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Belgian military hit by cyber attack
Belgium’s Ministry of Defense was targeted with a significant cyber attack exploiting a recently discovered vulnerability in a popular logging tool, officials have confirmed, noting they are still attempting to secure the network.
The security breach was initially detected last week, but only publicized on Monday by ministry spokesman Commander Olivier Severin, according to a local media report.
“[The Defense Ministry] on Thursday discovered an attack on its computer network with internet access,” Severin said, adding “All weekend our teams have been mobilized to control the problem, continue our activities and warn our partners.”
A spokesperson for Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder also told Politico that the ministry was “working hard” to secure the network, though officials have yet to comment on the origin of the attack.
The breach reportedly targeted a security flaw in a widely used utility known as Log4j, a fault that was first observed by cyber experts earlier this month, stoking fears that hackers could use the vulnerability to compromise millions of devices. While many attackers have exploited the flaw to install cryptocurrency mining software on computers without the owners’ knowledge, others have taken aim at businesses and even government agencies, according to Check Point, an Israel-based cyber security firm.
Companies and officials in Belgium and beyond have raced to patch up the vulnerability, with Google reportedly tasking 500 engineers to ensure its code is airtight, while the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an emergency directive last week urging other federal agencies to fix the flaw.
Beijing has announced that it will require people travelling to the city from low-risk areas of China to present a negative Covid-19 test, as part of a raft of measures introduced ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations. The restrictions will come into effect on January 28 and last until March 15, covering both the Lunar New Year festivities and the annual parliament meeting that occurs in the city. People who enter Beijing will have to undergo a 14-day health observation period, with a test taken on the seventh and 14th day after their arrival. The spokesperson for Beijing’s city government, Xu Hejian, announced the new measures on Wednesday, over fears that travel during the holiday period could see people spread the virus around the country, causing a spike in cases. In recent weeks, areas around Beijing have seen Covid-19 restrictions increased since the start of the year, as authorities took a ‘wartime mode’ approach to prevent a wider outbreak occurring in Shijiazhuang ...
The Italian government is reportedly set to announce an easing of Covid-19 restrictions in certain regions despite warnings from health experts that it is too soon to relax measures designed to control the spread of the virus. Veneto, near Venice, Calabria in the south, and Emilia-Romagna in the north of the country are all expected to be downgraded from 'orange' to 'yellow' zones, according to local reports. The move would allow bars and restaurants to reopen, as well giving residents more freedom to move around their areas. The World Health Organization, however, has warned that it is "too early to ease up," as there is "still [a] very high" presence of the virus in the country. A public health expert who advises the Italian health minister has echoed this note of caution, telling AFP that Italy was "bucking the trend," while other European nations remain in lockdown and some are even considering stricter measures. Also on rt.com ...
Australia’s defense chief has been awarded tens of thousands of dollars in damages after claiming that a six-word Twitter post caused him deep “hurt and distress,” with a judge ruling that the tweet was defamatory. An Australian court agreed to award $25,000 (AU$35,000) to Defense Minister Peter Dutton on Wednesday over the brief Twitter post, far below the maximum limit allowed under the law, as the judge determined the official had been libeled, but not in a way that impacted his day-to-day life. Though the tweet in question “was no doubt a serious defamation,” Dutton “did not claim to have suffered more serious consequences by reason of the publication of the tweet or even that his hurt and distress had continued to the date of trial,” Judge Richard White said in his ruling. READ MORE: ‘Mesmerisingly clueless’: Aussie defense chief roasted for cringeworthy attempts to elbow-bump Korean counterpart (VIDEO) Originally posted in February by immigration activist Shane Bazzi an...
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