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Iranians Struggle Without the Internet – VOA News

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

OAKLAND, CALIF. - The Iranian people have experienced days without the internet, the result of a government-backed shutdown as a response to nationwide protests over gas price increases.

This isnt the first time the Tehran government has blocked Iranians' access to parts of the internet or to social media sites. But observers say the current shutdown, which began Saturday night, has been nearly complete, with few residents still with internet access.

Its a coup against internet freedom, said Amir Rashidi, an internet security and digital rights researcher at the Center for Human Rights in Iran. Disrupting internet and blocking content are things they do. We get used to it. But this kind of thing a total internet shutdown they have never done that.

Communications blocked

In prior disruptions, some Iranians have been able to circumvent blockages with digital tools, such as encryption and others that allow anonymous communication. But those tools are not helping this time, experts said.

That may be because tightening U.S. sanctions against Iran have led technology firms such as Google and others to make their technologies less available to the Iranian people, Rashidi said.

Berhan Taye, a senior policy analyst with Access Now, said the Iranian shutdown is a bit more intricate this time around. In the past, digital civil liberties groups like hers have been able to help people with technologies that allow communication to continue.

We have technically not seen something like this, she said. And the whole country is off the grid, which is troubling.

Taye said the Iranian government systematically targeted mobile internet, then fixed lines, then the messaging service, with each channel for circumvention disappeared one by one.

Consolidated network

Unlike some countries, Iran hasnt had an internet kill switch, a central node for cutting off the internet.

One reason for Irans success at blocking the internet, experts said, may be its project to create a wholly separate internal network -- the National Information Network. As part of building the internet network, the government has been able to consolidate disparate aspects of the hardware and software of the existing network through one government-run provider, giving it more control.

The project has concerned outside observers, such as the Trump administration in Washington.

Countries that take such desperate actions prove to the world that they are afraid of their own people, the State Department said in a May 23 statement to VOA Persian.

US 'Concerned' Irans Intranet Project Will Repress Internet Freedom

Now, Tehran appears to have the ability to shut down the internet while allowing the countrys infrastructure, such as finance, hospitals and other institutions, to keep running.

Workarounds

Brian Hook, Washington's special envoy for Iran, said the United States is working to help Iranians by providing workarounds to help the people to work around the Iranian regime shutting down the internet and we think that will help some people to connect to the internet so they can continue to get out their videos.

What those workarounds might be remain to be seen.

Observers fear that what the Iranian internet shutdown shows is perhaps a new playbook for regimes that seek to control if and when their people connect to the outside world.

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Iranians Struggle Without the Internet - VOA News

AI, cyberbullying, probably the hot topics at the security workshop – Mash Viral

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

I am traveling to Washington, DC, at the annual Family Safety Online Institute (FOSI) conference. I have been involved in almost all of these events since they started in 2007, usually as a speaker, as CEO of ConnectSafely.org.

Larry Magid (Gary Reyes / Mercury News)

A simple look at the agenda of the event gives us an idea of what concerns Internet security advocates, technology executives and government politicians.

The first session, Online Security in the AI World, emphasizes artificial intelligence concerns. AI can be incredibly useful. Along with speech recognition, it supports home digital assistants such as Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple SIRI. This allows companies such as Santa Cruz-based Full Power technologies to analyze sleep patterns with a networked device under the mattress, analyze sleep patterns, and make recommendations. AI is the driving force behind self-driving cars and an essential component of face and voice recognition, which can make us safer and safer. Indeed, the paper to be presented at the conference states that AI can be used to fight proliferationmaterials on child sexual abuse using technologies such as Microsoft's PhotoDNA. But this is not without risk, indicating misinformation such as fake content, as an example.

AI can also be used in hostilities, which can make it safer for U.S. troops, but it can also have unforeseen consequences, including the risk of mass casualties if it falls into the wrong hands, gets hacked or an error occurs in the case of software.

