March 2018 Security News

Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Providing Material Support to ISIS and Terrorism Financing US Dept. of Justice 30 Mar 2018 -- Mohamed Elshinawy, 32, of Edgewood, Maryland, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization; providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS; terrorism financing; and making false statements in connection with a terrorism matter.
Border Agency Clarifies Building, Location of Border Wall VOA 30 Mar 2018 -- On Wednesday, President Donald Trump tweeted: "Great briefing this afternoon on the start of our Southern Border WALL!"
Alleged Russian Hacker Nikulin Pleads Not Guilty After Extradition To U.S. RFE/RL 30 Mar 2018 -- A Russian hacker who allegedly stole data and is wanted by both Washington and Moscow has pleaded not guilty to the charges at a court in San Francisco after being extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic.
Jean de Vienne, in Support of CTF 150, Siezes More than 1,160 Pounds of Heroin NNS 27 Mar 2018 -- French Marine Nationale destroyer, Jean de Vienne, secured their second drug seizure this year in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, March 25.
Spain Breaks Up Ukrainian-Russian Cybercrime Gang RFE/RL 27 Mar 2018 -- Spanish authorities have broken up a cybercrime syndicate of Ukrainian and Russian nationals that allegedly stole more than 1 billion euros ($1.24 billion) from bank accounts over more than four years.
Iran Criticizes U.S. Sanctions Over Hacking Scheme RFE/RL 24 Mar 2018 -- Iran has criticized new U.S. sanctions against 10 of its citizens and an Iranian company over their alleged involvement in a state-sponsored large-scale hacking and intellectual property theft scheme.
Guardsmen Help Combat Coastal Erosion in New Orleans AFPS 23 Mar 2018 -- The Louisiana Army National Guard's 1st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment; and Forward Support Company, 205th Engineer Battalion, supported the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the annual Christmas Tree Drop at Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in New Orleans East, March 14.
Army Committed to Restoring Puerto Rico's Power AFPS 23 Mar 2018 -- Six months after Hurricane Maria made landfall here, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers remains committed to safely and urgently restoring reliable power and returning normalcy to the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico as quickly as possible.
Nine Iranians Charged With Conducting Massive Cyber Theft Campaign on Behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps US Dept. of Justice 23 Mar 2018 -- An Indictment charging Gholamreza Rafatnejad, 38; Ehsan Mohammadi, 37; Abdollah Karima, aka Vahid Karima, 39; Mostafa Sadeghi, 28; Seyed Ali Mirkarimi, 34; Mohammed Reza Sabahi, 26; Roozbeh Sabahi, 24; Abuzar Gohari Moqadam, 37; and Sajjad Tahmasebi, 30, all citizens and residents of Iran, was unsealed today.
Treasury Sanctions Iranian Cyber Actors for Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities Targeting Hundreds of Universities US Treasury 23 Mar 2018 -- Today, in a coordinated action with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated one Iranian entity and 10 Iranian individuals under Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, "Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities," as amended.
State Department Terrorist Designation of Joe Asperman US Dept. of State 22 Mar 2018 -- The Department of State has designated Joe Asperman as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. E
State Department Terrorist Designation of Katibat al-Imam al-Bukhari US Dept. of State 22 Mar 2018 -- The Department of State has designated Katibat al-Imam al-Bukhari (KIB) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224.
US Homeland Security Head: Election Cyber Security Is Top Priority VOA 21 Mar 2018 -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielson told lawmakers Wednesday her agency is making election cyber security its top priority in an attempt to prevent foreign interference in this year's elections.
Senate Intel Committee's Initial Recommendations on Election Security for 2018 Election Cycle Senator Burr 20 Mar 2018 -- Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in advance of today's press conference with Committee members, made available the Committee's initial recommendations on election security after investigating Russian attempts to target election infrastructure during the 2016 U.S. elections.
U.S. Senators Warn Of More Russian Hacking Attempts Against Voting Systems RFE/RL 20 Mar 2018 -- Leading U.S. senators said Russian-linked hackers succeeded in penetrating the voting system in at least one U.S. state in 2016, as lawmakers called for new efforts to protect those U.S. election systems from hacking.
Senate Intelligence Committee Launches Campaign to Prevent US Election Hacking VOA 20 Mar 2018 -- The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee recommended Tuesday that Congress "urgently pass" legislation to bolster federal help to states that are trying to prevent their election systems from being hacked as they were in 2016.
