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Hack on Sony Pictures highlights key challenges in cyber security and conflict

The international relations fallout from the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment in November 2014 steadily increased through December and into January. The potential for miscalculation in cyber conflict is significant due to the absence of international norms or consensus, lack of shared understanding of relative offensive capabilities and limitations in attribution. As such, the Sony Pictures hack has highlighted far-wider issues than initially apparent.

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Remote-control warfare briefing #8, January 2015: Attacks in Paris, terrorist use of drones, Sony Pictures hack

Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: attacks in France, Australia and Canada highlight domestic deployment of special operations forces for counter-terrorism operations; terrorist use of drones presents major potential threat to key sites and personnel in West; hack on Sony Pictures highlights key challenges in cyber security and conflict; and more.

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Afghan policy reversal reinstates special forces night raids

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has overturned the ban on special forces night raids. There is acute awareness of Afghan public opposition to night raids and the danger that the policy reversal may expose Ghani to some future political attacks. However, the fact that Ghani and the White House are willing to stir up negative public sentiment during a politically fragile period may give some indication of the seriousness with which they are taking the threat posed by a resurgence in Taliban activity.

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United States facing multiple cyber offensives from state and non-state adversaries

Vice Admiral Michael Rogers, the commander of US Cyber Command, has said that ‘state-sponsored hackers are looking to get into the sorts of systems that control critical infrastructure and embedding the capabilities to attack them’. In November, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and US Postal Service acknowledged they had been subject to hacking campaigns during September.

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Special forces, mercenaries, cyber warfare, drones and intelligence: Remote-control warfare briefing #7

Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: Afghan policy reversal reinstates special forces night raids; historic verdict in Blackwater Iraq shootings trial could set precedent; United States facing multiple cyber offensives from state and non-state adversaries; and more.

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Stalled hope? The resource conflict risk to Myanmar’s political and economic transition

In 2011, Myanmar's quasi-civilian government initiated one of the most ambitious economic and political transformation campaigns of the last 50 years. The reformist agenda has the potential to steer Myanmar away from insecurity and economic stagnation. But it will be difficult to leverage significant endowments of natural resources to achieve sustainable security, lasting political settlements with ethnic states and economic growth that supports human development. As such, this briefing paper assesses the trajectory and significance of resource conflict risks and threat multipliers in Myanmar.

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Trends in remote-control warfare: March-September 2014

Since April 2014, Open Briefing has produced a series of monthly intelligence briefings on developments in remote-control warfare, including special operations forces; private military and security companies; unmanned vehicles and autonomous weapons systems; cyber warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. This report provides a detailed overview of the key trends that have emerged during the period covered by the previous five briefings.

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Remote-control warfare briefing #04

Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: eminent task force delivers detailed report examining US drone policy; significant malware distribution and network monitoring on rise across Iraq; British parliament passes ‘emergency’ data retention and surveillance legislation; and more.

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