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Showing posts with label educational.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label educational.. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

When malware strikes


Knowing what to do can be the difference between a costly trip to the repair shop and a diy fix at home.

MANY of us have been there before – an accidental click or file download that leaves us worrying about whether our passwords have been stolen or our webcam has been compromised.

Or maybe it’s the system becoming slow, erratic, freezing, or crashing, which may hint that something strange is going on with your machine.

But hiring a professional can be an expensive affair, and lugging around an entire desktop computer for troubleshooting is anything but fun, so it’s best to check if you can fix the issue yourself.

Those on Windows 7 or 8 should take note that their operating system (OS) is in end-of-life status, making it especially vulnerable to malware as it no longer receives security updates.

Antivirus 101

One thing to keep in mind is that no antivirus or anti-malware tool is perfect, as one may detect a virus while another misses it completely.

Like seeing a doctor, it’s valuable to have a second opinion in the form of another software scanner. Good options include Malwarebytes, Avast Antivirus, and antivirus programs from Kaspersky.

However, the first thing you’ll want to do is download Rkill (bit.ly/rkill), a handy tool from Bleeping Computer that kills malware still resident in memory and running in the background, also known as “processes”. It will also list them in a text file.

This is vital, as active malware can attempt to trick and hide from antivirus programs.

Then do an antivirus scan – don’t use more than one at the same time, as simultaneous scans can result in the antivirus programs mistaking each other for malware.

If the scans turn up positive, potentially malicious items will be listed, and the antivirus will prompt you on what action to take, such as to quarantine or remove the affected file or folder.

It’s best practice to look up the name listed by the antivirus, as it could be a false positive.

Then switch over to the alternative antivirus tool and run another scan to cover blind spots.

If the antivirus discovered an issue and fixed it, then all is well; otherwise, you will have to get your hands dirty by engaging in a little “digital forensics”.

‘Suite up’, digital detective

Your digital forensics work will require a toolkit to analyse and understand your computer better, especially what’s causing the issue.

Our recommendation is the Sysinternals Suite (bit.ly/sysinternalssuite), a set of utilities from Microsoft that provides a detailed view of what each and every program and process is doing.

Like Rkill, Sysinternals is meant to do the same, except that you will be the one identifying, disabling, and removing the malware manually.

One of the most useful tools it contains is the Process Explorer (procexp64.exe in the Suite folder), which lists all the active processes in a system, one of which could be malware.

In Process Explorer, click on the options tab and enable the options for both “Verify Image Signatures” and “Check Virustotal.com”.

Things to look for here are processes without descriptions or verified image signatures from a third-party vendor to indicate it’s a legitimate program.

The description and signature columns may turn up blank for some Windows processes, so ignore those and focus on the ones labelled “unverified”.

Virustotal.com is a website that collates information from 75 different malware-scanning engines because, you know, who needs a second opinion when you can get 75?

If a process is legitimate, then it should have a proper description, a verified image signature from a third-party vendor (like Microsoft or Adobe), and not be flagged by any of the antivirus engines (0/75).

A side note: users looking to check if a specific file is malware can also upload it directly to Virustotal.com, though the size is limited to 650MB.

Make sure to look up each process to find out more about it before taking action, as there are many different types of malware out there, with some being more difficult to remove. There’s a shortcut to searching online included in the right-click menu to help with this. Process Explorer can also be used to uncover processes that are utilising the resources of your graphic card, RAM, and storage.

For a more granular view of what a process is doing, the Process Monitor (Procmon64.exe) tool includes details like where a process is writing a file and whether it’s making a network connection to upload something.

Do note that it is still not immune to false positives. Two of my legitimate processes are always flagged by Virustotal: Apagent.exe (for an Apple Airport Router that was repurposed as network attached storage) and Gaming services. exe (an official process from Microsoft for its video game platform and store).

When a malicious process is discovered, right-click and view its properties, which will reveal details like how it is being launched and where the file is being stored.

Like with Rkill, you will need to kill the malicious process, though some malware types run multiple processes at once so that they can restart each other as you kill them.

In this case, it’s best to “suspend” the target processes first before terminating them.

Then move on to the Autoruns (Autoruns64.exe) tool to disable it from starting up automatically when the machine turns on.

Avoid deleting the entry right away since it could be a misidentified process; instead, disable it first to confirm it is indeed malware.

