Qld premier's top bureaucrat hit by spam attack

iTnews: "The Queensland Department of Premier and Cabinet has fallen victim to a suspected email spoofing scam that has seen bogus messages sent out purportedly from Annastacia Palaszczuk’s top bureaucrat."



'via Blog this'

‘Certain death’ for Aussie jihadists

‘Certain death’ for Aussie jihadists: "Australians fighting with Islamic State now face “almost certain” death on the battlefield as the terrorist group loses the war in Iraq and its myth of invincibility, Malcolm Turnbull has declared."



'via Blog this'

Australia strengthening cyber defences as hacker threats grow

Australia strengthening cyber defences as hacker threats grow: "The Australian Signals Directorate, a grey and dull-looking building in the defence precinct on a hill above Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, houses the nation's offensive cyber capability."



'via Blog this'

ABS quietly drops Census data security claim

ZDNet: "The Australian Bureau of Statistics' claim that a security audit had rated their systems in the 'Cyber Secure Zone' has disappeared from their website."



'via Blog this'

Hackers target Queensland Premier’s department emails

Hackers target Queensland Premier’s department emails: "The Queensland government has moved to strengthen its cyber security as police investigate yet another hack to hit the state, this time involving the state’s top bureaucrat."



'via Blog this'

Queensland Premier hacked: cyber attackers strike with malicious virus

 The Courier-Mail: "STATE and federal police ­officers are investigating a ­successful cyber attack inside the office of the Department of Premier and Cabinet."



'via Blog this'

iTWire - Independent MP Wilkie opposes census name retention

iTWire "A little less than a week before the 2016 Australian census, a lone federal politician has come out and said that he opposes the retention of names and addresses to be collected in the census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics."



'via Blog this'

People threaten to boycott Australia's Census

Daily Mail Online: "Concerns about the security of personal data Australians are required to hand over in this year's Census has led to an increasing number of people threatening to undermine the survey."



'via Blog this'

Lockheed Martin to open $13m Melbourne tech hub

iTnews: "The partnership between Lockheed Martin and Melbourne Uni is the second major research facility to be launched as a collaboration between a higher education institution and the defence sector in recent months.

In June, the Australian Signals Directorate announced it would contribute $12 million to a new Australian National University facility focused on data analytics and cyber security."



'via Blog this'

Spooks' email infosec guide banishes MS Word macros, JavaScript

The Register: "The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), the sigint outfit renowned for its “don't be stupid” guide to infosec, has published its latest guidelines for e-mail admins."



'via Blog this'

ABS forced to defend Census website security

 iTnews: "The Australian Bureau of Statistics has been forced to answer questions about the security of its online Census website after it was revealed to be using an insecure and deprecated form of encryption to protect the sensitive personal details of the nation’s citizens."



'via Blog this'

Journalists’ confidential sources: Free speech under attack

Journalists’ confidential sources: Free speech under attack: "Rights are being eroded or res­tricted through various means and the war for free speech is being waged on a number of different battlegrounds."



'via Blog this'

Australia on edge as racial tensions rise

The Straits Times: "Race relations in Australia have deteriorated so badly that some community leaders fear violence will erupt in a political vacuum where the new government, elected with a bare majority, must rely on the support of parties that have fomented the discord."



'via Blog this'

Spies pulled out of Asia to fight ISIS

Spies pulled out of Asia to fight ISIS: "Australia’s foreign espionage agency has stripped officers from across its Southeast Asian and central Asian stations, sending spies to the Middle East in an ­urgent bid to meet the growing threat posed by Islamic State."



'via Blog this'

Legal bodies warn on proposed anti-terrorism legislation

Legal bodies warn on proposed anti-terrorism legislation: "The Australian Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia have warned the government to exercise caution with its new proposals to reform anti-terrorism legislation."



'via Blog this'

Australia's Muslim migrants on edge, race relations falter

Reuters: "Race relations in Australia have deteriorated so badly that some community leaders fear violence will erupt in a political vacuum where the new government, elected with a bare majority, must rely on the support of parties that have fomented the discord."



'via Blog this'

As surveillance gets smart, hackers get smarter

As surveillance gets smart, hackers get smarter: "There is an escalating technological arms race underway between governments and hacktivists. As governments step up their surveillance, the hacktivists find new ways to subvert it."



'via Blog this'

CIO stalwart Gathercole retires from public service

 iTnews: "He learnt much of his trade working at the Defence Signals Directorate throughout the 90s."



'via Blog this'

Beijing,Canberra against IS in Jakarta

Intelligence Online: "The execution of the Indonesian Islamist Syaikh Abu Wardah Santoso on July 18 revealed the three-way alliance between the Chinese, Australian"



'via Blog this'

SA’s nuclear debate: The state’s controversial history of atomic tests

Adelaide Now: "FROM atomic bomb tests at Maralinga to protests over new uranium mines, SA has a long history of controversy linked to the nuclear industry."



'via Blog this'

Getting comfortable with cloud-based security: Whom to trust to do what

The Register: "There are some bits of computing that you just don’t want to trust other people with. They’re just too sensitive. But at the same time, there are some things that people can do as well or better than you, for a lower cost."



'via Blog this'

Victoria Police goes to market for 8500 smartphones, tablets

 iTnews: "But tender documents reveal Victoria Police has a stated preference for iOS devices because they have been certified by the cyber security experts at the Australian Signals Directorate."



'via Blog this'

How much should you trust your hardware vendor? - Security - iTnews

How much should you trust your hardware vendor? - Security - iTnews: "Late last year, firewall vendor Juniper discovered a troubling backdoor in its Netscreen product range, quickly issuing an alert that prompted customers to patch their devices as soon as possible."



'via Blog this'

Caution urged amid calls for indefinite terrorist detention

Caution urged amid calls for indefinite terrorist detention: "Reacting to the push of the Turnbull government for legislation that lets authorities hold terrorists who still pose a serious threat after their prison terms, the Law Council of Australia is urging the Australian Parliament to proceed cautiously on the issue."



'via Blog this'

How Australia is being protected against terrorist attacks

How Australia is being protected against terrorist attacks: "Last week media personality Sonia Kruger created a firestorm after she suggested banning Muslims from coming to Australia, saying “I want to feel safe”."



'via Blog this'

Turnbull proposes tighter national security laws to protect Australia from terrorism

Turnbull proposes tighter national security laws to protect Australia from terrorism: "Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has proposed tighter security laws to protect the country from global terrorism threats. The Liberal leader has cited the recent attacks in Nice and Orlando as reasons Australia should toughen its national security."



