Iran is running two surveillance operations in cyber-space, targeting more than 1,000 dissidents, according to a leading cyber-security company. From a report: The efforts were directed against individuals in Iran and 12 other countries, including the UK and US, Check Point said. It said the two groups involved were using new techniques to install spyware on targets’ PCs and mobile devices….
Tag: Iran
How the NSA’s Hubris Left America Vulnerable
A new book promises “the untold story of the cyberweapons market — the most secretive, invisible, government-backed market on earth — and a terrifying first look at a new kind of global warfare.” Its author — a New York Times cybersecurity reporter — shares the book’s story about David Evenden, a former National Security Agency analyst who later worked in Abu…
Massive Blackouts Have Hit Iran. The Government is Blaming Bitcoin Mining.
Massive blackouts and smog have hit cities across Iran. It’s a toxic mix as the country, already under economic duress and suffocating U.S. sanctions, simultaneously battles the region’s worst coronavirus outbreak. Blackouts are not new in Iran, where an aging and subsidized electricity sector is plagued by alleged mismanagement. But this time, government officials say that bitcoin mining at cryptocurrency farms…
Star trails over a tree-lined path
Photo of star trails over a tree-lined path in Iran. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/star-trails-jan5-2021-iran-nima-asadzadeh…
Iran is enriching uranium to 20%. What does that mean?
Iran announced it is enriching uranium to 20% purity which increases their nuclear capabilities, but it’s not too late to defuse the situation. Source: https://www.livescience.com/iran-enriches-uranium-what-that-means.html
GitHub Secures License To Operate In Iran
Last July, GitHub prevented users in Iran and several other nations from accessing portions of the service due to U.S. sanction laws. Today, the world’s largest host of source code announced that it has secured a license from the U.S. government to operate in Iran. It’s also working to secure similar licenses for developers in Crimea and Syria as well. MSPoweruser…
A Deepfake Queen Delivered an Alternative Christmas Speech to Warn about Misinformation
“A fake Queen Elizabeth danced across TV screens on Christmas as part of a ‘deepfake’ speech aired by a British broadcaster,” reports CNN:
The broadcaster said the video was supposed to offer “a stark warning about the advanced technology that is enabling the proliferation of misinformation and fake news in a digital age.” Channel 4 annually accompanies the Queen’s traditional speech with…
What’s the birthstone for December?
If you were born December, you’ve got 2 birthstones, turquoise and zircon. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/december-birthstone-zircon-turquoise…
Report Claims Huawei Finance Chief Meng Wanzhou Could Be Set Free In Exchange of Admitting Guilt
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CBC.ca: The U.S. Justice Department is talking to representatives of Meng Wanzhou about a potential deal that would allow the Chinese telecom executive to return home from Canada in exchange for signing a deferred prosecution agreement admitting criminal wrongdoing, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Meng, the chief financial officer of…
Report Claims America’s CIA Also Controlled a Second Swiss Encryption Firm
Long-time Slashdot reader SonicSpike brings this report from AFP:
Swiss politicians have voiced outrage and demanded an investigation after revelations that a second Swiss encryption company was allegedly used by the CIA and its German counterpart to spy on governments worldwide. “How can such a thing happen in a country that claims to be neutral like Switzerland?” co-head of Switzerland’s Socialist Party,…