8chan/8kun QResearch Posts (6)
#23621445 at 2025-09-19 02:31:46 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #28776: Deep State is Big Mad Edition
Cyber Expert Warns China Could Remotely Detonate Aussie EVs In Hybrid Warfare Campaign
Earlier this week, at the Australian Financial Review Cyber Summit, cybersecurity expert Alastair MacGibbon highlighted an alarming national security risk posed by millions of China-manufactured connected devices operating across Australia. He warned that particularly internet-connected electric vehicles (EVs) represent new threat vectors for hybrid warfare operations, one in which he said these vehicles could be transformed into "ticking time bombs."
On Tuesday, MacGibbon, former cybersecurity adviser to Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and now chief strategy officer at CyberCX, warned, "Those cars that we talk about, whether they're electric or not, are listening devices, and they're surveillance devices in terms of cameras."
But worse, he cautioned, "Take off the safety features of household batteries so that they overcharge. Take off those same safety features for electric vehicles. Just turn them off from the manufacturer so that those vehicles explode. Degrade their ability to drive at peak hour in select cities."
MacGibbon's comments echo warnings in a recent note we penned, citing the book China's Total War Strategy: Next-Generation Weapons of Mass Destruction - published by the CCP BioThreats Initiative and authored by Dr. Ryan Clarke, LJ Eads, Dr. Robert McCreight, and Dr. Xiaoxu Sean Lin, which outlines the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been pursuing an aggressive, multifaceted "total war" against the U.S. that leverages next-generation weapons, including synthetic narcotics (e.g., fentanyl and cannabinoids), bioweapons (e.g., Covid-19), psychological manipulation and influence (e.g., TikTok), and a broad arsenal of irregular warfare tools.
Clarke and the other authors describe this strategy as the CCP's "assassin's mace", an indirect, hybrid warfare doctrine designed to exploit U.S. vulnerabilities and collapse the nation from within. The results are already visible in the fentanyl epidemic and the broader drug crisis. Also, remember, "rogue" devices have been found in Chinese solar panels.
Last month, four Chinese brands - BYD Auto, GWM (Great Wall Motors), MG Motor (SAIC), and Chery - broke into Australia's top ten in sales for the first time. Tens of thousands of Chinese EVs are now on Australian highways, alongside millions of other connected devices that could be weaponized in hybrid warfare. Remember when America faced the exploding Chinese scooter problem?
All it takes is one line of intentionally bad code to go boom.
https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/cyber-expert-warns-china-could-remotely-detonate-aussie-evs-hybrid-warfare-campaign
#18901938 at 2023-05-25 17:27:39 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #23204: Zero Hour Edition
https://twitter.com/TheInsiderPaper/status/1661692335560835073
https://insiderpaper.com/us-microsoft-warn-chinese-hackers-attacking-critical-infrastructure/
ALERT: State-sponsored Chinese hackers have infiltrated critical US infrastructure networks, the United States, its Western allies and Microsoft said Wednesday while warning that similar espionage attacks could be occurring globally
State-sponsored Chinese hackers have infiltrated critical US infrastructure networks, the United States, its Western allies and Microsoft said Wednesday while warning that similar espionage attacks could be occurring globally.
Microsoft highlighted Guam, a US territory in the Pacific Ocean with a vital military outpost, as one of the targets, but said "malicious" activity had also been detected elsewhere in the United States.
The stealthy attack - carried out by a China-sponsored actor dubbed "Volt Typhoon" since mid-2021 - enabled long-term espionage and was likely aimed at hampering the United States if there was conflict in the region, it said.
"Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that this Volt Typhoon campaign is pursuing development of capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia region during future crises," the statement said.
"In this campaign, the affected organizations span the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, government, information technology, and education sectors."
Microsoft's statement coincided with an advisory released by US, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and UK authorities warning that the hacking was likely occurring globally.
"This activity affects networks across US critical infrastructure sectors, and the authoring agencies believe the actor could apply the same techniques against these and other sectors worldwide," they said.
China denied the allegations, describing the Microsoft report as "extremely unprofessional" and "scissors-and-paste work".
"It is clear that this is a collective disinformation campaign of the Five Eyes coalition countries, initiated by the US for its geopolitical purposes," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, referring to the security alliance of the United States and its Western allies that wrote the report.
"The participation of certain companies shows that aside from government organisations, the US is expanding new channels for disseminating disinformation," she said.
"But no change in tactics can alter the fact that the US is a hacker empire."
- 'Living off the land' -
The United States and its allies said the activities involved "living off the land" tactics, which take advantage of built-in network tools to blend in with normal Windows systems.
It warned that the hacking could then incorporate legitimate system administration commands that appear "benign".
Microsoft said the Volt Typhoon attack tried to blend into normal network activity by routing traffic through compromised small office and home office network equipment, including routers, firewalls and VPN hardware.
"They have also been observed using custom versions of open-source tools," Microsoft said.
Microsoft and the security agencies released guidelines for organisations to try to detect and counter the hacking.
"It's what I would term a low and slow cyber activity," said Alastair MacGibbon, chief strategy officer at Australia's CyberCX and a former head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
"This is someone wearing a camouflage vest and carrying a sniper rifle. You don't see them, they're not there," he told AFP.
"When you think about something that can really cause catastrophic harm, it is someone with intent who takes time to get into systems."
Once inside, the cyber attackers can steal information, he said. "But it also gives you the ability to carry out destructive acts at a later stage."
- 'Highly sophisticated' -
A number of other governments had found similar activity since the Volt Typhoon alert was issued, said Robert Potter, co-founder of Australian cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0.
"I am not sure how communications infrastructure would be at risk from these attacks because those networks are highly resilient and difficult to bring down for more than small intervals," Potter told AFP.
"However, the ongoing threat from China-based APT (advanced persistent threat) groups is real."
The director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jen Easterly, said China had been stealing intellectual property and data worldwide for years.
"Today's advisory, put out in conjunction with our US and international partners, reflects how China is using highly sophisticated means to target our nation's critical infrastructure," Easterly said.