There is also a risk that the AI algorithm will not be able to take the necessary precautions. I still remember when my old GPS device informed me that I would move from point A to point B, crossing the lake, although there was no bridge there. If it were a fully autonomous system, my car could drive into the lake.

Indeed, the tragedy of the two Boeing 737 Max crashes are examples of erroneous software. Crash prevention software puts these aircraft on a dive as a safety measure, leading to crashes and 346 deaths.

I am also concerned about artificial intelligence, but, like almost all new technologies, it is also subject to myths and moral panic. It is unlikely that the breed of evil machines will become our masters. For security advocates, including myself, it is important to take into account their concerns and realize that in the early stages of technology development we cannot always predict what will and will not be dangerous. When MySpace and other early social media services first became popular in 2004, there was widespread concern that children were sexually abused by online predators, which, although clearly a risk, turned out to be much more statistically unlikely than risks that were not mentioned. While cyberbullying, damage to reputation and obsessive use, which today affects millions of media users.

Cyberbullying is always discussed at the FOSI conference because it is one of the biggest challenges young people face on the Internet. In past years, not very young adults, including myself, talked about the problem and its solution. This year, Lucy Thomas and Rosie Thomas from Project Rockit in Australia will talk about how giving young agencies the opportunity to bring technology back forever is likely to be more relevant than adult intervention. I dont know the exact age of these two Australian Internet security experts, but working with them on the Facebook Security Advisory Council, I know that they are many years younger than me and most other Internet security activists I know. This is good, and even better, if they work mainly with young people, with the goal of Empowering young people to lead change.

As a person whose teenage years are decades behind me, I am aware of my own limitations in understanding how teens use technology, so my nonprofit company ConnectSafely is currently partnering with MyDigitalTat2, a nonprofit organization in the Bay Area, an advisory board for teens is an integral part his operations. I spent a lot of time with these teenage consultants and leading teenagers in a series of future podcasts that we are working on, and I personally understood why it is important to involve young people in all aspects of digital security, including the fight against cyberbullying.

Microsoft also recognizes the value of working with teenage advisors with the recently launched Digital Goodness Council, an initiative that brings together 15 teens from 12 US states selected to advance our digital civilization work: fostering safer, healthier online communication between everyone ".

The keynote speaker at the FOSI conference is Federal Trade Commissioner Christine Wilson. I dont know what shes going to talk about, but the FTC is a federal agency that fined Facebook, Google and other technology companies for violating the rules and regulations on consent on issues such as privacy and child protection. An appeal to the federal regulator at this conference is appropriate given the mood in Washington these days. It is understood that Congress will ultimately enact a national privacy law and consider other laws governing social networks and other parts of the Internet.

FOSI has been holding these annual conferences since 2007, and in the early years regulation was a dirty word among many attendees, especially heads of Internet companies. Today, this is a largely neglected conclusion, although you can expect a lot of lobbying from companies that hope to shape it in such a way that they do not need to radically change their business models.

Finally, there is a conversation by the fireplace with director and activist Tiffany Shlein about her new book, 24/6: The Power of Disconnecting from the Network One Day a Week. Shlein stands for Digital Saturday, one of many offers to get people to put their phones and tablets and move away from their computers to relax, take a walk or just chat with friends and family. This is an idea whose time has come.

Disclosure: Larry Magid is the CEO of ConnectSafely, a non-profit Internet security organization that has received support from Google, Facebook, Microsoft and other technology companies.

. (tagsToTranslate) Larry Magid (t) personal technology (t) Internet Family Safety Institute (t) Internet bullying (t) Internet regulation (t) Artificial Intelligence (t) AI

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AI, cyberbullying, probably the hot topics at the security workshop - Mash Viral

Senate Democrats urge DHS to fund cyber threat information-sharing programs | TheHill – The Hill

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

A group of three Senate Democratsis urging the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) cyber agency to help fund cybersecurity threat information-sharing centers involved in election security efforts.