Once sure, navigate to the folder hous usually ing the malware – these are “user folders” like Temp or Appdata, as administrative rights are not required for malware to access them – and delete the source file to end your woes.

Though, for more complex malware, manual removal may be difficult or downright impossisure ble, so make to check what is involved.

In the worst scenario, case there’s always the nuclear option of doing a clean install of Windows, but this will wipe out your entire system.

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DIGITAL WAVE of deception

DIGITAL WAVE of deception


Tuesday, May 30, 2023

China’s Shenzhou 16 mission sends its first civilian astronaut into space


 

Shenzhou-16 launch: China sends first civilian astronaut to ...

Among the Shenzhou-16 crew, Gui, a professor at China’s prestigious aeronautics institution Beihang University who pursued his postdoctoral studies in Canada, is the first Chinese civilian to be on a spaceflight.

Highlights of Shenzhou-16 Mission
 
Photo: Zhang Jingyi

Photo: Zhang Jingyi

 

 

For the team lineup, the Shenzhou-16 for the first time includes a payload expert, Gui Haichao, along with flight engineer Zhu Yangzhu that will be led by veteran taikonaut Jing Haipeng, whose trip marks his fourth time in space. Jing will serve as the mission commander.

This is China's first time including a space engineer and a payload specialist as part of a Shenzhou crew. According to China Manned Space Agency, the space engineer's job will mainly focus on ensuring the normal operation of the spacecraft, performing necessary maintenance and inspection of spacecraft systems and equipment, including executing space walks.

While for payload specialist Gui Haichao, who has attracted the most public attention as the only non-career taikonaut to enter space, he will be responsible for managing and operating scientific researches and experimental projects in the space station, focusing mainly on the management and operation of payload.

During their mission, the Shenzhou-16 crew will continue to conduct extravehicular activities and cargo airlock extravehicular tasks, space science experiments, and the trial of new technology. The mission will also include platform management, taikonaut support system tests, and science education activities, the Global Times learned from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

This is the first manned space mission at the space station's application and development phase, and also the first radial rendezvous and docking performed under the T-structure formed by the three modules.

Compared with previous radial docking practices executed by the Shenzhou-13 and Shenzhou-14 spacecraft during the construction stage of the space station, the maneuver for this time will represent a more complex challenge, given the larger combination mass and size, and more intricate aerodynamic effects, the CASC revealed.

Specifically, with the successive joining of more modules and spacecraft including the extra-large Wentian and Mengtian lab modules, as well as manned and cargo spaceships, the space station's size, mass, inertia, and center of gravity have changed significantly, impacting the attitude control of docking vehicles, with some parameters even increasing by orders of magnitude.

Previously when the Shenzhou-14 manned spacecraft docked radially with the space station, it weighed only 47 tons. Now, the Shenzhou-16 will face a 90-ton space station complex with crew onboard.

Therefore, the Shenzhou-16 will use a relative attitude and position control manner, especially for close-range docking. The changes in motion characteristics of the space station will directly affect the spacecraft's rendezvous and docking control process.

As for the launch vehicle, deputy chief designer of the Long March-2F carrier rocket Liu Feng told the Global Times that they have made over 20 technical adjustments to improve rocket performance.

The development team has focused on improving redundancy and equipment advancement to continuously enhance the reliability of the rocket, Liu said, noting that the team has promoted the localization of various electrical system components on the rocket so as to further improve the level of independent control of the product.

The team also used digital and information technology to empower the rocket and introduced "intelligence" into data interpretation.

With the construction of remote measurement and launch support system, developers have achieved real-time communication of test data for the Long March-2F rocket, so that ground control personnel can more easily and comprehensively receive relevant data from the rocket, and carry out real-time monitoring and analysis meanwhile displaying it on the shared screen simultaneously. 

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New entry of civil aviation: China's C919 passenger plane

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The rise of China’s Silicon Valley, Zhongguancun (ZGC) (中关村) - Top scientist, entities gather at popular forum

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Sunday, May 28, 2023

"The New China Playbook – Beyond Socialism and Capitalism"

 

 

The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism

.

Keyu Jin

Associate Professor of Economics

Department of Economics

Keyu Jin

LSE

https://www.lse.ac.uk › economics › people › faculty
Faculty page of Dr Keyu Jin. ... Keyu Jin. Associate Professor of Economics. Department of Economics. Email. k.jin@lse.ac.uk. Room No. SAL.1.17.

