Sponsored by Spectra Group
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17 Jan 25. Iran Unveils Zagros, Its First Domestically Produced Intelligence Ship. Iran has introduced its first domestically produced signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel, the Zagros, as part of a broader effort to bolster naval capabilities and protect key nuclear facilities. Announced through state media on Wednesday, the unveiling coincides with extensive nationwide military drills involving both the regular armed forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Zagros, described as a corvette-based surveillance ship, represents an unorthodox design for SIGINT operations, which are traditionally conducted by vessels converted from commercial hulls. According to Iranian Navy Commander Admiral Shahram Irani, the ship is equipped with advanced electronic sensors capable of intercepting, decrypting, and analyzing electromagnetic signals, as well as cyber and intelligence surveillance systems. The vessel’s integrated mast features ball-shaped radomes housing antennas for radio-frequency signals and satellite communications systems. Admiral Irani emphasized the vessel’s strategic role, calling it “the watchful eye of Iran’s navy in the depths of the seas and oceans.” Officials stressed that the ship’s construction relied entirely on domestic resources. Iran’s ongoing nationwide drills, set to continue until mid-March., featured simulations aimed at protecting key sites like the Natanz nuclear facility from missile and drone attacks. Iran has reiterated that the exercises are necessary to protect its nuclear infrastructure, which it insists is civilian-focused. However, Western nations remain skeptical of these claims, particularly following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s recent report that Iran’s uranium enrichment levels have reached 60%, far exceeding the limits outlined in the 2015 nuclear agreement. Recent defeats suffered by Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, at the hands of Israel have heightened fears that Tehran could pursue a nuclear weapon to reestablish regional deterrence. Analysts caution that these tensions might also be exacerbated by president-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House later this month. Since the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal under Trump, tensions have escalated over Iran’s nuclear activities. The Biden administration has reportedly considered options, including military strikes, to prevent Tehran from advancing toward nuclear weapons development. Talks involving European nations, held as recently as January in Geneva, have called for Iran to de-escalate its nuclear ambitions. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
17 Jan 25. Global: Spoofing operation heightens security risks stemming from large-scale botnet. On 14 January, the security company Infoblox reported that the MikroTik botnet has been exploiting misconfigured sender policy framework (SPF) records to distribute malware since at least November 2024. Threat actors re-configure SPF records to allow for emails originating from malicious domains to be received by potential victims without being detected. This enables them to send spoofed phishing emails to trick users into opening a malicious .ZIP attachment. The file then runs a PowerShell script to establish a connection with actor-controlled infrastructure, and to deploy malware onto compromised systems. The botnet comprises approximately 13,000 devices acting as proxies, underscoring the potential widespread impact of MikroTik attacks. This also highlights the sophistication of the actors’ detection evasion techniques as they allow for prolonged obfuscation. We assess this operation heightens the security risks stemming from the MikroTik botnet in the short-to-medium term amid a broader increase in the exploitation of email security mechanisms. (Source: Sibylline)
16 Jan 25. Raft, a leading defense technology company dedicated to empowering the U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions, today announced the latest version of Raft Data Platform ([R]DP), a robust, edge-ready, scalable platform purpose-built for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to solve challenges in handling disparate, large-scale data from from the edge to the enterprise. With evolving geopolitical tensions and increasing reliance on data-driven military operations, modern warfare demands the ability to collect, process, and analyze data from multiple sources in real-time across a vast, complex, contested landscape. Using data quickly and efficiently is mission-critical, as delays in processing data cedes decision advantage to the adversary. To keep pace in the next fight, modern data platforms need to integrate more seamlessly, be more modular, and require more flexibility in government ownership and government purpose rights.
“From licensed-based solutions that come with high costs and require customization to government-owned platforms that do not have the flexibility needed for broader operational use, today’s DoD data marketplace lacks a singular solution that supports edge and DDIL environments while operating across all classification levels, until now,” said Shubhi Mishra, CEO, Raft. “With [R]DP, we are providing the DoD with a much-needed flexible, AI-enabled solution that scales with evolving needs. Now, the DoD has access to a powerful platform that gives them the versatility, speed, and reliability to take control of its data landscape and stay ahead of adversaries.”