In a letter sent on Monday to Christopher Krebs, the director of DHSs Cybersecurity andInfrastructure Security Agency, Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTensions rise in Senate's legislative 'graveyard' 2020 Republicans accuse Schumer of snubbing legislation Schumer: Leadership trying to work out competing surprise medical bill measures MORE (D-N.Y.), and Sens. Maggie HassanMargaret (Maggie) HassanHillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions over location tracking | Louisiana hit by ransomware attack Senate Democrats urge DHS to fund cyber threat information-sharing programs Hillicon Valley: Facebook launches 'News Tab' | Senate passes bill to take on 'deepfakes' | Schumer outlines vision for electric cars MORE (D-N.H.) and Gary PetersGary Charles PetersHillicon Valley: Google to limit political ad targeting | Senators scrutinize self-driving car safety | Trump to 'look at' Apple tariff exemption | Progressive lawmakers call for surveillance reforms | House panel advances telecom bills Senators grill safety regulator over self-driving cars Democrats raise privacy concerns over Amazon home security system MORE (D-Mich.) expressed concerns around the funding level for two information-sharing groups.

Specifically, the senators noted that DHSs proposed fiscal 2020 budget covers only around 70 percent of the estimated $15 million it would take for the Center for Internet Security to run both the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) and the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC).

Recently, across the nation our cities and states have suffered from debilitating ransomware attacks that are carried out to extort public funds, the senators wrote. Local governments including small towns, counties, and school districts - simply do not have the budgets, the personnel, or the expertise necessary to deploy sophisticated tools in order to defend themselves against this evolving threat environment.

Both the MS-ISAC and the EI-ISAC work to coordinate the flow of information on cyber threats from the federal government to state, local and territorial groups, helping to cut down on the impact of cyberattacks.

The proposedbudget cut would mean a reduction from $15 million to $10.4 million.

The senators cited concerns around the security of elections headed into 2020 as a reason to ensure the information-sharing centers have the funding they require, writing that the prospect of a ransomware attack against election infrastructure is real and threatens the foundations of our democracy.

Ransomware attacks have been a major cybersecurity threat that has increased this year, with school districts and local and state governments across the nation being impacted by malicious groups or actors, who hack into systems, encrypt them and then demand payment before allowing the user access again.

Federal agencies have warned of the threat of ransomware attacks on election infrastructure in recent months, with Anne Neuberger, the director of the cybersecurity directorate at the National Security Agency, saying at an event in September that ransomware attacks could pose a key concern for elections.

In light of these concerns, the senators wrote to Krebs that they hoped you will work with us to address this urgent concern and ensure that DHS provides MS-ISAC and EI-ISAC with the resources necessary to continue their important mission.

What is Google Authenticator? How to set up the app – Business Insider

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

As technology has continued to advance, so has the ability of hackers to access our personal accounts and information, potentially putting us at risk of becoming victims of identity fraud or worse. Because of this, internet security has become increasingly important, and many services like Google now take extra steps to help protect consumer's private data.

Google Authenticator is an app that uses two-step verification software to keep your information safe by requiring an added layer of identification before allowing anyone to gain access to your accounts. Instead of simply entering a password when logging into Google apps via mobile, Google Authenticator generates a random six-digit code, which you're required to enter in order to log in if you have two-factor verification active.

If you'd like to use Google Authenticator to help secure your Google apps, here's how to do it.

1. Download the Google Authenticator app from the Google Play store on your Android device or the App Store on iPhone.

2. While signed into your Google account on your PC or Mac, click on the small icon with your photo in it in the upper right-hand corner of your screen and click "Manage your Google account."

3. Click "Security" from the menu on the left side of your screen, then scroll down to the "Signing in to Google" header.

4. Click "2-Step Verification" to turn the option on. You will then be asked to re-enter your Google account password to proceed.

