Pentagon denies report of halt in cyber operations versus Russia | China’s Silicon Valley unveils aggressive push to lead in AI, robotics| Big tech opposes YouTube exemption from Australia's ban
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The Pentagon has denied media reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered a halt in offensive cyber operations against Russia, according to a senior defense official. Bloomberg
The southern Chinese megacity of Shenzhen has unleashed a barrage of policies aimed at propelling itself to the forefront of the global artificial intelligence and robotics industries, as the metropolis seeks to reaffirm its status as China’s leading technology hub. South China Morning Post
Tech giants Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms, Snapchat and TikTok have urged Australia to reconsider a decision to exempt Alphabet's YouTube from its laws banning social media for children younger than 16. Reuters
ASPI
In case we forgot, Typhoon attacks remind us of China’s cyber capability—and intent
ASPI
James Corera and Elizabeth Buchanan
Australians need to understand the cyber threat from China.US President Donald Trump described the launch of Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot, DeepSeek, as a wake-up call for the US tech industry. The Australian government moved quickly to ban DeepSeek from government devices. This came just weeks after the Biden administration stunningly admitted on its way out of office that Chinese Communist Party hackers were targeting not just political and military systems but also civilian networks such as water and health. The hackers could shut down US ports, power grids and other critical infrastructure. These incidents remind us that China has the intent, and increasingly the capability, to seriously challenge US and Western technology advantage. Australia will be an obvious target if regional tensions continue to rise. It must be well-prepared.
A collaborative approach to mitigating cyber threats
CyberDaily
Ahead of the Australian Cyber Summit 2025, James Corera, director of cyber, technology and security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, has said the cyber threat landscape is becoming increasingly sophisticated and persistent. He pointed to emerging technologies like AI and growing geopolitical competition as key drivers behind these evolving risks, stressing the need for global collaboration to combat these evolving risks.“ Cyber threats have intensified due to emerging technologies (like artificial intelligence) and a new era of ‘harsh geostrategic competition’ – becoming more sophisticated, persistent, and damaging, affecting governments, businesses, and individuals alike,” Corera told Cyber Daily.
Australia
Big tech opposes YouTube exemption from Australia's ban on social media for children
Reuters
Renju Rose
Tech giants Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms. Snapchat and TikTok have urged Australia to reconsider a decision to exempt Alphabet's YouTube from its laws banning social media for children younger than 16. The landmark legislation setting some of the world's most stringent limits on social media was approved by Australia's parliament in November, forcing such firms to bar log-ins by minors, or pay fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million). YouTube stands to be exempted from the ban set to take effect by the end of the year as it is considered a key educational tool and is the only service allowed for children as part of a family account with parental supervision rights.
Online threat made against south-west Sydney mosque, police launch investigation
ABC News
Jean Kennedy
NSW Police has launched a "major" investigation into a violent online threat targeting a newly opened mosque in south-western Sydney. The Australian Islamic House — Masjid Al-Bayt Al-Islami mosque at Edmondson Park reported the threat to police, which was made on the mosque's official Instagram page. The threat included the comment, "I'm going to christ church 2.0 this joint", in an apparent reference to the 2019 mass shootings at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, which claimed 51 lives. In a statement, NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed a police investigation was underway. "Racist threats and Islamophobia will not be tolerated and will be met with the full force of the law," he said in a statement.
Regulators face a wicked choice on ransomware, experts say
InnovationAus
Joseph Brookes
As the average ransomware payment soars past $1.3 million and impacts businesses across almost every sector in Australia, experts are still split on whether banning the payments would curb the issue or create even more perverse outcomes. Some see an outright ban on paying cybergangs as the “least bad option” the government has left, while others say it could break cooperation with authorities that has taken years to build and put critical services in the firing line. The former Cybersecurity minister Claire O’Neil last year declared that an outright ban is inevitable in Australia, but was forced to shelve the idea after pushback from businesses and warnings of unintended consequences.