'via Blog this'

Cyber security is now very big business for governments.

Cyber security is now very big business for governments.: "Cyber security is big business, and its biggest customers are governments. Asia Pacific’s biggest data security conference has just ended in Singapore, with the emphasis very strongly on the business issues of the technology, rather than the technology itself."



'via Blog this'

Malcolm Turnbull to seek new laws allowing indefinite imprisonment of terrorists

Business Insider: "Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and attorney-general George Brandis have announced new national counter-terrorism initiatives, including a push for indefinite imprisonment of terrorists who continue to pose a threat after serving their sentence."



'via Blog this'

Government officials of secretive Citizenship Loss Board named

The Guardian: "The identity of officials on one of the most powerful government boards in Australia – which has the effective power to strip Australians of citizenship – has been revealed for the first time."



'via Blog this'

Security services doing good job: Stratfor

SBS News: "The lack of large-scale terror attacks in the US and Australia show security services are doing a good job, a US private sector intelligence group says."



'via Blog this'

Don’t worry about US, angels will prevail: Joe Biden

Don’t worry about US, angels will prevail: Joe Biden: "That meant greater interoperability of forces and greater intelligence co-operation through the “Five Eyes” network consisting of the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand."



'via Blog this'

Dangerous allies, outdated treaties and the takeover of Australia's foreign policy

Dangerous allies, outdated treaties and the takeover of Australia's foreign policy: "John Menadue discusses Australia's loss of autonomy over its own foreign policy, which is mired in our alliance to the U.S. and dictated by the military establishment."



'via Blog this'

Australia Now Has a Cyber Ministe

Gizmodo Australia: "Along with a new minister for innovation, industry and science, the newly re-elected Turnbull government has possibly the most high-tech appointment ever to the cabinet. Current Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan will take on the role of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security, in a move recommended by a long-overdue overhaul of government’s online security strategy."



'via Blog this'

Government prepares to boost offensive cyber capability

Computerworld: "The Australian Signals Directorate has commenced a recruitment campaign that will help boost the government’s offensive and defensive cyber capabilities."



'via Blog this'

My year undercover with Australia's Islamic radicals

Stuff.co.nz: "One journalist spent a year undercover in Australia's radical Islamic networks."



'via Blog this'

Andrew Wilkie and the Chilcot inquiry

The Saturday Paper: "Intelligence officer turned whistleblower and politician Andrew Wilkie is calling for Australia to conduct its own version of the Chilcot inquiry into the war in Iraq."



'via Blog this'

ASIO to swap spies with Indonesia to combat ISIS

ASIO to swap spies with Indonesia to combat ISIS: "Australia will exchange spies with Indonesia in a bid to confront the growing scourge of Islamic State-inspired terrorism in the region."



'via Blog this'

Satrap Guilt: Australia, Iraq and the Chilcot Inquiry

Satrap Guilt: Australia, Iraq and the Chilcot Inquiry: "One such figure was Andrew Wilkie, now a returned independent member of the Australian parliament. Having been an intelligence officer within the Office of National Assessments and subsequent whistleblower on the dubious intelligence practices he bore witness to, the Tasmanian MP insisted that Australia needed its own variant of Chilcot."



'via Blog this'

Poor intelligence just one factor in Iraq involvement

theAustralian: "It concluded that the Office of National Assessments and the Defence Intelligence Organisation along with the rest of the international community failed to judge accurately the extent and the nature of Iraq’s WMD programs"



'via Blog this'

Chilcot report, Andrew Bolt and Andrew Wilkie leak case

Crikey: "The release of the Chilcot report into the British government’s decision to join the United States-led invasion of Iraq took almost as long to deliver as the battle to investigate one of Australia’s most highly classified leaks — to Andrew Bolt."



'via Blog this'

Woodside drives to 'demystify' cybersecurity in operations

Security - iTnews: "At that time, The Australian reported that resources firms including Woodside were working with the Australian Signals Directorate to try to curb attacks against resources infrastructure."



'via Blog this'

We take full responsibility: Aust on Iraq

The West Australian: "Mr Wilkie, who resigned from the Office of National Assessments in protest over the government's decision to join the war, renewed his call for a third and broader Australian inquiry into the conflict."



'via Blog this'

Federal Government IT Professionals Overconfident in Insider Threat Detection

Yahoo Finance: "Tripwire’s study is based on seven key security controls required by a wide variety of compliance regulations, including PCI DSS, SOX, NERC CIP, MAS TRM, NIST 800-53, CIS Top 20 and IRS 1075. These controls also align with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) recommendations and international guidance, such as the Australian Signals Directorate’s Strategies to Mitigate Targeted Cyber Intrusions."



'via Blog this'

Six Moments Of Schadenfreude For Progressives After The 2016 Election - New Matilda

 New Matilda: "With the Senate likely to be dominated by a centre-right and openly bigoted crossbench, progressive voters have been feeling a little blue since the results started to roll in on Saturday."



'via Blog this

Hopeless Vic agencies have two years to hit infosec best practice

The Register: "Government agencies in the Australian state of Victoria will have two years to move from near ground zero to stand up fully-fledged and updated information security, risk, and governance policies."



'via Blog this'

IBM launches security centre

theAustralian: "Global technology giant IBM is setting up a National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in Canberra with former AFP assistant commissioner Kevin Zuccato to lead the facility."



'via Blog this'

PM launches Woomera test range upgrade

news.com.au: "When it comes to trying out advanced weaponry, wide open space is necessary but so too is minimal electromagnetic interference and the Woomera test range possesses both attributes in abundance."



'via Blog this'

ISIS loses Fallujah

news.com.au: "ISLAMIC State has lost a major strategic city after the fall of Fallujah, but the “West will need to sleep with one eye open” with the terror group thirsty for revenge."



'via Blog this'

Healthcare not so healthy in preventing cyber attacks

iTWire "Cybercriminals are attacking the healthcare industry more than any other. Why? It’s a gold mine of privately identifiable information usually running on older, unpatched versions of Windows and ripe for being exploited through ransomware or data breaches."



'via Blog this'

Milton Osborne

The News Lens 關鍵評論網: "Dr. Milton Osborne is a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute. He has been associated with Southeast Asia for more than 50 years since being posted to the Australian embassy in Phnom Penh in 1959. He has held academic positions in Australia, the U.K., U.S. and Singapore. He was a consultant to the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees in relation to the Cambodian refugee problem, and served as Head of the Asia Branch of the Office of National Assessments."