Turn on 2-Step Verification. Jennifer Still/Business Insider

5. Under "Set up alternative second step," click "Set Up" in the "Authenticator app" option.

Click "Set Up." Jennifer Still/Business Insider

6. Choose whether you have an Android or iPhone, then click "Next."

7. Open the Authenticator app on your mobile device and tap "Begin setup."

Tap "Begin setup" on your mobile device. Jennifer Still/Business Insider

8. Tap "Scan barcode," on your phone, then scan the code displayed on your computer screen.

Scan the code using your mobile device. Jennifer Still/Business Insider

9. After scanning the code, your Authenticator app will automatically begin to display a randomized six-digit code. Click "Next" on your computer screen, then enter the six-digit code displayed in the Authenticator app on your phone.

10. Click "Done" to confirm verification.

You will now be set up with Google Authenticator and can use the app to log into your Google account moving forward.

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What is Google Authenticator? How to set up the app - Business Insider

LINE Antivirus 2.0.2 Update is Now Live with Enhanced Internet Security and New Features – Feed Ride

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

Since we spend so much time online it has become quite easy to forget that the internet is not always a safe place. You never know on which websites you might end up and if they are safe or filled with malware, adware or even ransomware. This is why people should always make sure to install a premium antivirus, especially on your smartphone because that is the device where people keep their most private data such as family photos, phone contacts and even work notes.

On the bright side of things, there are tens of professional antiviruses that we can pick from and LINE Antivirus is one of the best ones that you can download for free. LINE Antivirus will protect your smartphone at all times and more importantly, it will give you access to lots of useful features that will help you stay safe on the web.

Despite being a free to download app, LINE Antivirus still benefits from full-fledged developer support. The reason why this matters is because the developers who are in charge of the antivirus are constantly releasing updates that introduce major software improvements. The latest update for LINE Antivirus sports the 2.0.2 version number and it comes a handful of tweaks and bug fixes that are taking its performances to the next level.

Improved Mobile Security

LINE Antivirus users should be pleased to find out that the new 2.0.2 update focuses on improving the overall security that the antivirus offers. Therefore, downloading the latest update for LINE Antivirus should be a top priority to all users. Now, lets check out the top three features that the new update introduces.

LINE Antivirus offers a cloud engine that can be used to detect viruses much faster than usual.

After enabling the real-time monitoring feature, LINE Antivirus will never have to worry about getting viruses on their smartphones.

The last feature that we want to present is the one-touch optimization. This feature will automatically clean a smartphones usage history and RAM.

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LINE Antivirus 2.0.2 Update is Now Live with Enhanced Internet Security and New Features - Feed Ride

Cybercrime Support Network Awarded $1 Million Cooperative Agreement from the US Department of Homeland Security to Create a Uniform Cybercrime…

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

Ann Arbor, MI, Nov. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cybercrime Support Network (CSN) is honored to be awarded a $1 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to develop a State, Local, Tribal and Territorial (SLTT) Reporting and Threat Information Sharing Pilot. With these funds, CSN will work with partners to create a standardized reporting structure to capture more cybercrime victim complaints and get that crime data to SLTT and Federal agencies with authority to act on the complaint.

Every year, it is estimated that one-third of adult Americans are victims of cybercrime and online fraud. With the ever-evolving complexity of cybercrime and the increase in connected devices, assisting cybercrime victims and addressing cybersecurity risks is complex. Currently, cybercrime is underreported, with multiple federal systems available for reporting and a need for more local reporting opportunities. A nationwide, systematic reporting system that can push information to SLTT government agencies will give cybercrime victims a single, efficient system to report incidents.

This is an exciting opportunity for CSN. We are working hand-in-hand with DHS, the Center for Internet Security, and Mississippi State's National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center to give cybercrime victims a stronger voice, said CSNs Chief Security Officer Keith Tresh. When completed, the new National Cybercrime Incident Reporting Program (NCIRP) will help cybercrime victims by providing them with an easy-to-use cybercrime reporting form to report their losses directly to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

With a standardized cybercrime reporting structure, government entities and law enforcement will be equipped with real-time, integrated, and operational cybercrime data to combat cybersecurity risks. By streamlining the reporting and information sharing structure, government entities and law enforcement will be able to apprehend cybercriminals faster and more efficiently.