#6435202 at 2019-05-07 05:39:34 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #8229: The Late Nightshift Edition
Resignations in the news today - part 1
Australia's cybersecurity chief Alastair MacGibbon resigns
https://www.zdnet.com/article/australias-cybersecurity-chief-Alastair-MacGibbon-resigns/
Hastings history teacher retiring from classroom, but not from teaching
https://www.twincities.com/2019/05/06/hastings-history-teacher-retiring-from-classroom-but-not-from-teaching/
Colin Reger resigns as city recorder
https://therecorddelta.com/article/colin-reger-resigns-as-city-recorder
Jacobs' Aerospace Business President to Retire, Board Member Dawne Hickton Takes Over
https://washingtonexec.com/2019/05/jacobs-aerospace-business-president-to-retire-board-member-dawne-hickton-takes-over/
Oregon high school wrestling coach resigned after alleged assault of player
https://usatodayhss.com/2019/oregon-high-school-wrestling-coach-resigned-after-alleged-assault-of-player
Waynesville police chief to retire in June
https://www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/26860-waynesville-police-chief-to-retire-in-june
West Virginia House Education Committee chairman resigns
http://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/local-news/2019/05/west-virginia-house-education-committee-chairman-resigns/
Retiring Rabbi to be honored
https://www.fairfieldcitizenonline.com/news/article/Retiring-Rabbi-to-be-honored-13822195.php
Newfield supervisor resigns
https://www.ithaca.com/news/newfield/newfield-supervisor-resigns/article_4134ae0e-6c35-11e9-8333-6bd0536a8daf.html
MHRA's devices head to join outgoing CEO in retiring later this year
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/mhra-s-devices-head-to-join-outgoing-ceo-retiring-later-year
South Africa's Massmart CEO resigns as retailer eyes Africa expansion.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-massmart-ceo/south-africas-massmart-ceo-resigns-as-retailer-eyes-africa-expansion-idUSKCN1SC14K
Knudsen retires after 42 years with Minn-Dak Farmers Co-op
https://www.agweek.com/business/agriculture/4607342-knudsen-retires-after-42-years-minn-dak-farmers-co-op
Carreras resigns as coach of Japanese side Sagan Tosu
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/carreras-resigns-as-coach-of-japanese-side-sagan-tosu/
Symphony Society Executive Director retiring
http://wlds.com/news/symphony-society-executive-director-retiring/
Revolution Announces Resignation of Chief Financial Officer
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/revolution-announces-resignation-chief-financial-123000821.html
Wyoming Senior Senator to retire
https://www.localnews8.com/news/wyoming-senior-senator-to-retire/1075741737
Planning Board Resignation On County Agenda
https://www.yankton.net/community/article_13771ac6-6fad-11e9-b0f7-f3578484c6b3.html
Three Retire From Hillsboro Fire Department
http://www.thejournal-news.net/stories/three-retire-from-hillsboro-fire-department,65375
Kieswetter gets exemption, resigns from Shoprite board
https://www.fin24.com/Companies/kieswetter-gets-exemption-resigns-from-shoprite-board-20190506
WPD Chief Bill Hollingsed to retire
https://www.themountaineer.com/news/wpd-chief-bill-hollingsed-to-retire/article_3451246c-700c-11e9-8229-7f0c84cd9547.html
#5450109 at 2019-03-01 18:29:22 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #6967: Tactical Nukes Are Better Edition
Pedophiles are hunting children as young as 5 on Instagram as grooming triples on social media
Children as young as five are being groomed and abused on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, with 5,161 incidents reported in the UK in 18 months. The number of children targeted on Instagram has tripled in just one year, RT.com writes.
Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram were used to target children in 70 percent of recorded incidents, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) reports. While 12-15-year-old girls were the most common targets for pedophiles, about 20 percent of the victims were under 11 and the youngest victim was just five years old.
Groomers used Instagram to contact targets in 428 cases between April and September 2018, a huge increase from the same period in 2017 which saw 126 cases. This figure only includes incidents where police recorded the method of communication used to target victims, the real number may be far higher.
The NSPCC obtained the figures through freedom of information requests to 39 police forces in England and Wales. A number of forces, including the City of London, did not respond to the request. Sexual communication with a child became an offense in the UK in April 2017.
"These figures are overwhelming evidence that keeping children safe cannot be left to social networks", said NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless.
Pedophiles have long trawled social media networks for grooming victims and for images of children. Australia's Children's eSafety Commissioner Alastair MacGibbon warned in 2015 that tens of millions of photos of children on pedophile websites had been taken from Instagram, often the child's parents account. "The images are almost always accompanied by highly explicit and very disturbing user comments", MacGibbon said.
In January, it emerged that people were using #dropboxlinks on social media to connect with other pedophiles to trade images of children. When the accounts were reported, Instagram at first said it did not violate the terms. People flooded the hashtags with memes to make it more difficult for the pedophiles to find each other until, following a report in the Atlantic, Instagram restricted the hashtag.
Youtube announced this week it would disable comments on children's videos after a number of big advertisers pulled ads when reports emerged that pedophiles were leaving predatory messages in the comment sections.
The company also came under fire after it emerged that users who searched for terms like, 'bikini haul' were soon brought to videos of children where pedophiles were leaving comments.
https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/03/pedophiles-are-hunting-children-as-young-as-5-on-instagram-as-grooming-triples-on-social-media/
#5254015 at 2019-02-19 01:49:38 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #6714: Pick A Network Edition
Australia accuses foreign govt of cyber-attack on lawmakers
SYDNEY (Reuters) - A cyber-attack on Australian lawmakers that breached the networks of major political parties was probably carried out by a foreign government, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, but did not name any suspects.
As Australia heads for an election due by May, lawmakers were told this month to urgently change their passwords after the cyber intelligence agency detected an attack on the national parliament's computer network.
The hackers breached the networks of major political parties, Morrison said, as he issued an initial assessment by investigators.
"Our cyber experts believe that a sophisticated state actor is responsible for this malicious activity," he told Parliament.
"We also became aware that the networks of some political parties, Liberal, Labor and Nationals have also been affected."
Morrison did not reveal what information was accessed, but he said there was no evidence of election interference.
Investors are still securing local networks, said Alastair MacGibbon, head of the Australian Cyber Security Center, the government department responsible for online security.
"Our political institutions represent high-value targets," MacGibbon told reporters in Canberra.
"We will continue to work with our friends and colleagues, both here and overseas, to work out who is behind it and hopefully their intent."
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005552702
#2918582 at 2018-09-07 12:38:40 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #3691: Qzilla vs. 8chan Alexis Edition
Australian Government Officials Using Private Email
Former Prime Minister Uses Private Email Server + Wickr (2015)
Questions raised over Malcolm Turnbull's use of private email server
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull continues to use a non-government email server to communicate with colleagues, raising questions over its security, whether it is being used to conduct official government business, and if it is being used to subvert freedom of information laws.