 

Summary

“Keyu Jin is a brilliant thinker.” —Tony Blair, former prime minster of the United Kingdom

A myth-dispelling, comprehensive guide to the Chinese economy and its path to ascendancy.

China's economy has been booming for decades now. A formidable and emerging power on the world stage, the China that most Americans picture is only a rough sketch, based on American news coverage, policy, and ways of understanding.

Enter Keyu Jin: a world-renowned economist who was born in China, educated in the U.S., and is now a tenured professor at the London School of Economics. A person fluent in both Eastern and Western cultures, and a voice of the new generation of Chinese who represent a radical break from the past, Jin is uniquely poised to explain how China became the most successful economic story of our time, as it has shifted from primarily state-owned enterprise to an economy that is thriving in entrepreneurship, and participation in the global economy.

China’s economic realm is colorful and lively, filled with paradoxes and conundrums, and Jin believes that by understanding the Chinese model, the people, the culture and history in its true perspective, one can reconcile what may appear to be contradictions to the Western eye.

What follows is an illuminating account of a burgeoning world power, its past, and its potential future.

* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF of charts, graphs, and other key visual aids from the book.

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More countries complain US' reckless 'decoupling' from China hurts their economies

Some traditional allies of US like Australia and UK have recently complained that the US' reckless “decoupling” from China has led to losses to their economies -- a phenomenon that experts said indicates the harm caused by Washington's bashing-China policies.

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Saturday, May 27, 2023

The Bankrupting of America

 




 

US debt ceiling impasse and a default’s impact on Malaysia remains a concern

 

US debt issue may affect global demand


PETALING JAYA: With the United States currently being embroiled in a debate as to whether it should raise its debt ceiling before the June 1 deadline, concerns over the impact on Malaysia of the world’s largest economy defaulting on its borrowings were understandably raised among certain quarters.

This is all the more relevant when one considers the fact that the United States is Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner, with World’s Top Exports reporting that Singapore, China, the United States, Japan and Hong Kong contributing to more than half of Malaysia’s export revenue – 51.8% to be exact – in 2022.

The website also revealed that the United States accounted for US$38bil (RM173.5bil) or 10.8% of Malaysia’s export income in 2021, again behind only Singapore at 15% and China 13.6%.

Thus, it is not difficult to understand the oft-used adage, “When the US sneezes, the world catches a cold”, including of course, Malaysia.

Chief economist for HSBC Global Research Frederic Neumann had remarked on Monday that should the debt ceiling issue be drawn out of proportion, it could lead to a depression of US growth, and adversely impact Malaysian exports stateside, possibly even reducing global demand because of an increase in financial uncertainty.

The current debt ceiling is known to be at US$31.4 trillion (RM143.4 trillion), and reports from yesterday indicated that a resolution could be imminent.

Shedding more light on the matter, Centre for Market Education chief executive Dr Carmelo Ferlito said the debt ceiling can be raised again, but only if it can be voted through the House of Representatives, which has a Republican majority.

“The Republicans are trying to use the deadline to pressure President Joe Biden to agree to spending cuts.

“On April 26, the House approved a bill to raise the debt limit by US$1.5 trillion (RM6.85 trillion), but only on the condition that spending would be cut to 2022 levels and then capped at 1% growth per year,” he told StarBiz.

A simple analogy to illustrate the ceiling standoff is the case of a parent providing a teenage child with a credit card.

If the teenager exceeds the spending limit, and asks the parent for an extension of credit, it is only natural for the parent to go over the spending habits of the child before deciding to provide more credit, which has to be repaid.

If the ceiling is not raised and the US officially defaults, Ferlito said the consequences for other economies – including Malaysia – should be looked at more in the light of a general financial turmoil that the default could cause rather than the more immediate link with American bonds that firms or governments may have. 

“We do not see direct repercussions on Malaysia; rather, we foresee indirect effects in case of (a US) default, coming from a global financial turmoil,

He explained: “We do not see direct repercussions on Malaysia; rather, we foresee indirect effects in case of (a US) default, coming from a global financial turmoil.

“If there is a default, which is doubtful, there will be a financial shock and the entity of such a shock will determine how much it would impact Malaysia.”

He elaborated that a potential default and its effect on an exporting country like Malaysia can be seen as two separate phenomena, a sovereign debt default; and the business relationship between private entities.

