiting CVE-2020-1472, Microsoft’s Netlogon Privilege Escalation vulnerability.
    Domain or Tenant Policy Modification: Trust Modification T1484.002 The actors leveraged a public-facing ADFS password reset tool to reactivate inactive accounts, allowing the actor to authenticate and enroll their devices as any user in the AD managed by the victim tenant.
    Table 7: Defense Evasion
    Technique Title ID Use
    Indirect Command Execution T1202 The actors attempted impersonation of the Domain Controller likely by exploiting CVE-2020-1472, Microsoft’s Netlogon Privilege Escalation vulnerability.
    Table 8: Credential Access
    Technique Title ID Use
    Brute Force: Password Spraying T1110.003 The actors targeted applications, including Single Sign-on (SSO) Microsoft Office 365, using brute force password sprays and imported the tool DomainPasswordSpray.ps1.
    Credentials from Password Stores T1555 The actors used the command Cmdkey /list likely to display usernames and credentials.
    Steal or Forge Kerberos Tickets: Kerberoasting T1558.003 The actors performed Kerberos Service Principal Name (SPN) enumeration of several service accounts and received Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4) tickets.
    Multi-Factor Authentication Request Generation T1621 The actors sent MFA requests to legitimate users.
    Table 9: Discovery
    Technique Title ID Use
    Remote System Discovery T1018 The actors used LOTL to return information about domain controllers.
    Permission Groups Discovery: Domain Groups T1069.002 The actors used LOTL to return lists of domain administrators and enterprise administrators.
    Permission Groups Discovery: Cloud Groups T1069.003 The actors used LOTL to return lists of domain administrators and enterprise administrators.
    System Information Discovery  T1082 The actors were able to query the AD to discover display names, operating systems, descriptions, and distinguished names from the computer.
    Account Discovery: Domain Account T1087.002 The actors used LOTL to return lists of domain administrators and enterprise administrators.
    Domain Trust Discovery T1482 The actors used LOTL to return information about trusted domains.
    Table 10: Lateral Movement
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Remote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol T1021.001 The actors used Microsoft Word to open PowerShell to launch RDP binary mstsc.exe.
    Table 11: Collection
    Technique Title ID Use
    Data from Local System T1005 The actors downloaded files related to remote access methods and the organization’s inventory.
    Table 12: Command and Control
    Technique Title ID Use
    Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols T1071.001 The actors used msedge.exe to make outbound connections likely to Cobalt Strike Beacon C2 infrastructure.
    Ingress Tool Transfer T1105 The actors imported a tool from GitHub and used it to conduct password spraying.
    Protocol Tunneling T1572 The actors frequently conduct targeting using a virtual private network (VPN).

    Appendix B: Indicators of Compromise

    See Tables 13 to 15 for IOCs obtained from FBI investigations.

    Table 13: Malicious Files Associated with Iranian Cyber Actors
    Hash Description
    1F96D15B26416B2C7043EE7172357AF3AFBB002A Associated with malicious activity.
    3D3CDF7CFC881678FEBCAFB26AE423FE5AA4EFEC Associated with malicious activity.

    Disclaimer: The authoring organizations recommend network defenders investigate or vet IP addresses prior to taking action, such as blocking, as many cyber actors are known to change IP addresses, sometimes daily, and some IP addresses may host valid domains. Many of the IP addresses provided below are assessed VPN nodes and as such are not exclusive to the Iranian actors’ use. The authoring organizations do not recommend blocking these IP addresses based solely on their inclusion in this JCSA. The authoring organizations recommend using the below IP addresses to search for previous activity the actors may have conducted against networks. If positive hits for these IP addresses are identified, the authoring organizations recommend making an independent determination if the observed activity aligns with the TTPs outlined in the JCSA. The timeframes included in the table reflect the timeframe the actors likely used the IPs.

    Table 14: Network Indicators
    IP Address Date Range
    95.181.234.12 01/30/2024 to 02/07/2024
    95.181.234.25 01/30/2024 to 02/07/2024
    173.239.232.20 10/06/2023 to 12/19/2023
    172.98.71.191 10/15/2023 to 11/27/2023
    102.129.235.127 10/21/2023 to 10/22/2023
    188.126.94.60 10/22/2023 to 01/12/2024
    149.40.50.45 10/26/2023
    181.214.166.59 10/26/2023
    212.102.39.212 10/26/2023
    149.57.16.134 10/26/2023 to 10/27/2023
    149.57.16.137 10/26/2023 to 10/27/2023
    102.129.235.186 10/29/2023 to 11/08/2023
    46.246.8.138 10/31/2023 to 01/26/2024
    149.57.16.160 11/08/2023
    149.57.16.37 11/08/2023
    46.246.8.137 11/17/2023 to 01/25/2024
    212.102.57.29 11/19/2023 to 01/17/2024
    46.246.8.82 11/22/2023 to 01/28/2024
    95.181.234.15 11/26/2023 to 02/07/2024
    45.88.97.225 11/27/2023 to 02/11/2024
    84.239.45.17 12/04/2023 to 12/07/2023
    46.246.8.104 12/07/2023 to 02/07/2024
    37.46.113.206 12/07/2023
    46.246.3.186 12/07/2023 to 12/09/2023
    46.246.8.141 12/07/2023 to 02/10/2024
    46.246.8.17 12/09/2023 to 01/09/2024
    37.19.197.182 12/15/2023
    154.16.192.38 12/25/2023 to 01/24/2024
    102.165.16.127 12/27/2023 to 01/28/2024
    46.246.8.47 12/29/2023 to 01/29/2024
    46.246.3.225 12/30/2023 to 02/06/2024
    46.246.3.226 12/31/2023 to 02/03/2024
    46.246.3.240 12/31/2023 to 02/06/2024
    191.101.217.10 01/05/2024
    102.129.153.182 01/08/2024
    46.246.3.196 01/08/2024
    102.129.152.60 01/09/2024
    156.146.60.74 01/10/2024
    191.96.227.113 01/10/2024
    191.96.227.122 01/10/2024
    181.214.166.132 01/11/2024
    188.126.94.57 01/11/2024 to 01/13/2024
    154.6.13.144 01/13/2024 to 01/24/2024
    154.6.13.151 01/13/2024 to 01/28/2024
    188.126.94.166 01/15/2024
    89.149.38.204 01/18/2024
    46.246.8.67 01/20/2024
    46.246.8.53 01/22/2024
    154.16.192.37 01/24/2024
    191.96.150.14 01/24/2024
    191.96.150.96 01/24/2024
    46.246.8.10 01/24/2024
    84.239.25.13 01/24/2024
    154.6.13.139 01/26/2024
    191.96.106.33 01/26/2024
    191.96.227.159 01/26/2024
    149.57.16.150 01/27/2024
    191.96.150.21 01/27/2024
    46.246.8.84 01/27/2024
    95.181.235.8 01/27/2024
    191.96.227.102 01/27/2024 to 01/28/2024
    46.246.122.185 01/28/2024
    146.70.102.3 01/29/2024 to 01/30/2024
    46.246.3.233 01/30/2024 to 02/15/2024
    46.246.3.239 01/30/2024 to 02/15/2024
    188.126.89.35 02/03/2024
    46.246.3.223 02/03/2024
    46.246.3.245 02/05/2024 to 02/06/2024
    191.96.150.50 02/09/2024
    Table 15: Devices
    Device Type Description
    Samsung Galaxy A71 (SM-A715F) Registered with MFA
    Samsung SM-G998B Registered with MFA
    Samsung SM-M205F Registered with MFA

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: New Employment Law Review Group

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    16th October 2024

    Minister seeks expressions of interest and nominees from representative bodies

    The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is seeking nominees as representatives of expert, technical, legal, government and regulatory bodies. Also sought are expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates for appointment to one of the six Ministerial nominations to the Employment Law Review Group (ELRG). 

    Ministerial nominees to the ELRG will be appointed by the Minister arising from a call for expressions of interest which is open to all interested parties.  It is proposed to have a maximum of six such nominees on the ELRG. The deadline for receipt of expressions of interest is 3pm 8 November 2024. 

    Members of the ELRG will give their services voluntarily. All members will be appointed for a four-year term and can be re-appointed for up to two terms.  The Chairperson can serve up to ten years in total. 

    The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “review whether the legal provisions surrounding collective redundancies and the liquidation of companies effectively protect the rights of workers”. Following discussions with the Social Partners, the ‘Plan for Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency’ was published on 9 June 2021. This set out several commitments to further safeguard the rights of workers including the setting up on a statutory basis of an Employment Law Review Group.

    The ELRG has been established on a statutory basis by the enactment of the Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024, which was commenced on 1 July 2024. 

    The ELRG’s function will be to monitor, review, and advise on all aspects of employment and redundancy law, with a specific focus on promoting good workplace relations in the State, simplifying the operation of employment and redundancy law in the State, and ensuring that the State’s suite of employment rights and redundancy legislation remains relevant and fit for purpose and is updated to reflect international developments. 

    The ELRG will comprise of members who have expertise and an interest in the development of employment and redundancy law, including practitioners (the legal profession and accountants/liquidators), users (business and unions), regulators (implementation and enforcement bodies) and representatives from government departments.  

    The ELRG’s focus will be more expert, technical, and legal rather than representative of stakeholders’ interests. Members will engage with the work programme of the ELRG and contribute to ELRG reports. 

    The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke TD said: 

    “The ELRG will provide a valuable resource in conducting ongoing assessments of employment law to ensure our legal framework is fit for purpose. Emerging trends will be examined to ensure that our employment legislation adapts to changes in the evolving contemporary workplace.” 

    Membership of the ELRG will consist of representatives of the bodies and agencies listed in Appendix 1 below.  

    Welcoming the call for nominees and expressions of interest, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins TD said: 

    “The ELRG will be comprised of members with an interest and expertise in the development of employment and redundancy law. This will include members from the legal, accountancy and insolvency professions; representatives from business, unions and regulators; as well as Ministerial nominees.” 

    The legislative enactments that will be kept under review by the ELRG are listed in Appendix 2 below. 

    See: Call for Expressions of Interest – Appointment as Ministerial Nominees to the Employment Law Review Group

    APPENDIX 1 

    Nominating Body 

    1. Chairperson – a member of ELRG who is appointed by Minister to be Chairperson
    2. The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC)
    3. The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME)
    4. Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
    5. The Law Society of Ireland
    6. The Employment Bar Association
    7. Restructuring and Insolvency Ireland
    8. Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment
    9. Department of Social Protection
    10. Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
    11. Workplace Relations Commission
    12. Labour Court
    13. The Courts Service
    14. Office of the Attorney General
    15. Chief State Solicitor’s Office
    16. Ministerial Nominees

    APPENDIX 2

    List of relevant employment and redundancy enactments 

    1. Redundancy Payments Acts 1967–2014
    2. Protection of Employment Act 1977
    3. Payment of Wages Act 1991
    4. Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977–2015
    5. Organisation of Working Time Act 1997
    6. European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003
    7. Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973–2005
    8. National Minimum Wage Act 2000
    9. European Communities (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2000
    10. Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996
    11. Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994–2014
    12. Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001
    13. European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003
    14. Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003
    15. Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006 (Section 21)
    16. Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Act 2007 (other than section 9(1) and 9(2))
    17. Protection of Employment (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2012
    18. Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018
    19. Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015
    20. Workplace Relations Act 2015
    21. European Union (Posting of Workers) Regulations 2016
    22. Registered Employment Agreements (REAs) and Sectoral Employment Orders (SEOs)
    23. Sick Pay Act 2022
    24. Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Act 2022
    25. Part 3 of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023
    26. Part 2 of Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Becomes The Second Most Downloaded App Closing in on Binance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has seen nearly 6 million app downloads in September, becoming the second most downloaded crypto app worldwide trailing Binance and surpassing the majority of Web3 wallets and crypto exchanges in new user adoption. Bitget Wallet has also announced the milestone of surpassing 40 million users globally, increasing over 100% since March 2024. This significant growth positions Bitget Wallet as the fastest-growing decentralized wallet this year, and shows the growing demand for decentralized solutions, positioning them as primary entry points into Web3.

    Key Drivers Behind Explosive Growth

    Several key factors have fueled Bitget Wallet’s impressive growth. Its intuitive user interface and robust product features make decentralized finance accessible, particularly for first-time crypto users. The wallet seamlessly integrates all of Web3 in one app—including asset management, swaps, launchpads, crypto trading, staking, and a DApp explorer—into a single platform. A pivotal aspect of its growth this year has been the integration with TON ecosystem and Telegram, which has facilitated user access to wallet services directly within the popular messaging platform, bridging Web2 users into Web3. In Q3 alone, the wallet saw an incredible 4886% growth in TON onchain addresses. Additionally, Bitget Wallet has gained significant traction in emerging markets, allowing for a smooth onboarding experience for new users entering crypto space. Notably, Bitget Wallet saw the strongest user growth in Q3 recorded in regions like Africa with a staggering 413% increase, followed by South Asia at 126% and the Middle-East at 105%.

    Decentralized Wallets: The Future Gateway to Web3

    Bitget Wallet’s rapid expansion signifies a broader trend in the industry: decentralized wallets are emerging as essential gateways to Web3, increasingly competing with centralized exchanges in terms of user base and functionality. More wallets are now working directly with Web2 platforms, such as payment solutions and social messaging apps, to increase the usability of tokens directly from self-custodial wallets. However, the Web3 landscape still faces challenges, particularly in terms of user retention. While onboarding has become easier, retaining users within decentralized ecosystems can be difficult due to limited real-world use cases and complex user interfaces. Therefore, it is critical to develop user-friendly applications and facilitate seamless interactions to ensure long-term engagement in this evolving digital landscape.

    Seamless Integration of All Web3 Services in One App

    Since its founding in 2018, Bitget Wallet has established itself as a comprehensive Web3 hub. It supports 100+ blockchains, 20,000+ DApps and millions of tokens onchain, positioning it among the largest decentralized marketplaces. The wallet’s seamless swap feature allows for fast and cost-effective token exchanges, sourcing the best prices by aggregating liquidity from 100+ DEXes. In Q3, swap activity on Bitget Wallet grew 125%, while DApp activities increased 128%, and token transfers jumped by 175%, reflecting the rising adoption of decentralized financial services. Furthermore, its advanced tools—including full candlestick charts, Smart Money Alerts and hot token discovery—provide users with real-time, in-depth market insights to make informed trading decisions. With a focus on security, Bitget Wallet includes features such as keyless MPC wallet, on-chain fund tracking, and a $300 million user protection fund, ensuring a safe and user-friendly experience.

    A Vision for the Future of Web3

    Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet, remarked, “Surpassing 40 million users is a testament to our vision of making crypto accessible to everyone, everywhere. Bitget Wallet registered nearly 6 million downloads in a month, closing in on top exchanges signaling that decentralized wallets are catching up with centralized platforms, and we’re excited to be leading this shift. Our mission is clear: to provide a secure and user-friendly gateway to Web3 for the next billion users.” He added, “The future of Web3 depends on how effectively we bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3. By integrating with platforms like Telegram, we’re simplifying crypto adoption for mainstream users and creating tools that enable seamless interaction with decentralized platforms. Decentralized wallets will evolve to serve as one of the primary entry points for billions of new users exploring Web3 for the first time.”

    About Bitget Wallet

    Bitget Wallet stands as one of the world’s leading non-custodial Web3 wallets and decentralized ecosystem platform. With the Bitget Onchain Layer, the wallet is well-poised to develop a burgeoning DeFi ecosystem through co-creation and strategic incubation. Aside from a powerful Swap function, Bitget Wallet also offers multi-chain asset management, smart money insights, a native Launchpad, Inscriptions Center, and an Earning Center. Supporting over 100 major blockchains, 500,000+ tokens, and a wide array of DApps, Bitget Wallet is your top wallet for asset discovery and Web3 exploration.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | Discord

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6a37bd8e-f170-43d7-8fa3-eb6f0cbf64da

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f73fa7d-5f9f-4607-9f22-0dae149abbb4

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Narrowing the Digital Divide: Households with broadband, laptops and desktops rising

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Narrowing the Digital Divide: Households with broadband, laptops and desktops rising

    Today, we’re launching a refresh of the Microsoft Digital Equity Data Dashboard with current data from the FCC, the United States Census Bureau, Code.org, Broadband Now, and Microsoft to help federal, state, and local policymakers gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to the digital divide in communities across the United States. Originally launched in 2022 as part of our Airband Initiative, the dashboard provides critical data to help understand broadband gaps at the local level, allowing these decision makers to anchor their policies and programs in data and maximize investments in areas of highest need.  

    Today’s update allows tracking of historical broadband data to analyze trends and progress being made as a result of government and private sector investments. This includes the new data from the dashboard, which shows that all states, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, saw an increase in the number of households with broadband connections as well as an increase in the number of households with laptops or desktops. The greatest changes were in households earning less than $20,000. These households saw an average increase of over 10.8 percentage points in internet connectivity compared to previous metrics, meaning there are nearly 325,000 more households connected in this group. 

    We’ve long held the belief in the value of data, and this dashboard refresh is the latest step in our ongoing journey to help close the digital divide around the world. 