[R]DP supports users of all types, from low code operators to data scientist super-users, from the edge to the enterprise and has demonstrated use cases at the tactical edge using handheld devices to users at the enterprise level using a global Common Operating Picture. [R]DP operates at and all classification levels with native Cross Domain Solutions. [R]DP seamlessly integrates various data types and modalities and moves data and industry leading speed, sub second speed, enabling decision superiority. Raft’s comprehensive platform performs faster than existing operational data platforms and is already deployed on IL6 within the DoD.
Key features and benefits include:
- COP & UI Agnostic: Use any COP or UI, or leverage [R]DP’s user-friendly interface.
- AI-Ready: Native ML Ops layer to seamlessly integrate and deploy machine learning models to drive faster decision-making.
- Native Cross Domain Solution: Integrates with both object and messaging-based diodes transferring data in real-time across and in between enclaves.
- Security & Compliance: Access to fine-grained security controls at all levels for data protection and compliance across DoD environments.
- Real-time Data Processing: Process and analyze data under 200ms, enabling immediate situational awareness and F2T2EA.
- Modular Design: With 45 microservices, purchase only the features needed for flexibility and cost-efficiency.
- Data Integration and Transformation: Handle structured and unstructured data from diverse sources with seamless integration and rapid data transformation with over several billion transformations per day.
[R]DP is an essential U.S. defense data platform market solution. The new platform provides cutting-edge capabilities tailored to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare with its scalability, AI readiness, and edge capabilities. A powerful and versatile solution, [R]DP enables data collection, analysis, and visualization across a wide range of environments to drive operational efficiency and enhance decision-making across the DoD.
For more information, visit https://teamraft.com/focus-areas/data-platform/
About Raft
Raft is a leading defense technology company dedicated to empowering the U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We transform complex data into actionable insights, enabling mission-critical decisions on Earth and beyond. Our modular platforms are designed to eliminate operational friction and data fatigue, ensuring you have the correct information at the right time to achieve mission success. (Source: PR Newswire)
16 Jan 25. Saab opens new production facility for Sirius Compact in Tampere. Saab sees high demand for the passive EW sensor Sirius Compact. As a result, the sensor will enter into volume serial production and Saab will be opening a new production facility in Tampere in 2025. First launched in 2022 and manufactured in Finland, Sirius Compact has been well received by the market with significant deliveries scheduled for 2025. In response to the high demand, Saab is now opening a new manufacturing facility in Tampere to cater for volume serial production of Sirius Compact.
“Saab’s footprint is growing in Finland with a focus on research and development operations in the field of electronic warfare. This initiative underscores Saab’s commitment to provide cutting-edge defense solutions to customers,” says Kristian Tornivaara, Managing Director for Saab Finland.
Saab currently employs more than 200 people in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku, a footprint which has grown rapidly in the last years and continues to grow with planned recruitments. In addition to the Sirius Compact family of sensors, Saab Finland is delivering sensor network capabilities and threat library management tools supporting customers tactical Electronic Support Measures (ESM) operations.
The new manufacturing facility in Tampere will enter into service early 2025. The Sirius Compact family of passive surveillance sensors enable detection, geo-location, classification and prioritisation of hostile Radar (R-ESM) and Communication (C-ESM) emitters, with variants dedicated for Land, Air and Naval domains. (Source: News Now/Saab)
13 Jan 25. UAE and Malaysia sign MoU to enhance AI collaboration. The United Arab Emirates and Malaysia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster joint investment in artificial intelligence (AI), marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties. The signing ceremony, which took place in Abu Dhabi, was witnessed by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi. This collaboration aligns with Malaysia’s “Madani Artificial Intelligence” (MMAI) initiative and aims to leverage AI and advanced data analytics to enhance public safety, national security, and operational efficiencies. Under the MoU, the UAE and Malaysia will strengthen technical cooperation in several key areas, including:
Developing AI-driven national security systems.
Establishing high-performance computing data centers and national security operations centers.
Enhancing customs tax collection mechanisms.
Improving operational efficiencies across various sectors.
Bilateral Cooperation in AI and Technology
The MoU was officially signed by Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, UAE Minister of Investment, and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Malaysia’s Minister of Home Affairs. Discussions during the event focused on strengthening political and economic ties and exploring the latest advancements in AI and technology to improve living standards and quality of life.
