🔥 25 Years for SBF

Good Morning. China has reportedly backed rebel forces in Myanmar, partly to express discontent over cyberscam centers targeting Chinese netizens.

The junta, which took power in 2021, has not addressed Beijing's concerns over scam centers, leading to a significant offensive by the Three Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition against the junta.

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

Disgraced Crypto Tycoon Sentenced To 25-Years in Prison

Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in a massive fraud that led to the collapse of FTX, once a leading platform in the global digital currency exchange market. The sentencing marks the culmination of a spectacular downfall for Bankman-Fried, who was once celebrated for his innovative contributions to the cryptocurrency sector, backed by celebrity endorsements and ambitious advertising efforts.

The Downfall of a Crypto Visionary

Sam Bankman-Fried, once a celebrated figure in the cryptocurrency world, was convicted of fraud and conspiracy, following the dramatic collapse of FTX. His conviction stemmed from allegations of misappropriating billions of dollars from customers, investors, and lenders—actions that not only fueled his influence within the industry but also funded a lavish lifestyle and alleged illicit activities. This sentencing follows his testimony where he claimed his intentions were to innovate within the cryptocurrency market, rather than to commit fraud.

Implications of the Sentencing

U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan emphasized that the sentence was imposed to mitigate the risk of Bankman-Fried causing future harm. The judge's remarks highlight the severity of Bankman-Fried's crimes, including the misappropriation of funds for personal gain and attempts to buy influence, which ultimately cost stakeholders over $10 billion.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• Vladimir Putin's press secretary called on Telegram's Russian-born CEO Pavel Durov to better monitor the app, citing its use by terrorists. Dmitry Peskov expressed no current plans to ban Telegram, despite concerns over its misuse.

• Russia's Investigative Committee reported the detention of another suspect linked to the Moscow concert hall attack that killed 143, raising the total arrests to 12. The suspect is accused of financing the attack, following the arrest of 11 others, including four Tajik nationals charged with terrorism.

• A writer for ISIS-K's propaganda outlet, claiming to be in Canada, has raised concerns among experts. The individual, known as Sulaiman Dawood al-Kanadie, has made contributions to Voice of Khurasan, linked to the deadly Moscow attack.

Military & Defense

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to expedite a vote on U.S. military aid for Ukraine, stressing its critical importance amid opposition. Zelenskyy highlighted discussions on cutting Russia's war funding and reallocating frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's benefit.

• China is developing a new attack helicopter, tentatively designated as Z-21, that rivals the size and capabilities of the US AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mi-28 Havoc. Revealed on Chinese social media, the helicopter features a design with a reduced infrared signature and is larger than the PLA's current Z-10, with similarities to both the Apache and Mi-28.

• Russia will not attack NATO countries like Poland, the Baltic states, or the Czech Republic, says Vladimir Putin. However, the Russian leader warned that F-16 fighters supplied to Ukraine by the West would be targeted by Russian forces.

• Clandestine flights between Russia and North Korea, involving a Russian Antonov An-124 and a Tupolev Tu-154, indicate secret exchanges, Colin Zwirko of NK News reported. The U.S. Department of Treasury previously sanctioned the involved 224th Flight Unit and cargo plane for transferring DPRK ballistic missiles, though details remain vague.

Cybersecurity

• Finland's Police have charged Chinese state-backed hackers, known as APT31, with a cyber attack on its Parliament between fall 2020 and early 2021. The investigation, described as complex and time-consuming, delves into a sophisticated cyber-espionage operation first revealed in December 2020.

• EclecticIQ warned of a cyberespionage campaign, Operation FlightNight, targeting both Indian government and energy sectors, using phishing emails disguised as the Indian Air Force invitations to deploy malware. The attack, utilizing a modified version of the HackBrowserData malware, aims to exfiltrate sensitive data, including login credentials and browsing history.

• The U.S. State Department is offering a $10 million bounty for information on foreign cyberattacks against US infrastructure, specifically targeting the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware group implicated in damaging the US healthcare system. Despite the incentive, these Russian-speaking cybercriminals are considered to be beyond US law enforcement's reach.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• As Turkey's local elections near, there grows concern over disinformation and AI-generated fake media, including a discredited video of Istanbul's opposition mayor praising the ruling party. This incident underscores fears of media manipulation in a crucial election for control over cities.