'via Blog this'

Australia's Defence Department tips AU$12M to seat spies

 The Register: "The Department of Defence has tipped A$12 million (£6.1 million, US$9.1 million) into an information security facility to attract new blood by housing signals spooks alongside Australian National University academics."



'via Blog this'

Defence and ANU join forces

ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "The Department of Defence has announced $12 million in funding for a new purpose-built facility at the Australian National University (ANU) to shore up Australia's cyber security."



'via Blog this'

Coalition plans to install Frances Adamson at DFAT

theAustralian: "Observers say Ms Adamson’s postings in Taiwan and Hong Kong have given her a more rounded, and perhaps more critical, appreciation of China than is generally the case for China specialists who have had multiple appointments in mainland China itself."



'via Blog this'

AFP release report into who leaked top secret report on Iraq War to Andrew Bolt

theAge: "Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie has strongly rejected what he claims is offensive and unfounded "innuendo" levelled against him in a 12-year old Australian Federal Police report into the leaking of an intelligence document on the Iraq War to conservative columnist Andrew Bolt in 2003."



'via Blog this'

MPs on new committee will have access to national-security secrets

The Globe and Mail: "The federal government will entrust a new committee of parliamentarians with high-level national-security secrets, while cautioning members that any breach or leak would be a crime deserving of jail time."



'via Blog this'

Up to 61 Australian jihadists killed

 9news.com.au: "Australian security authorities now reckon as many as 61 Australians have been killed while fighting with Islamist terror organisations in the Middle East."



'via Blog this'

Former SAS Trooper Evan Donaldson Declines $1 Million Settlement Offer

huffingtonPost: "A former SAS trooper who alleges his identity was stolen and the event covered up by top Army brass has rejected a $1 million compensation offer from the Department of Defence because they refuse to recognise his prior military service."



'via Blog this'

The lies surrounding the Sydney siege unravel

World Socialist Web Site: "The Sydney siege on December 15–16, 2014 has entered the international lexicon, along with the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, the 2005 bombings in London and the latest attacks in Paris, as a justification for the bogus “war on terror.”"



'via Blog this'

Salesforce joins government’s secure cloud services list

Computerworld: "Salesforce has been added to the Certified Cloud Services List (CCSL) maintained by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD).

The company’s software as a service and platf"



'via Blog this'

Higher security level coming to govt’s certified cloud list

Computerworld:

"Services certified to be used with information classified at the PROTECTED level are expected to be added to the government’s Certified Cloud Services List (CCSL) by the of the year, according to the Department of Defence."



'via Blog this'

After Snowden, there is clear evidence of a paradigmatic shift in journalist-source relations

Comments from media industry experts:

 "Until Edward Snowden’s documents began to be published in June 2013 – again by the Guardian – no one other than the intelligence agencies and a handful of cabinet ministers knew the sheer scale of personal information that was being collected by GCHQ as part of the National Security Agency’s ‘Five Eyes’ network."



'via Blog this'

Election 2016: AFP and Innovation Dept fail cybersecurity test

afr.com:

"The Australian National Audit Office, which conducted the audit, found the AFP and the Innovation Department did not comply with the "Top 4" security strategies recommended by the secretive electronic spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate, that would deter 85 per cent of cyber crooks"



'via Blog this'

Australian Federal Police ordered to reveal its report into Iraq war leak

new.com.au: "The Administrative Appeals Tribunal has ordered the Australia Federal Police to make public its report on the affair at 9am, June 17.
It is expected to reveal what police knew and suspected about the leaking, 13 years ago, of a top-secret intelligence paper written for the Office of National Assessment by Andrew Wilkie, now an MP."



'via Blog this'

Australia’s Nick Xenophon: An “anti-politician”

World Socialist Web Site:

"Earlier this year, Xenophon joined the clamour against the leasing of Darwin’s civilian port to a Chinese company, echoing objections by US President Barack Obama. “I can’t believe Defence, and even ASIO [the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation], waved this through,” Xenophon told journalists."



'via Blog this'

​Organisations should stop playing malware whack-a-mole

FireEye | ZDNet:

 "Previously, Scott Brown, senior tech with CERT Australia, said around 95 percent of malware in the country still arrives via email, with the volume of those emails "skyrocketing" at the beginning of 2016."



'via Blog this'

Government Surveillance of U.S. Law Firms is About Power

 Big Law Business:

"Layton was reportedly representing Indonesia in trade negotiations with Australia on cigarette packaging and shrimp. The article said that the Australian Signals Directorate conducted the surveillance, which included attorney-client privilege information and offered to share it with the NSA."



'via Blog this'

Timor-Leste Blazing a Trail for Maritime Dispute Resolution

The Diplomat:

"Flanked by two giant neighbors, Timor-Leste endured a 24-year occupation by Indonesia during which a quarter of its population – some 200,000 souls – perished. More recently, it has faced skulduggery and espionage, with Australian spies planting listening devices in the Timor-Leste prime minister’s offices during treaty consultations."



'via Blog this'

EU referendum: Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe?

UK Politics | News | The Independent:

"Intelligence sharing between the US will not be affected by Brexit, Barack Obama has assured, although he added that it would be preferable for the UK to be inside the EU to push through reforms in the intelligence sector. It should be noted that the US and Britain share intelligence with Canada, Australia and New Zealand – the Five Eyes network – without any plans to extend this to the EU."



'via Blog this'

Why you need to plan for IT disasters

BIT:

 "Not enough businesses are prepared for the worst, according to the former head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
If you rely on IT, it is important to think about business continuity and make plans for coping with failures or attacks, according to Major General Stephen Day, the former head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre and former Head of Cyber at the Department of Defence."



'via Blog this'

ISIS, Fallujah: Loss of city would be fatal blow

GoldCoastBulletin:

"Mr Reed, a former Australian Secret Intelligence Service agent, said it was clear IS were holed up in a bitter fight to the end.

“The city is highly symbolic because it’s so close to the capital of Baghdad,” he said"



'via Blog this'

Oz infosec boffins call for mature threat debate

The Register:

"The University of NSW / Australian Defence Force Academy-run Australian Centre for Cybersecurity reckons the government needs to tip AU$1 billion annually into cyber-security."



'via Blog this'

Australia's cyber security strategy must be strengthened

smh:

"The strategy, launched by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in April, came with an acknowledgement Australia was prepared to take offensive action to protect the national interest.

The funding boost came after $400 million was allocated for staff with hacking experience at the Australian Signals Directorate and the announcement of 800 new intelligence and cyber roles within the Department of Defence."



