Updates
Russian state TV protester gets house arrest accused of spreading fake news
Marina Ovsyannikova, Former Russian TV journalist, was placed under house arrest for two months due to the criminal case investigation where she was charged with spreading fake news about Russia’s armed forces. Russia passed a new law against discrediting the armed forces on March 4, eight days after invading Ukraine under the name of “special (See more)
The Connectivity Standards Alliance release the Matter 1.0 standard
The Connectivity Standards Alliance and its members release the Matter 1.0 standard and certification program after some past delays. An official Matter launch event is scheduled for November 3rd, but companies can start selling Matter devices or upgrading existing ones as soon as they’re certified.
Xtreme RAT and Cryptominer delivered in pirated Windows Operating System
The Threat Response Unit (TRU) team of eSentire identified pirated Windows Operating System (OS) backdoored with CryptoMiner and Xtreme RAT. The TRU found that the behavior operated is identical to the one prescribed by Minerva Labs in mid-2021, which introduced ways to bypass Windows defender.
Lazarus hacker group weaponise open-source software against several countries
Open-source software has been weaponised by threat actors connected to North Korea. The Lazarus Group, also known as Zinc, the actor tracked by Microsoft, is said to have carried out the attacks. Targets include media, defense and aerospace, and information technology sectors in the United States, UK, India, and Russia.
New supply chain attack via trojanized chat installer identified
New Supply Chain Attack via trojanized Comm100 Chat installer identified by the US cybersecurity team CrowdStrike. It is found that the malware was delivered from a signed Comm100 Installer that could be downloaded from the company’s website.
Meta takes down hundreds of fake accounts linked to China and Russia.
On Tuesday Meta announced that they took down hundreds of fake accounts linked to Russia and China that targeted users in Europe, Ukraine and the U.S. The Chinese and Russian networks recently discovered by the company were unrelated, but apparently the narratives they were spreading overlapped in their criticism of the West. Researchers said they (See more)
Launch of Japan Fact-check Center to counter fake news.
The Safer Internet Association, a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization, will launch a fact-checking organization called the Japan Fact-check Center, aimed at preventing the spread of fake news and other false information. Disinformation has become a relevant social issue in Japan as stories overstating the danger of COVID-19 vaccines and uncertain information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (See more)
UK’s government offers to fund organizational IoT cybersecurity vulnerabilities research
UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) provides funding for organizations to research the cyber security of their smart devices (e.g., printers, cameras, and room booking systems) to ensure they are adequately protected against hackers. The successful bidder will be awarded up to £200,000 to test popular devices and help identify if current (See more)
Indonesian activists condemn latest cyberattack on press freedom
Indonesian activists have condemned a series of widespread and coordinated cyberattacks on journalists and employees of media company Narasi. This media company is known for its criticism of the government.
HRC’s annual debate on gender-based barriers to freedom of expression: online aspects
Human Rights Council held its annual debate on the incorporation of a gender perspective. The focus was on overcoming gender-based barriers to freedom of opinion and expression. Gender-based online violence against journalists is one of the most serious contemporary threats to press freedom, and states must not use efforts to eradicate online violence, gendered hate speech, and disinformation as an excuse to limit free expression.