Economic Partnership and Growth
This agreement follows the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in October 2024, reflecting both nations’ shared commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable development. Non-oil trade between the UAE and Malaysia reached $2.5 bn in the first half of 2024, a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Malaysia is the UAE’s 12th-largest Asian trading partner and ranks fifth among ASEAN nations. Conversely, the UAE remains Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner in the Arab world, accounting for 32% of Malaysia’s regional trade.
Statements from Officials
Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership:
“Our collaboration with Malaysia underscores the strength of our bilateral ties and our shared commitment to advancing technological innovation in support of sustainable development. This MoU represents a significant step toward enhancing cooperation in artificial intelligence and operational efficiency, contributing to the well-being of our societies.”
Malaysian Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail added:
“This partnership is a crucial step in advancing Malaysia’s ambitions to become a global leader in AI. By leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies, we aim to address complex challenges while driving greater operational efficiencies. This collaboration highlights the strong relationship between our nations and our shared commitment to innovation and mutual progress.” (Source: Defense Arabia)
14 Jan 25. Central Asia: Cyber espionage operation points to raised espionage risks from Russia-nexus groups. On 13 January, the cyber security company Sekoia reported that the Russia-nexus group ‘UAC-0063’ is targeting organisations in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries in a cyber espionage campaign. The campaign likely started with spear phishing emails to trick potential victims into opening a malicious Word document. The document then executed the ‘HatVibe’ and ‘CherrySpy’ backdoors to maintain persistence within compromised systems, as well as to establish communication with actor-controlled infrastructure and deploy additional malicious payloads. Notably, UAC-0063’s modus operandi overlaps with the Russian state-sponsored group ‘APT28’, suggesting that the operation is possibly state-sponsored and that there is possibly a connection between the groups. The actors exploited access to steal strategic intelligence (including diplomatic letters and administrative notes), likely in a bid to bolster Russia’s security posture. We assess this highlights the elevated long-term security and espionage risks amid a wider increase in Russia-nexus cyber espionage operations targeting ex-Soviet countries in the region. (Source: Sibylline)
07 Nov 24. 712372454- UK DEFENSIVE AIDS SYSTEM – VTN
Ministry of Defence
Published date: 7 November 2024
Open opportunity – This means that the contract is currently active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to fulfil the contract.
Contract summary
Industry
- Electronic warfare systems and counter measures – 35730000
Location of contract Any region
Value of contract £100,000,000
Procurement reference tender_457248/1423024
Published date 7 November 2024
Closing date 31 March 2025
Closing time 12pm
Contract start date 30 June 2025
Contract end date 30 June 2028
Contract type Supply contract
Procedure type Single tender action (below threshold)
What is a single tender action (below threshold)?
Contract is suitable for SMEs? No
Contract is suitable for VCSEs? No
Description
VOLUNTARY TRANSPARENCY NOTICE (VTN) TO PLACE A SINGLE SOURCE CONTRACT FOR UK DEFENSIVE AIDS SYSTEMS (DAS) PROCURE, SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE (PSE
Air Platform Systems Delivery Team (APS DT), part of the Ministry of Defence (“the Authority”), intends to place a three (3) year contract with Leonardo UK Ltd (LUK) for the procurement of LUK supplied Defensive Aids Systems (DAS) hardware, software, ancillaries and a train-the-trainer service for users and maintainers. This contract will also include in-service support for the hardware in the form of maintenance, technical engineering, software support, training, and associated software updates. Additionally, LUK, as the Design Organisation (DO), will be responsible for a programme of enhancements covering hardware/software modifications to the DAS design to allow it to meet evolving threats. These enhancements may include the integration of additional subsystems to the DAS. UK DAS is essential for the provision of critical operational capability to Defence.
The Authority intends to include further options to the contract to allow for the extension of contract duration by up to an additional two (2) years in the form of two (2) twelve (12) month extensions.
The Authority has determined this single source contract is excluded from Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 under Regulation7(1)(a) in conjunction with Regulation 6(3A) (a). In addition, a “Warlike Stores” exemption under regulation 6(3A) (b) applies.
