Digital Government

Extradited Chinese National Sentenced On Espionage Charges

Yanjun Xu is the first extradited Chinese intelligence officer to be sentenced in the U.S., convicted of attempts to steal intellectual property.

Cybersecurity

Iranian Hackers Compromised a Federal Agency’s Network, CISA and FBI Say

Actors linked with the Iranian government were able to exploit an unpatched Log4Shell vulnerability—which the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency asked agencies to address by the end of 2021—in an unnamed agency’s network.

Digital Government

ICE Needs More Data to Monitor Foreign Students Taking US Research, Watchdog Says

The data is meant to assess the risk of foreign STEM students and scholars transferring technology from American universities to foreign entities.

Cybersecurity

China’s Cyber Capabilities ‘Pose a Serious Threat’ to US, Advisory Panel Warns

The panel’s report also called for the Biden administration to consider revoking China’s status as a favored trading partner if a congressional review finds that Beijing is not complying with its commitments.

Digital Government

Over 40 International Business Groups Support Transatlantic Data Privacy Terms

A letter sent to EU and U.S. officials asked for more analysis on how requirements will be enforced within the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework.

Emerging Tech

New Satellite Will Allow First-Ever Observation of Nearly All of Earth’s Water

NASA’s upcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite will provide a complete measurement every 21 days.

Cybersecurity

NATO Allies Double Down on Cybersecurity in Warfighting Ops

U.S. and Italian officials convened the 2022 Cyber Defence Pledge Conference, focused on supporting Ukraine and investing in new technology for all member nations.

Policy

TikTok Should be Banned in the U.S., FCC Commissioner Says

The commissioner’s comments are the latest in a long line of concerns about the social media platform’s Chinese ties.

Policy

Election Misinformation Targeting Diverse Communities Drives Calls for Collaboration

Nonprofit groups have stated that federal officials need to do more to directly engage with their efforts on the ground. 

Cybersecurity

Russia Linked to Nearly 75% of Late 2021 Ransomware Attacks, Per Analysis

The analyzed ransomware variants—from July to December 2021—amounted to millions of dollars in damages.

Emerging Tech

US and Allies Developing Deal on Export Controls Targeting China’s Chip Access

The head of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security “would put down money” on the U.S. implementing additional export controls on China’s access to advanced technologies.

Cybersecurity

Public Entities in Nearly Every State Use Federally-Banned Foreign Tech, Report Says

A new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology found that at least 1,681 state and local governments purchased equipment from five Chinese companies that were banned by the federal government between 2015 and 2021.

Digital Government

Russia Likely to Experience 'Technological Regress' Due to Sanctions, Experts Predict

A think tank report warned that the resulting sense of vulnerability could lead Russia to “double down” on nuclear capabilities.

Digital Government

Justice Reveals Use of a Double Agent in Complaint Against Chinese Spies

The spies were charged with obstruction of justice during the prosecution of a Chinese telecommunications firm in one of three indictments the department uncovered related to China’s quest for technological superiority and global standing, officials said.

Emerging Tech

US and Switzerland Enter Quantum Partnership

The State Department confirmed U.S. participation in another bilateral partnership focused on technological innovation.

Emerging Tech

Challenges in the Space Domain are Becoming ‘More Technologically Focused,’ Experts Say

Panelists at a PSC Defense conference noted that “space is now a contested domain” with increasing technological and competitive challenges.

Policy

Treasury Debuts Plan to Penalize Foreign Investment Threatening National Security

The guidance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States comes as legislators have been increasingly worried about foreign investment in major technology companies.

Policy

U.S. Imposes Semiconductor and Aviation Tech Sanctions on Russia

The sanctions follow international concern over unmanned aerial vehicles tech found amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Policy

US Focused on ‘Interoperable’ over Identical in Transatlantic Tech Framework

Officials at the State Department intend to reduce regulatory differences to promote market access and national security within both the EU and U.S.

Policy

Chinese Firms Exporting Surveillance Tools Across the Globe, Report Says

A new report from the Atlantic Council said China is allowing government-affiliated companies to export surveillance technologies as part of an effort to expand its global influence.