    Bridging the Rural Broadband Gap in the United States 

    In 2017, we launched the Microsoft Airband Initiative with a clear mission: to bridge the significant rural broadband gap in the United States. That year, government data showed that at least 23.4 million people across the United States did not have access to reliable high-speed internet, and this lack of access created significant barriers to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. At the same time, it’s been shown that increasing access and usage of broadband in rural areas leads to higher property values, increased job and population growth, increased entrepreneurship, and lower unemployment rates. This stark reality illustrated by this data highlighted the urgent need for action to bridge the digital divide.  

    We set out to help solve the problem by bringing private sector investment and innovative technologies together with advocacy for regulatory support and financial frameworks to increase connectivity. Over the years, we have tried different approaches to bridging the digital divide, and we’ve learned a lot. We initially focused on TV White Spaces, believing this unique technology would extend reliable and affordable broadband to rural areas. As time went on, we determined that to make a tangible impact in rural communities, we couldn’t rely on specific technology, so we shifted to a technology neutral approach. Today, our partners are leveraging fiber, fixed wireless, satellite, and other disruptive technologies to drive broad networks deeper into rural areas. As a result, our partners have extended coverage to over 7.4 million people in rural communities across 41 states and territories in the United States.   

    But technology alone was not a solution. High costs, the absence of new and alternative technologies, and market and regulatory conditions all hampered efforts. The economic impact was substantial, not only hindering individual progress but also stifling the overall development of rural areas. So, we also used our corporate voice and joined forces with others to directly advocate for Congress to deploy targeted funding to combat the digital divide.  

    Targeted Funding to Combat the Digital Divide 

    In the U.S., none of the progress we’ve seen would be possible, without the vision of the U.S. Congress to proactively and significantly invest in broadband infrastructure programs. Our experiences since 2017 have made it clear that these government investments are necessary to drive deep impact. Bipartisan investments in digital infrastructure and inclusion through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) were a huge step forward in our journey to close the digital divide in the United States.  

    As a result of these government investments and public private partnerships, our internet service provider partners in the U.S. have received more than $725 million in government infrastructure funding awards to accelerate network expansion and drive broadband adoption across the country, with approximately 80% going to rural communities.  

    An example includes Microsoft partner, Nextlink Internet, which is leveraging government investment and partnership to bring meaningful connectivity to rural communities in the Midwest, Southwest, and Southeast regions of the United States. Federal infrastructure funding enabled Nextlink to extend their seven-state footprint to 11 states in total: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.   

    Looking Forward Globally with a Clear Vision 

    Outside of the United States, our global partnerships have brought coverage to nearly 100 million previously unserved and underserved people. Internationally, we’re also seeing success from similar models of participating in government infrastructure programs, with the U.S. government leading the way. This includes significant investments and leadership from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) via the Digital Invest program and the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (Wi-DEF), as well as the United States Trade and Development Agency’s (USTDA) Digital Transformation with Africa initiative.  

    These partnerships have also enabled digital infrastructure and off-grid energy in unserved and underserved communities around the world. In Nigeria, for instance, providers like Tizeti are leveraging government investments to bring connectivity to schools, health clinics, and community anchor institutions. And communities are experiencing improved outcomes in education and healthcare as a result. If connectivity alone has enabled these outcomes, imagine what additional innovation AI could unlock. 

    But there are still 2.6 billion people who remain offline. Limited internet can exacerbate economic inequalities and inhibit access to social services, civic activities, and online learning resources. In places where we’re using AI to map global populations in real-time, we can provide early warnings that allow communities to better plan disaster recovery during times of crisis. Communities that remain offline do not get these early warnings and cannot act on them. As AI becomes more prevalent, communities that remain offline will not be able to fully access the benefits of this new technology. 

    To continue momentum, we are looking to the lessons we learned in the U.S. We must scale innovative technologies, expand connectivity and energy access, and leverage strategic partnerships. Governments, financial institutions, philanthropic institutions, and the private sector must come together to address critical financing barriers, invest in development finance, and expand digital infrastructure. 

    We’ve committed to reaching 250 million people with meaningful connectivity by the end of next year. Today, we’re calling for continued support and collaboration from all sectors to ensure no one is left behind. We call on all stakeholders to join us in this mission. 

    • Governments must create enabling regulatory environments that prioritize funding for digital infrastructure and support quick and efficient allocation of funding by federal, state, and local entities. 
    • The private sector must invest in innovative technologies and business models. 
    • Philanthropic organizations must continue to advocate for digital inclusion and develop initiatives anchored in the local community. 

    The journey to close the digital divide is a long one. Building out infrastructure takes time. It’ll take time for us to see some of the direct results of this work, but there is room for optimism. We are extremely grateful for the leadership and vision of the United States government, which is laying a blueprint for other countries to follow, as well as state and local leaders working to ensure these programs are successful. We encourage all policymakers to proceed efficiently so the benefits of these investments reach local communities sooner rather than later.  

    With continued collaboration and commitment, we can use the power of data, technology, and partnership to achieve our ambitious goals. We’re dedicated to making a lasting impact, and we are excited about the future. Let’s come together to bring the power of digital connectivity and transformation to people around the world. 

    Tags: Airband initiative, broadband, broadband access, connectivity, digital access, digital divide, digital inequity, Digital Inequity Dashboard, Internet access, rural broadband

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Federal government invests to strengthen Canada’s expertise in satellite communications

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Kepler Communications is developing an in-orbit, high-speed connectivity network

    October 16, 2024 – Toronto, Ontario 

    Canada is a world leader in satellite communications, an industry that contributes billions of dollars to the Canadian economy each year and supports thousands of good-paying jobs. The federal government is committed to strengthening this crucial sector of our economy through key investments that will cement Canada’s global leadership position and expertise in space.

    Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced a $20 million investment through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to support Kepler Communications’ development of the Aether constellation and its in-orbit, high-speed connectivity network, a project valued at $280.3 million. Kepler Communications, a Canadian leader in small satellite mass manufacturing, also received $2 million in funding for this project from the Canadian Space Agency in September 2024.

    Today’s investment will advance Canada’s satellite communications capabilities to deliver higher-speed data relay between space and the earth by using optical intersatellite link laser technology. These SIF contributions will also enable Kepler to create 95 full-time jobs and 346 future co-op positions for students. Kepler will undertake this work at its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario.

    The federal government is committed to strengthening the Canadian space sector’s leadership in space exploration, science and innovation.

    Quotes

    “Today, the government is investing in Kepler Communications’ Aether Network, an innovative project to establish an in-orbit high-speed connectivity network, which will create and maintain hundreds of highly skilled jobs and internships for Canadians in addition to partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises and with universities and colleges. Through this investment and others, the government is positioning Canada as a global leader in space and developing critical technologies for Canadians.”

    – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    “Space innovations such as the Aether constellation reinforce Canada’s reputation as a key player in the global space industry—for today and tomorrow. Thanks to our long-standing collaboration with the European Space Agency, Kepler will further advance its technology by leading a major mission, HydRON-DS, and will be positioned to become a global leader in providing Internet-like connectivity in space.”

    – Lisa Campbell, President of the Canadian Space Agency

    Quick facts

    • In 2022, Canada’s space sector employed over 12,000 people and contributed over $3.2 billion to Canada’s GDP. The sector is highly innovative and R&D-intensive.

    • Since 2016, the government has committed over $9 billion to the country’s space sector.

    • Kepler Communications Inc. is a vertically integrated satellite manufacturing and telecommunications company that fully designs, manufactures and operates its satellites in-house.

    • The company intends to further its satellite technology in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) in the next phase of its satellite technology development and demonstration program, the High thRoughput Optical Network program, or HydRON Demonstration System. 

    • This contract is made possible by the long-standing cooperation agreement between Canada and the ESA.

    • Canada has held the privileged position of being the only non-European cooperating state of the ESA since 1979, resulting in commercial sales and job creation, as well as knowledge and expertise sharing, all of which benefit the Canadian economy.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Audrey Milette
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
    audrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Canadian Space Agency
    Media Relations Office
    asc.medias-media.csa@asc-csa.gc.ca

    Stay connected

    Find more services and information on the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada website.

    Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.

    X (Twitter): @ISED_CA | Facebook: Canadian Innovation | Instagram: @cdninnovation | LinkedIn: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Man Arrested on Criminal Solicitation of a Minor and Related ChargesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Joseph Daniel Headrick, 35, of Waynesville, N.C., on three charges connected to the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Greenville Police Department made the arrest. Investigators with the U.S. Marshals Service, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, and the Waynesville Police Department assisted with the investigation. 

     

    Investigators state Headrick solicited a person he believed to be a minor for sex, encouraged them to produce child sexual abuse material*, and sent sexually explicit images to a person he believed to be a minor.

     

    Headrick was arrested on October 11, 2024. He is charged with one count of criminal solicitation of a minor (§16-15-342), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment; one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, first degree (§16-15-395), a felony offense punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment; and one count of attempted dissemination of obscene material to a person under age eighteen (§16-15-345), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

     

     

    This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

     

    Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

     

     

     

    * Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant.  Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: WOO Innovation Hub and Almanak Partner to Drive AI-Powered Optimization in DeFi

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As part of the broader WOO Ecosystem, which includes the WOOFi protocol, a leading decentralized exchange, and WOO X, a global centralized exchange, the WOO Innovation Hub is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with Almanak, an agent-centric platform that allows users to develop, optimize, and deploy financial strategies using AI agents. This collaboration brings cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data science technologies to the forefront of decentralized finance (DeFi) development.

    Almanak is at the forefront of AI innovation in DeFi, providing AI agent-based tools that allow users to navigate the complexities of financial markets with unparalleled accuracy and speed. Their platform is designed to equip both institutional and retail users with intelligent agents capable of autonomously managing and growing portfolios while adapting to real-time market conditions. Whether optimizing yield, managing risk, or developing entirely new strategies, Almanak’s mission is to empower users with personalized financial superintelligences that transform how individuals and institutions interact with DeFi.

    Through this partnership, WOOFi is bringing the power of Almanak’s AI-driven technology directly to its community, providing developers, traders, and liquidity providers with access to tools that will help them excel in the competitive DeFi landscape.

    Abby Huang, WOO Innovation Hub Lead, said: “This partnership with Almanak underscores our commitment to integrating the most advanced AI and machine learning technologies available today. Together, we are providing the tools needed to ensure that our community stays ahead in the fast-evolving DeFi ecosystem.”

    Michael Herzyk, Almanak CEO stated: “We’re thrilled to partner with WOOFi and bring our AI agents into such a thriving DeFi ecosystem. Our agents are designed to optimize financial strategies, and with WOOFi’s extensive user base and liquidity pools, we believe this collaboration will unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation in decentralized finance.”

    Contact Us: ecosystem@woo.network

    About WOOFi
    WOOFi is a leading decentralized exchange (DEX) with over $42B in cumulative trading volume and more than 250k monthly active users. It supports 11 blockchains and offers a diverse range of products, including earn vaults, simple swaps, cross-chain swaps, and perpetual futures. The native token of WOOFi, WOO, can be staked to share 80% of all protocol fees.

    About Almanak: Almanak is an agent-centric platform that allows users to develop, optimize, and deploy financial strategies using AI-driven agents. Its platform equips users with the tools to create autonomous, self-improving agents that can manage and grow portfolios by adapting to changing market conditions in real-time. Built by experts from tech & finance, and backed by top VCs, Almanak leverages state-of-the-art machine learning models and reinforcement learning techniques to provide continuous optimization of financial strategies. Users that wish to learn more and get early exposure to Almanak – related opportunities, can already sign-up for an Almanak early access waitlist.

    Disclaimer

    The content above is neither a recommendation for investment and trading strategies nor does it constitute an investment offer, solicitation, or recommendation of any product or service. The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or professional advice of any kind.

    Cryptocurrencies involve significant risk and are NOT suitable for the majority of investors. The value of digital currencies can be extremely volatile, and you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite before participating in any staking or investment activities. We strongly recommend that you seek independent advice from a qualified professional before making any investment or financial decisions related to cryptocurrencies. We shall in NO case be liable for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this article.

    The collaboration between WOO and Almanak highlighted in the content above does not indicate in any way that WOO provides, or will provide financial service. WOO does NOT endorse, guarantee or provide advice for any products or services of its business partners. This cooperation shall in no event be interpreted as an assurance or guarantee for the listing of any tokens, whether presently existing or to be generated in the future, on WOO X or any associated exchange platforms, nor does it imply any commitment from WOO X to list any tokens on its platforms or others. The decision to list any tokens is governed by and subject to a series of separate criteria and procedures, independent of this cooperation or business partnership.

    Nothing in this article or any related content shall be construed to create or suggest the existence of a partnership, joint venture, agency relationship, or any form of legal association between WOO and Almanak. Each party is an independent entity, acting solely in its own capacity, and is responsible for its own actions, decisions, and associated risks. The collaboration mentioned does not imply any form of shared liability or financial obligation, and each party will bear its own risks and responsibilities. Furthermore, this article should not be interpreted as providing any guarantees regarding the outcome of any business ventures or collaborations mentioned, nor shall be an indication of guaranteed success or profitability for either WOOFi, WOO X or Almanak, or any of their business partners.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/02d9029a-02bc-4e0f-ad8c-287d7b4120ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Added value of patent-intensive industries over 15 trillion yuan

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A staff member shows a China Telecom 5G antenna during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 27, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The added value of China’s patent-intensive industries in 2022 reached 15.32 trillion yuan (about 2.15 trillion U.S. dollars), contributing 12.7 percent to its GDP, according to a report released by the country’s top intellectual property regulator.

    The latest data shows that China’s patent-intensive industries exhibit strong innovation capabilities and development potential, supporting the country’s commitment to pursuing new quality productive forces and high-quality development, the China Intellectual Property Administration noted in a recent monitoring report.

    The report highlights that from 2018 to 2022, the added value of China’s patent-intensive industries saw an average annual growth rate of 9.36 percent, surpassing the average annual GDP growth rate by 2.37 percentage points during the same period.

    The information and communications technology (ICT) service and ICT manufacturing, as representatives of emerging industries, achieved double-digit growth in added value with annual growth rates of 14.86 percent and 10.23 percent, respectively.

    Other patent-intensive industries include manufacturing of new equipment and materials, medicine and the medical industry, as well as the environmental protection industry.

    High investment in research and development is an important factor driving growth. According to the report, the internal R&D expenditure for patent-intensive industries in China reached 1.14 trillion yuan in 2022, marking an increase of 11.28 percent compared to the previous year and totaling 2.23 times that of non-patent-intensive industries.

    In 2022, more than 49 million people were employed in China’s patent-intensive industries, accounting for approximately 6.7 percent of overall employment within the entire society.

    However, the report noted a gap between China and Western patent leading countries. It cited the latest report from the United States and Europe, revealing that patent-intensive industries contributed 24 percent to the U.S. GDP, with employment accounting for 13 percent. Additionally, the EU’s figures that year stood at 17.4 percent and 11 percent, respectively, “significantly surpassing China’s levels.”

    The patent-intensive industries in China still have immense growth potential, and greater efforts should be made to support the development of these industries, the report said.

    China has set a target for patent-intensive industries to contribute 13 percent of GDP by 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: GIANTX Gaming and Samsung UK Unite for EGX Comic Con 2024

    Source: Samsung

     
    London, UK.  October 17, 2024 –  Today, GIANTX, is excited to announce its collaboration with electronics manufacturer Samsung, set to make a mark on the gaming world with a uniquely tasteful collaboration at the first ever EGX Comic Con event in October in London. This activation stands as a testament to the synergy between two brands, driven by their shared commitment to enhancing gamer experiences and shaping the future of interactive entertainment.
     
    Taglined as “ONE TAP”, the campaign encapsulates the spirit of the collaboration – the ease and efficiency of Samsung’s gaming experience delivered through Samsung Gaming Hub*, emphasising that everything a gamer needs is available at their fingertips. Coupled with referencing the term for a perfect shot in gaming – a single, precise move that hits the target.
     
    This dual meaning reinforces the idea that Samsung’s gaming platform offers both precision and ease, making it the ultimate destination for gamers seeking a seamless and high-quality experience.
     
    Samsung Gaming Hub is a game streaming service that has been built into all Samsung gaming TVs and monitors as standard since 2022[1]. It provides quick and easy access to more than 3,000 top gaming titles from Xbox[2] NVIDIA GeForce NOW and other popular streaming services. It’s all cloud based so there are no downloads, no storage limits, and no console or PC is required – simply stream and play.
     
    Plus there are added features in certain Samsung TV models such as AI Auto Game Mode that recognises the genre of the game you are playing and then adjusts the settings accordingly for the ultimate immersive gaming experience and ultra smooth motion.
     
    The booth will include:
    Multiple Samsung TV and mobile gaming stations
    Sonic themed space
    Play to win activities
    Prizes worth up to £3000
    Red Bull refreshments
     
    The brands will work together to showcase Samsung’s premium product lines across its Odyssey Gaming range of gaming monitors and its innovative NEO QLED  TV range that both have Samsung’s Gaming Hub built in, as well as a selection of the newest models across the brand’s mobile and tablet ranges.
     
