TechLetters #115 - US/UK sanctions to ransomware operator people. Cyberarmy vs missile systems? Russia to not hold liable people who hack in the interest of the State? Disinformation, digital pound
Security
Lightweight cryptography selected. This used to be important, and centre-stage research 10 years ago, but since then it seems that we’ve moved on. The winner is Ascon.
Information theft tool in use in Ukraine. Identified.
USA and UK issue sanctions on ransomware operators Trickbot. "Ransomware is a tier 1 national security threat". UK’s version.
Cyberattacks against missile systems. South Korea intends to “improve cyberspace and electromagnetic capabilities, which can be used to neutralize threats from hostile missiles even before their launch”.
No liability for hackers working for Russia? Russian Parliament considering legislative changes that would "exempt hackers working in the interests of Russia" from liability. The offered analogy is like this: "when a soldier fires back, he is not responsible for the murder ... same situation ... here". Go figure where it all leads.
Privacy
Technology Policy
Platforms released first EU DigitalServicesAct disinformation code of conduct compliance reports. Huge, lengthy documents (often >200 pages). Complicated to navigate. Accounts/content spreading disinformation about the Russian war in Ukraine removed. TikTok: 1,704 accounts. Twitter: 75,000 accounts. Google: 8,000,000 ads blocked, 60 State-funded sites removed. videos from YouTube removed, 9000 channels.
Central Bank of England to consider a "digital pound". Unclear what technology would be used, how different would it be to today's electronic payments. They claim that privacy would be guaranteed. With exceptions, for example to law enforcement. It would not be anonymous like cash. They explore the potential privacy risks (many!), and the option to use privacy-enhancing technologies to improve on the risks. However the feasibility of using any of such privacy technologies is completely unknown. In the security section, quantum risk to security is studied. Fashionable to speak of it, though no appropriate references shown. Oh and by the way, they say that blockchain technology would be difficult to use to meet the resilience and privacy needs.
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