Kevin Mandia, CEO of the cybersecurity firm FireEye, testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2017. Mandia's company was the first to sound the alarm about the massive hack of government agencies and private companies on Dec. 8. Susan Walsh/AP hide caption

Kevin Mandia, CEO of the cybersecurity firm FireEye, testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2017. Mandia's company was the first to sound the alarm about the massive hack of government agencies and private companies on Dec. 8.

The first word that hackers had carried out a highly sophisticated intrusion into U.S. computer networks came on Dec. 8, when the cybersecurity firm FireEye announced it had been breached and some of its most valuable tools had been stolen.

"We escalated very quickly from the moment I got the first briefing that, 'Hey, we have a security incident of some magnitude,' " FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia told All Things Considered co-host Mary Louise Kelly. "My gut was telling me it was something we needed to put people on right away."

Mandia was right. Within days, the scope of the hack began to emerge.

Multiple U.S. agencies were successfully targeted, including the departments of State, Treasury, Commerce, Energy and Homeland Security as well as the National Institutes of Health.

The hackers attached their malware to a software update from Austin, Texas-based company SolarWinds, which makes software used by many federal agencies and thousands of private companies to monitor their computer networks.

The SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency, is considered the most likely culprit, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and some members of Congress who have been briefed by the U.S. intelligence community. But the Trump administration has not formally attributed blame.

"What I've seen is 2020 has been about the hardest year, period, to be an information security officer," Mandia said. "It's time this nation comes up with some doctrine on what we expect nations' rules of engagement to be, and what will our policy, or proportional response, be to folks who violate that doctrine. Because right now there's absolutely an escalation in cyberspace."

Here are excerpts from Mandia's interview:

What was that moment like when you're figuring out it's your cybersecurity company that has been hacked?

If you wrote down the reasons why another nation might want to compromise FireEye, you can come up with some reasons. What we do is we track attackers and quite frankly, we out them. We try to figure out here's their fingerprints, let's share those fingerprints with everybody so they can't get away with what they're doing.

[Early on] there was enough operational security by the attacker that I knew it was professional. This wasn't the first rodeo for these attackers. In fact, they followed a tradecraft that the more I learned, the more this was a unit that's been operational for a decade or more. They knew what they were doing, they had novel techniques. So we knew we would have to do the full-court press on our investigation. And we did.

Who is behind this attack?

For me, it's definitely a nation. In regards to the supply chain compromise at SolarWinds, they did an innocuous addition of code in October 2019 inside the supply chain, saw that it was provisioned and deployed so they knew that their techniques on offense to hack the supply chain were efficient and effective. They went live with actual malicious code inside of the SolarWinds in March through June of this year.

So this is somebody who is patient, professional, and what made this interesting to me is I felt they were more interested in staying surreptitious and clandestine than they were about accomplishing their mission.

What nations have this kind of capability?

Not a lot. It's very consistent with what Russia could do. There might be a group out of China that might be able to do it. And that's probably it.

Is there any signature to this attack that would be consistent with other hacks you've seen?

There's probably about six to eight technical details that made me realize this is a nation, and most likely a foreign intelligence service doing this breach. One of them is this: They used an infrastructure to attack FireEye. The IP addresses or systems they use to attack FireEye were not used in any other incident we're aware of.

In other words, the attackers set up an infrastructure to attack FireEye that was wholly unique to attacking FireEye. That takes a lot of maintenance. That takes a lot of coordination. That's an operation not just a hack. Most threat groups, when they attack, will use shared infrastructure to attack many companies. This group does not do that. That in and of itself made me realize it was an operation.

What should we take from the fact that it was FireEye, a private cybersecurity firm, that alerted the U.S. government and not the other way around?

We're all in this together, period. And there's different visibility at different places. When the attacks were happening against FireEye, all the IP addresses used to attack us [were] all inside the United States. And I'm pretty aware that the [National Security Agency] does not do collections within the United States. So we were the ones, kind of on our own, to be able to see this and detect it.

So you're saying you were able to see things that the NSA, despite all of its vast resources, have firewalls against being able to see, domestically?

Well, I wouldn't call it firewalls necessarily. It's just legal remit. You know, when you look at what these attackers do, they're attacking U.S. companies from the United States. That doesn't necessarily mean the attackers are sitting in the United States but the infrastructure they're setting up to attack companies like FireEye are all in the United States. So the malicious intent may not be visible outside the United States and may only be visible inside.

We have thousands and thousands of computers that we inspected for evidence that they were compromised, and we couldn't get anything earlier in the time frame than a SolarWinds system. We sat there looking at the SolarWinds system saying, "We can't find anything bad on it right now, but it's our earliest evidence of compromise. Something's wrong."

So we then had to turn it over to our reverse engineers. This is something most companies can't do. We went through 14 gig of information, over 18,000 files in the update that we got from SolarWinds, over 4,000 executable files. We decompiled them into millions of lines. And then with real malware analysts, we found the needle in the haystack.

Do we know whether the NSA itself was hacked?

I don't have any idea.

So what now? There's a statement from the FBI and the director of national intelligence and the cybersecurity arm of Homeland Security that says this breach is ongoing.

I think as folks are being notified or learning that they're compromised, they're going to have a lot of work to do. All these organizations are both going to have to investigate what happened and figure out the scale and scope of it, and then they're going to have to eradicate the attackers from their network if they're still active.

Even if they're not active, you're going to flex your muscle a little bit to do a lot of remediation. That's going to take months.

But one thing that's definitely clear to me: The attackers have no idea what is the envelope of behavior, what are the rules of engagement.

We're a nation losing billions of dollars to ransomware. And we are a nation that just had potentially one of the most successful cyberespionage campaigns ever done on it.

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How A Cybersecurity Firm Uncovered The Massive Computer Hack - NPR

In 2007, the Bush administrations Justice Department sent me a letter saying it was conducting a criminal investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information in my 2006 book, State of War.

When my lawyers called the Justice Department about the letter, the prosecutors refused to say I was not a subject of their leak investigation. That was ominous. If I were considered a subject, rather than simply a witness, it meant the government hadnt ruled out prosecuting me for publishing classified information.

From left to right: Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Reality Winner.

Photo: Getty Images

Eventually after the Obama administration took over the case the Justice Department decided to treat me only as a witness and did not try to prosecute me.

But in the future, the outcome of a similar case for a journalist might be very different if Julian Assange is successfully prosecuted on the charges brought against him by President Donald Trumps Justice Department.

The Trump administration has charged Assange under the Espionage Act for conspiring to leak classified documents. The indictment focuses on his alleged efforts to encourage former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to leak classified documents to him and WikiLeaks. If the Assange prosecution is successful, it will set a dangerous precedent: that journalists can be prosecuted based on their interactions with sources who provide them with government secrets.

Such a precedent could make it extremely difficult for journalists to cover military, intelligence, and related national security matters, and thus leave the public in the dark about what the government is really doing around the world.

That is why the U.S. indictment of Julian Assange is so dangerous to liberty in America, and why the case against Assange should be dropped and he should be pardoned.

While Trump has still not publicly accepted his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, he has begun to issue a spate of pardons. On Tuesday, he issued pardons to a group that included two convicted of crimes in connection with the Trump-Russia investigation, and four former Blackwater contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians.

Despite the stench surrounding Trumps latest pardons, supporters of several whistleblowers have launched public campaigns to lobby for pardons; the supporters of Assange and Edward Snowden have been the most vocal.

Like Assange, Snowden clearly deserves a pardon. Snowdens massive 2013 leak documented the full extent of the National Security Agencys domestic spying on Americans. But rather than recognize that Snowden has performed a public service, the U.S. government has forced him into exile in Russia. Meanwhile, Assange now sits in prison in Britain, awaiting extradition to face prosecution in the United States.

