The CSA details the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) employed by the SVR actors, technical details of their operation, indicators of compromise (IOCs), and mitigation recommendations for network defenders.

“Russian cyber actors continue taking advantage of known vulnerabilities for intelligence collection,” said Rob Joyce, Director of NSA’s Cybersecurity Directorate. “It is critical to ensure systems are patched quickly, and to implement the mitigations and use the IOCs listed in this report to hunt for adversary persistent access.”

The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Polish Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW), CERT Polska (CERT.PL), and the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-UK) collaborated with NSA and the FBI to assess the SVR cyber actors’ recent malicious activities.

The SVR cyber actors, who are also known as Advanced Persistent Threat 29 (APT 29), the Dukes, CozyBear, and NOBELIUM/Midnight Blizzard, have been targeting Internet-connected JetBrains TeamCity servers globally as early as September 2023. Victims identified in the report include companies that provide software for billing, medical devices, customer care, employee monitoring, financial management, marketing, sales, and video games, as well as hosting companies, tool manufacturers, small and large IT companies, and an energy trade association.

The CSA notes that SVR actors exploit a known vulnerability, CVE-2023-42793, to gain initial access to the TeamCity servers and then perform malicious activities, such as escalating privileges, moving laterally, deploying additional backdoors, and taking other steps to ensure persistent, long-term access to the compromised network environments.

According to the CSA, software developers use TeamCity servers to manage and automate software development, compilation, testing, and releasing. Access to a TeamCity server can provide malicious actors with access to source code, signing certificates, and the ability to subvert software compilation and deployment processes and conduct malicious supply chain operations.

The agencies recommend organizations implement the mitigations in the advisory to improve their cybersecurity posture based on the SVR cyber actors’ malicious activity. Mitigations listed in the CSA include implementing a patch issued by JetBrains TeamCity, deploying host-based and endpoint protection systems, using multi-factor authentication, and auditing log files.

Read the full report here.

Source: NSA

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The post NSA, FBI issue warning: Russian cyber actors exploiting a known vulnerability appeared first on Intelligence Community News.

“This fund is unique”, the Secretary General said, “with a 15-year timeframe, the NATO Innovation Fund will help bring to life those nascent technologies that have the power to transform our security in the decades to come, strengthening the Alliance’s innovation ecosystem and bolstering the security of our one billion citizens.”

The Fund will invest 1 billion euros in early-stage start-ups and other venture capital funds developing dual-use emerging technologies of priority to NATO. These include: artificial intelligence; big-data processing; quantum-enabled technologies; autonomy; biotechnology and human enhancement; novel materials; energy; propulsion and space.

The Fund will complement NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic – or DIANA – which will support the development and adaptation of dual-use emerging technologies to critical security and defense challenges. There has also been significant progress for DIANA at the 2022 Madrid Summit where Allies agreed that innovators participating in DIANA’s programs will have access to a network of more than 9 Accelerator Sites and more than 63 test centers across Europe and North America.

*Belgium; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Spain; Türkiye; United Kingdom.

Source: NATO

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PICASSO is an enduring capability program that provides UK Defense with an integrated information environment for the exploitation, production and dissemination of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). PICASSO outputs enable UK Armed Forces and Partners across Government (PAG) to undertake informed decision making to fulfil their role in a safe and legal manner in support of national security tasks. A collection of legacy systems, the program is gradually being moved to a common service management model delivered with industry standard approaches to service management, agile development and delivery.

Through this award, Leidos will introduce a number of modernization initiatives to improve service delivery, user experience, agile change and overall program transparency.  Specifically modernizing infrastructure, storage and end user access will be carried out in an agile manner, in collaboration with the MoD’s internal service provider community.

“We’re proud to continue our support of the UK and Five eyes community – providing innovations and deploying efficient and effective capabilities and technologies,” said Simon Fovargue, chief executive, Leidos UK & Europe. “By leveraging our technical, engineering and software expertise, our teams will work to advance the MOD’s agile and modernization efforts, providing our nation’s leaders, military and allies with actionable intelligence and critical information to protect and defend our military, government and international partners.”

Source: Leidos

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ICS combines an open architecture and a unique set of track management and situational awareness capabilities to facilitate the creation, visualization and distribution of the common operating picture. This picture provides military commanders the information they need to plan, execute and manage military operations.

“Northrop Grumman in the UK has a long history of providing enhanced value and commercial flexibility for the MoD,” said Katharine Sealy, director, National Security Solutions, Northrop Grumman UK. “Our agile approach to C2 software development and open architectural design philosophy helps to ensure that UK forces maintain an information advantage.”

ICS is developed and supported in the UK, and it has continuously evolved to provide the core C2 systems for UK MoD and NATO HQs/ships for over 25 years. It is also fielded by many other nations to power their national C2 systems.

