🔥 Surge in Hate Crimes

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In today's issue, we're excited to announce a return to our roots, with an extensive focus on international security. This move reflects our commitment to delivering the in-depth analysis you value.

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THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

‘US soil being used for terrorist activities against India’: Indian Americans tell FBI, DoJ

In Silicon Valley, a group of prominent Indian Americans held a crucial meeting with senior officials from the Department of Justice, FBI, and local police to address the rise in hate crimes against Hindus in California and the use of US soil for terrorist activities against India.

A working group under the US Department of Justice's guidance will be formed to enhance safety at places of worship and improve the reporting of such incidents, reflecting a collaborative effort to address these challenges.

Rising Hate Crimes. Indian Americans report a surge in hate crimes, particularly against Hindu and Jain communities.

Community's Concerns. The fear and anxiety within the Indian American community are highlighted, alongside frustration over inaction against provocative acts. Despite the significant concern, law enforcement officials reportedly admitted to a lack of awareness about the Khalistan movement and cited resource constraints as barriers to action.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, along with other high-ranking officials, visited Baghdad for discussions focusing on counter-terrorism, security, and military cooperation, particularly concerning the PKK.

• In Tunisia, authorities arrested a woman in Mateur, Bizerte, who was wanted for being part of a terrorist organization. She received a prison sentence of 48 years. Additionally, another individual, sentenced to two years for similar charges, was apprehended in Sousse.

• The attack on Leonid Volkov in Vilnius is described as Lithuania's first case of "political terrorism."

Military & Defense

• Denmark plans to expand conscription to include women as well as men in response to Europe's changing security climate, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stating the aim is to increase the number of young people serving in the military.

• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a military demonstration involving a new battle tank, showcasing its striking power as South Korea and the United States concluded their joint drills.

• The Israeli military has launched ground operations and airstrikes in the central and southern Gaza Strip, targeting areas such as Khan Younis to destroy rocket launchers.

Cybersecurity

• A significant data breach at France Travail compromised personal information of up to 43 million citizens, including names, social security numbers, and contact details, though passwords and banking information were not affected.

• Malawi's passport issuance system is operational again after a suspected ransomware attack took it offline for three weeks.

• Blind Eagle, a financially motivated threat actor, has been employing a new loader malware, Ande Loader, to deliver remote access trojans such as Remcos RAT and NjRAT, primarily targeting Spanish-speaking users in the North American manufacturing industry.

• Nissan Oceania is addressing a data breach affecting 100,000 individuals after a cyberattack in December 2023 by the Akira ransomware group, which claimed to have stolen 100GB of data.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• Austria has declared two Russian diplomats persona non grata due to actions inconsistent with their diplomatic roles, essentially on charges of espionage.

• The cybercrime group RedCurl, known for corporate espionage, is using a legitimate Windows component, the Program Compatibility Assistant (PCA), for malicious command execution, showcasing their sophisticated evasion tactics.

• AI deepfakes are becoming a significant threat to election integrity worldwide, enabling the creation of realistic but fake content that can influence voter behavior and erode public trust in democratic processes.

• Jinchao Wei, a Navy sailor, faces charges for allegedly selling U.S. military secrets to China. Accused of transmitting sensitive information about the USS Essex and other naval ships, including technical data and details on weapons systems, he was reportedly paid thousands by a Chinese intelligence officer.

Transnational Organized Crime

• Spanish and Polish police arrested 17 members of a human trafficking organization and rescued 13 victims forced into sexual servitude under slavery-like conditions.

• Approximately half of the individuals arrested for drug-related offenses at the port of Antwerp in 2023 came from the Netherlands, with Dutch nationals also increasingly involved in violent drug crimes, according to Franky De Keyzer, the chief of Antwerp's Public Prosecutor's Office.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX's third test flight of the giant Starship rocket showcased significant progress, achieving more milestones than its predecessors, although it ended with the loss of the ship in the Indian Ocean. Unlike the first two flights, which both ended in flames, this launch saw the Starship successfully separate from the Super Heavy booster and perform critical operations in space, such as opening payload doors and demonstrating propellant transfer. However, it fell short of completing an orbit relight demonstration and a landing burn.

• Future Launches: SpaceX aims for at least six more Starship flights from Texas this year, with plans to launch from Cape Canaveral pending environmental approvals.

• Broader Goals: The test is a step towards using Starship for NASA's Artemis 3 moon mission and underscores SpaceX's commitment to advancing space exploration technologies.

In other news…

🤘 Fluent Metal, founded by Peter Schmitt, former chief designer at Desktop Metal, has emerged from stealth with a new approach to metal 3D printing. The company, which has raised a total of $5.5 million, utilizes drop-on-demand technology for more efficient, less wasteful fabrication.

🪙 Researchers have developed an attack method that can accurately decipher AI assistant responses by exploiting a side channel found in the real-time, token-by-token transmission of encrypted messages.

🇨🇳 DJI, a Chinese drone manufacturer, opened its first flagship store in New York amid allegations of links to human rights abuses and ties to China's military.

DEALS & FUNDING

Zscaler, a leading cloud security company, has officially acquired Avalor, an Israeli startup specializing in risk management through its innovative Data Fabric for Security platform. This strategic acquisition, reported at $350 million, was finalized on March 13, 2024, enhancing Zscaler's capabilities in providing AI-driven cybersecurity insights and advanced threat prevention.

• Avalor's Offering: Avalor's platform leverages data across security and business tools, offering enriched, correlated data insights for effective risk management. The acquisition allows Zscaler to provide real-time cybersecurity insights and threat prevention by integrating Avalor's technology with Zscaler's Zero Trust Exchange platform and third-party sources.

• Rapid Growth: Avalor, which launched in April 2023 with $30 million in funding, demonstrates significant growth, leading to its acquisition by Zscaler in just 26 months.

In other news…

💰 BotGuard OU has raised €12 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-powered solution that helps hosting providers filter web traffic and protect against threats like data theft and DDoS attacks. The investment will support the expansion of its technology, sales, and marketing teams.

💸 Ballistic Ventures, led by Ted Schlein, has closed its second fund at $360 million, exceeding its initial $300 million target.

🧑‍💻 Elaia's third deep tech seed fund, DTS3, marks a significant milestone with its first closing at €60 million and an anticipated final size of €120 million. The fund, which will focus on computing, industry, and life science sectors, aims to invest in around 40 B2B deep tech startups across Europe, with a particular emphasis on France due to its strong mathematics and research background.