Hackers Impersonate Ukrainian CERT to Plant a RAT on Government, Hospital Networks
Ukrainian cyber‑defense agency CERT‑UA was spoofed with an AI‑generated website and phishing emails that distributed a password‑protected ZIP containing the AGEWHEEZE remote‑access Trojan. The Go‑based RAT offered full screen, input and system control and communicated with a command‑and‑control server on French OVH infrastructure via WebSocket. The campaign targeted government bodies, hospitals, schools and financial firms between March 26‑27, but CERT‑UA reported only a handful of personal devices were compromised. Authorities provided remediation guidance and published indicators of compromise.
The U.S.-Japan Alliance: Today and Beyond
The RAND Corporation hosted the 12th annual U.S.–Japan Alliance Series on February 17, 2026, in partnership with Japan House Los Angeles and the Japanese Consulate General. The conference examined the alliance’s trajectory after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae...
“Sleeper Cells” In Telcos Seen Using Novel New BPFdoor Malware
Researchers have identified a novel malware called BPFdoor that exploits the Linux kernel’s eBPF subsystem to filter packets at kernel level, evading firewalls, IDS and deep packet inspection. The threat has been observed operating as “sleeper cells” within telecommunications networks,...
Norway Boosts Defence by $12bn to Hit 3.5% of GDP for NATO
Norway announced an additional 115 billion crowns (≈ $12 bn) in defence spending through 2036, enabling it to meet NATO’s 3.5 % of GDP target by 2035. The boost builds on a previously outlined 1.62 trillion‑crown (≈ $167 bn) long‑term plan for 2025‑2036 and is financed without...
Does the Iran War Indicate that AI Safety, Alignment Is Futile?
Iran fired missiles at the joint U.K.–U.S. Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, though none reached the target, highlighting a possible expansion of its long‑range strike capability. The incident is being used to question whether AI safety and alignment...
Thailand’s Cybersecurity Boom Has a Weak Core
Thailand’s cybersecurity market has expanded rapidly through 2025, driven by aggressive digital transformation, cloud adoption and new data‑infrastructure initiatives. However, operational depth has lagged, with ransomware employing double‑extortion tactics and APT groups targeting financial firms more frequently. A chronic talent...
Electric and Hybrid Aerial Drone Fleets Are Expanding Their Footprint
Renewable‑powered uncrewed aerial vehicles are moving from prototype to frontline deployment, with electric and hybrid drones gaining traction across Western militaries. The UK Royal Navy cleared the T‑150 for combat, while the United States and France are pouring funds into...
Critical Fortinet Forticlient EMS Flaw Now Exploited in Attacks
Threat‑intelligence firm Defused reports active exploitation of Fortinet’s FortiClient EMS vulnerability CVE‑2026‑21643. The SQL‑injection flaw lets unauthenticated attackers execute arbitrary code via crafted HTTP requests to the EMS web GUI. Shodan and Shadowserver data show roughly 1,000‑2,000 publicly exposed instances,...
NAD Strengthens Board with Former UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey
Nordic Air Defence (NAD), a Stockholm‑based defence‑tech startup, announced the appointment of former UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey and Head of Product Nicholas Högasten to its board. The move comes as NAD pushes its K100XR autonomous interceptor into European...
![[Interview] Ukraine Journalist Vitaliy Sych: When Russians Discuss Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, It Means ‘They Got Their Asses Kicked’](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static.euobserver.com/2026/03/VSI1885.jpg)
[Interview] Ukraine Journalist Vitaliy Sych: When Russians Discuss Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, It Means ‘They Got Their Asses Kicked’
Ukrainian journalist Vitaliy Sych told EUobserver that 75 Shahed drones are en route to Kyiv as Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones in a single day. He warned that Hungary’s veto of roughly €90 bn (about $97 bn) in EU assistance threatens Ukraine’s...
Stats SA Confirms Data Breach as Hackers Demand R1.7m Ransom
Stats SA confirmed that hacker group XP95 accessed its HR recruitment database, stealing roughly 154 GB of personal data and demanding a $100,000 (R1.7 million) ransom. The agency rejected the demand, citing compliance with South Africa’s Public Finance Management Act and plans...