The Prime Minister's office confirmed on Friday that the PM - previously outed as an avid user of the self-destructing messaging app Wickr - was continuing to use his private email server after taking over the top job from former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
"Many MPs and ministers use private messaging systems - including SMS, Whatsapp, Wickr, etc and private emails etc - for non-sensitive material for reasons of convenience and superior functionality," a spokesman for the PM said
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/questions-raised-over-malcolm-turnbulls-use-of-private-email-server-20151009-gk4vep.html
Current Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison Used Wickr (2015)
The Australian newspaper claimed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison were using encrypted messaging app Wickr to communicate
Wickr circumvents data retention as it is a United States-based service whose metadata is not captured by Australian telcos. It also uses encryption it claims is uncrackable.
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/minister-for-encryption-metadata-avoidance-app-wickr-shoots-to-top-of-charts-after-malcolm-turnbull-revealed-as-a-fan-20150303-13tgxy.html
Yahoo Data Breach Affects 3,000+ Australian government officials (2017)
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ordered a report from his top cyber security adviser on a Yahoo data breach amid claims more than 3,000 Australian government officials - including a federal minister - had private data stolen.
The Prime Minister's Cyber Security Special Advisor Alastair MacGibbon said, "We should be celebrating really that public officials and politicians maintain a personal email account and a public email account"
Australian Federal Police officers, diplomats, judges and magistrates were also reportedly affected.
https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/christian-porter-chris-bowen-cory-bernardi-are-among-victims-of-internet-security-breach/news-story/953c4ca02ace03e23fdd18c145bfb68e
Queensland Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark Bailey Uses Yahoo Email For Govt Business (2017)
Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark Bailey has been referred to Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission over a private email account that has the Opposition questioning if he acted corruptly.
Mr Bailey deleted his private Yahoo email account after it emerged he had been lobbied about government business on it by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).
He had deactivated his account mangocube6@yahoo.co.uk - which included public record and correspondence with a union boss over the merging of Queensland Energy Super and Victoria's Equip Super.
But he said the CCC's main concern was whether Mr Bailey was using a private email account "to deliberately circumvent the ministerial trail … to conduct nefarious business without being exposed publicly".
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-02/qld-energy-minister-mark-bailey-referrred-to-ccc-deleted-email/8317340
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-20/mark-bailey-sideline-private-email-dath-trad/8726722
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-19/mark-bailey-personal-email-usage-possibly-corrupt-ccc/8724996
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/20/queensland-premier-stands-down-energy-minister-after-corruption-investigation
Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Act (South Australia) and Office for Public Integrity Annual Report (2014)
USE OF PRIVATE EMAIL TO COMMUNICATE OFFICIAL INFORMATION
It has come to my attention that, in at least some government offices, personal email accounts might be used to convey official information between public officers, rather than through official government email facilities.
It has been suggested that the reason for doing so is to avoid the requirement to disclose those emails where an application is made under the Freedom of Information Act 1991 (FOI Act).
…
https://icac.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2013-2014-ICAC-and-OPI-Annual-Report.pdf
8chan/8kun QResearch AUSTRALIA Posts (14)
#21168061 at 2024-07-09 18:36:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #36: BADGE OF HONOR Edition
>>21168049
2/2
Australian cybersecurity company CyberCX said APT40 was "a voracious and equal opportunity predator" that was quick to weaponise publicised vulnerabilities in major software products.
"They are a prolific threat actor," the company's chief strategy officer, Alastair MacGibbon, said. "It appears they are generally going after the usual stuff the MSS is interested in - information on targeted countries' citizens, economic or political espionage including targeting democratic processes, and creating deniable (systems) infrastructure for themselves to use later."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday said the government was acting in the national interest in calling out Beijing's malicious cyber activities. "We have always said we engage with China without compromising on what is important for Australia and to Australians," she said.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said such attributions were an important deterrent to mal?icious cyber activity. "The Albanese government is committed to defending Australian organisations and individuals in the cyber domain, which is why for the first time we are leading this type of cyber attribution," he said.
"This attribution is a product of the Australian Signals Directorate's diligent work to uncover this malicious cyber activity and is a key part of ensuring Australians remain safe from cyber attacks."
Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Justin Bassi welcomed the attribution, but said the ministers had underplayed the Chinese government's involvement. "More should be expected when we are talking about a major power and our largest trading partner using cyberspace to hack, attack, undermine and manipulate us," he said.
"Just as we keep the public informed of the threat of terrorism, we need to be more up front about the reality of the threat, regardless of the nation, entity or individual."
The attribution follows the government's support in February for a US-led warning on activities of Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/labor-names-shames-chinese-statesponsored-hackers/news-story/6fe4390b2f4cc7149367be6ce3562e5a
https://x.com/ASDGovAu/status/1810453869924593950
https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/alerts-and-advisories/apt40-advisory-prc-mss-tradecraft-in-action
https://www.cyber.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-07/apt40-advisory-prc-mss-tradecraft-in-action.pdf
#15592406 at 2022-02-10 09:32:18 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #21: MIL-CIV ALLIANCE Edition
Chinese hackers attack local media group
BEN PACKHAM - FEBRUARY 9, 2022
Chinese state-affiliated hackers have targeted a major Australian media company, stealing passwords and data using a publicised vulnerability within hours of the software flaw being revealed.
The nation's biggest cybersecurity company, CyberCX, said the attackers moved swiftly to exploit the Log4j vulnerability in December last year, gaining access to the company's IT systems before it had a chance to patch the affected software.
CyberCX said those responsible for the attack used "tradecraft consistent with Chinese state-sponsored actors" to gain access to the company's mobile devices management software.
The company - which was not News Corp and understood not to be Nine Entertainment - was initially notified of the security breach by the Australian Cyber Security Centre. The attack occurred on December 10 - the same day the Log4j vulnerability was publicised, sparking a rush by users around the world to close the potential backdoor.
CyberCX chief strategy officer Alastair MacGibbon, a former ACSC head, said the company's investigators were confident in ?attributing the attack to China.
"They used what we call customised web shells. We know the Chinese state uses a lot of these web shells," Mr MacGibbon said.
"They stole data. They weren't looking to lock phones or hold their data for ransom. And we have seen this same threat actor in other investigations we have done.
"And then when you compare that with what is publicly known about the tools and tradecraft, we have a high confidence in saying it is a Chinese state-affiliated actor."
The Log4j vulnerability, unearthed in a piece of Java software code, was one of the most serious ever seen, sparking millions of ?attempted cyber attacks.
CyberCX investigators believe the Chinese attackers had developed a thorough understanding of the target application, MobileIron, enabling them to quickly exploit the Log4j flaw when it became known.
Mr MacGibbon said the speed with which the hackers moved to exploit the Log4j vulnerability showed how aggressive they had become.
"There used to be a time when a vulnerability was exposed and it was days, weeks or months before someone used it," he said.