Source: Northrop Grumman

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Maxar’s 3D data suite—created from the company’s industry-leading, highly accurate satellite imagery—enhances situational awareness and decision-making for military applications. The 3D data suite includes a 3D Surface Model, which provides a high-fidelity, positionally accurate and photorealistic view of terrain and surface features and textures. The suite’s Digital Terrain Model product is a bare Earth elevation data layer generated with fully automated processing and delivered at speeds far beyond traditional technologies.

“Maxar’s high-resolution 3D data and satellite imagery are integral for high-confidence mapping, planning and operational support, which can help end users make better decisions and save lives, resources and time,” said Tony Frazier, Maxar’s executive vice president of global field operations. “Maxar is proud to expand our partnership with the Australian Department of Defence by providing our newest 3D data products.”

With these latest contracts, Australia—a key U.S. ally and member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance—demonstrates the increased adoption of commercial satellite imagery and derived data products for critical national defense and intelligence missions. The Australian Department of Defence has been a Maxar Direct Access Program partner since 2018, with the ability to directly task and download satellite imagery from Maxar’s current constellation in real-time to its ground station.

Source: Maxar

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Arqit invented a system which uses satellites to distribute quantum keys to data centers. These keys are delivered using a new patented protocol called ARQ19, which solves the “Global versus Trustless” problem which previously prevented the adoption of Satellite Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). Arqit further invented a method, called QuantumCloud to translate the benefits of this quantum key distribution to any form of endpoint or cloud machine without the need for any special hardware. The first version of QuantumCloudTM launches for live service to commercial customers in 2021.

Government customers typically have more stringent requirements for control and are more inclined to buy “Private Instances” of cloud technology rather than managed services. Arqit has therefore designed a different version of its technology to meet this need and has recruited a strong community of partners from allied countries to collaborate in bringing the FQS system to use.

Collaboration partners include BT, Sumitomo Corporation, Northrop Grumman, Leonardo, QinetiQ Space N.V., qtlabs and Honeywell. Other Western Allied countries are expected to announce their inclusion during 2021.

FQS has been developed with support from the UK Space Agency (UKSA through its National Space Innovation Programme). The system consists of dedicated satellites, control systems and QuantumCloudTM software. It will be provided to the UK’s ‘Five Eyes’ allied governments and other international partners, allowing sovereign protection of strategic national assets and interoperability for joint operations.

The first FQS satellites are to be integrated and tested at the National Satellite Test Facility in Harwell near Oxford and are expected to be launched on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne from Newquay in Cornwall in 2023, after the launch of the first commercial Arqit satellites. The role of Virgin Orbit in providing responsive launch services for government customers from any location is additive to the plan to deploy many FQS satellites to support the needs of a growing list of allied country partners.

Arqit’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Williams said, “FQS enables collaboration between NATO-allied governments around the world to form a federated version of QuantumCloudTM infrastructure. It also enables the Joint All Domain Command and Control vision to come to life. The FQS system is global in its nature, and there is now strong momentum in an international consortium joining forces to bring it into use.”

Source: Arqit

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Both nations recently signed a Cyber Training Capabilities Project Arrangement, November 3– this bilateral, international agreement enables U.S. Cyber Command to incorporate Australian Defence Force feedback into USCYBERCOM’s simulated training domain, the Persistent Cyber Training Environment.

The PCTE is a cyber training platform for real-world defensive missions across boundaries and networks; its shared use and development will constantly evolve it and sharpen readiness in cyber tactics, techniques, and procedures.

“This project arrangement is a milestone for U.S.-Australian cooperation. It is the first cyber-only arrangement established between the U.S. Army and an allied nation, which highlights the value of Australia’s partnership in the simulated training domain,” said Elizabeth Wilson, the U.S. signatory and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation. “To counter known and potential adversarial threats, the Army has recalibrated our strategic thinking; we’ve made smart decisions to refocus our efforts to invest in the new, emerging and smart technologies that will strengthen our ability to fight and win our nation’s wars.”

Previously, U.S. and allied cyber forces developed cyber training ranges for specific scenarios that would be used once, a process that could take months. Now, PCTE offers a collaborative training environment, enabling cyber forces around the world to develop and re-use already-existing content and train at the individual and group levels anytime.

“Australia and the U.S. have a strong history of working together to develop our cyber capabilities and train our people to fight and win in cyberspace,” said Australian Army Maj. Gen. Marcus Thompson, the Australian signatory and head of Information Warfare for the Australian Defence Force. “This arrangement will be an important part of the ADF’s training program, and we look forward to the mutual benefits it will bring.”

Partnerships in cyberspace are key to generating and sharing insights of threat actors, enabling mutual defense against cyber attacks, and conducting the operational training necessary to hold adversaries accountable in cyberspace– and such training platforms enable lethal cyber mission forces in defense of U.S. and allied interests.

