Sponsored by Spectra Group
https://spectra-group.co.uk/
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10 Mar 22. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for Defence Peter Dutton have announced $38bn would be invested in expanding the Australian Defence Force (ADF) by 30 per cent, increasing the number of personnel by 18,500 to an estimated 80,000 by 2040.
Under the plan, the ADF would command 6,000 more troops than the “critical minimum” recommended by Defence to provide “redundancy and resilience” to cover casualties in the event of an armed conflict.
This is set to represent the largest ADF force since the Vietnam War.
The plan, announced at Brisbane’s Gallipoli Barracks on Thursday (10 March), will be rolled out across all warfighting domains and all states and territories.
The workforce growth will particularly focus on capabilities associated with the trilateral security partnership between Australia, United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS), as well as air, sea, land, space and cyber.
The announcement forms part of the 2020 Force Structure Plan (FSP) and has been assessed since the National Security Committee of cabinet approved the policy late last year.
“The first priority of my government is keep Australians safe and to do that we need a bigger ADF with more soldiers, sailors and airmen and women to operate the cutting-edge capabilities we’re getting to protect Australia,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“Our world is becoming increasingly uncertain so it’s important we take steps now to protect our people and our national interest over the coming decades.
“You can’t flick a switch to increase your army, navy and air force overnight, growing the type of people and skills we need to face the threats of the future takes time, so we must start now so critical skills can be taught and experience gained.”
Minister Dutton said the plan is critical to delivering and operating advanced capabilities required to secure Australia’s strategic environment, protect the nation’s interests and build a “credible military force”.
“This growth in workforce and expertise will enable us to deliver our nuclear-powered submarines, ships, aircraft and advanced weapons. It will mean we can build warfighting capabilities in the domains of space, and information and cyber,” he said.
“It will also build the resilience we need in critical areas and enable our people to increase intelligence, information and communications capacity.
“Defence industry will also be fundamental to supporting Defence’s capability delivery and workforce growth to deliver current and enhanced technologies, systems and equipment.”
This comes just days after Prime Minister Morrison announced plans to develop a new naval base on Australia’s east coast to support the operation of the Royal Australian Navy’s future nuclear-powered submarines promised under the AUKUS agreement.
The new base is expected to include specialised wharfs, maintenance facilities, administrative and logistics support, personal amenities, and suitable accommodation for submarine crews and support staff, including visitors.
Brisbane, Newcastle and Port Kembla have been shortlisted among 19 locations reviewed by the government.
The Commonwealth government is reportedly favouring development in Wollongong’s Port Kembla, as outlined in a submission to the cabinet’s National Security Committee.
Defence has commenced consultations with the NSW and Queensland governments, as well as relevant local authorities. (Source: https://www.cybersecurityconnect.com.au/)
10 Mar 22. BAE Systems eyes further enhancements to MAPLE AI tool. BAE Systems plans to further enhance its Multi-Int Analytics for Pattern Learning and Exploitation (MAPLE) data mining and analysis tool, with the aim of handling more data and boosting the technology’s autonomous capabilities, the company told Janes. MAPLE uses machine learning (ML) analytics to process and analyse data for a wide range of military applications. Most recently, the company integrated MAPLE with the US Navy’s (USN’s) SeaVision maritime situational awareness tool, using it to analyse low-level detection of maritime activities like fishing. BAE Systems aims to further advance the technology in the coming years, said Scott Morales, technology development manager at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs. The goal is to enable MAPLE to analyse more data, while doing so closer to the source of the data: for example, embedding MAPLE onto a sensor, rather than transferring that sensor’s data to a hub. “That’s a next step for the application,” he said. (Source: Janes)
10 Mar 22. Situational awareness (SA) through secure data transmission. Recognizing and recording environmental conditions and situational snapshots – and translating them into actions – can reduce risks for personnel, machines, and infrastructure. In many areas, security forces need to operate efficiently and require information about their surroundings. At the same time, they must use this information to plan and adjust their actions accordingly. For example, information on the location of friendly and enemy forces can be made available.
