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At first glance.
- The Swiss government will mandate reporting of attacks on critical infrastructure.
- Germany will not ban Chinese telecommunications equipment.
- US officials announce investigation into Lapsus$ cybergang.
- US rejects charges against Huawei’s CFO.
The Swiss government will mandate reporting of attacks on critical infrastructure.
Reuters reports that the Swiss government plans to approve a law mandating the reporting of cyber attacks affecting critical infrastructure. The new measure would also more clearly define the role of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) as the central watchdog for cyber attacks. A statement from the Swiss Federal Council states: “Successful cyber attacks can have far-reaching consequences for the availability and security of the Swiss economy. The public, authorities and companies are exposed to the risk of cyber attacks on a daily basis. There is currently no comprehensive picture of which attacks have occurred where, because reporting to the NCSC is voluntary.”
Germany will not ban Chinese telecommunications equipment.
A spokesman for Germany’s economy ministry said the country would not impose a total ban on Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturers. Unlike the US, where the Federal Communications Commission last week barred approvals of new equipment from Huawei and ZTE because they posed an “unacceptable risk” to national security, Germany will instead make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put a spotlight on relations between Berlin and Beijing, as Germany’s reliance on Russia for energy has raised concerns among officials about Germany’s dependence on China for trade. A German economy ministry strategy document seen by Reuters mentions a 2020 law that, instead of outright banning such equipment, places restrictions on suppliers who make false declarations, fail to support security audits or neglect to quickly address vulnerabilities. The paper proposes the possibility of banning components and products for the telecom industry or other critical infrastructure produced by suppliers in authoritarian states. Huawei commented: “The secure use of networks is independent of the provider’s country of origin and can only be ensured through global standards in international cooperation between industry and regulatory authorities.” Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Germany’s reluctance to ban Huawei “endangers its own national security and the security of Europe.”
US officials announce investigation into Lapsus$ cybergang.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that the Cyber Security Review Board (CSRB) will review recent attacks linked to cyber extortion group Lapsus$. “The CSRB will develop recommendations on how organizations can protect themselves, their customers and their employees against these types of attacks,” which will then be sent to US President Joe Biden, the statement explained. As Bleeping Computer explains, Lapsus$ was found to be behind attacks on Microsoft, Nvidia, T-Mobile, Samsung, Uber, Vodafone, Ubisoft, Okta, and Mercado Libre, and several attacks resulted in the release of stolen proprietary data and source code. CBS News notes that earlier this year, London police arrested seven people, many in their teens, believed to be linked to Lapsus$, and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has also announced that it is seeking information on gang members linked to violations of US organizations. . DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas explained, “With its review of Lapsus$, the Board will build on the lessons learned from its first review and share actionable recommendations to help the private and public sectors strengthen their cyber resilience.”
US rejects charges against Huawei’s CFO.
US prosecutors on Thursday asked to drop the charges against Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, CBC News reports. The Huawei boss reached a deal with prosecutors last year to have the charges against her dismissed on December 1, 2022, four years from the date of her arrest in Canada on a US warrant. Meng is charged with bank fraud and other crimes for misleading global bank HSBC Holdings about Huawei’s operations in Iran in order to obtain banking services that would violate US sanctions. As part of her plea deal, Meng admitted she made false statements during a meeting with an HSBC executive in 2013. The dismissal marks the end of a case that has adversely affected China’s relationship with the US and put Canada at the center of the dispute. As the Register explains, China viewed the Canadian arrest of Meng as a diplomatic affront, and Beijing’s subsequent arrest of a pair of Canadian citizens accused of espionage was rumored to be revenge. Although the charges against Meng were dropped, Huawei was still charged in the case and has been charged with crimes including bank fraud, sanctions violations and conspiracy to steal US trade secrets.
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