Microsoft to crack down on ‘terrorist content’ across Xbox, Outlook

With the world growing more concerned about attacks by militant groups on civilians, Microsoft Corp has outlined new policies to crack down what it called “terrorist content” on some of its consumer services.

In a blog post, the company said it would focus on services such as gaming tool Xbox Live, the consumer version of its Outlook email service, and its consumer documents-sharing service.

Initially, Microsoft will rely on consumers to report objectionable content. The company also said it would fund research of a tool that scans content and flags images, audio and video.

“We will consider terrorist content to be material posted by or in support of organizations included on the Consolidated United Nations Security Council Sanctions List that depicts graphic violence, encourages violent action, endorses a terrorist organization or its acts, or encourages people to join such groups,” the blog post said.

The issue came to the fore after Apple and the US Government clashed over whether federal authorities could force Apple to create software to unlock a phone used by a shooter in the San Bernardino attacks last year.

Ultimately, the Government paid a third party to unlock the phone.

“The events of the past few months are a strong reminder that the Internet can be used for the worst reasons imaginable,” Microsoft said in its post.

It said it would provide information on how to counter negative content, a policy also adopted by Facebook.

The social-media service this year announced a tool it calls “counter speech,” encouraging activists to counter extremist views with posts promoting tolerance.

Last year, Facebook updated its guidelines to prohibit advocacy of “terrorist activity, organized criminal activity or promoting hate”.

Between mid-2015 and early 2016 Twitter suspended 125,000 accounts, most of which it believed were linked to the militant Islamic State group.

ABC Australia

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Facebook Makes It Easy For Users To Report Suspected Gun Sales

Users now have the option to do what they couldn’t when the company announced it was banning the sale of guns and ammunition through the site earlier this year: report suspected sales.

The social media giant recently rolled out a new feature that allows users to flag posts that appear to be “describing the purchase or sale of drugs, guns or regulated goods.” The option comes more than three months after Facebook first announced the ban in January, following weeks of complaints from advocates who have taken it upon themselves to police the site by reporting instances of gun sales and groups dedicated to buying and selling guns. Previously, advocates had to report suspected sales as “harassment” or as a “credible threat of violence,” options that aren’t always clear and could make it more difficult for members of Facebook’s content review team to distinguish banned content.

Facebook spokeswoman Jodi Seth said the company began rolling out the option to users in February, shortly after the new policy went into effect. She declined to say when the feature was made more widely available, adding that the company hasn’t conducted any “formal analysis” on how the change has impacted the volume of posts and groups flagged for Facebook’s content review team. Facebook says it receives roughly 1 million reports of prohibited content each day; it’s unclear what percentages of those involve suspected gun sales.

www.forbes.com

LinkedIn passwords Hacked

Hacker looks to sell 117M LinkedIn passwords. James Rogers of Fox news reports. A hacker is reportedly looking to sell a package containing account records for 167 million LinkedIn users on the darknet.

LinkedIn says that it is moving quickly to deal with the release of data from a 2012 security breach, which could include 117 million passwords. These accounts are said to contain “hashed” passwords, which use an algorithm to protect the password.

 

“We are taking immediate steps to invalidate the passwords of the accounts impacted, and we will contact those members to reset their passwords,” said LinkedIn’s Chief Information Security Officer Cory Scott.

LinkedIn said that it has started to invalidate passwords for all accounts created prior to the 2012 breach that haven’t updated their password since that breach. However, regularly changing your password is always a good idea instead of waiting to be notified.

Automated tools are being used to attempt to identify and block any suspicious activity that might occur on affected LinkedIn accounts.

The haul of LinkedIn data is reportedly on sale for $2,200.

Tod Beardsley, security research manager at cybersecurity specialist Rapid7, told FoxNews.com that the most valuable data in the LinkedIn compromise may not be the passwords at all, but the enormous registry of email addresses connected to working professionals. “Spammers rely on accurate, active email addresses to target, and the low price tag of 5 Bitcoin (approximately $2,200) is likely to generate significant interest from today’s spam industry,” he explained. “While people’s passwords can and should change routinely, email addresses and usernames persist for years without easy mechanisms to change them.”

Selling off additional data is a regular practice by cybercriminals, according to Amit Ashbel, director of product marketing at application security specialist Checkmarx. “Once they manage a large hack they will always save something for a rainy day,” he said, via email. “The fact that these are now being sold online indicates to me more than anything else that the hacker needs cash and now is the time to pop out that old stash and sell to the highest bidder.”

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers

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 Hacker puts data from 167 million LinkedIn accounts up for sale, report says

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WhatsApp encryption is affecting FBI’s work in ‘huge ways’

 

Cyber crime law in Papua New Guinea

Communication and Information Technology Minister Jimmy Miringtoro has called for support in the fight against cybercrime, from all key government institutions, ICT service providers, business houses and individuals.