"Now it is a matter of hours. That shows how agile they are, how hyper competitive this space is, and how quickly they use ?opportunities. As soon as this vulnerability was public, they just pounced."
The hacking incident predated a cyber attack on News Corp identified on January 20 and linked to Chinese espionage ?activities that affected The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and British newspapers The Times and The Sun.
Nine Entertainment was also the victim of a major cyber intrusion in March last year, which bore the hallmarks of a ransomware attack but was not accompanied by a demand for payment.
Mr MacGibbon said media companies were attractive targets for Chinese state-sponsored hackers because they received and analysed information that had intelligence value.
The ACSC - part of spy agency the Australian Signals Directorate - said it was aware of the cyber attack but declined to comment on whether China was responsible.
"Australia publicly attributes malicious cyber activity when it is clear and in the nation's interest to do so," an ACSC spokesman said.
"The Australian government condemns malicious cyber activity, including by cybercriminals, states and state-sponsored actors.
"No sector of the Australian economy is immune to the impacts of malicious cyber activity. All organisations should be alert to international threats and take ?action to strengthen their cyber ?security defences."
The Australian government rarely publicly names the countries behind cyber attacks.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/chinese-hackers-attack-local-media-group/news-story/55471bf51f36473a683baf36969b048b
#13741323 at 2021-05-24 09:26:17 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #16 - INFILTRATION NOT INVASION Edition
#15 - Part 2
Australian Politics and Society - Part 2
>>13460325 Video: New Zealand 'uncomfortable with expanding the remit' of Five Eyes, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta
>>13460336 1st MAW Marines Tweet: VMM-363 and HMLA-367 joined MRF-D and are prepared to respond to crisis and contingencies in a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific
>>13462856 Feeding Hate With Video: A Former Alt-Right YouTuber Explains His Methods - Focus on conflict Feed the algorithm (Lauren Southern)
>>13477230 New Zealand backs "Five Eyes" alliance, but wants human rights raised in broader group
>>13477249 Japan should join Five Eyes intelligence network, says ambassador Shingo Yamagami
>>13477403 Former US intelligence director James Clapper backs Turnbull and Rudd's call for Murdoch media inquiry
>>13477434 Australia's ambition on climate change is held back by a toxic mix of rightwing politics, media and vested interests - Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull - theguardian.com
>>13485324 Australia was blindsided when Five Eyes ally New Zealand backed away from China criticism
>>13485327 Australia reminds New Zealand of the importance of the Five Eyes alliance during a meeting of trans-Tasman foreign ministers
>>13485332 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: Today's Foreign Ministerial Consultations in #Wellington, our first face-to-face meeting since COVID-19, allowed for a deep discussion as friends about shared priorities, including our Pacific partnerships, as we navigate 2021 together
>>13485337 Strengthening trans-Tasman ties: Australia-New Zealand Foreign Minister Consultations - Senator the Hon Marise Payne Joint statement with The Hon Nanaia Mahuta - 22 April 2021
>>13485346 Former Director of America's National Security Agency, Admiral Michael Rogers says misinformation a threat to democracy
>>13485350 Video: CyberCX Cyber Dialogue: In conversation with Admiral Michael Rogers and Alastair MacGibbon
>>13493355 'Bankable': Morrison promotes Australia's climate record at US summit
>>13493366 Video: Scott Morrison resists pressure for new emissions target at Joe Biden climate summit
>>13493636 Andrew Greene Tweet: Worth noting the head of ASIS (Paul Symon) joined @MarisePayne's delegation to New Zealand. Wellington's role in 5-Eyes is all the talk inside intelligence circles at the moment
>>13499801 All-gender bathrooms proposed for Victorian workplaces and footy ovals
>>13499932 Arthur Sinodinos AO Tweet: #QUAD Ambassadors and US House Foreign Affairs Committee continue conversation on shared vision for an open, inclusive and resilient Indo Pacifc.
>>13500013 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Marines with MRF-D and ADF members teamed up with the Portuguese and Timorese Social Club in order to prepare a shipment of flood relief supplies donated by the local Darwin community for Timor-Leste
>>13500022 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Heads up Darwin, Marines will be flying at night throughout the rotation! This training keeps our aviation units safe and proficient, and we'll do our best to keep it to times that are respectful to the community
>>13500945 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Facebook Post - Lest We Forget. Tomorrow, Anzac Day, is one of the most sacred days in our national calendar.
>>13500949, >>13500950, >>13500952, >>13500954 Anzac Day 2021 Dawn Service Livestreams - ShrineMelbourne, ABC Australia, 7NEWS Australia and Australia in the US
>>13503677 ANZAC Day 2021 - "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Lest We Forget.
>>13507409 Anzac Day: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Afghanistan withdrawal marks end of 'another chapter'
>>13507484 Video: Defence Minister Peter Dutton reveals how Australian troops will fight greater threats and uncertainty at home
>>13507800 ANZAC Day - PRESS STATEMENT - ANTONY J. BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE - "I express my sincere gratitude to all Australians and New Zealanders on this somber day."
>>13507965 Crowds return for Anzac Day service, but some diggers locked out by fence
>>13507973 Q Post #2480 - With Respect, Honor, and Gratitude. Your sacrifice(s) will never be forgotten. Thank you and God Bless, Veterans!
>>13508029 Video: What can the US learn from Australia's gun reforms? - Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd - CNN
>>13508109 'It's an arms race': RedShield - The Kiwi cyber firm that shielded Biden's home state during 2020 election
#13741245 at 2021-05-24 08:57:27 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition
#15 - Part 2
Australian Politics and Society - Part 2
>>13460325 Video: New Zealand 'uncomfortable with expanding the remit' of Five Eyes, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta
>>13460336 1st MAW Marines Tweet: VMM-363 and HMLA-367 joined MRF-D and are prepared to respond to crisis and contingencies in a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific
>>13462856 Feeding Hate With Video: A Former Alt-Right YouTuber Explains His Methods - Focus on conflict Feed the algorithm (Lauren Southern)
>>13477230 New Zealand backs "Five Eyes" alliance, but wants human rights raised in broader group
>>13477249 Japan should join Five Eyes intelligence network, says ambassador Shingo Yamagami
>>13477403 Former US intelligence director James Clapper backs Turnbull and Rudd's call for Murdoch media inquiry
>>13477434 Australia's ambition on climate change is held back by a toxic mix of rightwing politics, media and vested interests - Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull - theguardian.com
>>13485324 Australia was blindsided when Five Eyes ally New Zealand backed away from China criticism
>>13485327 Australia reminds New Zealand of the importance of the Five Eyes alliance during a meeting of trans-Tasman foreign ministers
>>13485332 Foreign Minister Marise Payne Tweet: Today's Foreign Ministerial Consultations in #Wellington, our first face-to-face meeting since COVID-19, allowed for a deep discussion as friends about shared priorities, including our Pacific partnerships, as we navigate 2021 together
>>13485337 Strengthening trans-Tasman ties: Australia-New Zealand Foreign Minister Consultations - Senator the Hon Marise Payne Joint statement with The Hon Nanaia Mahuta - 22 April 2021
>>13485346 Former Director of America's National Security Agency, Admiral Michael Rogers says misinformation a threat to democracy
>>13485350 Video: CyberCX Cyber Dialogue: In conversation with Admiral Michael Rogers and Alastair MacGibbon
>>13493355 'Bankable': Morrison promotes Australia's climate record at US summit
>>13493366 Video: Scott Morrison resists pressure for new emissions target at Joe Biden climate summit
>>13493636 Andrew Greene Tweet: Worth noting the head of ASIS (Paul Symon) joined @MarisePayne's delegation to New Zealand. Wellington's role in 5-Eyes is all the talk inside intelligence circles at the moment
>>13499801 All-gender bathrooms proposed for Victorian workplaces and footy ovals
>>13499932 Arthur Sinodinos AO Tweet: #QUAD Ambassadors and US House Foreign Affairs Committee continue conversation on shared vision for an open, inclusive and resilient Indo Pacifc.
