Decade-Old Espionage Malware Found Targeting Government Computers
alancronin writes "Researchers have unearthed a decade-long espionage operation that used the popular TeamViewer remote-access program and proprietary malware to target high-level political and industrial figures in Eastern Europe. TeamSpy, as the shadow group has been dubbed, collected encryption keys and documents marked as 'secret' from a variety of high-level targets, according to a report published Wednesday by Hungary-based CrySyS Lab. Targets included a Russia-based Embassy for an undisclosed country belonging to both NATO and the European Union, an industrial manufacturer also located in Russia, multiple research and educational organizations in France and Belgium, and an electronics company located in Iran. CrySyS learned of the attacks after Hungary's National Security Authority disclosed intelligence that TeamSpy had hit an unnamed 'Hungarian high-profile governmental victim.'"
authorities
belgium
crysys
documents
encryption
europe
european union
france
government
hungarian
hungary
hungary-based
intelligence
iran
lab
national security
nato
operations
organization
russia
russia-based
teamspy
teamviewer
A Thought Experiment On How Google's New Palestine Page Could Undermine Peace Talks
The Israeli Foreign Minister has sent a strongly worded letter to Google CEO, Larry Page, warning him that their new Palestine search page could undermine Middle-East peace negotiations. “Such a decision is in my opinion not only mistaken but could also negatively impinge on the efforts of my government to bring about direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” wrote minister Ze’ev Elkin, about Google’s decision to change “Palestinian Territories” to “Palestine” on Google.ps (picture above). Careful followers of foreign policy news might question how exactly a tiny word change on a website could upset arguably the most resource-intensive diplomatic effort in human history, but we think such skepticism underestimates Google’s vast geo-political power. Here’s a thought experiment of 5 different ways Google could have a meaningful impact: 1. Well, maybe Google could…no, that wouldn’t do anything 2. … 3. … 4. … 5. … Ok, we can’t think ...
authorities
bbc
british
china
corporations
decision
dictatorship
difference
discussion
elkin
experiment
google ceo
governance
government
guardian
icann
internet
iran
iso
israel
israeli
larry
middle-east
middle-eastern
minister
nathan
nation
negotiations
north korea
opinion
organisation
organization
palestine
palestinian
policy
questions
region
skepticism
standardisation
tyler
united
France Presses Mali for Quick Elections
The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius urged Mali's interim authorities to hold general elections by the end of July to help build a government legitimate enough to make peace with the country's manifold rebels.
authorities
election
fabius
france
french
government
laurent
mali
minister
France Proposes a Tax On Personal Information Collection
Dupple writes in with a story about a French proposal to tax companies that collect personal data online. "France, seeking fresh ways to raise funds and frustrated that American technology companies that dominate its digital economy are largely beyond the reach of French fiscal authorities, has proposed a new levy: an Internet tax on the collection of personal data. The idea surfaced Friday in a report commissioned by President François Hollande, which described various measures his government was taking to address what the French see as tax avoidance by Internet companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook. These companies gather vast reams of information about their users, harnessing it to tailor their services to individuals' interests or to direct customized advertising to them. So extensive is the collection of personal details, and so promising the business opportunities linked to it, that the report described data as the "raw material" of the digital economy."
amazon
american
authorities
avoidance
business
collection
dupple
facebook
france
françois hollande
french
google
government
information
internet
opportunity
president
service
technology
Found more than 1 month ago on channel
Slashdot
U.S. Denies Using Flame Malware To Spy On French President
CowboyRobot writes with the (not unexpected) official U.S. denial of using the Flame malware to spy on France. From the article: "That allegation was leveled at the U.S. government by unnamed French officials, according to a Tuesday report in the weekly French newspaper L'Express. It reported that computers belonging to top advisers to then French president Nicolas Sarkozy had been hacked using the Flame cyberespionage malware, which was designed to be used in highly targeted attacks... Napolitano was also asked if it wasn't ironic that while the United States has been sounding alarms over the growing amount of malware that's targeting U.S. government system, it also commissioning the Stuxnet and Flame cyber-espionage malware used against Iran. Napolitano, however, pled official ignorance. 'These programs were never attributed in any way to the U.S. government.'"
allegations
cowboyrobot
express
flame
france
french president
government
ignorance
iran
napolitano
nicolas sarkozy
stuxnet
united states
Found more than 1 month ago on channel
Slashdot