Digital technology experts highlighted the need for collaboration and partnerships among African nations to tackle shared cybersecurity threats effectively. By emphasising a unified approach, participants recognised that regional cooperation is essential in addressing the complexities of cyber risks that impact businesses and governments.
Public-private partnerships were also advocated, as collaboration between the private sector and governmental agencies can foster the development of effective cybersecurity solutions, creating a safer business environment and promoting resilience against cyber threats. Additionally, they underscored the importance of identifying and valuing critical infrastructure, which is vital for informing robust security strategies. Sharing best practices among African countries can enhance defences without reinventing solutions, creating a collective strength across the continent.
Specifically, the call for harmonised cybersecurity laws across Africa aims to create consistent regulations that address capacity gaps and enhance digital security. Additionally, capacity-building initiatives are essential for equipping individuals and organisations to tackle evolving cyber challenges.
Moreover, they emphasised the need for effective incident response frameworks, as these strategies are crucial for minimising the impact of cyber incidents on businesses and governments. Ultimately, this proactive approach boosts resilience and fosters trust in the digital ecosystem, enabling Africa to navigate the complexities of the digital age confidently.
US federal prosecutors are ramping up efforts to tackle the use of AI tools in creating child sexual abuse images, as they fear the technology could lead to a rise in illegal content. The Justice Department has already pursued two cases this year against individuals accused of using generative AI to produce explicit images of minors. James Silver, chief of the Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, anticipates more cases, cautioning against the normalisation of AI-generated abuse material.
Child safety advocates and prosecutors worry that AI systems can alter ordinary photos of children to produce abusive content, making it more challenging to identify and protect actual victims. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports approximately 450 cases each month involving AI-generated abuse. While this number is small compared to the millions of online child exploitation reports received, it represents a concerning trend in the misuse of technology.
The legal framework is still evolving regarding cases involving AI-generated abuse, particularly when identifiable children are not depicted. Prosecutors are resorting to obscenity charges when traditional child pornography laws do not apply. This is evident in the case of Steven Anderegg, accused of using Stable Diffusion to create explicit images. Similarly, US Army soldier Seth Herrera faces child pornography charges for allegedly using AI chatbots to alter innocent photos into abusive content. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Nonprofit groups like Thorn and All Tech Is Human are working with major tech companies, including Google, Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, and Stability AI, to prevent AI models from generating abusive content and to monitor their platforms. Thorn’s vice president, Rebecca Portnoff, emphasised that the issue is not just a future risk but a current problem, urging action during this critical period to prevent its escalation.
These artificial avatars would operate on social media and online platforms, featuring realistic expressions and high-quality images akin to government IDs. JSOC also seeks technologies to produce convincing facial and background videos, including ‘selfie videos’, to avoid detection by social media algorithms.
US state agencies have previously announced frameworks to combat foreign information manipulation, citing national security threats from these technologies. Despite recognising the global dangers posed by deepfakes, SOCOM’s initiative underscores a willingness to engage with the technology for potential military advantage.
Experts expressed concern over the ethical implications and potential for increased misinformation, warning of the entirely deceptive nature of deepfakes, with no legitimate applications beyond deceit, possibly encouraging further global misuse. Furthermore, such practices pose the risk of diminished public trust in government communications, exacerbated by perceived hypocrisy in deploying such technology.
Why does it matter?
This plan reflects an ongoing interest in leveraging digital manipulation for military purposes, despite previous incidents where platforms like Meta dismantled similar US-linked networks. It further shows a contradiction in the US’s stance on deepfake use, as it simultaneously condemns similar actions by countries like Russia and China.
The Mekong-US Partnership (MUSP) recently hosted a policy dialogue on online scams, bringing together government representatives from Thailand, the US, and Vietnam. The seminar, held in Bangkok, focused on addressing cybersecurity issues and fostering cooperation to combat online crime across the Mekong region. The event was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Stimson Center, with support from the US Department of State.
Discussions centred around strategies to prevent online scams, enhance risk management, and ensure the security of digital financial systems. Thai officials, including Ekapong Harimcharoen from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, highlighted national policies and shared insights with international partners. Participants explored collaborative efforts to build a secure online environment and promote regional connectivity under the MUSP framework.
Thailand is taking significant steps to expand its digital economy, projected to contribute 11% to GDP by 2027. Several laws and initiatives are already in place, such as the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and the Cyber Security Act. These measures aim to protect data, promote responsible AI development, and safeguard critical infrastructure sectors including healthcare, banking, and telecommunications.
With remote work and cloud technologies becoming more prominent, the demand for cybersecurity solutions is growing. Thailand aims to position itself as a regional leader in information and communications technology while tackling the evolving challenges of cybercrime. Cooperation under the MUSP framework is expected to enhance resilience in the digital landscape of the Mekong sub-region.
A 25-year-old man from Alabama has been arrested for hacking the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account in a scheme to manipulate Bitcoin prices. The incident, which occurred in January, involved a false post on the SEC’s account claiming the approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, briefly causing Bitcoin’s price to rise by $1,000. The SEC swiftly deleted the post and denied the message, but the hack sparked criticism over security vulnerabilities on X.
