MPS SecBlog: Week in Review - 05 July 2024
- Montane PS Staff
- Jul 4, 2024
- 2 min read
4TB of data allegedly leaked in Australian healthcare breach
The Medusa ransomware gang claims to have successfully stolen more than four terabytes of data from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Western Australia. Medusa is demanding a US$500,000 ransom, though it is willing to sell the data to anyone for a similar price.
‘Must be taken seriously’: Islamic group’s Australian safe haven
An Islamist group which has been banned in other countries is using its ability to operate in Australia to run digital campaigns here and abroad. It has led to a push for the Albanese government to take the matter “seriously”.
Defence probed 16 alleged links between personnel and extremism in two years
There have been at least 16 investigations into ADF personnel for alleged extremism or supremacism from February 2022 to April 2024. The ADF has tightened its vetting procedures and collaborates closely with law enforcement to counter threats, reflecting ASIO's concern about the persistent threat of nationalist and racist violent extremism.
Why the South China Sea Matters
If China succeeded in dominating the South China Sea, the consequences would be immense: Beijing could potentially choke off trade and shipments to Japan, control access to technologies crucial to U.S. economic activities (especially microchips), and project power deep into the Pacific.
The Uncertain Russia–North Korea Relationship
A new defense agreement between Russia and North Korea is concerning particularly due to the potential for increased military-technical cooperation, including assistance with North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. While the full details and impact of the agreement are unclear, it may lead to accelerated military transfers from Russia to North Korea, especially in light of North Korean support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Threat Matrix Facing the Paris Olympics
With wars raging in Ukraine and Gaza, and geopolitical tensions running high globally, the Olympics face a concerning and complex threat picture. By far the biggest threat is jihadi terrorism, and specifically the Islamic State Khorasan group, which launched the deadliest Islamic State terrorist attack in Europe in Moscow in March and has already sought, through its signature cyber-coach approach to terrorism, to get individuals in France to carry out attacks targeting the Games.
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