About Cybercrime Support Network

Cybercrime Support Network (CSN) is a public-private, nonprofit collaboration created to be the voice of cybercrime victims. With the strong support of our sponsors, Craig Newmark Philanthropies - AT&T - Comcast - Google - KnowBe4 - Nord VPN - Trend Micro - Verizon, CSN can continue to support victims through FraudSupport.org, which provides assistance to both individual and small business victims of cybercrime and online fraud.

For more information, please visit: Cybercrimesupport.org

###

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Cybercrime Support Network Awarded $1 Million Cooperative Agreement from the US Department of Homeland Security to Create a Uniform Cybercrime...

The 7 ‘creepiest’ smart gadgets people give as holiday gifts, according to experts – Business Insider

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

An internet-enabled "smart" device may seem like the perfect holiday gift but there are downsides to owning connected devices that stay on around the clock and are capable of recording sound and video from inside your home.

Privacy and security watchdogs have repeatedly raised concerns with connected devices, and people have proven it's possible to hack popular gadgets like Amazon them with lasers and malicious apps.

Mozilla, the nonprofit software community, compiled a list of connected devices for its annual "Privacy Not Included" gift guide, ranking gadgets based on "creepiness" and delineating which products meet basic security standards. The list also notes which products are capable of snooping on you using a camera, microphone, or GPS.

Privacy concerns also affected Mozilla's rankings for example, the gift guide notes that Amazon's Ring home security gadgets work with over 600 police departments, who have access to Ring locations and can request security footage with users' consent.

Ashley Boyd, Mozilla's vice president of advocacy, told Business Insider that the gift guide is intended to give consumers a sense of what privacy expectations they should hold for connected devices. In some cases, Boyd said, users should reconsider whether a smart device is worth the privacy risks, rather than a non-connected device.

"It can be really hard to gauge how your data is being used ... we wanted to fill a gap in information," Boyd said. "For example, I live in the second floor in a duplex and it is a pain to go down the stairs to see who's at the door, but the risks of a Ring doorbell are not enough for me to buy it."

Mozilla identified 60 products that meet basic security requirements and seven products that don't. Here are the products that Mozilla recommends you steer clear of.

Now tell us what you think!

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The 7 'creepiest' smart gadgets people give as holiday gifts, according to experts - Business Insider

Hillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions…

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill's newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don't already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and the tech team, Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e) and Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills).

LOOKING OUT FOR YOU: A handful of prominent progressives in the House on Tuesday said they opposed a measure to put off an impending government shutdown over a provision that would extend government surveillance authorities for three months.

Overall, the lawmakers' small revolt did not kill the continuing resolution (CR) it passed 231-192 and only 10 Democrats voted against it. But Reps. Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibHillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions over location tracking | Louisiana hit by ransomware attack Progressives oppose spending stopgap measure over surveillance authority extension Ayanna Pressley introduces extensive criminal justice reform resolution MORE (D-Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezSteyer, Biden clash over climate credentials Trump tax breaks for low-income neighborhoods draw scrutiny Sanders doubles down on Bolivia 'coup,' few follow suit MORE (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarBooker responds to Onion article mocking Buttigieg over stock photo Hillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions over location tracking | Louisiana hit by ransomware attack Progressives oppose spending stopgap measure over surveillance authority extension MORE (D-Minn.) all pushed their colleagues to vote "no" on the CR throughout the day, claiming they do not believe the Trump administration should be allowed to surveil U.S. citizens for another three months.

"I cannot in good conscience vote in favor of a CR that reauthorizes unconstitutional mass surveillance authorities, especially under a President who has retweeted images of his opponents jailed and suggests anyone who disagrees with him is a criminal," Tlaib said in a statement to The Hill.

The details: The last-minute addition to the CR would give Congress 90 more days to debate whether it wants to reauthorize several government surveillance provisions first enacted under the controversial Patriot Act. One of those provisions, known as Section 215, enables the government to access phone records on millions of Americans every year during terrorism investigations.

