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Tuesday, June 6, 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 

White House Says Chinese Military Acting More Aggressively in Taiwan Strait, South China Sea.  White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that China’s recent actions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea show a “growing aggressiveness” by the Chinese military which raises the risk of an accident or mistake in which “somebody gets hurt.”  Kirby said that he would like Beijing to justify its unsafe actions in the region, adding that even when U.S. forces conduct air and maritime intercepts they do so “professionally.”  He also asserted that the U.S. will not be intimidated from continuing to uphold freedom of navigation in the region.  Kirby’s comments came after the U.S. Navy released footage of an “unsafe interaction” in which a Chinese warship sailed dangerously close to a U.S. destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, as well as after a late May incident where a Chinese fighter jet buzzed a U.S. surveillance plane over the South China Sea.  Reuters The Hill

Danish PM Visits Washington.  Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen met with President Joe Biden during a visit to Washington on Monday.  The two discussed Ukraine military aid, including the transfer of F-16 fighter jets, which Denmark has said it is considering.  Frederiksen later told reporters that she held a separate meeting with CIA Director William Burns.  She also appeared to shut down speculation that she is being considered to be the next NATO Secretary-General, saying that she is “not a candidate for any other job than the one I have now, and [that] this has not changed after my meeting with the U.S. president.”  Associated Press Euronews New York Times Reuters White House 

U.S. House Committee to See Classified Afghanistan Withdrawal Cable.  The House Foreign Affairs Committee reached an agreement with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to have all committee members have access to a classified dissent channel cable related to the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.  Republican Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had sent a subpoena to Blinken earlier this year to access the cable and said that the agreement has ended the threat of a potential contempt charge against Blinken.  The U.S. State Department had originally only allowed McCaul and Representative Gregory Meeks, the committee’s top Democrat, to view the cable, but more members of the panel wanted access as part of investigations into the withdrawal.  The Wall Street Journal reported in August 2021 that the July 2021 cable warned of the collapse of the government in Kabul following a withdrawal of U.S. forces.  Reuters The Hill Washington Post 

U.S. Sanctions Individuals Linked to Moldova Destabilization Plot.  The United States imposed new sanctions on 7 members of a group suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence for their role in an early 2023 plot to destabilize Moldova.  The Treasury Department said that those targeted aimed to undermine confidence in elections and governments in democratic countries, including Ukraine and its neighboring countries, as well as the U.K. and U.S.  Last week, the EU and Canada imposed sanctions on the same actors.  Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu hailed the U.S. sanctions as “an important step in our joint efforts to uphold stability and maintenance of order in our country.”  Russia’s embassy in Washington called the sanctions “spy hysteria” and part of U.S. interference in the internal affairs of other countries.  Reuters 

U.S. Senator Calls for Declassification of Information on Killing of Al Jazeera Reporter.  Democratic US Senator Chris Van Hollen is calling for the declassification of a U.S. report on the death of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh. The Palestinian-American reporter was killed while covering an Israeli army raid in May of 2022 in the West Bank city of Jenin. Israel claims that Abu Akleh was most likely accidentally shot by an Israeli soldier, despite wearing marked protective gear, but it also may have been Palestinian fire. Palestinian officials and Abu Akleh’s family believe Israeli forces shot her deliberately.  Van Hollen said the report on Abu Akleh’s death needs to be publicly released to ensure accountability in the death of a U.S. citizen.  Reuters

Robert Hanssen, FBI Agent Turned Spy for Russia, Dies at 79.  Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent-turned-Russian spy, was found dead in his cell in a federal prison in Colorado on Monday morning.  He was 79.  The Federal Bureau of Prisons did not give a cause for Hanssen’s death.  Hanssen was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 for espionage after spying for the Soviet Union and Russia for more than two decades. The FBI described him as “the most damaging spy in bureau history.” He joined the FBI in 1976 and held numerous positions in counterintelligence roles that gave him access to highly-classified information, which he sold to Moscow in exchange for diamonds, cash, and bank funds. By the time the FBI arrested him at a Virginia park in February of 2001, he had accumulated $1.4 million by working for Russia.  CNN New York Times Al Jazeera 