The suspect, Eric Council Jr., used a SIM-swapping technique to access the account and later received Bitcoin as payment for his involvement in the hack. Following the incident, he reportedly searched online for information on how to avoid FBI detection. Council now faces charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud.
The SEC expressed its gratitude to law enforcement for their prompt action in the case, while the incident reignited concerns over the security of social media platforms, particularly since X’s acquisition by Elon Musk.
Apple has resolved an issue that temporarily prevented users from downloading apps on iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. The outage, which began at around 11AM ET on Wednesday, caused widespread problems for users attempting to install new apps.
Reports of the issue quickly surfaced on social media, with users in both the United States and Europe affected. When attempting to download apps, the ‘Get’ button would briefly indicate loading before resetting, leaving users unable to complete the installation.
By around 12:30PM ET, the App Store appeared to be functioning normally again, and users could download apps as usual. However, the problem did not affect updates to apps that had already been installed on devices.
Apple has not yet responded to requests for more information regarding the cause of the outage.
South Korea plans to strengthen measures to prevent the overseas leakage of business secrets as global competition for advanced technology intensifies, according to Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok. The government will implement a “big data” system at the patent agency to monitor potential leaks and introduce stricter regulations with tougher penalties for offenders, although details on the punishments were not provided.
The National Intelligence Service reported 97 attempts to leak business secrets to foreign countries over the past five years, 40 of which targeted the semiconductor sector. If successful, these breaches could have caused losses of approximately 23 trillion won ($16.85 billion). Recently, a South Korean executive accused of stealing Samsung Electronics’ chip technology was detained again over new allegations.
In response to global competition and supply chain challenges, South Korea has identified 12 sectors, including semiconductors, rechargeable batteries, aerospace, and AI, as ‘national strategic technologies.’ These industries receive targeted support and protection to boost the country’s technological leadership.
The investigation particularly focuses on two contentious posts. The first is a meme from a page linked to Poland’s far-right Confederation party, featuring former prime minister Donald Tusk in a racially charged image that alludes to the EU’s immigration pact. The image utilises language perceived as a racial slur in Poland, raising ethical concerns about its impact. The second case involves an AI-generated image posted on a German Facebook page opposing leftist and green parties. It portrays a woman with Aryan features in a stop gesture with accompanying text condemning immigrants as ‘gang-rape specialists,’ a narrative linked to perceived outcomes of the Green Party’s immigration policies. This portrayal not only uses inflammatory rhetoric but also touches on deeply sensitive cultural issues within Germany.
Thorning-Schmidt highlighted the importance of examining Meta’s current approach to managing ‘coded speech’—subtle language or imagery that carries derogatory implications while avoiding direct violations of community standards.
The board’s investigation will assess whether Meta’s policies on hate speech are robust enough to protect individuals and communities at risk of discrimination, while still allowing for critical discourse on immigration matters. Meta’s policy is designed to protect refugees, migrants, immigrants, and asylum seekers from severe attacks while allowing critique of immigration laws.
Why does it matter?
The outcome of this investigation could prompt significant changes in how Meta moderates content on sensitive topics like immigration, striking a balance between curbing hate speech and preserving freedom of expression. Moreover, Meta’s oversight board tackling politically sensitive posts shows the broader challenges social media platforms face in moderating content that balances the fine line between free expression and inciting division. It highlights the ongoing debate on the role of these platforms in managing nuanced or politically sensitive content, potentially setting a precedent.
The Cybersecurity Association of China (CSAC) has urged a security review of Intel’s products in China, alleging that the US chipmaker poses a national security risk. Although CSAC is an industry group, it has strong connections to the Chinese government, and its claims may prompt action from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).
CSAC’s post on WeChat accuses Intel’s chips, including its Xeon processors used for AI, of containing vulnerabilities and backdoors allegedly tied to the US NSA. The group warns that using Intel products threatens China’s national security and critical infrastructure.
This recommendation comes amid growing US-China tensions over technology and trade. Last year, the CAC banned Chinese infrastructure operators from using products from Micron Technology after a security review, raising concerns that Intel could face a similar outcome.
Intel’s China unit responded, emphasising its commitment to product safety and quality. The company stated on its WeChat account that it will cooperate with authorities to clarify concerns. If the CAC carries out a security review, it could impact Intel’s sales in its significant Chinese market. Intel’s shares recently dropped 2.7% in US premarket trading.
Russia is using generative AI to ramp up disinformation campaigns against Ukraine, warned Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Anton Demokhin, during a cyber conference in Singapore. He explained that AI is enabling Russia to spread false narratives on a larger and more complex scale, making it increasingly difficult to detect and counter. The spread of disinformation is a growing focus for Russia, alongside ongoing cyberattacks targeting Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have previously reported that Russia’s FSB and military intelligence agencies are behind many of these efforts, with the goal of undermining public trust and spreading confusion. Demokhin stressed that Russia’s disinformation efforts are global, calling for international cooperation to tackle this emerging threat. He also mentioned that Ukraine is using AI to track these campaigns but declined to comment on any offensive cyber operations.
Meanwhile, other Russian cyberattacks are targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and supply chains, seeking to disrupt essential services. Ukraine continues to collaborate with the International Criminal Court on investigating Russian cyber activities as potential war crimes.
