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Monday, June 5, 2023

The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines, broken down by region of the world:  

In the Americas

F16 Scrambled to Intercept Unresponsive Aircraft over DC.  A small, unresponsive business plane flew over Washington D.C. on Sunday afternoon before crashing in Virginia.  The plane took off from Elizabethtown, Tennessee and was headed to Long Island, but turned around and flew directly over D.C. before crashing.  The U.S. military scrambled a F-16 fighter jet to respond to the aircraft.  NORAD said the F-16 was authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, which caused a sonic boom heard in the area, and to use flares.  Authorities say they found no survivors at the site of the plane crash.  Associated Press Reuters

U.S. Does Not Need More Nuclear Weapons to Counter Russia, China.  U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Friday that the U.S. does not need more nuclear weapons to “outnumber the combined total of our competitors” like Russia and China to effectively “deter” them.  Sullivan also asserted that the U.S. does not need to “deploy even more dangerous nuclear weapons” for deterrence, saying that the U.S. wants a “‘better’ approach, not a ‘more’ approach.”  His comments come amid China’s buildup of its nuclear arsenal, and amid tensions with Russia over the New START nuclear arms control treaty.  Both Russia and the U.S. have suspended information sharing under the treaty, but they have both pledged to adhere to the pact’s arms control limits.  Sullivan affirmed that the U.S. will abide by the limits on strategic nuclear weapons in the treaty until its expiration in 2026 as long as Russia does the same. Regarding the future of U.S. nuclear policy Sullivan said that the U.S. is pursuing “new strategies”, including modernizing nuclear forces and developing new weapons like hypersonic missiles to “sustain our military for decades.”  Arms Control Association Reuters The Hill

CIA Director Visited China in May.  CIA Director William Burns traveled to China in May to meet with Chinese intelligence counterparts, according to officials familiar with the visit.  The officials said that the trip aimed to emphasize the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the U.S. and China via intelligence channels.  Burns’ visit comes amid the Biden administration’s push for high-level engagements between Washington and Beijing to stabilize relations and avoid further escalation of tensions.  The White House, CIA and Chinese government did not comment on Burns’ trip.  Financial Times Reuters

U.S. Debt Ceiling Deal Jeopardizes $16 Billion in Lower-Priority Defense Projects.  Around $16 billion of lower-priority defense items including Abrams tanks, a Lockheed Martin plane, and a ship for the Marines could go unfunded now that the deal to raise the debt ceiling has been passed. The arrangement, which averted a catastrophic default, curbed federal spending and has jeopardized some defense projects that were last-minute additions to recent defense and appropriations bills.  The Biden administration may include broader spending requests to support these defense projects in later requests for additional funding for Ukraine military aid.  Congressional leadership have also said that the debt ceiling deal will not prevent future measures for supplemental defense spending, which could also cover these unfunded priorities.  Reuters

Colombian President’s Chief of Staff, Envoy to Venezuela Resign Over Phone Intercept Scandal.  Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Friday that his chief of staff, Laura Sarabia, and the nation’s ambassador to Venezuela, Armando Benedetti, will resign their posts amidst a scandal over illegal phone intercepts.  Authorities say the incident began when Sarabia reported in January that $4,000 had gone missing from her home.  The nanny of Sarabia’s child was taken to the presidential palace for a polygraph test and questioning over the missing funds.  Colombian judicial officials say police wrongly intercepted phone calls by the nanny, who denies wrongdoing, and another woman who cleaned Sarabia’s home in the investigation.  Colombian attorney general Francisco Barbosa said some people may face charges over the missing money, the polygraph test and “grotesque” phone intercepts.  Petro referred to Sarabia as “my dear and valued official” and said her resignation is to ensure full fairness and conviction of the investigation.  Reuters

Haitian Supplier of Guns for Moise Killing Sentenced to Life in Prison.  A Florida court on Friday sentenced Rodolphe Jaar, a dual Haitian-Chilean citizen, to life in prison for supporting the July 2021 assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moise.  Jaar, who was detained in the Dominican Republic and extradited to the U.S. in early 2022, pleaded guilty to backing a plan to kidnap Moise by providing funds for weapons and bribes for Moise’s security detail.  This initial kidnapping plan later turned into a murder plot.  Jaar is also accused of helping a group of Colombians implicated in the assassination try to evade Haitian authorities.  CNN New York Times Reuters