Austin Visits India.  U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin concluded a two-day trip to India on Monday.  Austin met with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh to deepen and advance India-U.S. defense cooperation.  One of the priorities of the meeting was finalizing the Roadmap for U.S.-India Defense Industrial Cooperation, which reinforces links between US and Indian defense industrial bases by fostering joint defense innovation and boosting co-production of critical military systems.  Austin and Singh also discussed expanding joint surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance efforts.  Austin’s visit comes amid tensions with China in the region, as well as amid pressure from Washington on New Delhi to lessen its dependence on Russian military supplies.  Associated Press Reuters U.S. Department of Defense

Honduran President Set to Visit China.  Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced Monday that she will visit China from June 9 to 13.  Castro tweeted that Chinese President Xi Jinping invited her to make the trip, which will be a major step forward in China-Honduras relations following Honduras’ recent move to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing.  Al Jazeera

Western Europe

Germany Considering Sending Fighter Jets to Ukraine, Defense Minister Says.  German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday that while Germany is not planning to send Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, it “may reconsider its position” on sending modern fighter jets to Kyiv.  Ukraine requested the Taurus missiles in April and has long-sought Western fighter jets.  Pistorius said any changes regarding German transfers of the jets will be made “within the next two weeks.”  He added that threatening to stop weapons supplies to Ukraine to force an immediate truce with Russia “is not a solution,” saying that Russian forces must withdraw from Ukrainian territory first.  Deutsche Welle Kyiv Independent Ukrinform

UK PM Supports UK Defense Minister for Next NATO Secretary General. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak supports British Defense Minister Ben Wallace as the next head of NATO.  Sunak called Wallace “fantastic” and says he supports his bid for the military alliance according to comments made during an event on Monday. Sunak is set to meet with US President Joe Biden this week and attempt to win support from him for the nomination. Wallace told interviewers earlier this month that he would not say no to the job, but he is facing competition from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as some push for the first female NATO secretary-general. Reuters

Central and Eastern Europe

Nova Kakohvka Dam in Southern Ukraine Destroyed.  A significant portion of the Nova Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power station in southern Ukraine collapsed Tuesday, causing the dam’s reservoir to flood into the Dnipro River.  The dam is in an area of territory occupied by Russia.  Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up the dam, while Russia said Ukrainian forces destroyed the dam in artillery strikes. Both sides are evacuating civilians in areas at risk of flooding; officials say there are 22,000 people in at-risk areas in Russian-occupied areas, while there are 16,000 people in flood zones in Ukrainian-held areas.  Experts say the flooding will make it harder for Ukrainian forces to advance into Russian-occupied areas.  The destruction of the dam also threatens the region’s drinking water supply.  There is also concern that the incident endangers the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which uses water from the dam’s reservoir to cool its nuclear reactors, though officials with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say that they are monitoring the situation at the plant closely and that currently there is no safety risk to the plant.  Al Jazeera Associated Press Reuters Washington Post

Ukrainian Forces Report Advancing in Areas Around Bakhmut.  Ukrainian forces are reportedly making advances around the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which Russia captured last month.  The Russian-backed governor of the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, told Russian state television that the situation along Bakhmut’s flanks is “under control” but “very difficult.”  The head of Russia’s Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said Monday that Ukraine has taken the town of Berkhivka, which is about 2 miles northwest of Bakhmut.  He added that Ukrainian forces in the area can move “much faster than our advances” and that if the Russian Ministry of Defense continues its “malicious and deceptive” policy to “pretend that everything is ok,” then Russian forces in the area will suffer “significant tactical defeats in two weeks’ time.”  The Ukrainian military confirmed it is assaulting the southern and northern flanks of Bakhmut and says its forces are making progress.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv has been receiving “news we have all been waiting for in the Bakhmut direction.”  Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar added that there are offensive actions “taking place in several directions” beyond just Bakhmut, possibly signaling that the Ukrainian counter-offensive is underway.  Fighting is ongoing in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces claimed they thwarted a major Ukrainian assault on Sunday.  CNN Reuters

Ukraine Has Weapons Needed for Counter-Offensive, Foreign Minister Says.  Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Monday that Ukraine has “unlocked all weapons” needed to launch its long-anticipated counteroffensive against Russian forces.  Speaking in a Reuters interview, Kuleba did not say whether the counteroffensive has started, in line with Kyiv’s silence on its timing, but said that what is important is that it ends in a Ukrainian victory.  Kuleba added that while Ukraine has the weapons it needs to start the counter-offensive, it will still need continued military support from Western allies to sustain it.  Beyond the counter-offensive, Kuleba emphasized that Ukraine must be granted membership in NATO after the war, saying that is the best way to “stop further wars.”  He added that a successful counter-offensive may be the last step towards accession into NATO.  Reuters