About the buyer
Address
MOD Abbey Wood, BS34 8JH,
Bristol
BS34 8JH
England
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
20 Dec 24. Tactical command, control and communication systems – 35712000
Published date: 20 December 2024
Open early engagement – This means that a procurement idea is currently active, it is in the early stage of development and judging interest from potential suppliers.
Contract summary
Industry
- Tactical command, control and communication systems – 35712000
Location of contract Any region
Procurement reference tender_478242/1437512
Published date 20 December 2024
Closing date 17 January 2025
Contract is suitable for SMEs? Yes
Contract is suitable for VCSEs? No
About the buyer
Contact name
Fabiana Milczarek
Address
Mail Point 3008, Ash Level 0, MOD Abbey Wood
Bristol
BS34 8JH
England
Email:
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
19 Dec 24. 713285451 – Future Air Dominance System (FADS) – RFI – Market Engagement
Ministry of Defence
Published date: 19 December 2024
Last edited date: 19 December 2024
Open early engagement – This means that a procurement idea is currently active, it is in the early stage of development and judging interest from potential suppliers.
Contract summary
Industry
- Warships – 35510000
Location of contract
BS34 8JH
Procurement reference
tender_473601/1436909
Published date
19 December 2024
Closing date
17 January 2025
Contract is suitable for SMEs? Yes
Contract is suitable for VCSEs? No
Description
The Future Air Dominance System (FADS) Team within Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), part of the UK Ministry of Defence (“the Authority”) is seeking to engage with suppliers for the purposes of gaining a clearer understanding of current market capabilities and potential offerings which may be relevant to FADS.
FADS is a transformative multi-domain programme that will provide Maritime Integrated Air and Missile Defence (M-IAMD) against the toughest of threats in the air and space domain, and Long-Range Precision Strike (LRPS) against the hardest of targets in air, land, and maritime domains. The FADS programme will align itself with a ‘system of systems’ approach and brigade around the themes of; SENSE, DECIDE, EFFECT, CONNECT, HOST and ENABLE.
FADS will deliver Air Defence of the Carrier Strike Group and Littoral Strike Group from the mid-2030s; a role currently being provided primarily by the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers.
Following the issuance of a Prior Information Notice (PIN), dated 18 November 2024 (Ref. 2024/S 000-037234), the Authority would like to sincerely thank all suppliers who have expressed an interest in the FADS programme. If you attended the brief on 03 December and would like to provide some feedback, the Authority would be grateful if you could complete the questionnaire linked here
https://forms.office.com/e/9K96GW0B7g
– to provide feedback that will help us improve how we engage with you in the future.
The slide pack shared at the brief is available for viewing via AWARD. To access the documentation, interested suppliers will have to register to AWARD and pass necessary checks in a security gateway. To register, please follow this link – https://award.commercedecisions.com/dsp/web/project/c681dabd-6f69-4130-a815-9a82d6902ca3/register
– and follow the instructions when prompted.
This second notice serves to provide further information regarding the next Market Engagement Event 2 (MEE2): One to Ones.
These sessions will be held on 28, 29 and 30 January 2025.
FOR FULL NOTICE INFORMATION PLEASE OPEN ATTACHMENT
More information
Previous notice about this procurement
713285451 – Future Air Dominance System (FADS) – RFI – Market Engagement
- Early engagement
- Published 19 December 2024
Attachments
- 20241219_FADS- MEE2- RFI_O.pdf
- n/a
About the buyer
Address
Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment and Support
Bristol
BS34 8JH
England
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
13 Jan 25. Global: Spam operation highlights raised security risks posed by Chinese state-sponsored groups. On 11 January, international news outlets reported on the discovery of an ongoing spam operation conducted by the Chinese state-sponsored group ‘Muddling Meerkat’ against global organisations. The group sends phishing emails via spoofed email domains, impersonating legitimate companies to gain access to targeted systems. The emails emulate spam content from well-known companies (such as Amazon and Mastercard) to trick users into disclosing their credentials, scanning a QR code and/or downloading an Excel spreadsheet. That said, the QR code and spreadsheet do not contain any malicious payloads, suggesting that the campaign may still be in a testing phase and/or be aimed at reconnaissance. Muddling Meerkat also distributes extortion emails that demand cryptocurrency payments, indicating that the campaign may also be financially motivated. This operation highlights the continued expansion of Muddling Meerkat’s cyber capabilities and objectives, heightening security and financial risks to global organisations in the long term. (Source: Sibylline)
10 Jan 25. Japan: Long-term campaign highlights elevated espionage risks from China-backed cyber groups. On 8 January, the Japanese National Police Agency (NPA) and the Cabinet Cyber Security Center attributed a long-term cyber espionage campaign targeting Japanese organisations to the Chinese state-sponsored group ‘Earth Kasha’. The campaign reportedly started in 2019 and comprises three phases with distinct targets and attack methods. However, separate reports focusing on the group’s espionage operations began to emerge in November 2024. Earth Kasha mostly exploits software vulnerabilities in network-edge devices to access targeted organisations. The group subsequently deploys three malware variants (‘LOADEINFO’, ‘ANEL’ and ‘NOOPDOOR’) to exfiltrate sensitive data, as well as several backdoors to maintain prolonged persistence within compromised systems. The campaign has targeted multiple sectors (including government, academia, manufacturing and semiconductors) to gather information on Japanese technology and national security amid escalating economic competition and territorial disputes. We assess this points to elevated espionage risks facing Japanese entities, especially as the campaign is ongoing. (Source: Sibylline)
