Governance and Legislation
Cyber diplomacy funding halted as US issues broad freeze on foreign aid
(Martin Matishak – The Record – 25 January 2025) The U.S. State Department’s move to halt nearly all existing foreign assistance applies to the programs and funds of its relatively young cyber diplomacy bureau, according to two people familiar with the matter. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent the directive to all consular and diplomatic posts on Friday, according to multiple news reports. It follows President Donald Trump’s executive order on Monday that paused new obligations and disbursements of foreign aid for 90 days, pending a review of the efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy. – https://therecord.media/cyber-diplomacy-funding-halted-freeze-on-foreign-aid
The Need for Tech Regulation Beyond U.S.-China Rivalry
(Kenton Thibaut – Lawfare – 24 January 2025) U.S. policymaking circles increasingly frame the topic of technology regulation in terms of a “race” with China for global supremacy, with critical national security implications. Tech executives have warned that regulatory and antitrust measures targeting Big Tech would impede artificial intelligence (AI) companies from out-innovating China, thus undermining U.S. national security; the Trump administration just scrapped the Biden administration’s 2023 AI executive order in large part due to this same argument. And officials in both the Trump and Biden administrations and Congress have drafted and passed measures to ensure that U.S. technology is developed and governed with national security objectives front and center. These objectives have been served in the form of export controls, investment restrictions, and efforts to ban Chinese technologies from the U.S. market. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-need-for-tech-regulation-beyond-u.s.-china-rivalry
If reliable AI content detection tools become available, should we use them? If so, how?
(Alistair Knott, Dino Pedreschi, Susan Leavy – OECD.AI – 24 January 2025) The world is being inundated with AI-generated content. A recent investigation by Wired magazine found 7% of global news stories were AI-generated, rising to 47% for Medium posts, and even 78% for specific topics. This content is generated through interactions with AI systems such as chatbots and image generators. Once produced and published, this content can take on a life of its own. It can be posted on discussion boards and social media platforms, added to websites such as Wikipedia and Stack Exchange, disseminated in newspapers and academic journals, and aired on TV or radio. From there, it can be shared and reshared without referencing its AI origins. – https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/ai-content-detection-tools
Politicization of intel oversight board could threaten key US-EU data transfer agreement
(Suzanne Smalley – The Record – 24 January 2025) The Trump administration’s decision to order the resignations of all Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) could jeopardize a transatlantic data privacy agreement designed to protect the flow of commercial data between Europe and the U.S., potentially complicating the way American companies do business in Europe. PCLOB plays a central role in a data agreement struck between the U.S. and the European Union in 2023 that allows data to flow freely between the two, despite differences in policy approaches. The EU has relied in large part on the PCLOB to ensure that the U.S. adequately protects personal data, and to address complaints from Europeans about any misuse of their data. – https://therecord.media/politicization-of-pclob-could-threaten-key-eu-us-data-transfer-agreement
Global education must integrate AI, centred on humanity
(UN News – 24 January 2025) Marking the International Day of Education, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized learning as a basic human right and foundation for individual and societal growth. His message highlighted the dual nature of technological advances such as Artificial Intelligence, which offer immense potential – but also pose considerable risks. “Education is an essential building block for every person to reach their full potential, and for societies and economies to grow and flourish”, Mr. Guterres said. – https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159381
Fighting deepfakes: what’s next after legislation?
(Fitriani – ASPI The Strategist – 24 January 2025) Deepfake technology is weaponising artificial intelligence in a way that disproportionately targets women, especially those working public roles, compromising their dignity, safety, and ability to participate in public life. This digital abuse requires urgent global action, as it not only infringes on human rights but also affects their democratic participation. – https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/fighting-deepfakes-whats-next-after-legislation/
Reskilling for the Intelligent Age
(Omar Abbosh, Vimal Kapur, Adam Grant, Joe Ucuzoglu, Claudia Azevedo, Jayant Chaudhary – WEF – 23 January 2025) With businesses now investing over $240 billion annually in AI and digital infrastructure, the lack of skills remains the top barrier to unlocking the full potential of digital transformation. What collaborative effort is needed to bridge the skills gaps and unlock the benefits for competitiveness, growth and productivity? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/reskilling-for-the-intelligent-age/
To Moderate or Not to Moderate?