Ferlito added: “Even if the US defaults, private companies can still transact independently from the scale of the mutual business relationship. What we have to fear more are the indirect consequences.”

Economists at Coface Services South Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd, Bernard Aw and Eve Barre, believe a breach in the debt ceiling would result in outlay cuts currently funded with borrowing while the US dollar would weaken, elevating yields.

“Such a default would also have an impact on global financial markets, which rely on the dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency and as a safe asset.

“For Asian exporters, a weakening of the dollar against their currencies would dampen their competitiveness, including for Malaysia as the United States represents its third-largest export market up to 2022,” they told StarBiz.

Although acknowledging that a negative impact on the US economy from reducing public spending would depend on the extent of those cuts, they pointed out that if an agreement leads to deep spending decreases, economic growth for the United States could be slower than the already sluggish 1.2% that Coface is forecasting for 2023.

Aw and Barre opined: “This would have a direct impact on Malaysia by reducing US demand for Malaysian goods but also on foreign investment.

“In 2021, the United States was the first source of foreign direct investment flows to Malaysia, accounting for roughly a third of the total.”

On the flipside, they projected that sharp cuts in US public spending are unlikely to be approved by the Senate, as it is controlled by the Democrats.

Meanwhile, approaching the problem from an investment perspective, chief investment officer for Tradeview Capital, Nixon Wong, echoed the economic view that a US default would have global ripple effects, including on the FBM KLCI.

“A default on US federal debt would disrupt imports of electronics and manufactured goods from Chinese factories to the United States, resulting in slower growth of orders in the entire supply chain that includes Malaysia.

“Reduced spending in the United States would lead to slower aggregate demand and import growth globally,” he said.

The effect could likely be seen on export-oriented companies on the local bourse, he said, including manufacturers of electrical and electronic and rubber products, as well as in the producers of metal, optical and scientific equipment.

He added that although Malaysia’s trade volume with the United States may be smaller compared to China, the repercussions from reduced US spending would still impact Malaysia’s exports, whether directly or indirectly.

History has shown that American political leaders have always managed to raise the debt limit before it becomes a crisis, and it is likely that this pattern will continue, Wong said.

“While there are debates and partisan divisions in Congress, it is expected that Republicans will seek spending cuts before supporting the raising of the debt ceiling.

“After all, the main agenda is to prevent a catastrophic event or severe fallout in the United States and global financial markets,” he observed. 

By KEITH HIEW

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 US urged against passing risks to world amid growing chance of a US default

A Chinese official on Tuesday warned of the significant spillover effect of US domestic policies and urged Washington to avoid passing on domestic risks to the rest of the world just to protect its own interests. The comment came after US leaders failed to reach a deal on the debt ceiling issue, with the deadline to avert the first-ever default approaching rapidly.

 

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Friday, May 19, 2023

The stark contrast between China-Central Asia Summit at Xi'an injects multilateral clean stream while G7 summit at Hiroshima dumps political sewage

 


 


What is true multilateralism and what is pseudo-multilateralism? China's Xi'an on Thursday and Japan's Hiroshima on Friday provide two samples. The China-Central Asia Summit and the Group of Seven (G7) Summit held in these two cities respectively are vivid and accurate representation and illustration. The international community can see the contrast clearly.


The leaders of China and the five Central Asian countries are meeting in Xi'an, the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road. The profound meaning it represents transcends time, space and national boundaries. The six countries trade with each other, have friendly exchanges in diplomacy, and learn from each other in culture. This kind of communication mode of openness, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit has continued from the ancient Silk Road to today's "Belt and Road," showing a strong vitality and charisma.

This is true multilateralism, which is deeply rooted and popular in the world. It is committed to tackling challenges through cooperation, addressing issues that matter to all through consultation, and pursuing unity rather than division, cooperation rather than confrontation. The China-Central Asia Summit is a concrete practice of true multilateralism. It not only promotes the development of relations between China and Central Asian countries, but also injects a clear stream into the complicated and turbulent international situation where some people deliberately muddle the water. As a result, Xi'an, the ancient capital of thousands of years, presents a new look.


The G7 summit to be held in Hiroshima, Japan, makes an instant contrastive display of pseudo-multilateralism, or defines pseudo-multilateralism. What it engages in is an exclusive and closed clique that provokes geopolitical antagonism and confrontation. Even before the G7 summit is held, it released negative information one after another. In addition to further adding fuel to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it also targets China - its interest has been on forming groups to strengthen containment of other countries. Japan's insistence on dumping its nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the Pacific has aroused the international community's indignation, and Japan, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, has also turned this year's G7 meeting into a geopolitical drain.