    Luis Garcia, Commercial Director at GIANTX, expressed his excitement:
     
    “We are delighted to welcome Samsung to the GIANTX family. We look forward to activating together at EGX Comic Con 2024, bringing a unique experience to fans from the UK and beyond, showcasing the latest of Samsung technology to our captive audience of gaming and esports enthusiasts.”
     
    Zeena Hill, Director of Marketing for TV/AV at Samsung Electronics in the UK and Ireland, said: “We’re really excited to be collaborating with GIANTX to provide thousands of fans at EGX Comic Con and beyond in the multiple benefits of  our superior TV range. We know that gaming is a huge passion point for so many of our customers which is why Samsung’s Gaming Hub is made so easily accessible – all you need is a controller and away you go.
     
    “This collaboration with GIANTX will not only showcase the stunning clarity and gaming performance of our TV technology but also the ease in accessing thousands of top game titles without the need for a console.”
     
    The announcement brings Samsung UK into the GIANTX partnership line-up alongside other household names like HSBC UK and EE, with the brands aligning on the values of inspiring through technology while demonstrating commitment to the UK gaming scene. It demonstrates GIANTX’s commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to an unrivalled global fan base and showcase excellence in associated commercial propositions.
     
    For more information, please visit GIANTX.
     
    [1] Internet connection, additional gaming service subscription and compatible controller required. Gaming Hub not available in Republic of Ireland.
    [2] Requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Internet connection and compatible controller required.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: FSI ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER 2024 REVENUE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE- AMERICAN: FSI), is the developer and manufacturer of biodegradable polymers for oil extraction, detergent ingredients and water treatment as well as crop nutrient availability chemistry. Flexible Solutions also makes nutraceuticals, biodegradable and environmentally safe water and energy conservation technologies. Today the Company announces top line revenue for third quarter (Q3), 2024.

    Sales were up in Q3, 2024 compared to Q3, 2023. Flexible Solutions’ top line revenue increased from $8.721 million (Q3, 2023) to $9.287 million (Q3, 2024), up approximately 6.5% year over year.

    Complete financial results will be available after market close on Thursday, November 14, 2024, concurrent with the Company’s SEC second quarter filings. A conference call will be scheduled for 8:00 am Pacific Time, 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time, the following business day, Friday, November 15, 2024. See the FSI November 14, 2024 financials news release for the dial in numbers.

    About Flexible Solutions International
    Flexible Solutions International, Inc. (http://www.flexiblesolutions.com), based in Victoria, British Columbia, is an environmental technology company. The Company’s NanoChem Solutions Inc. subsidiary specializes in biodegradable, water-soluble products utilizing thermal polyaspartate (TPA) biopolymers. TPA beta-proteins are manufactured from the common biological amino acid, L-aspartic and have wide usage including scale inhibitors, detergent ingredients, water treatment and crop enhancement. Along with TPA, this division started producing other crop enhancement products as well. The other divisions manufacture energy and water conservation products for drinking water, agriculture, industrial markets and swimming pools throughout the world. FSI is the developer and manufacturer of WaterSavrTM, the world’s first commercially viable water evaporation retardant. WaterSavrTM reduces evaporation by up to 30% on reservoirs, lakes, aqueducts, irrigation canals, ponds and slow moving rivers. HeatsavrTM, a “liquid blanket” evaporation retardant for the commercial swimming pool and spa markets, reduces energy costs by 15% to 40% and can result in reduced indoor pool humidity.

    Safe Harbor Provision
    The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “Safe Harbor” for forward-looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts, are forward looking statement with respect to events, the occurrence of which involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company is detailed from time to time in the company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Flexible Solutions International
    6001 54thAve, Taber, Alberta, CANADA T1G 1X4

    Company Contacts
    Jason Bloom
    Toll Free: 800.661.3560
    Fax: 403.223.2905
    Email: info@flexiblesolutions.com

    To find out more information about Flexible Solutions and our products please visit http://www.flexiblesolutions.com

    If you have received this news release by mistake or if you would like to be removed from our update list please reply to: info@flexiblesolutions.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Global Commercial Drone Market Size Estimated at $30 Billion as Technological Advancements are Booming

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Experts and investors see continued growth in the global commercial drone market size. The market growth is attributed to the increasing enterprise application of drones across various industry verticals. Several drone manufacturers are continually testing, inventing, and upgrading solutions for diverse markets used for various applications, including filming and emergency response. Besides, the integration of modern technologies in commercial drones to deliver enhanced solutions is opening new growth opportunities for the commercial drone market. According to a report from Grand View Research said that the global commercial drone market size, which was estimated at USD 30.02 billion in 2024 is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.6% from 2025 to 2030. The report said: “Technological advances allow companies to design and construct measurement and annotation tools for estimating area, volume, and distance. As a result, organizations are constantly adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions to retrieve accurate findings from large volumes of data. Integration of these modern technologies provides the industry with ample opportunities as they facilitate real-time, data-driven decision-making through high-speed data capture, processing, and transfer. AI-powered drones also allow users to interact and observe footage captured by other drones in real-time and track their flight paths.” Active Tech Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX), Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS).

    Grand View Research continued: “The delivery & logistics segment is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 14.3% from 2025 to 2030 with the expansion of the e-commerce sector across the globe. With the increased demand for quick delivery of goods, drones are being increasingly used in e-commerce warehouses for product warehousing and delivery. Warehouses worldwide are making significant investments to enhance the level of automation. In this regard, drones find an important usage in operations, such as barcode scanning, that require more person-hours. The U.S. commercial drone market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of above 8% from 2025 to 2030. The region is expected to witness steady growth considering the developments in UAV technology, favorable government initiatives, and growing demand from enterprises across industries. Furthermore, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued new regulations to facilitate more coherent and consistent standards for the legal and safe operation of UAVs in commercial spaces. These rules and regulations are anticipated to mitigate entry barriers and encourage product usage.”

    ZenaTech Inc.’s (NASDAQ: ZENA) ZenaDrone Team Begins US Flight Testing of ZenaDrone 1000 Drone in the Arizona Desert – ZenaTech, Inc. (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone solutions and enterprise SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solutions, announced today that its subsidiary, ZenaDrone, has begun the first US flight testing of the ZenaDrone 1000 drone, including new hardware and software configurations, in the desert near Phoenix, Arizona. The company has also been concurrently working towards setting up offices, operations and partnerships in the state.

    “After years of development work and recently achieving US FAA approval, it is gratifying to be able to conduct live test flights and further build our company base in Arizona. This is the first of many test flights and demonstrations that will help us refine and build the reliability of the ZenaDrone 1000 solutions for agriculture, defense, security, land surveying and other applications where we see demand,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D. One of the company’s longstanding collaboration partners is the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), the State of Arizona’s economic development organization.

    “We are thrilled that ZenaDrone has further grown and strengthened its Arizona presence by choosing Arizona as its base of U.S. operations. And we are now delighted that they have chosen Arizona’s skies to begin live testing of the ZenaDrone 1000 product. We look forward to continued work with ZenaDrone to grow their business in Arizona and throughout the world, including via participation at international trade shows and on international trade missions,” said Kevin O’Shea, Senior Vice President of International Trade for the ACA. Read the full press release and more for ZenaTech at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Additional Groundbreaking ZenaTech Inc. Developments include:

    ZenaTech recently announced that its subsidiary, ZenaDrone, has begun the first US trial of the IQ Nano product solution for inventory management, beginning with a multinational auto part and components customer. The drone will be reading the bar codes and collecting inventory information as part of a paid trial. The IQ Nano indoor drone is designed for customers with warehouse, logistics and distribution operations to help them save costs and improve productivity by managing various tasks such as taking inventory, turning a week-long activity into one day.

    “After two years of product development work, the initiation of the first IQ Nano drone trial inside a customer’s warehouse is an important milestone. We believe the technology will help innovate and improve their inventory management process. Further, receiving feedback from our first paying customer will be extremely valuable as we continue to fine tune our IQ series solutions, enabling us to expand our offerings with this and additional new customers,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    ZenaTech also recently announced that its subsidiary, ZenaDrone, is launching its IQ Nano product, part of the IQ series of indoor/outdoor drones. The IQ Nano is designed for customers in sectors such as warehousing and logistics to save costs and improve productivity while performing indoor inspection, monitoring and tracking processes including inventory management.

    The ZenaDrone IQ Nano is a 10×10-inch drone designed to perform regular and frequent inspections for applications such as bar code or RFID scanning, facility maintenance inspections, security monitoring, and 3D mapping specific to the needs of companies with warehouse, distribution, plants and industrial facilities. It is designed for autonomous use featuring integrated sensors, high-quality cameras and data collection. Weighing 1.5kg and with a flight time of up to 20 minutes before utilizing the automatic battery charging station, it is designed for hovering stability and for safety with obstacle avoidance capabilities.

    And finally, ZenaTech recently announced that its subsidiary, ZenaDrone, has commenced aerial operations to launch commercial drone services in the US. This was made possible due to recently achieving Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) exemption approval.

    Other recent developments in the technology industry include:

    AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) recently announced the Company was selected to participate in the REPMUS 2024 Exercise co-hosted by NATO. Exercises and demonstrations took place September 9-27, 2024 in Troia, Portugal.

    REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping augmented by Maritime Unmanned Systems) is an annual Portuguese Navy (PN)-led, NATO co-hosted exercise, focusing on maritime unmanned system (MUS) capability development. The objective of REPMUS 2024 is to conduct large-scale operational experimentation. The exercise facilitated the engagement of operational communities with the industry and academia, integrating the latest commercial off-the-shelf systems for trials. It also focused on validating experimental tactics, upgraded vehicles, software updates, integrated payloads, and command and control on Maritime Unmanned Systems (MUS) to address key operational issues. The last REPMUS exercise, which took place in September 2023, was attended by more than 25 Navies, 8 NATO entities and more than 30 companies and universities dedicated to research and development in this area.

    Raytheon, an RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX) business, recently announced that it has entered full-rate production for Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, validating the program’s design maturity amid increased demand for the product from the United States and allied partners. The SM-3 Block IIA production milestone cleared the way for a $1.9 billion award from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in July 2024 to produce rounds for both the U.S. government and Japan Ministry of Defense.

    Full-rate production signals that there is no elevated design or manufacturing risk in the missile and validates its reliability and performance.  “SM-3 Block IIA is a testament to the continuing partnership with Japanese industry to mature ballistic missile defense capabilities for the defense of our nation and our allies around the globe,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “This milestone indicates that the team has achieved full maturity in the missile’s design which leads to greater efficiencies throughout the program.”

    Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, recently announced updates to its Board of Directors and Advisory Board. Olen Aasen is stepping down from the Draganfly Board, and Kim Moody has been appointed as the new Audit Chair. Additionally, Draganfly is welcoming back Andy Card, former White House Chief of Staff, to the Advisory Board.

    Andy Card, who previously served on Draganfly’s Board of Directors, is rejoining the Company as a member of its Advisory Board, brings decades of leadership experience. He served as White House Chief of Staff under President George W. Bush from 2000 to 2006, managing the Executive Office of the President and shaping U.S. policy during critical moments, including the September 11th attacks. Andy’s career also includes roles as U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Vice President of Government Relations for General Motors.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Andy back to the Draganfly team in this advisory capacity,” commented Cameron Chell, Draganfly CEO. “His leadership experience and trusted counsel have been critical to the Company’s growth, and we look forward to his continued insights as we drive innovation and expand our presence in the UAV industry.”

    Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) recently announced that it has recently received a new, sole source, approximate $45 million single award contract related to a new satellite system. Work under this new satellite system contract award will be performed at secure Kratos engineering, production and integration facilities. Due to customer related, competitive and other considerations, no additional information will be provided regarding the new contract award at this time.

    Phil Carrai, President of Kratos Satellite Business Unit, said, “The Kratos team is laser focused on rapidly developing and delivering leading technology products, software and systems to our National Security related customers in support of Mission Critical Space and Satellite system requirements. We are excited about this new space system program opportunity.”

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at http://www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected”, “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

    Contact Information:

    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Emerging Markets in Africa and Asia Downloaded Bitget Wallet More Than Major Centralized Exchanges

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has surpassed 40 million users, doubling its user base in just six months. The wallet also climbed to the second spot in global crypto app downloads for September, with nearly 6 million downloads in that month alone, closing in on Binance. This explosive growth is largely contributed by emerging markets, where Bitget Wallet’s user base has skyrocketed. Notably, Bitget Wallet’s user growth rate in Africa reached 413% and South Asia saw a 126% increase. These regions are turning to decentralized wallets as vital tools for financial independence and easy access to crypto services, often filling gaps left by centralized financial systems.

    In countries like Nigeria, where Bitget Wallet’s user growth rate hit 468% in Q3 2024, rising inflation and weakening currencies have led to increased adoption of decentralized wallets as secure, reliable financial tools. According to Bloomberg, the local naira currency has lost about 70% of its value since May 2023. As a result, people are seeking alternatives to preserve their wealth and participate in stable financial systems. Bitget Wallet serves this need, offering easy access to crypto assets and rewards with all-rounded trading and earning features, making it No. 1 on the App Store in Nigeria in June 2024.

    In Southeast Asia, Play-to-Earn (P2E) games once dominated the blockchain gaming landscape, attracting a young, tech-savvy audience. However, the trend has evolved towards Tap-to-Earn (T2E) games within Telegram ecosystem. T2E games are more accessible, requiring no separate app downloads or upfront NFT investments. Their simplicity, combined with Telegram’s referral system, has facilitated easy onboarding of new users, making Telegram a fertile ground for blockchain gaming.

    In Q3 2024, Bitget Wallet experienced a surge in user growth, particularly in the Philippines and Vietnam, with growth rates of 102% and 73%, respectively. This spike is attributed to the T2E trend, where users earn money by engaging with Telegram mini-games. The shift from P2E to T2E highlights a broader trend towards more integrated blockchain ecosystems, showcasing how gaming apps and social interactions are driving cryptocurrency adoption among younger generations.

    With its remarkable growth, Bitget Wallet aims to be the ultimate gateway for the next billion users to Web3, bringing together the best and latest opportunities in one seamless app. “We believe Web3 offers unprecedented potential for financial freedom, security through self-custody, and a more equitable future. Our mission is to make Web3 easy and accessible for everyone. We’re committed to bringing financial inclusion to regions where centralized financial systems fall short and giving people seamless tools to participate in a global decentralized economy,” said Alvin Kan, COO at Bitget Wallet.

    India’s crypto users are increasingly seeking decentralized financial tools amidst ongoing security concerns and regulatory uncertainty around centralized exchanges. Bitget Wallet has capitalized on this trend, recording 191% user growth in India during Q3 2024. The rise is attributed to its ability to cater to these needs by offering enhanced security features such as keyless MPC wallet, which removes the need for private keys and provides a more user-friendly experience. Additionally, Bitget Wallet’s integration with Telegram Tap-to-Earn mini-games, has made it easier for Indian users to engage with Web3.

    For similar reasons, European users are increasingly opting for decentralized wallets as alternatives to centralized exchanges. Countries like France, Germany, and the UK, where Bitget Wallet saw 286%, 115% and 94% user growth in Q3 respectively, are leading this trend. Users in these regions are drawn to Bitget Wallet’s all-in-one platform, which allows them to manage, trade, and explore decentralized apps extensively and securely. As wallets continue to evolve, they are emerging as essential entry points to Web3 for users across Europe.

    To get started with Bitget Wallet, please visit here.

    About Bitget Wallet

    Bitget Wallet stands as one of the world’s leading non-custodial Web3 wallets and decentralized ecosystem platform. With the Bitget Onchain Layer, the wallet is well-poised to develop a burgeoning DeFi ecosystem through co-creation and strategic incubation. Aside from a powerful Swap function, Bitget Wallet also offers multi-chain asset management, smart money insights, a native Launchpad, Inscriptions Center, and an Earning Center. Supporting over 100 major blockchains, 500,000+ tokens, and a wide array of DApps, Bitget Wallet is your top wallet for asset discovery and Web3 exploration.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | Discord

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5b2fe99a-7041-4e45-9de8-d37cb4be97c4

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (Rep. Grijalva Announces Nearly $6 Million for AZ Health Centers to Launch and Expand Behavioral Health Services)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul M Grijalva (D-AZ)

    Rep. Grijalva Announces Nearly $6 Million for AZ Health Centers to Launch and Expand Behavioral Health Services

    WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Raúl M. Grijalva announced $5,999,156 for 10 health centers in Arizona to launch and expand mental health and substance use disorder services. This is part of a larger announcement from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which announced $240 million for more than 400 community health centers across the country that care for more than 10 million people. 

    “Improving access to mental health care is vital for communities of color and underserved populations like those I represent,” said Rep. Grijalva. “Community health centers have demonstrated their effectiveness in serving these communities. This funding will enhance their ability to provide crucial behavioral health services, benefiting rural, urban, and tribal neighborhoods across Arizona.”

    More information on the historic announcement can be found here.