The National Security Agency (NSA) revealed earlier this year that it shuttered the phone records program amid enormous technical difficulties.

Reps. Earl BlumenauerEarl BlumenauerHillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions over location tracking | Louisiana hit by ransomware attack Progressives oppose spending stopgap measure over surveillance authority extension House to hold markup Wednesday on marijuana decriminalization bill MORE (D-Ore.) and Grace MengGrace MengHillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions over location tracking | Louisiana hit by ransomware attack Progressives oppose spending stopgap measure over surveillance authority extension Hillicon Valley: Ocasio-Cortez clashes with former Dem senator over gig worker bill | Software engineer indicted over Capital One breach | Lawmakers push Amazon to remove unsafe products MORE (D-N.Y.), who recently raised concerns about reauthorizing Section 215, also voted against the CR alongside Omar, Ocasio-Cortez and Tlaib.

The provision extending Section 215 was added to the CR late on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez told The Hill, leaving lawmakers with little time to weigh in on whether they want to extend the surveillance authorities.

A coalition of civil liberties and progressive groups on Tuesday sent a letter urging lawmakers to oppose the CR, writing, "Extending these authorities for any period of time absent major reform, as the Continuing Resolution [CR] does, reflects an abandonment of Congress's most basic responsibilities."

Crunch time: But several progressives who signed onto Tlaib's previous letter told The Hill that they supported the CR because it was their only option to ensure the government doesn't shut down this week.

Rep. Bobby RushBobby Lee RushHillicon Valley: Progressives oppose funding bill over surveillance authority | Senators call for 5G security coordinator | Facebook gets questions over location tracking | Louisiana hit by ransomware attack Progressives oppose spending stopgap measure over surveillance authority extension 50 Cent meets with Pelosi, lawmakers on Capitol Hill MORE (D-Ill.) in a statement said, "Although I do have serious concerns with reauthorizing Section 215, we must focus on the bigger picture here. Therefore, I plan to vote yes on today's CR in order to keep the government open and ensure that my constituents continue to receive their Social Security benefits and have access to the vital services they require like community health centers."

"I'm supporting [the CR]," Rep. Ral Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who signed the previous letter, told The Hill. "We're taking it in its entirety, and hopefully in three months, we'll get a chance to correct some of that. But right now, I don't see another option."

Election Security: How 3 Local Counties Are Preparing For 2020 – Houston Public Media

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

Early voters inside the TSU library.

The 2020 presidential election is now less than a year away. That doesnt leave a lot of time to address peoples concerns about election security concerns that have lingered at least since revelations surfaced about Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. So, what exactly are election officials across Greater Houston doing about it?

Our elections are only as valid as people think that they are, said John Oldham, who has served as election administrator for Fort Bend County for more than 11 years, under both Republican and Democratic leaders. Our country exists under a social contract, and every time we go to the polls to vote for people or on propositions, we ratify that contract again and againAnd so long as people believe elections are secure thats just as important as making them secure.

Oldham said thats a big reason why Fort Bend County has switched over from purely electronic voting to a hybrid system involving paper backups thats what residents say they want.

Fort Bend County is ahead of Harris County when it comes to upgrading voting machines. The Harris County Clerks Office has just reached the point of getting permission from County Commissioners Court to start the bidding process for voting machine vendors. But even if commissioners give their permission at the December meeting, the process of selecting a vendor could take until May.

Once we choose the vendor, well have to order, place an order for these machines, and that will be about 8,000 machines, said Diane Trautman, the Democratic Harris County Clerk. And an order that big, as you can imagine, will take some time to build and get to us. So that places us about early fall before we can actually receive them.

Trying to rush the new machines into service by November of next year could backfire in a big way. Without enough time to educate poll workers and voters on how the new machines work, lines at polling places could explode discouraging many from sticking around to vote.

Our target date to use them first would be the May 2021 election, which is a much smaller election and a good place to start testing that equipment, Trautman said.