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange demonstrate outside the Central Criminal Court after Assange appeared in court for a full extradition hearing on the last day of the trials in London on Oct. 01, 2020.

Photo: Hasan Esen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Public support for the pardon of whistleblower Reality Winner has also begun to build. Winner was arrested in 2017 and accused of anonymously leaking an NSA document disclosing that Russian intelligence was seeking to hack into U.S. election voting systems. That document was allegedly leaked to The Intercept, which had no knowledge of the identity of its source. (The Intercepts parent company supported Winners legal defense through the First Look Medias Press Freedom Defense Fund, which I direct.) She pleaded guilty in the case in 2018 and was sentenced to more than five years in prison, the longest sentence ever imposed in a case involving a leak to the press.

Earlier this month, a federal appeals court denied Winners request for compassionate early release after she contracted Covid-19 in prison. She remains in federal prison today.

Former Pentagon official J. William Leonard wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post earlier this week calling for Winners pardon, arguing in part that her prosecution constituted overreach by the government.

But there are other whistleblowers who deserve pardons as well.

During Trumps four years in office, his administration has arrested and charged eight government officials in leak cases. That is almost equal to the record nine (or 10, depending on how you count) leak prosecutions conducted by the Obama administration over eight years.

Four of the leak cases during the Trump administration were connected to disclosures related to Trump, the circle of people around him, and the Trump-Russia inquiry. The Justice Department was clearly under intense pressure from Trump to go after people who leaked stories that Trump didnt like.

Winners case was the first of those four. In addition, James Wolfe, the director of security for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, was charged in 2018 with making false statements to the FBI in connection with a leak investigation into a Washington Post story revealing that the government had obtained a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant to monitor Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign.

Wolfe pleaded guilty in 2018 to lying to federal investigators about his contacts with reporters and was sentenced to two months in prison.

Also in 2018, Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, who was a senior adviser at the Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, was charged with disclosing reports about financial transactions related to people under scrutiny in the Trump-Russia inquiry, including former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort. She allegedly leaked the information to BuzzFeed News. In 2020, she pleaded guilty, and her sentencing is now scheduled for January 2021.

In 2019, John Fry, an IRS employee, was charged with leaking suspicious activity reports involving the financial transactions of Trumps former lawyer, Michael Cohen, including information about how a company owned by Cohen received $500,000 from a company with ties to a Russian oligarch. The Trump Justice Department recommended prison time for Fry, but in 2020, a federal judge instead gave Fry probation and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine.

Other whistleblowers have also been caught up in Trumps crackdown, including FBI agent Terry Albury, who was arrested in 2018 and charged with leaking information about the systemic racial biases at the bureau, which were reported by The Intercept. And former intelligence analyst Daniel Hale was also arrested in 2019, charged with leaking information about the U.S. militarys use of drones to conduct targeted assassinations, also allegedly to The Intercept.

Former Minneapolis FBI agent Terry Albury, front, followed by his attorney, walks out of the federal courthouse in St. Paul after Albury was sentenced to four years in prison for leaking classified defense documents to a reporter on Oct. 18, 2018.

Photo: Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune/AP

While most of the public lobbying for pardons for whistleblowers has focused on Assange and Snowden, and to a lesser extent Winner, the other whistleblowers prosecuted by Trump have largely been forgotten.

For the most part, the small press freedom community has made the case for Assange and Snowden on the grounds of the First Amendment, press freedom, and government transparency. Yet the campaign to convince Trump to pardon Snowden and Assange has also attracted a strange group of extreme Trump supporters. They argue that pardoning the two men offers Trump the opportunity to stick it to the so-called deep state.

The deep state is, of course, the mythical beast at the heart of so many of Trumps conspiracy theories. Trump believes that a secret cabal of intelligence and national security officials has been trying to destroy him personally since at least the 2016 campaign.

It is important for press freedom advocates to steer clear of these deep state conspiracy theories and instead continue to argue for the pardons on the merits of press freedom. Indulging in Trumps fantasies in order to win the pardons will only taint the cause of press freedom in the future.

Its important for press freedom advocates to steer clear of deep state conspiracy theories and instead continue to argue for the pardons on the merits of press freedom.

As a journalist, I have spent much of my career covering, exposing, and criticizing the American national security establishment. Let there be no mistake: There is, in fact, a massive U.S. military-industrial complex, and a newer post-9/11 homeland security-industrial complex. Those two complexes overlap, comprising career military, intelligence, and federal law enforcement officials, executives at giant defense companies, and legions of smaller defense and intelligence contractors, as well as career political figures who take top positions in the defense and intelligence agencies when their party is in power, and become consultants or think-tank pundits when their party is out of power.

The military-industrial complex and the newer homeland security-industrial complex tend to support expansionist American national security and foreign policies, and since 9/11 have pushed for a continuation of American military involvement in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They are driven by greed and power, and they believe that endless war is good for business. As I wrote in Pay Any Price, my 2014 book, America has become accustomed to a permanent state of war. Only a small slice of society including many poor and rural teenagers fight and die, while a permanent national security elite rotates among senior government posts, contracting companies, think tanks and television commentary, opportunities that would disappear if America was suddenly at peace. To most of America, war has become not only tolerable but profitable, and so there is no longer any great incentive to end it.

Whats more, the national security establishments power stems in part from its ability to suppress the truth about its activities at home and abroad, and thus it seeks to punish whistleblowers and journalists who try to disclose the truth. The CIA, the NSA, and other elements of the national security apparatus frequently apply pressure on the Justice Department and the White House to prosecute whistleblowers who disclose their abuses.

I have had firsthand experience with this ugly phenomenon.

But acknowledging the gravitational pull of a militaristic national security establishment toward war and imperialism doesnt mean that you believe in the existence of a deep state, as imagined by Trump and his allies.

Demagogues like Trump are dangerously effective at taking bits of truth and weaving conspiracy theories out of them. Trump has taken the truth about the existence of a military-industrial complex and twisted it into a conspiracy theory that claims that the military-industrial complex is actually a deep state out to destroy him personally. It is conspiracy theory victimology taken to its most extreme.

Rudy Giuliani appears before the Michigan House Oversight Committee for suspicion of voter fraud in Lansing, Mich., on Dec. 2, 2020.

Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

Among Trumps ardent supporters, talk of a deep state often quickly descends into the madness of vile, rambling QAnon conspiracy theories.

Right-wing pundits and pro-Trump political figures, many of whom were longtime supporters of the governments draconian counterterrorism measures instituted after 9/11, including the NSAs illegal domestic spying program, suddenly became skeptics of the national security establishment when Trump began to complain about the investigation, conducted first by the FBI and later by special counsel Robert Mueller, into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible collaboration by the Trump campaign. Trumps claims that he has been the victim of a witch hunt, a hoax investigation perpetrated against him by the deep state, have been the central theme of his conspiracy theory-laden presidency. And so ardent Trump supporters who accepted Trumps deep state conspiracy theories now view pardons for Assange and Snowden through the Russia hoax narrative.

Newsmax, the pro-Trump website, recently published a column calling for pardons for Assange and Snowden. If there is any way to thoroughly get back at the left over the next month, President Trump should make it a priority to pardon those individuals whose clemency would get the attention of the deep state, wrote Kenny Cody at Newsmax. For the deep state has worked against this president and his administration unlike any other previously. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a newly elected Republicanrepresentative from Georgia who has been criticized for being a QAnon supporter, also tweeted her support for pardons for Assange and Snowden.

A smattering of Assange supporters are echoing the line of these pro-Trump pundits and right-wing politicians.

For example, Assanges partner, Stella Morris, said on Fox News recently that she wants Trump to pardon Assange to protect him from the deep state. George Christensen, a member of Australias parliament, sent a message to Trump on a website devoted to a pardon for Assange, who is also an Australian.Christensen wrote, The same people who are trying to take the election from you are the ones trying to prosecute Julian Assange.

