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The U.S. president is keen to up the country’s game when it comes to hacking other nations. In Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which he signed on July 4, there’s a $1 billion provision for unspecified “offensive cyber operations.” That’s alongside $250 million “for the expansion of Cyber Command artificial intelligence lines of effort.”
That will have defense contractors, whether they’re legacy players like Booz Allen Hamilton and Raytheon or startups hoping to disrupt the market, salivating. AI companies may also be getting excited, given the recent announcement that a slew of major providers are now working with the defense department, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI, each getting contracts worth up to $200 million.
Even when targeting America’s enemies, not all are supportive of clandestine cyberattacks. As TechCrunch reports on Tuesday, Senator Ron Wyden has concerns. “Vastly expanding U.S. government hacking is going to invite retaliation — not just against federal agencies, but also rural hospitals, local governments and private companies who don’t stand a chance against nation-state hackers,” Wyden told the news site.
He also noted concerns about cyber defense, with cuts hitting the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Since Trump took office, at least 130 employees in the division have been fired. The layoffs have led to concerns the U.S. is less well protected against cyber threats from the likes of China, Russia and Iran.
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THE BIG STORY:
Scattered Spider Arrests
U.K. law enforcement arrested four individuals in its investigation into cyberattacks hitting some of the country’s biggest retailers, including M&S and Harrods. It’s believed the attacks were carried out by a group known as Scattered Spider, which had been targeting countries across the world, most recently hitting airlines and insurance companies.
A 17-year-old, two 19-year-olds and a 20-year-old, alleged members of the group, were arrested in the West Midlands and London, on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offenses, blackmail, money laundering and participating in the activities of an organized crime group.
Stories You Have To Read Today
The U.S. announced it had arrested a 33-year-old Chinese national accused of hacking systems on behalf of Beijing to steal COVID-19 research, among other cyberattacks, between February 2020 and June 2021. He was apprehended in Milan, Italy, as he exited a plane from China.
A British official has accidentally leaked data on thousands of Afghans who were secretly given the right to live in the U.K. The leak and relocation scheme were kept secret for more than three years thanks to a government-obtained superinjunction, the BBC reports.
Winner of the Week
There were zero security updates for Android in July, according to reporter Catalin Cimpanu, who noted it’s the first month without any in six years. That’s either a reason to celebrate–or an indication many vulnerabilities didn’t get fixed.
Loser of the Week
Medical billing giant Episource has told as many as 5.4 million Americans that their health information was stolen in a cyberattack. It’s one of the biggest breaches of the year to date, TechCrunch reports.
