Crossroads Blog | Institute National Security and Counterterrorism

Current Affairs, cyber attack, Cyber Jihad, social media, terrorism

Cyber Round Up: Medical Devices as a Cyber Vulnerability; US Regulators Concerned about ‘Armageddon-Type’ Cyber Attack; Islamic State Takes Over Social Media; Taiwan Probes Xiaomi on Cyber Security; Cyber Attacks Hit Military Transport Companies

  • According to an article by the Washington Post, something people used to dismiss as a far-fetched idea is now getting main-stream coverage.  The article reports that the FDA is holding a conference open to the public to discuss the potential cyber vulnerabilities in the use of medical devices.
  • New York State Department of Financial Services Chief Benjamin Lawsky describes his fear of an Armageddon-type cyber attack in this article by The Guardian.  Mr. Lawsky states in the article that banks should be doing more to protect against cyber vulnerabilities, and points to the incentive of widespread cyber insurance that would require banks to be more vigilant.
  • Are we in a new era of crowdsourced terrorism? A report by ABC News discusses the way social media is being used to promote terrorism, and whether the numerous depictions by the Islamic State media machine of the “martyrdom fantasy” require a Western social media response.
  • Reuters reports that the Taiwanese government will make a decision within three months as to whether Xiaomi Inc [XTC.UL], China’s leading smartphone company by domestic shipments, is a cyber security threat.  The article overviews the legal and political implications of the investigation, which began after reports in recent months that some models automatically send user data back to the firm’s servers in mainland China.
  •  According to a recently declassified report, more than 20 incidents of cyber-espionage affected government contractors providing transportation services to the U.S. military.  An article by EWEEK reviews the incidents, which occurred between 2008 and 2013, as well as the findings of the declassified report which attributed all of the targeted attacks to the Chinese military.

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