TOP OF THE DAY
The Military Use of AI: Challenges and Opportunities for Taiwan
(Cheng-Hung Hsu – RUSI – 22 October 2024) Increasing cross-strait tensions between mainland China and Taiwan suggest the need for the latter to take a fresh look at the advantages offered by new defence approaches. With a defence budget vastly outpaced by China, Taiwan’s Overall Defense Concept recognises a need to look to cutting-edge technologies to offset scale imbalances. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities Taiwan will need to consider for the military application of one such emerging technology: AI. – The Military Use of AI: Challenges and Opportunities for Taiwan | Royal United Services Institute (rusi.org)
How AI is transforming the factory floor
(Benjamin Schönfuß – World Economic Forum – 23 October 2024) Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing factory operations, optimizing production lines and cutting costs. The World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network highlights AI’s role in driving digital transformation in manufacturing. Six leaders explain how their Lighthouse sites are using AI to drive industry forward. – How AI is transforming the factory floor | World Economic Forum
Can U.S. Tech Giants Deliver on the Promise of Nuclear Power?
(David M. Hart – Council on Foreign Relations – 22 October 2024) U.S. technology companies are rapidly pushing into nuclear power as they compete to develop the next generation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and services. Their investments, including several deals announced in late 2024, could help them meet their ambitious climate goals and revive a U.S. energy sector that has long failed to deliver on its promise. While high costs and public concern could derail these initiatives, the upside for the planet could be big if these deals help launch new power generation technologies that can be used worldwide. – Can U.S. Tech Giants Deliver on the Promise of Nuclear Power? | Council on Foreign Relations
Lawmakers want DOJ to create national human trafficking database
(Edward Graham – NextGov – 23 October 2024) House lawmakers introduced legislation on Tuesday that would create a public-facing federal platform to share data from law enforcement agencies about the prevalence of human trafficking across the U.S. Within 18 months of the bill’s enactment, the Department of Justice would be required to launch a database on its website that includes more granular information on human trafficking, including county-by-county data and a list of anti-trafficking organizations in each locality. The platform would also have to include the total number of trafficking prosecutions by state. – Lawmakers want DOJ to create national human trafficking database – Nextgov/FCW
SECURITY
New Malware WarmCookie Targets Users with Malicious Links
(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2024) A new malware family named WarmCookie, also known as BadSpace, has been actively distributed through malspam and malvertising campaigns since April 2024. According to a blog post from Cisco Talos published on October 23, the malware facilitates persistent access to compromised networks and has been observed as an initial payload, often leading to the deployment of additional malware such as CSharp-Streamer-RAT and Cobalt Strike. – New Malware WarmCookie Targets Users with Malicious Links – Infosecurity Magazine
Embargo Ransomware Gang Deploys Customized Defense Evasion Tools
(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2024) The Embargo ransomware group is deploying customized Rust-based tooling to overcome cybersecurity defenses, according to ESET researchers. The new toolkit was observed during ransomware incidents targeting US companies in July 2024, and was comprised of a loader and an EDR killer, named MDeployer and MS4Killer, respectively. – Embargo Ransomware Gang Deploys Customized Defense Evasion Tools – Infosecurity Magazine
70% of Leaders See Cyber Knowledge Gap in Employees
(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2024) Nearly 70% of business leaders believe their employees lack critical cybersecurity knowledge, a sharp increase from 56% in 2023. The figure comes from Fortinet’s latest 2024 Security Awareness and Training Global Research Report, which also suggests that AI-driven cyber-attacks are becoming more difficult for employees to detect. Over 60% of respondents expect a rise in employees falling victim to AI-enhanced attacks. – 70% of Leaders See Cyber Knowledge Gap in Employees – Infosecurity Magazine
US Government Pledges to Cyber Threat Sharing Via TLP Protocol
(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2024) The US federal government has pledged to use the Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) to boost cyber threat information sharing with the cybersecurity community and private sector. The guidance for federal agencies is designed to build trust between the government and cybersecurity research community, ensuring that crucial threat data can be shared in confidence when not in conflict with existing law or policy. While the federal government does already use the TLP, the new guidance aims to clarify its commitment, providing clarity for security researchers. – US Government Pledges to Cyber Threat Sharing Via TLP Protocol – Infosecurity Magazine
UK Government Weighs Review of Computer Misuse Act to Combat Cybercrime
(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2024) The new UK government has vowed to treat cybersecurity as a matter of national security and is “considering all options” to curb cybercrime, according to the Minister for Security, Dan Jarvis. This includes a review of the 1990 Computer Misuse Act, the Minister said during the opening speech at Recorded Future’s Predict 2024 event in London on October 22. – UK Weighs Review of Computer Misuse Act to Combat Cybercrime – Infosecurity Magazine
US Energy Sector Vulnerable to Supply Chain Attacks
(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2024) The US energy sector is at particularly high risk of supply chain attacks, with 45% of security breaches hitting this industry in the past year third-party related, according to new research by SecurityScorecard and KPMG. This compares to a global average of 29% for supply chain breaches across all other industries. – US Energy Sector Vulnerable to Supply Chain Attacks – Infosecurity Magazine
DEFENSE, INTELLIGENCE, AND WAR
New Space Force effort focused on ‘closing C2 kill chains’
(Theresa Hitchens – Breaking Defense – 23 October 2024) The Space Force’s primary acquisition command has established a new effort to build integrated command and control (C2) networks — that is, machine-to-machine capabilities to seamlessly feed data from multiple sensors through battle management systems that process data to “shooters” — focused on four high priority, classified weapon systems, according to senior officials. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, said today that his primary focus over the next five years “is on the C2 and closure of the kill chains to actually use the effectors,” based on priorities set by the head of US Space Command Gen. Stephen Whiting. The new initiative, he told the Space Industry Days conference in Los Angeles, is aimed to overcome current stovepipes and ensure that in a crisis or conflict, “we can actually employ these effectors and have a kill chain that that closes and actually employ the kit that we’re building.” – New Space Force effort focused on ‘closing C2 kill chains’ – Breaking Defense
Military must improve acquisition to win future wars, admiral says
(Jennifer Hlad – Defense One) The war in Ukraine shows how the United States must improve its acquisition process if it hopes to maintain military strength, the deputy commander of Pacific Fleet said Tuesday. Ukraine “provides us a great example of the importance of rapid innovation and lightning-quick transition from the drawing board to the battlefield,” Vice Adm. Blake Converse said during the opening keynote speech at AFCEA TechNet Indo-Pacific here. “Ukrainians have perfected the rapid acquisition of technology for multi-domain combat operations. They have shown us that even without a robust military-industrial complex and infrastructure, we can integrate land, sea, air, space, cyber, and information.” – Military must improve acquisition to win future wars, admiral says – Defense One
Army wargame to test cargo drones and live logistics data
(Sam Skove – Defense One – 23 October 2023) In a future war, Army tanks growling around the battlefield may be able to send live data back to their headquarters showing every time they fire a round or burn a gallon of fuel. Using that data, logisticians back at the base might then send swarms of drones buzzing back to the tanks with new ammo, or guide fleets of drone boats laden with fuel to a beach somewhere. – Army wargame to test cargo drones and live logistics data – Defense One