"Truth" and "falsehood" will inevitably have a fierce collision. Even if "truth" does not care about "falsehood," "falsehood" will still smear "truth" in order to deceive others. This is the fundamental reason why some Western media and public opinion launch concentrated attacks and provocations against the China-Central Asia Summit. Behind every attack lies their dark intentions.

The hegemonic thinking of the US imposes a multiple-choice question on non-Western countries, dividing the diverse world into allies, geopolitical pawns, and geopolitical opponents or even enemies, and treating them differently. G7 countries are allies, Central Asian countries are pawns, and China is an opponent. This seems clear and distinct in Washington's eyes. However, they will never realize the immense disrespect toward countries seen as pawns and the great malice toward countries seen as opponents. Even allies are often the bullying targets that can be blackmailed at US will. They also disregard the serious damage caused by their actions to the overall interests of humanity.

The stark contrast between the clean stream of multilateralism injected by China and Central Asian countries in Xi'an and the geopolitical sewage discharged by the G7 in Hiroshima is evident. In terms of intentions, on one side, there is a shared destiny when both sides benefit based on mutual respect and equality; on the other side, there is the imperial arrogance of "one is superior than others," and the interest system of "Washington supremacy." In terms of specific actions, on one side, there is a focus on "development first," where anything beneficial for development and prosperity is promoted, which inherently makes it open and inclusive; on the other side, there are manifestations of closed and narrow-minded clique politics, filled with confrontation and destruction.

On one side is the extensive consultation and joint contribution, while on the other side is the bargaining "unified stance." These two summits vividly reflect two completely different approaches to dealing with each other in today's world. Washington officials are believed to have a clear target when talking about the G7 Summit, that is, confronting China. In contrast, China has clearly stated that its cooperation with Central Asia is not aimed at any third party, nor does it intend to compete with other mechanisms. China is willing to support any measures that are truly beneficial to regional stability and development and conducive to common prosperity in the region. The two different mindsets, perspectives and patterns are clearly distinguishable.

In recent years, different choices have written different annotations. In terms of development, the Belt and Road Initiative has brought a lot of development opportunities to countries along the route. The participation of the five Central Asian countries in the summit in Xi'an is the most convincing example. In terms of security, the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security has become increasingly popular. It has promoted a gratifying wave of reconciliation in the Middle East and can be expected to bear fruits in more places in the future. On the other hand, Washington also invested a lot of costs in diplomacy after the end of the Cold War. However, the fact is that wherever it focuses on, there is confrontation and turmoil. From the Iraq War, the Syria War, the "Arab Spring" to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which one does not have the shadow of the US and the West behind it?

In this sense, some Western media outlets comparing the China-Central Asia Summit with the G7 Summit is a good thing. It allows the world to see what the right path for humanity is, what the people support and what the future of mankind is. 

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GT investigates: 'democratic' Japanese govt deaf to public demands to halt nuclear-contaminated wastewater dumping plan

As the scheduled plan to dump the wastewater approaches, Global Times reporters went to Fukushima. In the third and final installment of this field investigation, the Global Times speaks to Japanese people from various fields such as prefectural lawmakers, environmental rganizations and nuclear experts. Although all of them believe the "dumping plan is not feasible," they feel powerless as the Japanese government doesn't hear their voices.

China releases report unveiling dark side of US coercive diplomacy ahead of G7 summit

While accusing other countries of using their great power status to ensure obedience, the US is the actual instigator of coercive diplomacy, with a disgraceful "dark history" that has caused immense suffering for the world, particularly developing countries, which have borne the brunt of its actions. Even the US' allies and partners have not been spared from it, said a report released by China's Xinhua News Agency on Thursday.

Within the framework of the C+C5 mechanism, the probability of solving various kinds of strategic issues that go beyond the individual states of the region increases. It is believed that C+C5 is a more effective mechanism for bilateral ties

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Depression: How a growth mindset and good social support can...


Depression takes a hefty physical, emotional and mental toll on its patients. — 123rf.com

 

"I AM so depressed; the store does not have my dress size."

"So depressing, I missed the first part of the show.”

We often hear statements where the term "depression" is used loosely, almost callously. Many assume it is synonymous with feeling sad.