Rep.Tulsi Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat and one-time Democratic presidential candidate, tweeted that Trump should pardon Snowden and Assange because they exposed the deception and criminality of those in the deep state.

What makes any endorsement of the deep state trope by advocates of Assange and Snowden particularly dangerous now is that it comes at the same time that Trump is employing his persecution fantasies to claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him by a pro-Biden deep state.

The danger of enabling Trumps deep state rhetoric was highlighted by a frightening story on Saturday, when the New York Times reported that Trump met on Friday with conspiracy theorist Sidney Powell and discussed making her some sort of special counsel to investigate baseless claims of voter fraud that Trump believes cost him the election. The same story revealed that Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has talked about trying to seize voting machines from around the country to try to prove the fiction that they were rigged against Trump.

As the pro-Trump supporters pushing for pardons for Assange and Snowden remain silent on so many of the other leak cases brought during the Trump administration, they have also said nothing to counter Trumps dangerous and hateful anti-press rhetoric, which has created a toxic climate for reporters working in the United States. Trumps constant attacks on the press have convinced his supporters as well as local, conservative politicians and law enforcement officials to intensify their rhetorical, legal, and physical attacks on journalists around the nation.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, managed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation, shows that there have been 120 cases of a journalist arrested or detained on the job in the United States in 2020. The tracker found that during one week at the height of the racial justice protests in late May and early June, more reporters were arrested in the U.S. than in the previous three years combined. The tracker also found that more than a third of those journalists arrested were also beaten, hit with rubber bullets, or chemical agents.

The bottom line: Advocates of press freedom must remain disciplined as they campaign for the pardons for whistleblowers and make their arguments on the merits of press freedom. They must be careful not to indulge Trumps conspiracy theories while they lobby for the pardons.

Accepting Trumps insane conspiracy theories in order to get him to do the right thing has been the downfall of many prominent figures during Trumps presidency. Enabling Trumps worst instincts never works and only shreds the reputations of those who have sought to appease him.

Go here to see the original:

Snowden and Assange Deserve Pardons. So Do the Whistleblowers Trump Imprisoned. - The Intercept

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

| Published: Saturday, October 10, 2020, 14:01 [IST]

New Delhi, Oct 10: China has "attempted to seize" control of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India "by force" as part of its territorial aggression, US' National Security Adviser has said, underlining that time has come to accept that dialogue and agreements will not persuade Beijing to change.

India and China are locked in a five-month-long tense standoff in eastern Ladakh that has significantly strained relations between New Delhi and Beijing. Both sides have held a series of high-level diplomatic and military talks to resolve the border row. However, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the standoff.

China has deployed 60k soldiers on Indias northern border: Mike Pompeo

"Chinese Communist Party's territorial aggression is also apparent on its Indian border where China has attempted to seize control of the Line of Actual Control by force," US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said in a remark on China early this week in Utah.

China's territorial aggression is also true in the Taiwan Strait where the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Navy and Air Force continue to conduct threatening military drills, O'Brien said.

"Beijing's signature international development programme, One Belt One Road (OBOR), involves impoverished companies taking on opaque and unsustainable Chinese loans to pay Chinese firms employing Chinese labourers to build their infrastructure," he said.

Many of these projects are unnecessary, shoddily built and are "white elephants", the US National Security Adviser said.

"And now these countries' dependence on the Chinese debt leaves their sovereignty eroded and with no choice but to hue to the party's line on UN votes or any other issue that the Chinese Communist Party considers a red line," he said.

O'Brien also noted that China's other international aid efforts include selling surveillance systems and similar tools of repression to "pariah regimes" around the world, including Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.

Amidst face-off with China, the importance of Rustom-2 in Indias arsenal

"The time has come to accept that dialogue and agreements will not persuade or compel the People's Republic of China to change. There's nothing to be gained from looking the other way or turning the other cheek. We've been doing that for far too long," he said.

O'Brien said the US must stand up to the Chinese and protect the American people.

"We must promote American prosperity, practice peace through strength and advance American influence in the world," he said, adding that under President Donald Trump's leadership that is exactly what the US has done.

O'Brien said the Trump administration has adopted a competitive approach to China.

That approach, he said, has two primary objectives. First, improve the resiliency of US institutions, alliances and partnerships to prevail against the challenges that China presents; and the second is to impose tangible cost in order to compel Beijing to cease or reduce actions harmful to America's vital national interest and those of its allied and partner nations.

"President Trump has taken decisive action to meet these objectives. He is working to prevent companies that answer to the Chinese Communist Party's intelligence and security apparatus," O'Brien said.

Citing examples, he said Chinese telecommunications giants Huawei and ZTE have been prevented from accessing Americans' personal and private data and national secrets. The Trump administration, he said, has also imposed import and export restrictions on US semiconductor technology and other exports going to Huawei and similar Chinese telecommunications corporations.

Our democratic partners are starting to follow. Just last month, the UK joined democracies such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Sweden in committing to using trusted suppliers to build their future 5G networks, O'Brien said.

"Carriers like Jio in India, Telstra in Australia, SK and KT in South Korea, NTT in Japan, and others have prohibited the use of Huawei equipment in their networks. The Trump administration is investigating and prosecuting the economic espionage aggressively," he said.

O'Brien said the Trump administration has strengthened its military relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.

"One important partnership which will be one of the most key partnerships for the United States in the 21st century, India, is thriving," he said.

He also noted that the US has signed extended US military access to Singapore's air and naval bases. The country is also working closely with Japan, Australia and New Zealand to strengthen relationships with the Pacific Islands, especially Timor. It is also working closely with Mongolia.

However, O'Brien said even as the US competes with China, it does welcome cooperation where America's interests align.

"The US has a deep and abiding respect for the Chinese people and enjoys longstanding ties to that country, including our alliance in World War II," O'Brien said.

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Talks with China will not help says USA NSA on situation on Ladakh - Oneindia

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With a huge chunk of the federal workforce still working remotely, the PIV cards employees normally use to authenticate themselves on federal networks arent always an option. So, many agencies have turned to commercial multifactor authentication solutions as an alternative. But some of those solutions are more secure than others. To help agencies sort the good from the not-so-good, the National Security Agency has just released a guide to commercial multifactor authentication. Dr. Alan Laing is Senior Subject Matter Expert for Vulnerabilities and Mitigations at NSA, and he joined the Federal Drive to talk more about the information paper.

Jared Serbu: I think for starters, maybe you can just spend a minute here talking about why NSA decided to release this publication at this particular time. I mean, is have you been getting a lot of inquiries from federal agencies and other organizations about multifactor authentication in these interesting last few months?

Alan Laing: So interesting last months is probably a good term to use. The NSA put out a number of cybersecurity information reports related to our customers, trying to continue working. A lot of them were pushed to do telework and things like that. So the multifactor authentication cybersecurity report was part of that.

Jared Serbu: And I guess the main takeaway for me here is that in a pinch, almost anything is better than just a username and password. But not all multifactor authentication schemes are created equal. And just working backwards here a little bit, you specifically call out techniques like text messages, out-of-band SMS messages to your phone, and some of the commercial biometric solutions that are out there, as not being the best ideas. Talk a bit about some of the weaknesses there and why you wouldnt necessarily use those as your first go-tos.

Alan Laing: Yeah, so the SMS and biometrics have have a history of being ineffective at binding the user that is making a request to their digital identity. The NIST report on digital identity guidance describes the the rationale for that. Basically, youre leaving your fingerprints and biometrics all over the place, and its its fairly easy to replicate. And then for the SMS, theres, theres a ton of ways to impersonate or to capture the SMS messages. So that was considered not the best way of moving forward.

Jared Serbu: And the publication, we should tell listeners, does include a list of all the various FIPS-approved solutions that are out there. We certainly cant get into them all in this venue. But can you take us through some of the characteristics that you want to be looking for when youre actually selecting a strong solution?

