#covert-actions

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World news
fromThe Washington Post
6 hours ago

Chinese firms market Iran war intelligence 'exposing' U.S. forces

Chinese firms are leveraging AI and open-source data to track U.S. military movements, posing potential security risks amid the Iran conflict.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

Old-school spycraft could make a comeback as AI undermines trust

AI may enhance intelligence gathering but also revive traditional espionage methods due to reliability issues with digital communications.
Privacy professionals
fromNextgov.com
22 hours ago

Suspected Chinese breach of FBI system exposed surveillance targets' phone numbers

A breach linked to China exposed phone numbers of FBI surveillance targets, raising concerns about counterintelligence risks.
#cybersecurity
Information security
fromTheregister
3 days ago

Iran targets M365 accounts with password-spraying attacks

Iran-linked threat actors are conducting password-spraying attacks against hundreds of organizations, primarily targeting Middle Eastern municipalities.
Information security
fromThe Hacker News
4 days ago

Silver Fox Expands Asia Cyber Campaign with AtlasCross RAT and Fake Domains

A campaign targets Chinese-speaking users with typosquatted domains to deliver the AtlasCross RAT, impersonating trusted software brands.
Information security
fromThe Hacker News
21 hours ago

China-Linked TA416 Targets European Governments with PlugX and OAuth-Based Phishing

TA416 has intensified cyberattacks on European government and diplomatic organizations since mid-2025, utilizing advanced malware delivery techniques.
Privacy professionals
fromTechRepublic
5 days ago

Iran-Linked Hackers Breach FBI Director Kash Patel's Email, Leak Messages Online

An Iran-linked hacking group breached FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email, releasing non-sensitive information as a retaliatory cyber attack.
Information security
fromThe Hacker News
3 days ago

3 Reasons Attackers Are Using Your Trusted Tools Against You (And Why You Don't See It Coming)

Cyber attackers increasingly exploit legitimate tools within environments, making detection difficult and expanding the attack surface organizations must manage.
Information security
fromArs Technica
4 days ago

Iran's hackers are on the offensive against the US and Israel

Iran has launched coordinated cyber attacks against Israel, but has not targeted critical infrastructure decisively during the current conflict.
Information security
fromTheregister
3 days ago

Iran targets M365 accounts with password-spraying attacks

Iran-linked threat actors are conducting password-spraying attacks against hundreds of organizations, primarily targeting Middle Eastern municipalities.
Information security
fromThe Hacker News
4 days ago

Silver Fox Expands Asia Cyber Campaign with AtlasCross RAT and Fake Domains

A campaign targets Chinese-speaking users with typosquatted domains to deliver the AtlasCross RAT, impersonating trusted software brands.
#ice
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago
US politics

ICE confirms it deployed Paragon spyware inside the United States for drug trafficking cases - Silicon Canals

fromTechCrunch
1 day ago
US politics

ICE says it bought Paragon's spyware to use in drug trafficking cases | TechCrunch

US politics
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

ICE confirms it deployed Paragon spyware inside the United States for drug trafficking cases - Silicon Canals

ICE is using commercial spyware domestically, raising constitutional concerns about warrantless surveillance and lack of oversight.
US politics
fromTechCrunch
1 day ago

ICE says it bought Paragon's spyware to use in drug trafficking cases | TechCrunch

ICE has utilized spyware from Paragon Solutions to combat drug trafficking and foreign terrorist organizations' use of encrypted communications.
#russian-intelligence
London politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

Overwhelmed' Prevent at risk of missing threats as referrals rise, UK counter-terror chief says

Prevent scheme faces overwhelming referrals, risking identification of genuine threats due to increased volume and lack of triage system.
#cia
Media industry
fromThe Cipher Brief
2 days ago

Iran Is Building the Disinformation Architecture of the Future-Right Now

Iran's disinformation tactics demonstrate the potential of AI in conflict, emphasizing speed, encryption, and narrative manipulation.
fromwww.dw.com
2 days ago

Hungary's Watergate: Secret service spied on opposition

Many have described it as a 'return to dictatorship and Communist times.' The intelligence service is said to have tried to recruit technicians in charge of maintaining the party's IT system, in order to access internal party information and use it to rig the election.
Europe politics
US news
fromFuturism
6 days ago

Ominous Surveillance "Scarecrows" Appearing Across America

Police technology, including COWs, is rapidly growing, with the law enforcement equipment market projected to reach $11.7 billion by 2025.
Python
fromAntocuni
1 week ago