10 Jan 25. Cyber Update Key points.
- A new software vulnerability points to elevated disruption and operational risks facing industrial systems via the deployment of the ‘Mirai’ botnet (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 2 January 2025).
- A new cyber attack method (‘DoubleClickJacking’) underscores increased security and financial risks facing web users.
- A new mobile malware variant will raise security and financial risks for Russian-speaking Android users.
- A spike in cyber attacks against Taiwan underscores the elevated espionage and operational risks stemming from Chinese threat actors (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 7 January 2025).
- A highly sophisticated WordPress plugin (‘PhishWP’) is targeting global entities, raising information-theft and financial risks from cyber criminals.
- A disruptive cyber attack against a Russian internet service provider (ISP) highlights the heightened security risks stemming from pro-Ukraine hacktivists (see Sibylline Cyber Daily Analytical Update – 9 January 2025).
- An ongoing long-term cyber campaign highlights the raised espionage risks from the Chinese state-sponsored group ‘Earth Kasha’.
Technical analysis of weekly stories
Unnamed threat actors are using a new mobile malware variant (‘FireScam’) to target Android users in an information-theft campaign. The malware is distributed via phishing websites advertising a fraudulent premium version of the messaging application Telegram. The websites mimic the Russian version of the App Store and Google Play Store, indicating that the intended victims are likely Russian speakers and/or based in Russia. The fraudulent application then downloads an android package kit (APK) onto compromised systems to deploy the main FireScam payload in a multi-step process. The APK also requests several permissions prior to installing FireScam to access and modify sensitive data, as well as to install and delete other applications and to approve subsequent software updates. We assess this likely enables the threat actors to conduct reconnaissance, install additional malicious files and maintain prolonged persistence within compromised systems. Other FireScam capabilities include SMS exfiltration, screen-monitoring, notification and e-commerce transaction monitoring and the ability to manipulate the legitimate Firebase platform for data exfiltration and communication with actor-controlled infrastructure. The exploitation of APKs, Android permissions and Firebase services underscores the threat actors’ ability to manipulate legitimate tools for malicious activities. Additionally, FireScam adjusts its behaviour based on the type of environment in which it is running to avoid carrying out malicious activity within sandbox environments. It also boasts several other advanced obfuscation techniques, highlighting the sophistication of its detection-evasion capabilities.
Russian cyber criminals are using a new, highly sophisticated WordPress plugin (‘PhishWP’) in an ongoing financially motivated campaign. The campaign starts with phishing emails or fraudulent social media advertisements to trick victims into clicking on a malicious link to make a purchase. PhishWP then reportedly creates fake online e-commerce pages that can be customised to mimic legitimate payment services such as ‘Stripe’. We assess this underscores the highly sophisticated and dynamic nature of this tool. This then enables the threat actors to collect sensitive payment card details (including card numbers, expiration dates, CVV numbers and billing addresses) and to exfiltrate stolen information in real time to an integrated actor-controlled Telegram account. The threat actors also request one-time passwords (OTPs) on a separate pop-up to avoid security mechanisms while collecting information for fraudulent transactions. Additionally, PhishWP captures system information such as IP addresses, screen resolutions and user agents to replicate victims’ environments so as to conduct future attacks. We assess it is likely that the threat actors subsequently use stolen data to conduct unauthorised transactions and/or sell the information on the dark web for illicit profit. Users are also sent a fake confirmation email after completing the fraudulent transaction to enhance legitimacy and prolong detection evasion.