    Award Information here:

    Awardee name City Amount
    AJO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER Ajo $600,000
    CHIRICAHUA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS INC Douglas $600,000
    CREEK VALLEY HEALTH CLINIC Colorado City $600,000
    EL RIO SANTA CRUZ NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER Tucson $600,000
    MARICOPA COUNTY SPECIAL HEALTH CARE DISTRICT Phoenix $600,000
    MARIPOSA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC. Nogales $600,000
    NATIVE HEALTH Phoenix $599,156
    TERROS INC Phoenix $600,000
    UNITED COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER-MARIA AUXILIADORA, INC. Green Valley $600,000
    YAVAPAI COUNTY GOVERNMENT PRESCOTT Prescott $600,000

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Niger

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – Safe Travel

    • Reviewed: 17 October 2024, 08:02 NZDT
    • Still current at: 17 October 2024

    Related news features

    If you are planning international travel at this time, please read our COVID-19 related travel advice here, alongside our destination specific travel advice below.

    Do not travel to Niger due to the threat of terrorism and kidnapping, the presence of armed militants and the unpredictable security situation (level 4 of 4).

    Niger

    Terrorism
     There is a high threat from terrorism in Niger. Terrorist groups are active across Niger, particularly, in the western, northwestern and southeastern parts of the country, Since 2013, there have been a number of retaliatory attacks against the Niger government for its participation in regional interventions in Mali and Nigeria to repel armed rebels.

    The Nigerian-based terrorist group Boko Haram has a strong presence in neighbouring areas of northern Nigeria and has conducted cross-border attacks in Niger, near the Nigerian border, particularly in the Diffa region. State of Emergencies and curfews may be in place in regions of concern. Comply with any instructions issued by local authorities.  

    Terrorist attacks could occur at any time and may be directed at locations known to be frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers, as well as security forces and premises associated with the Government of Niger. The security situation across the Sahel continues to deteriorate, and regions previously considered to be less at risk may now be subject to terrorism and related security threats.

    New Zealanders are advised to be security conscious at all times, particularly in public areas. We recommend monitoring media reports and local information sources for possible threats to your safety and security.

    Kidnapping
    There is a high threat of kidnapping against foreigners in Niger, including in the capital Niamey. The risk increases substantially outside Niamey, in the north of the country and in border areas. Terrorist groups active in Niger have been known to specifically target foreigners. In October 2020, a US citizen was kidnapped in the village of Massalata in southern Niger, about 10km from the border with Nigeria. In the past, foreigners have been kidnapped from their vehicles, homes and places of work.

    Violent Crime
    Crime levels in Niger are high, and foreigners are frequently targeted. Muggings are common in Niamey around the Gawaye Hotel, the National Museum, Kennedy Bridge and the Petit Marché, particularly at night. New Zealanders are advised not to walk alone or after dark in these areas. Other common types of crime include home invasions, carjackings assault and theft.

    Armed bandits operate throughout eastern and southern Niger, the border area with Nigeria south of Zinder, and large parts of northern Niger are off-limits to tourists.

    Petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag snatching occurs in Niamey and  throughout Niger. You should take steps to secure your personal belongings and avoid wearing or displaying valuables such as mobile devices and jewellery or leaving them visible in vehicles.

    Local Travel
    New Zealanders who decide to travel outside Niamey should ensure they put in place appropriate personal security protection measures, and take official warnings seriously. We recommend travelling in convoy of at least two vehicles, with a local guide and only during daylight hours. Attacks have occurred on the Agadez-Arlit, Agedez-Tahoua, and Tillabéry-Niamey roads and within the city of Zinder. You should prepare well in advance and ensure all vehicles are fully equipped with essential supplies, including a satellite phone. 

    We advise against the use of public transport in Niger. There have been incidents of armed robbery resulting in deaths on buses in Niger. Taxis are often under-maintained and dangerous and should be avoided. It is recommended that you hire a private car with a driver. Lock car doors and keep windows shut at all times.

    Local authorities are sensitive about foreigners travelling out of Tahoua to the east or north of Niger. If you travel in the Agadez region without obtaining prior authorisation, you risk arrest or deportation.

    Civil Unrest
    Niger frequently experiences protests and demonstrations, usually near government buildings and university campuses, some of which have turned violent in the past. Mobile phone and internet access may be disrupted during civil unrest.

    Since the military takeover in July 2023, there has been political instability in Niger. New Zealanders in Niger should remain vigilant and monitor the media for further information.

    New Zealanders are advised to follow any advice issued by the local authorities, including curfews, and avoid all demonstrations, protests and rallies as they have the potential to turn violent with little warning.

    Landmines
    There is a danger from unexploded landmines in some parts of Niger, including in Niamey and in the northern region of Agadez. We recommend you remain on well-used roads and paths.

    Scams
    Commercial and internet fraud is a common problem in many African countries. New Zealanders in Niger should be wary of any offers that seem too good to be true, as they may be a scam. For further information see our advice on Internet Fraud and International Scams.

    General Travel Advice
    As there is no New Zealand diplomatic presence in Niger, the ability of the government to provide consular assistance to New Zealand citizens is severely limited.

    We offer advice to New Zealanders about contingency planning that travellers to Niger should consider.

    New Zealanders are advised to respect religious and social traditions in Niger to avoid offending local sensitivities.

    Photography of public buildings and military facilities is prohibited, and could result in detention. If in doubt, don’t take a picture.

    Medical facilities are limited and of poor quality, including in the capital Niamey. New Zealanders travelling or living in Niger should have a comprehensive travel insurance policy in place that includes provision for medical evacuation by air.

    New Zealanders in Niger are strongly encouraged to register their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

     

    Travel tips

    See our regional advice for Africa

    Top of page

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: International Conference of Telecom Regulators was organized by TRAI

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 16 OCT 2024 6:09PM by PIB Delhi

    An International Conference of Telecom Regulators conference was organized by TRAI on the sidelines of World Telecom Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24) and India Mobile Congress (IMC-24) in New Delhi.

    The Conference was inaugurated by Dr. Pemmasani ji, Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development in a well-attended inaugural session.  The other dignitaries present at the inaugural session include Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary General of International Telecommunication Union (ITU),  Mr. Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA, Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI and Shri Atul Kumar Chaudhary, Secretary, TRAI.

    This conference was on the theme ‘Emerging Trends in Regulation.’ Many eminent speakers from around the world, who are experts in their domain, spoke and deliberated on many important technical and regulatory issues.  There were three sessions in the conference and each session was on very important and current topics and the sessions were extremely engaging with lot of deliberations and discussions. 

    The first session was titled ‘Regulatory Perspective in Standardization’ in which many burning topics such as Regulator’s Role in Standard Development, Standards as a Tool for Regulators, QoS by Design, Consumer-Centric Approach etc, were discussed. 

    The second session was on the topic “Regulatory Aspects of Satellite Communication, including other Non-Terrestrial Networks”. Some of the topics dealt in this session were Emerging Technological Developments, Deployment Models and Use-Cases of non-terrestrial networks (NTN), Standardization Initiatives, Security and Privacy Concerns, Economic and Social Impact etc.

    The third session “Regulatory Outlook of OTT Communication Services” addressed some complex regulatory issues pertaining to Over-The-Top (OTT) communication services. Key points discussed in this session were, need for OTT Regulation, consumer protection issues, Law enforcement & National security issues etc. 

    The conference received overwhelming response from regulators from around the world who have converged in New Delhi to attend prestigious WTSA-24 and IMC-24 conferences.  The delegates from more than 30 countries registered for this conference and over 150 participants attended the conference including around 80 international delegates, 15 Heads of Regulators/ Minister and domestic participants representing stakeholders from telecom industry.

    A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Communications, Space & Technology (CST), the ICT Regulator of Saudi Arabia and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), during the inaugural session of the conference.

    The conference concluded with a call to action for regulators worldwide to collaborate and share best practices in addressing the challenges posed by emerging technologies and services. 

    For any clarification/information, Ms. Vandana Sethi, Advisor (Admn/IR) may be contacted on advadmn@trai.gov.in

    *****

     

    SB/DP/ARJ

    (Release ID: 2065481) Visitor Counter : 37

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Iranian Cyber Actors’ Brute Force and Credential Access Activity Compromises Critical Infrastructure Organizations

    News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

    Summary

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) are releasing this joint Cybersecurity Advisory to warn network defenders of Iranian cyber actors’ use of brute force and other techniques to compromise organizations across multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including the healthcare and public health (HPH), government, information technology, engineering, and energy sectors. The actors likely aim to obtain credentials and information describing the victim’s network that can then be sold to enable access to cybercriminals.

    Since October 2023, Iranian actors have used brute force, such as password spraying, and multifactor authentication (MFA) ‘push bombing’ to compromise user accounts and obtain access to organizations. The actors frequently modified MFA registrations, enabling persistent access. The actors performed discovery on the compromised networks to obtain additional credentials and identify other information that could be used to gain additional points of access. The authoring agencies assess the Iranian actors sell this information on cybercriminal forums to actors who may use the information to conduct additional malicious activity.

    This advisory provides the actors’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs). The information is derived from FBI engagements with entities impacted by this malicious activity.

    The authoring agencies recommend critical infrastructure organizations follow the guidance provided in the Mitigations section. At a minimum, organizations should ensure all accounts use strong passwords and register a second form of authentication.

    Download the PDF version of this report:

    For a downloadable list of IOCs, see:

    Technical Details

    Note: This advisory uses the MITRE ATT&CK® for Enterprise framework, version 15. See the MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques section in Appendix A for a table of the actors’ activity mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques.

    Overview of Activity

    The actors likely conduct reconnaissance operations to gather victim identity [T1589] information. Once obtained, the actors gain persistent access to victim networks frequently via brute force [T1110]. After gaining access, the actors use a variety of techniques to further gather credentials, escalate privileges, and gain information about the entity’s systems and network. The actors also move laterally and download information that could assist other actors with access and exploitation.

    Initial Access and Persistence

    The actors use valid user and group email accounts [T1078], frequently obtained via brute force such as password spraying [T1110.003] although other times via unknown methods, to obtain initial access to Microsoft 365, Azure [T1078.004], and Citrix systems [T1133]. In some cases where push notification-based MFA was enabled, the actors send MFA requests to legitimate users seeking acceptance of the request. This technique—bombarding users with mobile phone push notifications until the user either approves the request by accident or stops the notifications— is known as “MFA fatigue” or “push bombing” [T1621].

    Once the threat actors gain access to an account, they frequently register their devices with MFA to protect their access to the environment via the valid account:

    • In two confirmed compromises, the actors leveraged a compromised user’s open registration for MFA [T1556.006] to register the actor’s own device [T1098.005] to access the environment.
    • In another confirmed compromise, the actors used a self-service password reset (SSPR) tool associated with a public facing Active Directory Federation Service (ADFS) to reset the accounts with expired passwords [T1484.002] and then registered MFA through Okta for compromised accounts without MFA already enabled [T1556] [T1556.006].

    The actors frequently conduct their activity using a virtual private network (VPN) service [T1572]. Several of the IP addresses in the actors’ malicious activity originate from exit nodes tied to the Private Internet Access VPN service.

    Lateral Movement

    The actors use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for lateral movement [T1021.001]. In one instance, the actors used Microsoft Word to open PowerShell to launch the RDP binary mstsc.exe [T1202].

    Credential Access

    The actors likely use open-source tools and methodologies to gather more credentials. The actors performed Kerberos Service Principal Name (SPN) enumeration of several service accounts and received Kerberos tickets [T1558.003]. In one instance, the actors used the Active Directory (AD) Microsoft Graph Application Program Interface (API) PowerShell application likely to perform a directory dump of all AD accounts. Also, the actors imported the tool [T1105] DomainPasswordSpray.ps1, which is openly available on GitHub [T1588.002], likely to conduct password spraying. The actors also used the command Cmdkey /list, likely to display usernames and credentials [T1555].

    Privilege Escalation

    In one instance, the actors attempted impersonation of the domain controller, likely by exploiting Microsoft’s Netlogon (also known as ”Zerologon”) privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2020-1472) [T1068].

    Discovery

    The actors leverage living off the land (LOTL) to gain knowledge about the target systems and internal networks. The actors used the following Windows command-line tools to gather information about domain controllers [T1018], trusted domains [T1482], lists of domain administrators, and enterprise administrators [T1087.002] [T1069.002] [T1069.003]:

    • Nltest /dclist
    • Nltest /domain_trusts
    • Nltest /domain_trusts/all_trusts
    • Net group “Enterprise admins” /domain
    • Net group “Domain admins” /domain

    Next, the actors used the following Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query in PowerShell [T1059.001]to search the AD for computer display names, operating systems, descriptions, and distinguished names [T1082].

                                               $i=0
                                               $D= [System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
                                               $L='LDAP://' . $D
                                               $D = [ADSI]$L
                                               $Date = $((Get-Date).AddDays(-90).ToFileTime())
                                               $str = '(&(objectcategory=computer)(operatingSystem=*serv*)(|(lastlogon>='+$Date+')(lastlogontimestamp>='+$Date+')))'
                                               $s = [adsisearcher]$str
                                               $s.searchRoot = $L.$D.distinguishedName
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('cn') > $Null
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('operatingsystem') > $Null
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('description') > $Null
                                               $s.PropertiesToLoad.Add('distinguishedName') > $Null
                                               Foreach ($CA in $s.FindAll()) {
                                                             Write-Host $CA.Properties.Item('cn')
                                                             $CA.Properties.Item('operatingsystem')
                                                             $CA. Properties.Item('description')
                                                             $CA.Properties.Item('distinguishedName')
                                                             $i++
                                               }
                                               Write-host Total servers: $i

    Command and Control

    On one occasion, using msedge.exe, the actors likely made outbound connections to Cobalt Strike Beacon command and control (C2) infrastructure [T1071.001].

    Exfiltration and Collection

    In a couple instances, while logged in to victim accounts, the actors downloaded files related to gaining remote access to the organization and to the organization’s inventory [T1005], likely exfiltrating the files to further persist in the victim network or to sell the information online.

    Detection

    To detect brute force activity, the authoring agencies recommend reviewing authentication logs for system and application login failures of valid accounts and looking for multiple, failed authentication attempts across all accounts.

    To detect the use of compromised credentials in combination with virtual infrastructure, the authoring agencies recommend the following steps:

    • Look for “impossible logins,” such as suspicious logins with changing usernames, user agent strings, and IP address combinations or logins where IP addresses do not align to the user’s expected geographic location.
    • Look for one IP used for multiple accounts, excluding expected logins.
    • Look for “impossible travel.” Impossible travel occurs when a user logs in from multiple IP addresses with significant geographic distance (i.e., a person could not realistically travel between the geographic locations of the two IP addresses during the period between the logins). Note: Implementing this detection opportunity can result in false positives if legitimate users apply VPN solutions before connecting into networks.
    • Look for MFA registrations with MFA in unexpected locales or from unfamiliar devices.
    • Look for processes and program execution command-line arguments that may indicate credential dumping, especially attempts to access or copy the ntds.dit file from a domain controller.
    • Look for suspicious privileged account use after resetting passwords or applying user account mitigations.
    • Look for unusual activity in typically dormant accounts.
    • Look for unusual user agent strings, such as strings not typically associated with normal user activity, which may indicate bot activity.

    Mitigations

    The authoring agencies recommend organizations implement the mitigations below to improve organizations’ cybersecurity posture based on the actors’ TTPs described in this advisory. These mitigations align with the Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) developed by CISA. The CPGs, which are organized to align to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, are a subset of cybersecurity practices, aimed at meaningfully reducing risks to both critical infrastructure operations and the American people. These voluntary CPGs strive to help small- and medium-sized organizations kick-start their cybersecurity efforts by prioritizing investment in a limited number of essential actions with high-impact security outcomes. Visit CISA’s Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals for more information on the CPGs, including additional recommended baseline protections.

    • Review IT helpdesk password management related to initial passwords, password resets for user lockouts, and shared accounts. IT helpdesk password procedures may not align to company policy for user verification or password strength, creating a security gap. Avoid common passwords (e.g. “Spring2024” or “Password123!”).
    • Disable user accounts and access to organizational resources for departing staff [CPG 2.D]. Disabling accounts can minimize system exposure, removing options actors can leverage for entry into the system. Similarly, create new user accounts as close as possible to an employee’s start date.
    • Implement phishing-resistant MFA [CPG 2.H]. See CISA’s resources Phishing-Resistant Multifactor Authentication and More than a Password for additional information on strengthening user credentials.
    • Continuously review MFA settings to ensure coverage over all active, internet-facing protocols to ensure no exploitable services are exposed [CPG 2.W].
    • Provide basic cybersecurity training to users [CPG 2.I] covering concepts such as:
      • Detecting unsuccessful login attempts [CPG 2.G].
      • Having users deny MFA requests they have not generated.
      • Ensuring users with MFA-enabled accounts have MFA set up appropriately.
    • Ensure password policies align with the latest NIST Digital Identity Guidelines.
      • Meeting the minimum password strength [CPG 2.B] by creating a password using 8-64 nonstandard characters and long passphrases, when possible.
    • Disable the use of RC4 for Kerberos authentication.

    These mitigations apply to critical infrastructure entities across sectors.