'via Blog this'

​Optus Business, Macquarie Uni to invest AU$10m in cybersecurity hub

ZDNet:

"Optus Business and Macquarie University will jointly invest AU$10 million to establish a cybersecurity hub that will provide research, degree programs, executive and business short courses, professional recruiting opportunities, and consultancy services to the private sector and government agencies."



'via Blog this'

Government's cyber security strategy falls short of global standards

afr.com:

"The Turnbull government's cyber security strategy has come under fire from University of New South Wales professors for failing to match up to the policies of its western counterparts when it comes to spending, education, threat identification and critical infrastructure protection.

According to the UNSW discussion paper released on Monday, the government has pledged less money to the problem and failed to adequately address the critical skills shortage, instead focusing on raising awareness and "cyber hygiene"."



'via Blog this'

Dili draws a line in the sand over sea boundaries

Nikkei Asian Review:

"A 2006 treaty shelved the boundary issue for 50 years and gave East Timor a 50% share in the Greater Sunrise gas field, which sits in the disuputed zone, up from the 18% it would have received without the treaty. But East Timor maintains that the deal has been voided by revelations that Australian spies eavesdropped on Timorese negotiators during the negotiations in the mid-2000s."



'via Blog this'

Election 2016: Shadow of long-forgotten Iraq falls over campaign

 afr.com:

"The 2003 decision to invade Iraq was just as controversial then as it remains today, in the US, the UK and in Australia.

Part of the political drama that played out here involved an officer of an arm of Australia's national security establishment. In the Office of National Assessments, Andrew Wilkie resigned in protest in early 2003 at what he claimed was government manipulation of intelligence material on Iraq (and became an MP in 2010)."



'via Blog this'

Why Chinese investment is nowhere near as big as you think

 afr.com:

"Some are keen to suggest it is. When the lease to operate Darwin Port was sold to a Chinese privately owned company last year, some defence hawks claimed this might facilitate spying by the Chinese state and undermine Australia's security alliance with the US.

But the chiefs of the Department of Defence, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) all rejected such fearmongering."



'via Blog this'

ASIO just doing its job on Paul Dibb KGB probe: ex-spy officer

theAustralian:

A former ASIO officer has def­ended the spy agency’s decision to investigate defence expert Paul Dibb about his contacts with KGB agents in the Cold War.

“ASIO was just doing its job when it investigated Dibb,” said Molly Sasson, who worked on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s Soviet espionage desk in Canberra in the 1970s."



'via Blog this'

More eyes on ransomware

IT World Canada News:

"On Saturday the Globe and Mail reported that the Five Eyes group of intelligence-sharing countries — Canada, the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand — are making a major effect to attack the sources of ransomware. One RCMP official is quoted as saying it looks like criminals are industrializing cybercrime with ransomware."



'via Blog this'

Wilkie denies leaking top secret document

The Mercury:

 "“The facts of this matter are as follows,” Mr Wilkie said yesterday.

“In early 2003 I resigned as a senior intelligence analyst at the Office of National Assessments over the Government’s fraudulent reasons for joining in the invasion of Iraq."



'via Blog this'

CIA secret assessment: Bob Hawke brash, Gareth Evans brilliant

theAustralian:

"A secret CIA dossier on the Hawke government in 1988 ­describes Bob Hawke as brash, ­irreverent and willing to act against US interests for domestic politics while Gareth Evans was a brilliant but arrogant and ­impatient foreign minister."



'via Blog this'

AFP suspected Andrew Wilkie of leaking ‘top secret’ security document

theAustralian:

 "The police findings from 2004 are a disappointment for Labor as it has long suspected the highly classified document, which Mr Wilkie had helped produce as an intelligence analyst at the Office of National Assessments, was leaked in June 2003 by an adviser in ­Alexander Downer’s office, Josh Frydenberg, now a cabinet minister in the Turnbull government."



'via Blog this'

Terror risk has escalated tenfold, says academic

theAustralian:

 "Professor Barton noted that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Australian Federal Police had been bolstered considerably. “But there is no way we can increase the ­resources tenfold to match a tenfold increase in the number of people of concern,’’ Professor Barton said."



'via Blog this'

New mini-series Secret City puts Canberra on the world stage

canberraTimes:

 "And when they needed some locations to shoot internals, Chris Uhlmann simply called Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron – "Is there anyone in Canberra Chris doesn't know?" asks Werner – who came to the party with locations to set up the Prime Minister's office and the supposed offices of the Australian Signals Directorate, complete with mobile phone lockers and eye scanners."



'via Blog this'

CIA ‘sent agent to probe KGB tie’, says 1977 report

theAustralian:

 "The CIA believed ASIO had been penetrated by the KGB during the Fraser government years and sent a senior agent to uncover the suspected mole.

Damning confidential documents from that time reveal the US Central Intelligence Agency believed ASIO had no idea of the sophistication of Soviet spy ­activities in Australia in the late 1970s and the threat they posed to the Western alliance."



'via Blog this'

ASIO sting the ultimate betrayal

theAustralian:

"In Moscow this week, retired KGB agent Lev Koshlyakov broke a 30-year silence to admit that he always suspected Australia’s pre-eminent defence analyst, Paul Dibb, had lived a double life as an Australian spy."



'via Blog this'

Japan on Olympic hacking mission

 The Register:

"Governments around the world have in recent years created departments charged with bringing together critical infrastructure operators including those running utilities, banks, and transport.

In Australia that effort is part of the Trusted Information Sharing Network and the overhauled Australian Cyber Security Centre."



'via Blog this'

The road to a police state: how 'anti-terrorism' is destroying democracy

Red Flag:

"One of the major legal transformations associated with the introduction of the various anti-terror acts in the 15 years since 9/11 has been the normalisation of the idea that you can be charged with a crime that you have yet to commit.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has the right to seek warrants that allow the detention of someone suspected or someone related to someone suspected of considering a terror offence. This person can be detained in custody with no right to confidential legal counsel and no right to see the evidence brought against them."



'via Blog this'

Could Australia's Tougher FDI Review Put Off Further Chinese Investment? | Economy Watch

Economy Watch:

"In response to recent Chinese interest in infrastructure assets, the Australian government is under pressure to tighten its foreign investment review framework on national security grounds.

So far, the changes have been measured. The Treasurer has made the sale of state government-owned critical infrastructure assets to privately owned foreign companies subject to review by Treasury’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). David Irvine, former Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and a former ambassador to China, was also appointed to FIRB to boost its capacity to provide national security advice to the Treasurer."



