Auto Added by WPeMatico
Source: United States Director of National Intelligence
Headline: DNI Coats Opening Statement on the Worldwide Threat Assessment
You have selected to open
If you would like to not see this alert again, please click the “Do not show me this again” check box below
Source: United States Director of National Intelligence
Headline: Statement for the Record: Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD
WORLDWIDE THREAT ASSESSMENT
of the
US INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
Daniel R. Coats
Director of National Intelligence
February 13, 2018
INTRODUCTION
Chairman Burr, Vice Chairman Warner, Members of the Committee, thank you for the invitation to offer the United States Intelligence Community’s 2018 assessment of threats to US national security.
My statement reflects the collective insights of the Intelligence Community’s extraordinary women and men, whom I am privileged and honored to lead. We in the Intelligence Community are committed every day to providing the nuanced, independent, and unvarnished intelligence that policymakers, warfighters, and domestic law enforcement personnel need to protect American lives and America’s interests anywhere in the world. The order of the topics presented in this statement does not necessarily indicate the relative importance or magnitude of the threat in the view of the Intelligence Community.
Information available as of 8 February 2018 was used in the preparation of this assessment.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency CIA
Headline: Pompeo Testifies on Top Global Threats Facing US — Central Intelligence Agency
The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) is the single point of contact for all inquiries about the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
We read every letter, fax, or e-mail we receive, and we will convey your comments to CIA officials outside OPA as appropriate. However, with limited staff and resources, we simply cannot respond to all who write to us.
Submit questions or comments online
By postal mail:
Central Intelligence Agency
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C. 20505
By phone:
(703) 482-0623
Open during normal business hours.
By fax:
(571) 204-3800
(please include a phone number where we may call you)
Contact the Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties
Contact the Office of Inspector General
Contact the Employment Verification Office
Before contacting us:
Because of safety concerns for the prospective applicant, as well as security and communication issues, the CIA Recruitment Center does not accept resumes, nor can we return phone calls, e-mails or other forms of communication, from US citizens living outside of the US. When you return permanently to the US (not on vacation or leave), please visit the CIA Careers page and apply online for the position of interest.
To verify an employee’s employment, please contact the Employment Verification Office.
Source: United States Director of National Intelligence
Headline: IARPA Launches “CORE3D” Program to Build Accurate 3-D Models from Satellite Imagery
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ODNI News Release No. 8-18
February 12, 2018
IARPA Launches “CORE3D” Program to Build Accurate 3-D Models from Satellite Imagery
WASHINGTON – The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, announces today that it has established a multi-year research plan to build 3-D models that leverage satellite imagery in order to support our nation’s military, humanitarian and intelligence missions. The Creation of Operationally Realistic 3-D Environment —“CORE3D”—program will revolutionize the way we build 3-D models by cutting down the amount of time it takes to build them to a fraction of the time, compared to current methods.
“Automated methods lag behind manual approaches for creating 3-D models with respect to extracting mission relevant information and understanding scenes,” said CORE3D program manager Hakjae Kim. “While manually constructed models are accurate and reliable, the process to create them is time-consuming and does not satisfy the need for models to support rapid response to military or humanitarian crises in areas where up-to-date models do not exist.”
The CORE3D program aims to develop rapid automated systems for 3-D models which are designed with complex physical properties and automated methods that will pull commercial, satellite, and airborne imagery.
Through a competitive Broad Agency Announcement, IARPA has awarded research contracts in support of the CORE3D program to teams led by Applied Research Associates, General Electric, Kitware and Vision Systems, Inc.
IARPA invests in high-risk, high-payoff research programs to tackle some of the most difficult challenges of the agencies and disciplines in the Intelligence Community. Additional information on IARPA and its research may be found on www.iarpa.gov.
Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council
Headline: MIL Security Intel Ngin
Source: Interpol (news and events)
Headline:
09 February 2018
ABUJA, Nigeria – Getting INTERPOL’s vital global policing information into the hands of frontline law enforcement officers throughout Nigeria is part of an ongoing expansion programme by national authorities.