    The authoring agencies also recommend software manufacturers incorporate secure by design principles and tactics into their software development practices to protect their customers against actors using compromised credentials, thereby strengthening the security posture of their customers.  For more information on secure by design, see CISA’s Secure by Design webpage and joint guide.

    Validate Security Controls

    In addition to applying mitigations, the authoring agencies recommend exercising, testing, and validating organization security programs against the threat behaviors mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK for Enterprise framework in this advisory. The authoring agencies recommend testing your existing security controls inventory to assess how they perform against the ATT&CK techniques described in this advisory.

    To get started:

    1. Select an ATT&CK technique described in this advisory (see Table 1 to Table 12).
    2. Align your security technologies against the technique.
    3. Test your technologies against the technique.
    4. Analyze your detection and prevention technologies’ performance.
    5. Repeat the process for all security technologies to obtain a set of comprehensive performance data.
    6. Tune your security program, including people, processes, and technologies, based on the data generated by this process.

    The authoring agencies recommend continually testing your security program, at scale, in a production environment to ensure optimal performance against the MITRE ATT&CK techniques identified in this advisory.

    Contact Information

    Organizations are encouraged to report suspicious or criminal activity related to information in this advisory to:

    • CISA via CISA’s 24/7 Operations Center [report@cisa.gov or 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472)] or your local FBI field office. When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment used for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.
    • For NSA cybersecurity guidance inquiries, contact CybersecurityReports@nsa.gov.

    Disclaimer

    The information in this report is being provided “as is” for informational purposes only. The authoring agencies do not endorse any commercial entity, product, company, or service, including any entities, products, or services linked within this document. Any reference to specific commercial entities, products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the authoring agencies.

    Intrusion events connected to this Iranian group may also include a different set of cyber actors–likely the third-party actors who purchased access from the Iranian group via cybercriminal forums or other channels. As a result, some TTPs and IOCs noted in this advisory may be tied to these third-party actors, not the Iranian actors. The TTPs and IOCs are in the advisory to provide recipients the most complete picture of malicious activity that may be observed on compromised networks. However, exercise caution if formulating attribution assessments based solely on matching TTPs and IOCs.

    Version History

    October 16, 2024: Initial version.

    Appendix A: MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques

    See Tables 1–12 for all referenced actors’ tactics and techniques in this advisory. For assistance with mapping malicious cyber activity to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, see CISA and MITRE ATT&CK’s Best Practices for MITRE ATT&CK Mapping and CISA’s Decider Tool.

    Table 1: Reconnaissance
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Gather Victim Identity Information T1589 The actors likely gathered victim information.
    Table 2: Resource Development
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Obtain Capabilities: Tool T1588.002 The actors obtained a password spray tool through an open-source repository.
    Table 3: Initial Access
    Technique Title ID Use
    Valid Accounts T1078 The actors used password spraying to obtain valid user and group email account credentials, allowing them access to the network.
    Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts T1078.004 The actors used accounts hosted on Microsoft 365, Azure, and Okta cloud environments as additional methods for initial access.
    External Remote Services T1133 The actors exploited Citrix systems’ external-facing remote services as another method for gaining initial access to the system.
    Table 4: Execution
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell T1059.001 The actors used PowerShell commands to maintain and expand access.
    Table 5: Persistence
    Technique Title ID Use
    Account Manipulation: Device Registration T1098.005 The actors used PowerShell commands to maintain and expand access.
    Modify Authentication Process T1556 The actors used a public facing Active Directory Federation Service (ADFS) domain to reset the passwords of expired accounts.
    Modify Authentication Process: Multi-Factor Authentication T1556.006 The actors used an MFA bypass method, such as Multi-Factor Authentication Request Generation, providing the ability to modify or completely disable MFA defenses.
    Table 6: Privilege Escalation
    Technique Title ID Use
    Exploitation for Privilege Escalation T1068 The actors attempted impersonation of the domain controller likely by exploiting CVE-2020-1472, Microsoft’s Netlogon Privilege Escalation vulnerability.
    Domain or Tenant Policy Modification: Trust Modification T1484.002 The actors leveraged a public-facing ADFS password reset tool to reactivate inactive accounts, allowing the actor to authenticate and enroll their devices as any user in the AD managed by the victim tenant.
    Table 7: Defense Evasion
    Technique Title ID Use
    Indirect Command Execution T1202 The actors attempted impersonation of the Domain Controller likely by exploiting CVE-2020-1472, Microsoft’s Netlogon Privilege Escalation vulnerability.
    Table 8: Credential Access
    Technique Title ID Use
    Brute Force: Password Spraying T1110.003 The actors targeted applications, including Single Sign-on (SSO) Microsoft Office 365, using brute force password sprays and imported the tool DomainPasswordSpray.ps1.
    Credentials from Password Stores T1555 The actors used the command Cmdkey /list likely to display usernames and credentials.
    Steal or Forge Kerberos Tickets: Kerberoasting T1558.003 The actors performed Kerberos Service Principal Name (SPN) enumeration of several service accounts and received Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4) tickets.
    Multi-Factor Authentication Request Generation T1621 The actors sent MFA requests to legitimate users.
    Table 9: Discovery
    Technique Title ID Use
    Remote System Discovery T1018 The actors used LOTL to return information about domain controllers.
    Permission Groups Discovery: Domain Groups T1069.002 The actors used LOTL to return lists of domain administrators and enterprise administrators.
    Permission Groups Discovery: Cloud Groups T1069.003 The actors used LOTL to return lists of domain administrators and enterprise administrators.
    System Information Discovery  T1082 The actors were able to query the AD to discover display names, operating systems, descriptions, and distinguished names from the computer.
    Account Discovery: Domain Account T1087.002 The actors used LOTL to return lists of domain administrators and enterprise administrators.
    Domain Trust Discovery T1482 The actors used LOTL to return information about trusted domains.
    Table 10: Lateral Movement
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Remote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol T1021.001 The actors used Microsoft Word to open PowerShell to launch RDP binary mstsc.exe.
    Table 11: Collection
    Technique Title ID Use
    Data from Local System T1005 The actors downloaded files related to remote access methods and the organization’s inventory.
    Table 12: Command and Control
    Technique Title ID Use
    Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols T1071.001 The actors used msedge.exe to make outbound connections likely to Cobalt Strike Beacon C2 infrastructure.
    Ingress Tool Transfer T1105 The actors imported a tool from GitHub and used it to conduct password spraying.
    Protocol Tunneling T1572 The actors frequently conduct targeting using a virtual private network (VPN).

    Appendix B: Indicators of Compromise

    See Tables 13 to 15 for IOCs obtained from FBI investigations.

    Table 13: Malicious Files Associated with Iranian Cyber Actors
    Hash Description
    1F96D15B26416B2C7043EE7172357AF3AFBB002A Associated with malicious activity.
    3D3CDF7CFC881678FEBCAFB26AE423FE5AA4EFEC Associated with malicious activity.

    Disclaimer: The authoring organizations recommend network defenders investigate or vet IP addresses prior to taking action, such as blocking, as many cyber actors are known to change IP addresses, sometimes daily, and some IP addresses may host valid domains. Many of the IP addresses provided below are assessed VPN nodes and as such are not exclusive to the Iranian actors’ use. The authoring organizations do not recommend blocking these IP addresses based solely on their inclusion in this JCSA. The authoring organizations recommend using the below IP addresses to search for previous activity the actors may have conducted against networks. If positive hits for these IP addresses are identified, the authoring organizations recommend making an independent determination if the observed activity aligns with the TTPs outlined in the JCSA. The timeframes included in the table reflect the timeframe the actors likely used the IPs.

    Table 14: Network Indicators
    IP Address Date Range
    95.181.234.12 01/30/2024 to 02/07/2024
    95.181.234.25 01/30/2024 to 02/07/2024
    173.239.232.20 10/06/2023 to 12/19/2023
    172.98.71.191 10/15/2023 to 11/27/2023
    102.129.235.127 10/21/2023 to 10/22/2023
    188.126.94.60 10/22/2023 to 01/12/2024
    149.40.50.45 10/26/2023
    181.214.166.59 10/26/2023
    212.102.39.212 10/26/2023
    149.57.16.134 10/26/2023 to 10/27/2023
    149.57.16.137 10/26/2023 to 10/27/2023
    102.129.235.186 10/29/2023 to 11/08/2023
    46.246.8.138 10/31/2023 to 01/26/2024
    149.57.16.160 11/08/2023
    149.57.16.37 11/08/2023
    46.246.8.137 11/17/2023 to 01/25/2024
    212.102.57.29 11/19/2023 to 01/17/2024
    46.246.8.82 11/22/2023 to 01/28/2024
    95.181.234.15 11/26/2023 to 02/07/2024
    45.88.97.225 11/27/2023 to 02/11/2024
    84.239.45.17 12/04/2023 to 12/07/2023
    46.246.8.104 12/07/2023 to 02/07/2024
    37.46.113.206 12/07/2023
    46.246.3.186 12/07/2023 to 12/09/2023
    46.246.8.141 12/07/2023 to 02/10/2024
    46.246.8.17 12/09/2023 to 01/09/2024
    37.19.197.182 12/15/2023
    154.16.192.38 12/25/2023 to 01/24/2024
    102.165.16.127 12/27/2023 to 01/28/2024
    46.246.8.47 12/29/2023 to 01/29/2024
    46.246.3.225 12/30/2023 to 02/06/2024
    46.246.3.226 12/31/2023 to 02/03/2024
    46.246.3.240 12/31/2023 to 02/06/2024
    191.101.217.10 01/05/2024
    102.129.153.182 01/08/2024
    46.246.3.196 01/08/2024
    102.129.152.60 01/09/2024
    156.146.60.74 01/10/2024
    191.96.227.113 01/10/2024
    191.96.227.122 01/10/2024
    181.214.166.132 01/11/2024
    188.126.94.57 01/11/2024 to 01/13/2024
    154.6.13.144 01/13/2024 to 01/24/2024
    154.6.13.151 01/13/2024 to 01/28/2024
    188.126.94.166 01/15/2024
    89.149.38.204 01/18/2024
    46.246.8.67 01/20/2024
    46.246.8.53 01/22/2024
    154.16.192.37 01/24/2024
    191.96.150.14 01/24/2024
    191.96.150.96 01/24/2024
    46.246.8.10 01/24/2024
    84.239.25.13 01/24/2024
    154.6.13.139 01/26/2024
    191.96.106.33 01/26/2024
    191.96.227.159 01/26/2024
    149.57.16.150 01/27/2024
    191.96.150.21 01/27/2024
    46.246.8.84 01/27/2024
    95.181.235.8 01/27/2024
    191.96.227.102 01/27/2024 to 01/28/2024
    46.246.122.185 01/28/2024
    146.70.102.3 01/29/2024 to 01/30/2024
    46.246.3.233 01/30/2024 to 02/15/2024
    46.246.3.239 01/30/2024 to 02/15/2024
    188.126.89.35 02/03/2024
    46.246.3.223 02/03/2024
    46.246.3.245 02/05/2024 to 02/06/2024
    191.96.150.50 02/09/2024
    Table 15: Devices
    Device Type Description
    Samsung Galaxy A71 (SM-A715F) Registered with MFA
    Samsung SM-G998B Registered with MFA
    Samsung SM-M205F Registered with MFA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury Returns Indictments

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Beloit Man Charged With Possessing Child Pornography

    Jody Behlke, 49, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on May 24, 2023, Behlke possessed a Samsung Galaxy 8 Tab tablet containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that at least one of the depictions Behlke possessed involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

    The penalties for possessing child pornography vary depending upon an individual’s prior criminal history. If convicted, Behlke faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    The charge against Behlke is the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case.

    This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

    La Crosse Man and Woman Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl for Distribution

    Stephan J. Johnston, 27 and Ashley L. Russell, 31, both of La Crosse, Wisconsin, are charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, both drugs intended for distribution. The two are also charged with maintaining a drug involved premises. The indictment alleges that Johnston and Russell possessed the methamphetamine and fentanyl on February 14, 2024. The indictment further alleges that from January 28, 2024 to February 14, 2024, they maintained a drug involved premises for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl.

    If convicted of possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution, Johnston and Russell each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted of possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution, they each face a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. The charge of maintaining a drug involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    The charges against Johnston and Russell are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, La Crosse Police Department, Crawford County Sherriff’s Office, and the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katheryn Ginsberg is handling the case.

    Eau Claire Man Charged with Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Xa Xiong, 31, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that Xiong distributed methamphetamine on July 26, 2024, and attempted to distribute methamphetamine on August 1, 2024.

    If convicted of distributing 50 grams or more, Xiong faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted of attempting to distribute 500 grams or more, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison.   

    The charges against Xiong were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. The case was also investigated by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Levins is handling the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE’s speech in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to LegCo (3)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    III. Consolidate and Enhance Our Status as an International Financial, Shipping and Trade Centre

    29. The development of international financial, shipping and trading centres are closely intertwined. Besides expanding and strengthening our existing businesses, we will also explore new growth areas, specifically by creating a commodity trading ecosystem to attract relevant enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong, turning our city into an operation centre for international commodity trading, storage and delivery, shipping and logistics, risk management, and more. This will help develop the markets in international gold, non‑ferrous metal, green transportation, and others, further promoting the integrated development of Hong Kong as an international financial, shipping and trade centre.

    30. Hong Kong ranks among the world’s largest import and export markets for gold by volume. The current complexity in geopolitics underscores our city’s edge in security and stability, and hence an attractive location for investors for gold storage, spurring relevant activities such as gold trading, settlement, and delivery. We will capitalise on our strengths as an international financial centre to build Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre.

    31. The Government will facilitate an international commodity exchange to set up accredited warehouses in Hong Kong. We will also introduce measures such as a preferential tax regime to attract enterprises to expand their business in Hong Kong, and to increase storage and trade volume of commodities.

    32. Green shipping and aviation is a global trend. The Government will nurture industrial development of sustainable aviation fuel and green maritime fuel, and establish a fuel bunkering centre, leveraging the development opportunities in finance, trading and maritime sectors stemming from new energy.

    (A) International Financial Centre

    33. Hong Kong is an international financial centre, ranking third globally and first in investment environment. The Government will continue with reforms to reinforce and enhance our status as an international financial centre.

    Deepen Mutual Market Access and Enrich Offshore Renminbi Business

    34. We will continue to enhance the mutual market access regime and reinforce our status as the world’s largest offshore Renminbi (RMB) business hub, contributing to the internationalisation of RMB. Key measures include continuously improving our infrastructure and upgrading the Central Moneymarkets Unit to facilitate the settlement of various assets in different currencies by international investors. We will also develop the fixed income market infrastructure by, for instance, setting up a central clearing system for RMB‑denominated bond repurchase (repo) transactions, making RMB sovereign bonds issued in Hong Kong a more popular choice of collateral in offshore markets. We will look to enhance the Cross‑boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme as well.

    35. We will also strive to bolster offshore RMB liquidity and make good use of the currency swap agreement between the HKSAR and our country, enabling the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to better support Hong Kong’s economic and trade development; expand the night‑time, cross‑boundary service capability of Hong Kong’s RMB Real Time Gross Settlement System to facilitate global settlement in offshore RMB markets; and explore the provision of more diversified channels for obtaining offshore RMB financing.

    36. We will provide more RMB‑denominated investment products –

    (i) the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) to encourage more listed companies to have shares listed in the RMB stock trading counter, and expand the scope of RMB equities;

    (ii) to increase issuance of RMB bonds and support issuance of more green and sustainable offshore RMB bonds in Hong Kong;

    (iii) to seek support from the Ministry of Finance for boosting the size and frequency of issuing RMB sovereign bonds, and launching offshore RMB sovereign bond futures as soon as possible, in Hong Kong; and

    (iv) to actively liaise with the Mainland authorities to expand the Bond Connect (Southbound Trading) as appropriate, including expanding the scope of eligible Mainland investors to non‑bank financial institutions such as securities firms and insurance companies; and enriching liquidity management tools that facilitate offshore investors’ investment in onshore bonds by actively exploring and introducing, at appropriate juncture, various bond repo and collateral products and arrangements using onshore RMB bonds.

    Further Enhance Our Status as an International Risk Management Centre

    37. Hong Kong has the highest concentration of insurance companies and the highest insurance density in Asia. To further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a global risk management centre, the Insurance Authority will initiate a review next year. We will examine capital requirements for infrastructure investment, enriching insurance companies’ asset allocation for risk diversification and driving investment in infrastructure such as the Northern Metropolis. We will also continue to invite Mainland and overseas enterprises, including large state‑owned enterprises in the Mainland, to establish captive insurers in Hong Kong.