Russia says Nuclear Capable F-16s Would Escalate the Fight in Ukraine.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets could 'accommodate' nuclear weapons and that their deployment in Ukraine would further escalate the conflict. U.S. President Joe Biden said during a Group of Seven (G7) summit last month he supported joint training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters, and multiple media reports have previously cited US officials as signaling that the US would not block other allies from providing F16’s to Ukraine.   Reuters

Russia Suspected of Repurchasing Military Hardware from Myanmar, India.  A recent survey by Nikkei says that Moscow is likely buying back military hardware and equipment that it previously sold to Myanmar and India. The report by Nikkei cites analysis of customs clearance data which suggests that Russia may have repurchased over 6000 sighing telescopes and 200 cameras designed to be installed on tanks. A Russian military expert says that Russia’s inventory of tanks includes many older model T-72 variants, which would need upgrading in specific areas like optics used for targeting.  Some of the equipment in question in the report is particularly difficult for the Russian military to produce or procure following the sanctions that Western nations have implemented on Russia due to the Ukraine war. G7 leaders have sought support from other countries on supporting the sanctions against Moscow, but those countries which rely on Russia for military support have been particularly resistant to supporting sanctions against Russia.  Nikkei Asia

Russia, Ukraine Face Off at World Court Over Downing of Flight MH17.  Lawyers for Ukraine and Russia are meeting today at the International Court of Justice over the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.  Ukraine blames Russia-backed separatists for shooting down the jetliner and says that Russia violated a UN anti-terrorism treaty by supporting the separatists.  In opening remarks at the court, Ukrainian representatives called Russia a terrorist state, noting Russia’s attacks on civilian infrastructure during the Ukraine war.  Russia will respond to Ukraine’s case on Thursday.  Al Jazeera Reuters

Turkey’s Erdogan Appoints New Intelligence Chief.  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appointed his spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin as head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency (MIT) on Monday.  Kalin succeeds Hakan Fidan, who had been MIT chief since 2010 and was appointed foreign minister on Saturday.  Kalin is a long-term close confidant of Erdogan and has served as the spokesperson for the Turkish presidency and a foreign policy advisor for the president since 2014.  Reuters

NATO Sends Reinforcements to Kosovo Amid Unrest.  NATO officials say that reinforcements began arriving in Kosovo on Monday to reinforce its presence in the region. NATO is bolstering its presence in Kosovo amid ongoing unrest among ethnic Serbs resisting ethnic Albanian mayors who have recently taken office.  Over 700 troops are being deployed to reinforce the 4,000 strong NATO peacekeeping force in the country.  NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu announced on Twitter that "around 500 service members from Turkey's 65th Mechanized Infantry Brigade will make up the bulk of the reinforcements.”   Reuters

Asia and Oceania

China Leading Tech Race in Areas Deemed Critical by AUKUS.  The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said Tuesday that a survey of top science papers globally shows that China leads research in 19 of 23 technologies set as priorities by AUKUS partners Australia, Britain and the U.S.  The technologies include hypersonics, electronic warfare and undersea drones.  The technologies are part of a list of “Pillar Two” priorities that AUKUS seeks to collaborate on.  In some areas, AUKUS came out on top; AUKUS countries combined maintain the lead in research on advanced robotics, adversarial AI-reverse engineering, cybersecurity capabilities, and quantum sensors, and the U.S. leads on quantum computing.  However, ASPI says that no individual AUKUS member significantly overcomes China’s technological lead, underscoring the need for stronger collaboration.  Reuters 

Indonesia Launches Multilateral Naval Drills.  Indonesia’s navy kicked off a major naval exercise on Monday.  The routine “Komodo” drills are a “non-war” exercise aimed at boosting engagement between the 49 participating countries on efforts like sea rescues and humanitarian responses.  The U.S., Britain, China, Japan, Russia, India and Pakistan, and North and South Korea are participating in this year’s drills.  China sent a destroyer and frigate, both equipped with guided missiles, to the exercise, according to Chinese state media.  Experts say the drills underscore Indonesia’s effort to position itself as a neutral broker in the region.  Reuters South China Morning Post