Alan Laing: Given the need to get this out quickly? We have some expertise here. But we wanted to be fair, so we used the criteria in the NIST digital guidelines document, the recent update, and we used those criteria for our search of public websites that vendors were advertising solutions that met these criteria. So the NIST webpage that has all the validated crypto modules was where we started. And then when we saw the vendors that were validating their products for advertising or indicating that they were compliant or trying to meet the criteria, then we went into those websites and validated those products against the criteria.

Jared Serbu: Can you take us through what you think the most or this is almost a NIST question. But what the most important criteria are for determining whether you really can trust a multifactor authentication scheme.

Alan Laing: So theres the cryptographic part of it. Every multifactor authentication involves some sort of cryptography, whether its a one-time password or a random number generator. So, the independent and standards-based validation thats provided by the FIPS 140-2 validation scheme is probably the most important piece of that. The validator, the verifier of the request also needs to be locked down so theyre not just accepting any claim. It has to be also be cryptographically, and from a network security perspective, it needs to be sound. Those two together and you see the FIPS validation indications in the report as well as things like FedRAMP, or the NIST 853, which is their security controls document.

Jared Serbu: And as you also point out in the document, well, you dont point this out but Ill point out, not every agencys going to have the option to send government-furnished equipment home with every single employee. But you do point out that that is a better option, if you can. Can you talk a bit about why thats the case?

Alan Laing: Yeah. So the phrase that I like to use is, if you have a perfectly good sound authenticator, and you put it into a perfectly compromised host, whoever is controlling that host has access to those credentials. And so making sure that the credentials are in the control of the user, all factors of the authentication solution should be under the exclusive control of the user thats representing it. So government-furnished equipment is managed with the understanding of the specific threats. And its more difficult to do that with your own home computer than if the information isnt there, or the work required to maintain that might not be being done regularly.

Jared Serbu: Yeah, and you also point out that if you dont have the option of sending hardware home with people, virtual GFE is a pretty good second choice. Can you talk about how close we can get to a secure environment with that virtualized environment?

Alan Laing: So the 10s program that was referenced in the document is an Air Force program that basically takes your hardware and allows you to boot to a known good image. So that deals with a lot of the issues regarding you know, an intruder that might have persistence on the hard drive. It basically forces the adversary to start anew with an attack against your system. And these are refreshed periodically to maintain a fairly good protection against the current threats as well.

Jared Serbu: Thats Dr. Alan Laing, the senior subject matter expert for vulnerabilities and mitigations at NSA.

Read more here:

How to choose the right multifactor authentication program - Federal News Network

LOUISVILLE, Ky. The University of Louisville will develop a curriculum to increase cybersecurity talent specifically focused on health care thanks to a $6 million in funding from the National Security Agency (NSA). The pilot phase of the Healthcare Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate initially will provide the training for 200 first responders and military veterans in accordance with the request for proposal. The certificate incorporates technology industry badging from Microsoft, IBM, and Google, as well as hands-on, applied learning and gamification components.

UofL will lead the curriculum development and pilot the online program through itsCenter for Digital Transformation, working with a coalition of three other institutions. The project also includes $300,000 in funding for research into security biometrics.

We understand the need for cybersecurity talent in our health care workforce to protect the information systems that patients, providers, and payers rely on to deliver quality health care, said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. We are excited to provide this exceptional opportunity for students to enhance their future career opportunities with cutting-edge skills in a short six-month time frame while increasing security for health care data in Louisville and beyond.

Building on more than a decade of expertise in cybersecurity training, UofL will lead a coalition of schools to develop the curriculum including the University of Arkansas Little Rock, the University of North Florida, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Bluegrass Community and Technical College and Owensboro Community and Technical College, and a coalition liaison from the City University of Seattle. Each of the schools in the coalition is an NSA-designated National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and contributes interests, experience, and skills aligned with health care cybersecurity systems.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell authored a provision in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act directing the NSA to partner with universities to develop the cybersecurity workforce. Senator McConnell, also a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, then secured the necessary federal funding to make this program possible. Later, the Senator wrote to NSA Director General Paul Nakasone to support UofLs application and encourage the universitys selection for this prestigious pilot program.

The University of Louisville is uniquely positioned to educate a new generation of cybersecurity professionals. I was proud to lead the Senate to create and fund this national security pilot program and to support the universitys proposal, McConnell said. Working with industry leaders through its Center for Digital Transformation, UofL and its coalition partners can improve our nations health care cyber defense. Im particularly pleased the university is tapping into the skills of our brave service members as they return to civilian life, including many from Kentuckys military installations. This project represents an intersection of UofLs many strengths and Im grateful for President Bendapudis enthusiasm to bring it to Louisville. I look forward to the collaborations benefits for our Commonwealth and the nation.

The UofL Center for Digital Transformation provides future-focused curricula and educational tools to help train the workforce in fast-growing technology areas by integrating the best features of industry and academic institution relationships. The center will coordinate, develop, manage, and monitor the Healthcare Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate program, a two-year project with an option for a third year. Following its development, the curriculum will be made available to other institutions at no charge, increasing the impact of this investment beyond Louisville and Kentucky.

In addition to the certificate program, the project will engage UofLs engineering research power to develop a new security authentication method using neural network models. Adel Elmaghraby, Ph.D., co-PI for the entire project and professor in the UofLSpeed School of Engineering, will lead a collaboration with Mississippi-based historically black institution Alcorn State University to conduct pioneering research into biometrics. The researchers will investigate whether a persons computer keystrokes and mouse movements can be used as a sort of digital signature which, along with their username and password, would provide an added layer of cybersecurity.

As technology continues to become more and more of an integral piece of our everyday lives, a strong cybersecurity industry and workforce are the most important protections we have in making our personal information, our financial transactions, and our health care systems secure, said U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth. I was proud to support this proposal and I am thrilled to see the University of Louisville receive this much sought-after federal investment. This project will help ensure that our city and the university are not only front and center in the future of cybersecurity and the protection of critical information, but also are creating the highly skilled workforce that drives economic growth for years to come.

Certificate program participants will complete the three-level certificate in only six months through online courses led by instructors from coalition institutions, gaining expertise in artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, internet of things (IoT), machine learning, and other areas. The curriculum will employ innovative training tools including gamification and make use of anonymous datasets and use cases provided by industry partners, including the Louisville Healthcare CEO Council.

As our health care data environment becomes increasingly complex, it is absolutely critical that patient health information is secure and protected, said Tammy York Day, LHCC president and CEO. LHCC is committed to supporting UofLs efforts to arm the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with the skills they need to ensure that our health care data infrastructure is a tool not a barrier to empowering patients to be active participants in their own health care. This grant from the NSA is one of many LHCC-UofL collaborative efforts designed to support and broaden our health care innovation ecosystem, create a strong tech talent pipeline, strengthen and deepen the connections between our corporate and academic communities and invest in Louisvilles success together.

While the curriculum is focused on the health care industry, the skills learned are applicable to multiple industries. In the course of the certificate program, participants will earn industry badges from Google, IBM, Microsoft, and others, adding value to certificate completion and providing pathways to additional educational opportunities.

Since these skills are applicable in nearly every industry, the career credentials these students will acquire are highly valued not only in the health care industry but across the business spectrum, said Sharon Kerrick, Ph.D., assistant vice president and executive director of UofLs Center for Digital Transformation and the principal investigator on the grant.

Andrew Wright, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer information systems in the UofLCollege of Business, will assist in leading the development of the certificate program curriculum. Once developed, the curriculum will be available to other institutions free of charge for one year. The first cohort of 30-40 students is expected to be enrolled in spring 2021. Applicants do not need health care experience or to be enrolled in a degree program at UofL to complete the certificate, however, it can be applied as a credit toward some UofL degree programs.

