🔥 APTs Target UN Ops

Good Morning. Tens of thousands protested in Jerusalem, demanding the government negotiate for the release of hostages held by Hamas and call for early elections. The demonstration marks a division in Israeli society, six months into the conflict with Hamas, which took 250 hostages during an attack.

Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to defeat Hamas and free hostages, amidst calls for a ground offensive in Rafah.

Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike hit a hospital sheltering civilians in Gaza, escalating tensions. International efforts for a ceasefire continue, with little progress.

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

United Nations Faces the Flames of Scrutiny as State-Sponsored Hackers Disrupt Peacekeeping

Research from the International Peace Institute highlights an urgent need for United Nations peacekeeping missions, particularly in Africa, to adopt basic cybersecurity infrastructure and tools to protect against sophisticated nation-state-sponsored cyber threats. The failure to implement these security measures could result in severe consequences, including the potential for lethal outcomes. The missions are at risk due to their collection of sensitive data, such as the identities and locations of activists and dissidents, making them attractive targets for global governments and associated groups like the mercenary Wagner Group.

Geopolitics Add Strain

Dirk Druet, an adjunct professor at McGill University, emphasizes the particular vulnerability of UN missions in central Africa amidst increasing geopolitical tensions. He warns of the dire consequences of potential breaches, which could endanger human rights defenders, survivors of violence, and political activists. 

Success Secrets Lie in Supply Chain Security, Says Professor

To mitigate these risks, Druet recommends that the UN enhance its threat-hunting capabilities, secure its software supply chains, and establish strict data chains of custody. Acknowledging the unique cybersecurity challenges faced by multinational peace operations, he notes the difficulty in keeping pace with the capabilities of state actors intent on infiltrating UN networks.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• A car bomb exploded in a popular market in Azaz, Aleppo province, killing at least eight people and wounding 23 others, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-based Observatory, with sources inside Syria, reported that the explosion caused significant damage and ignited a fire. An AFP correspondent reportedly witnessed emergency responders at the scene, alongside the wreckage of a destroyed vehicle.

• Russia detained three individuals in a "counter-terrorism operation" in Dagestan, as announced by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee. This operation comes as Russia remains on high alert following a mass shooting in Moscow on March 22, which resulted in at least 144 deaths, marking the deadliest attack in the country in 20 years. During the operation, automatic weapons, ammunition, and an improvised explosive device ready for use were discovered.

• The Taliban government has publicly acknowledged for the first time the detention of two American citizens, including Ryan Corbett, along with a number of foreign nationals for allegedly violating Afghan laws. Chief Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the detentions to the state-run Afghan radio and mentioned that the United States had been informed, without providing further details on the identities or the nationalities of the other detainees.

Military & Defense

• Hyundai Heavy Industries Group of South Korea has secured a significant $463 million contract with Peru’s state-owned shipbuilder, SIMA Peru S.A., for the joint production of four warships destined for the Peruvian Navy. This collaboration will take place at the Callao shipyard and encompasses the construction of a diverse fleet that includes a 3,400-ton frigate, a 2,200-ton Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), and two 1,500-ton Landing Craft Units (LCUs).

• Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, has been grappling with widespread power outages following a massive Russian missile attack on its energy system in March, marking the largest such assault since the onset of the full-scale war. This strike plunged the city into darkness, necessitating the use of generators that now populate the streets. In the aftermath, Ukraine has faced a series of further attacks aimed at disrupting the country's energy infrastructure, exacerbating the situation.

• France has pledged significant military support to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, announcing the delivery of hundreds of armored vehicles and new surface-to-air missiles. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed on Sunday that old but operational French VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) armored troop carriers will be provided along with more Aster 30 anti-aircraft missiles for SAMP/T launchers, enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities on the front lines and in air defense.

Cybersecurity

• AT&T, the United States' largest telecommunications network, has reported a significant data breach affecting approximately 73 million accounts, including both current and former customers. The breach, announced on Saturday, involves the leak of sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, passcodes, and contact details found on the dark web.

• Cybersecurity firms have shed light on a sophisticated malware variant targeting Linux systems, known as DinodasRAT, which had previously been identified compromising Windows systems in espionage operations. This Linux variant, which first came to attention in 2021, has not been widely described until now.

• The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has introduced a draft of new regulations aimed at enhancing cyber incident reporting for organizations within the nation's critical infrastructure sectors. This initiative, part of the efforts to update the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure (CIRCIA) Act of 2022, mandates that all U.S. defense contractors and organizations across the 16 critical infrastructure sectors, as identified by CISA, report cyber incidents within 72 hours of occurrence.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• China's Ministry of State Security has heightened its warnings about foreign espionage, specifically targeting overseas spy agencies' attempts to acquire state secrets through consulting agencies. A six-minute video, which dramatizes an alleged real case of espionage against a Chinese company planning to invest abroad, was released on the ministry's official WeChat account. This initiative aligns with Chinese leader Xi Jinping's efforts to reassure American CEOs of China's openness to business amidst economic concerns and the tightening grip of its authoritarian government.