In the meantime, Trautman is focusing on the essentials. That includes making sure the existing machines work as intended. It means training all 333 County Clerk staff members for cybersecurity not just election staff and IT workers. And it means undergoing an internal audit of IT and election systems, as required by the Texas Secretary of State.

Lisa Mujica is election director for Republican-led Brazoria County, which has already been through the audit. So we definitely are a step ahead of a lot of the counties out there, said Mujica.

Brazoria County just adopted new voting machines, an all-electronic system with no paper backup. None of our equipment, the equipment that we use, [Hart InterCivic] Verity Touch, those voting booths are not connected to the Internet whatsoever, so even when it comes into our office, its not connected to the Internet, Mujica said.

Dan Wallach, who manages Rice Universitys Computer Security Lab, said local governments are making the best of the hands theyve been dealt.

Counties and states generally are operating with very limited funding for voting equipment, Wallach said. And what that means is, its a slow process to, for the counties to find the budget and to go through the budgetary process to replace old machines with newer ones.

One of Wallachs biggest worries is that a nation-state, like Russia, could hack voter registration databases. That could lead to long lines at polling places, discouraging many from sticking around to cast their ballots. And so if somebody were to damage the voter registration database selectively, like only neighborhoods that vote one way but not neighborhoods that vote another way, then there could be an adverse partisan outcome from that tampering, he said.

In the end, Wallach said, election security largely comes down to public perception. If people assume their vote will be tampered with, they may not vote at all. Thats why one point all three election administrators made is that their success depends on educating the public and instilling trust that the system will work as its supposed to.

Iran: More than 100 protesters believed to be killed as top officials give green light to crush protests – Amnesty International

November 21, 2019 | Author: admin

Verified video footage, eyewitness testimony from people on the ground and information gathered from human rights activists outside Iran reveal a harrowing pattern of unlawful killings by Iranian security forces, which have used excessive and lethal force to crush largely peaceful protests in more than 100 cities across Iran sparked by a hike in fuel prices on 15 November, said Amnesty International today.

At least 106 protesters in 21 cities have been killed, according to credible reports received by Amnesty International. The organization believes that the real death toll may be much higher, with some reports suggesting as many as 200 have been killed. State media have reported only a handful of protester deaths, as well as the deaths of at least four members of the security forces.

Video footage shows security forces using firearms, water cannons and tear gas to disperse protests and beating demonstrators with batons. Images of bullet casings left on the ground afterwards, as well as the resulting high death toll, indicate that they used live ammunition.

The authorities must end this brutal and deadly crackdown immediately and show respect for human life, said Philip Luther, Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

The frequency and persistence of lethal force used against peaceful protesters in these and previous mass protests, as well as the systematic impunity for security forces who kill protesters, raise serious fears that the intentional lethal use of firearms to crush protests has become a matter of state policy.

The authorities must end this brutal and deadly crackdown immediately and show respect for human life

Top government officials including Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have issued statements describing protesters as villains and giving security forces a green light to crush demonstrations.

Under international law, security forces may only resort to the use of lethal force when strictly unavoidable to protect against imminent threat of death or serious injury.

Amnesty International is also calling on the Iranian authorities to respect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, including through lifting the near-total block on internet access designed to restrict the flow of information about the crackdown to the outside world.

Hundreds of demonstrators blocked roads, using their parked cars as a form of protest. Verified video footage reviewed by Amnesty International shows riot police smashing windows of cars with drivers still inside.

According to eyewitness accounts corroborated by video footage reviewed by Amnesty International, snipers have also shot into crowds of people from rooftops and, in one case, a helicopter.

While most of the demonstrations appear to have been peaceful, in some instances, as the crackdown by security forces escalated, a small number of protesters turned to stone-throwing and acts of arson and damage to banks and seminaries.

Even if a small minority of protesters have resorted to violence, police must always exercise restraint and use no more force than is strictly necessary, proportionate and lawful in response to the violence they are facing. Violence by a few individuals does not justify a widespread reckless response, said Philip Luther.