In its pilot phase, 200 military veterans and first responders will participate in the certificate program free of charge.

The cybersecurity certificate pilot led by UofL for military veterans and first responders is another great example of the universitys strong support to national security. This program will provide participants the opportunity to receive a meaningful certificate leading to employment opportunities in rewarding careers in a growth industry and provide regional/national employers with a much-needed talent source, said retired Army Brig. Gen. Jim Iacocca, president, and CEO of Knox Regional Development Alliance.

Kyle Hurwitz, director of military initiatives at UofL, says this is another example of UofLs commitment to serving military-connected students.

This grant is a win-win for the national cybersecurity talent pool especially focusing on health care, Hurwitz said. Through it, we will be able to assist transitioning service members to gain employment in very high demand industry.

UofL has achieved Military Friendly School designation for 10 consecutive years.

Excerpt from:

UofL to launch health care cybersecurity curriculum with $6.3 million from National Security Agency, pilot focused on veterans and first responders -...

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA or the Company) (NYSE: NSA) today announced the Company will release financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2020 after market close on Thursday, November 5, 2020. NSA will host a conference call to discuss its financial results, current market conditions and future outlook at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, November 6, 2020. Following prepared remarks, management will accept questions from registered financial analysts. All other participants are encouraged to listen to the call via webcast using the link found on the Companys website.

Conference Call and Webcast:Date/Time: Friday, November 6, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. ETWebcast link available at: http://www.nationalstorageaffiliates.com Domestic (toll free): 877-407-9711International: 412-902-1014

Replay Information:Domestic (toll free): 877-660-6853International: 201-612-7415Conference ID: 13692161

A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days on NSAs website at http://www.nationalstorageaffiliates.com. Any transcription, recording or retransmission of the Companys conference call and webcast in any way are strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of NSA.

Supplemental materials will be posted to the investor relations section of the companys website prior to the conference call.

About National Storage Affiliates Trust

National Storage Affiliates Trust is a real estate investment trust headquartered in Denver, Colorado, focused on the ownership, operation and acquisition of self storage properties located within the top 100 metropolitan statistical areas throughout the United States. As of June 30, 2020, the Company held ownership interests in and operated 784 self storage properties located in 35 states and Puerto Rico with approximately 49.2 million rentable square feet. NSA is one of the largest owners and operators of self storage properties among public and private companies in the United States.

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National Storage Affiliates Trust Announces Date of its Third Quarter 2020 Earnings Release and Conference Call - Business Wire

IN a year where face to face events are off the table, the National Sheep Association are offering its next programme of Autumn webinars to be held as part of its Virtual celebration of sheep farming.

NSAs programme of webinars will this time be mostly themed to fit with the Autumn online events focus Feeding the flock and getting it right on Tuesday, October 21 and Wednesday, October 22.

The nutrition focussed discussions will provide sheep farmers with the chance to hear from industry experts in the comfort, safety and convenience of their own homes as Covid-19 restrictions continue to limit the opportunity to join traditional evening meetings often held by NSA regions at this time of year.

Many of NSAs long-standing supporters will be joining the webinars to deliver interesting and useful information. Sponsors and speakers for the two-day series include AHDB, MSD Animal Health, Rumenco, ForFarmers, The Woodland Trust, Agriwebb, Bimeda, Carrs Billington and British Wool.

All webinars will be open to everyone to join, with free registration for each webinar available in advance from the NSAs new online event website nsavirtualevent.org.uk

The opportunity to view new products and demonstrations will also run alongside the webinar programme as trade stand exhibitors and breed societies are able to deliver information to interested sheep farmers through their own dedicated area of the website.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: We have been thrilled by the success of our webinars since this new way of sharing information was somewhat forced upon us earlier this year. Now, as a permanent feature of the knowledge exchange NSA is proud to deliver alongside some incredibly experienced and interesting speakers we hope that our new line up of Autumn webinars will appeal to sheep farmers, students, veterinary professionals and more who are looking to update their knowledge on flock nutrition and other topics..

Details of the webinar programme and registrations links can be found at http://www.nsavirtualevent.org.uk.

Recordings from previous NSA webinars can be viewed at http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/webinars.

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NSA announces new Autumn webinar series 'Feeding the flock and getting it right' - The Scottish Farmer

The headlines arent always kind to the National Security Agency, a spy agency that operates almost entirely in the shadows. But a year ago, the NSA launched its new Cybersecurity Directorate, which in the past year has emerged as one of the more visible divisions of the spy agency.

At its core, the directorate focuses on defending and securing critical national security systems that the government uses for its sensitive and classified communications. But the directorate has become best known for sharing some of the more emerging, large-scale cyber threats from foreign hackers. In the past year the directorate has warned against attacks targeting secure boot features in most modern computers, and doxxed a malware operation linked to Russian intelligence. By going public, NSA aims to make it harder for foreign hackers to reuse their tools and techniques, while helping to defend critical systems at home.

But six months after the directorate started its work, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and large swathes of the world and the U.S. went into lockdown, prompting hackers to shift gears and change tactics.

The threat landscape has changed, Anne Neuberger, NSAs director of cybersecurity, told TechCrunch at Disrupt 2020. Weve moved to telework, we move to new infrastructure, and weve watched cyber adversaries move to take advantage of that as well, she said.

Publicly, the NSA advised on which videoconferencing and collaboration software was secure, and warned about the risks associated with virtual private networks, of which usage boomed after lockdowns began.

But behind the scenes, the NSA is working with federal partners to help protect the efforts to produce and distribute a vaccine for COVID-19, a feat that the U.S. government called Operation Warp Speed. News of NSAs involvement in the operation was first reported by Cyberscoop. As the world races to develop a working COVID-19 vaccine, which experts say is the only long-term way to end the pandemic, NSA and its U.K. and Canadian partners went public with another Russian intelligence operation aimed at targeting COVID-19 research.

Were part of a partnership across the U.S. government, we each have different roles, said Neuberger. The role we play as part of Team America for Cyber is working to understand foreign actors, who are they, who are seeking to steal COVID-19 vaccine information or more importantly, disrupt vaccine information or shake confidence in a given vaccine.

Neuberger said that protecting the pharma companies developing a vaccine is just one part of the massive supply chain operation that goes into getting a vaccine out to millions of Americans. Ensuring the cybersecurity of the government agencies tasked with approving a vaccine is also a top priority.

Here are more takeaways from the talk, and you can watch the interview in full (embedded above).

TikTok is just days away from an app store ban, after the Trump administration earlier this year accused the Chinese-owned company of posing a threat to national security. But the government has been less than forthcoming about what specific risks the video sharing app poses, only alleging that the app could be compelled to spy for China. Beijing has long been accused of cyberattacks against the U.S., including the massive breach of classified government employee files from the Office of Personnel Management in 2014.

Neuberger said that the scope and scale of TikToks apps data collection makes it easier for Chinese spies to answer all kinds of different intelligence questions on U.S. nationals. Neuberger conceded that U.S. tech companies like Facebook and Google also collect large amounts of user data. But that there are greater concerns on how [China] in particular could use all that information collected against populations other than its own, she said.

The NSA is trying to be more open about the vulnerabilities it finds and discloses, Neuberger said. She told TechCrunch that the agency has shared a number of vulnerabilities with private companies this year, but those companies did not want to give attribution.

One exception was earlier this year when Microsoft confirmed NSA had found and privately reported a major cryptographic flaw in Windows 10, which could have allowed hackers to run malware masquerading as a legitimate file. The bug was so dangerous that NSA reported the vulnerability to Microsoft, which patched the bug.

Only two years earlier, the spy agency was criticized for finding and using a Windows vulnerability to conduct surveillance instead of alerting Microsoft to the flaw. The exploit was later leaked and was used to infect thousands of computers with the WannaCry ransomware, causing millions of dollars worth of damage.