Call for ‘continuous’ parliamentary oversight of AI in govt
InnovationAus
James Riley
Parliament’s powerful audit committee has called for a whole-of-government approach to managing the use of artificial intelligence across the public service and has sought the creation of a new committee to provide continuous oversight of the technology. In its final report published on Tuesday, the Labor-chaired committee warned that while government had been a long-time user of machine learning tools, the evolution of the technology was now moving so fast it would soon be too difficult for government to play catch-up on regulatory and guidance issues.
Starlink satellites posing cyber security and regulatory concerns
ARNnet
Lilia Guan
Starlink’s low Earth orbit satellite technology is a game changer for a country like Australia where internet service is vital. However, the risks associated with the satellites could pose key threats and challenges to local businesses and the government. In an interview with ARN, chair for the Australian Centre for Space Governance and specialist in international space law, space security and global space governance Cassandra Steer said no one foresaw the potential risks that could come from the use of LEO satellites by Starlink.“They had this LEO telecommunications working group for a couple of years. I would suggest they probably didn’t have sufficient technical input and cyber security input into that group,” she said.
China
China’s Silicon Valley unveils aggressive push to lead in AI, robotics
South China Morning Post
Mia Nulimaimaiti
The southern Chinese megacity of Shenzhen has unleashed a barrage of policies aimed at propelling itself to the forefront of the global artificial intelligence and robotics industries, as the metropolis seeks to reaffirm its status as China’s leading technology hub. In a rare move, the city rolled out three major action plans in a single day on Monday, which outline measures to accelerate its adoption of AI, strengthen its smart computing capacity to support local AI businesses, and establish a global lead in robotics, respectively. The aggressive push from local cadres comes as other Chinese cities are emerging as rival centres of innovation – most notably the eastern city of Hangzhou, which has attracted huge attention due to the success of local AI start-up DeepSeek and humanoid robot maker Unitree.
Exclusive: China to publish policy to boost RISC-V chip use nationwide - sources
Reuters
Che Pan and Brenda Goh
China plans to issue guidance to encourage the use of open-source RISC-V chips nationwide for the first time, two sources briefed on the matter said, as Beijing accelerates efforts to curb the country's dependence on Western-owned technology. The policy guidance on boosting the use of RISC-V chips could be released as soon as this month, although the final date could change, the sources said. It is being drafted jointly by eight government bodies, including the Cyberspace Administration of China, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the China National Intellectual Property Administration, they added.
USA
Pentagon denies report of halt in cyber operations versus Russia
Bloomberg
Anthony Capaccio
The Pentagon has denied media reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered a halt in offensive cyber operations against Russia, according to a senior defense official. Hegseth has neither canceled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets and there has been no stand-down order whatsoever from that priority, said the official who was granted anonymity to discuss internal decisions. The denial came after The Record, a cybersecurity publication, reported that Hegseth had ordered the US Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions.
Did Trump admin order U.S. cyber command and CISA to stand down on Russia?
Zero Day
Kim Zetter
Two blockbuster stories published on Friday that appear to confirm what many Americans suspected would occur under the Trump administration – that the new regime is going to be softer on Russia than previous administrations, particularly with regard to the threat that Russia poses in cyber space. Since publication, however, one of these stories has been disputed, and the second story has raised more questions than it answered. Additionally, a third story has published, which offers new details. I thought it might be worth reviewing the stories to see where the information in them now stands – especially because so much of what is being reported in the early days of this administration is based on incomplete information that is subject to revision as more gets revealed.
Americas
Canada launches first-ever artificial intelligence strategy for the federal public service
AP News
Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly improve government operations and services for Canadians. The safe, ethical and responsible use of AI is a priority for the federal government. Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, President of the Treasury Board, launched Canada’s first AI Strategy for the federal public service at the University of Waterloo, a hub for emerging technology and Canadian talent. Announcing the Strategy at the Waterloo Data and Artificial Intelligence Institute underscores the government’s commitment to research and innovation in AI to improve digital service delivery.
Facebook, Tinder and Airbnb apps are used for sex trafficking in Colombia
Bloomberg
Antonia Mufarech and Natalie Lung
Sandra, a teenage girl who wears her curly brown hair tied back in braids, awaited the instant message on her mobile phone. The instructions were matter of fact: Wear makeup and a short skirt. If possible, don a crop top. Like other girls in her neighborhood outside Medellín, Colombia, Sandra said she didn’t always have food for dinner, let alone trendy clothes and electronics. But a friend tipped her off to a sure-fire way to make money fast. This amiguita, she said, told her about the plentiful meals she could afford, the iPhone she uses, the motorcycle she’d soon be sitting astride. Sandra could enjoy this life too, her friend said. The cost? Her virginity. To a foreigner.