Britain, US Probing Use of Facebook Data by British Voter Profiling Company VOA 20 Mar 2018 -- Social media giant Facebook faced new investigations Tuesday in both Britain and the United States about the vast troves of information compiled by the company about their users and how that data has been deployed to influence elections by Cambridge Analytica, a British voter profiling business.
Facebook Under Fire for Developer's Data Mining VOA 20 Mar 2018 -- The Facebook backlash is intensifying. Congressional leaders, regulators in the United States and Europe and state officials are putting pressure on Facebook to answer questions about fresh allegations over how the social networking giant was manipulated in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Facebook Official Who Pushed To Air Russian Election Posts Quits RFE/RL 20 Mar 2018 -- A Facebook executive who strongly pushed for investigation and disclosure of Russian activities on the site allegedly aimed at influencing elections will reportedly leave the company in August.
Czech Court Rejects Russian Hacking Suspect's Appeal For Asylum RFE/RL 16 Mar 2018 -- A Prague court on March 16 rejected Russian cybercrime suspect Yevgeny Nikulin's appeal against the Czech Interior Ministry's refusal to grant him political asylum.
Colombia Probes Voter Registration Cyberattacks Traced to Russia's Allies VOA 15 Mar 2018 -- Colombian government and military officials say the government is investigating tens of thousands of cyberattacks on the country's voter registration systems, and traced the incidents to Russia's key allies in the region.
Individual Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 15 Mar 2018 -- Vicente Adolfo Solano, 53, a citizen of Honduras residing in Miami, pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
FCC/C10F Commander Provides Testimony to Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity NNS 14 Mar 2018 -- Vice Adm. Mike Gilday, commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F), provided testimony on the cyber posture of the Navy in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2019 and the Future Years Defense Program before the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on cybersecurity, March 13.
Czech Court Delays Extradition Of Hacking Suspect In U.S.-Russia Tug-Of-War RFE/RL 14 Mar 2018 -- A last-minute complaint from Yevgeny Nikulin, the Russian cybercrime suspect at the center of a tug-of-war between Moscow and Washington, has delayed a final decision on his extradition to the United States or Russia.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 13 Mar 2018 -- Gregory Lepsky, 20, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to an information charging him with one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Lepsky admitted that he planned to construct and use a pressure cooker bomb in New York on behalf of ISIS.
American Citizen Sentenced To 45 Years for Conspiring to Murder U.S. Nationals and Providing Material Support to Al-Qaeda US Dept. of Justice 13 Mar 2018 -- Muhanad Mahmoud al Farekh, 32, of Houston, was sentenced today to 45 years following his Sept. 29, 2017 trial conviction of multiple offenses covering seven years of terrorist conduct, including conspiracy to murder American military personnel in Afghanistan, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb a government facility and providing material support to al-Qaeda.
Remarks by President Trump After Review of Border Wall Prototypes | San Diego, CA The White House 13 Mar 2018
UN anti-drug conference offers 'opportunity to chart a better and balanced path' forward - UN chief UN News 12 Mar 2018 -- Inclusive partnerships are essential to addressing drug challenges and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the top United Nations panel dealing with all aspects of narcotic drugs.
State Department Terrorist Designations of Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi US Dept. of State 08 Mar 2018 -- The Department of State has designated Ahmad Iman Ali and Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. E.O. 13224 imposes strict sanctions on foreign persons determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.
UK steps up cyber defence UK MOD 08 Mar 2018 -- UK Cyber Defence is getting a boost, following the opening of a new Defence Cyber School at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham.
Pakistani Court Rules in Favor of Political Party Tied to Global Terror Suspect VOA 08 Mar 2018 -- A federal court in Pakistan has sided with a new political party whose bid to register with the national election commission was rejected because of the party's ties to an Islamic cleric designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations and United States.
What's Ukraine Doing To Combat Russian Cyberwarfare? 'Not Enough' RFE/RL 07 Mar 2018 -- Dmytro Shymkiv fidgeted in a chair as his boss, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, testified via video linkup from a few doors down in the Kyiv trial of his exiled predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych.
US Intel Chief: No 'Coherent Strategy' to Thwart 2018 Russian Election Meddling VOA 06 Mar 2018 -- U.S. intelligence chief Dan Coats said Tuesday the U.S. government has yet to put in place any "coherent strategy" to thwart any Russian interference in the November congressional elections, even though it is "highly likely" that Moscow will engage in a campaign of disruption, just as it did in the 2016 presidential election.