As a spy agency, NSA exploits flaws and vulnerabilities in software to gather intelligence on the enemy. It has to run through a process called the Vulnerabilities Equities Process, which allows the government to retain bugs that it can use for spying.

Excerpt from:

How the NSA is disrupting foreign hackers targeting COVID-19 vaccine research - TechCrunch

Leaders of the National Supermarket Association (NSA) met with New York Police (NYPD) Commissioner Dermont Shea in recent days to seek solutions to the recent wave of robberies against its members grocery stores and to work on programs to help the community.

NSA President William Rodriguez, accompanied by members of the Board of Directors of the association that represents more than 400 independent supermarkets in New York and other cities on the East Coast, had the opportunity to dialogue with Commissioner Shea on issues of mutual interest.

According to a press release from the NSA, the meeting was also attended by the Chief of Patrol Bureau, Fausto Pichardo, who is the first Dominican-American to reach this position.

NSA leaders discussed with Commissioner Shea priority issues for the association, such as finding solutions to reduce the recent crime wave in their members stores.

Related Article: The National Supermarket Association Strengthens Relationship With The Dominican Government

We had a very productive conversation that took place over the course of an hour in which we discussed high-level priorities, such as the recent increase in crime at our members stores, opportunities for partnership in our mutual efforts to reach out to youth, and ways we can work together to keep our communities safe, said Rodriguez.

The National Supermarket Association expressed its support for the NYPD and its leadership personally thanked Commissioner Shea for the work of his officers during the pandemic and their tireless efforts to help keep neighborhoods safe. NYC has been the safest big city in the world for a while and will continue to be so with the efforts of the NYPD, the statement said.

This meeting was a great first step in establishing a more formal relationship between NSA and NYPD. We look forward to working together now and in the future, the NSA leadership said.

Excerpt from:

Crime Prevention and Community Outreach, Common Goals for NSA and NYPD Commissioner - Abasto, Food and Beverage Industry News

The Central Government on Thursday extended the tenure of Deputy National Security Adviser Pankaj Saran for one year.

Mr. Saran is a 1982 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service and was appointed Deputy NSA in May 2018. He was then serving as Indias envoy to Russia.

The competent authority has approved the extension in tenure of Mr. Saran for one year beyond September 3, 2020 on contract basis as per the notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.

Mr. Saran previously held different positions, including the countrys High Commissioner to Bangladesh and has also served as the Joint Secretary in the Prime Ministers Office between 2007 and 2012 during the UPA regime.

Former chief of the Intelligence Bureau, Ajit Doval, is the National Security Adviser since 2014 after the NDA government headed by Narendra Modi came to power.

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Deputy NSA gets one year extension - The Hindu

We all have a role to play if we are to discover an effective means out of our collective global social crisis.

This is the story that I never wanted to tell and the article that I never thought I would write.

Although these are my experiences, too many of my colleagues have similar stories. Unfortunately, so do many of our friends, family members and kindred spirits around the world. This is an American story, and it is a global story.

As a former senior national security official retrospectively looking at life, I can say that it is a story of hopes, promises, courage, circumstance, disappointment and perseverance. Most importantly, it is ultimately a story of triumph.

It is difficult to write about the numerous obstacles that one might face in lifeespecially when these obstacles are based solely on superficial trivialities, such as ones melanin content or skin pigmentation, and not on deficiencies in a persons intellect, motivation, character, potential or loyalty to their nation.

I have never sought sympathy nor empty apologies, so I have avoided talking about:

My climb up the corporate mountainwas arduous, challenging and eventually rewarding. I welcomed the challenge of high expectations, but unlike many of my non-minority counterparts who were on similar climbs, I had few Sherpas, almost no time for acclimation at any level, no supplemental oxygen (i.e., sustained mentoring or assistance) and had to move along a steeper incline than most.

I worked at the National Security Agency (NSA), where only a gifted and blessed few ever make it to the top of operations. From that perch, you are entrusted to lead the United States global Signals Intelligence enterprise and arguably one of the worlds most capable spy organizations. The NSAs Operations Directorate has a storied history that includes contributing to breaking the World War II enigma code and still provides key input to the President of the United States daily intelligence briefing book. In the NSAs storied operations history, no minority had ever successfully reached its pinnacle.

I was promoted into the U.S. Senior Executive Service in my late 30s. Since the NSA is a Department of Defense (DoD) organization, I was a one-star general equivalent. This came at a time when minorities rarely achieved that rank and almost never until their early 50s. I began my career as an Air Force Russian linguist. My first assignment was in Japan, where it immediately became apparent that the words Black and Russian were more synonymous with a bar drink than an individual. I was never mistreated, just viewed as more of a curiosity. My 36-plus-year career climb was unlike most. This is my first capture of these experiences in writing.

The anecdotes that I have experienced during my life would literally fill a multi-volume book. Upon hearing brief snippets, most listeners shake their heads in disbelief. Although only a few incidents were done with malicious intent, they each spoke volumes about our culture and accepted behaviors.

A few examples of the adversity I faced included:

In spite of the many challenges, I eventually shattered a significant ceiling becoming NSAs Director of Global Operations. Entrusted with multi-billion-dollar budgets, I led tens of thousands of the worlds best engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, analysts and linguists. This was a far cry from the days when NSA minorities were relegated to the basement. However, when I departed the NSA, there was still much to be done.

The current pandemic has severely impacted much of our daily lives. This has also affected the economic, social and mental well-being of millions across the world.

However, there has also been a silent pandemic that has been ravaging our nation, and the world, for centuries. It has prevented citizens from attending schools and colleges, sporting and entertainment venues, visiting certain public places, joining various professions and being accepted into boardrooms. It has even interfered with places of worship. The side effects of this pandemic will likely linger for centuries to come. There are no daily casualty counts or comprehensive economic metrics, and although it is easy to identify, few want to acknowledge its existence. We shun the topic, ascribing it to days gone by, while ignoring the fact that if we only open our eyes, it stares back at us in our communities and workplaces. It is the pandemic of discrimination, bias and presumed privilege that knows no boundaries. This pandemic permeates every facet of our lives and is spawned in our homes, neighborhoods, communities and businesses. There appears to be no immunity for this silent plague and unfortunately few seem willing to help find a cure. But there is hope

The past six months have been a period of enlightenment for many. We have become semi-experts in the art of social distancing, living with some degree of depravity and adjusting to a new way of life. However, we have also seen an unprecedented social movement blossoming around the world. The movement has taken root in our homes, cities and businesses, and is being joined by those of goodwill and like minds daily. While this movement can be viewed with guarded optimism, many of us know that it is rooted in a fragile foundation that could crumble at any moment.

I applaud Worth for having the courage and social consciousness to allow me to tell part of my story. Mine is but a small link in a global chain of stories that should and must be told. I hope that in the coming months we can present the journeys of others who have triumphed in the face of overwhelming adversity. These authors stories should inspire us, while stirring our social and ethical consciousnesses to assist others in their journeys. We all have a role to play if we are to discover an effective means out of our collective global social crisis.

Writing this story has been cathartic. My reluctance has been overtaken by a sense of moral obligation to embolden others to come forward. We need your intellect, resourcefulness, ideas, prayers and active participation if we are to build a coalition of the willing and able. The journey will not be easymost worthy endeavors are usually laboriousbut we will achieve our goals. I look forward to serving with you. Keep the faith.

An indispensable guide to finance, investing and entrepreneurship.

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Exceeding All Expectations: A Journey of Adversity, Triumph and Eternal Optimism - Worth

In a major development, India's largest data agency National Informatics Centre (NIC) faced a cyberattack in which many computers of the agency were targeted and sensitive information was stolen from them.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has registered a case and started investigations in connection with this attack.

The NIC contains information related to the national interest, including the Prime Minister and the NSA, among others. In such a situation, this cyber attack is being considered very dangerous. According to the information, this cyberattack has been done by a Bangalore based firm, with connections to the United States

Besides the information related to national security, the NIC computers also have information related to the citizens of India, and well as VVIP people.