    Further Enhance Our Status as an International Asset and Wealth Management Centre

    38. There are 2 700 single‑family offices in Hong Kong, and the industry has predicted that Hong Kong will become the world’s largest cross‑boundary wealth management centre by 2028. We will make every effort to attract more global capital to be managed in Hong Kong, including facilitating the opening of new distribution channels for private equity funds through HKEX’s listing, and:

    (i) collaborating with sovereign wealth funds in regions along the Belt and Road (B&R) – We will strive to collaborate with large‑scale sovereign wealth funds in regions such as the Middle East, in financing the setting up of funds to invest in assets in the Mainland and other regions;

    (ii) enhancing the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme – Effective today, investment in residential properties is allowed provided that the transaction price of the residential property concerned is no less than $50 million, with the amount of real estate investment to be counted towards the total capital investment capped at $10 million. In addition, investments made through an eligible private company wholly owned by an applicant will be counted towards the applicant’s eligible investment with effect from 1 March 2025; and

    (iii) expanding the scope of tax concessions – The Government will consult the industry on the proposal to add qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions for funds and single‑family offices.

    Proactively Expand Markets and Deepen Overseas Networks

    39. We will continue to actively expand and deepen our overseas networks, including forging financial co‑operation with the Middle East and the region of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), organising more international financial mega events, and exploring further collaboration with Islamic markets in the area of finance.

    Further Enhance the Securities Market

    40. Relevant measures include:

    (i) opening up new sources of capital overseas – Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) tracking Hong Kong stock indices will be launched in the Middle East, seeking to attract allocation of capital in the market to Hong Kong stocks;

    (ii) striving for more listing of enterprises in Hong Kong – We will leverage the advantages brought about by our mutual access with the Mainland’s financial markets to attract international enterprises to list in Hong Kong. We will also encourage large‑scale Mainland enterprises to list here, particularly aiming to have more prominent initial public offerings in the near term;

    (iii) optimising vetting of listing applications – The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the HKEX will announce specific measures for further optimising relevant procedures to provide greater certainty regarding the time required for vetting of listing applications; and

    (iv) boosting market efficiency – The SFC and the HKEX will boost market efficiency and lower transaction costs, including reviewing the arrangement for deposit of margin, and refining the requirements on placement of margin and collateral.

    Provide Convenient Cross-boundary Financial Services Arrangement

    41. To promote financial inclusion, we will facilitate members of the public in making cross‑boundary transactions and payments.  The HKMA and the People’s Bank of China are pushing forward the linkage of fast payment systems in the two places, i.e. the Faster Payment System (FPS) in Hong Kong and the Internet Banking Payment System (IBPS) in the Mainland, to facilitate real‑time, cross‑boundary small‑value payments by residents on both sides; and they will implement the arrangement enabling issuance of bank cards by Mainland branches of Hong Kong‑incorporated banks in the Mainland.

    Build an International Gold Trading Market

    42. Hong Kong ranks among the world’s largest import and export markets for gold by volume. Amidst the increasingly complicated geopolitics, our city’s security and stability gives us a clear edge as an attractive place for physical gold storage, driving more gold trading, settlement and delivery activities, and potentially propelling Hong Kong into a gold trading centre. This will spur development of the related industry chain, ranging from investment transactions, derivatives, insurance, storage, to trading and logistic services.

    43. The Government will promote the development of world‑class gold storage facilities, facilitating the storage and delivery of spot gold by users and investors in Hong Kong, and driving demand for related services such as collateral and loan businesses, opening up new growth areas of the financial sector.

    44. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) will set up a working group to take forward the establishment of an international gold trading centre. This will include, among other things, strengthening the trading mechanism and regulatory framework, promoting application of cutting‑edge financial technology, and actively exploring with the Mainland authorities on the inclusion of gold‑related products in the mutual market access programme.

    Enhance the Green Finance Ecosystem

    45. Hong Kong is a leading sustainable finance hub in Asia. The international carbon market (Core Climate) launched by the HKEX is the world’s only carbon market to offer Hong Kong dollar (HKD) and RMB settlement for trading of international voluntary carbon credits.

    46. The HKMA will roll out the Sustainable Finance Action Agenda. In addition, the FSTB will launch a roadmap on the full adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards – Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards) this year, leading Hong Kong to be among the first jurisdictions to align its local requirements with ISSB Standards.

    (B) International Shipping Centre

    47. Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest and most efficient ports, and ranks fourth in the International Shipping Centre Development Index (ISCDI). The average length of stay of container vessels in the Hong Kong port is 0.95 days, about half the average of 1.85 days for the world’s top 20 container ports, earning our city the reputation as a “catch‑up port” for vessels to make up for delays in other ports.

    48. The shipping business is composed of the port sector and maritime services, in which maritime services (including professional services such as ship broking, financing and leasing, maritime insurance, maritime law and arbitration) are the high‑value‑added segment of shipping business and the source of growth, having grown by nearly 40% over the past three years (from 2019 to 2022) in terms of economic contribution. We will step up our efforts in fostering Hong Kong’s maritime industry while taking a multi‑pronged approach to consolidate our status as an international shipping centre.

    Establish the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board

    49. The existing Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board will be reconstituted into the “Hong Kong Maritime and Port Development Board”, a high‑level advisory body to assist the Government in formulating policies and long‑term development strategies. To be chaired by a non‑official member, with other members largely from the maritime sector, the new body will be underpinned by dedicated staff to undertake research and publicity work. Additional funding will be provided to enhance its research capabilities, strengthen its Mainland and overseas promotional work and step up manpower training, supporting the Government in policy implementation more effectively and promoting the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s maritime industry.

    Promote Development of High Value-added Maritime Services

    50. We will strive to promote the development of high value‑added maritime and professional services. Indeed, the Government has been encouraging more shipping commercial principals and maritime service enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong by providing tax exemptions for ship leasing business and offering half‑rate tax concessions for marine insurance, ship management, ship agency and ship broking. We will continue to boost Hong Kong’s maritime strengths. Relevant measures include:

    (i) enhancing and promoting tax concessions – To strengthen the local maritime ecosystem, we will step up promotion of existing tax concessionary measures for maritime services and enhance the preferential tax regime (including introducing new tax deduction arrangements for ship lessors pursuant to international tax rules);

    (ii) attracting maritime service enterprises to establish presence in Hong Kong – We will encourage leading or high‑potential marine insurance business operators to establish presence in our city to broaden the range of marine insurance products; and

    (iii) developing maritime services talents – We will strengthen collaboration with international marine insurance organisations to promote the training of marine insurance talents, and expand the scope of the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund to cover more green energy courses, marine insurance examinations, and others.

    Advance Development of Green Maritime Centre

    51. We will develop Hong Kong into a green maritime centre through:

    (i) promoting the green transformation of registered ships – The Marine Department earlier this year began offering cash incentives to ships meeting relevant international standards on decarbonisation, and it will step up promotion of this initiative;

    (ii) developing a green maritime fuel bunkering centre – We will promulgate the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering by the end of this year. We will take forward the related infrastructural development such as green maritime fuel bunker terminals, promote port emissions reduction, offer incentives to encourage green maritime fuel usage, co‑operate with ports in the GBA, and construct a green shipping corridor with major trading partners; and

    (iii) offering green fuel bunkering facilities – We will provide green ships with smart information concerning navigational safety, and enhance the ship monitoring systems to ensure safety during fuel bunkering.

    Create a Commodity Trading Ecosystem

    52. Commodities including metals and minerals account for more than half of the global shipping trade volume. Shipowners and commodity traders are the key users of shipping routes and maritime services. Their presence and operation in Hong Kong can drive the maritime services industry, and boost demand for related financial and professional services such as hedging activities of related futures products, conducive to consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre. We will explore the introduction of tax concessions and support measures to attract relevant enterprises in the Mainland and overseas to set up businesses in Hong Kong, building a commodity trading ecosystem in our city.

    53. There has been an international commodity exchange expressing its intention to establish accredited warehouses in Hong Kong for storage and delivery of commodities, including non‑ferrous metal products. We will capitalise on this opportunity to establish relevant supporting facilities so as to attract Mainland enterprises to engage in commodity trade, especially of non‑ferrous metal, in Hong Kong, further expanding the demand for our maritime and trade services.

    Develop the Smart Port and Conduct International Promotions

    54. The Government will complete installation of a port community system next year. It will be equipped with functions such as shipment tracking, real‑time transport information, electronic information and document retrieval, and port data analysis, enabling the flow and sharing of data among stakeholders in the maritime, port and logistics industries.

    55. The Government will also organise more major events with international maritime organisations and enterprises to showcase to the world Hong Kong’s maritime strengths.

    Expand High Value-added Logistics Services

    56. We are taking forward the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development, and will release four quality logistics sites for industry to develop modern, high‑end, multi‑storey logistics facilities. The findings of the planning study on the development of modern logistics clusters in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (NDA) will be published next year.

    57. The Government will continue to strengthen co‑operation in the logistics sector with the western part of Guangdong and other neighbouring areas, making good use of the Hong Kong‑Zhuhai‑Macao Bridge (HZMB) to expand the catchment area of our cargo services and facilitate more goods to go through Hong Kong.

    (To be continued.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HK hones its financial edge

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee unveiled bold plans in his 2024 Policy Address for consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.

    Upon highlighting the fact that Hong Kong is an international financial centre, ranking third globally and first in investment environment, he stated that the Government will continue with reforms to reinforce and enhance the city’s status.

    The Chief Executive explained that Hong Kong is an attractive location for investors for gold storage, spurring relevant activities such as gold trading, settlement, and delivery.  

    As such, his administration will capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths as an international financial centre to build the city into an international gold trading centre.

    The Chief Executive provided details of the objective of building an international gold trading market given the city ranks among the world’s largest import and export markets for gold by volume.

    “The Government will promote the development of world-class gold storage facilities, facilitating the storage and delivery of spot gold by users and investors in Hong Kong, and driving demand for related services such as collateral and loan businesses, opening up new growth areas of the financial sector.”

    He added that the Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) will set up a working group to take forward the establishment of an international gold trading centre.

    “This will include, among other things, strengthening the trading mechanism and regulatory framework, promoting application of cutting-edge financial technology, and actively exploring with the Mainland authorities on the inclusion of gold-related products in the mutual market access programme.”

    Mr Lee also outlined his plan to deepen market access and enriching offshore renminbi business.

    “We will continue to enhance the mutual market access regime and reinforce our status as the world’s largest offshore renminbi business hub, contributing to the internationalisation of RMB. Key measures include continuously improving our infrastructure and upgrading the Central Moneymarkets Unit to facilitate the settlement of various assets in different currencies by international investors.

    “We will also develop the fixed income market infrastructure by, for instance, setting up a central clearing system for RMB-denominated bond repurchase (repo) transactions, making RMB sovereign bonds issued in Hong Kong a more popular choice of collateral in offshore markets. We will look to enhance the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme as well.”

    The Chief Executive indicated that the Government will strive to make better use of the currency swap agreement between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with our country to enhance offshore RMB liquidity.

    In doing so, it will provide more RMB-denominated investment products.

    Part of that plan calls for the Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing (HKEX) to encourage more listed companies to have shares listed in the RMB stock trading counter. 

    Apart from increasing the issuance of RMB bonds and supporting issuance of more green and sustainable offshore RMB bonds in Hong Kong, it will also seek support from the Ministry of Finance for boosting the size and frequency of issuing RMB sovereign bonds, and launching offshore RMB sovereign bond futures as soon as possible, in Hong Kong.

    Additionally, the Government will actively liaise with Mainland authorities to expand the Bond Connect (Southbound Trading) as appropriate, including expanding the scope of eligible Mainland investors to non-bank financial institutions, and enriching liquidity management tools that facilitate offshore investors’ investment in onshore bonds by actively exploring and introducing various bond repo and collateral products and arrangements using onshore RMB bonds.

    Mr Lee shared the Government’s plans to enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international risk management centre and an international asset and wealth management centre.

    “Hong Kong has the highest concentration of insurance companies and the highest insurance density in Asia. To further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a global risk management centre, the Insurance Authority will initiate a review next year. 

    “We will examine capital requirements for infrastructure investment, to enriching insurance companies’ asset allocation for risk diversification and driving investment in infrastructure such as the Northern Metropolis. We will also continue to invite Mainland and overseas enterprises, including large state-owned enterprises in the Mainland, to establish captive insurers in Hong Kong.”

    He added that there are 2,700 single-family offices in Hong Kong, and the industry has predicted that Hong Kong will become the world’s largest cross-boundary wealth management centre by 2028.  

    “We will make every effort to attract more global capital to be managed in Hong Kong, including facilitating the opening of new distribution channels for private equity funds through HKEX’s listing.”

    On top of that, he stressed that the Government will collaborate with sovereign wealth funds in regions along the Belt & Road.

    “We will strive to collaborate with large-scale sovereign wealth funds in regions such as the Middle East, in financing the setting up of funds to invest in assets in the Mainland and other regions.”

    Mr Lee also explained the measures to enhance the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, effective today. This means that investment in residential properties is allowed provided that the transaction price of the residential property concerned is no less than $50 million, with the amount of real estate investment to be counted towards the total capital investment capped at $10 million.

    Additionally, by expanding the scope of tax concessions, the Government will consult the industry on the proposal to add qualifying transactions eligible for tax concessions for funds and single-family offices.

    The Government is committed to proactively expanding markets and deepening overseas networks, Mr Lee said, as he conveyed its strategy to accomplish such a goal.

    “We will continue to actively expand and deepen our overseas networks, including forging financial co-operation with the Middle East and the region of the Association of South East Asian Nations, organising more international financial mega events, and exploring further collaboration with Islamic markets in the area of finance.”

    Mr Lee expounded on how the Government will accomplish its aim of further enhancing the securities market.

    Relevant measures include opening up new sources of capital overseas, striving for more listing of enterprises in Hong Kong, optimising vetting of listing applications and boosting market efficiency.

    He also noted the Government’s proposal for providing convenient cross-boundary financial services arrangement.

    “To promote financial inclusion, we will facilitate members of the public in making cross-boundary transactions and payments. 

    “The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the People’s Bank of China are pushing forward the linkage of fast payment systems in the two places, ie the Faster Payment System in Hong Kong and the Internet Banking Payment System in the Mainland, to facilitate real-time, cross-boundary small-value payments by residents on both sides; and they will implement the arrangement enabling issuance of bank cards by Mainland branches of Hong Kong-incorporated banks in the Mainland.”

    Mr Lee revealed that his Policy Address embraces measure to enhance Hong Kong’s green finance ecosystem, due to the fact that the city is a leading sustainable finance hub in Asia.

    “The international carbon market (Core Climate) launched by the HKEX is the world’s only carbon market to offer Hong Kong dollar and RMB settlement for trading of international voluntary carbon credits.

    “The Hong Kong Monetary Authority will roll out the Sustainable Finance Action Agenda. In addition, the FSTB will launch a roadmap on the full adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards – Sustainability Disclosure Standards this year, leading Hong Kong to be among the first jurisdictions to align its local requirements with the standards of the International Sustainability Standards Board.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Susan Graham-Ryan, ABC North Queensland

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    SUSAN GRAHAM-RYAN, HOST: The 3G switch off has been very controversial, and now it’s less than two weeks away. It has been causing lots of debate, and lots of concerns, particularly for those in regional, rural and remote parts of Queensland. I spoke with Michelle Rowland, the Federal Communications Minister, and I asked her how prepared the country is for the 3G switch off.
    ​
    MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: The biggest concern that the Government has had is around getting this switchover done in a safer way.

    Last time I was mentioning how there was initially a large number of handsets that we’re concerned about – that was around 740,000 handsets which relied on the 3G network to make Triple Zero calls. We set up a Working Group, and industry has been working hard on contacting affected customers. That number is now down to around 60,000 handsets, which is better news than it was before.
     
    But one of the key things here, too, is around getting people to check their technology. This is really the first mobile spectrum switchover that’s being done during the Internet of Things – so many of your listeners will have devices that are connected to mobile networks. If you’ve got loved ones who may have medical devices, or other monitored alarms, please get in touch with them. 
     
    In terms of handsets, you can text the numeral ‘3’ to the number ‘3498’ and receive an instant message about the compatibility of your handset after the switchover.
     
    GRAHAM-RYAN: Sixty thousand though, that’s still a lot of devices when there’s less than two weeks to go.

    ROWLAND: It is a large number of devices. Not all of these devices are necessarily being used now, but we know that they have been allocated by their mobile providers.

    We know that the carriers are still in contact with people, making sure that this public-awareness campaign gets as wide as it can. A key message to your listeners is that it is really important to check your tech with less than two weeks to go.

    GRAHAM-RYAN: Can you confidently say that Australians, especially those in regional, rural and remote parts, will not lose or drop out some of their service with this switch off?

    ROWLAND: Well, the carriers have given public coverage equivalence undertakings. We’ll continue to monitor that as a government. But again, I’d like to come back to one of the reasons why the switchover is important. We’ve had a regional telecommunications inquiry going right around Australia, including in regional Queensland. One of the biggest complaints that’s being received about mobile services is not just around coverage, but it’s around quality. The way in which better quality is delivered is by utilising the spectrum better, and that can be delivered through 4G and 5G. That signal goes further, it has less congestion and it has faster speeds. These are factors that are really important also during emergencies. So, the carriers have given undertakings on their coverage commitments when the switchover occurs. And, as a government, we will continue to monitor those commitments.