North Asia
Taiwan’s premier backs TSMC’s US$100B U.S. investment plan
TVBS
Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai expressed optimism about TSMC's announcement to invest at least US$100 billion (nearly NT$3.3 trillion) in five new wafer plants in the U.S. on Tuesday. He emphasized the government's unwavering commitment to enhancing national competitiveness and supporting industries' global strategies. Cho reiterated the close collaboration between the government and industries in overseas development, highlighting the mutual understanding of strategies. He noted that TSMC's phased investment in the U.S. aligns with principles of mutual benefit and cooperation with allied nations. This approach aims to maintain Taiwan's critical position in the international supply chain and ensure leadership in key technologies.
Japan to prioritize homegrown software for cybersecurity
Nikkei Asia
Rho Nagao
Japan will prioritize domestic software for cybersecurity uses, offering subsidies and supporting technology standards to foster the local industry and break away from the country's reliance on foreign products. As of 2021, domestic companies had accounted for about 40% of Japan's cybersecurity countermeasure products. But for the latest products, the share is often less than 10%.
Japan's KDDI tests drone delivery to remote mountain village
Nikkei Asia
Wataru Yoshida
A drone delivery service operated by mobile carrier KDDI has successfully run a field test to a hard-to-reach Japanese village in hopes of improving logistics for isolated populations with many older adults, covering 7.1 kilometers in about 12 minutes. A Lawson convenience store in the Saitama prefecture city of Chichibu sent a 3.3 kilogram package to Urayama, nestled in the mountains ringing the outskirts, in mid-February.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia grapples with AI influence on elections
ASPI
Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano and Adhi Priamarizki
Artificial intelligence is becoming commonplace in electoral campaigns and politics across Southeast Asia, but the region is struggling to regulate it. Indonesia’s 2024 general election exposed actual harms of AI-driven politics and overhyped concerns that distracted from its real dangers. As the Philippines and Singapore head to the polls in 2025, they can draw lessons from Indonesia’s experience, while tailoring insights for their electoral landscapes. While deepfakes dominated concerns in last year’s elections, a quieter threat loomed: unregulated AI-driven microtargeting. These covert and custom messages are delivered at scale via private channels or dark posts—targeted advertisements that don’t appear on the publisher’s page, making them difficult to track.
Singapore probes potential fraud in Nvidia AI chip shipments
Bloomberg
Yuan Gao and Mackenzie Hawkins
Singapore is investigating whether Dell Technologies Inc. and Super Micro Computer Inc. servers shipped to Malaysia housed Nvidia Corp. chips barred from China, outlining a case that’s highlighted the role of middlemen in funnelling high-end semiconductors. The country’s law minister on Monday outlined specifics of the probe after local media reported police arrested several people for their alleged roles in procuring and shipping Nvidia chips in violation of US sanctions. They stand accused of misleading server suppliers of the actual end-users of the hardware, which were shipped from Singapore to Malaysia, Law Minister K Shanmugam told reporters.
Singapore mulls caning as punishment for severe scam offenses
Bloomberg
Audrey Wan
Singapore’s government will consider caning as punishment for some scam-related offenses, Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling said during a parliamentary debate Tuesday. The Southeast Asian city-state has doubled down on legislation to combat a spike in scam and cybercrime cases in recent years. Singapore’s parliament passed a bill in January allowing the police to control the bank accounts of potential targets, aiming to protect them from scams conducted remotely. Scam victims in Singapore lost a record S$1.1 billion ($817 million) in 2024, with the number of cases rising nearly 11% to 51,501 from the previous year, according to police data.