Inside SPy, part 2: Language semantics

SPy aims to enhance Python's performance while integrating static typing, balancing between an interpreter and a compiler.
#espionage
Germany news
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 week ago

Security forces arrest two suspected Russian spies in Germany and Spain

Two individuals were arrested for allegedly spying on a businessman supplying drones to Ukraine, with intentions possibly including his assassination.
fromNew York Post
1 month ago
US politics

Love-struck suspected Moscow mole in NYC tells FBI agent, 'Catch me, baby' - only to land behind bars

Germany news
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 week ago

Security forces arrest two suspected Russian spies in Germany and Spain

Two individuals were arrested for allegedly spying on a businessman supplying drones to Ukraine, with intentions possibly including his assassination.
fromNew York Post
1 month ago
US politics

Love-struck suspected Moscow mole in NYC tells FBI agent, 'Catch me, baby' - only to land behind bars

#iran
Privacy professionals
fromAxios
3 days ago

Cyber warfare starts to get personal in war between U.S., Israel and Iran

Iran-linked hackers are using data leaks and intimidation tactics against individuals to influence public perception during the current conflict.
World news
fromTNW | Me
3 days ago

Iran's IRGC names 18 US tech firms including Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia as military targets

The IRGC named 18 US tech firms as targets for retaliation against alleged roles in assassinations in Iran.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
5 days ago

Why have the US and Israel bombed more than 75 Iranian police facilities?

Internal security facilities in Iran have been heavily targeted, aiming to destabilize the Iranian state amid the US-Israel conflict.
Privacy professionals
fromAxios
3 days ago

Cyber warfare starts to get personal in war between U.S., Israel and Iran

Iran-linked hackers are using data leaks and intimidation tactics against individuals to influence public perception during the current conflict.
World news
fromTNW | Me
3 days ago

Iran's IRGC names 18 US tech firms including Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia as military targets

The IRGC named 18 US tech firms as targets for retaliation against alleged roles in assassinations in Iran.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
5 days ago

Why have the US and Israel bombed more than 75 Iranian police facilities?

Internal security facilities in Iran have been heavily targeted, aiming to destabilize the Iranian state amid the US-Israel conflict.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Iranian among two charged over alleged attempt to enter UK nuclear submarine base

A 34-year-old Iranian man and a 31-year-old Romanian woman have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident at HM Naval Base Clyde, known as Faslane.
UK news
Information security
fromTechzine Global
3 days ago

North Korea behind social engineering attack on Axios project

Attackers compromised the Axios maintainer's account through social engineering, publishing malicious versions that installed a Remote Access Trojan on victims' systems.
Information security
fromSecuritymagazine
3 days ago

The Rising Tide of Executive Protection: Corporations Ramp Up Security in an Era of Heightened Threats

Companies are increasingly investing in executive protection due to rising threats, making it a strategic necessity for business continuity and resilience.
#national-security
UK news
fromwww.independent.co.uk
3 weeks ago

Police given more time to question three men arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran

Police secured extended detention warrants for three men arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran and targeting Jewish community locations and individuals in London.
US politics
fromwww.mediaite.com
3 weeks ago

Trump Claims to Know Where Iran's Sleeper Cells Are. Why Isn't He Arresting Them?

President Trump claimed federal authorities have identified and are monitoring Iranian operatives who entered the U.S. during Biden's presidency, but reporters failed to press him on this significant national security assertion.
Privacy technologies
fromInfoWorld
4 weeks ago

What I learned as an undercover agent on Moltbook

OpenClaw AI agents on Moltbook social network pose severe cybersecurity risks through unauthorized access to sensitive user data and financial systems.
#counter-terrorism
UK news
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

UK counter-terrorism agents granted more time to question men suspected of spying for Iran

Four men arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran on Jewish community locations and individuals in Britain can be held in custody until 13 March for questioning.
UK news
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

UK counter-terrorism agents granted more time to question men suspected of spying for Iran

Four men arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran on Jewish community locations and individuals in Britain can be held in custody until 13 March for questioning.
World news
fromFortune
2 weeks ago

The war with Iran has defense experts wondering if Khamenei will activate sleeper cells on U.S. soil | Fortune

President Trump warns of Iranian sleeper cells in the United States, while defense experts assess Iran may pursue retaliatory attacks against the U.S., Israel, and allies following significant military losses.
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

Ex-CIA analyst David McCloskey on the Mossad's intelligence inside Iran: I was surprised'

