🔥 Elephants in the Cloud

Good Morning.  Looks like the United States is not the only country reeling from controversy over how elections get handled. Serbia witnessed a tense atmosphere during its municipal elections, with reports of irregularities like organized voting centers and alleged vote-buying.

In other election-related news, though he once sought to ban the app, former United States President Donald Trump is taking off on his new TikTok account, with a recent video being watched 31 million times, at the time of reports.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

US DJI Bans Fail To Address Real Scourge Hiding in Plain Sight Within Drone Industry

Analysis

🐘 If data-sharing risks were rooms, then the inadequacy of imposing bans to address the problems of foreign adversary access to drone device optics would be elephants. _ 🐈‍⬛ 

Bans Proposals in the Works

The American government moves to push DJI Technologies off the playing board, with a bill that seeks to add DJI and Chinese-crafted drones to covered communications lists. Ban bills are in the works even as DJI spends big ticket lobby dollars on maintaining its market position. Despite, however, the battle lines for or against DJI’s continued business in the United States, ban motives have run into a cloud-sized inadequacy problem.

But There’s a Catch-22…
There is a significant Catch-22 problem that emerges when drones, handy for building inspection services, are gathering data to help train AI and inform smart building inspection services with a drone company that a) has documented connections to the Chinese Communist Party and b) has revealed its battlefield prowess as a smart target tool as the war in Ukraine drags on.

The real risks from these drones can be traced beyond the fact that they gather data, exploring rather how they collect and share data, and how that interaction could be exploited across the legitimate business framework that would remain unbanned but nevertheless potentially impacted by any malign activity coming from Chinese nation-state access to drone devices and apps associated with DJI, and its recent history of malign activity accusations from applications that, while the DJI company has stated it has made express efforts to correct transparency lack, highlight abuse cases that could correlate with profound data risk implications, particularly to critical infrastructure.

Want to read the full story? Visit Frontsight Media for more.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• In a retaliatory move against perceived U.S. and UK aggression, the Houthi group targeted the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower using missiles in the Red Sea.

• French police thwarted a planned attack on the upcoming Paris Olympics, with arrests made in several cities including St. Etienne. The suspects, who were reportedly seeking weapons, have been detained as authorities continue their investigation.

• Pakistan is increasing security measures after a series of deadly attacks targeting Chinese workers in the country. These attacks have raised concerns about the safety of Chinese nationals involved in infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative.

Military & Defense

• A video from Ukraine has been hailed as revealing the resilience of a U.S.-made MaxxPro armored vehicle against multiple Russian attacks, showcasing its crucial role in protecting soldiers and withstanding explosions amid intense combat situations. The MaxxPro, provided to Ukraine last year as part of the US Mine Resistant Ambush Protected program, has demonstrated its capability to endure heavy artillery fire while ensuring soldiers' safety on the battlefield.

• Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun delivered a strong message at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, accusing Taiwan of seeking separation from China and external forces of arming Taiwan.

• Recent satellite images reveal new aircraft shelters at Russia's Marinovka air base near the Ukrainian border, following strikes on Russian bases by Ukraine. The debate surrounding their effectiveness suggests they could be decoys rather than actual defense structures.

Cybersecurity

• The Marine Corps is starting a new program to recruit civilians with cyber operations or signals intelligence expertise up to the rank of gunnery sergeant, selecting 10-15 applicants.

• 102nd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group have resumed operations post a leak incident involving Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira. The unit's mission was halted but has now been reinstated following recertification.

• Trend Micro is integrating NVIDIA's software and hardware into its security operations to enhance its AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. This collaboration aims to improve real-time threat detection and response capabilities, leveraging NVIDIA's advanced computing technology.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• China has accused Britain's MI6 of recruiting two Chinese government employees as spies, escalating tensions between the two nations. This revelation comes amid ongoing concerns over espionage and international relations, highlighting the complex dynamics between China and Western intelligence agencies.

• A Navy judge sentenced a sailor to 18 years in military prison for attempted espionage. The sailor was convicted of trying to pass classified information to a foreign government, highlighting serious breaches of national security within the military.