• In a grim incident in southern Spain, Maksim Kuzminov, a defector from Russia to Ukraine, was brutally murdered, a crime that investigators believe was meant to convey a stark message. Kuzminov, who had last summer flown a Mi-8 military helicopter into Ukrainian territory and surrendered it along with secret documents to Ukrainian intelligence, was found shot six times and run over by a car in a parking garage in Villajoyosa, a seaside resort town. The use of 9 mm Makarov rounds, standard in the former Communist bloc, left at the scene hinted at the killers' origins.

• A Chinese national who entered the U.S. illegally was apprehended on Wednesday after he breached security at a Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms, California, by entering without authorization and disregarding orders to leave. The incident prompted a swift response from Border Patrol agents, following a notification from the base regarding the unauthorized entry of a Chinese national. Despite being instructed to leave through the Condor gate by installation security, the individual proceeded further onto the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center without valid identification.

Transnational Organized Crime

• Gunmen in Ecuador's Guayaquil killed nine and injured 10 in a shooting attack on a group of people practicing sports in the Guasmo neighborhood, police announced Sunday. The incident, which took place around 7 p.m. local time Saturday, adds to a series of violent events in the South American country.

• An investigation has uncovered that Christy Kinahan Sr, one of the world's most sought-after fugitives and founder of the Kinahan Cartel, has been using a social media alias to leave restaurant reviews globally for five years. These reviews on Google coincide with the reported movements of the Dubliner, whose son, Daniel Kinahan, now leads the cartel.

• Guillermo Torres, the mayor of Churumuco municipality in Michoacan, Mexico, and a recent sympathizer of the ruling Morena party, was shot dead at a restaurant in Morelia on Saturday, with his 14-year-old son surviving the attack. This incident, confirmed by the regional prosecutor's office, adds to the series of politically related killings in a country beset by violence and organized crime.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The U.S. Army is progressing with its initiative to integrate short-range air defense laser weapons into its arsenal, deploying its initial four Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) prototypes in the U.S. Central Command's area of operations.

Operational Environments
Three of these 50-kilowatt laser systems are currently in Iraq for experimental purposes in relevant operational contexts, with the fourth expected to join after undergoing some modifications. Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch, director of the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, highlighted the immediate support these systems provide to soldiers in combat zones while acknowledging the ongoing need to refine their integration within the maneuver force.

Future Plans and Prototyping Efforts

In addition to the deployment of the initial prototypes, the Army is evaluating two other 50-kilowatt laser platforms to glean further insights while the first set of prototypes is engaged in operations. This approach aims to enhance the Army's understanding and application of laser weapon systems. Originally, the Army planned to conclude the DE M-SHORAD prototyping phase and transition the effort to the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space in 2023, with intentions to hold a competition for the program of record. This strategic effort underscores the Army's commitment to advancing laser weapon technology to bolster its short-range air defense capabilities.
In other news…

🤯 Benchmark Space Systems has launched Xantus, a novel plasma thruster fueled by molybdenum, currently in orbit aboard an Orion Space Solutions satellite from SpaceX's Transporter-10 mission, with 50 orders already placed. The thruster, which features a design with no valves, tanks, or moving parts, offers high specific impulse and precision control, potentially revolutionizing propulsion for small to large satellites.

🚀 The Space Development Agency is exploring the possibility of employing commercial space firms to remove inactive satellites from low Earth orbit after their operational life ends, having issued a notice for feasibility studies on March 25. This initiative seeks to ensure compliance with U.S. government standards for deorbiting, with the agency considering a backup plan for satellites that fail to deorbit autonomously, involving companies like Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman's Space Logistics.

DEALS & FUNDING

Japanese lunar lander startup ispace has successfully raised 8.1 billion yen ($53.5 million) through a stock sale, earmarked for the development of its third spacecraft. This financial influx comes after ispace's initial Moon landing attempt ended in a crash last year due to software issues. The company is gearing up for a second attempt with its Resilience lander later this year, currently in the integration and testing phase.

Strategic Investment and Collaboration

In a strategic move to bolster its operations, ispace established its U.S. headquarters in Denver last year, investing over $40 million in U.S. operations. Concurrently, the company introduced its new Apex lander design for a Draper-led CLPS contract, aimed at delivering a NASA payload to the Moon. The CLPS Apex spacecraft, designed to carry 300 kg of payload, with about 95 kg for NASA, is central to ispace's future plans.

Japanese Lunar Exploration Continues

The Japanese lunar lander SLIM has reawakened after surviving a second lunar night, found still on its side but operational. This highlights the ongoing interest and investment in lunar exploration by Japanese entities, showcasing resilience and ambition in space endeavors.

In other news…

🛳️ Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced on March 28 that it has signed a €1.2 billion contract to provide the Indonesian Navy with two PPA ships, although the Indonesian government has not yet funded the purchase. The 4,900-ton multipurpose offshore patrol vessels, currently under construction at the Riva Trigoso-Muggiano shipyard, were originally intended for the Italian Navy.

🤖 SydeLabs, a Generative-AI security startup based in San Francisco, announced on Thursday it has raised $2.5 million in seed funding to develop a platform aimed at enhancing the security and risk management of Generative AI throughout its development lifecycle. The funding round was led by RTP Global, with contributions from Picus Capital and angel investors, focusing on addressing vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance within the rapidly evolving Generative AI field.