“Agreements like this one are crucial to the efficiency of our joint modernization,” Wilson said. “They lay the framework for our mutual growth, allowing us to become stronger and more interoperable as allies.”

Source: U.S. Cyber Command

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Ten tech start-ups successfully secured same-day contracts worth up to £53,000 ($66,000) to fast-track the development of their innovations after pitching direct to UK, US and NATO military leaders.

Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, UK Director Space, unveiled the winners following an afternoon of pitches in front of a global audience during the first day of the Defence Space Conference hosted from London.

It is the first time two nations anywhere in the world have come together to award defense contracts based around a pitch-style event, similar to Dragon’s Den/Shark Tank. It is also the first time two nations have awarded joint defense innovation contracts to an overseas-based enterprise in this way. And it is the first time same-day contracts have been awarded in this way to industry by the UK Ministry of Defence.

Air Vice-Marshal Smyth said, “Congratulations to the winners and all those that took part in the first International Space Pitch Day – it has captured the imagination of innovators and militaries not just across the UK and US, but all over the world. It has achieved several world firsts and we look forward to building on its success as we seek to fast-track innovation and cutting-edge technology to the front line quicker than ever before with fresh ways of working with industry to make sure we stay ahead of our shared adversaries and the threats they pose.”

Dr. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, said, “Pitch Days open the government’s aperture to work with commercially-focused companies. Competing for technology outside of our fence lines has been a major U.S. Air Force and Space Force theme. Partnering with our allies to compete globally is the natural evolution. Space is especially exciting with so many ideas brought to the table by these firms, and I’m confident international space cooperation has a bright future.”

Gary Aitkenhead, Dstl chief executive, said, “International Space Pitch Day represents an innovative way of working, ensuring that UK and US Defence are able to keep up with the rapid pace of commercial technology development. We aim to connect world-class space innovation to military end-users at pace, supported by business and commercialization training.”

The winning companies are:

• 114 AI Innovation Ltd (India)
• Clearbox Systems Pty Ltd (Australia)
• Clutch Space Systems Ltd (UK)
• Cognitive Space, Inc. (US)
• precursor SPC (US)
• Riskaware Ltd and Telespazio Vega UK (UK)
• Rocket Communications (US)
• Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. (US)
• Spire Global UK (UK)
• ai, Inc. (US)

Source: UK Government

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Under the cost-plus fixed-fee task order, awarded as part of the SeaPort-NxG contract, SAIC will leverage repeatable solutions such as engineering, design and integration, integrated product support and sustainment capabilities on critical networks. These networks fulfill the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command’s requirement for Program Executive Office C4I International Integration Program Office (PMW 740) Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) In-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Support Services.

“For more than 40 years, SAIC has supported the Navy’s mission to help maintain the Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ C4ISR capability modernization, engineering and logistics,” said Jim Scanlon, SAIC executive vice president and general manager of the Defense Systems Group. “As a leader in technology integration, SAIC is excited to continue its assistance to the Navy as it continues to build this strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

SAIC will deliver solutions and services to include program management, systems engineering and integration, maintenance engineering, and integrated logistics for the modernization and refurbishment of RSNF systems. These services are enabled by SAIC’s legacy of support to RSNF, and SAIC’s investments in digital engineering and end-to-end logistics and supply chain solutions.

The prime contract has a five-year base period of performance.

Source: SAIC

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John Randles, CEO of Siren, explained, “A key strategic objective for us is to expand our presence across the globe through partnerships. DataExpert is a very credible partner with domain experience and relationships with users of investigative intelligence technologies.”

Randles continued, “DataExpert has a great pedigree and significant relationships in the Benelux and Scandinavian marketplaces. We are currently working very closely with them to train up their implementation team so that they can tailor our platform to meet local requirements and expected demand.”

The Siren Investigative Intelligence platform is used worldwide as a key component in investigative solutions (fraud, intelligence, and policing), search and discovery solutions (healthcare, enterprise search) and as an enhanced Elasticsearch distribution (cybersecurity, threat intelligence and operations). It makes domain experts more self-sufficient from IT than ever before, allowing them to ingest, model and investigate correlations without heavy coding support.

Robbert Bakker, CEO of DataExpert, said, “The variety and unique features offered by the Siren platform perfectly match challenges our customers face every day. Siren is a flexible solution and complementary to our existing portfolio of products, giving our clients the latest tools to tackle big data Investigative Intelligence.”

Bakker concluded, “The technology is particularly of use in SIGINT, OSINT, forensics, and cyber domains. Moving forward, Siren allows our clients to address new demands and challenges as they scale data volumes and team sizes. We look forward to helping our customers take their analysis and investigation to the next level by offering them support and advice for Siren.”

Source: Siren

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