Western Europe

Germany to Send Warships to Indo-Pacific in 2024.  German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Sunday that Germany will deploy naval ships — a frigate and supply ship — to the Indo-Pacific region in 2024.   Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Pistorius said the ships will be sent to protect the international rules-based order and major maritime passages in the region.  Germany sent a frigate into the South China Sea in 2021.  The new deployments are likely to cause tensions with China and underscore Berlin’s challenge in balancing economic ties with Beijing and Western security security concerns in the region.  Reuters

NATO Chief Says Sweden’s Accession Will be Achieved After More Talks.  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday that more talks will be held between Turkey, Sweden and Finland later this month to try and reach an agreement on Sweden joining NATO.  Speaking after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Stoltenberg said that the talks could produce a deal for Sweden’s membership before the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania in July.  He emphasized that Sweden has taken “significant concrete steps,” such as a new security law and pledged to increase antiterrorism cooperation with Turkey, which has long objected to Sweden’s NATO membership in the alliance over concerns that Stockholm harbors members of what it considers terrorist groups – something of which Sweden denies.   Reuters

Central and Eastern Europe

Ukraine Supplying Drones to Sabotage Network in Russia.  Ukraine has reportedly established a network of agents and sympathizers in Russia who are staging sabotage attacks within Russian territory and are being supplied by Ukraine with equipment such as Ukrainian-produced drones.  U.S. intelligence sources say Washington believes agents from this sabotage network were behind the Kremlin drone attack in May, though it is unclear if they were behind the most recent drone attack in Moscow and other attacks in Russia’s western border regions.  Sources added that these agents are likely well trained and are getting drones from Ukraine through well-established smuggling routes, which a European intelligence source affirmed is likely since the Russia-Ukraine border region is very porous.  It is unclear who exactly manages this sabotage network, though sources say Ukrainian intelligence is involved.  Publicly, Western officials have warned against Ukrainian-backed attacks within Russia over concerns about escalation, but sources say that Western officials privately agree that the tactic is a sound military strategy to force Russia to divert attention and resources from Ukraine to address domestic security.  CNN CNN

Russia Claims Repelled Major Ukrainian Assault.  Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that Russian forces repelled a major Ukrainian assault in southern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.  The ministry claimed the attack included six Ukrainian mechanized and two tank battalions and that Russian forces killed 250 Ukrainian troops and destroyed 16 Ukrainian tanks, 21 armored combat vehicles, and infantry fighting vehicles.  It also released footage that purportedly showed attacking Ukrainian armored vehicles being destroyed.  The ministry added that Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, who heads Russian forces in Ukraine, was at “one of the advanced command posts” where the Ukrainian attack took place.  The Ukrainian government and military did not comment on the Russian defense ministry’s claims.  The Ukrainian military says it is urging silence around the counteroffensive and will not announce or comment about anything related to the operation.  CNN Reuters 

Zelensky Says Ukraine Ready for Counteroffensive.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that Ukraine is ready to launch its long-anticipated counteroffensive but warned that it could take time and may come at a heavy cost.  Speaking in the Black Sea port of Odesa in a Wall Street Journal interview, Zelensky said he does not know how long the counteroffensive will take and that it “can go a variety of ways” but asserted that “we strongly believe that we will succeed.”  He added that Ukraine would like more Western-supplied equipment and weapons but said that Ukrainian forces “can’t wait for months” for more aid.  While expressing gratitude for Western support, he said that Ukraine still needs more weapons that are delivered faster, specifically citing the need for more Patriot missile batteries to bolster Ukrainian air defenses.  Beyond the imminent counteroffensive, Zelensky voiced concern that a potential change in administration in the upcoming U.S. section could impact U.S. military support, though he said he is reassured by demonstrated U.S. bipartisan support for Ukraine.  Zelensky also stressed that Ukraine is looking for a signal by the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania in July that NATO will grant membership to Ukraine at least after the Ukraine war is over.   CNN Kyiv Post Politico Wall Street Journal