'via Blog this'

FBI: Sydney Siege Gunman had Raised Incitement Concerns

voNews:

"Monis was on authorities' radars for years before the siege. He arrived in Australia on a business visa in 1996 and was made a citizen in 2004. Before being granted citizenship, he was interviewed by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation multiple times for security assessments required as part of the immigration process. The agency ultimately found he wasn't a security risk."



'via Blog this'

Australia's indefinite detention of refugees illegal

The Guardian:

"The latest adjudication by the UN human rights committee relates to five refugees – one Iranian, three Sri Lankan Tamils and one Afghan Hazara – who were illegally detained between 2009 and 2015 because the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation had made an “adverse security assessment” against each of them.


'We are the forgotten people': the anguish of Australia's 'invisible' asylum seekers
Read more
They were recognised as refugees by Australia – “for whom return to their countries of origin was unsafe” the committee said – but were refused visas on security grounds."



'via Blog this'

It's about time Australian businesses invested in cyber security

SecurityBrief Australia:

"Cyber crime costs Australia upwards of a billion dollars every year, and many large companies have been the target of malicious attacks, including Kmart, David Jones, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Australian Government Parliamentary Services. 

However, many Australian businesses also fail to publicly acknowledge that they have been breached, meaning this figure may well be higher. Indeed, the Australian Signals Directorate was called in to review more than 1,200 cyber attacks last year, up from 940 in 2014, while at least 60 attacks plagued Australian energy networks in 2014-2015.  "



'via Blog this'

Election 2016: how a change of government in Australia might change the world

smh:

 "Labor has pledged to open "good faith" talks with East Timor to carve up the sea boundary, which dictates who owns rich underwater oil and gas deposits. The background to this policy is complex, but put simply, East Timor is livid about revelations that Australian spies bugged the cabinet office in the tiny nation back in 2004, just as a treaty dividing the resources was being negotiated."



'via Blog this'

Privacy: why does it matter?

Lexology:

"Take steps to secure the information you hold. The OAIC and the Australian Signals Directorate provide useful guidance on the steps you should take."



'via Blog this'

CIVSEC 2016 Australia New Zealand Civil Security Summit Announced

SourceSecurity.com:

"The critical civil security challenges facing Australia during the next three to five years will be put under the spotlight at the CIVSEC 2016 Summit."



'via Blog this'

Symantec appoints Brian Fletcher for government affairs

ARN:

 "Security vendor, Symantec, has hired Brian Fletcher as its new director of government affairs covering A/NZ, Japan and Korea.

In the new role, based in Canberra, Fletcher will be responsible for leading Symantec’s engagement with governments and stakeholders on public policy, expanding public-private partnerships and providing advice on cybercrime issues in the region.

Fletcher maintains more than 21 years of Australian government service and was recently the director of cyber security relationships for the Australian Signals Directorate at the Australian Cyber Security Centre, where he led the development of cybersecurity policy and partnerships with industry and federal, state and territory governments."



'via Blog this'

Malcolm Turnbull won't back Brandis as both sides go to war on terror

afr.com:

"With both parties dredging through years' old statements by rival candidates to discredit them on national security and asylum seekers, Senator Brandis said that Peta Murphy, who is trying to wrest the seat of Dunkley from the Liberal Party, should be dumped because of her "tolerant attitude" towards terrorist organisations.

In 2009, Ms Murphy was a signatory on a submission by Liberty Victoria sent to then Labor attorney-general Robert McClelland calling on him to deny the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the police stronger powers to detain ­terror suspects without charge.

But when asked twice by reporters on Sunday whether he believed Ms Murphy should be dumped, Mr Turnbull said "I'm not going to comment on the candidate, the Labor candidate"."



'via Blog this'

Labor candidate Peta Murphy fought own party’s crackdown on jihadis

HeraldSun:

"Peta Murphy, contesting the southeast Melbourne seat of Dunkley, was among a group of lawyers who put their names to a submission calling on the government to deny the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the police stronger powers to detain ­terror suspects without charge."



'via Blog this'

Britain’s Exit from EU Would Be Damaging

voaNews:

"But the other Five Eyes members want Britain to stay in the European Union, because it makes it easier for them to co-operate via Britain with European intelligence agencies, both in practical and legal ways."



'via Blog this'

Australian “Anzac Day plot” boy entrapped by police

World Socialist Web Site:

"The entire police case seems to be based on communications between a vulnerable boy and an undercover police agent. The police have said the youngster was placed on a police “de-radicalisation” program when he was 15, following a highly-publicised raid on his family’s home in May 2015 by police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)."



'via Blog this'

Financial Services IT Professionals Overconfident in Breach Detection

businessWire:

 "Tripwire’s study is based on seven key security controls required by a wide variety of compliance regulations, including PCI DSS, SOX, NERC CIP, MAS TRM, NIST 800-53, CIS 20 Critical Controls and IRS 1075. These controls also align with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) recommendations and international security guidance such as the Australian Signals Directorate’s Strategies to Mitigate Targeted Cyber Intrusions."



'via Blog this'

Yahoo's second wave of declassified FISC docs

scMagazine:

 "Yahoo recently secured the release of the second wave of once-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) documents that detail the firm's dispute with the federal government concerning the release of user data as part of the National Security Agency's controversial PRISM program."



'via Blog this'

Protect Your Data And Reputation In Five Steps

Dynamic Business Australia:

"Protecting customer and company data is a major concern facing Australian businesses today. No doubt this business dilemma has been intensified by the rise in cyber attacks upon organisations of all sizes, affecting their ability to keep data secure.  According to the Australian Signals Directorate cyber attacks on Australian businesses and government increased by 20 percent in 2014. More concerning are figures from the Australian Cyber Security Centre claiming that the total cost of cybercrime in Australia is likely to be over $AUD 1 billion per year."



'via Blog this'

Risk-based cybersecurity for government agencies

The Mandarin:

 "“It’s important to ensure that it’s not addressed or used as a rote compliance model, a checklist or a regulation,” said Brown, a former director of cybersecurity co-ordination at the United States Department of Homeland Security who spoke at the Australian Cyber Security Centre conference."



'via Blog this'

ISIS wannabes arrested over alleged plan

new.com.au:

"Mr Brandis said last week that Australian Security Intelligence Organisation advised him there were still about 110 Australian foreign fighters in Iraq or Syria. Between 50 and 60 Australians are believed to have been killed fighting with IS."