From what I have seen on open-source intelligence, the Israelis had essentially developed a capability to tap existing public CCTV networks in Tehran and then layered on top of that, a bunch of data integration software that enable them to build targeting packages on senior leaders. My sense is that there was a US-sourced piece of humint that was then able to be fed into that model.
US politics
#north-korea
fromTechRepublic
3 days ago
Information security

New North Korean AI Hiring Scheme Targets US Companies

A North Korean operative attempted to infiltrate a cybersecurity firm using a stolen identity and AI-generated resume, highlighting vulnerabilities in hiring processes.
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago
Information security

North Korea-linked hackers suspected in Axios open-source hijack, Google analysts say

North Korea-aligned hackers compromised the Axios JavaScript library, risking many developers' systems through a sophisticated supply chain attack.
Information security
fromTechRepublic
3 days ago

New North Korean AI Hiring Scheme Targets US Companies

A North Korean operative attempted to infiltrate a cybersecurity firm using a stolen identity and AI-generated resume, highlighting vulnerabilities in hiring processes.
Information security
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

North Korea-linked hackers suspected in Axios open-source hijack, Google analysts say

North Korea-aligned hackers compromised the Axios JavaScript library, risking many developers' systems through a sophisticated supply chain attack.
#cyber-warfare
World politics
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

What role has cyber warfare played in Iran?

Cyber operations play a significant but largely undisclosed role in US and Israeli military actions against Iran, complementing conventional strikes across multiple domains.
World politics
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

What role has cyber warfare played in Iran?

Cyber operations play a significant but largely undisclosed role in US and Israeli military actions against Iran, complementing conventional strikes across multiple domains.
US news
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The Russian honeytrap: alleged spy for Moscow faces five years in US prison

Nomma Zarubina, an FSB-recruited Russian intelligence operative, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about her contacts with Russian intelligence while posing as a legitimate activist to infiltrate American political and academic circles.
Washington DC
fromThe Washington Post
1 month ago

CIA station in Saudi capital hit in drone attack

Iranian drones struck the CIA station at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing structural damage and roof collapse, though no personnel were reported wounded.
#iran-nuclear-program
World news
fromLondon Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
3 weeks ago

US and Israel 'consider special forces raid' to seize Iran's enriched uranium - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

The United States and Israel are discussing a potential special forces operation to seize Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile to prevent nuclear weapon development.
World news
fromLondon Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
3 weeks ago

US and Israel 'consider special forces raid' to seize Iran's enriched uranium - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

The United States and Israel are discussing a potential special forces operation to seize Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile to prevent nuclear weapon development.
UK news
fromwww.independent.co.uk
4 weeks ago

What is Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and does it operate in the UK?

Four men arrested in London on suspicion of spying on Jewish community locations and individuals for Iran, amid calls to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
Privacy professionals
fromenglish.elpais.com
3 weeks ago

How the CIA used a former Spanish soldier to keep tabs on Julian Assange

A Spanish security company owner conducted illegal surveillance of Julian Assange at Ecuador's London embassy on behalf of the CIA, placing hidden microphones and monitoring his communications.
fromwww.aljazeera.com
4 weeks ago

US downplays reports Russia gave Iran intel to help Tehran strike US assets

Since the war began on February 28, Russia has passed Iran the locations of US military assets, including warships and aircraft, three officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Post. It does seem like it's a pretty comprehensive effort, one of the sources told the newspaper.
World news
UK politics
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Asylum seeker accused of MI5 fake dynamite alert

A failed asylum seeker placed a fake explosive outside MI5 headquarters after losing his final asylum appeal, prompting a counterterrorism response and arrest.
#russian-military-intelligence
US politics
fromMail Online
1 month ago

CIA memo reveals plot to turn citizens into political assassins

Project Artichoke was a classified CIA mind control program from 1951-1956 that attempted to create unwitting assassins through psychological manipulation and drug administration.
fromThe New Yorker
2 months ago

National Security Begins Behind the Toaster

Dear Secretary Pete Hegseth, I realize that this is a big ask, but would you please invade and take possession of my son and daughter-in-law's apartment? Or maybe you'd like to make them an offer first? Either way, as a concerned mother and patriot who believes that national security begins at home, I feel it's my duty to let you know that Otis and Luna, the co-dictators of Unit 4-C, at 439 Bergen Street, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, must be overthrown.
Humor
Science
fromFuturism
2 months ago

CIA Will Neither Confirm Nor Deny Records on 3I/ATLAS

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is proposed as possibly technological due to anomalous size, rotation, and trajectory, prompting disputes and a nondisclosure CIA FOIA reply.
fromWashingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.
2 months ago

The Spy Museum's New Exhibit Explores the Hidden World of Camouflage - Washingtonian