Nigeria’s work to ensure agencies at key border control points, including the immigration service and customs, can access INTERPOL’s global databases was a key part of discussions during INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock’s first mission to the country.
The INTERPOL Chief met with Minister of the Interior Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau and the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), Muhammed Babandede.
Connectivity between the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja with other agencies such as the NIS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were highlighted as good practice in ensuring a seamless transfer of policing information.
Bodies including the UN Security Council, via resolution 2396 (2017), and the International Civil Aviation Organization have again recently called on member countries to use INTERPOL’s global databases and implement Advance Passenger Identification (API) mechanisms.
INTERPOL’s databases – which are checked more than 150 times every second – contain details of more than 43,200 foreign terrorist profiles in addition to nearly 75 million stolen and lost travel documents, stolen vehicles, DNA and fingerprints.
Secretary General Stock praised the head of NCB Abuja and Executive Committee delegate for Africa, Commissioner Olushola Subair for his important work in expanding Nigeria’s connections to the global policing network.
“Information is the lifeblood of policing, and Nigeria is taking major steps forward in making sure their officers can do their job effectively, no matter where their duty station,” said Secretary General Stock.
“Inter-agency cooperation is also important, so the INTERPOL connections being made with bodies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is also welcomed,” added Mr Stock.
Knowing how to use data is as important as accessing information. Nigeria has hosted a range of INTERPOL meetings and training courses including on INTERPOL’s Firearms Policing Capabilities. These comprise the Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS), the INTERPOL Ballistic Information Network (IBIN) and the INTERPOL Firearms Reference Table (IFRT).
Participants from a range of national security agencies were trained on how to share data at the national and global level on the movement of legal, and illegal firearms, as well as details of weapons which have been used in a crime.
Nigeria has also seconded specialized officers to INTERPOL offices around the world, including the General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, France, the Regional Bureau in Abidjan and the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore.
Source: Interpol (news and events)
Headline: INTERPOL facial recognition nets most wanted murder fugitive
09 February 2018
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Police in Buenos Aires have arrested an internationally wanted murder suspect after his image was identified as a likely match by INTERPOL’s facial recognition unit.
Kristian Danev, a Slovak national aged 33, is wanted internationally by Czech authorities under an INTERPOL Red Notice following a murder ten years ago.
As part of an investigation by police in Argentina, INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Buenos Aires submitted images of the suspect to INTERPOL’s General Secretariat headquarters for comparison against records in its facial recognition database.
After the search result came up as a potential match, police in Argentina detained the suspect for further questioning, resulting in the suspect confirming his identity.
“In less than 48 hours, INTERPOL’s global police cooperation platform helped locate, identify and arrest an international fugitive who had evaded justice for a decade,” said Harald Arm, Director of Operational Support and Analysis at INTERPOL.
“This illustrates the fundamental role of INTERPOL’s policing capabilities and forensic data in international police investigations. We need to ensure that vital information moves faster than fugitives,” added Mr Arm.
INTERPOL’s Fugitive Investigative Support unit was supported by its Command and Coordination Centre and its Regional Bureau in Buenos Aires. They worked closely together with the INTERPOL National Central Bureaus in Bratislava, Buenos Aires and Prague to ensure the quick exchange of information on the case.
Authorities in Argentina are now holding Kristian Danev subject to his extradition to the Czech Republic.
INTERPOL launched its facial recognition biometric service in November 2016. It already contains more than 44,000 images from 137 countries.
Police forces across the globe use INTERPOL’s facial recognition tool daily to make connections between criminals and crime scenes, identify fugitives and missing persons or to compare mugshots.
Source: Interpol (news and events)
Headline: Nigerian police getting increased access to INTERPOL information
09 February 2018
ABUJA, Nigeria – Getting INTERPOL’s vital global policing information into the hands of frontline law enforcement officers throughout Nigeria is part of an ongoing expansion programme by national authorities.
Nigeria’s work to ensure agencies at key border control points, including the immigration service and customs, can access INTERPOL’s global databases was a key part of discussions during INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock’s first mission to the country.