Zelensky Claims Russia Is Evading Weapons Sanctions.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Russia is relying on a network of suppliers to evade sanctions and acquire technology to produce new weapons, especially missiles.  Zelensky did not name the countries or companies involved in this alleged network, but he said Ukraine is aware of it and will work to ensure “there are no products of the free world in Russian missiles.”  Ukrainian forces have previously said they are finding increased numbers of Chinese components in Russian weapons.  Beijing continues to deny it is sending military equipment to Moscow.  Reuters

Russia Begins Baltic Naval Drills.  Russia said Monday that it has started naval drills in the Baltic Sea, one day after NATO started annual drills in the region.  The Russian military said up to 40 ships and boats, 25 aircraft and around 3,500 personnel will participate in its Baltic drills.  The U.S. Navy has said that the NATO drills will involve 6,000 personnel, 50 ships and more than 45 aircraft.  Finland is also joining the NATO drills as the newest member of the alliance. Russia’s Pacific Fleet also began naval drills in the Sea of Japan and far eastern Sea of Okhotsk on Monday, which will include over 60 ships.  Reuters

Belgorod Region Continues to Come Under Shelling, Drone, Militia Attacks.  Russia’s western Belgorod region is continually being hit by heavy shelling and other attacks, according to local officials and residents.  Belgorod’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, says two pro-Ukrainian paramilitary groups have claimed responsibility for the cross-border incursions and shelling and drone attacks in the region, namely targeting the town of Shebekino.  Gladkov said Sunday he was willing to meet with one of the groups after it claimed it had taken Russian soldiers prisoner in the region, but the group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, said Gladkov skipped the meeting and will send the prisoners to Ukraine.  Kyiv continues to deny involvement in the attacks on Russian soil.  Gladkov said at least 4,000 people, around 10 percent of the population of Shebekino, have evacuated the area amid the attacks and are now in shelters in the regional capital of Belgorod city.  Euronews France 24 New York Times Reuters Washington Post

Russia Says Ukraine Shelled Occupied City of Berdyansk.  A Russian-installed official in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region said that Ukrainian forces shelled the Russian-occupied port city of Berdyansk on Friday.  The official said that the attack on the key Sea of Azov port injured nine people.  Reuters

Prigozhin Says Russian Troops Targeted Wagner Mercenaries.  The head of Russia’s Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claims that regular Russian troops have targeted Wagner mercenaries leaving the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which was recently captured by Russia after a Wagner-led siege.  Prigozhin said Sunday that Russian troops shelled Wagner fighters who were demining roads.  He said the attack was repelled and that Wagner detained a Russian lieutenant colonel, who Prigozhin said confessed to ordering the attack on Wagner mercenaries “in a state of intoxication and out of personal enmity.”  Prigozhin added that he will send his Wagner fighters to the Belgorod region if Russian troops there cannot repel apparent anti-Kremlin militias there.  Prigozhin’s claims are the latest escalation in his feud with the Russian Defense Ministry, which did not comment on his remarks.  Reuters Washington Post

Asia and Oceania

U.S., Chinese Warships Avoid Collision in Taiwan Strait.  U.S. Indo-Pacific Command accused a Chinese warship of coming within 150 yards (137 meters) of a U.S. destroyer in the Taiwan Strait in “an unsafe manner.”  The U.S. command said the Chinese ship’s movements forced the U.S. guided-missile destroyer Chung-Hoon to slow down to avoid a collision, describing the incident as a violation of “Rules of the Road” for safe maritime traffic in international waters.  The Chung-Hoon was engaged in a joint sailing through the Taiwan Strait with a Canadian naval vessel.  The Chinese military said Chinese forces “handled the situation based on laws and regulations” and accused the U.S. and Canada for “deliberately provoking risk” in the region.  CNN Politico Reuters South China Morning Post

U.S., Chinese Defense Chiefs Say Dialogue Needed to Avoid Conflict.  Both U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart, General Li Shangfu, told the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that U.S.-China engagement is needed to avoid a devastating conflict between the two powers.  Austin said that “conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable” so long as greater communication is established.  Li added that a war between the U.S. and China would be an “unbearable disaster” and that there is enough room in the world for both the U.S. and China to exist.  Despite the two’s remarks, Austin and Li reportedly did not engage with each other beyond a handshake.  They also blamed each other’s country for actions that have led to current heightened tensions: Austin said China has been “unwilling” to establish stronger military communication and channels for crisis management; Li said the U.S. has a “Cold War mentality” of “bloc politics” that is “greatly increasing security risks” and that the U.S. and its allies are using patrols in the Indo-Pacific region as a “pretext to exercise hegemony of navigation.”  A senior Chinese military official at the summit added that the U.S. is contributing to tensions by sanctioning Chinese officials, including Li, and increasing its military presence in the Asia-Pacific.  While there is recognition on both sides that military dialogue is critical, hopes that such engagement would start in Singapore were not fulfilled.  Al Jazeera BBC Reuters South China Morning Post

