Intelligence

Pierluigi Paganini July 01, 2020
The U.S. FCC considers Huawei and ZTE as national security threats

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that Chinese telecommunications giants Huawei and ZTE are considered as national security threats. Last week China accused the US government of “oppressing Chinese companies” after U.S. regulators declared Huawei and ZTE to be national security threats. The Federal Communications Commission blocked the Chinese companies from receiving subsidies from a […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 17, 2020
CIA elite hacking unit was not able to protect its tools and cyber weapons

A CIA elite hacking unit that developed cyber-weapons failed in protecting its operations, states an internal report on the Vault 7 data leak. According to an internal report drown up after the 2016 data breach that led to the ‘Vault 7‘ data leak, a specialized CIA unit involved in the development of hacking tools and […]

Pierluigi Paganini June 10, 2020
Slovak police found wiretapping devices connected to the Govnet government network

Slovak police seized wiretapping devices connected to Govnet government network and arrested four individuals, including the head of a government agency. Slovak National Criminal Agency (NAKA) seized wiretapping devices connected to the Govnet network and arrested four individuals, including the head of a government agency, who was responsible for managing the government network. GOVNET is a network […]

Pierluigi Paganini May 04, 2020
Nation-state actors are targeting UK universities to steal info on COVID-19 research

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is warning of cyber attacks against UK universities and scientific institutes involved in COVID-19 research.  The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned of targeted attacks against UK universities and scientific facilities that are involved in the COVID-19 research.  The NCSC reported that nation-state actors are carrying out cyber […]

Pierluigi Paganini April 17, 2020
Mastering Communication in Cyber Intelligence Activities: A Concise User Guide

by Boris Giannetto and Pierluigi Paganini Communication is key in intelligence activities. On the one hand, it is essential to transfer to a number of recipients the knowledge coming from information acquisition and analysis (“intelligence communication”); on the other hand, it is crucial to understand and control the communication connected with the activities carried out (“communication […]

Pierluigi Paganini March 01, 2020
Russian spies are attempting to tap transatlantic undersea cables

This week, several media reported that agents of the Russian intelligence reportedly went to Ireland to inspect the undersea cables. The Sunday Times reported that Russian intelligence agents have been sent to Ireland to gather detailed information on the undersea cables that connect Europe to North America. The news is alarming, intelligence agencies fear that […]

Pierluigi Paganini February 21, 2020
DOD DISA US agency discloses a security breach

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) US agency in charge of secure IT and communication for the White House has disclosed a data breach. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the DoD agency that is in charge of the security of IT and telecommunications for the White House and military troops has suffered a cyber […]

Pierluigi Paganini February 13, 2020
US officials claim Huawei Equipment has secret backdoor for spying

Huawei can secretly tap into communications through the networking equipment, states a U.S. official, while White House urge allies to ban the Chinese giant. This week The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials say Huawei can covertly access telecom networks where its equipment is installed. “U.S. officials say Huawei Technologies Co. can covertly access […]

Pierluigi Paganini February 12, 2020
Crypto AG was spied for US, German intelligence agencies for decades

Swiss authorities are investigating into allegations the company Crypto AG, a Switzerland-based maker of encryption devices, was a front company for the CIA and German intelligence. According to a joint report published by Germany’s ZDF public broadcaster and The Washington Post the Swiss-based firm Crypto AG was operating for CIA and the German Intelligence agency providing […]

Pierluigi Paganini January 14, 2020
Why Russian APT Fancy Bear hacked the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma?

Russia-linked cyber-espionage group hacked the Ukrainian energy company Burisma at the center of the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump. The Russian cyberspies, operating under Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency (aka Fancy Bear) carried out a spear-phishing campaign in November aimed at accessing the email of Burisma Holdings employees. The attack was detailed by […]