30 November 2016

The following is summary of the most recent IEEE Global Internet Governance Monitor report. To access the full reports containing additional details and other news items, please join the Internet Technology Policy Community on IEEE Collabratec.

The importance of cybersecurity struck home in the EU this week after the European Commission was targeted in a DDoS attack. Over the course of 24th November several attacks targeted the EU’s main website and network gateways, leaving staff unable to work. However no data is believed to have been stolen.

In the UK, plans for the first National College of Cyber-Security have been announced. The College would be situated at Bletchley Park, the UK’s code breaking headquarters during WWII and would cater to gifted 16-19 year olds.

The EU’s Technology policy chief Andrus Ansip has stated that no black and white solution exists to support law enforcement counter encryption. Whilst Mr Ansip is supportive of a warrant based system to allow investigators to access encrypted data he has criticized political opposition to encrypted communication likening it to demanding that postcards be used instead of sealed letters.

In the USA this week the Navy has suffered a significant breach of personal data after the details of over 100,000 serving and retired members where stolen from a compromised device. The device belonged to a Hewlett Packard team operating on a Navy contract.

Elsewhere the US has agreed to strengthen its cybersecurity collaboration with Israel after the House of Representatives past two bills in support of further cooperation. 

A new report by Intel Security has found that 80% of IT organizations lack enough cyber security experts. The survey was conducted across eight countries in partnership with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

In China this week companies in both Hong Kong and mainland China have reported a huge increase in cyber attacks over the last two years, with a growth of 969%. The large increase is believed to in part be due to IoT devices becoming more readily available. 

On a global scale new analysis from Kaspersky has found that one in four WiFi hotspots lack basic security features putting users at risk. Popular tourist destinations from Thailand to France rank amongst the top 20 countries for un-encrypted hotspots. 

Australia’s investigation into the 2016 census hack has suggested that Government Ministers and Senior Officials attend a Cyber Bootcamp in order to avoid the mistakes committed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

ICANN’s President and Chief Executive Goran Marby has given an interview with international news agency AFP in which he states that nothing has changed for internet users since the expiration of US controls, highlighting that "The internet is a grassroots thing, and now the grassroots are in charge."