Indonesia, Australia Defense Chiefs Meet.  Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles met in Jakarta on Monday to deepen security ties between their countries.  Subianto said the two agreed to step up military cooperation, including through joint military training in Australia and the education opportunities for Indonesian cadets at Australian academies.  Associated Press

Philippine President Appoints Defense Minister.  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr appointed Gilberto Teodoro as defense minister on Monday.  Teodoro takes the post amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea.  Teodoro served as defense minister under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.  He replaces Carlito Galvez, a former military chief who served as defense minister in an acting capacity since January after the previous acting defense chief resigned.  Reuters

Australians Sentenced to Death in Vietnam Granted Clemency.  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC television Monday that following diplomatic efforts Vietnam has granted clemency to two unnamed Australians that were set to be executed.  Albanese said he traveled to Vietnam this weekend and met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to make “representations on behalf of Australian citizens.”  He also spoke on behalf of a separate Vietnamese-Australian man detained in Vietnam since 2019 on terrorism charges, but said that Canberra seeks an international prisoner transfer in that case.  Reuters  

UN Revises Afghanistan Aid Budget Plan Down to $3.2 Billion.  The UN has revised its planned budget for Afghanistan aid for 2023 to $3.2 billion, down from the $4.6 billion planned earlier in the year.  The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the decrease is due to the “changing operating context” in Afghanistan limiting capacity of aid groups, namely regarding the Taliban’s restrictions on female aid workers.  Diplomats and aid organizations have warned that aid to Afghanistan could decrease if the Taliban restrictions on female aid workers continue.  In a sign that the Taliban may be moving to address this, the Norwegian Refugee Council said it has resumed operations in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar after the Taliban allowed the aid agency’s female Afghan staff to return to work under an interim arrangement.  Reuters Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary General Jan Egeland Twitter

Middle East and Northern Africa

IAEA Denies Watering Down Iran Reporting.  IAEA chief Rafael Grossi denied accusations that his agency lowered its standards and did not act strongly enough in its investigations of traces of uranium found at undeclared Iranian sites, asserting that “we never ever… water down our standards.”  His comments came after the IAEA said last week that Iran provided a “possible explanation” of the uranium particles at one site.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Sunday by saying that the IAEA’s findings on the matter amounted to a “capitulation to Iranian pressure” and a “black stain” on the agency’s record.  Grossi brushed off the criticism and defended the IAEA’s credibility while also calling on Iran to move quicker on re-installing the agency’s nuclear monitoring equipment.  Reuters Associated Press 

Iran Reopening Embassy in Saudi Arabia.  Iran’s foreign ministry confirmed that Iran is reopening its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.  The ministry added that Iran is also re-opening its consulate in Jeddah and a representative office with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.  The move comes in accordance with a China-brokered rapprochement agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.  There is still no information when Saudi Arabia will reopen its embassy in Tehran.  Al Jazeera 

Iran Claims to Develop its First Hypersonic Ballistic Missile.  Iran presented what it called its first domestically-made hypersonic ballistic missile on Tuesday.  Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps’ aerospace force, told state media that the new Fattah hypersonic missile “has a range of 1,400 kilometers and is capable of penetrating all defense shields.”  Iranian state television called the Fattah missile a “big generational leap in the field of missiles” and claimed it can “bypass the most advanced anti-ballistic missile systems of the United States and… Israel’s Iron Dome.”  Reuters

Sub Saharan Africa

Conflict in Senegal Endangers Nation’s Security, Experts Press Government to Establish Calm.  Senegal experts and religious leaders, fearing civil war in the West African country, urged the government Monday to restore peace and calm after days of violent riots and protests.  Clashes between government forces and protesters have killed 16 people and injured hundreds more.  Police have also arrested 500 people amid the protests.  The unrest began after the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko last week. Sonko’s primarily young followers believe his conviction and sentence of two years in prison are part of a scheme to prevent his presidential candidacy in 2024, which has sparked concern that incumbent President Macky Sall will illegally attempt to run for a third term. Experts worry that the crisis, that nation’s worst since 1998, could destabilize the country and offer opportunities for extremist and jihadist groups to take advantage of the situation.  Associated Press CNN