'via Blog this'

National security takes centre stage in European Union referendum campaign

Business Reporter:

"The UK’s most valuable intelligence-sharing deal was with the Five Eyes group of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
“Within the EU, intelligence sharing doesn’t work effectively,” he said."



'via Blog this'

Trump’s rise causes disquiet in Australian ruling circles

World Socialist Web Site:

"Figures within the Australian security establishment, where there are close ties to Washington, have expressed alarm that a Trump presidency might signal a waning US commitment to Australia’s interests. Former Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general David Irvine told an Australian Strategic Policy Institute conference in Canberra last month that a Trump victory would “totally overturn the Asia-Pacific applecart, with a nuclear Japan or a nuclear South Korea.” The foundation of Asia-Pacific security would be “turned on its head” and Australia would have to significantly increase its own military capability."



'via Blog this'

Telco services panel tenders being accepted by government

ZDNet:

"Contractors would also be expected to comply with the government's many varying security requirements, and encrypt data in an Australian Signals Directorate-approved manner."



'via Blog this'

Insurance companies to benefit from ASX100 cyber security scheme

smh:

"Insurance companies and consulting firms are likely to be the big winners in the government's plan to introduce voluntary cyber security health checks at Australia's biggest companies. 

The health checks, part of the government's $230 million Cyber Security Strategy announced last month, will be coordinated by the Australian Securities Exchange and offered to top-100 listed companies."



'via Blog this'

National security takes centre stage

 Daily Mail Online:

"The UK's most valuable intelligence-sharing deal was with the Five Eyes group of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand."



'via Blog this'

Chinese Rich Listers were top Australian clients

smh:

"The client list includes Li Ka Shing, whose $US31.1 billion fortune was not troubled by his $396 million fight with the Australian Tax Office; Thomas and Raymond Kwok, whose Hong Kong property empire (which includes Wilson Parking and Wilson Security in Australia) is valued at $US14.7 billion; Hui Ka Yan, whose Evergrande Real Estate group is worth $US9.8 billion; and Chinese billionaire Liang Guangwei, a former People's Liberation Army soldier and head of a state-backed technology conglomerate who recently bought a $64 million block of land next to the new headquarters of the Australian spy agency."



'via Blog this'

ACMA review proposes 'full-stack' comms regulation

Telco/ISP - iTnews:

"In its draft report, the Communications department suggested ACMA's revenue collection be handled by the Australian Tax Office, and the agency's cyber security programs be transferred to the Attorney-General's Department for integration with the Australian Cyber Security Centre."



'via Blog this'

Talking Point: Kidman farms sale snag

The Mercury:

"However, the Government supported the Foreign Investment Review Board recommendation to block the sale. FIRB cited concern about the portion of Anna Creek Station within the occasional use “green zone” of the Woomera Prohibited Area, and the sheer size of the area in the portfolio. Anna Creek, the world’s largest cattle station, covers 23,677 square kilometres, about a quarter of the Kidman landholding.

As a result, the owners removed Anna Creek from the overall sale and listed it separately. They made it clear it would be listed for sale at the same time as the remainder of the business went to market. A deal was done with a Chinese investor to sell the portfolio, excluding Anna Creek."



'via Blog this'

Australian Federal Police fall short on cyber security

 Computerworld:

"The Australian Federal Police are not yet in compliance with the government’s mandated ‘Top 4’ security strategies, an audit has found.

According to the Australian Signals Directorate, which maintains the government's Information Security Manual (ISM), the ‘Top 4’ strategies can prevent at least 85 per cent of the targeted cyber intrusions that it responds to."



'via Blog this'

Australian IS operative killed in Iraq

 The West Australian:

"The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has estimated about 110 Australians are fighting with IS in Syria."



'via Blog this'

Surveillance breaks Fourth Amendment

sidneydailynews.com:

"The lead intelligence agency responsible for these spying systems and mass surveillance is the NSA (National Security Agency). Snowden revealed the NSA’s surveillance program called PRISM which according to Laura Poitras and Gellman Barton from the Washington Post has “Collection directly from the servers of these U.S. Service Providers: Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, Apple.”"



'via Blog this'

Laying the Glenariff Apartments foundations

Community Newspaper Group:

"City of Gosnells Mayor Olwen Searle recently joined PRDnationwide WA director Angus Murray and Thomas Building director Alan Thomas at the Glenariff Apartments site to witness the laying of its foundations."



'via Blog this'

Big Budget Push For Cyber-Security

channelnews:

"Some $38.8 million will be spent moving the Australian Cyber Security Centre from its current home in ASIO’s Canberra HQ, while $12.3 million is being set aside to assess vulnerabilities in government systems and $3.5 million will go towards establishment of more cyber security educational institutions."



'via Blog this'

Industry question Cyber Security Strategy investment and progress

australianDefence:

"Responding to First Assistant Secretary (Cyber Policy and Intelligence Division) Lynwen Connick’s address about the opportunities and challenges emerging from the strategy costed at $233.1 million over the next four years, Australian Iinformation Industry Association’s CEO, Rob Fitzpatrick queried whether it measured up to similar overseas programs."



'via Blog this'

Budget has a bit of everything for IT

theAustralian:

"Raiding Defence’s coffers makes sense given that the government is aligning the initiative as part of a broader national defence agenda. Around $39m of the total allocated sum will go towards the relocation of the Australian Cyber Security Centre, while $30 will be deployed to build a Cyber Security Growth Centre with the private sector to co-ordinate a national cyber security innovation network. Meanwhile, $47m will be spent to establish joint intelligence sharing centres in capital cities."



'via Blog this'

S Kidman’s $370m deal off the table

AdelaideNow:

"Kidman & Co last year agreed to sell Anna Creek station in central SA separately because part of it is located with the Woomera Prohibited Area. Mr Morrison had blocked a sale to foreign investors which included Anna Creek reportedly for national security reasons."



'via Blog this'

ASIO has its funding cut

SBS News:

"The Turnbull government has cut funding for ASIO by almost $15 million.

Despite being the lead security agency responsible for dealing with Australians who have joined IS, the federal government announced on Tuesday that ASIO's funding would be cut to $519 million in 2016-17."



'via Blog this'

Budget 2016: Australian Cyber Strategy implementation broken out

ZDNet:

"Out of the Department of Defence will come AU$38.8 million to relocate the Australian Cyber Security Centre; AU$1.3 million will be used to conduct cyber assessments on Commonwealth entities; and AU$11 million will be used to find vulnerabilities in Commonwealth systems. All up, Defence will hand over AU$51.1 million over four years."



