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The new reality of cyber espionage through ordinary devices.
In 2014, computer security analyst Dan Gere gave a speech at the RSA conference titled "We're All Intelligence Officers Now", in which he described how digital technology is changing the way information is collected. He wondered, "Will everyone in the digital world be able to see what was previously only available to the heads of national intelligence?" Today, a few years later, his prediction has partially come true, and this has become especially noticeable against the backdrop of cyber espionage and global data collection.
An example of this is an incident in 2021, when analysts discovered unusual network connections: CCTV cameras in Taiwan and South Korea were communicating with key nodes of the power grid in India. It was later revealed that this was a sophisticated method for Chinese spies to interact with malware that they had covertly injected into the power grid. This activity was detected not by state intelligence, but by a private company called Recorded Future, which scans the entire Internet to identify command and control nodes used by hackers to interact with victims.
This case demonstrates how modern digital technologies are changing the way espionage operations are conducted. Surveillance cameras, of which there are more than a billion in the world, can be used for cyberattacks and sabotage, whereas in the past such actions required physical involvement and infrastructure. Today, these operations are conducted remotely, using extensive networks, and private companies are able to monitor and prevent them in real time.
The modern world is increasingly moving into the digital environment, where the deep and dark Internet are becoming key sources of information. These areas attract criminal elements, as it is possible to maintain relative anonymity there. However, anonymity often turns out to be illusory: private companies such as Flashpoint are able to track activity on cryptocurrency movements, which allows them to find suspicious transactions and even prevent crimes.
Private companies also play a key role in protecting against cyberattacks. For example, Microsoft monitors more than 78 trillion signals per day, allowing them to identify and block threats. Moreover, companies are often at the forefront of the fight against hackers from countries such as China and Russia. In 2021, Microsoft publicly disclosed the activities of the Volt Typhoon group of Chinese hackers, which attacked critical US infrastructure. This is an example of how commercial companies can be involved in the protection of national interests, acting faster and often more efficiently than public services.
While the private sector has a number of advantages, it faces limitations that state intelligence services do not have. Companies are required to comply with the law and cannot use methods that violate legal regulations. At the same time, they also have their advantages: openness and the ability to share research results with others, which contributes to the overall development of cyber intelligence.
The advent of commercial satellites has radically changed the possibilities of surveillance. Today, private companies provide governments with access to a near-complete picture of the world in real time. Satellite imagery has become one of the key sources of data for analyzing and monitoring events around the world.
Despite all these achievements, there are limitations to the private sector. While public data can answer many questions, it cannot always replace classified information to which only states have access. For example, classified intelligence remains critical to understanding complex geopolitical threats.
On the other hand, the convergence of open and secret data sources represents another important avenue. Private companies and public services are increasingly joining forces to improve efficiency and optimize costs. At the same time, this merger brings new challenges, such as data security and compliance, especially when it comes to the ethics and legality of information collection.
Thus, the world described by Dan Gere in 2014 is already becoming a reality, where private companies are playing an increasingly important role in the field of cyber intelligence, and technology is making data collection accessible to a wider range of participants.
Source
In 2014, computer security analyst Dan Gere gave a speech at the RSA conference titled "We're All Intelligence Officers Now", in which he described how digital technology is changing the way information is collected. He wondered, "Will everyone in the digital world be able to see what was previously only available to the heads of national intelligence?" Today, a few years later, his prediction has partially come true, and this has become especially noticeable against the backdrop of cyber espionage and global data collection.
An example of this is an incident in 2021, when analysts discovered unusual network connections: CCTV cameras in Taiwan and South Korea were communicating with key nodes of the power grid in India. It was later revealed that this was a sophisticated method for Chinese spies to interact with malware that they had covertly injected into the power grid. This activity was detected not by state intelligence, but by a private company called Recorded Future, which scans the entire Internet to identify command and control nodes used by hackers to interact with victims.
This case demonstrates how modern digital technologies are changing the way espionage operations are conducted. Surveillance cameras, of which there are more than a billion in the world, can be used for cyberattacks and sabotage, whereas in the past such actions required physical involvement and infrastructure. Today, these operations are conducted remotely, using extensive networks, and private companies are able to monitor and prevent them in real time.
The modern world is increasingly moving into the digital environment, where the deep and dark Internet are becoming key sources of information. These areas attract criminal elements, as it is possible to maintain relative anonymity there. However, anonymity often turns out to be illusory: private companies such as Flashpoint are able to track activity on cryptocurrency movements, which allows them to find suspicious transactions and even prevent crimes.
Private companies also play a key role in protecting against cyberattacks. For example, Microsoft monitors more than 78 trillion signals per day, allowing them to identify and block threats. Moreover, companies are often at the forefront of the fight against hackers from countries such as China and Russia. In 2021, Microsoft publicly disclosed the activities of the Volt Typhoon group of Chinese hackers, which attacked critical US infrastructure. This is an example of how commercial companies can be involved in the protection of national interests, acting faster and often more efficiently than public services.
While the private sector has a number of advantages, it faces limitations that state intelligence services do not have. Companies are required to comply with the law and cannot use methods that violate legal regulations. At the same time, they also have their advantages: openness and the ability to share research results with others, which contributes to the overall development of cyber intelligence.
The advent of commercial satellites has radically changed the possibilities of surveillance. Today, private companies provide governments with access to a near-complete picture of the world in real time. Satellite imagery has become one of the key sources of data for analyzing and monitoring events around the world.
Despite all these achievements, there are limitations to the private sector. While public data can answer many questions, it cannot always replace classified information to which only states have access. For example, classified intelligence remains critical to understanding complex geopolitical threats.
On the other hand, the convergence of open and secret data sources represents another important avenue. Private companies and public services are increasingly joining forces to improve efficiency and optimize costs. At the same time, this merger brings new challenges, such as data security and compliance, especially when it comes to the ethics and legality of information collection.
Thus, the world described by Dan Gere in 2014 is already becoming a reality, where private companies are playing an increasingly important role in the field of cyber intelligence, and technology is making data collection accessible to a wider range of participants.
Source