Big Data and complex networked systems
The advent of artificial intelligence, Big Data, and cross-platform, complex networked systems has made highly technical expertise mandatory. Interfaces must be developed to match the respective applications. For example, optronic systems enable vehicle crews to communicate using a wide range of visual information. Acoustic sensor systems help to localize threats by identifying ballistic missiles, warning personnel, and providing information on the direction and distance of the projectile’s source. Ideally, these sensor systems are coupled with an Active Protection System, which protect crews by disrupting the approaching projectile in such a way that the intended effect on target is severely impaired.
Situational awareness technologies support fast and well-founded decision-making. A central node (a forward operating base or FOB) bundles the acquired information and outputs real-time data to the deployed units via cables, antennas, and glass fibers. All these systems are united by the need for highly robust, reliable, application-specific connector systems and cable assemblies for the transmission of mission-critical (RF) signals and data.
Robust, application-specific connector systems
ODU connectors for military, security, and communication applications provide a high level of signal integrity thanks to 360° shielding. Different transfer protocols (USB/HDMI/Displayport) ensure high-speed data transmissions that are also protected against access by third parties and standard interfaces. Pin-and-groove coding and color coding provide extra support in extreme situations and prevent incorrect mating. Even in the smallest installation space, different transmission variants can be individually configured. The rugged ODU housings are waterproof up to IP6K9K, non-reflective, and available with various connection types and locking mechanisms.
Robust under high loads and extreme temperatures, resistant to dust, water and vibration. Optimized for demanding applications due to high resilience and transmission reliability even under the most technically challenging environmental conditions.
ODU Group: global representation with perfect connections
The ODU Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of connector systems, employing 2,500 people around the world. In addition to its company headquarters in Muehldorf a. Inn (Germany), ODU also has an international distribution network and production sites in Sibiu/Romania, Shanghai/China, and Tijuana/Mexico. ODU combines all relevant areas of expertise and key technologies including design and development, machine tooling and special machine construction, injection, stamping, turning, surface technology, assembly and cable assembly. The ODU Group sells its products globally through its sales offices in China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Romania, Sweden, UK and the US, as well as through numerous international sales partners. ODU connectors ensure a reliable transmission of power, signals, data and media for a variety of demanding applications including medical technology, military and security, automotive, industrial electronics, and test and measurement.
09 Mar 22. Russia-Ukraine: Hacktivists’ attacks against Russian websites will continue to increase in intensity despite their limited operational impact. On 8 March, industry reports claimed that the websites of several Russian ministries, including the Ministry of Energy, were compromised by a cyber attack. These incidents reportedly defaced the sites with two images displaying the words “Why?”. While it remains unclear who is responsible, this incident follows the 7 March Anonymous-led hack against Russian television channels that replaced their programming with coverage of the Ukraine conflict by independent broadcasters Current Times and Dozhd TV, which have been blocked by the Russian government. If officially confirmed to be an Anonymous attack, this latest operation would be consistent with the group’s 3 March claim that they compromised more than 2,500 websites linked to the Russian and Belarusian governments (see Sibylline Biweekly Ukraine Cyber Update – 8 March 2022). Despite these hacktivists’ growing utilisation of cyber space to support Ukraine during this conflict, their rudimentary attacks have largely been symbolic in nature and have had a limited impact on the Russian military’s capabilities. Nevertheless, with Russia’s military offensive unlikely to abate, there is a high likelihood of further hackers adopting the group’s moniker to launch further low-level attacks against Russian businesses and government agencies in support of Ukraine.