• Russian security researchers identified a new Ukraine-linked cyber-espionage group, PhantomCore, using a novel malware, PhantomRAT, to attack Russian companies via a WinRAR vulnerability. This group's unique tactic involves exploiting a specific RAR archive vulnerability, distinct from previous methods tied to state-backed Russian and Chinese hackers.

• Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has conducted raids in collaboration with European security services to probe alleged Russian espionage, citing Poland as a prime target due to its role in supporting Ukraine. The ABW accuses Russia and Belarus of destabilizing efforts and documents pro-Russian initiatives in the EU, highlighting the website “voice-of-europe.eu” for disseminating pro-Russian content.

Transnational Organized Crime

• The U.S. has sanctioned 11 individuals and entities for supporting financial crimes, drug trafficking, and exploitation of Syrian resources by President Bashar Al-Assad's regime, citing Syria as a major producer of the stimulant Captagon. The Treasury Department emphasized the role of Syrian money service businesses in evading sanctions and facilitating financial transactions for the regime, highlighting the illicit Captagon trade as a significant revenue source for Assad, the military, and paramilitary groups.

• The U.S. Coast Guard and Argentine Navy will start joint exercises next month to address illegal Chinese fishing in the Atlantic, responding to concerns over depleted fish stocks and biodiversity loss. The USS James will collaborate with Argentine vessels to combat unregulated fishing practices that have significantly increased Chinese vessel activity in the region.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has successfully launched its first experimental communications payload, ‘Korimako,' into orbit using a research satellite developed by the US Navy's Naval Postgraduate School. This initiative marks NZDF's inaugural venture into space, aiming to enhance space communications research and bolster New Zealand's capabilities and experience in space science and technology.

A Milestone in NZDF's Space Endeavors

‘Korimako’ represents the first foray of the New Zealand Defence Force into space, indicating a significant leap in the country’s defense and space research capabilities.

Implications and Future Prospects

The successful launch and initial operations of Korimako opens new avenues for the NZDF and New Zealand government in space science and technology. David Galligan, DST director, emphasizes that Korimako will not only facilitate practical experience in space science but also test processes for government space operations and support future space development endeavors of the NZDF and wider government entities.

In other news…

🚀 The FCC has authorized SpaceX to expand its cellular Starlink system tests to 10 additional US locations, building on licenses for 24 others issued in December. This expansion includes statewide testing in California, Washington, Texas, and Hawaii, among other locations.

🤖 The U.S. has implemented new regulations to enhance caution and transparency in federal agencies' use of artificial intelligence, aiming to safeguard the public amidst AI's rapid development while also promoting AI innovation for the public good. Vice President Kamala Harris expressed the administration's intention for these policies to set a global standard, balancing the need to address AI risks with leveraging AI for solving critical issues like climate change and disease.

DEALS & FUNDING

Coro, a security-as-a-service (SaaS) platform targeting small- and mid-sized businesses, has successfully secured $100 million in Series D funding, elevating its total funding to $280 million. This latest financial injection was spearheaded by One Peak, with contributions from Energy Impact Partners and Balderton Capital, underscoring the tech community's strong support for Coro's mission to democratize enterprise-grade security solutions for the SME sector.

Empowering SMEs with Advanced Security

Since its inception in 2014, the Israel-based Coro has been at the forefront of providing SMEs with comprehensive, AI-powered security through a singular, user-friendly platform. This solution not only simplifies security management across endpoints, networks, cloud services, email, and user protection but also addresses critical vulnerabilities such as malware, phishing, and data leaks.

A Strategic Path Forward

Under the leadership of CEO Guy Moskowitz, Coro aims to cement its status as a cybersecurity leader for the SME market by broadening its reach through a global network of partners.

In other news…

🐦️ Innovation behind decentralized blockchain AI training platform production gets a boost, as Flock.io, the platform’s developer, raises $6M for the project.

🥷 AI-powered dark web intelligence startup StealthMole has raised $7 million in Series A funding to expand R&D and commercial applications in the B2B sector globally. Based in Singapore with an R&D office in South Korea, StealthMole leverages diverse international insights to monitor cyber threats, co-founded by cybersecurity experts Louis Hur and Simon Choi.

🔫 BAE Systems has secured a contract worth up to $318 million to support the U.S. Army's M109A6 and A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers and M992A3 carrier vehicles. Over five years, the company will provide engineering, maintenance, and logistics services to enhance the performance of these military vehicles.