DefenceTalkToday, we’re sharing information about a state-sponsored threat actor identified by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) that we are calling Hafnium. Hafnium operates from China, and this is the first time we’re discussing its activity. It is a highly skilled and sophisticated actor. Historically, Hafnium primarily targets entities in the United States for the […]

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkThe U.S. Air Force has added Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) to Platform One, an advanced software development program that aims to accelerate the development and deployment of new software applications for defense missions. Platform One is a standardized and widely-mandated Department of Defense (DoD) DevSecOps Infrastructure program used for future software development. It enables faster software […]https://www.defencetalk.com/lockheed-joins-us-dods-platform-one-devsecops-software-initiative-76743/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkCalifornia WeChat users sued its parent company Tencent on Wednesday, saying the mobile app is used for spying on and censoring users for the Chinese government. US-based nonprofit Citizen Power Initiatives for China (CPIFC) filed the suit in Silicon Valley, joined by a half-dozen California residents in urging a state court to order Tencent to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/california-wechat-users-claim-china-surveillance-in-lawsuit-76684/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkWith the end of his presidency looming, Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a crusade against Chinese apps, branding them a threat to US national security. Trump ordered a ban on transactions involving Alipay, WeChat Pay and other apps linked to Chinese companies, saying they could route user information to the government in Beijing. The executive […]https://www.defencetalk.com/trump-targets-chinese-apps-as-his-days-in-office-dwindle-76647/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkSentinelOne, the autonomous cybersecurity platform company, today released a free SUNBURST identification tool to help enterprises determine attack readiness. The open-source assessment tool allows users to identify if the SUNBURST malware variant at the heart of the SolarWinds attack campaign would have infected their devices. The SUNBURST attack highlights the risks and realities of a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/sentinelone-releases-free-sunburst-attack-identification-assessment-tool-76641/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkMicrosoft acknowledged Thursday that attackers who spearheaded a massive hack of government and private computer networks gained access to its internal “source code,” a key building block for its software. But the US tech giant said the attack, which top US officials have attributed to Russian-led hackers, were unable to compromise or modify any of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/microsoft-says-solarwinds-hackers-viewed-internal-code-76629/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkLast month, the Defense Department, Defense Innovation Unit and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a range of cybersecurity initiatives. “CISA and DIU have complementary missions and capabilities that both reinforce the Department of Homeland Security and DOD and are additive to one […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-dod-dhs-collaborating-on-innovative-cybersecurity-solutions-76615/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkThe US government issued an emergency directive to federal agencies in the wake of a major cyberattack, as multiple media outlets reported at least two departments — including the Treasury — had been targeted by hackers with ties to Russia. In a statement Sunday, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said it had ordered […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-government-says-agencies-hit-by-massive-cyberattack-76604/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkTwo people have been arrested for stealing defence data from the Italian aerospace and electronics group Leonardo, the interior ministry said on Saturday. The company has a wide range of activities from naval electronics, network and protection systems, electronic warfare and global communications, according to its website. Along with European partners, Leonardo is involved in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/italy-says-two-arrested-for-defence-data-theft-76581/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkNATO needs a new strategic concept adjusted to the global rise of new technologies, terrorism and China to replace a plan developed a decade ago, the head of the alliance said on Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron famously branded the alliance “brain dead” last year, demanding a new strategy that would, among other things, reopen […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-chief-calls-for-new-strategy-on-cyber-china-76447/