South & Central Asia
India needs a strategy reboot after US AI controls
East Asia Forum
Nayan Chandra Mishra
Former US president Biden's policies on AI export controls and infrastructure have created challenges for India's AI ambitions. The Framework for AI Diffusion requires India to fulfil regulatory compliance and authorisation requirements for AI collaboration with the United States. This, combined with the US Executive Order to build energy-intensive AI data centres that largely exclude India, complicates India's efforts to develop its own AI infrastructure. India must negotiate bilateral agreements with the United States to bypass these restrictions and enhance energy capacity for AI operations. The US–India TRUST initiative is a good step towards an adjusted long-term strategy.
Europe
Polish space agency investigates cyberattack on its systems
The Record by Recorded Future
Daryna Antoniuk
Poland’s space agency announced on Sunday it had suffered a cyberattack and is currently investigating the incident. In response to the attack, the agency said it disconnected its network from the internet, and as of Monday its website remained inaccessible. Poland’s digital minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, confirmed that state cybersecurity services had detected unauthorized access to POLSA’s IT infrastructure and had secured the affected systems. Cyber specialists are now working to identify the attackers behind the breach, he added. Authorities have not disclosed whether the attack was carried out by ransomware groups or politically motivated hackers. They have also not provided further details about how the hackers infiltrated the system.
UK
Apple launches legal challenge to UK ‘back door’ order
Financial Times
Tim Bradshaw and Lucy Fisher
Apple is stepping up its fight with the British government over a demand to create a “back door” in its most secure cloud storage systems, by filing a legal complaint that it hopes will overturn the order. The iPhone maker has made its appeal to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent judicial body that examines complaints against the UK security services, according to people familiar with the matter. The Silicon Valley company’s legal challenge is believed to be the first time that provisions in the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act allowing UK authorities to break encryption have been tested before the court. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal will consider whether the UK’s notice to Apple was lawful and, if not, could order it to be quashed.
Apple takes legal action in UK data privacy row
BBC
Zoe Kleinman
Apple is taking legal action to try to overturn a demand made by the UK government to view its customers' private data if required. The BBC understands that the US technology giant has appealed to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent court with the power to investigate claims against the Security Service. It is the latest development in an unprecedented row between one of the world's biggest tech firms and the UK government over data privacy. In January, Apple was issued with a secret order by the Home Office to share encrypted data belonging to Apple users around the world with UK law enforcement in the event of a potential national security threat.
New centre to explore how AI can help business
BBC
Neve Gordon-Farleigh
A new department due to open at the University of Cambridge later this year will look at how artificial intelligence (AI) can boost the economy. The university said The Bennett School of Public Policy would be the first major new academic department at Cambridge to be established this century. Research priorities will include examining how to use AI in both the private and public sectors. Prof Deborah Prentice, University of Cambridge vice-chancellor, said: "The new school will harness Cambridge expertise from across the social, physical and medical sciences to take on the most urgent policy challenges of our age." In 2023, the university set out to enable researchers to better understand the "double-edged sword" of AI.
Oxford university announces OpenAI partnership
BBC
Ethan Gudge
The University of Oxford has announced a new five-year partnership with OpenAI - the maker of the world's best-known artificial intelligence tool, ChatGPT. The collaboration will see students and staff gain access to funding and "cutting-edge" artificial intelligence tools to "enhance teaching, learning and research", the university said. Some of the Bodleian Library's public collection will also be digitised as part of the new scheme. Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's chief operating officer, said "continued collaboration" with the academic community was "essential to build AI that benefits everyone". As part of the scheme, Oxford researchers will receive access to OpenAI's latest models, including a version of ChatGPT designed specifically for educational institutions.
NZ & Pacific Islands
Palau health ministry on the mend after Qilin ransomware attack
The Record by Recorded Future
Jonathan Greig
The health ministry of the Pacific island nation of Palau has recovered from a ransomware attack launched by a gang known for targeting prominent healthcare institutions. Palau officials told Recorded Future News that the February 17 ransomware attack launched by hackers connected to a group named Qilin allowed the infiltrators to steal files from IT systems used by the Ministry of Health and Human Services. The ministry runs Belau National Hospital, an 80-bed facility that serves the country’s nearly 20,000 residents spread across hundreds of islands. MHHS said Palauans “have been the victims of a heinous crime by greedy cyber criminals that has put our ability to provide critical medical care and lifesaving emergency services at risk.”
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