US: State governments and their private sector partners will be increasingly targeted by Chinese cyber espionage as the 2022 midterm elections draw closer
On 8 March, cyber security firm Mandiant disclosed that Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group 41 (known as Wicked Panda or Winnti) has been targeting six US state governments’ networks since May 2021. This hacking group is believed to have exploited a range of internet-facing web applications, including Log4J, to compromise their targets’ systems. While Mandiant did not reveal which specific state governments were affected, such activity is consistent with previously detected Winnti campaigns. Winnti is an umbrella term used to track a collective of Beijing-directed APT groups that engage in cyber espionage to help Beijing achieve its geopolitical goals. As such, it is liable that these operations were aimed at monitoring strategically important events, such as the US gubernatorial and House of Representatives elections held in 2021, and how these developments could impact US-based Chinese businesses. With other important events, such as the 2022 US midterm election, set to take place later this year, there is a heightened risk of further cyber espionage campaigns being launched in the coming months. US government agencies and their private sector partners, such as in tech, will remain the most at-risk of such activity. (Source: Sibylline)
08 Mar 22. COMSovereign to Bring its 4G and 5G Technologies and Drone-Based Aerial Communications Platform to IWCE 2022 in Las Vegas. Exhibit to Include its DragonWave and Fastback Microwave Radios, Saguna Edge Compute Software Technology, and the Sky Sapience HoverMast Tethered Drone. COMSovereign Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: COMS and COMSP) (“COMSovereign” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based developer of 4G LTE Advanced and 5G communication systems and solutions today announced its participation as an exhibitor at the upcoming International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE), the premier annual event for communications technology professionals. The event will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 21-24, 2022.
Make sure to visit us at Booth #2845 to learn more about COMSovereign and its portfolio of 4G/5G communications hardware and software solutions. To arrange one-on-one meetings at the show or for any questions, please email us at .
At IWCE, COMSovereign will be showcasing its wide range of trusted and secure wireless network communications technology including its Fastback intelligent, unlicensed band microwave radios, DragonWave licensed microwave band radios and its rapid deployable FeatherLite™ and RAID™ 4G LTE wireless network communications solutions. Also on display will be the Company’s rugged, quick reaction HoverMast tethered drone designed for applications including temporary commercial networks, first responders, homeland security and defense.
Make sure to visit us at Booth #2845 to learn more about COMSovereign and its portfolio of communications hardware and software solutions. To arrange one-on-one meetings at the show or for any questions, please email us at .
IWCE is the premier mission critical communications show in North America, attracting a diverse group of public safety, utility, government, military, transportation, and business enterprise professionals. IWCE offers a comprehensive conference program of professional development opportunities as well as a robust Exhibit Hall showcasing the latest products and technology. (Source: PR Newswire)
08 Mar 22. Keysight Technologies First to Receive FCC Spectrum Horizons License for Developing 6G Technology in Sub-Terahertz. Accelerates development of technology supporting data-intensive high-bandwidth applications and sensing, Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that delivers advanced design and validation solutions to help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, has been granted the first Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Spectrum Horizons Experimental license for developing 6G technology in sub-Terahertz (THz) frequency bands, between 95 gigahertz (GHz) and 3 THz. The FCC license enables Keysight to develop cutting-edge technology used by researchers in academia and the industry to accelerate innovations that support data-intensive high-bandwidth applications, imaging and sensing. Keysight is also the first company to be granted FCC licenses above 246 GHz and 275.5 GHz. Access to large swaths of contiguous spectrum in sub-THz frequencies allows 6G innovators to realize high data throughput speeds of 100 giga bits per second (Gbps) up to 1 terabit per second (Tbps), as well as ultra-low latencies across short distances.
“Innovations in sub-THz spectrum will support use-cases such as immersive telepresence, digital twins and extended reality, which is all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables,” said Roger Nichols, Keysight’s 5G & 6G program director. “Using the FCC Spectrum Horizons license enables Keysight to strengthen our commitment to 6G technology, which will allow innovators to pioneer across the novel terrain of future-generation communications systems.”
Keysight applied for the FCC licenses to promote 6G technology development while also ensuring no harmful interference to existing authorized users. The multiple FCC license grants follow Keysight’s active participation in driving U.S. spectrum policy in consortia such as the mmWave Coalition, in which Keysight is a founding member. The mmWave Coalition is a group of innovative companies united in removing regulatory barriers to technologies and using frequencies ranging from 95 GHz to 450 GHz.