Speaking at the Cybercrime Policy launch in Port Moresby, Miringtoro said once the legislation is finalized, the offenders of cybercrime will be prosecuted under this new law.

In addition, he said the regulation on simcard registration will complement the cybercrime legislation once it becomes a law.

“It will therefore be mandatory for operators to register all mobile phone SIM card holders. And I urge every SIM card holder to cooperate with the operators on the SIM card registration exercise for the good of our society.”

Miringtoro told Loop PNG that the SIM card registration will be aligned by the government’s National Identity (NID) program that is being rolled out across the country.

Meanwhile, it was reported in a local media outlet that the government will come down hard on improper users of ICT services and warns that a K20,000 fine or 3 months imprisonment will apply under section 266 of the NICTA Act 2009 with NICTA saying it will charge anyone who “lies” on social media, emails, blogs, forums including Facebook.

Related stories:

http://www.looppng.com/content/cyber-crime-spotlight-today

 

Phone number stolen, along with K179,000

Sue, who wishes to be known only by her first name, lost AUD 80,000 (K179,000) when thieves managed to take her mobile phone number and use it to authorise bank transfers.

Her bank required a password, delivered by text message, before processing transfers.

“I was in Airlie Beach and I tried to ring my son and he didn’t return my call so I went back to my hotel and noticed my phone had ‘SOS only’ on it,” she said.

“I got my iPad to get on Facebook, opened up my mail and saw all these transfers — NetBank notification after NetBank notification.

“In that week I got 176 emails of people purchasing stuff — $4,000 at Apple in Perth, JB Hifi in Brisbane.

“I thought I’ll ring Telstra and they said you just cancelled your phone and transferred to another carrier. It was Optus.

“We don’t know how it happened — we presume the driver’s licence. When they opened the Optus account they had my driver’s licence number. I haven’t lost my bag, I haven’t lost anything. All I can think of is that I never got my (licence) renewal in the mail.”

Dr Lacey said there are simple security measures people can take to protect themselves, such as changing their passwords regularly and using anti-virus software.

For help and counselling click on this link: IDCARE

Operating out of a demountable building on the University of the Sunshine Coast campus is IDCARE, the only free helpline for Australian and New Zealand victims of identity fraud.

IDCARE is made up of about 20 staff — some of them volunteers — and it is funded by contributions from industry and the Federal Government.

 

edX University of Adalaide offers Cyberwar training

Cybercrime is an issue that is affecting the lives of many people throughout the world. In Papua New Guinea many people are not aware of its existence and fall prey to the cyber criminals. Things like scams and pornographic links are all too common. A family member was a victim of cyber crime but this can be another topic. Right now I’m just feeling fortunate that edX has given me a unique opportunity to learn online about Cyber hacking and security issues and receive a certificate at the end of course. This by far in comparison to previous years is a mild stone for me. Looking forward to meeting you all.

Related reading:

Cyber crime policing AFP

Cyber crime ACC

Cyber crime wikipedia

Identity theft Victims

Baghdad embassy shooting: Detained former solider was investigated over threats

A former soldier detained after last week’s fatal shooting at the Australian embassy in Baghdadwas investigated six years ago for allegedly making violent threats to colleagues.

Sun McKay, 39, is now believed to be under armed guard in the Iraqi capital, after fellow Australian contractor Chris Betts was found dead in his room on Thursday from a gunshot to the head.

Colleagues have said both men had been drinking in their accommodation block before the shooting about 2:30am.

A former embassy guard who worked with both men at the private security firm Unity Resources Group told the ABC he and his colleagues had long been concerned about Mr McKay’s behaviour.

“In 2010 he was reported to management after making threats to shoot people who upset him,” the former private security guard said speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Another former Australian soldier Murdoch White began an investigation into the alleged threats, but it was later dropped after Mr McKay’s colleagues decided not to lodge formal complaints against him.

In 2009 Mr McKay was detained for several months in Dubai after an altercation with a policeman at the airport.

During his detention he told the Seven Network he felt “incredibly lonely” and “incredibly homesick”.

The ABC understands federal police have now begun searching Mr McKay’s room in the Iraqi capital as they continue their investigations.

Last weekend Mr McKay’s cousin John McKay appealed for the public to reserve its judgement on his relative.

“I ask people to not judge Sun at all until the full true facts can come out,” he told reporters in Adelaide on Saturday.

“There is no doubt in my mind that what he has said is what happened.”

John McKay said the fact his cousin was part of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s security detail during his visit to Iraq in January was proof of his good character.

“He wouldn’t have been put in the position to be in that car with Mr Turnbull if they didn’t think he was safe and secure and clear headed,” Mr McKay said.