DroneShield Establishes European Headquarters to Accelerate Regional Growth and Sovereign Counter-UAS Capability
DroneShield has opened a new European headquarters in Amsterdam, anchoring its EU Centre of Excellence and expanding its regional manufacturing footprint. The move supports the EU’s ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 initiative and aims to deliver sovereign counter‑UAS capability for NATO‑aligned customers. Europe...
China Building More Giant Zubr-Class Hovercraft
China has entered series production of the Soviet‑designed Zubr‑class hovercraft, expanding its fleet to at least nine vessels and potentially 10‑12. The massive craft can carry up to 500 troops, three main battle tanks or ten lighter AFVs at speeds...
Iran’s Water Weapon Against the Gulf
The Persian Gulf, long known as an oil‑rich petrostates region, now depends heavily on desalination, supplying over 40 percent of the world’s desalinated water and up to 99 percent of domestic drinking water in some states. Iran has warned that any U.S....
They’ve Been Accused of Running a ‘Covert’ Operation in Greenland. It’s No Secret.
Denmark’s intelligence service accused three Trump‑linked Americans of running covert influence operations in Greenland, prompting Copenhagen to summon the senior U.S. diplomat in protest. The two most likely subjects, former Green Beret Drew Horn and Arctic adviser Thomas Dans, denied...
The Dual-Use SAR Market: How Companies Like ICEYE Are Selling the Same Constellation to Governments and Insurers
ICEYE is targeting more than €1 billion (≈$1.1 billion) in revenue for 2026, buoyed by a €1.76 billion (≈$1.9 billion) German Bundeswehr contract and a €1.5 billion (≈$1.6 billion) backlog. The company’s dual‑use synthetic‑aperture‑radar (SAR) constellation serves high‑margin defense customers while monetising excess capacity in insurance,...
WA Launches First Nuclear Foundations Training Program for AUKUS
Western Australia has launched its first nuclear foundations training program to ready the state’s manufacturing and industrial workforce for the AUKUS nuclear‑powered submarine initiative. The $2.5 million Australian‑dollar (about $1.65 million USD) Defence Industry Reskilling and Upskilling Grants will fund up to...
New U.S. Missile Hit Iranian Sports Hall and School, Analysis Shows
On Feb. 28, the Pentagon deployed a newly developed Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) in an attack near Lamerd, Iran, striking a sports hall and adjacent elementary school. Visual evidence examined by The New York Times and weapons experts shows the missile detonated above...
Turkish Intelligence Targets India: Erdogan’s Expanding Footprint Near New Delhi Raises Concerns: OPED
Turkish intelligence services have been monitoring the Noida‑based Indialogue Foundation, an organization tied to the Gülen movement, and forwarded the collected data to a criminal court in Ankara in early 2026. The surveillance documents, dated late 2025, suggest a specialized...
Trump Threatens Easy Takeover of Iran’s Kharg Island as Pentagon Prepares For Ground Invasion
President Donald Trump told the Financial Times the United States could capture Iran’s Kharg Island “very easily,” positioning the Gulf oil terminal as a potential target for a limited ground operation. The Pentagon has begun moving thousands of airborne troops...
Yes, China Has Made Inroads in the Pacific, but Australia Still Does Far More
Recent Chinese naval activities, including a circumnavigation and a close approach to Australia’s exclusive economic zone, have spotlighted Beijing’s growing maritime presence in the Pacific. Despite these moves, Australia remains the dominant partner, providing extensive fisheries assistance, patrol boats, infrastructure...
Strengthening Spain's Digital Sovereignty: Red Hat Enterprise Linux Achieves Top-Tier ENS Security Certification
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9.0 Extended Update Support has been added to Spain’s CPSTIC catalogue, earning top‑tier certification under the National Security Framework (ENS). The inclusion authorises public‑sector bodies to deploy RHEL while meeting the strict confidentiality, integrity and...
Cyber Security’s Workforce Gap Is a Capability Risk for Government
Australia is pouring billions into cyber security hardware and sovereign capability, yet its workforce remains a critical vulnerability. Women represent only 17% of the nation’s cyber professionals, highlighting a stark diversity gap that hampers problem‑solving under pressure. The Australian Public...