But sadness is an emotion everyone experiences after a stressful life event, which is followed by the ability to get on with their lives. Depression, on the other hand, is a common mood disorder. People suffering from depression often experience persistent sadness and loss of interest which impair their daily functional ability.

In a depressed person, certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters become imbalanced. These neurotransmitters are responsible for stabilising our mood, helping us focus and get proper sleep, among others.


Globally, 3.8% of the population suffer from depression, according to a 2023 estimation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Invisible pain


Y, a middle-aged businessman, had lost everything in a bad business deal. Gradually, his wealthy friends vanished from his life.

His mood was low most of the time, he isolated himself, lost his appetite as well as weight, and hardly slept. He lost confidence and was not motivated to get back on his feet.

It was only when he started expressing death wishes that his family brought him to seek treatment. With medication, psychotherapy (talk therapy) and good family support, he bounced back, started a new business and succeeded.

A person suffering from depression has low mood most of the days, for at least two weeks. This may be accompanied by feeling tired all the time, loss of interest in the activities they used to enjoy, loss of appetite and weight (some may overeat and gain weight).

In addition, one may suffer poor quality or excessive sleep, isolate themselves from their loved ones, lose interest in sexual activities, suffer from low self-confidence and feel unworthy.

Other common symptoms are loss of hope, loss of focus and concentration, memory impairment as well as having body aches and pains.

Worst-case scenario


The fatal consequence of depression is suicide. If a depressed person expresses suicidal ideation or intent, do not ignore this plea for help.

Do not wait till your loved one expresses death wishes to seek medical treatment. It might be too late. Depression is a treatable condition and suicide can be prevented if early action is taken. Being depressed is not a sign of weakness. There is nothing to be ashamed about being depressed.

Depression can occur as a result of any overwhelming life events, for example, after delivery of a baby or post retirement. Many who are diagnosed with chronic medical illness suffer from depression as well.

The risk of developing depression is higher if one has a family history of depression, poor coping skills, or poor family or social support. Depression is also common among the elderly, especially those who live alone.

As depression can make one forgetful, families often think they are suffering from dementia. Young children can suffer from depression too.

Dr Gayathri says adherence to treatment protocol is imperative for recovery. — IHH Healthcare 

Dr Gayathri says adherence to treatment protocol is imperative for recovery. — IHH Healthcare

Tailored plan


A psychiatrist or psychologist will assess the symptoms and tailor a management plan depending on the severity of the symptoms; mild, moderate or severe.

This management plan is holistic and will incorporate emotional, physical, cognitive, social as well as spiritual aspect of the patient’s life. One can lead a normal life if one adheres to the treatment protocol.

Sometimes talk therapy and having the person do the homework and exercises planned with the psychiatrist or psychologist is enough to manage depression. A psychiatrist may also suggest adding antidepressants, depending on the severity of the depression.

Contrary to popular belief, antidepressants are not addictive. One may not necessarily need long-term antidepressant treatment, except in more complex situations.

A glitch in the management of depression is that many become non-adherent the moment they start feeling better.

There is a duration that one must adhere to in order to complete the course of treatment as the neurotransmitter levels may not have stabilised, even though one has started to feel better.

Some patients look up their symptoms online and come up with self-diagnosis. This is not advisable.

If you are looking for information on depression, or any health condition for that matter, check out only credible websites or you may end up being misinformed.

To help look out for your loved ones suffering from depression, do not downplay their symptoms nor tell them to snap out of it.

Support them. Make sure they get help as soon as possible. The earlier the treatment, the better the outcome.

Stigma towards mental illness is terribly outdated yet many are still clinging to this notion. There is no need to suffer in silence. Seek professional help. Do not risk your health and happiness at the expense of other people’s perception of you.

By Dr Gayathri K. Kumarasuriar is a consultant psychiatrist at a private hospital in Melaka.

Those suffering from mental health issues or contemplating suicide can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999 or 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim’s Family, Social and Community care centre (011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929, go to www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in- malaysia for a full list of numbers and operating hours, or email sam@befrienders.org.my).

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Friday, May 12, 2023

Surveillance empire: how US threatens global internet security through decades of cyber surveillance, attacks



Editor's Note:

A decade has passed since the PRISM scandal was exposed by Edward Snowden and enraged the world. Under the guise of so-called "national interests," the US government and its related intelligence agencies utilize their technological and first-mover advantages to conduct cyber surveillance and attacks around the world.