>>13500013 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Marines with MRF-D and ADF members teamed up with the Portuguese and Timorese Social Club in order to prepare a shipment of flood relief supplies donated by the local Darwin community for Timor-Leste
>>13500022 Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Facebook Post: Heads up Darwin, Marines will be flying at night throughout the rotation! This training keeps our aviation units safe and proficient, and we'll do our best to keep it to times that are respectful to the community
>>13500945 Prime Minister Scott Morrison Facebook Post - Lest We Forget. Tomorrow, Anzac Day, is one of the most sacred days in our national calendar.
>>13500949, >>13500950, >>13500952 >>13500954 Anzac Day 2021 Dawn Service Livestreams - ShrineMelbourne, ABC Australia, 7NEWS Australia and Australia in the US
>>13503677 ANZAC Day 2021 - "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Lest We Forget.
>>13507409 Anzac Day: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Afghanistan withdrawal marks end of 'another chapter'
>>13507484 Video: Defence Minister Peter Dutton reveals how Australian troops will fight greater threats and uncertainty at home
>>13507800 ANZAC Day - PRESS STATEMENT - ANTONY J. BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE - "I express my sincere gratitude to all Australians and New Zealanders on this somber day."
>>13507965 Crowds return for Anzac Day service, but some diggers locked out by fence
>>13507973 Q Post #2480 - With Respect, Honor, and Gratitude. Your sacrifice(s) will never be forgotten. Thank you and God Bless, Veterans!
>>13508029 Video: What can the US learn from Australia's gun reforms? - Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd - CNN
>>13508109 'It's an arms race': RedShield - The Kiwi cyber firm that shielded Biden's home state during 2020 election
#13485350 at 2021-04-22 09:42:17 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition
>>13485346
CyberCX Cyber Dialogue: In conversation with Admiral Michael Rogers and Alastair MacGibbon
CyberCX
21 Apr 2021
CyberCX Chief Strategy Officer Alastair MacGibbon is joined by Admiral Michael Rogers (ret.) for an in-depth conversation about key trends in the global cyber security threat landscape, predictions for how the behaviour of cyber criminals and nation-state actors will evolve in the year ahead and the latest findings from the CyberCX Annual Threat Assessment.
Mike was a four-star Admiral who served under Presidents Obama and Trump, headed the US National Security Agency, commanded the US Cyber Command and was chief of the Central Security Service.
He has a unique understanding of the world's most advanced cyber security technologies and tactics, an intimate knowledge of international threat actors and behaviours, and deep insights into how geopolitical security trends are impacting public and private organisations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S565KEuUAgw
>https://qanon.pub/?q=rogers
#13485346 at 2021-04-22 09:41:04 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #15 - NEVER RETREAT FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Edition
Former NSA boss says misinformation a threat to democracy
Max Mason - Apr 22, 2021
A former director of America's National Security Agency says misinformation is one of the greatest threats to democratic governments, and social media companies need to take more responsibility for content being pushed out on their platforms.
Admiral (retired) Michael Rogers, who is also a former commander of US Cyber Command within the Defence Department, said the challenge presented by misinformation - or fake news - campaigns, largely through social media, can't be solved by governments or private business alone.
"The one that is hardest for a democracy to deal with is the disinformation side, and the Russians are the best there," Admiral Rogers said in a streamed video chat with Alastair MacGibbon, former cyber-security adviser to Australia's Prime Minister and now chief strategy officer at local cyber security firm CyberCX.
"They're the most aggressive about it - you saw it play out in their attempts to influence the 2016 presidential cycle for us," Admiral Rogers said.
"They've acted very aggressively to use cyber as a tool to keep us in somewhat of a disarray internally against each other, to keep us so we're destabilised, to undermine our institutions.
"That is hard to deal with in a democracy."
Admiral Rogers, who worked under former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, joined CyberCX's global cyber-security advisory board in November 2020.
Government slow to grasp fake news
Facebook, Twitter and Google have been heavily criticised since the 2016 US election, which brought the surprise victory of Mr Trump.
The social media sites and search engine were blamed for circulation of false stories before the election, and the continued spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories such as QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory that claims a ring of Satan-worshipping paedophiles are battling Mr Trump.
Facebook and Twitter, among other social media platforms, have been widely criticised after they were used by Trump supporters to organise riots and the storming of Capitol Hill in Washington in January 2021.
Admiral Rogers said that when Facebook, Twitter and Google were founded there was little appreciation of how ingrained they would become in society.
"In the United States, we have these series of conventions, for example, that says if you are electronic media or print, a newspaper or a television station, there is a series of broadcast standards you must adhere to.
"When we looked at this for social media companies, and you have to go back 20 years now, we said to ourselves 'Well, people don't really rely on social media as the primary distribution of content, as their primary way of getting information, as their primary way of developing views of the world around them on different issues. So we don't really need to put any conventions or standards in place, because it's secondary, everyone is going to continue to focus on newspapers and television.'
"Well, how's that played out for us?
"I do think we need to acknowledge in the social media world, those who host platforms, who project content, have some responsibilities here in this. It can't be just 'Hey, it's not my job, I'm just a host, the content is up to others, I just provide the forum.'"
Admiral Rogers said the US, until 2016, did not fully appreciate the level of misinformation that Russia was, and continues to, execute.