Some non-exhaustive recommendations to mitigate against these threats include:
- Monitor devices and networks for suspicious activity
- Add available Indicators-of-Compromise (IoCs) to your organisation’s security detection systems to detect potentially malicious samples on the network; configure firewalls to block outbound communication to malicious IP addresses associated with known malware
- Adopt behaviour-based end-point detection and response (EDR) solutions, prioritising the detection of the initial stages of a compromise
- Ensure adequate security monitoring and detection capabilities, particularly for all external-facing services and devices; this includes personal devices connected to corporate networks or applications
- Adopt and review network authentication services, including virtual private network (VPN) services and multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Avoid downloading applications from untrusted third-party websites or via unsolicited messages and only use official websites and application stores to install applications and tools on devices
Our cyber word(s) of the week: Sandbox
(Source: Sibylline)
10 Jan 25. DoD/DCSA Announces Release of NBIS Product Roadmap. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) has announced that its National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) Program Management Office has begun releasing its product roadmap to customers and stakeholders in the defense industry and across the U.S. government. The NBIS product roadmap will better assist NBIS customer agencies in planning their transition to use of the system for personnel vetting requirements outlined in federal Trusted Workforce 2.0 (TW 2.0) policy. The product roadmap is developed using the Agile software development methodology. Updates to the roadmap will be communicated to customers and stakeholders throughout the NBIS development process. The NBIS program is undergoing a digital transformation and delivering capabilities grounded in validated requirements and guided by new requirements governance and acquisition oversight. NBIS digital transformation commenced on October 1, 2024, and the program is making substantial progress with its software development approach. DCSA Director David Cattler assumed leadership of DCSA in March of 2024 and has made NBIS delivery a key priority with the support of DOD and intra-agency partners, including addressing GAO concerns with the program and establishing a clear plan and path forward. In October, DOD leadership approved that plan, and DCSA has continued progress in development, including announcing a major milestone in NBIS deployment with the full transition to NBIS eApp for initiation of background investigations. NBIS is the IT system enabling the end-to-end personnel vetting process and is critical to TW 2.0, the whole-of-government effort aiming to better support the federal government and cleared industry. TW 2.0 implementation across the federal government will reduce the time required to bring new hires on board, enable mobility of the federal workforce, and improve insight into workforce behaviors. For more information on NBIS, please visit www.dcsa.mil. (Source: glstrade.com)
07 Jan 25. Lithuanian Armed Forces opens cyber command. The Lithuanian Armed Forces (LAF) has opened Lithuanian Cyber Command (LTCYBERCOM) with the main aim of installing strategic- and tactical-level communications and information systems (CISs). Opened on 1 January the command is a separate entity within the LAF. In addition to installing and managing CISs, the command is tasked with ensuring their interoperability within NATO, the national defence system, and other organisations’ CISs. LTCYBERCOM is also tasked with executing cyber operations for the security of the national defence system, the overall infrastructure of Lithuanian state CISs.
“Lithuanian Cyber Command is critical as an enabler of military planning and action co-ordination in cyberspace. Many NATO allies have been practising it already. Strengthening cyber defence and effective cyber-incident management are cornerstone steps in protection against emerging threats and national security of the state,” Lithuania’s Vice-Minister for National Defence Tomas Godliauskas said in a 3 January press release from the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence (MND).
Following a decision in 2023 LTCYBERCOM was established in July 2024 after the Lithuanian parliament (Seimas) approved an amendment to the law on the “principal structure of the armed forces” proposed by the MND.
One of the first practical steps for LTCYBERCOM is the restructuring of the MND’s information technology (IT) service to consolidate capabilities and delegate some functions to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Core Centre of State Telecommunications (KVTC) under the MND. The NCSC will carry out the role of the national cyber-security agency. (Source: Janes)
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Spectra Group (UK) Ltd
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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