U.S. Intelligence Chief: Russia Will Meddle in U.S. Midterm Elections RFE/RL 06 Mar 2018 -- A top U.S. intelligence official has predicted that Russia plans to interfere in the upcoming U.S. congressional elections, but says officials are unsure exactly how and when.
Intel Chiefs Tell Senate Committee of Dangers to America AFPS 06 Mar 2018 -- These are dangerous times, and the threat of war is greater now than at any time since the end of the Cold War, the director of national intelligence told the Senate Armed Services Committee today.
Maine National Guard welcomes 146th Cyber Support Team Army News 05 Mar 2018 -- The Maine Army National Guard recently added a new unit, the 146th Cyber Support Team. This team is based in Augusta; however, it is part of the larger 146th Cyber Warfare Company from Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
Brother Of IS 'War Minister' Resigns From Tajik Prisons Department RFE/RL 05 Mar 2018 -- The brother of Gulmurod Halimov, the fugitive Tajik colonel who joined the Islamic State (IS) group, has resigned from his post at Tajikistan's department of prisons after three of his close relatives were sentenced on terrorism-related charges, Tajik government sources say.
Putin Claims Hundreds Of Spies Thwarted, Urges Focus On Cybersecurity RFE/RL 05 Mar 2018 -- President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia thwarted nearly 500 spies in 2017, and urged the Federal Security Service (FSB) to step up cybersecurity efforts and strengthen measures to protect secret communications.
Students Build Program That Sniffs Out Twitter 'Bots' VOA 04 Mar 2018 -- For months, university students Ash Bhat and Rohan Phadte had been tracking about 1,500 political propaganda accounts on Twitter that appeared to have been generated by computers when they noticed something odd.
Unemployment Leads Dozens of Youths to Join IS Ranks in Eastern Afghanistan VOA 04 Mar 2018 -- Provincial officials in eastern Nangarhar province expressed concerns over the dozens of youths in the province recruited by Islamic State (IS).
Experts to US Lawmakers: Women Are Untapped Resource in Countering Extremism VOA 03 Mar 2018 -- The role of women and their potential in countering extremism around the world is often overlooked and underestimated, a group of experts told U.S. lawmakers this week.
Alleged Russian Hacker To Be Sent Where Worst Crimes Committed, Czech Minister Says RFE/RL 03 Mar 2018 -- Czech Justice Minister Robert Pelikan has said he will decide whether to extradite alleged Russian hacker Yevgeny Nikulin to the United States or Russia based primarily on where the most serious crimes were committed.
Germany cyber attack claim against Russia 'baseless': Peskov Press TV 02 Mar 2018 -- The Kremlin has rejected allegations by German officials of Russia hacking into Germany's cyber system.
Suspected Russian Cyberattack In Germany Called 'Serious,' 'Damaging' RFE/RL 02 Mar 2018 -- A major cyberattack on the German government reported this week has been "serious," "damaging," and is still going on, German legislators and officials said.
U.S. Response Not Deterring Russian, Chinese Cyberattacks, Nominee Says RFE/RL 02 Mar 2018 -- Russia, China, and other nations that have launched cyberattacks against the United States do not fear retribution and see no reason to change their behavior, the nominee to head the U.S. Cyber Command said.
Cyber Troops Focus on Security at Arctic Eagle 2018 AFPS 01 Mar 2018 -- An electronic sensor along the more than 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline sounds the alarm.
Germany admits cyberattack after Russia accused Press TV 01 Mar 2018 -- Germany has confirmed that it has been the target of an ongoing cyberattack on government computer systems.
German Government Computers Hacked; Reports Point To Russia RFE/RL 01 Mar 2018 -- German officials say they are investigating a cyberattack on government computers, although they declined to comment on media reports blaming the hacking on a Russian group blamed for infiltration efforts in the United States and Europe.
Trump NSA Nominee: Russia, China, Others Don't Fear Retaliation for Cyberattacks VOA 01 Mar 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the country's cyberspace operations said Thursday Russia, China and other countries do not fear retaliation for their cyberattacks on the United States.
Pakistan Confirms Inclusion on FATF's Terrorist Financing List in June VOA 01 Mar 2018 -- Pakistani authorities this week confirmed the country is going back on the "gray list" of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global financial watchdog that monitors terror financing and money laundering.

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March 2018 Security News