This is your easyDNS #AxisOfEasy Briefing for the week of September 2nd, 2024 our Technology Correspondent Joann L Barnes and easyCEO Mark E. Jeftovic send out a short briefing on the state of the ‘net and how it affects your business, security and privacy.

To Listen/watch this podcast edition with commentary and insight from Joey Tweets, and Len the Lengend click here.

In this issue: 

• Amazon admits Alexa gave out wildly partisan political bias ahead of election
• Behind the Great Firewall: China’s Crackdown on Digital Dissent and the Growing Resistance
• Halliburton Hack Exposes Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure
• CrowdStrike Faces Legal Firestorm: Delta’s $500M Lawsuit, Shareholder Revolt, and Insurance Battles
• Brazil Suspends Elon Musk’s X Platform Amid Censorship Clash with Supreme Court
• Hacktivist Retaliation Over Telegram Founder’s Arrest Shakes France

Elsewhere Online:

• AI Deepfakes and Cheapfakes Fuel Political Manipulation Amid Global Detection Gaps
• FBI Sounds Alarm on North Korea’s Growing Crypto Threat
• Fake VPN Software Used in New WikiLoader Malware Attack
• California Enacts Privacy Bill, Mandating Opt-Out Options
• White House Tackles BGP Vulnerabilities for Safer Internet

Amazon admits Alexa gave out wildly partisan political bias ahead of election

Originally seen via Twitter, where a woman videotaped herself asking Alexa, Amazon’s “always on” personal snooping and home automation device who she should vote for.

When the question was “Should I vote for Donald Trump”, Alexa confessed to being unable to help with anything that could amount to favoring a specific political group or candidate.

So far so good.

She then posed the question “Should I vote for Kamala Harris” at which point Alexa regaled her with the virtues of Harris and a long list of reasons to vote for her.

Many on social media followed up with their own versions of the same thing happening.

However, when I tried to replicate it, using the Alexa app on my phone, I could not:

At that point I figured it wasn’t AxisOfEasy-worthy, since it we couldn’t reproduce it.

However, reports the next day emerged that the (election interference) discrepancy was real, and according to an Amazon spokesman, “an error that was quickly rectified.”

This continues a long string of episodes wherein Big Tech uses its weight to push for one side of the political spectrum (and it isn’t center-right Conservatism) – earlier this summer Amazon’s Alexa, again, was noted refusing to acknowledge that there had been an assassination attempt on Donald Trump (“When asked, “Was Trump really shot?”, Alexa replied,  “No, Donald Trump was not really shot.)”

Last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivered a scathing open letter to House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, citing White House pressure to censor politically inconvenient stories (like the Hunter Biden laptop) and COVID information which, though true, contravened the “official narrative”.

Read: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/amazon-says-alexas-wildly-biased-treatment-trump-harris-questions-was-error

Behind the Great Firewall: China’s Crackdown on Digital Dissent and the Growing Resistance

Duan, a Chinese university student, used a VPN to access Discord, breaching China’s Great Firewall. He joined a community of thousands, where political ideologies like democracy, anarchism, and communism were freely debated, a rarity in tightly regulated China. Inspired by Yang Minghao, a vlogger known as MHYYYY, Duan was drawn to the discussions on the blocked platform. However, the Chinese government’s intolerance for such activities soon manifested. In July, Duan and other Discord users across different cities were detained for questioning. Duan endured a 24-hour detention and interrogation focused on his connection to Yang, VPN usage, and comments made on Discord.

This crackdown underscores China’s escalating internet censorship, now targeting followers of controversial online figures, not just content creators. Maya Wang of Human Rights Watch highlighted this new level of scrutiny. The surveillance net tightened further when Li Ying, a Chinese-language X account operator in Italy, warned his followers of police interrogations, euphemistically called “drinking tea.” Even followers using Chinese mobile numbers were pressured to unfollow Li, showing the reach of Chinese censorship beyond its borders.

China’s Ministry of Public Security, via its 2024 campaign against “online rumors,” reinforces this control, with Guangdong province alone handling over 1,000 cases this year. Despite the risks, online discussions about these crackdowns continue on platforms outside China’s firewall, revealing a persistent struggle between state censorship and the desire for open discourse, illustrating a growing digital resistance to the authoritarian control that extends to even the most seemingly private corners of the internet.

Read: https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/02/how-chinas-internet-police-went-from-targeting-bloggers-to-their-followers

Halliburton Hack Exposes Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure

Halliburton, a global energy giant, was hit by a sophisticated cyberattack on August 21st. The attackers gained unauthorized access to and stole data from the company’s systems, disrupting operations and corporate functions. While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, Halliburton believes the attack will not materially impact its finances.

The attack is a stark warning to other critical infrastructure providers. The increasing convergence of IT and operational technology (OT) creates vast attack surfaces, making it difficult for security teams to keep pace with threats. This vulnerability was ruthlessly exploited by the attackers, who likely used undetected zero-day exploits to plant backdoors in Halliburton’s systems.

The identity of the attacker remains shrouded in mystery. However, given the sophistication of the attack and the history of nation-state actors targeting critical infrastructure in the US, it’s highly likely that a state-backed group was behind the operation. This attack serves as a grim reminder of the constant threat posed by these actors to our critical infrastructure.

Halliburton is a major player in the oil and gas industry, providing services such as drilling, well completion, and production. The company is particularly known for its extensive fracking operations, which have made it a target for both environmental activists and cybercriminals. This attack is just the latest in a series of cyber incidents that have affected the energy sector.