Documents leaked from the Pentagon earlier this year offered further proof that the US has extended its hand to almost every corner of the globe. What evil deeds the US has orchestrated and probably continues to do in the cyber world? In this series, the Global Times will closely look into how this veritable "network surveillance empire" gradually damages global cyber security through its intelligence network, which has in turn severely hurt its own reputation and credibility.

Recently leaked Pentagon documents have once again exposed to the world the ugly face of US espionage campaigns orchestrated against other countries. While maintaining the close surveillance of both its "enemies" and allies, the US has extended its evil hand to almost every corner of the globe.

For years, the US has conducted large-scale surveillance and launched cyberattacks targeting overseas governments, companies, and individuals with its technological advantages and vast intelligence network, a severe violation of International Law and the basic norms governing international relations. Worse still, the US paints itself as the victim while perpetrating these villainous acts, by defaming other countries including China with groundless accusations.

Last month, China's Cybersecurity Industry Alliance (CCIA) released a report titled "Review of Cyberattacks from US Intelligence Agencies - Based on Global Cybersecurity Communities' Analyses."

The report details the malicious behavior of the US in conducting long-term cyberattacks and surveillance worldwide, such as attacks against key infrastructure in other countries, indiscriminate cyber theft and monitoring, and implantation of backdoor pollution standards and supply chain sources.

The report lays out evidence that reveals the true nature of the US' role as the world's biggest secret information stealer and "hacker empire," Qin An, deputy director of the expert committee of counter-terrorism and cyber security governance, China Society of Police Law, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The US' behaviors have greatly damaged order in cyberspace, and destroyed the already fragile trust between countries, commented Tang Lan, director of Center for Cyberspace Security and Governance Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

"Its evil deeds have added much uncertainty to the international situation," Tang told the Global Times.

A spotty history


In September 2022, China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Centre revealed the US' long-term cyberattack against the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The cyberattack was aimed at "infiltrating and controlling core equipment in China's infrastructure and stealing sensitive personal data tied to Chinese people," a source close to the matter told the Global Times at the time.

That was just the tip of the iceberg. For over a decade, the US has been monitoring 45 countries and regions through the advanced and covert backdoor "Telescreen" (Bvp47) created by Equation, an elite hacking group affiliated with the US government. It sparked global outrage when it was exposed by Chinese cybersecurity experts for the first time in early 2022.

The incident reminded the public of the more widely-known PRISM, as researchers found multiple programs and attack manuals that, when reviewed, matched the unique identifiers used in the operating manuals of cyberattack platforms under US' National Security Agency (NSA). The latter was exposed by former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst Edward Snowden in 2013, as a small part of the then international PRSIM scandal.

In June, 2013, The Guardian became one of the first media outlets to report on the US' secret program code-named "PRISM" that Snowden exposed. The exposé revealed that nine US internet giants, including Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, and Apple, cooperated with the US government in secretly monitoring phone records, emails, videos, and photos, and NSA even hacked into the networks of several countries like Germany and South Korea.

"The subsequent series of leaked documents jointly exposed that the monitoring and network intrusion operations had been implemented by the US government for a long time," noted the CCIA report.

Later, in June 2015, Snowden exposed documents revealing how intelligence agencies in the US and the UK had worked together to subvert anti-virus and other security software in order to track users and infiltrate networks. The infuriating project, named CAMBERDADA, mainly used the traffic acquisition ability of the US in the invasion of global operators to monitor communications between users and anti-virus companies, such as Skyscraper in Russia, to obtain new virus samples and other forms of information, the CCIA report said.

According to an article published on The Intercept news website that month, a leaked 2010 presentation on "Project CAMBERDADA" listed 23 additional anti-virus companies from all over the world under "More Targets!" China's Antiy was on the list.

The revelation once again sparked wide outrage, as observers warned that the project and its so-called "target list" would further divide the already frayed global security industry.

It's hard to exactly track how the US started its dishonorable cyber campaigns. The "Stuxnet" computer worm, which US intelligence agencies used in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities in 2010, was regarded by the cybersecurity industry as "the world's first cyber weapon."

The development of the Stuxnet virus allegedly began in 2005. In 2010, Stuxnet reportedly "destroyed almost one-fifth of Iran's nuclear centrifuges, infected over 200,000 computers, and caused 1,000 machines to physically degrade," according to data Kaspersky shared on its website.