(Michael McGrath, Iain Drennan, Randall Lane, Volker Türk, Wanji Walcott, Tirana Hassan – WEF – 23 January 2025) As the speed and volume of online content creation and dissemination accelerate, the debate over content moderation has never been more critical. Considering evolving regulations, are digital platforms, governments and civil society striking the right balance with content moderation, or overstepping boundaries, potentially affecting freedom of expression and online safety? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/to-moderate-or-not-to-moderate/
Technology in the World
(Dario Amodei, Nicholas Thompson, Mark Rutte, Marc Benioff, Ruth Porat, Dara Khosrowshahi, Albert Bourla – WEF – 23 January 2025)
Technology breakthroughs offer the potential to revolutionize industries, from personalized medicine and new materials to clean energy and resilient infrastructure. However, these same technologies risk amplifying our greatest vulnerabilities with misinformation, job displacement and privacy erosion. With so much at stake, how do we ensure our focus remains on cultivating wisdom alongside ingenuity to drive solutions rather than create challenges? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/technology-in-the-world/
Powering the Technology Revolution
(Andrés Gluski, Dan Murphy, Greg Jackson, Antonio Neri, Uljan Sharka, Anne Bouverot – WEF – 23 January 2025) Rapid advances in the technology ecosystem, from AI to spatial technologies, are set to significantly impact the global electricity market, with estimates suggesting that the electricity consumption of AI and other digital technologies could double by 2026 compared to current levels. However, these technologies also offer solutions to reduce consumption and improve efficiency. How can a balance be struck between the rapid adoption of these technologies and the goals of the energy transition? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/powering-the-technology-revolution/
Security
Quantum Computers Are Coming for Your Crypto Keys, But Not Yet
(Alex Haynes – Infosecurity Magazine – 24 January 2025) Quantum computing isn’t new, yet there is a fear that the computing power it can offer at a commercial level could be used by threat actors to break the private keys that a lot of digital interactions are based on. This includes breaking the private keys used to protect the wallets of many cryptocurrencies. While this is a legitimate risk and threat, it won’t happen overnight. However, it’s important to analyze where quantum computing stands in regard to its commercial offerings and whether it can really pose a threat to cryptocurrencies. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/quantum-computers-crypto-keys/
UnitedHealth updates number of data breach victims to 190 million
(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 24 January 2025) The number of people impacted by last year’s ransomware attack on Change Healthcare has increased to nearly 200 million. UnitedHealth, the company that owns Change Healthcare, provided an updated figure on Friday evening that was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. In a statement, a UnitedHealth spokesperson told Recorded Future News that the estimated total number of individuals impacted by the cyberattack is now “approximately 190 million.” – https://therecord.media/unitedhealth-updates-change-healthcare-data-breach-190-million
Ransomware Gangs Linked by Shared Code and Ransom Notes
(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 24 January 2025) Two recently identified ransomware gangs are using payloads that contain almost identical code, suggesting that the groups’ affiliates are using shared infrastructure. The groups, named HellCat and Morpheus, emerged in mid to late 2024. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-shared-code-ransom-notes/
At least $69 million stolen from crypto platform Phemex in suspected cyberattack
(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 24 January 2025) Singapore-based cryptocurrency platform Phemex was forced to pause some of its operations on Thursday after a suspected cyberattack led to the theft of more than $69 million in digital coins. The company’s CEO said on Friday morning that they are in the process of restoring withdrawals on the platform and will be manually reviewing requests to pull money out of Phemex for the time being. – https://therecord.media/69-million-stolen-cyberattack-crypto-platform-phemex
DoJ Busts Up Another Multinational DPRK IT Worker Scam
(Nate Nelson – Dark Reading – 24 January 2025) Two Americans, two North Koreans, and a Mexican man have been indicted for their roles in an IT worker scam. According to the Department of Justice (DoJ), Pak Jin-Song, Jin Sung-Il, and other North Korean co-conspirators secured IT jobs with at least 64 different American companies. They managed it using fake identities facilitated by Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes, a Mexican citizen living in Sweden, and carried out their jobs with the help of laptop farms maintained by US citizens Emanuel Ashtor and Erick Ntekereze Prince. – https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/doj-multinational-dprk-it-worker-scam
Defending the Cyber Frontlines
(Samir Saran, Matthew Prince, Ravi Agrawal, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, Andrius Kubilius, Joe Kaeser – WEF – 23 January 2025) From disruptions to critical infrastructure to cyber biothreats, geopolitical crises are extending into uncharted territories. How can the international community move towards a detente in cyberspace – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/defending-the-cyber-frontlines/
Frontiers
From High-Performance Computing to High-Performance Problem Solving
(Amandeep Singh Gill, Georges-Olivier Reymond, Ana Paula Assis, Azeem Azhar, Paul Alivisatos – WEF – 23 January 2025) From drug design to the development of new solar cells, the convergence of AI and quantum computing has the potential to transform industries and has attracted billions of dollars in investment in recent years. How can high-performance computing deliver the high-performance problem solving that it promises? – https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/from-high-performance-computing-to-high-performance-problem-solving/