VM#002
Alicja Pawlowska
September 22, 2024
Hi Everyone,
At the moment, I’m involved in several projects happening simultaneously, so this newsletter will be published every two weeks.
Last week, the Baltica Polish Surfing Challenge 2024 finally took place 🔥 Yes, we surf and kitesurf a lot in Poland. Even when it’s icy cold, the Baltic Sea’s a killer spot and the Hel Peninsula just makes it even better.
Let’s recap the latest news.
Cybersecurity News
Outdated WHOIS Domains and Security Risks: An old WHOIS domain could potentially lead to the issuance of fraudulent TLS/SSL certificates, posing significant security threats. Find out more.
U.S. Sanctions on Spyware Firm: The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on a spyware company for its targeting of dissidents and journalists. Find out more.
ChatGPT Security Breach: Despite established guardrails, a hacker managed to exploit ChatGPT to provide details on homemade bombs, highlighting vulnerabilities in AI systems. Find out more.
Lidl Enters Cloud Computing: Lidl's IT unit, Schwarz Digits, has entered the cloud computing market, positioning itself to compete with major players like AWS and Google. Find out more.
Espionage & Counterintelligence
Hezbollah's Threat of Revenge: Following deadly attacks on its communication systems, Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate. Find out more.
Ukraine Bans Telegram for Officials: Ukraine has prohibited the use of Telegram apps by officials over concerns related to Russian espionage. Find out more.
Pokémon Go Espionage Claims: A Belarus defense ministry official has alleged that Pokémon Go was used for espionage by revealing sensitive military locations. Find out more.
Charges Against Individuals for Spying: Turkish prosecutors have charged 20 individuals for allegedly spying on behalf of Israel's Mossad. Find out more.
SOCMINT
TON Dating Launched on Telegram: TON Dating was launched in June 2024 by former VK Dating head Vladimir Makhov, with an investment of $100,000. Registration is free for women and costs 2,500 Telegram stars or 5,700 rubles for men. Time spent in the app is monetized, and as of September 2024, it has integrated ChatGPT.
Tinder Suspends Operations in Russia: In 2023, Tinder, the largest dating service, stopped operating in Russia, leading local companies to actively develop domestic alternatives such as Sunlight Dating, beAmore, Twinby, and Yandex Match.
Telegram Frauds Glossary: Explore the terminology and slang used by fraudsters at Fraudsterglossary.
Google Updates
Google Flags AI-Generated Images: Google will start flagging AI-generated images in Search later this year to enhance transparency.
Wayback Machine Links in Google Search: Google Search now includes links to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
To use it:
Search for a term in Google. I chose: Cybernews
Click the three dots next to the page title
Select "More information about this site."
You’ll find "See previous versions on the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine" halfway down the page.
Google Cache Tip from Nico Dekens (Dutch_OsintGuy): With the Cache operator being discontinued at the beginning of the year, you can still access cached pages using this URL format:
https://www.google.com/search?q=cache:<url of interest>.
Darknet
Threat Actor IntelBroker Allegedly Leaks Deloitte Communications: IntelBroker claims to have leaked internal communications from Deloitte, raising significant security concerns.
Tor Project Addresses De-Anonymization Claims: The Tor Project has responded to allegations that German law enforcement can deanonymize users through network infiltration and timing analyses, emphasizing its ongoing commitment to user privacy.
Upcoming CyberSec / OSINT Events
Free
International Security Expo in London on September 24-25, 2024 Join here.
i-intelligence will host two free webinars on finding online content in foreign languages, featuring Skip Schiphorst, Vytenis B., and Paolo Walcher from Bellingcat. Find out more.
Paid
Attend DeepSec & DeepINTEL 2024 in Vienna from November 19-22, 2024 Join here.