World’s Spy Chiefs Meet in Singapore.  Top officials from around two dozen major intelligence agencies from around the world reportedly met in Singapore in a secret meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.  According to sources familiar with the meeting, which they say has been discreetly held for years, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was present, along with the head of India’s foreign intelligence agency, representatives from China and others.  Sources said no Russian representative attended the gathering.  Sources also said the meeting was collaborative and cordial and not confrontational.  The meeting underscores the role of the intelligence community in secret diplomacy to ensure engagement and better communication of intentions even between adversaries and amid times of heightened tensions.  Reuters

Indonesia Proposes Ukraine Peace Plan.  Indonesian defense minister Prabowo Subianto on Saturday proposed a peace plan to end the Ukraine war.  The plan includes an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a demilitarized zone that has Ukraine and Russia withdraw 15 kilometers from their forward positions.  The demilitarized zone, which Subianto referred to as including “disputed areas,” would be monitored by UN peacekeepers and given to the side the majority of its inhabitants want to join, according to the results of a UN referendum.  An Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson dismissed the plan, reiterating that Ukraine demands the full withdrawal of all troops from Ukraine and says there are no “disputed” territories with Russia, only territories occupied by Russia.  Financial Times Reuters

Japan and South Korea Fast Tracking Military Issues Talks.  Japan's defense minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters that he held talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday.  Hamada said that at the talks, Japan and South Korea agreed to resolve past military disputes with regular talks and dialogue.  He specifically said the engagement aims to avoid a repeat of the 2018 radar incident, in which Japan claims a South Korean destroyer locked its targeting radar in a Japanese surveillance plane.  Hamada added that Tokyo and Seoul also agreed to increase cooperation with the U.S. and work together to counter North Korean threats.  Reuters

Former Pakistani PM Khan Accuses Military of Attempting to Destroy Party.  Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told Reuters that the Pakistani “military establishment” and its intelligence agency is openly trying to destroy his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.  Khan said the military is trying to ensure he does not return to power in elections set for November and that he has “absolutely no doubt” that he will be tried in a military court and sentenced to prison to achieve this.  He added that the current army chief, General Asim Munir, is “fixated” on him, which Khan said may be because he asked Munir to resign in 2019 when Khan was prime minister.  Khan currently faces around 150 criminal cases filed against him, which he maintains would be thrown out in a civilian court.  Authorities are also beginning to try dozens of people, including members of PTI, in military court for involvement in protests over Khan’s recent arrest.  Al Jazeera Reuters

Middle East and Northern Africa

Israeli Soldiers Killed in Egyptian Border Attack.  The Israeli military alleges that an Egyptian security officer crossed the Egypt-Israel border and killed three Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents on Saturday.  The Israeli military has been treating the attack as a rogue terrorist attack.  Israel is reportedly jointly investigating the incident with Egypt, but both sides gave conflicting accounts about the incident.  The Israeli military says that the attacks occurred after Israeli soldiers in the area stopped a major cross-border smuggling attempt in which they confiscated a drug haul worth around $400,000.  The Egyptian Army says a member of its security forces crossed the border to chase drug smugglers and engaged fire with Israeli forces.  CNN New York Times Reuters

Iran Releases Three More Europeans in Swap for Iranian Diplomat.  Iran released three more Europeans as part of a prisoner swap to secure the return of Iranian diplomat Asadollah Assadi.  Assadi was convicted in Belgium in 2021 for involvement in a foiled bomb plot in France and sentenced to 20 years in prison, though Iran maintains that he is innocent.  The release of the three Europeans — including a Danish national arrested for ties to women’s rights demonstrations and two people with dual Austrian-Iranian nationality arrested for espionage — followed Iran’s release of Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele last week.  The respective governments of the newly released Europeans all say the charges against them were fabricated.  Oman reportedly mediated the prisoner exchange.  Euronews Reuters RFE/RL