The INTERPOL Chief met with Minister of the Interior Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau and the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), Muhammed Babandede.
Connectivity between the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja with other agencies such as the NIS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were highlighted as good practice in ensuring a seamless transfer of policing information.
Bodies including the UN Security Council, via resolution 2396 (2017), and the International Civil Aviation Organization have again recently called on member countries to use INTERPOL’s global databases and implement Advance Passenger Identification (API) mechanisms.
INTERPOL’s databases – which are checked more than 150 times every second – contain details of more than 43,200 foreign terrorist profiles in addition to nearly 75 million stolen and lost travel documents, stolen vehicles, DNA and fingerprints.
Secretary General Stock praised the head of NCB Abuja and Executive Committee delegate for Africa, Commissioner Olushola Subair for his important work in expanding Nigeria’s connections to the global policing network.
“Information is the lifeblood of policing, and Nigeria is taking major steps forward in making sure their officers can do their job effectively, no matter where their duty station,” said Secretary General Stock.
“Inter-agency cooperation is also important, so the INTERPOL connections being made with bodies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is also welcomed,” added Mr Stock.
Knowing how to use data is as important as accessing information. Nigeria has hosted a range of INTERPOL meetings and training courses including on INTERPOL’s Firearms Policing Capabilities. These comprise the Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS), the INTERPOL Ballistic Information Network (IBIN) and the INTERPOL Firearms Reference Table (IFRT).
Participants from a range of national security agencies were trained on how to share data at the national and global level on the movement of legal, and illegal firearms, as well as details of weapons which have been used in a crime.
Nigeria has also seconded specialized officers to INTERPOL offices around the world, including the General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, France, the Regional Bureau in Abidjan and the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore.
Source: Interpol (news and events)
Headline:
05 فبراير 2018
الأمم المتحدة (نيويورك) – في ظل تفاقم خطر عودة المقاتلين الأجانب إلى ديارهم أو التحاقهم بمناطق نزاع أخرى بعد تحرير الأراضي التي كان يسيطر عليها تنظيم داعش، الأمر الذي غيّر بيئة التهديدات العالمية، تصدرت مسألة الأمن الدولي جدول أعمال المناقشات بين الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة والأمين العام للإنتربول.
وبحث الأمينان العامان أنطونيو غوتيريش ويورغن شتوك في اجتماعهما الأول المجالات ذات الاهتمام المشترك التي يمكن فيها للمنظمتين مواصلة تبسيط التعاون بينهما وتوثيقه لما فيه مصلحة بلدانهما الأعضاء.
وقد نصّت عدة قرارات صادرة عن الأمم المتحدة على المجالات التي تقتضي تعزيز التعاون بين المنظمتين، ولا سيما حماية البنى التحتية الحيوية، ومنع المقاتلين الإرهابيين الأجانب من السفر، ومكافحة جميع أشكال الجريمة عبر الوطنية مثل القرصنة البحرية، والاتجار بالبشر، وتهريب المخدرات.
وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، هناك حاليا حوالى 600 نشرة سارية المفعول من النشرات الخاصة للإنتربول – مجلس الأمن التابع للأمم المتحدة، تتعلق بالكيانات والأفراد المستهدفين من لجان الجزاءات التابعة لمجلس الأمن.
واعتبر الأمين العام للإنتربول أن تعقيد الوضع الأمني اليوم، الذي يرافقه اشتداد الضغط على الموارد، إنما يدل على أهمية منظومة الإنتربول للاتصالات وقواعد بياناته بصفتهما ’’منظومة عالمية للإنذار المبكر‘‘.
وقال السيد شتوك: ’’نعرف جميعا معرفة تامة ماهية التهديدات التي تواجهنا؛ وهي تهديدات ستتفاقم في المستقبل القريب بدلا من أن تتراجع.
’’وتتيح الشراكة بين الإنتربول والأمم المتحدة اتخاذ إجراءات موحدة لدعم أجهزة إنفاذ القانون والحفاظ على السلم والأمن الدوليين‘‘.