“The use of sub-THz spectrum to power the next generation of wireless technology is one key enabler to merging the physical and digital worlds, which will result in creative ways for people to interact with their surroundings,” said Kailash Narayanan, president of Keysight’s Communications Solutions Group. “Keysight takes an active role in several government-sponsored 6G initiatives around the globe. These are critical in generating momentum for technology that will accelerate digitalization and drive innovation for consumers, government and businesses.”
About Keysight Technologies
Keysight delivers advanced design and validation solutions that help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight’s dedication to speed and precision extends to software-driven insights and analytics that bring tomorrow’s technology products to market faster across the development lifecycle, in design simulation, prototype validation, automated software testing, manufacturing analysis, and network performance optimization and visibility in enterprise, service provider and cloud environments. Our customers span the worldwide communications and industrial ecosystems, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics markets. Keysight generated revenues of $4.9B in fiscal year 2021. For more information about Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS), visit us at www.keysight.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
05 Mar 22. Russia-Ukraine conflict could push major cybersecurity legislation past finish line. The threat of Russian retaliation against the west is front-of-mind with Senate passage of key bills to require reports of ransomware payments and other cybersecurity incidents to the government, overhaul FISMA and codify FedRAMP. Potential fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could help lawmakers overcome timing and jurisdictional hurdles and pass legislation to require private-sector owners of critical infrastructure to report cybersecurity incidents to the government and to update the Federal Information Security Modernization Act.
“With everything that’s happening in Ukraine, I think there’s more motivation for people to get some legislation passed,” former Federal Chief Information Security Officer Grant Schneider told Nextgov. “It becomes harder for anyone to fall on their sword over the nuances of any given provision.”
Schneider, now senior director of cybersecurity services at the law firm Venable, was commenting on the prospects in the House for the Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act, which the Senate passed under unanimous consent Tuesday evening.
The Senate-passed legislation combines three bills that have either previously passed the House in similar form or are on their way to doing so.
Most notable among the bill’s provisions are ones that would require private-sector critical infrastructure entities to report qualifying cybersecurity incidents, including ransomware payments, to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within 72 hours. Ransomware payments would have to be reported within 24 hours. A similar bill passed the House last year, but the Senate couldn’t quite get there, because of timing constraints, lawmakers said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had also voiced concerns the bill leaves them out of the incident reporting loop.
Also included in the Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act are provisions to codify and fund a General Services Administration program for certifying the security of the government’s cloud service providers through independent third-party audits. According to a 2019 Government Accountability Office report, most agencies often weren’t going through GSA’s Federal Risk Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP, before contracting with cloud vendors. The House has repeatedly passed FedRAMP codification legislation with similar language.
Finally, the bill the Senate passed Tuesday includes lengthy provisions to update the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014. Much of those provisions—including those redefining “major incident” for reporting purposes—are mirrored in legislation recently introduced in the House by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY., although there was one significant difference.
The House bill called for recognition of the federal chief information security officer and for that official to have authorities for shaping agencies’ cybersecurity budgets. The Senate bill, which comes out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, does not mention the federal CISO, which operates out of the Office of Management and Budget, under Maloney’s jurisdiction.
“I congratulate Chairman Peters on Senate passage of the Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act, which contains the Federal Information Security Modernization Act—one of my top legislative priorities,” Maloney, who has been particularly alarmed about the possibility of Russian presence in federal networks, told Nextgov.
“The Committee on Oversight and Reform kicked off 2022 with a bipartisan hearing and markup to examine how best to approach FISMA modernization, and we look forward to incorporating those crucial lessons learned as this effort moves through the legislative process,” she added. “FISMA reform will determine our federal cybersecurity posture for years to come, and it is essential that the final bill seizes every opportunity to defend our federal networks from the onslaught of attacks they face daily. Chairman Peters and I are jointly committed to this goal, and we are certain we’ll succeed in getting this bill to the President’s desk soon.” (Source: Defense Systems)
08 Mar 22. Digital Signals Collaboration for ViaLite. In keeping with its reputation for innovation and leading edge technology, ViaLite has joined the Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (DIFI). Formed to advance interoperability in digital satellite and ground system networks, the independent international group is made up of companies, organizations and government agencies. The satcom industry has traditionally used IF (Intermediate Frequency) and L-band as an analog standard for uplink and downlink traffic, and for some applications this will continue to be the most common format for some time to come. However, DIFI represents an excellent opportunity for the industry to create a common and interoperable digital IF standard, promoting a high quality and competitive multi-vendor environment.
