News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. Hack of federal networks broader than SolarWinds vulnerabilities: cybersecurity officials
2. Breaking the boom-bust cycle of irregular warfare
3. Has China's economy already gone bust?
4. Russia hasn’t just hacked our computer systems. It’s hacked our minds.
5. Competition with China could be short and sharp
6. Amid massive hack, lawmakers urge Trump to sign defense bill with new cybersecurity legislation
7. Exposed: Chinese psyops against America - one hell of a success
8. A new normal for Wuhan as Chinese authorities float new theory on Covid-19 origins
9. The Chinese Communist Party’s human hack of western companies
10. 'Boogaloo Bois' member pleads guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qassam Brigades
11. No, the Chinese are not on the border of Maine - and the dangers of misinformation
12. Bellingcat can say what U.S. intelligence can’t
13. Space Force leader to become 8th member of joint chiefs
14. New ‘tri-maritime strategy’ released, but leaders struggle to explain certain key points
15. The world in a state of cyber warfare
16. CISA: SolarWinds not the only initial attack vector in massive breach
17. From COVID to the caliphate: a look at violent extremism heading into 2021
18. Michael Pack fiercely defends overhaul of Voice Of America, other U.S. broadcast outlets
19. SolarWinds isn't the only way hackers entered networks, CISA Says
1. Hack of federal networks broader than SolarWinds vulnerabilities: cybersecurity officials
Washington Times · Ryan Lovelace · December 17, 2020
2. Breaking the boom-bust cycle of irregular warfare
Modern War Institute · Shawna Sinnott & Andrew Milburn · December 18, 2020
Deak Roh, DASD for SOCT in ASD SO/LIC, and I discussed irregular warfare with Shawna Sinnott and Andrew Milburn in this podcast.
3. Has China's economy already gone bust?
1945 · Salvatore Babones · December 16, 2020
4. Russia hasn’t just hacked our computer systems. It’s hacked our minds.
Washington Post · Fareed Zakaria · December 17, 2020
5. Competition with China could be short and sharp
Foreign Affairs · Michael Beckley & Hal Brands · December 17, 2020
I am hearing one of the Top Gun theme songs in the background ("Danger zone").
6. Amid massive hack, lawmakers urge Trump to sign defense bill with new cybersecurity legislation
Defense One · Patrick Tucker · December 17, 2020
7. Exposed: Chinese psyops against America - one hell of a success
Center for Security Policy · Grant Newsham · December 15, 2020
Grant Newsham throws shade on everyone (and I mean everyone - on both sides of the aisle going back to Nixon).
Oh and it is PSYOP, not Psyops. Just saying. Perhaps the editor at the Center for Security Policy or And Magazine did not know.
8. A new normal for Wuhan as Chinese authorities float new theory on Covid-19 origins
France 24 · Charles Pellegrin · December 18, 2020
What do revisionist powers do? They revise history and theory.
9. The Chinese Communist Party’s human hack of western companies
FDD · Thomas Joscelyn · December 16, 2020
10. 'Boogaloo Bois' member pleads guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qassam Brigades
Long War Journal (FDD) · Joe Truzman · December 17, 2020
11. No, the Chinese are not on the border of Maine – and the dangers of misinformation
Navy Times · Howard Altman · December 16, 2020
Sigh...
12. Bellingcat can say what U.S. intelligence can’t
Foreign Policy · Amy Mackinnon · December 17, 2020
This is why our intelligence community must use "all source" information that includes open source reporting from journalists and organizations such as Bellingcat.
13. Space Force leader to become 8th member of joint chiefs
US Department of Defense · Jim Garamone · December 18, 2020
But not the Chief of Special Operations. Oh, but we do not have one of those. I would be satisfied if we made the Commander of USSOCOM a member of the Joint Chiefs. My thoughts are here.
I was hoping because the Chairman wore his Green Beret to the Army Navy game this weekend that he would push to make the Commander of USSOCOM a member of the Joint Chiefs (note tongue in cheek with this comment - but I believe it is the first time we have seen the CJCS wear a Green Beret).
14. New ‘tri-maritime strategy’ released, but leaders struggle to explain certain key points
Navy Times · Geoff Ziezulewicz · December 17, 2020
15. The World in a State of Cyber Warfare
NATO Association of Canada · Sarah Nebbal · December 17, 2020
16. CISA: SolarWinds not the only initial attack vector in massive breach
Dark Reading · Kelly Jackson Higgins · December 17, 2020
17. From COVID to the caliphate: a look at violent extremism heading into 2021
United States Institute of Peace · Colin P. Clarke · December 15, 2020
18. Michael Pack fiercely defends overhaul of Voice Of America, other U.S. broadcast outlets
Washington Times · Bill Gertz · December 14, 2020
Foreign nationals (the majority of the employees of VOA, RFA, etc.) do not receive security clearances. You must be a US citizen to hold a security clearance.
But the article smacks of using a rule by law argument to control the reporting of news. Sure, fix the organization, correct the errors, but do not use that as an excuse to shape the message so that it is only friendly to the administration, which is the underlying intent of the actions. I know an excellent journalist who is now leaving the US because his visa is not being renewed, not because he did anything wrong but only because of the decision not to renew visas, which sounds like mass punishment.
The first two paragraphs are spot on. The second two paragraphs illustrate the real issue and either a lack of understanding of our values or a lack of respect for how journalism and journalists work (and, I think, a low self-esteem). This is all about eliminating criticism of the administration, which should go against everything that makes America "exceptional." As an aside, I spend about 90% of the time that I work with the Korea service of VOA and RFA explaining and advocating US policies (and the rest of the time explaining the evil nature of the Kim family regime.
19. SolarWinds isn't the only way hackers entered networks, CISA says
Defense One · Aaron Boyd · December 17, 2020
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”
- John Adams, The Works Of John Adams, Second President Of The United States
“The man who is deserving the name is the one whose thoughts and exertions are for others rather than for himself.”
- Walter Scott
“Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.”
- Ernest Hemingway