• Google and Meta have been warned by the U.S. Department of Justice about potential security risks associated with an undersea internet cable project involving Chinese partners. The concerns focus on the possibility of data interception and espionage, given China's involvement in the infrastructure.

Transnational Organized Crime

• Former U.S. Navy vice chief of naval operations, Robert Burke, arrested on bribery charges related to steering contracts while in command. Charges against Burke include accepting bribes from business executives Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger. An indictment alleges he used his position to award a contract in exchange for future employment with their company.

• Amidst a surge in violent crime, Palestinian citizens within Israel face unprecedented levels of danger due to widespread weapons and police neglect, exacerbated since October 7. Criminal organizations have intensified their activities, leading to a historic number of murders and forcing many residents to flee or live in constant fear, while the state response remains inadequate, highlighting the severe security challenges within these communities.

• Iran has been recruiting global gangsters, including those in Sweden, to carry out violent acts against Israeli and Jewish targets. This collaboration between the Iranian government and international criminal networks underscores the persistent and evolving threat posed by Tehran's use of non-state actors to conduct terrorism and other illicit activities worldwide.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The European Space Agency (ESA) is advancing its planetary defense mission with the Hera spacecraft, which recently underwent critical testing of its navigation system. This mission aims to navigate and study the Didymos-Dimorphos binary asteroid system, focusing on ultra-low gravity maneuvers to ensure precise navigation and data collection in a challenging space environment.

Asteroid Inspection Possibilities

Hera's successful navigation system tests are essential for its mission to deliver accurate measurements and insights on the asteroid system. These tests simulate the spacecraft's autonomous capabilities and readiness to conduct detailed examinations of the asteroids, contributing to planetary defense strategies and enhancing our understanding of celestial bodies in our solar system.

In other news…

🐬 Researchers studying wild dolphins in Sarasota, Florida, have made significant discoveries about their social structures, behavior, and health. These long-term studies reveal intricate details of dolphin life, enhancing our understanding of their intelligence and the challenges they face in changing marine environments.

🤖 British chip designer Arm Holdings expects that by the end of 2025, 100 billion devices using its technology will be equipped for artificial intelligence. This announcement was made by CEO Rene Haas at the Computex forum in Taipei, highlighting the rapid integration of AI capabilities into a vast array of devices globally.

👁️‍🗨️ Detecting a Dyson Sphere, a hypothetical megastructure built around a star to capture its energy, could potentially signal humanity's first contact with an advanced alien civilization, writes Space policy author Mark R. Whittington, in a recent opinion for The Hill . This concept has gained attention as scientists consider the implications of such a discovery on our understanding of extraterrestrial intelligence and the technological capabilities required to construct such a structure.

DEALS & FUNDING

Venture capitalists are increasingly selling shares of prominent AI companies, such as Anthropic and xAI, to smaller investors via special purpose vehicles (SPVs). This trend is driven by high demand for stakes in rapidly growing AI firms and the desire of early investors to lock in profits, creating a vibrant secondary market for AI investments.

Act of Accessibility

The use of SPVs allows smaller investors, who might not otherwise have access to such high-profile opportunities, to participate in the AI boom. This development reflects a broader trend of democratizing investment in high-growth sectors, although it also raises questions about valuation and access to reliable information for less experienced investors.

In other news…

🧟French startup Ten Ten has gained viral success by reinventing walkie-talkies with a sleek, modern design and enhanced features. However, this success has been accompanied by controversy, particularly concerning privacy issues and the potential for misuse of the devices.

🪙 President Biden has vetoed a bill that sought to establish clear guidelines for cryptocurrency custody, a move aimed at addressing regulatory uncertainty in the crypto industry. The veto reflects ongoing debates about how best to regulate the rapidly evolving digital asset space, balancing innovation with consumer protection and financial stability concerns.

💸 The high cost of training data for AI models is becoming a barrier that only large tech companies can afford to overcome. This financial burden limits the ability of smaller firms and startups to compete in the AI space, raising concerns about market concentration and innovation stifling.