Cyber and Tech

NATO CyCon Speakers Cite Military Cyber Defense Role, ‘Justice’ for Cyberwarfare Crimes.  A NATO security official has told the NATO-sponsored Conference on Cyber Conflict (CyCon) in Estonia that members of the alliance recognize cyberspace as a “permanently contested environment.”  Consequently, explained David van Weel, assistant secretary general for emerging security challenges, NATO states beginning in July will endorse a role for military cyber defenders alongside private sector cybersecurity programs in the fight against state-sponsored hacking campaigns.  The endorsement of a greater military cyber defense role will be on the agenda of the NATO conference in Lithuania next month.  It will outline a blueprint for the alliance’s response to cyberwarfare arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well as broader implications for European security.  Weel noted that Russia’s cyber capabilities employed in Ukraine have “confirmed” theories of cyber conflict, adding that Russia “will likely continue using them after the kinetic phase of this conflict.”  Estonian President Alar Karis, in opening the CyCon conference, said that the International Criminal Court should not allow those who committed “crimes against humanity” in cyberspace to avoid prosecution.   Referring to the multiple Russian cyberattacks against Ukraine’s critical infrastructures and civilian targets, Karis said “in Ukraine, as in other armed conflicts, we should not think of cyberattacks during armed conflict as something separate from the rest of the military campaign.”  TheRecord  (Follow-up report)

UK Prime Minister To Discuss AI Regulatory, Research Models in Talks with Biden.  British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will advocate a leading UK role in an international body to regulate and promote research into AI technologies when he meets with President Joe Biden this week in Washington.  Among the possibilities Sunak is expected to raise is a “CERN for AI,” modeled after the international nuclear research center in Geneva that coordinates global research and analysis and serves as a testbed for related experiments.  Another worldwide model is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which coordinates regulations and conducts inspections to ensure compliance with agreed standards for atomic energy development and use.  Sources say that Downing Street officials envision Britain as a possible host nation for such a center.  An unidentified “ally” of the prime minister said reaching “international alignment” on the concept would be the first step, “then we can move forward to what that looks like.”  As for the leadership role the UK could play in such an undertaking, a British official said the prime minister is keenly aware of the opportunities to benefit from AI while managing its risks, adding “the UK is well placed to take a leading role in that and the first step is engaging with our allies from around the world on this work.”  Financial Times

Apple Unveils Long-Awaited Augmented VR Headset.  Apple introduced what is said to be the tech company’s biggest innovation since the iPhone when it unveiled an augmented VR headset called the Vision Pro at its annual developers’ conference.  Apple CEO Tim Cook touted the device’s revolutionary features:  “You can relive your most important memories in an entirely new way,” he said, adding that Vision Pro will bring a spatial computing experience similar to the way the iPhone introduced mobile computing.  According to reviewers, it is clear that a slim build and minimal weight were design priorities for the Vision Pro in an effort to distinguish it from competitor headsets.  In terms of user operation, Apple said content can be selected within the goggles with a person’s eyes.  Users also can operate a three-dimensional camera and microphone system to capture videos and pictures for later 3D viewing.  A digital “crown” borrowed from the Apple Watch allows physical control of content as well.  In sum, the Vision Pro is controlled by voice, hands, and eyes with no external controllers.  Reviewers also pointed out that the Vision Pro works well with existing Apple accessories, including Mac computers which can be used within Vision Pro, providing a substantially larger screen.  Apple claims this will work well within an office environment, whether in person or working from home. After work, you can load up a streaming service and immerse yourself into a 3D movie on a rendered 100-foot screen.  Reuters DigitalTrends Wired

EU Commissioner Calls for AI Generated Content To Be Labeled.  Vera Jourova, the deputy head of the European Commission, said that because of the potential for generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard to produce disinformation, such applications should have the ability to recognize fake text, photos, and other content and label them accordingly.  Jourova called on companies that have signed the voluntary EU Code of Practice, such as Microsoft and Google, to integrate safeguards into their services so that they cannot be misused by “malicious actors to generate disinformation.”  Specifically, Jourova said that firms employing generative AI need to employ technology that recognizes disinformation “and clearly label this to users.”  Jourova said that labeling of AI-generated content should begin immediately.  She noted that Twitter, which last month withdrew from the Code of Practice, “has chosen the hard way. They chose confrontation.  Make no mistake, by leaving the code, Twitter has attracted a lot of attention, and its actions and compliance with EU law will be scrutinized vigorously and urgently.”  Reuters   Associated Press

Linkage Between Russian Kinetic, Cyber Attacks Suggested by Cybersecurity Data.   Data collected in Ukraine by Project Galileo, a free web security service offered by the Cloudfare cybersecurity company, suggests a possible link between surges in “malicious attacks” on emergency services and Russian bombings.  Other Ukrainian organizations such as human rights groups and media outlets see increases in attacks during high-visibility political or diplomatic events such as Russia’s assumption of the UN Security Council presidency in April.