DIFI also delivers an essential building block for the virtualized gateway, to bring a digitized connection right to the antenna. As has been proven in common communications standards like 3GPP for cellular, a widely accepted DIFI standard can create an eco-system of vendors and reduces proprietary or lock-in solutions.
“We are excited to participate in the DIFI consortium, and will use the standard to direct our implementation of RF over IP solutions alongside our RF over Fiber (analog) products,” said Richard Jacklin, ViaLite Director of Sales.
ViaLite has been developing and producing products using digital format signals across fiber for many years in addition to its market leading RF over fiber ranges.
Stuart Daughtridge, Chairman of DIFI and SVP for Advanced Technologies at Kratos commented: “We are pleased to have another leading edge technology company like ViaLite join the DIFI organization. Their contribute will further the maturity and adoption of our interoperable Digital IF standard that will enable the digital transformation of our industry.”
07 Mar 22. Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, and Ping Identity Join Forces to Strengthen U.S. Cybersecurity in Light of Increased Cyber Threats. The Critical Infrastructure Defense Project will provide comprehensive, no-cost cyber protections for U.S. hospitals and water and power utilities. Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRWD), a leader in cloud-delivered protection of endpoints, cloud workloads, identity and data, and Ping Identity (NYSE: PING), a leader in identity authentication, authorization, and risk solutions for large enterprises, today announced a new Critical Infrastructure Defense Project to provide free cybersecurity services to particularly vulnerable industries during this time of heightened risk. This project is designed to enhance defenses against key areas of enterprise risk and eligible organizations will have access to the full suite of Cloudflare Zero Trust solutions, endpoint protection, and intelligence services from CrowdStrike, and Zero Trust identity solutions from Ping Identity. This project, in collaboration with core partners across the public sector, will also offer an easy-to-follow roadmap that businesses in any industry can use to implement step-by-step security measures to defend themselves from cyberattack.
In February 2022, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) issued a ‘Shields Up’ advisory to urge all U.S. businesses to take steps to prepare for potentially disruptive cyber activity in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As the Sunburst attack, which triggered a large-scale supply chain incident affecting thousands of organizations, and Colonial Pipeline incident, resulting in the shut down of its pipeline for five days, have demonstrated, attacks on U.S. infrastructure can have widespread impact on businesses and citizens alike.
“We rely on our infrastructure to power our homes, to provide access to water and basic necessities, and to maintain critical access to healthcare. That’s why it’s more important than ever for the security industry to band together and ensure that our most critical industries are protected and prepared,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “We are honored to come together with CrowdStrike and Ping Identity during this time of heightened security risk to protect our nation’s most vulnerable infrastructure.”
“This is first and foremost a public service initiative to secure the endpoints and data of some of the most important critical infrastructure entities in the country,” said George Kurtz, CEO and co-founder of CrowdStrike. “We are in a position to help and we want to do all we can. Today, CrowdStrike is offering two no-cost capabilities in endpoint protection and intelligence services to help critical organizations in the U.S. better protect themselves against evolving threats and ensure critical functions for Americans are not disrupted.”
“With heightened targeting risk on our critical infrastructure, strong identity security is more important than ever,” said Andre Durand, CEO and founder of Ping Identity. “We are honored to partner with Cloudflare and CrowdStrike as a part of a comprehensive security offering at no cost. Together we stand strong in keeping our nation and infrastructure secure.”
The security features available to organizations through the Critical Infrastructure Defense Project provide a Zero Trust model for securing the networks, endpoints, and identities of organizations and critical threat intelligence for teams that are at risk of attack. U.S. hospitals and water and power utilities are encouraged to:
1. Visit https://CriticalInfrastructureDefense.org to learn about the Zero Trust security services available from Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, and Ping Identity.