Libyan Forces Mass Deport Egyptian Migrants.  Libyan and Egyptian security sources report that Eastern Libyan forces have deported thousands of Egyptian nationals back to Egypt in recent days. Libya says 4,000 migrants were deported after being found following raids on human traffickers.  Egyptian sources say that 2,200 of the 4,000 migrants were in Libya illegally, and that only they were deported back to Egypt.  Migration agencies say there are around 500,00 migrants in Libya.  Some are attempting to find work in Libya’s oil industry while others are seeking to reach Europe.  Reuters

Saudi Arabia Cutting Oil Production.  Saudi Arabia said Sunday it is cutting its output of oil by 1 million barrels per day (bpd) to limit supply into 2024 to boost falling oil prices.  Saudi officials say the kingdom’s output will drop to 9 million bpd by July.  The cut adds to other OPEC+ cuts amounting to 3.66 million bpd, which the group agreed to extend until the end of 2024.  Western nations have criticized OPEC of manipulating oil prices amid shocks by Western sanctions on Russian oil, while OPEC says its actions have been in response to inflation the group blames on the West’s money-printing in recent years.  Bloomberg NPR Reuters Wall Street Journal

Sub Saharan Africa

Senegal Internet Access Cut Amid Protests.  The Senegalese government said in a statement on Sunday that it has temporarily blocked access to Internet services in certain areas during protests because “hateful and subversive” messages have been posted online. The violent protests, which have lasted three days and so far killed 16 people, were set off by the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in jail on Thursday.  Critics of Sonko’s sentencing say it is meant to disqualify Sonko from entering the upcoming presidential election to allow incumbent President Macky Sall to illegally run for a third term. Several African nations, such as Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have used internet cuts to silence opposition, which rights groups have condemned as a violation of freedom of speech.  Reuters

Sudan Fighting Escalates After Ceasefire Expires.  Fighting in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has reportedly increased in intensity after the U.S.-Saudi Arabia-brokered ceasefire expired Saturday evening. According to activists, at least 40 people were killed in North Darfur state. The armistice briefly slowed the fighting and allowed for humanitarian aid, but it was breached repeatedly by both sides. Discussions for an extension failed on Friday.  The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are reportedly still engaging with representatives from the army and RSF in Jeddah, though official talks between the warring sides have been suspended. The first heavy rains of the wet season have begun to fall in Sudan, setting the stage for water-borne illnesses and floods to further exacerbate humanitarian needs in the country already heightened by bureaucracy, looting and logistical issues caused by the war.  Al Jazeera Reuters

Dozens Killed and Kidnapped in Nigeria.  Armed men in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara and Benue states killed dozens of villagers and kidnapped numerous children on Saturday in two separate attacks, according to police and residents. Violent attacks in the region have increased in recent months. Though the motive for the Benue attacks are unknown, residents say that gangs in Zamfara may have murdered 24 people after demanding payment for use of farmland and not receiving payment.  Reuters

Cyber and Tech

Japanese Chip Export Restrictions Stronger than Prior U.S. Limits, Impact China. According to industry experts, new Japanese government restrictions on the export of chip-related technology will disrupt China’s plans for self-sufficiency in semiconductor design and manufacture.  The export limits, which are scheduled to begin in July, are “highly selective and targeted,” experts say, and apply to any country not included on a list of 42 “friendly” markets.  For China, the export restrictions are effectively a ban on a variety of chip-making technologies.  Although China is not explicitly mentioned by the export restriction announcements, an anonymous chip industry investor expressed the belief that “the list is intended to plug all the alternative procurement sources from Japan where Chinese companies could turn to.”  China has called on Japan to reconsider the restrictions, but reportedly there is little chance that decision will be reversed.  Industry analysts note that the new limits exceed restrictions the U.S. has previously imposed on China.  The majority of machinery included in the export restrictions is in front-end chip manufacture involving lithography, etching, film deposition, and coating.  South China Morning Post