Diego Garcia Is Proving Its Value and Is Key to Future Operations
The United Kingdom is providing passive support for U.S. operations by allowing long‑range bombers and joint‑force missions to launch from Diego Garcia, a British Indian Ocean Territory base. Recent CENTCOM releases show the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and its 3,500‑strong...
Always-On Assurance: Moving APS Security From “Trust” To Reproducible Evidence
The latest Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture report highlights a decisive move from point‑in‑time audit snapshots to always‑on, automated evidence of control effectiveness. Organizations are urged to replace frantic pre‑audit scrambles with continuous monitoring that delivers reproducible compliance data in real...
Satellite Imaging Industry’s Next Challenge: Getting Systems to Talk to Each Other
Commercial Earth‑observation constellations are delivering optical, radar and RF data at unprecedented rates, prompting defense agencies to seek fused, decision‑ready intelligence. While processing can now occur almost instantly, the real challenge is tasking—coordinating multiple sensors to capture complementary views of...
Australia, Germany Advance Manufacturing Cooperation on Guided Weapons Components
The Australian Defence Department signed a Letter of Intent with German warhead manufacturer TDW GmbH to explore local production and maintenance of warheads for the Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile. The deal is part of a broader $850 million...
/file/attachments/orphans/Tori_627181.jpg)
MISSING IN ACTION: AG Finds SANDF Can’t Keep Track of Military Assets as R823m Troop Deployment Begins
The South African Auditor‑General reported that the Department of Defence cannot locate many of its own movable assets, despite managing a $3.6 bn equipment base. This audit comes as the SANDF begins a $43 mn Operation Prosper deployment of about 2,200 troops...
Japan’s Long-Term Titanium Push Key to West’s Security Check on China
Japan is accelerating a China‑free titanium strategy, highlighted by Sovereign Metals' off‑take agreement with Mitsui to deliver up to 70,000 tonnes of high‑grade rutile from Malawi each year. The move follows Western supply shocks, including the shutdown of Ukraine’s titanium...
Ukraine Rebukes Rheinmetall over CEO’s ‘Play with Legos’ Drone Insult
German arms maker Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger sparked outrage in Kyiv after calling Ukraine’s drone program a "Lego" exercise and dismissing its technology as amateurish. Ukrainian officials and defense firms defended the drones, highlighting their battlefield efficiency and the role...
Netanyahu Orders Expansion of Security Buffer Zone in Southern Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israeli military will further expand the security buffer zone along the southern Lebanese border. The move aims to strengthen Israel's defensive posture amid rising cross‑border fire from Hezbollah. Netanyahu framed the expansion...
Iran Says 281 Students, Teachers Killed in US-Israeli Attacks
Iran's Education Ministry reported that at least 281 students and teachers were killed in a series of US‑Israeli airstrikes that began on Feb. 28. The death toll includes 222 students, four preschool children, 48 teachers and seven retired staff, while...
Two Cross-Border Drones Crash in Finland
Finland’s defence ministry reported that two small, slow‑flying drones entered Finnish airspace on Sunday and crashed near the city of Kouvola, about 200 km northeast of Helsinki. Officials, including Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen, said the incursions were taken seriously and that...
File Read Flaw in Smart Slider Plugin Impacts 500K WordPress Sites
A file‑read flaw (CVE‑2026‑3098) in the Smart Slider 3 WordPress plugin allows any authenticated user, even a subscriber, to export arbitrary server files. The vulnerability stems from missing capability checks in the plugin’s AJAX export function, enabling access to sensitive files...
'Bury Them:' Alaska Army Guard's Avalanche Company Hones Lethality
From March 20‑22, the Alaska Army National Guard’s Avalanche Company executed a live‑fire Infantry Platoon Battle Course at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson, testing squad movement, marksmanship and coordinated attacks in deep snow. Soldiers wore snowshoes and over‑white pants to blend into the...
Quieter, Stealthier, Further: New Hybrid Unit to Power China’s Small Battle Drones
China’s state‑backed Sichuan Tianfu Light Power Technology has successfully flight‑tested a 60‑kilowatt hybrid propulsion unit for small battlefield drones. The system pairs a gas‑turbine generator with an electric ducted fan, allowing on‑the‑fly switching between fuel‑driven and pure electric modes. This...