According to the information received by the Special Cell of Delhi Police, a malware was sent to the systems of NIC through e-mail. Clicking on the link wiped all the information from the computers after which, information was given to Delhi Police. As soon as the news broke, the Special Cell of Delhi Police took command and started investigating the case.

Upon investigation of the received email on the complaint of the employees of NIC, its link was found to be connected to a company based out of Bangalore. A police investigation found the IP address of this company, which is associated with a US-based firm.

Original post:

Huge threat to national security as hackers attack NIC computers, steal sensitive information - DNA India

By: Express News Service | Noida | September 14, 2020 5:01:30 amAccording to police, the two were nabbed near KSB Chowk in Chinchwad around 7.30 pm on Wednesday. Police said that during a search, they recovered 13.2 grams of MD, worth Rs 39,600, from them. (Representational)

Three days after the body of a missing nine-year-old boy was found in a pile of sacks, Agra police on Sunday arrested two more accused in connection with the case, taking the total arrests to three. They are likely to invoke the National Security Act (NSA) against the accused. The process to suspend an inspector of the police station concerned for alleged dereliction of duty will soon start.

Two more persons have been arrested after the main accused, Wahid, was arrested on Saturday. Given the nature of the crime, we will ensure that NSA is invoked against the accused. We will be initiating suspension proceedings against a policeman of the station concerned, said Agra SSP Babloo Kumar.

The child went missing from Agras Dhaura area on Tuesday, and his body was found close to his home two days later. According to police, the accused kidnapped the boy hoping for Rs 2 lakh in ransom but ended up killing him for fear of being caught. The accused allegedly choked him to death, police said.

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

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Police: 2 more held in Agra boys kidnap-murder, NSA to be invoked - The Indian Express

Lucknow, Sep 13 (PTI) The Lucknow district administration has decided to invoke stringent National Security Act against the six bike-borne miscreants involved in the killing of a 30-year-old farmer in its Malihabad tehsil early this week.

Ram Vilas Rawat, a Dalit farmer of Malihabad''s Dilawar Nagar area was attacked by the six bike-borne youths -- Ghulam Ali, Mustaqeem, Mufeed, Shanu and Guddu on Thursday night after he objected to them for running their bike on a hosepipe watering his field.

Rawat was critically injured in the attack and succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the Malihabad community health centre, said police earlier.

"The entire incident is being probed by a Deputy SP rank officer and the National Security Act will be invoked against those found guilty," Lucknow District Magistrate of Abhishek Prakash said on Sunday.

Under the NSA, one can be detained without a charge for up to 12 months if the authorities are satisfied that the person is a threat to national security or law and order.

The police have already booked the six on charges of murder under IPC and various other provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

So far, three accused -- Ghulam Ali, Mustaqeem and Mufeed -- have been arrested, and efforts are on to nab the other two suspects.District Magistrate Prakash on Saturday visited Dilawar Nagar and transferred a sum of Rs 5 lakh to the bank account Rawat''s widow.

He also urged the family members of the deceased to maintain peace in the area and assured them of all possible help.

"The entire incident will be probed, and mischievous elements should be identified, and their arms'' licence will be cancelled," the DM said.

Rawat''s death had triggered a protest from his co-villagers, who had blocked the Hardoi Road and clashed with police.

"The entire incident will be probed, and mischievous elements would be identified, and their arms'' licenses will be cancelled," the DM said.

Malihabad Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajay Kumar Rai, meanwhile, on Sunday said the situation in the area is normal, and the police force has been deployed in the area. PTI NAV RAXRAX

Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: PTI

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NSA to be invoked against miscreants involved in killing Malihabad farmer: Lucknow DM - Outlook India

The youngest of four daughters, Brodt enlisted Sept. 1, 1943.

At first, the bureaucracy foiled her efforts to see the world. She spent time at bases in Iowa and Missouri, training as a personnel specialist.

Id say, When are my orders for overseas coming? Brodt recalled.

In 1944, she found out the Army was sending her to the South Pacific. After rigorous overseas training, she was sent to an administrative headquarters in New Guinea.

It took 28 days to reach her new post. She was packed into a converted ocean liner with 50 other WACs and 4,000 GIs. They received two meals a day, eaten standing up to save space.

It looked like my fathers cattle at the feed bunk, Brodt said.

In New Guinea, the women lived in huts separated from the men. They slept on cots draped with mosquito nets and washed their clothes in their helmets. They worked every day, from 7 a.m. until at least 10 p.m.

Nebraska native Mildred Freeouf Brodt as a corporal in the Women's Army Corps during World War II.

Brodts job at the base was to allocate supplies to the front-line military units.

We never had enough to fill their requests. It was heartbreaking, Brodt said.

The women didnt have enough to eat. Some got sick with malaria and jungle rot.

We were more concerned about diseases than bombs, Brodt said.

After the military reconquest of the Philippines in early 1945, most of the command transferred there. She was en route to Manila when the war ended and so did her job.

She was enjoying her independent life, however, so with several other former WACs, she decided to stay overseas and take a civilian personnel job with the occupation staff of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in Tokyo.

Originally posted here:

Nebraska native, 101, defied convention: She served in South Pacific, with MacArthur and at NSA - Omaha World-Herald

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Did the NSA spy on Congress? RT The World According to Jesse - RT

By ANI

NEW DELHI: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, along with top officials, reviewed the situation at the India-China border, sources said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to call another high-level meeting later today, they added.

This comes after the Indian Army thwarted an attempt by the Chinese Army to transgress into Indian areas near the southern bank of Pangong Tso near Chushul in Ladakh on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

ALSO READ:India-China border not yet demarcated, there will always be problems, says Foreign Minister Wang Yi

Meanwhile, the meeting of brigade commander of the Indian Army with his Chinese counterpart is underway in Chushul/Moldo to discuss issues related to the situation on the southern bank of Pangong lake, Indian Army sources said.

"On the night of August 29/30, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo," said Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand in a statement on Monday.

India and China are engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including Finger area, Galwan valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala.

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NSA Ajit Doval reviews situation at India-China border - The New Indian Express

This was the third part of the NSA Webinar Series: Covid-19 Impact on Education, Skills Development and Training hosted by the National Skills Authority and the Mail & Guardian. It featured Dr Charles Nwaila, Chairperson of the NSA; Buti Manamela, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation; Zingiswa Losi, President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions; Professor Nirmala Gopal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal Council; and Dr Layla Cassim, Director of Layla Cassim ERS Consultants CC. It was facilitated by NSA Director Dr Thabo Mashongoane.

Dr Charles Nwaila introduced the webinar participants, paid tribute to the role of women in society, and spoke about how Covid-19 has deepened the unemployment and inequality crises in South Africa. Lets invest in women to move South Africa forward, said Nwaile.

Zingiswa Losi opened proceedings with a Cosatu presentation, which outlined how the skills shortage and unemployment already in crisis before the pandemic have been accelerated by Covid-19 and the lockdown. Decisive, urgent steps are required to grow the economy, including a R1-trillion stimulus plan, and the immediate dismissal of any corrupt politician. Skills programmes must match the changing workplace; 4IR is no longer a slogan, but a reality.

Dr Thabo Mashongoane introduced himself, and said that several webinar attendees had congratulated Losi on her presentation in their comments. The long-standing issue of labour brokers is a struggle that continues said Losi. She said that Cosatu has been putting pressure on government to continue with UIF and TERS (Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme) payments into September. The issue of non-implementation of good policies was raised; we indicate left but turn right said Losi; she called on government to stop talking and start taking action.