2. Review the Critical Infrastructure Defense checklist on the website, which provides easy-to-follow actions that organizations can take in the next day, week, and month to improve their cyber readiness.
3. Reach out through the website to get onboarded onto Cloudflare’s, CrowdStrike’s, and Ping Identity’s solutions.
About Cloudflare
Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com / @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare’s suite of products protects and accelerates any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Company Cultures 2018 list and ranked among the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2019. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.
© 2021 Cloudflare, Inc. All rights reserved. Cloudflare, the Cloudflare logo, and other Cloudflare marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cloudflare, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
About CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, has redefined modern security with one of the world’s most advanced cloud-native platforms for protecting critical areas of enterprise risk – endpoints and cloud workloads, identity, and data.
Powered by the CrowdStrike Security Cloud and world-class AI, the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform leverages real-time indicators of attack, threat intelligence, evolving adversary tradecraft, and enriched telemetry from across the enterprise to deliver hyper-accurate detections, automated protection and remediation, elite threat hunting, and prioritized observability of vulnerabilities.
Purpose-built in the cloud with a single lightweight-agent architecture, the Falcon platform delivers rapid and scalable deployment, superior protection and performance, reduced complexity, and immediate time-to-value.
CrowdStrike: We stop breaches.
About Ping Identity
Ping Identity delivers intelligent identity solutions for the enterprise. We enable companies to achieve Zero Trust identity-defined security and more personalized, streamlined user experiences. The PingOne Cloud Platform provides customers, workforce, and partners with access to cloud, mobile, SaaS, and on-premises applications across the hybrid enterprise. Over half of the Fortune 100 choose us for our identity expertise, open standards, and partnerships with companies including Microsoft and Amazon. We provide flexible identity solutions that accelerate digital business initiatives, delight customers, and secure the enterprise through multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, access management, intelligent API security, directory, and data governance capabilities. For more information, visit www.pingidentity.com. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
07 Mar 22. WDS 2022: SIG4L launches network-monitoring systems. SIGN4L, the electronic warfare (EW) and intelligence specialist in the United Arab Emirates’ Edge group, unveiled two new products at the inaugural World Defense Show (WDS) held in Riyadh from 6 to 9 March.
Waleid Al-Mesmari, Edge’s vice-president of programme management, electronic warfare, and intelligence, told Janes that both ActiveCell and WiFinder were designed to help end-users manage complex information in a secure manner. “They ensure the maximum levels in protection, situation awareness, and information superiority across increasingly complex operating environments,” he said.
Displayed at the WDS in a backpack configuration, ActiveCell comprises a modular software-defined radio (SDR) that monitors and analyses cellular networks to assist in the detection, monitoring, and location of suspects across 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
Al-Mesmari said the product allows end-users to conduct “forensic analysis of cellular networks in urban as well as rural environments”. He also suggested the technology could be used during search-and-rescue missions to identify the location of missing persons through their mobile phone signals. (Source: Janes)
07 Mar 22. South Korea: Samsung’s data breach underscores the growing threat posed to all sectors by the LAPSU$ group. On 4 March, the cyber criminal group LAPSU$ claimed on its dark web site that it leaked nearly 190GB of South Korean electronics firm Samsung’s “confidential information”. Details regarding this campaign, including how the attackers gained access to Samsung’s infrastructure or whether it is being held for ransom, are limited. However, the sensitive information that was stolen by LAPSU$ allegedly includes “source code” used for operations such as hardware cryptography or biometric locks. If officially confirmed, this would constitute the hacking group’s most notable attack since they stole 1TB of sensitive data from US chipmaker Nvidia in February (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 28 February 2022). Despite the LAPSU$ group being a newer threat actor that emerged within the last year, it has continued to successfully compromise a string of high profile entities across the globe, including Portuguese media firms Impresa and Confina Group (see Sibylline Cyber Alert – 9 February 2022). With this group’s malicious activity unlikely to abate, further such attacks are highly likely to be launched against industries of interest, such as technology, in the coming six months. (Source: Sibylline)
07 Mar 22. L3Harris Two-Channel Handheld Radio to Provide UK Ministry Of Defence Interoperability with U.S. and NATO Allies.