Several eyewitnesses have said that security forces have been taking away dead bodies and injured people from roads and hospitals. In a pattern consistent with past practices, intelligence and security forces have refused to return the bodies of many of the victims to their families or have forced families to bury their loved ones in a rushed manner and without an independent autopsy to establish the causes and circumstances surrounding the deaths. This is contrary to international law and standards on the investigation of unlawful killings.

State media reported that, as of 17 November, more than 1,000 protesters had been arrested since the protests began.

Among those detained is human rights defender Sepideh Gholian, who was arrested on 17 November after taking part in the protests by peacefully holding up a sign about the petrol prices. Her whereabouts are currently unknown and Amnesty International fears that she is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment, in light of the authorities appalling track record of torturing detained human rights defenders.

Anyone detained solely for peacefully taking part in demonstrations, expressing support for them or criticizing the authorities must be immediately and unconditionally released. All detainees must be protected from torture and other ill-treatment, said Philip Luther.

The organization is calling for immediate action from the international community, including the UN and the EU, to hold the Iranian authorities to account for carrying out unlawful killings and violently repressing the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Internet shutdown

On 16 November, less than a day after the protests began, the authorities implemented an ongoing near-total shutdown of the internet, shutting off nearly all means of online communications for people inside Iran. The resulting information blackout is a deliberate attempt by the authorities to prevent people from sharing images and videos of the deadly force being used by security forces.

According to the NGO NetBlocks, Irans connectivity to the outside world has fallen to 4% of ordinary levels since the protests began. All mobile networks have been disconnected and there is a near-total national internet and telecommunication blackout, although some users have still been able to access the internet through the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and other means.

Shutting down communications over the internet is a systematic assault on the right to freedom of expression and suggests that the authorities have something to hide. Iranian authorities must immediately lift all restrictions on access to the internet and social media to allow people to share information and freely express their opinions, said Philip Luther.

Iranian authorities must immediately lift all restrictions on access to the internet and social media to allow people to share information and freely express their opinions

Systematic and co-ordinated crackdown

Various government officials including the Supreme Leader, president and head of the judiciary have demonized the protesters and warned that security forces will confront protesters with force.

On 16 November, Irans interior minister said that the authorities will no longer show tolerance and self-control towards the protesters, despite mounting reports of protester casualties.

During a speech on 17 November, Irans Supreme Leader described the protesters as villains who were incited to violence by counter-revolutionaries and foreign enemies of Iran. He ordered security forces to implement their duties to end the protests, effectively giving the green light for the brutality to continue.

Judicial and security bodies have also sent threatening mass text messages warning people to stay away from illegal gatherings or face legal action.

Instead of giving a green light to brutality, the Iranian authorities must rein in their security forces to prevent further bloodshed. The long-standing pattern of impunity for unlawful killings and injuries in Iran is bound to continue unless independent impartial investigations are conducted into all suspected instances of arbitrary and abusive use of force, and those who commit such serious crimes and violations are held to account, said Philip Luther.

The UN and individual member states must publicly denounce Irans bloody crackdown. They should press the Iranian authorities to give access to independent human rights observers to hospitals and detention centres in the country, lift the blocking of the internet and invite UN mandate holders to conduct fact-finding visits.

Background

Protests erupted on 15 November following a sudden government announcement about a fuel price hike which will have a detrimental impact on people who are already struggling amid Irans economic crisis. Some demonstrators have chanted slogans calling for a radical overhaul of the political system and some have burned posters of Irans current and former Supreme Leaders.

Below is a breakdown, by city and province, of the 106 deaths reported so far to Amnesty International. The organization obtained the information from reports whose credibility and reliability it has ascertained by interviewing journalists and human rights activists involved in gathering them. It has then crosschecked the information.

Amnesty International is working to verify further reports of killings of protesters throughout Iran.

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Iran: More than 100 protesters believed to be killed as top officials give green light to crush protests – Amnesty International

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