'via Blog this'

Australian Signals Directorate updates ‘Top 4’ security guides

Computerworld:

"The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has updated a number of its guides to implementing its ‘Top 4’ security strategies for mitigating targeted cyber intrusions."



'via Blog this'

Trust a vital asset as NZ faces future

 NZ Herald News:

"To give just one example, one of the currently neglected areas is "incidentally gathered information". Electronic surveillance tends to "vacuum up" vast amounts of information. Most is undoubtedly discarded by the likes of the GCSB but currently it can be sent to its partners in the Five-Eyes network who can do what they want with it."



'via Blog this'

Rejecting a Chinese bid for land is in 'the national interest'?

The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation):

"We were told Australia was open for business, and yet when a Chinese group bid on S Kidman & Co. estate, Scott Morrison stood in the way and gave us little more than a hazy "national interest" explanation, writes Chris Berg."



'via Blog this'

The government is the real threat

Red Flag:

"The Australian government has not only participated in creating this global surveillance regime but also carries out its own surveillance in Australia and the region. In 2013, it was revealed that the Australian Signals Directorate had attempted to monitor the phone calls of the Indonesian president and several senior officials."



'via Blog this'

Australian-Syrian Dual Citizen Suspected of Terrorism

australianNetworkNews:

"The government took such a move based on the frequency of reports which stated the nation was under maximum threat from home-grown radicals. Reuters reported in April that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has been working on 400 investigations, keeping it on high priority as they were potential threats to Australia, the minister said."



'via Blog this'

Recruitment drive for cyber security specialists

canberraTimes:

"The funding boost comes after another $400 million was allocated to pay for staff with hacking experience to work for the Australian Signals Directorate, a key intelligence agency."



'via Blog this'

Australian PM: We Would Welcome UK Remaining In The EU

huffingtonPost: "“And of course we have very similar views on so many issues, so many strategic issues, we are very close allies, Britain is part of the Five Eyes group or alliance in terms of intelligence so from our point of view it is an unalloyed plus for Britain to remain in the EU.”"



'via Blog this'

Shot teen Numan Haider ‘set on fighting for Islamic State’

theAustralian:

"Numan Haider was determined to travel to Syria and wage violent jihad for the emerging terror group ISIL months before he made the fatal decision to attack counter-terrorism detectives at a suburban police station, according to ASIO intelligence."



'via Blog this'

‘It was a game’: former Timor PM

The New Daily:

"The arbitration became public after Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIO) raided the home of a former spy, identified as Witness K, and the offices of Canberra-based lawyer Bernard Collaery."



'via Blog this'

Start-up’s app tips family law settlements

theAustralian:

"Developed by the now de-funded Commonwealth Research Centre, the tool has been used by the Department of Defence Intelligence Organisation for geopolitical scenario modelling and war gaming."



'via Blog this'

66% of USB Flash Drives infected

iTWir

"And the recent Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASC) conference, 12-14 April in Canberra, imposed tight new regulations on USB usage, with presenters prohibited from bringing slides in on the devices. USBs were not able to be included in satchel bags nor handed out at booths, in the interest of cyber security."



'via Blog this'

Cyber crimes: The tip of the iceberg

Al Jazeera English:

"It is ranked as one of the fastest-growing areas of crime in the world by Interpol.

Cyber criminals are increasingly exploiting the speed, convenience and anonymity of modern technology to target individuals, corporations and governments."



'via Blog this'

Cyber crime: The rise of the digital mafia

 Al Jazeera English:

"Cyber theft has long replaced the 'traditional' concept of bank robberies. A much more sophisticated method of attack that has been in use for years has accelerated of late as a slew of hacks across the world has proven."



'via Blog this'

News Analysis: Australian govn't sends mixed message with blockage of S. Kidman sale - Xinhua | English.news.cn

English.news.cn:

"Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison on Friday blocked the sale of S. Kidman and Co. Limited, the country's largest private land owner, to Chinese investor, saying the deal is "contrary to the national interest"."



'via Blog this'

NSA spying: How many American citizens are affected?

 BGR:

"The National Security Agency (NSA), which is behind some of the world’s most sophisticated mass surveillance operations, can’t say how many Americans it’s spying on in these endeavors. That’s not because it’s a secret, though that might be a reason too. It’s because the agency’s operations are so vast that it can’t even figure out the number."



'via Blog this'

U.S. Court allows the FBI to Hack any Computer

theHackerNews:

"The US Supreme Court has approved amendments to Rule 41, which now gives judges the authority to issue search warrants, not only for computers located in their jurisdiction but also outside their jurisdiction."



'via Blog this'

​NEC Australia wins AU$52m

 ZDNet:

 "The Attorney-General's Department had previously said the capability was designed to replace manual facial image sharing arrangements between departments and agencies, with the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Department of Defence, and the AGD under the auspices of AusCheck the first to gain access to the system."



'via Blog this'

Hitting back at hackers

theAustralian:

"The government’s announcement adds some of the missing components and strengthens the capacity and capabilities of security forces, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), the Federal Police, and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) that was opened in November 2014 as “the next evolution of Australia’s cyber security capability.” The additional cyber security capacity and capabilities should improve information flow about cyberattacks and will facilitate early action, threat reduction and event mitigation."



'via Blog this'

Feds still paying for Windows XP support

iTnews:

"Federal government entities are required to adhere to the Australian Signals Directorate’s top four cyber mitigation strategies within their IT environments, including that they keep up to date with operating system patches."



'via Blog this'

More money doesn't guarantee success

theConversation:

 "The government’s long-awaited Cyber Security Strategy does not detail how these funds will be spent across the “five themes of action" included in the strategy."



'via Blog this'

Bangladesh tour back on radar

cricket.com.au:

"A week later, Sutherland announced that the tour had been postponed following information gleaned from DFAT, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and CA's internal head of security who was working closely with the BCB and Bangladesh authorities in Dhaka."



'via Blog this'

U.S. Spy Chief Considers Disclosing Number Of Americans Surveilled Online

ktoo:

"PRISM “gathers messaging data from Alphabet Inc’s Google, Facebook Inc, Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc and other major tech companies that is sent to and from a foreign target under surveillance,” Reuters reports."



'via Blog this'

Track Attackers On Your Corporate Network

 Lifehacker Australia:

"There are a host of vendors that sell cybersecurity solutions to businesses to protect them against attackers. For bigger organisations, sometimes it’s not enough to play the defensive game, according to Trent Heisler global vice-president of solutions engineering at LogRhythm, a security intelligence vendor. He was a speaker at the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSI) 2016 Conference earlier this month."