The cyberattack on Halliburton has several implications for the company and the broader energy industry. First, it highlights the need for critical infrastructure providers to invest in robust cybersecurity measures. Second, it underscores the dangers of relying on legacy systems that are vulnerable to attack. Third, it raises concerns about the ability of security teams to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape.

Halliburton is now facing a major challenge in terms of cybersecurity. The company needs to take steps to improve its security posture and prevent future attacks. This will require a significant investment in time, money, and resources.

Read: https://www.darkreading.com/ics-ot-security/halliburton-data-stolen-oil-sector-attack

CrowdStrike Faces Legal Firestorm: Delta’s $500M Lawsuit, Shareholder Revolt, and Insurance Battles

CrowdStrike is facing a legal maelstrom following a botched software update in July that disrupted businesses worldwide, especially those using Windows systems. Delta Airlines, which experienced a five-day service outage, is threatening to sue CrowdStrike for up to $500 million in damages. Delta has enlisted David Boies, a renowned attorney known for his work in high-profile cases like Bush v. Gore and Theranos, suggesting the airline is preparing for a fierce legal fight. Delta’s lawsuit hinges on claims of gross negligence or willful misconduct by CrowdStrike, which could invalidate contractual limits on damages.

Before Delta’s threat, CrowdStrike shareholders filed a class action lawsuit, alleging the company misled them about its software update procedures and lacked proper testing protocols. CrowdStrike has hired Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan to defend against these suits, indicating a formidable legal defense strategy. Rob Wilkins, a legal expert, highlights the challenges Delta and shareholders will face in proving gross negligence, a significant legal hurdle.

Complicating matters, insurance companies covering CrowdStrike and its customers may also pursue compensation, adding another layer of legal complexity. The faulty update’s specific impact on Windows machines has also drawn Microsoft into the fray, albeit indirectly.

Wilkins suggests that the various lawsuits could consolidate into a broader class action, potentially involving more plaintiffs and amplifying CrowdStrike’s legal troubles. Meanwhile, the reputational damage and potential insurance claims loom large, forcing CrowdStrike to consider both legal and reputational strategies to navigate this crisis and maintain its market standing.

Read: https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/02/crowdstrike-faces-onslaught-of-legal-action-from-faulty-software-update/


Brazil Suspends Elon Musk’s X Platform Amid Censorship Clash with Supreme Court

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of Elon Musk’s social media platform X in Brazil after Musk refused to appoint a legal representative in the country. This decision follows X’s refusal to censor “misinformation” and “hate speech” critical of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government. Attorney General Jorge Messias supported Moraes, threatening daily fines of R$ 50,000 (about $8,900 USD) for anyone using VPNs to bypass the ban.

Moraes warned Musk and X CEO Linda Yaccarino that X could be shut down in Brazil if they didn’t comply within 24 hours. To protect staff from arrest threats, X halted operations in Brazil. Musk criticized the action as politically motivated, accusing Moraes of undermining free speech. Yaccarino expressed sadness over the impact on X users in Brazil and highlighted the contradiction with Brazil’s constitutional ban on censorship of political, ideological, or artistic content.

This situation marks a critical point in global digital discourse, as Brazil’s move to control online speech sets a dangerous precedent, potentially inspiring other governments to enact similar restrictions on digital platforms, threatening international free speech.

Read: https://reclaimthenet.org/brazil-supreme-court-judge-orders-x-to-be-banned

Hacktivist Retaliation Over Telegram Founder’s Arrest Shakes France

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested by French authorities, sparking a wave of cyberattacks from various hacktivist groups. These groups, primarily pro-Russian and pro-Islamic, launched DDoS attacks against multiple French targets, including government agencies, healthcare institutions, airports, educational facilities, and private businesses. The campaign, known as #FreeDurov or #OpDurov, involves groups such as the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR), RipperSec, EvilWeb, CyberDragon, UserSec, and STUCX Team.

CARR, a pro-Russian group linked to Russia’s military intelligence and boasting over 62,000 members on its Telegram channel, aggressively targeted high-profile entities like the Council of Europe and the French National Center for Scientific Research. RipperSec, a Malaysian group, used a custom DDoS tool, MegaMedusa, to assault websites of the French Ministry of Justice and the French National Police. Groups like EvilWeb and CyberDragon employed both DDoS attacks and hacking techniques to breach French sites, often bragging on Telegram and claiming access to sensitive data.

While motivations vary—some groups support Durov or fear for Telegram’s operational safety, others act out of patriotic fervor. Pro-Russian factions see Durov as an ally in their cyberwarfare. Despite Durov’s release, the situation remains tense, particularly if France pursues charges related to Telegram’s moderation policies.

Read: https://hackread.com/ddos-attacks-france-telegrams-pavel-durov-arrest/

Elsewhere Online:

AI Deepfakes and Cheapfakes Fuel Political Manipulation Amid Global Detection Gaps
Read: https://www.wired.com/story/generative-ai-detection-gap/

FBI Sounds Alarm on North Korea’s Growing Crypto Threat
Read: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/north-korea-targeting-crypto/

Fake VPN Software Used in New WikiLoader Malware Attack
Read: https://thehackernews.com/2024/09/hackers-use-fake-globalprotect-vpn.html

California Enacts Privacy Bill, Mandating Opt-Out Options
Read: https://www.darkreading.com/data-privacy/california-privacy-bill-require-opt-out-tools

White House Tackles BGP Vulnerabilities for Safer Internet
Read: https://www.securityweek.com/white-house-outlines-plan-for-addressing-bgp-vulnerabilities/