Highlights:
• Advanced radio delivers critical communications during coalition operations
• Flexible architecture allows users to add new waveforms to stay ahead of threats
• Extends UK MOD partnership; radio support, maintenance performed at L3Harris’
Farnborough facility
L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide Falcon IV® AN/PRC-163 multi-channel handheld tactical radios, which will deliver critical communications and greater interoperability with U.S. and other NATO allies during coalition operations.
The L3Harris Falcon IV® multi-channel handheld radio selected by the UK MOD has been broadly adopted by the U.S. Army, US Marine Corps, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Air Force and a growing number of key allies to provide secure, resilient and interoperable communications capabilities.
The AN/PRC-163 is the most advanced hand radio available in the world today. Providing a wide range of secure communications waveforms – while simultaneously integrating voice and data communications, network routing, and gateway functions – the radios offer true resilience against peer adversary threats. In addition, the flexible software-defined architecture enables users to quickly add new waveforms and enhanced capabilities to address evolving requirements.
“Success in coalition operations depends on strong partners and robust information sharing, from mission information down to voice communications,” said Keith Norton, Vice President, Communication Systems, UK, L3Harris. “The AN/PRC-163 will provide the MoD with unrivalled technical and advanced networking capabilities, greater interoperability for U.S. and other NATO allies, and is future-proofed for ever changing mission types.”
04 Mar 22. US PMA-213 adds MRQ-13 communications system to USMC tower. The US Marine Corps uses an AN/TSQ-120D temporary air traffic control tower during expeditionary operations. The US Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office (PMA-213) has fielded the first MRQ-13 communications system onto the US Marine Corps (USMC) AN/TSQ-120D Control Tower. The system was installed at an AN/TSQ-120D located at Marine Air Control Squadron 1 Company B at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.
The AN/TSQ-120D temporary air traffic control tower is used by USMC during expeditionary operations to maintain vigilance for potential air traffic conflicts. According to a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) statement, the addition of MRQ-13 communications system replaces the tower’s current unsupportable communications subsystem. The change enhances readiness and introduces commonality across the expeditionary control towers. Additionally, the new communications subsystem meets the fiscal 2025 crypto-modernisation mandate.
Commenting on the move, PMA-213 programme manager captain Kevin Watkins said that the rapid acquisition effort is a ‘quick, impactful win for the USMC.’
He added that it ‘squarely aligns with Commandants Force Design 2030 for a more agile and expeditionary Marine Corps Force posture.’ The MRQ-13 communications system is now expected to reach full operational capability and deployed for all Marine Corps Air Squadrons by the end of fiscal year 2022. PMA-213 is the Naval Aviation Enterprise’s Program Office for all navy and Marine Corps Air Traffic Management Systems. It works to provide appropriate, cost-effective and sustainable decisive air traffic management capability to the forces.
Recently, the US Navy announced that it is working on a new mine countermeasure (MCM) sensor suite for MQ-8C Fire Scout uncrewed helicopter systems. A land-based demonstration of the MCM prototype is expected to be conducted soon. (Source: naval-technology.com)
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Spectra Group Plc
Spectra Group (UK) Ltd, internationally renowned award-winning information security and communications specialist with a proven record of accomplishment.
Spectra is a dynamic, agile and security-accredited organisation that offers secure Hosted and Managed Solutions and Cyber Advisory Services with a track record of delivering on time, to spec and on budget.
With over 15 years of experience in delivering solutions for governments around the globe, elite militaries and private enterprises of all sizes, Spectra’s platinum and gold-level partnerships with third-party vendors ensure the supply of best value leading-edge technology.
Spectra was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise (Innovation) in 2019 for SlingShot.
In November 2017, Spectra Group (UK) Ltd announced its listing as a Top 100 Government SME Supplier by the UK Crown Commercial Services.
Spectra’s CEO, Simon Davies, was awarded 2017 Businessman of the Year by Battlespace magazine.
Founded in 2002, the Company is based in Hereford, UK and holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
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