Kyodo News Digest: March 29, 2026
Police searched a Japanese Ground Self‑Defense Force base after a 23‑year‑old lieutenant entered the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, claiming he wanted to convey opinions and threaten suicide. Former Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda urged raising the policy rate to...
NATO Official Says Members Often Aren't Buying Weapons Together, and It's a Mistake
NATO’s assistant secretary general Tarja Jaakola warned that member states still buy weapons individually, missing out on cost and speed benefits of joint procurement. She highlighted the Patriot missile co‑production as a rare success, but noted most programs remain fragmented....
The Kurdish Ground Force Preparing to Fight in Iran
Kurdish rebel group PJAK, the most organized faction of Iran's Kurdish opposition, says it is ready to join a ground invasion of Iran, coordinating with U.S. and Israeli efforts. The group maintains thousands of sleeper cells inside Iran and has...
Ukraine Blows up Russian Heavy Rocket Systems in Crimea
Ukrainian forces used a long‑range one‑way drone developed by Fire Point to destroy three Russian Tornado‑S multiple‑launch rocket systems and a support vehicle near Karakul in occupied Crimea. The strike, coordinated with Ukraine’s Security Service intelligence, eliminated artillery capable of...
U.S. Army Boosts Ammo Production Support Efforts
The U.S. Army has issued a $44.6 million solicitation for engineering support to modernize its ammunition industrial base over the next five years. The multi‑award IDIQ contract will allow several firms to provide services such as production program management, performance analysis,...
A Toothless Iran? Missile and Drone Strikes Show It Can Still Inflict Pain.
Iran has conducted a series of missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, striking a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia, a port in Oman, Kuwait International Airport, and an aluminum plant in Abu Dhabi. The assaults injured dozens...
Strikes Continue as Houthis Join Iran War, US Troops Arrive
Attacks in the Middle East entered a fifth week as Israel struck Tehran and Saudi Arabia intercepted nearly a dozen drones, following Yemen‑based Houthi militants joining the Iran‑Israel war. The United States bolstered its presence with an additional 3,500 troops...
Is Su-57 Dead ? With 114 Rafales, AMCA & 6th-Gen Jet on Cards for IAF, Is It End of Road...
India has cleared roughly $25 billion in new defence proposals—including transport aircraft, S‑400 systems and drones—while earlier authorising $40 billion for additional Rafale fighters and P‑8I maritime patrol planes. Russia’s year‑long pitch to sell the Su‑57, complete with technology transfer and local...
The War With Iran May Be Ushering in a New Nuclear Age
Donald Trump’s recent comments about aggressive action, including talk of seizing Greenland, have unsettled traditional allies. The remarks have sparked a wave of debate across NATO, with Germany and Poland reconsidering reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Both countries are...
One Month Into Iran War, only Hard Choices for Trump
One month after the U.S.-Israeli strike campaign against Iran, President Donald Trump is wrestling with two stark choices: negotiate a rapid exit or intensify military action that could drag the United States into a prolonged conflict. Iran’s missile and drone...
Why U.S. Special Operations Forces Will Focus More On The Cyber Domain
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) announced a strategic shift to prioritize cyber warfare, citing increasingly sophisticated adversary technology and a surge in gray‑zone threats. Leaders highlighted that special‑operations budgets have been constrained to roughly the cost of a single aircraft...
Iran Threatens to Use 'Gate of Tears' If US Deploys Ground Troops
Iran warned it will target the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait—dubbed the "Gate of Tears"—if the United States deploys ground troops, adding a potential second choke point to the Middle‑East conflict. The Iran‑aligned Houthi rebels have already demonstrated the ability to strike...
Houthis Missile Attacks on Israel Widen Middle East War
Iran‑backed Houthi rebels fired a barrage of cruise missiles and drones at Israeli military sites, marking their first direct strike in the month‑long Middle East conflict. The attacks heightened concerns about the war spilling into the Red Sea, where Houthi‑targeted...
Booby-Trapped Insoles Allegedly Reached Russian Troops
Ukraine’s intelligence services allegedly placed 1.5‑gram TNT charges inside heated insoles and routed them through volunteer‑run humanitarian channels to Russian military units. The Russian Federal Security Service intercepted a shipment of 504 such devices, suggesting a larger, tens‑of‑thousands‑strong operation. The...