Buti Manamela said the NSA has been fighting the giant of poverty and that Covid-19 has made the battle tougher; the top priority now is to save lives and the academic year. Distance learning solutions have been implemented since the national state of disaster, but this has brought the economic divide to the fore, as many poor students dont have laptops and data. TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) colleges have taken steps to get lectures online and train lecturers in online and remote presentation skills and blended learning. Groups have also been set up on platforms such as WhatsApp to help students learn together. Online learning will play a bigger role going forward, but universal access is essential: all students must have computers, and data must be available to all. SETAs (Sector Education Training Authorities) must do more. South Africa is resilient and is bouncing back from Covid-19, said Manamela, who added that we are on track to saving the academic year.

Manamela then fielded questions, starting with the student placement programme; he said that the private sector must also come to the party, so that graduates can obtain the required experience to become employed. He said the issue of online connectivity is being addressed by his department and the Department of Higher Education and Training.

Professor Nirmala Gopal said the world is transitioning to a digital economy, and so is South Africa, so skillsets and appropriate infrastructure are essential to boost job creation. We have to embrace 4IR or get left behind, but the challenge is our deficit of skills in South Africa. It is certain that there will be profound and rapid change, and to embrace this, there must be multi-stakeholder alliances between all the role players. Around half of the workforce wont need reskilling, so things are not all doom and gloom. The higher education sector will play a key role in skills development, in fields like genomics and AI, but it cannot do this in isolation.

Strategies must be designed that include effective monitoring and evaluation, that respect freedom and human rights, and match skills with workplace demands. There must be a shift from routine tasks to developing creativity and innovation, the invention of proudly South African products, and workers must continuously update their skills. A paradigm shift is necessary to address the inequality gap: teachers must become facilitators and mentors, staff must learn about things like EQ, students must work together. The basic and higher education systems must speak to each other; the practical component of learning is extremely important. Collaboration is, for Gopal, the key word for educators, students and stakeholders.

Responding to questions, Gopal said that yes, STEM subjects should be taught from ECD level, instead of just in higher education. We have to be creative in how we allocate jobs, she said, and even entrepreneurs must learn to work collaboratively.

Dr Layla Cassim stressed that universities are not different to the rest of society, but rather they are microcosms that manifest broader social problems themselves. She has focused on the effects of Covid-19 on postgraduate students. Her business supports students in research; she has a toolkit on DVD and has been doing online presentations during lockdown; the toolkit is also on the University of Limpopos website. Many postgrads have had to change their research because of the lockdown, using secondary instead of primary data, and a number have struggled because they are depressed or concerned about loved ones, the so-called second wave of the pandemic.

Students have had to resort to innovative methods to collect data, using platforms such as WhatsApp, raising concerns about confidentiality and ethics. There have been delays in funding, and issues of access to computers, laboratories and data. The academic year has been rolled over to next year, creating its own stresses concerning career prospects. Many have been overburdened with workloads, as work has been distributed unequally during the lockdown; many have been unable to focus on their own research because they are busy with, for instance, online marking.

Some staff members have not had their own computers or data, or had to pay from their own pocket for these. Many universities will be adopting a combined approach in future, with much of the work being online. Inequalities socioeconomic and gender have been exaggerated by the lockdown; many women have reported having to take care of the kids, work and study, so they end up working in the early hours of the morning. People with disabilities have reported problems too. Universities have not collaborated as much as they should have in the lockdown, possibly because they compete with each other. Basic resources have been in short supply: some rural universities have not had water, and some students have had to bring toilet paper to varsity in their bags; its difficult to carry out research under such conditions, said Gopal. Many rural universities, students and communities have indeed been left behind.

Nwaila wrapped up the webinar, saying that socioeconomic inequality was a theme that emerged in all the presentations, and can be referred to as a pandemic in itself. He ran through the presentations of each speaker, summarising them and emphasising the most succinct points. He thanked all the speakers and handed over to Mashongoane, who presented the polling results: 60% of participants were worried that AI may lead to a loss of jobs, which is cause for serious concern.

To watch and listen to the webinar, click here: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/ryg6vs6raroigkuyv8vsn79an16ug

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NSA Webinar Part 3: Skills Development and the future of learning during and post the Covid-19 pandemic - Mail and Guardian

ICE Robotics has introduced the i-Synergy Program, an extended product offering through its partnership with the National Service Alliance (NSA), according to a press release.

ICE Robotics and NSA are helping building service contractors preserve cash flow and provide members financial flexibility during uncertain times with the program, which provides predictability for businesses.

The program is a new way for building service contractors to take advantage of industry leading floor cleaning equipment and lower costs. Some benefits of the program are:

- Special pricing and flexible terms exclusive to members of NSA.

- The elimination of large upfront capital investments through the ICE Robotics Subscription Model, preserving cash flow during times of uncertainty.

- A subscription model that provides access to proactive maintenance, regular software updates, and equipment optimized with lithium ion batteries.

- Intelligent equipment equipped with fleet tracking technology and data to manage usage.

The NSA is excited for the opportunity to provide additional innovations to our members, said the alliance in a press release. "Part of joining our organization is having access to the industrys leading technology and we believe that the i-Synergy program provides a tremendous value to the contract cleaning industry.

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ICE Robotics Expands Offering With NSA Partnership - CleanLink

National Security Agency (NSA), U.S. intelligence agency within the Department of Defense that is responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence and security. Its headquarters are in Fort Meade, Maryland.

Britannica Quiz

World Organizations: Fact or Fiction?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is limited to European countries.

The NSA grew out of the communications intelligence activities of U.S. military units during World War II. It was established in 1952 by a presidential directive from Harry S. Truman in which he specified its mission as

to provide an effective, unified organization and control of the communications intelligence activities of the United States conducted against foreign governments, to provide for integrated operational policies and procedures pertaining thereto.

The NSA was created in part out of the belief that the importance and distinct character of communications intelligence warranted an organization distinct from both the armed forces and the other intelligence agencies. While it operates within the Department of Defense, the NSA also belongs to the Intelligence Community (a coalition of 17 intelligence agencies) and as such acts under the supervision of the director of national intelligence. The director of the NSA is a military officer of flag rank (i.e., a general or an admiral) with a minimum of three stars. Not being a creation of Congress, the NSA often acts outside of congressional review; it is the most secret of all U.S. intelligence agencies.

The agencys mission includes the protection and formulation of codes, ciphers, and other cryptology for the U.S. military and other government agencies as well as the interception, analysis, and solution of coded transmissions by electronic or other means. The agency conducts research into all forms of electronic transmissions. It also operates posts for the interception of signals around the world. In 1972 a joint organization, the Central Security Service (CSS), was created to coordinate the intelligence efforts of the NSA with the U.S. military. The director of the NSA also heads the CSS (under the title of Chief, CSS).

The 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) restricts the NSA mandate to the interception of foreign communications and forbids the agency from targeting a U.S. citizen unless the latter is considered an agent of a foreign power. In exceptional cases that are considered critical to national security, the agency can obtain a warrant to intercept domestic communications. In 2008, amendments to FISA relaxed those restrictions and allowed the agency to monitor domestic communications without a warrant as long as one party is reasonably believed to be outside the United States.

In 2013 NSA activities were put in the limelight after a former computer security contractor, Edward Snowden, leaked classified information about two surveillance programsone collecting information from U.S. Internet service providers (PRISM) and the second collecting so-called metadata on cellular phone calls (information including phone numbers and length of the calls but not their content). Those programs were designed to target non-Americans, but they also collected a massive amount of information from Americans with whom those individuals had communicated. Other NSA programs included the extensive, worldwide, and allegedly untargeted collection of text messages (Dishfire) and of the locations of cell phones.

While less known to the American public than the Central Intelligence Agency, the NSA is believed to be far larger in size in terms of workforce and budget. According to Michael Hayden, a former director (19992005) of the NSA, it is also the worlds largest collector of foreign signals intelligence.

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National Security Agency | History, Role, & Surveillance ...