Russia To Expand Use of Mobile Devices with Domestically Produced Operating System. Russia’s leading telecommunications firm has announced plans to provide government officials with two million mobile devices equipped with a domestic operating system as an alternative to Western versions.  The announcement by a senior Rostelecom executive, Kirill Menshov, comes in the wake of Russia’s allegation that U.S. intelligence has hacked the phones of thousands of Russian citizens.  In 2016, Rostelecom developed the Russian-made Aurora operating system, which is Linux-based, for business and government use.  Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2020 called for the software alternative to be extended to healthcare and educational facilities.  Menshov had noted in earlier statements to the media that Aurora “is completely independent of any foreign influence and is ready to scale.”  Rostelecom stated that Aurora is used by various government-connected businesses, including the national postal service and energy companies, as well as by government departments.  According to the company, Aurora provides users with complete control over data processing and meets government security guidelines.  Russian authorities last year urged government employees to refrain from using Western services like Zoom and WhatsApp for official communications in favor of domestic platforms like messaging app VK and video conferencing service TrueConf.   TheRecord

Treasury Sanctions Iran Cloud Provider for ‘Facilitating’ Internet Censorship. An Iranian cloud technology provider has been sanctioned by the Treasury Department for “facilitating” Iran’s censorship of the Internet.  ArvanCloud is described by the department as a “key partner” in Tehran’s development of the National Information Network used to control access to online information.  A statement from the department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) specifies that ArvanCloud has a close relationship with Iran’s intelligence agency as well as with senior Iranian officials.  Last year, the European Union sanctioned ArvanCloud for its role in assisting the Iranian government “to set up a separate, Iranian version of the Internet.”  In response to that action, ArvanCloud denied the allegations and said it would continue to expand its global cloud technology services.  The OFAC sanctions will result in the blocking of all ArvanCloud property and interests in property in the U.S. and a ban on dealing with identified companies and businesses. The decision allows for existing ArvanCloud agreements to “wind down” by July 6.  TheRecord

Chinese Researchers Claim Breakthrough in Use of ‘World’s Most Powerful Explosive.’ Chinese military researchers report they have improved the safety of what is described as the world’s most powerful explosive, known as CL-20.  Scientists at the Sichuan Military and Civilian Co-Innovation Centre for New Energetic Materials say a five-fold increase in the “shock resistance capacity” of CL-20 has been achieved through the development of “new nanotechnology that can help synthesize CL-20 composites with ultra-high stability.”  The research team claims the breakthrough could accelerate large-scale combat use of the explosive thereby giving Chinese weapons far greater destructive power.  Reportedly, China alone has the manufacturing capability to produce CL-20 on a mass scale and has incorporated the explosive in its latest weapons.  The team led by explosives expert Guo Changping noted that use of CL-20 is still limited because of its sensitivity to shock.  South China Morning Post

Global Working Group Urges ‘Secure-by-Design’ Standards for Space Systems. A space systems group meeting in Rome last week advocated for “secure-by-design” guidelines in the design and manufacture of spacecraft and related technologies in the face of increasing cyber threats to satellite systems.  The Space System Cybersecurity Working Group, operating under the sponsorship of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), gathered to address the key issue of how complex space systems, ranging from ground stations to satellites, can have cybersecurity protections built into them.  Working group chair Gregory Falco, a professor at Cornell University, said the time is ripe for such an undertaking because “in space, we’re building all the infrastructure right now, so let’s just do it right.”  Falco called for global collaboration among cyber, space, and policy experts so that protocols and practices developed jointly “will help people to comply” with the resulting standards.  CyberScoop SCMagazine

Canadian Defense Minister Warns of Growing Cyber Threat to Energy Infrastructure. Canada’s critical infrastructure is being subjected increasingly to cyberattacks, according to Defense Minister Anita Anand, speaking in an interview with Reuters during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.  The rising threat is a special concern for oil and gas pipelines and related transport systems.  Canada is the world’s fourth-largest producer of crude oil.  Anand noted that the economic risks of successful cyberattacks are “substantial” as is the threat to systems that protect “the lives of our citizens.”  She said that prior cyberattacks on critical infrastructure have heightened Canada’s vigilance and prompted authorities to advise companies and organizations “to take mitigation measures.”  Speaking to one of the major issues under discussion at the conference, Anand said:  "We have to be eyes wide open on China. They have become an increasingly disruptive global power."  Reuters

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