"It's not just about a single event like an election. You're watching them sustain this effort over time. I would argue you see it in Australia and other nations around the world.
"Backlash may be too strong a characterisation, but there's definitely a discussion now that didn't exist 10 years ago about what is the role of tech within our societies, and what kind of oversights or regulator regimes should be considered for them," he said.
Another major concern was the use of cyberspace to disrupt day-to-day activities in nations across the world, including critical infrastructure such as power, water and finance, Admiral Rogers said.
In December 2017, Russian government-backed hackers were credited with a major cyber attack on the Ukraine, which cut power across the northern area of its capital Kiev.
"We've seen unsurpassed economic activity, huge growth, great economic prosperity powered by this hyper-connected world we live in," Admiral Rogers said.
"The flip side is this dependency makes us ever more vulnerable."
https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/former-nsa-boss-says-misinformation-a-threat-to-democracy-20210421-p57l77
#13058943 at 2021-02-27 06:38:50 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition
>>13058939
2/2
This week IDCare which scans the Dark Web looking for Australian documents for sale, has contacted four people from NSW and Queensland, warning them their identity documents are currently available for sale.
A recent IDCare report revealed the most common Australian credential for sale is the NSW RMS Licence - and there were 24 for sale in September last year.
The report showed there were 12 market places on the Dark Web that operate in a similar way to "eBay" "specialising in Australian identity credentials".
One of the most prominent vendors of information is someone called "Telstra" who describes themselves as "your favourite vendor of Australian IDs".
Telstra has a 93 per cent positive rating which indicates reliability and satisfaction of products sold.
Former FBI agent and cyber security expert, Don Codling, warned that such a wealth of information as obtained by the AFP could enable a crook to burn through the legitimate lives of real people leaving a trail of debts, and wreckage causing problems for years to come.
The CEO of the Washington-based Codling Group International, Mr Codling said a crook using the information to steal an identity profile was unlikely to be caught unless someone did tertiary checks of things like fingerprints, retina scans or DNA swabs.
Professor Lacey said there was an exponential jump in data breaches in Australia last year but it didn't lead to the same jump in examples of misuse. But he thinks it will come.
"We are waiting for the next wave of misuse to hit," said Professor Lacey.
Australia's former federal government cybersecurity chief, Alastair MacGibbon, said it is unfortunate scammers can use the documents to "game the system" and "there does need to be better protections".
WHAT THE AFP UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE BOUGHT
257 scanned Australian passports
6 physical Australian drivers licences
1 digital Australian personal loan application (fraudulent)
1 digital Australian credit card application package (fraudulent)
2 Medicare cards fraudulent
1 electricity bill form Ergon Energy (fraudulent)
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/crimeinfocus/undercover-cops-splurge-on-aussie-identities/news-story/62109cd0201e2ab34976e6a607a8aa1d
#11738742 at 2020-11-22 17:06:50 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #11 - THE SILENT WAR CONTINUES Edition
>>11738732
2/2
Recounting conversations with Facebook five-years-ago, Admiral Rogers said the tech giant would say, "We provide a platform for the hosting of content generated by others. It is not our responsibility nor is it appropriate for us to censor broadly, to control that information".
"My attitude always was: 'I understand the theory, guys. But the challenge is you've got actors out there who are trying to take advantage of that - that are sowing, through obfuscating identity, through manipulating information, manipulating imagery, outright lies.
"They are sowing discord and they're dividing us, and that is not in our nation's, and the broader global community's, best interests."
Admiral Rogers said China's cyber strategy was aimed at generating "global advantage", focused on securing intellectual property for economic gain and compromising the capabilities of Western nations in the event of a crisis or conflict.
China's goal is to "have the strongest economy in the world" and gain advantage in the digital economy of the 21st century, similar to the industrial rise of the US last century.
"They are copying a model they have seen work very successfully, and they view cyber as a tool to accelerate that, by stealing the intellectual property they think is going to generate advantage for them."
He also raised the implications of a cyber actor manipulating the fifth decimal of every geographic location in a country's database by just two digits.
"How long would it be before we recognise it? And think about what the operational implications would be if geographical locational information was being manipulated and we didn't recognise it initially or it took some period of time. What would the implications of a total loss of confidence be?"
Admiral Rogers said cyber, for all world powers, remained an important espionage tool to help nation states "gain greater understanding and awareness of what's going on in the world around us".
The Morrison government is moving to legislate new powers aimed at beefing-up the cyber defences of critical infrastructure operators and help security agencies target online criminal syndicates, international sexual predators and cyber actors stealing research.
Further cyber security legislation is also being drawn-up as Australia attempts to keep pace with fast-evolving threats. The federal government, which recently released its $1.67bn Cyber Security Strategy, has also put in place foreign interference measures, which have angered Beijing.
In June, Scott Morrison declared the nation was under attack from "sophisticated" state-based cyber actors targeting critical infrastructure, businesses and all levels of government. While the government has not named Beijing, it is understood Chinese cyber actors have been linked to attacks targeting Australian interests.
Admiral Rogers said the rise in cyber and ransomware attacks "are going in the wrong direction". He warned some nation states had begun outsourcing criminal activity to "cyber mercenaries" and private companies used to penetrate, manipulate, shutdown, degrade and surveil systems.
"It's getting tougher and it's broadening. If you look at ransomware, there is little correlation to size and little correlation to sector. You're seeing ransomware explode across the spectrum of businesses as well as public sector governments."
CyberCX Chief Strategy Officer Alastair MacGibbon, a former Australian Cyber Security Centre head and special adviser to prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, said legislation was coming down the line that would shake-up Australia's approach to cyber security across key sectors and the way companies respond.
Mr MacGibbon said the increasing threat posed by ransomware went to the "heart of the integrity and availability" of data and systems.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence/china-russia-spreading-lies-digital-discord-former-us-national-security-agency-director-mike-rogers/news-story/86b8efb90dda1001a814cff2129a2dd8
#9668321 at 2020-06-19 07:47:30 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #8 - WE ARE THE CURE Edition
>>9663634
>>9666783
Morrison reveals malicious 'state-based' cyber attack on governments, industry
Australian governments and industry are being targeted by major cyber attacks that could put pressure on critical infrastructure and public services, with China understood to be a likely source of the threat.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed the "malicious" attacks on Friday morning after briefing state premiers as well as Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Thursday night, saying the threat showed a level of sophistication that could only come from a state-based actor.
"Based on advice provided to me by our cyber experts, Australian organisations are currently being targeted by a sophisticated state-based cyber actor," Mr Morrison said.