ومن بين عشرات الملايين من القيود المسجلة في قواعد بيانات الإنتربول العالمية الموضوعة في متناول أجهزة إنفاذ القانون في بلدانه الأعضاء الـ 192، هناك أكثر من 43 000 ملف لمقاتلين إرهابيين أجانب.
وفي عام 2017، تقصّى أفراد من هذه الأجهزة قواعد بيانات الإنتربول حوالى 4,5 مليارات مرة، وأسفرت هذه التقصيات عن حدوث مليون مطابقة يمكن أن تشكل كل منها عنصرا أساسيا في أيّ تحقيق.
ويتعاون الإنتربول مع الأمم المتحدة منذ عام 1949، وفي عام 2004 افتُتح مكتب الممثل الخاص للإنتربول لدى الأمم المتحدة في نيويورك، الأمر الذي زاد العلاقة بين المنظمتين رسوخا.
Source: Europol
Headline: Finnish most wanted fugitive arrested in Paris thanks to a tip via EU Most Wanted website
One of Finland’s most wanted fugitives, wanted for fraud and forgery, was arrested in Paris on 2 February. The arrest was made possible thanks to a tip that came via the EU Most Wanted website (www.eumostwanted.eu). The suspected criminal featured on one of the postcards sent last summer to citizens throughout Europe. After receiving the useful tip, the Finnish Police (FAST Finland) cooperated with the French National Police (FAST France) who were able to arrest him last week.
This arrest is yet another example of the vital help the general public can offer law enforcement in catching these fugitives. Since the launch of the EU Most Wanted website just over two years ago, 44 featured fugitives have been captured. At least 16 of them thanks to a tip received from the general public.
Source: Europol
Headline: No More Ransom update: Belgian Federal Police releases free decryption keys for the Cryakl ransomware
The Belgian Federal Police is releasing free decryption keys for the Cryakl ransomware today, after working in close cooperation with Kaspersky Lab. The keys were obtained during an ongoing investigation; by sharing the keys with No More Ransom the Belgian Federal Police becomes a new associated partner of the project – the second law enforcement agency after the Dutch National Police.
In the last few years ransomware has eclipsed most other cyber threats, with global campaigns indiscriminately affecting organisations across multiple industries in both the public and private sector, as well as consumers. One of the most effective ways to fight ransomware is to prevent it. This is exactly why No More Ransom was launched more than a year ago.
Today sees yet another successful example of how cooperation between law enforcement and internet security companies can lead to great results. When the Belgian Federal Computer Crime Unit (FCCU) discovered that Belgian citizens had been victims of the Cryakl ransomware, they were able to locate a command and control centre in one of Belgium’s neighbouring countries. Led by the federal prosecutor’s office, the Belgian authorities seized this and other servers while forensic analysis worked to retrieve the decryption keys. Kaspersky Lab provided technical expertise to the Belgian federal prosecutor and has now added these keys to the No More Ransom portal on behalf of the Belgian federal police. This will allow victims to regain access to their encrypted files without having to pay to the criminals.
The Belgian authorities are currently continuing the investigation. However, with cybersecurity and the best interests of the Cryakl ransomware victims at heart, the seized decryption keys have already been uploaded onto the No More Ransom portal.
Since the launch of the No More Ransom portal in July 2016 almost 1.6 million people from more than 180 countries have accessed the website, available in 29 languages with Estonian as the most recent addition.
There are now 52 free decryption tools on www.nomoreransom.org, which can be used to decrypt 84 ransomware families. CryptXXX, CrySIS and Dharma are the most detected infections. More than 35 000 people have managed to retrieve their files for free, which has prevented criminals from profiting from more than EUR 10 million.
The number of partners working together on No More Ransom has risen to more than 120, including more than 75 internet security companies and other private partners. The Cypriot and Estonian police are the most recent law enforcements agencies to join. KPN, Telenor and The College of Professionals in Information and Computing (CPIC) have joined as new private sector partners.
Find more information and prevention tips on www.nomoreransom.org.