That year, the US "opened the Pandora's box of cyberwar," commented the CCIA report.

Former French prime minister Francois Fillon reveals at a hearing on May 2, 2023 that the US National Security Agency had spied on his conversations with former French president Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2012. Photo: IC

Former French prime minister Francois Fillon reveals at a hearing on May 2, 2023 that the US National Security Agency had spied on his conversations with former French president Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2012. Photo: IC

Vast surveillance network


According to a report by a US media outlet in April, US intelligence agencies spend as much as $90 billion in a year. Behind the vast surveillance network in the US are intelligence agencies such as the NSA and CIA, which have repeatedly cited national security as a pretext for violating the sovereignty of other countries and infringing on the privacy of their citizens.

The Office of Tailored Access Operation (TAO) under the NSA that was involved in the NPU event has been conducting attacks against China by penetrating Chinese computer and telecommunications systems for decades.

TAO was established in 1998 and is currently a tactical implementation unit within the US government that specializes in large-scale network hacking and espionage against other countries. It is comprised of over 2,000 military and civilian personnel, according to a joint technical analysis and tracking investigation by the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and 360 Security Technology in September 2022.

TAO's mission is simple - "it collects intelligence information on foreign targets by surreptitiously hacking into their computers and telecommunications systems, cracking passwords, compromising the computer security systems protecting the targeted computer, stealing the data stored on computer hard drives, and then copying all the messages and data traffic passing within the targeted email and text-messaging systems," according to Foreign Policy, quoting former NSA official Matthew M. Aid.

The US used 41 kinds of dedicated cyberattack weapons to launch thousands of attacks in a bid to steal core technology data from NPU. Additionally, the US has long engaged in indiscriminate voice monitoring of Chinese mobile phone users, illegally accessing text messages, and conducting wireless location tracking.

Apart from cyberattacks targeting China, the conflict between the US and Russia in cybersecurity is also well-known. According to reports, General Paul Nakasone, the head of the NSA, has confirmed that US military hackers conducted cyberattacks against Russia in support of Ukraine.

For some time, in the name of capacity building, the US has been trying to cajole relevant countries, especially China's neighbors, into cybersecurity cooperation with it. It even pursues the so-called "Forward Deployment" of cyber military forces. "Will such cooperation open the back door for malicious US cyber activities? Will such moves turn out to be chess pieces as the US instigates geostrategic rivalry? Relevant countries will judge for themselves," Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told the Global Times on April 20, 2022 in response to the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center alerting countries on the cyberattacks conducted by the US government.

Internet banditry


Scandals like the PRISM have shown that, apart from its intelligence agencies, many internet enterprises are also forced or tricked by the US government into the expansion of its cyber surveillance and attack network.

To serve its intelligence gathering and development of cyber weapons, the US reportedly installed backdoors in various hardware and software products, which is no more than an outright banditry, condemned cybersecurty experts reached by the Global Times.

For instance, media revealed in February 2020 that the CIA and Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) were able to read encrypted communications from Crypto AG, a Swiss company that produced encryption systems for many governments, by jointly adding backdoors to Crypto AG's encryption products.

According to a CIA report mentioned in a Washington Post article in February 11, 2020, the operation was dubbed the "intelligence coup of the century."

Qin said that by using its management power of the Internet, US intelligence agencies have designed special backdoors and inserted them into products which were previously submitted to the CIA for a routine check before being approved for exportation, providing direct access to other countries' networks. It therefore becomes risky for enterprises in other countries to use products developed by American entities.

"With the decline of American hegemony in real space, the country will take bolder moves in cyberspace," Qin predicted.

In a bid to further malign other countries including China, in May 22, 2020, the US Department of Commerce added 33 Chinese companies to its entity list, most of which are companies focusing on AI technology and are providers of network communication services, such as Qihoo 360 and Cloudminds, alleging that these companies could threaten US national security and foreign policy.

However, experts close to Chinese network communication and cyberspace security reached by the Global Times said that these Chinese companies do not spy on other countries, nor do they have the ability to insert backdoors into the cyberspace of the US.

The US's behavior of including some Chinese technology companies on its entity list is a typical case of technological bullying, Qin said.

All these facts have repeatedly revealed the true face of the US as a bullying power and exposed who is responsible for insecurity and instability in cyberspace, Tang pointed out. 

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