Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Category Archives: Defense

Civilian Harm in Ukraine – Russia’s Assault on Daily Life in Ukraine

Bellingcat – map and dataset of 1,000+ incidents [includes incident’s date, location, description, sources, type of area affected, and type of weapon system]: “This map plots out and highlights incidents that have resulted in potential civilian impact or harm since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. The incidents detailed have been collected by Bellingcat researchers. Included in the map are instances where civilian areas and infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed, where the presence of civilian injuries are visible and/or there is the presence of immobile civilian bodies. Collection for the incidences contained in this map began on February 24, 2022. Users can explore incidents by date and location. We intend this to be a living project that will continue to be updated as long as the conflict persists. For more detailed information about the entries included in this map, please refer to our methodology and explainer article which can be read here.”

Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine to the Human Rights Council

President of Human Rights Council appoints members of investigative body in Ukraine English | 30 March 2022 Infographic – Main Findings – Report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, March 2023 War crimes, indiscriminate attacks on infrastructure, systematic and widespread torture show disregard for civilians, says UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine… Continue Reading

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces National Cybersecurity Strategy

Read the full strategy here – “Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released the National Cybersecurity Strategy to secure the full benefits of a safe and secure digital ecosystem for all Americans. In this decisive decade, the United States will reimagine cyberspace as a tool to achieve our goals in a way that reflects our values: economic security… Continue Reading

ASPI’s Critical Technology Tracker – The global race for future power

“The Critical Technology Tracker is a large project that spans this report and a website. We encourage readers of the report to explore https://techtracker.aspi.org.au/ as the website contains an enormous amount of original data and analysis. We have also created a range of visual snapshots including one that outlines the lead country and technology monopoly… Continue Reading

Striking findings from Pew Research 2022

Pew Research Center’s surveys have shed light on public opinion around some of the biggest news events of 2022 – from Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine to the overturning of Roe v. Wade to Americans’ experiences with extreme weather events. Here’s a look back at the past year through 15 of our most striking research… Continue Reading

When McKinsey Comes to Town: The Hidden Influence of the World’s Most Powerful Consulting Firm

London Review of Book, Laleh Khalili – “When McKinsey Comes to Town: The Hidden Influence of the World’s Most Powerful Consulting Firm by Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe. Bodley Head, 354 pp., £20, October, 978 1 84792 625 8: “…Bogdanich and Forsythe’s​ book is a damning account of the way McKinsey has made workplaces unsafe, ditched consumer protections, disembowelled regulatory agencies,… Continue Reading

Border Researchers Now Can Use 65+ Open-licensed Images of Surveillance Tech

EFF – “From Camera Towers to Spy Blimps, Border Researchers Now Can Use 65+ Open-licensed Images of Surveillance Tech from EFF – The U.S.-Mexico border is one of the most politicized technological spaces in the country, with leaders in both political parties supporting massive spending on border security and the so-called “Virtual Wall.” Yet we… Continue Reading

Mysterious company with government ties plays key internet role

Washington Post: “An offshore company that is trusted by the major web browsers and other tech companies to vouch for the legitimacy of websites has connections to contractors for U.S. intelligence agencies and law enforcement, according to security researchers, documents and interviews. Google’s Chrome, Apple’s Safari, nonprofit Firefox and others allow the company, TrustCor Systems,… Continue Reading

2022 National Defense Strategy

U.S. Department of Defense, 2022 National Defense Strategy – Introduction: “For more than seven decades, the vision and leadership of the United States have undergirded international peace and prosperity. A strong, principled, and adaptive U.S. military is a central pillar for U.S. leadership, particularly in the face of challenges arising from dramatic geopolitical, technological, economic,… Continue Reading

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cybersecurity issues – October 30, 2022

Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cybersecurity issues – October 30, 2022 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly… Continue Reading

Building An Open-Source Intelligence Buyer’s Club

War on the Rocks: “The Ukraine conflict has blown open the door on how open-source information — broadly defined as publicly and commercially available data — can be a game-changer in war and peace. The broad array of unclassified tools now allows anyone to pore over satellite imagery, monitor tank convoys, listen to troops chatting… Continue Reading

TikTok Parent ByteDance Planned To Use TikTok To Monitor The Physical Location Of Specific American Citizens

Forbes: “…The team behind the monitoring project — ByteDance’s Internal Audit and Risk Control department — is led by Beijing-based executive Song Ye, who reports to ByteDance cofounder and CEO Rubo Liang. The team primarily conducts investigations into potential misconduct by current and former ByteDance employees. But in at least two cases, the Internal Audit… Continue Reading