Security Briefing – 15 May 2009

Security Update – 20 April 2009

ATM skimming incidents have been increasing in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane since the end of 2008, with East European criminal syndicates allegedly responsible. Sydney has been the worst hit city with more than 40 ATMs being targeted in the Eastern Suburbs, City, Northern Beaches and Inner West during the past six months.

Four Romanians have been arrested in April in Sydney for ATM fraud while a further five have been arrested in Victoria. The increase in ATM fraud is part of a globally linked criminal network with Romanians recently being convicted in the US and New Zealand. John Lawler, Chief Executive of the Australian Crime Commission, warned that Eastern European criminal gangs pose a serious security threat in Australia. Likewise, Colin Dyson, commander of the New South Wales fraud squad, stated that Eastern Europeans and Russians present a ‘huge’ fraud threat as they are very active in all sorts of technology-enabled crime.

Police are currently investigating a wave of internet banking fraud thought to be perpetrated by Russian and East European crime syndicates while Eastern Europeans have also been blamed for an increase in burglary, shoplifting and pick-pocketing in Sydney.

International Operations Group - Analysis

Security Briefing – 15 April 2009

The stand-off in Bangkok between thousands of anti-government protestors and military forces ended on 14 April after protest leaders called off the demonstration amid fears of a military crackdown.

Violent clashes between red-shirted United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) supporters and security forces took place near the Victory Monument north-east of the city centre on 13 April, leaving two dead and more than 120 injured. It has been reported that the fatalities occurred in clashes that did not involve security forces.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and the surrounding areas on 12 April. The state of emergency, which has no set time frame, allows the government to restrict gatherings of more than five people, prohibit or block communications, and detain suspects for up to 30 days without charge. Arrest warrants have been issued for 14 of the protest leaders, including former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Protest Locations

Security Briefing – 31 March 2009

Chinese cyber-espionage network penetrates 103 countries

Two reports published by the universities of Cambridge and Toronto have claimed that a huge electronic espionage system run from servers in China has been used to spy on individuals, governments and organisations. The so-called ‘GhostNet’ system is alleged to have infiltrated 1,295 computers in 103 countries and has targeted foreign ministries and embassies, mainly in south and south-east Asia, as well as the offices of the Dalai Lama.

Chinese government denies involvement

The Cambridge authors of ‘The Snooping Dragon: Social Malware Surveillance of the Tibetan Movement’ directly accuse the Chinese government of cyber-attacking Tibetan exile groups but the Canadian researchers (from the Information Warfare Monitor) are more cautious, saying the attacks could just have been the work of isolated hackers. Most of the servers running GhostNet are in China, while two are in Hong Kong and the United States. The 10 month investigation began after Tibetan officials became concerned about possible communication interceptions and commissioned the Toronto researchers to examine their computers.

Security Briefing – 20 March 2009

Leaders of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) have announced that a major anti-government protest in Bangkok is being brought forward to 26 March. UDD supporters will stage demonstrations in three Thai cities between 21 and 26 March in an effort to force the government to remove Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya from cabinet, prosecute leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and restore the 1997 constitution. Organisers have warned that protests may continue until these goals are met.

Media Update - Washington Post Foreign Service 16 December 2008

MEXICO CITY -- An American anti-kidnapping negotiator, whose company says he has resolved almost 100 kidnapping cases in Latin America, was abducted by gunmen last week while meeting with Mexican business executives and their bodyguards to discuss ways to thwart such crimes.