'via Blog this'

Cyber security 'health checks' for big business

smh:

 "The federal government will foot the bill for cyber security 'health checks' at some of Australia's biggest companies."



'via Blog this'

Australia's cyber strategy

LowyInterpreter:

"At a government level, there are solid efforts to strengthen defences, including 'a rolling programme of independent assessments of Government agencies’ implementation of the Australian Signals Directorate’s Strategies to Mitigate Targeted Cyber Intrusions'. After the debacle at the Office of Personnel Management in the US, there is ample evidence this issue needs to be taken extremely seriously. And as the strategy admirably acknowledges, an audit of seven Australian government agencies found 'most fell well short'. "



'via Blog this'

U.S. weighs disclosure

 Reuters:

"That law enables an Internet surveillance program known as Prism that was first disclosed in a series of leaks by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden nearly three years ago.

Prism gathers messaging data from Alphabet Inc's Google , Facebook Inc, Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc and other major tech companies that is sent to and from a foreign target under surveillance.

Intelligence officials say data about Americans is "incidentally" collected during communication with a target reasonably believed to be living overseas. Critics see it as back-door surveillance of Americans without a warrant."



'via Blog this'

Australia pledges A$230m to prevent a ‘lawless’ cyber domain

computerWeekly:

"Australia has adopted a new cyber security strategy, backed by a government pledge to invest A$230m over the next four years, which will include beefing up its computer emergency response team (Cert), the first responder for major incidents."



'via Blog this'

Australia still doesn't see a cyber attack as the menace our allies fear

theConversation:

"The strategy’s eight-page action plan, along with its indicators of success, is ambitious in its scope. Novel measures include joint public-private threat assessment centres in the states and a series of new appointments, including an Assistant Minister, a Special Adviser (both reporting to the PM) and an ambassador for cyber affairs. There are radical commitments to widen the services of the Australian Signals Directorate in the Department of Defence to meet private sector customer needs."



'via Blog this'

Australia Is Spending $178 Million to Beef Up Cyber Security

Nature World News:

"Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull from Australia confirmed the rumors that some government agencies of the country had been hacked. However, he refused to answer when asked if he believes that China is behind the hacking."



'via Blog this'

Cyber security a 'team sport'

theMandarin:

"ACSC co-ordinator Clive Lines, a deputy director of the Australian Signals Directorate, said recruitment was still an issue for the government agencies because they can’t compete against private sector salaries for staff with more advanced skills."



'via Blog this'

Australia launches cybersecurity campaign

South China Morning Post:

"Australia set out a far-reaching cybersecurity strategy on Thursday, invoking the leaks of United States whistle-blower Edward Snowden, terrorism and even the threat of war to push for a coordinated global approach to protection of online data."



'via Blog this'

Secret Court Takes Another Bite Out of the Fourth Amendment

 Electronic Frontier Foundation:

"But according to the FISC, that justification only applies at the time of initial collection (including the kind of massive overcollection that is occurring under 702) and can be completely abandoned once the government has its mitts on your communications. 

The upshot is that the government needs a national security or foreign intelligence purpose only for the initial collection and analysis of information. Once it has communications in its custody, those limitations no longer apply and the government can troll through it for whatever law enforcement purpose it wants without having to worry about getting a pesky warrant. "



'via Blog this'

Chinese bid ‘getting only leases from foreign-owned Kidman’

theAustralian:

"Dakang director Gary Romano declined to comment on the Treasurer’s decision or Mr Morrison’s move last year to block the sale on national interest grounds because one of Kidman’s properties overlapped the Woomera Prohibited Area in South Australia, but he criticised claims that the Chinese buyers should be allowed only to lease and not purchase the Kidman properties."



'via Blog this'

Turnbull orders Cyber Security cohesion

Government News:

"The public confirmation by the PM that the Australian Signals Directorate (formerly the Defence Signals Directorate) has cyber weapons at the ready is the first time the government has officially acknowledged the capability – and marks a significant change in posture in how future attacks, criminal or nation state sponsored, may be dealt with and potentially called out and publicised."



'via Blog this'

Domestic spying internationally

SC Magazine UK:

 "Domestic surveillance and foreign intelligent is not such a clear cut line in the age of PRISM. The Five Eyes group, a network of intelligence sharing between Australia, the UK, the US, Canada and New Zealand already shares the findings of various domestic surveillance programmes. This is only the tip of the iceberg as the Five Eyes regularly share with, and receive information from third parties and allies.  PRISM itself is run with contributions from GCHQ and the Australian Signals directorate. "



'via Blog this'

Cyber criminals are one step ahead: security experts

theAustralian:

 "The Prime Minister yesterday acknowledged the capabilities of the Australian Signals Directorate to launch strikes on hacker collect­ives, saying he hoped his announcement sent a strong message to cyber criminals."



'via Blog this'

Australia biggest cyber criminal of all

Bernard Keane

"Unlike other countries, and especially the United States, where there’s not merely been an extensive debate but a presidential panel review and legislative changes to curb the powers of spy agencies, the Snowden revelations have occasioned no debate in Australia. That Australia is complicit in a planetary-scale, multi-system mechanism of mass surveillance; that our own agencies have engaged in electronic surveillance of countries that are ostensibly our allies and close partners; that we have used electronic surveillance that is claimed to be used to defeat terrorism and our potential military opponents for economic advantage and to help US corporations: all these facts have been met with a conspiracy of silence from the major political parties here. Worse, the media has allowed both sides to get away with using national security as an excuse not to debate whether what Australia is engaged in is legal, moral or serves its national interests."



'via Blog this'

Turnbull launches government's cyber security strategy

Computerworld:

"The Australian Cyber Security Centre will relocate to enable “a more integrated partnership between the Government and its operational stakeholders, including businesses, the research and academic community and foreign partners collaborating with the ACSC,” the document states.

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) will continue to lead the ACSC."



'via Blog this'

ASIO spied on terror

The Courier-Mail:

"THE nation’s intelligence agency was secretly listening in on phone calls and spying on the internet activity of an accused terrorist-financier from Logan months before the Australian Federal Police began surveillance of him, a court has heard.

Lawyers for Omar Succarieh told the Supreme Court in Brisbane this morning that they had slapped the nation’s intelligence agency with a subpoena demanding it hand over records of messages and phone calls they intercepted."



'via Blog this'

Scott Morrison delays decision on sale

AdelaideNow:

 "Kidman and Co last year agreed to sell Anna Creek Station separately to the rest of the business because half of the station is located in the Woomera Prohibited Area."



'via Blog this'