The Cipher Brief’s Open Source Report (OSR) is a M–F curated collection of open source developments around the world provided to a highly discerning national security audience. Think of it as your daily presidential brief on the events impacting US national security.
In this episode: Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell dies at 84; 17 missionaries including 16 Americans kidnapped in Haiti over the weekend amid degrading economic and security conditions; The second largest tv station operator in the US under ransomware attack.
Topping today's report: Federal officials are warning of 'ongoing' cyber threats to US water facilities in an advisory released by CISA yesterday. The advisory cites analysis by CISA, the FBI, the NSA and the EPA.
White House kicks off 2-day ransomware summit with 30 nations; Blinken says all options on the table for Iran, echoed by Israel while EU says Iran can't be 'business as usual'; Taiwan's Defense Minister says Taiwan will meet their enemy's 'full on' in defense of nation. A lot more in this episode.
Topping today's episode: New suspected cases of Havana Syndrome attacks against US embassy staff in Bogota; US excludes Russia from major cybersecurity conference with 30 nations.
Topping today's episode: A new poll from the Pearson Institute and The Associated Press says that 9 out of 10 Americans have 'serious' concerns about cyber-attacks and that they view China and Russia as major threats.
Topping today’s Open-Source Report: The US military says a nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Connecticut collided with an ‘object’ on Saturday while submerged in the South China Sea. Reuters reports that 15 sailors suffering minor injuries. The navy has not provided details on what the ‘object’ may have been. This somewhat unsettling news comes as The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that a US special operations forces and a contingent of Marines have been secretly rotating into Taiwan to train the island’s military.
Topping our open source episode today: the CIA is making some changes to its internal structure that will allow it to dedicate in a more focused way – on China. In a press release out today, CIA Director Bill Burns announced that the agency is establishing a China Mission Center (CMC). The agency is also hiring a Chief Technology Officer and is establishing a Transnational and Technology Mission Center. We're told that the aim there is to address the global issues - like technology, economic security and climate - that are critical to US competitiveness.
President Biden says U.S. agrees to abide by 1979 Taiwan Relations Act and the 'One China Principle'; Taiwan's Defense Minister says Taiwan-China relations at worst point in 40 years; CIA sends message to workforce about threats to informants after a string of deaths.
Topping today's episode: Two suspected ransomware operators who authorities say were demanding ransoms of up to 70 million EUR, were arrested last week in Ukraine. Officials say the two suspects have been making ransom demands that range between 5 and 70 million EUROS from industrial groups since April 2020. While Europol is withholding the name of the targeted group for what it calls an operational reason, outsiders suggest the operation targeted the group known as REvil. The arrests come as part of wider cooperation against cybercriminals based in Eastern Europe and Russia.
Topping this episode: The US is urging China to stop what it calls its “provocative” military activities near Taiwan. This comes after close to 100 Chinese military aircraft entered the island’s air defense zone over a three-day period in what’s being called the largest air incursion by Beijing to date. Taiwan’s defense ministry says that China sent 38 planes in two waves on Friday and 39 on Saturday near the Pratas Islands and in the Bashi Channel and that it scrambled aircraft to warn away the Chinese warplanes.
Topping today’s Open-Source Report – A court in Alabama will decide whether the US has experienced its first death in connection to a cyberattack on a hospital in that state. A mother there is suing the hospital and healthcare workers after the death of her infant child. Tieranni Kidd says that the computers at the Springhill Medical Center had been disabled due to a cyberattack when she was delivering her baby and experienced complications.
Topping today's episode: Axios is reporting that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley says that the State Department is to blame for the chaos that came along with the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The news outlet is citing sources referring to comments that Milley made during classified briefings that followed his public testimony this week. The news outlet is reporting that Milley bluntly criticized State Department officials for waiting too long to order the evacuation of civilians.
Topping today’s episode: Top U.S. Military officials testified before the Senate Armed Services on Tuesday – saying they advised President Joe Biden earlier this year against a full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. General Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, said he recommended keeping 2,500 troops in the country. The generals’ remarks seem to contradict President Joe Biden’s comments in August that “no one” that he “can recall” advised him to maintain a military presence in the country.
Topping today’s episode- South Korea’s military says North Korea fired at least one missile in the waters off Japan today. Japan’s defense ministry says it appeared to be a ballistic missile. The launch came just before North Korea’s ambassador to the UN Kim Song, speaking before the UN General Assembly, said no one can deny his country’s right to “self-defense” and to test weapons and urged the US to end its “hostile policy” towards Pyongyang.
Topping today's episode Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was welcomed back to China to hero-like fanfare this weekend after being released by Canadian officials.
Topping today’s Open-Source Report: The CIA has removed its station chief in Vienna - allegedly over an inadequate response to reported incidents of “Havana syndrome” at the US embassy there.
In today's episode: Biden tries to mend fences with Macron amid crisis over scuttled French deal worth $40B; UK's Johnson tells France to 'get over it' about the AUKUS pact and the State Department announces it's head of Havana Syndrome response is stepping down after 6 months.
Search
