Sudan

United States

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

U.S. federal prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment charging two Sudanese nationals and brothers with operating and controlling Anonymous Sudan, a purported hacktivist group responsible for more than 35,000 distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attacks, The Washington Post reported on Oct. 16.

U.S.: Two Sudanese Nationals Indicted for Role in Anonymous Sudan Hacking Group

China

The Cybersecurity Association of China -- an industry group that has ties to the Chinese government -- called for products sold by U.S tech company Intel in China to be subject to a security review in an Oct. 16 post on its official WeChat account. 

China: Cybersecurity Association Calls for Security Review of Intel Products

U.S.-China Relations

Economics

The Federal Register will publish the U.S. Department of Defense's final program rule for its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, or CMMC, on Oct. 15, and the rule will become effective sixty days later, creating new cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors, U.S.-based law firm Crowell & Moring reported on Oct. 14.

U.S.: Revised Cybersecurity Rules Officially Published for Defense Contractors 

The U.S. Biden administration created a multi-agency team to address recent revelations around extensive Chinese cyberattacks on U.S. telecommunications companies, The Washington Post reported on Oct. 11. 

U.S.: Washington Creates Team To Combat Chinese Hacking Into Telecommunications Companies

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Pro-Palestinian hacktivist group BlackMeta claimed responsibility for a large-scale distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attack on the Internet Archive's "Wayback Machine" that lasted five hours, and the group implied plans to carry out another attack on Oct. 10, according to Oct. 9 posts on its X account.

U.S.: Pro-Palestinian Hackers Claim DDoS Attack on Internet Archive Amid Data Breach, Website Defacement

United Kingdom

Russia

The United Kingdom's National Crime Agency sanctioned 16 members of the Russian cybercriminal group Evil Corp and released new details about the gang's operations and ties to the Russian government, BBC reported on Oct. 1.

Russia: U.K. Sanctions Evil Corp Members and Reveals Ties to Russian Government and LockBit

Politics

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a highly anticipated bill on artificial intelligence safety that, if passed, would have been the most ambitious and sweeping AI-oriented legislation in the United States, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 29.

U.S.: California Governor Vetoes Sweeping Artificial Intelligence Bill

United Arab Emirates

BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners, Microsoft and Abu Dhabi's MGX announced the creation of the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership to meet the growing needs for computing power to fuel artificial intelligence innovation, including energy infrastructure and data centers, Reuters reported on Sept. 17.

U.S.: New $30B Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership Announced

<p>Individuals, companies, governments and militaries alike all depend on computers. And as is so often the case, these dependencies create vulnerabilities that have made cybersecurity all the more important as proficiencies in cyber warfare and cyber crime improve. That technology constantly improves only adds to the problem of staying safe in the internet age. How governments and their constituents attune themselves to this brave new world will ultimately shape their relationship with the internet &mdash; and with each other.</p>

That technology constantly improves only adds to the problem of staying safe in the internet age.

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Security

Modernizing China’s Military

Globalization

Echoes of the Cold War

China in Transition

Columns

On Geopolitics

App icons of social media platforms Twitter, Mastodon, Discord, Facebook, Reddit, Parler and Truth Social, are seen on an iPhone. 

As mis- and disinformation proliferate online, government-led content moderation efforts threaten to do more harm than good.

Can Europe Solve the Puzzle of Content Moderation?

Assessments

Iran

A digital illustration shows a binary code overlaying the Iranian flag.

In the second part of this series, we explore Iran's attempts to steal information, silence critics, and disrupt Western critical infrastructure and organizations via damaging cyberattacks and espionage campaigns.

Iran's Escalating Cyber Strategy Against the West, Part 2

U.S.-Iran Relations

Israel-Hamas Conflict

In the first of this two-part series, we explore Iran's attempts to sway the upcoming U.S. presidential election and heighten anti-Israel sentiments via online influence campaigns and cyberattacks.

Iran's Escalating Cyber Strategy Against the West, Part 1

Germany

France

Italy

A Russian warship transits the Neva River in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russia's risk tolerance for physical and cyber operations against Western targets appears to be increasing, raising the likelihood of more disruptive and/or violent attacks.

A More Brazen Russia Slowly Raises the Specter of a NATO Confrontation

Media

Podcasts

What preventative steps should organizations take to protect themselves from cyberattacks? 

Essential Geopolitics: What We Can Learn from High-Profile Cyber Breaches

Forecast Webcast

Energy

Social Issues

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2024 Third-Quarter Geopolitical Forecast.

2024 Third-Quarter Geopolitical Forecast Webcast

Global Elections

What entities pose the biggest cyberthreats?

Essential Geopolitics: Growing Cyber Concerns Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics

What steps should companies take to keep up with digital advancements and changing tech regulations?

RANE Insights: How Organizations Can Survive and Thrive in the Digital Era

Within America's borders, physical and cyber threats are expected to intensify in the lead-up to the election. Both foreign and domestic actors have already begun to leverage artificial intelligence tools to spread disinformation and deepfake media to influence the outcome or just sow discord. While U.S. authorities have been on high alert for such activity, no one can fully anticipate how the advent and maturation of this disruptive technology will influence the election. In the physical realm, the increasingly polarized political atmosphere will lend itself to a heightened risk of violence and/or protest activity, both before and immediately after the election.

Physical and Cyber Threats in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election

What types of threat actors will be most active leading up to the election?

Essential Geopolitics: Election-Related Cyber Threats in the U.S.

Japan

Philippines

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (center), flanked by two other U.S. officials, is seen during a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo (not pictured) on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly at the Lotte Palace Hotel in New York City on Sept. 22, 2023.

A partnership between the three countries will likely improve freedom of navigation and economic security in the South China Sea, but may also raise the risk of trade disputes and conflict with China.

What To Watch for During the Inaugural U.S.-Japan-Philippines Summit

Sub-Saharan Africa

Join our analysts for this webcast recording exploring key topics identified in RANE's 2024 Second-Quarter Geopolitical Forecast.

Cyber

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S.: Two Sudanese Nationals Indicted for Role in Anonymous Sudan Hacking Group

China: Cybersecurity Association Calls for Security Review of Intel Products

U.S.: Revised Cybersecurity Rules Officially Published for Defense Contractors

U.S.: Washington Creates Team To Combat Chinese Hacking Into Telecommunications Companies

U.S.: Pro-Palestinian Hackers Claim DDoS Attack on Internet Archive Amid Data Breach, Website Defacement

Russia: U.K. Sanctions Evil Corp Members and Reveals Ties to Russian Government and LockBit

U.S.: California Governor Vetoes Sweeping Artificial Intelligence Bill

U.S.: New $30B Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership Announced

Forecasts

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