"This act is targeting Australian organisations across a range of sectors including all levels of government, industry, political organisations, education, health, essential service providers and operators of other critical infrastructure."
Asked whether the attack came from China, Mr Morrison did not name the foreign state but emphasised the level of sophistication of the intrusion.
"What I can confirm, with confidence, based on the advice, the technical advice that we have received, is that this is the action of a state-based actor with significant capabilities," he said.
"There aren't too many state-based actors who have those capabilities."
Mr Morrison raised the attacks with United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday night and also sought co-operation from Australia's Five Eyes intelligence partners, the United States, Canada, New Zealand as well as the UK.
Others who were aware of the attacks named China as a likely source. Government sources say the attack bore many similarities to a cyber attack on Parliament House's computer system in February 2019, which security agencies attributed to China.
While Mr Morrison called the Friday morning press conference to warn about the problem, his office later said there was no specific incident this week and that the concerns were about a growing trend over recent months.
Mr Morrison used a prepared statement to say that Australian governments and businesses were "currently being targeted" but this was a reference to the broader trend.
The Australian Signals Directorate said it was aware of the "sustained targeting of Australian governments and companies by a sophisticated state-based actor".
It said links to fake websites designed to steal users' details, links to malicious files, and use of email tracking services to identify when users were opening emails were being used by the sophisticated actor.
"The actor has been identified leveraging a number of initial access vectors, with the most prevalent being the exploitation of public-facing infrastructure," the intelligence organisation said.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre was working with the organisations subject to the malicious cyber attack.
The ACSC named "copy-paste compromises" as part of the state-based actor's "heavy use of proof-of-concept exploit code, web shells and other tools" to enable the attacks.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said companies should "patch" their internet-facing devices promptly to make sure any web or email servers are fully updated with the latest software and ensure they used multi-factor authentication to secure any internet access.
The government has seen an increase in threat activity in recent months in a trend that has overlapped with Australia's tensions with the Chinese government over an investigation into the source of the COVID-19 virus in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Former National Cyber Security Adviser Alastair MacGibbon said the threat was "likely a campaign by a sophisticated state-based actor" and part of a wider trend.
"It is an affront to our national interest and sovereignty that such events occur," said Mr MacGibbon, who is now chief strategy officer at CyberCX after a long career in public policy including as head of the ACSC.
"And that's why the Prime Minister has stood up to make a statement."
The US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI warned last month that hackers based in China were using cyber attacks and "cyberthefts" to steal intellectual property in the field of vaccines and healthcare.
The US warning was followed by an Australian alert from the ACSC within days telling critical infrastructure providers to do more to protect themselves from cyber attack when key staff were working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal Parliament revealed in February last year that malware had made its way into the parliamentary computer network via several politicians' computers.
(continued)
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/morrison-reveals-malicious-state-based-cyber-attack-hitting-several-sectors-20200619-p5545z.html
#7836897 at 2020-01-17 07:32:21 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #6 - YEAR OF THE BOOMERANG Edition
>>7574260
Search for next Australian Cyber Security Centre chief begins
As outgoing head prepares to leave.
The Australian Signals Directorate has begun searching for a new chief to take charge of the country's peak technical cyber security authority, the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
The national cyber spy agency put out the call on Thursday in preparation for the departure of outgoing head Rachel Noble, who will become ASD's new director-general next month.
iTnews understand that it is the first time the high-profile position has been openly advertised since at the 2017 review of Australia's security agencies. ACSC was opened in November 2014.
Noble, who has been ASCS head since replacing former national cyber security advisor Alastair MacGibbon in June, is the first woman to be appointed to lead a core Australian intelligence agency.
She replaces former director-general Mike Burgess, who left the agency in September to become the new director-general of security in charge of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
The new ASCS chief will be expected to maintain the agency's position as Australia's peak technical cyber security authority by delivering programs and capabilities that proactively reduce security risk.
According to the job ad, this include providing advice to individuals, business and critical infrastructure operators to allow them to understand and act on current security threats.
The "highly motivated, outcome driven" SES Band 3 level executive, who will double as an ASD deputy director-general, will also be responsible for providing advice to government on operational cyber security.
"You will also be the Government's authority on operational cyber security, responsible for shaping and uplifting Australia's national cyber security ecosystem to help make Australia the safest place to connect online," the job ad states.
ASD and ACSC have taken an increasingly hands-on role towards uplifting government cyber resilience since early 2016 after being funded for a program of work that embeds experts in agencies for up to six weeks to evaluate and develop strategies regarding their IT security posture.
The program began around the time of the state-sponsored cyber-attack against Parliament House, which ASD has since branded the country's "first national cyber crisis"
ASD expects the successful candidate will have a "sophisticated knowledge of cyber security" that has been obtained through extensive work in both the public and private sectors, and must be able to obtain Top Secret Positive Vetting.
"You will have demonstrated experience in exercising sound judgment to manage competing requirements in a highly dynamic strategic, technical and social environment, during a time of increasing demand," the job ad states.
"Whilst experience working within the National Intelligence Community is not a pre-requisite, you will have a solid understanding of government processes and demonstrate success in working with ministers.
"Additionally you will have demonstrated adaptive leadership capabilities to develop a high-performing operational and technical workforce operating in a challenging and high-pressured environment."
Applicants have just two weeks to get their application - and accompanying 1000-word response - in, with submissions set to close on January 30.
ASD is also currently looking to fill the role of deputy director-general signals intelligence and network operations.
The position is responsible for "signals intelligence collection, analysis and production, ASD's network-based access and effects operations including offensive cyber"
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/search-for-next-australian-cyber-security-centre-chief-begins-536627?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=editors_picks
https://www.apsjobs.gov.au/s/job-details?returl=job-search&Id=a055m000000ImkFAAS
https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/cp/index.cfm?event=jobs.checkJobDetailsNewApplication&returnToEvent=jobs.processJobSearch&jobid=7A8B27C2-5A4C-951E-3C60-B600B4864264
#6667630 at 2019-06-04 06:05:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #5 - Shill count HIGH Edition
Australian government, spy chiefs secretly urge UK to ban Huawei
The Australian government and senior intelligence officials have urged Britain to ban Chinese technology giant Huawei from a role in building new ultra-fast mobile networks, arguing the western alliance of intelligence-sharing partners should have a consistent position.
Multiple well-placed sources confirmed Australian officials have taken action on several fronts to impress on their British counterparts the drawbacks of having risky telecommunications vendors providing equipment for 5G networks that will power critical future technologies.
The sources made it clear that the representations were made acknowledging that the decision was entirely Britain's to make.
