Cybersecurity

Spyware used in Israel, the Middle East and the US

Separate reports published this week detail the spyware used by Israeli Police (Echo tool offered by Israeli firm Rayzone), Arab intelligence services (spying tools offered by Swiss company In The Cyber), and the US Drug Enforcement Agency (spyware called Paragon Graphite).

Google shuts down YouTube channels used for influence operations

Google in April shut down many YouTube channels that were part of coordinated influence operations linked to Russia, Turkey, Iran, China, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. The Chinese operation was powered by roughly 3,500 channels.

Iranian government websites and networks targeted by local hacktivists

An Iranian hacktivist group called GhyamSarnegouni (‘Rise to Overthrow’ or ‘Uprising till Overthrow’) has been targeting the Iranian government, defacing websites and breaching networks in an effort to steal and leak what appears to be highly sensitive data.