ABC Australia

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: MAY 19TH 2016 NATIONWIDE SHUTDOWN

 

A notice from a Coalition of civil society groups dated 17/05/16, was circulated nation wide on email and social media urging the public and work force to come to a stand still. This was in a desperate attempt to stamp down on the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O’Niell to step aside from office for alleged corrupt dealings.

It was in support of the UPNG (University of Papua New Guinea) boycotting classes to petition the Prime Minister to step down from office.

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Beldan Namah calls for PNG to remove PM

The Papua New Guinea opposition MP who launched the successful challenge to the Manus Island asylum seeker detention centre has called for the removal of the prime minister Peter O’Neill.

In 2014, the then opposition leader Belden Namah challenged the deal between Australia and PNG to open the Manus centre for offshore processing of asylum seekers who had tried to reach Australia.

PNG’s Supreme Court last month ruled that the Manus arrangement was illegal.

Belden Namah said the ruling nearly three weeks ago showed that Mr O’Neill attempted to vandalise and compromise PNG’s constitution to serve the policy interests of a foreign government.

While the prime minister declared following the ruling that the centre would be closed, the governments of PNG and Australia have yet to settle on what to do with the asylum seekers and refugees still on Manus.

Mr Namah said he was giving the PNG and Australian governments three months to close down the facility.

Furthermore, he has called on Mr O’Neill to resign due to what he describes as mounting governance and economic crises.

The Vanimo-Green River MP was also partly responsible for another successful Supreme Court challenge against an O’Neill government initiative.

The 30-month grace period amendment, which further protected PNG’s government from motions of no-confidence in parliament, was declared unconstitutional last year.

Belden Namah cited the latest ruling as further evidence that Peter O’Neill was prepared to compromise and vandalize the constitution to build his personal wealth while the country was brought to its knees.

Defending the constitution

Mr Namah’s call came as police fraud squad detectives recently made a series of high profile arrests linked to a major fraud case implicating the prime minister.

The probe stems from investigations by the anti-corruption unit Taskforce Sweep.

An arrest warrant was secured in 2014, but fraud detectives remain stayed from arresting Mr O’Neill on that charge by a judicial review still before the courts.

Claiming PNG needs an urgent rescue, Mr Namah said he and his colleagues in opposition had done all they could to defend the constitution and hold the prime minister accountable, but that the people must take the country back.

“The whole country needs to rally behind the university students, and the PNG anti – corruption police and Task Force Sweep Team and demand the immediate resignation of the Prime Minister,” said Mr Namah.

The prime minister has repeatedly claimed his innocence over the fraud case and denied there was any evidence of wrongdoing on his part.

However Mr Namah said the Prime Minister must clear himself from allegations of corruption through the institutions of state that have worked very well for 40 years since independence.

“Papua New Guinea will be no more if this man, Peter O’Neill is allowed one more day in office” he said at a press conference in Port Moresby yesterday.

The former opposition leader said a new government or prime minister was needed as a matter of urgency to review, reform and take corrective measures to the economy and save the nation from total collapse.

“Our corruption index rating has gone over the roof, our economic and financial rating nosedived to negative value, and as an investment destination, we have withered away”.

Author:

Radio NZ

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PNG BLOGS

Vetting committee is unconstitutional

Now we have a vetting committee in Papua New Guinea that screens high profile police investigations before any arrests can be made.

This committee was set up after the suspension of the PNG Fraud Squad by PNG’s police commissioner Gary Baki following a series of high-profile arrests made by the fraud squad last month.

Head of fraud squad Mathew Damaru and his colleagues allegedly were accused by Police commissioner Gary Baki of procedural breaches and reminding them of the conditions for reopening the Fraud Squad operations; that all high-profile cases be presented to a vetting committee before arrests can be warranted.

A lawyer representing Papua New Guinea’s police fraud squad says conditions around vetting “high profile” investigations is suspicious. Mr Damaru’s lawyer McRonald Nale said the vetting committee condition was unconstitutional.

So how do you define the word high-profile?

It is actually discriminating against the citizens of Papua New Guinea. If the police is investigating the Prime Minister or an unemployed youth, the law should apply to everyone regardless of stature.

Frankly there is nothing in the Papua New Guinea constitution or the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Act which specify that all police personnel must inform the Police Commissioner first before they carry out any arrest on citizens and leaders of this country.

There is nothing in the RPNGC Act or the PNG Constitution which says that court judges, Members of Parliament and lawyers are subject to arrest only under the Police Commissioner’s discretion while ordinary citizens are subject to the harsh law of being beaten up first and charged later.

Coincidently, the Police Commissioners office is politically appointed and one and can be subject to manipulation and dictation from higher powers to get the outcome needed to conceal corruption practices.

No right thinking citizen should tolerate such one sided tactics from the government leaders and politically motivated decisions, when we all are equal in status and come under one organic law regardless of ethnicity, qualification, wealth or fame.

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