    GRAHAM-RYAN: What happens if the quality and coverage of the services fall away after the 3G switch off? That’s a huge safety risk. If that happens. What will happen for the telcos? Will there be penalties involved if people are put at risk because of this 3G switch off?

    ROWLAND: Well, we’ve got options for regulatory intervention if these are warranted in the public interest, subject to consultation and procedural processes. I can tell your listeners that potential regulatory action remains under consideration.

    Of course, we want this switchover to go well. We want the consumers and the small businesses in regional Queensland to get the best coverage that their counterparts enjoy in metropolitan parts of Australia, and that’s why this switchover is important. It does need to be done in a safer way. The carriers did delay their switchover to undertake a mass public education campaign.

    GRAHAM-RYAN: Minister, I want you to hear from a Queenslander, Monica. She’s a farmer. She also works in disaster response in the town of Mount Garnet. Here are her concerns.

    [Excerpt]

    CALLER MONICA: One bushfire we had in the hills between here and Chillagoe, fire department actually had to have two camps. No mobile service, UHF is line of sight. We also find that when the planes fly over to do the supposedly live stream of what they’re looking at, we don’t get any live stream until they’re actually back in service, which can be quite a while. And when we’re talking bushfires, we all know how fast they can move. The services just get worse and worse the more they improve the service. We have had satellite phones before. We were timber cutters and we used to be out in the bush a lot. When CDMA was very patchy out there, we had the satellite phone. And yeah, the cost, it’s just– it’s out of hand. And no, I wouldn’t be going to satellite. Honestly, it’s the cost.

    [End of excerpt]

    GRAHAM-RYAN: Michelle Rowland, Federal Communications Minister, what do you say to people like Monica about their concerns?

    ROWLAND: Well, firstly, people like Monica, as a disaster management representative, are doing a really tough task, particularly in Queensland, which is one of the most disaster-prone parts of Australia.

    There are probably three things that I’ll point out, and very insightful comments that she makes. A lot of the time following a natural disaster, part of the issue, of course, is access to power. Power is a massive issue; when you don’t have access– when you don’t have those towers with power, it really takes down the whole system. So, what we have been doing as a government, is investing in better resilience of the networks.

    There’s a couple of streams that we’ve got there, including our Telecommunications Disaster Resilience Innovation Program; hardening mobile networks through our Mobile Network Hardening Program. These are about keeping the services on air for longer with better generators, with better sources of alternative power as redundancy. And I would point out that 22 of the 33 approved projects in that Disaster Resilience Innovation Fund are actually in Queensland, which I think, again, points to the fact that there is such need in Queensland.

    On the issue of access to satellite technology, again, NBN has been investing in its SkyMuster satellite service to make that better fit-for-purpose. I think part of Monica’s comment, too, goes to new and emerging technologies. Your listeners might be familiar with LeoSats, low earth orbit satellites. We’ve been doing trials of those, including as part of looking at Universal Service reform. And that’s, again, one of the issues that came up in the Regional Telco Inquiry – the need to use better technology, more cutting-edge innovation to make sure that we stay connected for longer.

    I think the third thing that Monica spoke to was around, how do you get those messages out at important times? And sometimes when the mobile networks go down, your listeners will know you’re relying on broadcasting – on radio. We’ve committed $20 million to the Broadcasting Resilience Program to improve over 100 ABC radio sites that are specifically used for emergency broadcasting. They’re really important as well. As part of that, there’s a number in Far North Queensland and right across regional Queensland.

    Monica’s comments are really insightful, and I think it goes to really a suite of issues and a suite of policies that the Government has in place to make improvements. And I can tell your listeners, the biggest issue that we want to address is access to emergency services, and during natural disasters, which is why that’s been a really big focus.

    GRAHAM-RYAN: That’s Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland speaking there.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Five Strategic Steps to Unlock Armenia’s Data Center Potential for Economic Growth

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Armenia’s data center industry offers significant opportunities for economic growth, with strategic reforms in regulation, financing, and technological innovation playing crucial roles. Addressing infrastructure challenges and fostering public-private partnerships will help position Armenia as a regional digital hub.

    Armenia is poised for a digital transformation with the development of its data center industry. This sector holds promise for the country’s digital economy. 

    Key opportunities such as regulatory considerations, financing strategies, and the need for technological advancements must be embraced to leverage this industry for economic growth and digital innovation.

    Armenia’s strategic location, coupled with its growing tech-savvy population and vibrant ICT ecosystem, make it a candidate for becoming a regional data hub. However, the current infrastructure and regulatory environment need improvements to attract international investments and foster local innovation. Addressing these issues is important for Armenia to unlock its potential.

    The development of Armenia’s data center industry presents a unique opportunity for the country to enhance its digital presence and drive economic growth.

    To overcome these challenges, five steps can be taken:

    Regulatory Reforms: Streamlining regulations to facilitate easier entry and operation for data center companies. Simplifying the process for obtaining necessary permits and licenses, as well as creating a more transparent and predictable regulatory framework, can create a more business-friendly environment that attracts both local and international investors.

    Financial Incentives: Providing financial support and incentives to attract investments in the data center sector. This could involve infrastructure support and sustainability incentives to companies that invest in building and operating data centers in Armenia. Additionally, exploring the establishment of public-private partnerships to share the financial risks and rewards of developing this critical infrastructure is essential. 

    Technological Upgrades: Investing in advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of data centers. This includes adopting energy-efficient cooling systems, utilizing renewable energy sources, and implementing cutting-edge data management and security solutions. Staying at the forefront of technological advancements ensures that Armenia’s data centers are competitive and reliable on a global scale.

    Public-Private Partnerships: Encouraging collaboration between the government and private sector can drive innovation and growth in Armenia’s data center industry. By leveraging the expertise and resources of both sectors, Armenia can accelerate development and build a more resilient digital economy. Successful examples of such partnerships can be seen in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and India.

    Capacity Building: Developing a skilled workforce to support the data center industry through training and education programs. Offering specialized courses and certifications in data center management, cybersecurity, and related fields ensures that Armenia has the talent needed to sustain and grow its data center industry over the long term.

    The development of the data center industry in Armenia is not just a local issue; it has broader implications for the region. 

    Successful implementation of these recommendations could position Armenia as a digital hub in Central Asia, attracting international investments and fostering regional cooperation. The ongoing efforts to address these challenges are already showing promising results, with several key players expressing interest in the Armenian market.

    Moreover, the growth of the data center industry in Armenia could have a positive ripple effect on other sectors of the economy. For example, the increased demand for high-speed internet and reliable power supply could spur investments in telecommunications and energy infrastructure. 

    Additionally, the development of data centers could create new opportunities for local MSMEs (such as construction companies, equipment suppliers, and service providers) which are important contributors to economic welfare. 

    Armenia has the potential to become a center for data-driven innovation and research. By attracting leading technology companies and research institutions, Armenia can foster a vibrant ecosystem of innovation that drives economic growth and improves the quality of life for its citizens. This could include initiatives such as smart city projects, digital health solutions, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

    Armenia has a lot of untapped captive renewables that can be harnessed to power these data centers sustainably. By leveraging its abundant solar and wind resources, Armenia can ensure that the growth of its tech sector is both environmentally friendly and economically beneficial. This approach not only mitigates the environmental impact but also positions Armenia as a leader in green technology and sustainable development. 

    While there are many positive aspects to consider, it is also important to address the potential environmental impact of data centers and the importance of sustainable practices in their development. 

    Data centers are known for their high energy consumption and carbon footprint, so it is crucial to adopt green technologies and practices to minimize their environmental impact. This includes using renewable energy sources, implementing energy-efficient cooling systems, and adopting sustainable building practices.

    Additionally, the role of cybersecurity in ensuring the safety and reliability of data centers is another critical area that needs attention. As data centers store and process vast amounts of sensitive information, they are prime targets for cyberattacks. 

    Therefore, it is essential to implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect against data breaches, hacking, and other cyber threats. This includes investing in advanced security technologies, conducting regular security audits, and providing cybersecurity training for employees.

    Continuous innovation and adaptation are crucial for Armenia’s data center industry. To stay competitive, data centers must adopt the latest technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance efficiency, security, and scalability.

    If Armenia successfully addresses these challenges, it could unlock significant economic benefits and position itself as a leader in the digital economy. The future of Armenia’s digital landscape depends on the actions taken today, making it imperative for stakeholders to collaborate and drive the necessary changes.

    The development of the data center industry in Armenia presents a unique opportunity for the country to enhance its digital presence and drive economic growth. By addressing the key challenges and implementing the recommended solutions, Armenia can create a thriving data center industry that benefits not only the local economy but also the broader region.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Creating opportunities for Canadian industry through an enabling Canada–European Space Agency partnership

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Longueuil, Quebec, October 16, 2024 — Today, while representing Canada at the 2024 International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President Lisa Campbell announced that Toronto-based Kepler Communications Inc. has been selected as the prime contractor for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) HydRON-DS mission.

    Consisting of a ring of 10 satellites around Earth, HydRON-DS will use laser communications to provide high-performance Internet in space at unprecedented speeds for government and commercial users. This opportunity has been made possible thanks to Canada’s long-standing and fruitful partnership with ESA, that allows Canadian companies from the space sector to leverage their expertise and skills on the European market. Since 1979, Canada has held the privileged position of being the only non-European cooperating state of ESA.

    President Campbell also highlighted other concrete outcomes of this agreement for Canadian companies, such as:

    • Sherbrooke-based SBQuantum will assess the viability of its quantum diamond magnetometer in space. ESA will evaluate both the reliability and precision of the sensor, and explore its potential deployment on satellites for various purposes, like assisting in the monitoring of magnetic storms or mapping minerals under the surface of the Moon.
    • C-CORE, based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, will design and build a calibration transponder for the Biomass mission, which will deliver crucial information about the state of the world’s forests and how they are changing, and further our knowledge of the role forests play in the carbon cycle.
    • Québec-based ABB Analytical Business Unit in Canada will provide the Laser Unit for the interferometer of the Forum mission, ESA’s ninth Earth Explorer satellite mission. Data from the mission will be used to evaluate the role that the far-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum plays in shaping our climate.

    Quotes

    “Canada’s continued participation in European Space Agency programs will further position our space sector for significant growth, generating highly skilled employment, and providing essential opportunities to access European markets. This collaboration allows us to engage in international space missions, while ensuring Canada’s space industry remains innovative, vibrant, and competitive in the fast-evolving global landscape.”

    – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    “For 45 years now, Canada’s collaboration with ESA has resulted in opportunities to participate in European space program projects that would otherwise be out of reach. For Canadian companies, having this unique access to the European space market means commercialization prospects and concrete sales, job creation and knowledge-sharing, and international partnership opportunities. We look forward to continuing this partnership to further strengthen the synergies between our industrial, academic and government sectors as we advance space science and technology together.”

    – Lisa Campbell, President of the CSA

    “ESA is proud of the HydRON project, which exemplifies the power of European and Canadian collaboration in advancing space technology. With its laser satellite network for lightning-fast Internet communications, HydRON has the potential to transform how we connect globally, bridging digital divides and enabling secure communications on Earth and beyond.”

    – Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General

    Quick facts

    • The Cooperation Agreement between Canada and ESA was first signed in 1979, most recently renewed in 2019.

    • Europe is the second-largest trading partner for Canada’s space sector after the U.S. ESA is among the largest space agencies in the world and undertakes a wide range of space missions and activities that the Canadian space sector is well positioned to engage in.

    • Between April 2018 and March 2022, 44 Canadian organizations received 125 contracts valued at approximately €59 million, which would otherwise not have been accessible without the Canada–ESA Cooperation Agreement.

    • From October 14 to 18, the CSA is attending the 75th edition of the IAC organized in Milan, Italy. The IAC is the largest space-related conference worldwide offering the latest space information and developments in academia and industry, networking opportunities, contacts and potential partnerships.

    Contacts

    Canadian Space Agency
    Media Relations Office
    Telephone: 450-926-4370
    Email: asc.medias-media.csa@asc-csa.gc.ca
    Website: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca
    Follow us on social media

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ESAs respond to the European Commission’s rejection of the technical standards on registers of information under the Digital Operational Resilience Act and call for swift adoption

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, EIOPA and ESMA – the ESAs) today issued an Opinion on the European Commission’s (EC) rejection of the draft Implementing Technical Standards (ITS) on the registers of information under the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). The ESAs raise concerns over the impacts and practicalities of the proposed EC changes to the draft ITS on the registers of information in relation to financial entities’ contractual arrangements with ICT third-party service providers.   

    The draft ITS proposed by the ESAs were rejected by the EC on the grounds that it is necessary to allow financial entities the choice of identifying their ICT third-party service providers registered in the EU either by using the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) or by using the European Unique Identifier (EUID). 

    In the ESAs view, the EC’s proposal of adding an additional identifier, allowing EU-based companies to use the EUID, will cause unnecessary complexity and could have negative impacts on the implementation of DORA by financial entities, competent authorities and the ESAs. 

    The ESAs note that, although the EUID is available free of charge to EU-registered companies, its introduction in the registers of information would entail unforeseen implementation and maintenance efforts for the financial entities. In particular, it would limit the access to and  the possibility for verification of the information by the financial entities and competent authorities. This would lead to a potential increase in the overall reporting burden for financial entities in the context of DORA. In addition, the coexistence of two identifiers could bring additional complexity that would negatively impact the quality of data used, and risk delays in the designation of critical ICT third-party service providers (CTPPs) by the ESAs.

    If the EC decides to proceed with the introduction of the EUID, despite the above concerns, additional changes to the draft ITS will be necessary. The Opinion indicates how the draft ITS should be adapted further to cater for the use of the EUID. Without these changes, the ITS could not be practically applied for a proper identification of the ICT third-party service providers, which would negatively impact the designation of CTPPs. The ESAs also note that in the case of co-existence of both LEI and EUID, the financial entities should be given the preference for using LEI, especially where both identifiers are available to them, and for the case of groups, it is important to ensure homogeneity in the registered identification codes for all ICT third-party service providers.

    The ESAs call for the final decision on the use of identifiers and the swift adoption of the draft ITS by the EC. This is particularly relevant for the ESAs, who will be designating CTPPs in 2025. Finally, leveraging on the experience of the dry run exercise, the ESAs call financial entities to increase their implementation efforts in order to be ready to submit their registers of information to the competent authorities in the first half of 2025.

    Background and legal basis

    Article 28(9) of DORA (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554) mandates the ESAs to develop draft ITS to establish the standard templates for the register of information referred to in Article 28(3) of DORA. The draft ITS was developed and submitted by the ESAs to the EU Commission on 17 January 2024.

    The registers of information maintained by the financial entities serve as an important input for the ESAs’ work on the designation of CTPPs that will be subject to the oversight by the ESAs.

    On 3 September 2024, the European Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure set out in the fourth subparagraph of Article 15(1) of the ESAs Regulations, notified the ESAs of the rejection of the ITS on the basis of the envisaged mandatory use of the LEI to identify ICT third-party service providers under Article 3(5) and (6) of the draft ITS.

    Pursuant to Article 15(4) of the ESAs Regulation, the ESAs prepared this Opinion on the proposed amendments to the draft ITS by the EU Commission. In addition, the ESAs also suggested some other changes to the draft ITS based on the experience and feedback received from the industry during  the ‘dry run’ exercise the ESAs carried out during 2024 to support the industry in the preparation for submission of the registers of information and to test the reporting process. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Narsil disrupts network of child abuse websites designed to generate profits from advertising

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    3 August 2023

    Tracking the money made by perpetrators and preventing the revictimization of children

    LYON, France — INTERPOL has concluded a two-year global operation to bring to justice criminals operating networks of child sexual abuse websites designed to generate profits from advertising.

    Running from December 2021 to July 2023, Operation Narsil also targeted the finance mechanisms used by the website administrators to conduct their online advertising campaigns.

    Over two years, INTERPOL member countries worked together using INTERPOL’s Worst of List (IWOL), sharing targeted intelligence, pinpointing suspects and coordinating arrests of the people managing the websites.

    Created in 2010, IWOL contains a watchlist of websites containing extreme child abuse material.  The General Secretariat headquarters works with law enforcement in all regions so that national Internet service providers close down these websites.

    “Operation Narsil sends a strong message to the criminals making money from these websites that INTERPOL, and its alliance of police forces in 195 member countries, know where they are, what they are doing, and how to find them,” said Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL Secretary General.

    “Every time a person clicks on these images, they are effectively entering a crime scene. Identifying and removing these websites reduces the availability and potential normalization of online child abuse material, and, most importantly, reduces the re-victimization of the children abused,” added Secretary General Stock.

    Worldwide crime trend

    In one case, a brother and sister, both in their early thirties, were arrested as a result of IWOL digital clues and intelligence provided by the global police community pointing investigators to the suspects in Argentina.

    Investigations by Argentina’s Victim Identification Office in the Anti Cyber Crimes against Minors Division and the Specialised Cybercrime Prosecution Unit (UFECI), working with Federal Courts in Mendoza Province, led to the identification and arrest of the two suspects.

    Fourteen electronic devices were seized from their home as well as cash and credit cards. The siblings are thought to have created, maintained and financially benefitted for more than a decade from websites featuring child sexual abuse material and associated advertising campaigns.