High Commissioner to London George Brandis appeared last month before Britain's high-powered and secretive Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. Sources familiar with the private meeting said he made the case that it was better for the so-called "Five Eyes" group of intelligence sharing nations to adopt a united front.
Other senior intelligence officials have, during trips to Britain, had high-level meetings with counterparts where Australia's position has been clearly put.
Of the Five Eyes nations - Australia, the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand - Australia was the first to put an effective ban on Huawei 5G involvement in August, which will power data-hungry future technologies such as artificial intelligence and driverless cars.
Senior figures including Office of National Intelligence deputy head Andrew Shearer and recently retired Australian Cyber Security Centre head Alastair MacGibbon have discussed the issue repeatedly with British counterparts in the past year, sources said.
The risks in telecommunications have been described as a "top tier" subject of security discussions.
Mr Brandis, who was previously the attorney-general, presented Australia's position to the influential British parliamentary committee alongside an official from electronic spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate.
Not long after the appearance, the chairman of the committee, Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, wrote an opinion article in The Telegraph warning that Australia likely shared the concerns of the US about the security of shared intelligence if Britain were to use Huawei equipment.
An Australian government spokesman said the rules around the 5G build was "a sovereign decision for the UK, as it was for Australia".
Officials have also been trying to understand the British position, so that Australia can weigh up any effects that a British 5G network with Chinese equipment would have on Australia.
Telecommunications industry sources believe the moves from the Australian agencies amount to trying to strong-arm the British government, with British mobile providers particularly frustrated by the actions of the Australian representatives as a ban could amount to "billions of dollars" in extra costs for network roll outs.
They said there had been multiple visits to Britain by Mr Shearer in particular, a former national security adviser to John Howard and Tony Abbott, who is regarded as hawkish on China.
"The UK government did not want them [Britain] to be a 5G laggard," one telco source said, explaining British mobile providers had warned the government that without Huawei there could be delays and rising costs.
However, sources with close knowledge of the discussions said Australia had been "careful not to affront anyone".
"We've made representations to the UK on why our stance was taken … it's been respectful. It's a bit like a fight at a family lunch where people might go home sore but they quickly realise blood is thicker than water," one source said.
Another said: "Australia feels that it's in its interests that its close partners are aligned on this issue."
A third source dismissed any suggestion Australia was lobbying on the issue and said this was a "sovereign" decision for Britain.
The diplomatically sensitive campaign comes at a time when Britain is going through political upheaval with Prime Minister Theresa May resigning over the Brexit stalemate.
Britain is to decide if it will allow limited use of Huawei equipment, though a leak in April revealed the government was considering allowing the company to work on "non-core" areas of its network.
The US has a broad ban on Huawei and has pressured on Britain to follow suit. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned last month that the US might not be able to share all of its intelligence with Britain if it couldn't trust its network, adding that "this is just what China wants - to divide western alliances".
US President Donald Trump is expected to issue a similar warning this week when he visits Britain.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/huawei-20190603-p51tur.html
#6419711 at 2019-05-05 12:53:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #4 - Q Goes Down Under Edition
Australian Cyber security chief MacGibbon resigns
Sourced from QRes#8193
The head of the nation's cyber security agency Alastair MacGibbon has resigned to return to the private sector.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) under Mr MacGibbon was made part of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in January 2018.
While Mr MacGibbon won't be leaving until May 28, his resignation does come in the middle of a federal election campaign.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6105775/cyber-security-chief-MacGibbon-resigns/
#5460393 at 2019-03-02 06:43:35 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #3 - March MADNESS Edition
Pedophiles are hunting children as young as 5 on Instagram as grooming triples on social media
Sourced from QRes#6967
Children as young as five are being groomed and abused on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, with 5,161 incidents reported in the UK in 18 months. The number of children targeted on Instagram has tripled in just one year, RT.com writes.
Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram were used to target children in 70 percent of recorded incidents, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) reports. While 12-15-year-old girls were the most common targets for pedophiles, about 20 percent of the victims were under 11 and the youngest victim was just five years old.
Groomers used Instagram to contact targets in 428 cases between April and September 2018, a huge increase from the same period in 2017 which saw 126 cases. This figure only includes incidents where police recorded the method of communication used to target victims, the real number may be far higher.
The NSPCC obtained the figures through freedom of information requests to 39 police forces in England and Wales. A number of forces, including the City of London, did not respond to the request. Sexual communication with a child became an offense in the UK in April 2017.
"These figures are overwhelming evidence that keeping children safe cannot be left to social networks", said NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless.
Pedophiles have long trawled social media networks for grooming victims and for images of children. Australia's Children's eSafety Commissioner Alastair MacGibbon warned in 2015 that tens of millions of photos of children on pedophile websites had been taken from Instagram, often the child's parents account. "The images are almost always accompanied by highly explicit and very disturbing user comments", MacGibbon said.
In January, it emerged that people were using #dropboxlinks on social media to connect with other pedophiles to trade images of children. When the accounts were reported, Instagram at first said it did not violate the terms. People flooded the hashtags with memes to make it more difficult for the pedophiles to find each other until, following a report in the Atlantic, Instagram restricted the hashtag.
Youtube announced this week it would disable comments on children's videos after a number of big advertisers pulled ads when reports emerged that pedophiles were leaving predatory messages in the comment sections.
The company also came under fire after it emerged that users who searched for terms like, 'bikini haul' were soon brought to videos of children where pedophiles were leaving comments.
https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/03/pedophiles-are-hunting-children-as-young-as-5-on-instagram-as-grooming-triples-on-social-media/
#5261070 at 2019-02-19 09:22:32 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #2
Australia accuses foreign govt of cyber-attack on lawmakers
Sourced from QRes#6714
SYDNEY (Reuters) - A cyber-attack on Australian lawmakers that breached the networks of major political parties was probably carried out by a foreign government, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, but did not name any suspects.
As Australia heads for an election due by May, lawmakers were told this month to urgently change their passwords after the cyber intelligence agency detected an attack on the national parliament's computer network.
The hackers breached the networks of major political parties, Morrison said, as he issued an initial assessment by investigators.
"Our cyber experts believe that a sophisticated state actor is responsible for this malicious activity," he told Parliament.
"We also became aware that the networks of some political parties, Liberal, Labor and Nationals have also been affected."
Morrison did not reveal what information was accessed, but he said there was no evidence of election interference.
Investors are still securing local networks, said Alastair MacGibbon, head of the Australian Cyber Security Center, the government department responsible for online security.
"Our political institutions represent high-value targets," MacGibbon told reporters in Canberra.
"We will continue to work with our friends and colleagues, both here and overseas, to work out who is behind it and hopefully their intent."
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005552702