The International Spy Museum will unveil its newest special exhibit, " Camouflage: Designed to Deceive," on March 1. The museum has previously featured artifacts that used elements of camouflage, like the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish with "adaptive camouflage" that appeared in the 2024 exhibit "Bond in Motion." For the first time, however, the Spy Museum will dedicate an all-new exhibit to exploring the history of camouflage, in an installation that will be on display for the next three years.
History
Information security
fromSecurityWeek
3 weeks ago

Iran-Linked Hackers Take Aim at US and Other Targets, Raising Risk of Cyberattacks During War

Pro-Iranian hackers are expanding cyberattacks from the Middle East into the United States, targeting defense contractors, medical device companies, and critical infrastructure like power stations and water plants.
US politics
fromFortune
1 month ago

CIA's social media guide to evading Iranian internet restrictions racks up millions of views as Trump considers military action | Fortune

The CIA publicly recruited Iranian informants via social media in Farsi during escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and nuclear negotiations.
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Now accepting applications - for classified intel

Over the past year, waves of federal layoffs have left thousands of government employees and contractor clients suddenly out of work. For foreign intelligence services, that disruption has opened new opportunities. With more former U.S. officials seeking employment or freelance work - often in specialized national security fields - adversaries, namely China, have stepped in, posing as consulting firms, research groups and recruiters.
US news
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 weeks ago

North Korean agents using AI to trick western firms into hiring them, Microsoft says

The scam typically involves state-backed fraudsters applying for remote IT work in the west, using fake identities and the help of facilitators in the country where the company targeted is based. Once hired, they send their wages back to Kim Jong-un's state and have even been known to threaten to release sensitive company data after being fired.
Information security
Information security
fromTheregister
4 weeks ago

Iran intelligence backdoored US bank, airport networks

Iranian MOIS-linked MuddyWater cyber crew embedded in US and international networks since February, including banks, software firms, and airports, with increased activity following US-Israeli military strikes.
US news
from24/7 Wall St.
2 months ago

Operation Absolute Resolve and Delta Force: Inside America's Most Secretive Missions

Delta Force and similar elite units execute highly discreet, precision-driven missions—hostage rescues, counterterrorism, and raids—shaping U.S. responses to high-risk crises.
Information security
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Intelligence firms watch for uptick in Iran cyber activity after US, Israel strikes

Tehran-linked hackers are escalating digital reconnaissance and preparing potentially disruptive cyber operations following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
fromThe Cipher Brief
1 month ago

The Kremlin Files: Russian Double Agents and Operational Games

A double agent, by contrast, is an intelligence asset who is knowingly and deliberately directed by one service to engage another in espionage. The controlling service uses that agent to feed information (called feed material) -true, false, or mixed-to the adversary. They do so to simultaneously study the adversary's tradecraft, collection priorities, and decision-making. In the Russian system, double agents also serve a bureaucratic function: they generate statistics, "success stories," and operational narratives that demonstrate effectiveness to political overseers and ultimately to Putin himself.
World news
#cyberespionage
Information security
fromTheregister
1 month ago

Google and friends disrupt suspected Beijing espionage op

Google disrupted UNC2814, a China-linked group conducting widespread cyberattacks on telecommunications and government organizations across multiple continents using Google Sheets API for command-and-control operations.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
2 months ago

The discombobulator': Did US use secret weapon' in Maduro abduction?

A sonic "discombobulator" weapon was reportedly used to disable equipment and disorient personnel during the January 3 operation in Venezuela.
US politics
fromEmptywheel
2 months ago

Massive Obama Administration Leaks on Covert CIA Program Training Syrian Rebels

Numerous anonymous U.S. officials disclosed detailed information about a covert CIA program to train Syrian rebels while the CIA declined to comment.
US politics
fromEmptywheel
2 months ago

The Scandal of Lying about "Thwarted" "Plots" Started 4 Years Ago

Only one or two U.S. terrorist plots were actually thwarted by the Section 215 call-detail dragnet; the widely cited figure of 54 is incorrect.
US politics
fromEmptywheel
2 months ago

Drone War Secrecy and Kill or Capture

The NDAA and Obama-era drone program emphasize secrecy, legal resistance to declassification, and reliance on presidential authority for targeted killings.
Information security
fromAxios
1 month ago

Exclusive: Suspected Chinese hackers impersonate U.S. briefings in phishing lure

China-linked Mustang Panda used file-based phishing to infect diplomatic and election officials with data-stealing persistent malware, detected by an AI agent at Dream.
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