    “Given the technological complexities of this case and the degree to which the criminal activity went undetected, these arrests highlight the importance of police cooperation across regional, national, and international borders,” said the Head of Argentina’s Federal Police, Juan Carlos Hernandez, who also serves as delegate for the Americas on INTERPOL’s Executive Committee.

    Argentina’s Federal Police search electronic devices seized during Operation Narsil for child abuse images

    Officers of Argentina’s Federal Police review materials seized during Operation Narsil

    Argentina’s Federal Police reviewing seized materials

    Officers of Argentina’s Federal Police review visitor statistics to the suspect’s sites

    “With synchronized arrests across continents, this operation confronted global networks that profit from child abuse images and videos. INTERPOL is a strong global network of officers fully committed to putting an end to the online abuse of children, and we applaud the action and incredible results countries have achieved in Operation Narsil,” added Argentina’s Police Chief.

    Local crime, global cooperation

    Working with the Prosecutor’s Office, Bulgarian law enforcement identified and arrested a 34-year-old man who made his living operating an online forum that facilitated the sharing of child sexual abuse materials.

    Bulgarian Police closed the online forum he had been running since 2020 and which is thought to have facilitated access to thousands of media files depicting serious child sexual abuse material.

    Following the arrest, investigations are ongoing to identify forum users.

    In one case during the Russian leg of Operation Narsil, police authorities arrested two 24-year-old citizens for the production and online circulation of materials depicting the sexual violation of minors. Authorities searched the suspects’ homes, seizing computer equipment containing specialized software for creating and administrating websites, and removable hard drives containing child sexual abuse material.

    With the support of US Homeland Security Investigations, Thai police arrested a 45-year-old Thai national for the possession and online distribution of child sexual abuse material. His arrest came after police executed a search warrant at his residence, uncovering large amounts of child sexual abuse material and financial transaction records associated with online distribution of the abuse photos.

    Narsil – meaning a longsword which tackles all evil – is one of the first INTERPOL operations to focus on identifying, locating and arresting the people receiving advertising revenues from website visitors interested in viewing the site’s child sexual abuse content.

    INTERPOL has been monitoring websites disseminating child sexual abuse imagery for more than 13 years and, in collaboration with law enforcement partners across the world, has seized more than 20,000 domains.

    Operation Narsil involved investigations triggered by law enforcement in Austria, Argentina, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The Villers-Cotterêts Call for an honest, trustworthy digital space in the Francophone world (4 Oct. 2024)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    A free, open and safe Internet is an essential tool for promoting exchanges, inclusion and development. As digital platforms form a significant part of the Internet, their social responsibility must not be ignored.

    The Francophonie is a community of language and values, of women and men whose common language is French, and of the 88 member countries of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) which promote the same values: democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as a constant commitment to cultural and linguistic diversity.

    While a source of progress and opportunities, the digital transformation also raises multiple challenges for OIF member countries: fighting the digital divide, promoting inclusion, protecting fundamental rights, promoting pluralism of currents of thought and opinion, maintaining the integrity of electoral processes and promoting and protecting the right to reliable, high-quality information, and to be protected from fraudulent, malicious and hate content, as well as all forms of discrimination.

    This Call is intended to help address these challenges by inviting digital platforms to step up their commitment to a safer and more honest digital space.

    To this end, We, the Heads of State and Government of countries which have a shared relationship with French, meeting on 4 and 5 October 2024 for the 19th Francophonie Summit in the French Republic,

    Intending to work to develop, within the Francophonie and beyond, a digital space which is inclusive, respectful of democracy and human rights and encourages cultural and linguistic diversity, in accordance with our commitments in the Bamako Declaration (2000), the Saint-Boniface Declaration (2006), the 2022-2026 Strategy for Digital Francophonie, the Declaration on the French Language in the linguistic diversity of Francophonie (2022) and the Declaration of the 18th Francophonie Summit in Djerba (2022);

    Drawing on the guidelines applicable to digital cooperation and the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) provided by international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, but also the specific instruments of the acquis of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), incorporated in the Geneva Declaration of Principles and the Geneva Plan of Action, as well as in the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the NETmundial+10 Multistakeholder Statement, the UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms and the Global Digital Compact;

    Continue to pay special attention to the specific needs of all people in the Francophone space, in all their diversity.

    Call on digital platforms to step up their efforts and commitments to an inclusive, pluralistic, high-quality and trustworthy digital space, especially by implementing the following actions and measures:

    Providing greater transparency, diversity and proximity

    1. Guarantee access, in French and in the largest possible number of national and official local languages of OIF member countries, in clear and understandable language, to the terms of service, as well as their policies and content moderation methods;

    2. Implement simple mechanisms which are easily accessible to all, in French and in the largest possible number of local languages of OIF member countries, in order to highlight content which is considered illegal or runs contrary to the terms of service;

    3. Report to the relevant stakeholders, including the users, public authorities and regulatory authorities, on the implementation of their terms of service and content-related policies;

    4. Facilitate Francophone researchers’ and academics’ access to application interfaces and data, under conditions which appropriately protect legitimate rights and interests, including compliance with and protection of users’ personal data and the confidentiality of algorithmic processes protected by trade secrets;

    5. Provide protection for personal data based on transparent, accessible procedures which are understandable by all, in French and in the languages of the countries providing a service, and ensure that there are sufficient human capacities to undertake this role.

    Taking greater responsibility in terms of content moderation

    6. Appoint single regional and subregional contact points with sufficient capabilities to ensure direct communication with the public authorities of OIF member countries, and effective processing of user requests, in French and local languages;

    7. Forge deeper ties with the relevant regulatory authorities, based on the model of commitments made with the Francophone Network of Media Regulators (REFRAM) at the Abidjan Conference on 23 and 24 April 2024;

    8. Set up moderation policies and methods for online content, scaled according to needs and capable of taking account of diverse cultures and national and regional languages, whether they be carried out automatically or are supervised by humans;

    9. Acknowledge the key role of associations, action groups, non-governmental organizations, and more generally, recognized bodies in Francophone civil societies as trusted flaggers, which can produce well-founded, reasoned requests to facilitate priority processing by digital platforms.

    Helping better protect Francophone societies and information spaces from risks linked to the use of their services

    Under all circumstances:

    10. Assess, within public reports, the risks of large-scale dissemination in OIF member countries of content which could channel hate speech or lead to violence on any discriminatory grounds; propose, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, preventive measures aimed at reducing such discrimination;

    11. Strengthen the legal and normative frameworks which organize the protection of the rights of the child in the digital space, in accordance with international human rights law and in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

    12. Set up measures to provide high levels of confidentiality, safety and security for minors using their services;

    13. Collaborate, in accordance with the 2019 Christchurch Call, on quickly and effectively eliminating illegal terrorist and violent extremist content online;

    14. Take special care to prevent risks relating to misinformation and foreign interference; to this end, support independent fact-checking initiatives, including by backing the work of the OIF in this area, such as its ODIL platform;

    15. Use recommendations systems which provide a wide variety of information sources, as well as the free expression of pluralism of currents of thought and opinion, including by identifying and promoting content which is labelled by independent professionals, such as the Journalism Trust Initiative, all in compliance with national legislation;

    16. Help develop ethical and responsible artificial intelligence, which respects human rights, development and peace, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals;

    In election periods:

    17. While strictly observing countries’ sovereignty and complying with their legislation, help strengthen democratic institutions by maintaining the integrity of electoral processes, including by setting up public assessment and risk-reduction protocols specifically dealing with the integrity of elections or referendums in OIF member countries, before, during and after each process;

    18. Transparently identify public policies, particularly during electoral cycles; monitor the monetization of publications by political parties and their representatives and store these ads and all information enabling them to be analysed in a library with exhaustive content, which is accessible online and regularly updated;

    In crisis periods:

    19. In emergency or crisis situations such as armed conflict, environmental or public health crises, analyse the impact of operations, products, services and advertising systems of companies on fundamental rights and the dynamics of said situations.

    Contributing to cultural and linguistic diversity and fair remuneration for content creation

    20. Actively and tangibly promote cultural and linguistic diversity in creating, producing, distributing, disseminating, accessing and using cultural goods and services online, including in developing artificial intelligence;

    21. Help develop artificial intelligence which encourages cultural and linguistic diversity to combat the risk of homogenous, culturally-poor content;

    22. Help promote the use of various languages in this area, particularly in order to incorporate this cultural and linguistic plurality/diversity into the training for generative artificial intelligence models;

    23. Help with the discoverability of Francophone cultural and scientific content and in national and local languages spoken within the Francophone space as well as making available and promoting digital content which is representative of the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Francophonie, including by (i) presenting collected data to create models without prejudice to applicable intellectual property rules and (ii) promoting algorithmic explainability in the interests of users;

    24. Provide effective protection for works protected by copyright and related rights without depriving users of the effective benefit of exceptions to copyright and related rights;

    25. Guarantee fair and equal remuneration for creators in all countries in the Francophone space and for rights holders when they have consented to their work being used on digital platforms through licensing agreements.

    Contributing to digital inclusion and the training of users to create Francophone digital citizens

    26. Actively contribute to strengthening digital literacy and training in digital careers for people from OIF member countries, particularly young people and women, by supporting and collaborating with the “D-Clic, Formez-vous au numérique” project, thus improving the digital literacy of all Francophone users regarding products, services, processes and risks associated with the platforms in their design, operations and uses;

    27. Help implement media and information education programmes to give users more autonomy and develop their critical thinking with regard to information with which they interact online, in French and in the local languages of OIF member countries, including by supporting OIF action in the areas like the ODIL platform, and by collaborating with the relevant public authorities, universities, civil society organizations which work with groups in vulnerable situations, researchers, librarians, teachers, special educators, IT and media professionals, journalists, artists and cultural professionals;

    28. Contribute to cooperation between OIF member countries in the area of education on the media, IT and digital citizenship, encouraging shared experiences, best practice and resources.

    We continue to work towards the objectives set out in this Call and to support the actions enabling us to meet them;

    To this end, we ask the International Organisation of La Francophonie to regularly monitor this Call, in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders within the framework of the Strategy for Digital Francophonie and work already underway in this area;

    We call on digital platforms to hear this Call and help achieve its objectives, in particular by cooperating with the relevant stakeholders.

    Source: Press Service, Presidency of the French Republic

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lebanon: assassinating sectarian leaders has always led to instability – this time will be no different

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mohamad El Kari, PhD Candidate in the Department of War Studies, King’s College London

    Aleksey Klints / Shutterstock

    The assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in September sent shock waves through the Middle East and beyond. Nasrallah had evolved into the very embodiment of Hezbollah over his 32 years in charge, and had established himself as a key figure in Iran’s so-called axis of resistance.

    At the height of his influence, Nasrallah was so widely admired from North Africa to Iran that shops sold DVDs of his speeches, cars were embellished with his image, and many Lebanese even used his quotes as ringtones.

    He is not the first sectarian leader to have been assassinated in Lebanon. And on each occasion the killings have intensified sectarian tensions in the country and have jeopardised social stability. The impact of Nasrallah’s death will, in my opinion, probably be no different.

    His killing could destabilise the fragile balance of power in the country. And it could also trigger a reshuffling of political alliances within Lebanon’s complex sectarian power-sharing framework that was established in 1990 after the end of the civil war.

    In 1977, the leftist leader of the Druze community, Kamal Jumblatt, was assassinated by two unidentified gunmen in his stronghold in the Shouf mountains of central Lebanon. Many of his followers believed they knew who was responsible, and channelled their anger toward Lebanon’s Christian community.

    Security officials reported that more than 250 Christians were killed in revenge, many brutally, with their throats cut by Druze assailants. At least 7,000 Christians fled their villages after the killings, with around 700 of them travelling to the presidential palace in Baabda, a suburb of Beirut, to request government protection.

    This spell of fighting marked a significant escalation of sectarian violence during the civil war, and resulted in a persistent cycle of retaliation, deepening division and entrenched sectarian identities.

    The world is watching the US election campaign unfolding. Sign up to join us at a special Conversation event on October 17. Expert panellists will discuss with the audience the upcoming election and its possible fallout.

    Then, in June 1982, a powerful bomb explosion killed Lebanon’s Maronite Christian president, Bashir Gemayel. The assassination was carried out by two members of the Syrian Social Nationalist party, reportedly under orders from Syria’s then president, Hafez al-Assad.

    The next day, Israeli troops entered west Beirut in support of the Phalange, a Lebanese Christian militia that blamed the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) for Gemayel’s death. Israel had earlier that month launched a massive invasion of Lebanon to destroy the PLO, which had been carrying out attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon.

    Knowing that the Phalangists sought revenge for Gemayel’s death, Israeli forces allowed them to enter the Shatila refugee camp and the adjacent Sabra neighbourhood in Beirut and carry out a massacre a few months later. Lebanese Christian militiamen, in coordination with the Israeli army, killed between 2,000 and 3,500 Palestinian refugees and Muslim Lebanese civilians in just two days.

    Scores of witness and survivor accounts say women were routinely raped, and some victims were buried alive or shot in front of their families. Women and children were crammed into trucks and taken to unknown destinations. These people were never seen again.

    Following the end of Lebanon’s civil war, there was a period of relative stability as a delicate balance of power was established between Lebanese sects. But a car bomb in downtown Beirut in 2005 killed the country’s former prime minister, Rafic Hariri, and again altered the dynamics of sectarian rivalry in Lebanon.

    Lebanon lost one of its central figures, while fury over Syria’s alleged involvement in Hariri’s murder raised international pressure on Syria to end its 29-year occupation. The withdrawal diminished Syria’s influence as the primary mediator in the country, and the underlying tension between the two main sectarian groups vying for power, the Sunnis and Shia, surfaced abruptly.

    Lebanon experienced 18 months of political deadlock and protests, with Hezbollah and its allies pushing for a veto power in the government. Hostilities intensified and violence became a constant threat.

    Then, in May 2008, the Lebanese government attempted to remove a Hezbollah-aligned security officer and investigate the organisation’s private communications network. This ignited fierce clashes between supporters of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

    Hezbollah and its allies occupied west Beirut and at least 71 people, including 14 civilians, were killed over the following fortnight.

    Hezbollah steadily expanded and enhanced its military capabilities over the next ten years. And it also emerged as a powerful regional player by joining Iran and Russia in supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the Syrian civil war.

    The organisation assumed an increasingly central role in Lebanese politics, and secured a majority of seats in the 2018 parliamentary elections.

    What happens now?

    Lebanon’s modern history is rife with conflict. The assassination of Nasrallah marks the latest in a series of bloody milestones that have served as sharp turning points – and even transformational moments – in Lebanon’s sectarian politics.

    Christian and Sunni factions in Lebanon have for years viewed Hezbollah as effectively commandeering the state, leveraging its powerful military wing and Iranian backing. With Hezbollah now visibly weakened in the absence of its powerful and charismatic leader, this longstanding power dynamic may be set for a shift.

    There are signs that divisions are already deepening. Videos from Tripoli, a predominantly Sunni city in northern Lebanon, show residents dancing in the streets in celebration of Nasrallah’s death. Other videos show people removing Hezbollah stickers from the vehicles of displaced Shias.

    Meanwhile, Hezbollah supporters have pledged retaliation for Nasrallah’s elimination. Lebanon once again finds itself on the verge of fierce sectarian tension and instability.

    This research is carried out as part of the XCEPT programme, which is funded by UK International Development from the UK government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.

    – ref. Lebanon: assassinating sectarian leaders has always led to instability – this time will be no different – https://theconversation.com/lebanon-assassinating-sectarian-leaders-has-always-led-to-instability-this-time-will-be-no-different-240717

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: IMPD Sergeant Facing Federal Charges for Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    INDIANAPOLIS—A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant, Javed Richards, 42, with five counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Richards had his initial appearance in federal court on October 10th.

    According to the indictment, on July 14, 2024, Richards allegedly distributed at least five videos of minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct to other individuals via the Kik messenger application. Richards is further charged with possessing numerous images and videos of child sex abuse material on his iCloud account.

    IMPD announced it has suspended Sergeant Richards pending a recommendation of termination to the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board.

    The FBI and Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is investigating this case, with cooperation from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. If convicted, Richards faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

    U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who is prosecuting this case.

    This investigation was conducted by the FBI which is part of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Received and Downloaded Child Pornography Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    A man who received child pornography over the internet was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.

    Christopher Goins, age 47, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 13, 2024, guilty plea to one count of receiving child pornography.

    In a plea agreement, Goins admitted that between December 2019 and December 2021, he knowingly received and downloaded photos and videos of child pornography, including depictions of minors under 12 years of age.  During a search of Goins’ home in December 2021, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized 33 storage devices containing over 600 images of child pornography.  In January 2024, following his arrest on federal child pornography charges, Goins said that additional child pornography would be found on his phone.  During a search of Goins’ home, FBI agents found child pornography on Goins’ laptop and additional storage devices which Goins had obtained after his home was searched in December 2021.

    Goins was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Goins was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $3,000 in restitution to a child victim depicted in videos and photos he possessed.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Goins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-06.

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