According to David Belson, Cloudfare’s chief data analyst, “we’re not specifically placing blame for the sources of the attacks, but we’re seeing things play out in new and unique ways. In Ukraine, if Russia is trying to attack them physically, and then an actor is trying to prevent them from getting access to the sites that provide emergency resources on the digital side, it’s a new facet in warfare.”  Beyond Ukraine, Cloudfare notes that civil society organizations may be targeted for intensified cyberattacks during times of tension surrounding issues in which they have an interest or stake. Cloudflare researchers underscore that organizations with low daily traffic can be overwhelmed by unexpected DDoS attacks.  Cloudfare vice president Alissa Starzak said:  “We often see attacks against websites if there are things happening in the physical world—controversy about a subject, focus on a particular topic. The organizations that are targeted are the ones that are navigating that.”  Wired

Google Issues Security Warning on Flaw in Gmail Checkmark Verification System.   Google has discovered a critical flaw in a new security feature, prompting a warning to 1.8 billion Gmail users.  The recently released Gmail checkmark system was intended to give users a way of identifying verified senders through use of a blue checkmark.  Scammers reportedly have found a way to exploit the feature by tricking Gmail into recognizing fake brands as legitimate.  Google issued a statement after investigating initial reports of a checkmark flaw, noting that “we are reopening this and the appropriate team is taking a closer look at what is going on."  The cybersecurity engineer who first discovered the vulnerability reports that Google has now listed the flaw as a ‘P1’ (top priority) fix, which is currently “in progress.”  In the meantime, according to reports, “the Gmail checkmark verification system remains broken” and is subject to scamming by hackers.  Forbes TechTimes

Malaysia Leaves Decisions on 5G Equipment Providers to Mobile Network Operators.  Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has announced that Malaysia will continue to be a “free market” and will allow mobile phone vendors to decide for themselves if they want to work with Chinese telecommunications manufacturers, including Huawei, in the rollout of a second national 5G network.  Fadzil said contractual arrangements with network equipment providers is a commercial decision and that “the ones who need to be convinced” of possible issues are operators of mobile networks.  The minister added, without elaboration, that the government will consider the security concerns raised by the U.S., Britain, and others about Huawei’s involvement in the new network.  The announcement last year of a second 5G network in Malaysia led Huawei to make its interest known in securing contracts. Bloomberg

CISA Orders Federal Agencies To Patch Managed File Transfer Open to Data Theft.  CISA has given Federal agencies until June 23 to patch their systems to protect against an “actively exploited security bug” in the MOVEit MFT solution. The flaw allows unauthenticated, remote threat actors to gain access and execute arbitrary code in MOVEit’s transfer database.  Components that cannot act within the prescribed timeframe can disable HTTP and HTTPS traffic to their MOVEit Transfer environments “to remote the attack surface.”  According to BleepingComputer, multiple organizations have suffered breaches and data thefts through a newly discovered web shell – Lemurfoot — which helps attackers harvest Azure Blob Storage account information, including credentials which can be used to exfiltrate data from storage containers.  The cybersecurity firm Mandiant has discovered possible links between attacks targeting MOVEit Transfer servers and the FIN11 threat group, which is known for data theft extortion attempts through the Clop ransomware gang's leak site.  Extortion attempts have not yet begun, leaving the identity of the attackers unknown.  BleepingComputer

BA, BBC and Boots Employee Data Exposed in File Transfer Software Breach.  A breach involving a file transfer tool exposed the personal data of tens of thousands of employees of British Airways, the UK drugstore chain Boots and the BBC on Monday.  The breach, which centered on the corruption of the MOVEit file transfer software, impacted the three organizations’ payroll provider, Zellis.  Separately, the breach also impacted the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada.  MOVEit said it has fixed the vulnerability exploited in the hack and is working on response.  Microsoft said Sunday that it believes the “Lace Tempest” group, which is accused of running the cl0p ransomware site, was behind the attack.  Reuters

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