HACKING INTO SPACE — A team of Italian hackers by the name of mHACKeroni won the $50,000 grand prize Sunday afternoon in a U.S. government-backed competition to seize control of a satellite in orbit at the DEF CON hackers’ conference in Las Vegas — a practice test of skills amid very down-to-earth fears about foreign threats. — Refresher: This was the first time hackers tried to infiltrate a live-in-space satellite, which was built by the Aerospace Corporation and owned by the U.S. Space Force. Both the S.F. and Air Force sanctioned the event, which took place over the weekend. — Reading between the lines: The interstellar showdown previously only dreamed of in a sci-fi thriller had been marketed as an educational experience meant to foster collaboration within the cyber community, event organizers told MC on the scene. But while it may look like harmless fun, there are signs that the U.S. has long been concerned of a preemptive Chinese strategy to knock out American satellite systems that could impact its forces down here on earth. — What the future holds: The CIA reportedly believes China is developing capabilities to “deny, exploit or hijack” enemy satellites, according to a classified intelligence report leaked by an Air Guardsman and reviewed by the Financial Times. Satellites are widely utilized by the U.S. military, with research from Chatham House in 2019 finding that 68 percent of U.S. munitions in the 2003 invasion of Iraq were guided by space-based means — including laser, infrared and satellite imagery. The U.S. is also heavily reliant on GPS systems beaming in from space to move troops into position. — And it’s been happening for a while: We caught wind of those hacking aspirations in 2018, when cybersecurity research firm Symantec unveiled a wide-ranging cyber espionage mission originating from computer hackers in China targeting satellite operators. Researchers found that the group’s malware against a satellite communications operator suggested it was after more than just data. “The attack group seemed to be particularly interested in the operational side of the [operator], looking for and infecting computers running software that monitors and controls satellites,” the report read. Get the full scoop from my piece reported live from DEF CON. IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED — In a rare experience for all who were present, Biden administration officials sat shoulder-to-shoulder with a mashup of cyber engineers and hackers in a closed-door session to discuss how the government can effectively enforce security policies with tech companies. It started with participants at DEF CON on Saturday getting a sneak peek of an upcoming CISA document offering recommendations to shift responsibility for secure-by-design and secure-by-default methods onto the design and build of tech products. Then, attendees took a red pen to the packet and voiced their perspectives on how the government could reach those goals. — Picture this: None of us were allowed to take the document out of the room, describe its contents or attribute quotes to speakers. The line to get in went down the hall, and only a few dozen were eventually let into the small, windowless space — with your MC host sitting on the ground to squeeze in. The mark-up period went for more than an hour. — Major themes: Some were concerned with whether agency staff followed best practices when developing open-source code, and others thought a big part of the overall problem was a lack of educational programs (one suggested more coding classes). And when it came to the tech industry, some felt the fear of breaking a popular feature is leading companies to keep old, insecure features in use — putting users at risk. — Who was there: On CISA’s side there was Director Jen Easterly, senior technical advisers Bob Lord and Jack Cable and senior policy adviser Lauren Zabierek. From the White House: ONCD Deputy Assistant National Cyber Director Cheri Caddy and senior adviser for tech and ecosystem security Oumou Ly. WEED SMOKERS WELCOME — A past life puffing on the ganja may not exactly preclude you from a job at the White House’s cyber office, ONCD acting director Kemba Walden told a raucous crowd at an event at DEF CON. “I would suggest that if you do smoke marijuana, or happened to have, you can still apply for a job and see what happens,” Walden said in a fireside chat with conference founder Jeff Moss Friday evening. — Turning a new leaf: Walden further explained that the agency is exploring ways to evolve its policies, and to do that is looking to meet people “where they are.” One big component of that shift was revealed in the White House’s national cyber workforce and education strategy in July, which keyed in on expanding cyber jobs to rely less on academic degrees and job experience and more on skills. — Put it out: But it’s no secret either that federal employees are barred from partaking in joint toking, considering that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies weed as a controlled substance. Despite a tidal wave of change in public opinion in legalizing marijuana over the last 30 years, past pot use has hurt the careers of White House staffers in the Biden administration. — Employees burned: Dozens of staffers were either disciplined or dismissed over past cannabis use, which was first reported by The Daily Beast in 2021. Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki downplayed the dismissals in a tweet on the press office's official account, saying “only five people” lost their jobs over the marijuana policy. OVERLORD REPELLENT — At the world’s largest hacker conference where you can’t tell friend from foe, or hacker from fed, you have to use any means necessary to protect your personal data. For some people, that means you don a tin foil hat. “Obviously we don’t want the alien or government mind control rays to take over,” Laurie (commonly known by her nickname “Lunchbox”) with Psycholics — a group that hosts a tin foil hat-making contest at DEF CON — told MC jokingly. “We know we have our AI overlords coming to get us.” The group has been a mainstay at DEF CON for the last six years, holding a tongue-in-cheek competition for event goers of all skill levels. To win, people build intricate hats made of foil meant to repel different frequencies being transmitted across the event floor (that Psychoholics set up) and place it onto a mannequin that has a receiver in its head to test its effectiveness. “DEF CON can be very intimidating, especially your first time or if you’re new to the industry,” she said. “We wanted to bring something that was inclusive to everybody.” — The best hat ever?: One time, a mother-daughter duo built a “full-on Alien and Predator head,” Lunchbox said.
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