Everything Security | Associate Researcher @ RAND Australia | Fellow @ Social Cyber Institute | Blog @ TechLegalUpdate | #KalikaMataKiJai
Open remote profile ↗The Joe Tidy controversy is exactly why I don’t advertise myself as a ‘cyber expert’, rather a ‘cyber regulation/policy person’.
Because I don’t want to convey the impression that ‘I am a go-to voice on cyber’, versus ‘I have deeply studied cyber regulation as a PhD’.
Defence analogy:
Imagine claiming to be a fires expert/fires-focused journalist but not having heard of nitrocellulose.
This looks an EXCELLENT resource for understanding statecraft in the Pacific.
https://www.csis.org/programs/australia-chair/projects/mapping-security-influence-pacific
www.csis.orgMapping Security Influence in the Pacific | Projects | CSISThe Security Influence in the Pacific: Who's Competing—and Where? interactive map plots the security relationships between Pacific Island countries and Australia, the United States, New Zealand, China, and Taiwan.
'At least 21 of the 38 victim organizations are publicly documented CyberLogitec customers, and 7 sample file names include the vendor’s name or one of its product names.
'Our interim assessment is that the data likely comes from a single support and project archive linked to CyberLogitec, split into separate listings per customer.
'The samples indicate credentials, personal data, EDI traffic and system documentation, with file dates from 2009 to August 2026'.
Smart - going after a major sectoral dependency.
CydomeNew information on the n0n cyber attack on 38 maritime companies, that suggests the campaign originates with CyberLogitec software companyNew information on the n0n cyber attack on 38 maritime companies, that suggests the campaign originates with CyberLogitec software company
'If the [Russia-Ukraine] war ends, you've got to sustain that military industrial base, and so you're going to see these systems filtrate all the way into Africa ... The proliferation of this capability is much the same as we had trying to contain ballistic missile technology ... You're seeing it in Sudan. You're seeing it in in Africa. You saw it, and you've seen it in Libya, where drones are becoming ever present.
'Unless amphibious warfare embraces some of the technology that we're seeing in Ukraine and adapts it to the amphibious space, I think it's going to be very difficult politically and militarily to justify large-scale amphibious operations, even to conduct them'.
https://www.irregularwarfare.org/military-modernization-al-carns-ukraine-war/
Irregular Warfare InitiativeQ&A with Member of Parliament and Royal Marine Colonel (Ret.) Al Carns – the UK’s Leading Proponent of Military ModernizationEditor’s Note: This article is presented in a question-and-answer format, with the Irregular Warfare Initiative’s Maritime Program’s Christopher D. Booth interviewing Member of Parliament (MP) Colonel Alistair ‘Al’ Carns. This piece has been edited for clarity and readability, as spoken language differs from how text
Some of the NGC2 findings from Ex Lightning Surge 5 with the US Army’s 25th ID in Hawaii:
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/army-feels-growing-pains-as-it-integrates-anduril-ngc2-tech-with-older-comms/
Breaking DefenseArmy feels 'growing pains' as it integrates Anduril NGC2 tech with older comms - Breaking Defense“It wasn't seamless, and we learned a lot,” Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor told Breaking Defense.
'... the range limitations of related sensors and drones, and even characterized the air-defense capabilities of the USMC as “precarious" ... logistics quandaries ...
'... the new mobile missile launchers that are being deployed by the USMC are small, light ... the USMC strategy is vulnerable because the “U.S has no way to quickly establish air superiority. This could take weeks or months and would entail massive losses.”
'... links the USMC strategy to [countering] China’s improving submarine force in significant detail ... U.S. deployments could degrade Chinese air defenses by employing drone swarms “to overwhelm our radar tracking capacity.”
'... argues that China must counter this posture by deploying a Chinese “proactive offensive posture, aggressively expand[ing] our operational reach, [and] project[ing] forces forward"'.
Defense NewsTip of the spear, or stranded on beaches? Chinese planners dissect USMC Pacific postureUnderstanding these dynamics, American leaders should recalibrate and opt to rely less on forward defense, writes analyst Lyle Goldstein.
FOCI RISK MANAGEMENT MATTERS, especially on NATO's eastern flank: https://archive.li/z3A2u
Hmm. I get the need for centralisation, but then again, was the silo-ing that bad with having the civilian IC, SOCOM and CYBERCOM handle most of this work such that a new sabotage/capability development agency was needed?
Full article: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/22/technology-support-office-dod-tech-spyware-sabotage-01100327
POLITICOThe Pentagon is quietly building an elite new tech sabotage agencyThe creation of the Technology Support Office signals the Defense Department's intent to ramp up a range of aggressive covert activities abroad.
'... nearly $41 million development contract to Singapore-based iX Biopharma to develop Wafermine, a small, ketamine-packed wafer that dissolves under the tongue.
'A federal emergency use approval declaration by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Sept. 3 opened the possibility of early official authorization, giving the FDA a route to use unapproved medications to treat war wounds.
'... iX Biofarma’s domestic manufacturing partner lacks the Nevada license required to operate.
'... increasingly been employed by the U.S. military as the primary analgesic for combat casualties'.
Military TimesThe Pentagon wants ketamine wafers as a battlefield medicine optionThe Pentagon awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to the Singapore-based iX Biopharma to develop a small, ketamine-packed wafer.
'Pressure built with poorly received plans to reduce the deficit, and again this week after riots that could make it even harder for the government to cut spending.
'These days, higher yields make Japan and Germany look particularly alluring.
'It has a substantial deficit to fund. And it needs to pay back maturing bonds issued when rates were near 0% with newly issued securities yielding much more.
'France has more than $1 trillion in debt coming due by 2030'.
From a fascinating article on epistemic delegation, Maven and the Minab tragedy: https://smallwarsjournal.com/2026/10/15/maven-minab-untangling-the-machinery-of-a-targeting-failure/
Small Wars Journal by Arizona State UniversityMaven & Minab: Untangling the Machinery of a Targeting FailureExamining the Maven Smart System and the Minab strike to reveal risks in AI-assisted targeting, verification, and human judgment.
Commercial real-estate giants skilling up on running data centres - makes sense (for now): https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/commercial/real-estate-giant-cbre-gets-deeper-into-data-centers-with-1-billion-deal-a54cae22
'India is not explicitly present and may never put boots on the ground, and yet its presence is felt in how it strengthens the deterrence of Southeast Asian partners through hardware, intel sharing, and strategic diversification. This is not necessarily a case of policy alignment but of strategic convergence [with DC] ...
'... providing a strike capability of 290 km that reaches Scarborough Shoal. India has since also offered extended range [BrahMos] variants of 400 km with future batteries reaching up to the Spratlys when deployed from Palawan.
'... India invited the Philippines to the [IFC-IOR] ... in 2025 ... the two navies are already collaborating on information sharing, maritime training, exchanges, joint search and rescue operations, and more.
'Last year, ... first joint maritime activity inside the Philippine exclusive zone and the South China Sea ... India has also publicly backed Manila’s position in the South China Sea ...'
https://www.heritage.org/global-politics/commentary/how-india-philippines-cooperation-reinforces-americas-interests-the
The Heritage FoundationHow India-Philippines Cooperation Reinforces America’s Interests in the South China SeaWith so much media focus in recent months on the war in Iran, it’s no surprise that Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby’s speech in Manila received so little coverage. That means very few know what the U.S. and its allies are doing to deter China from launching any hostilities of its own.
'Success, to me, looks like a company, within minutes, is able to log in, submit their code and get the green check mark from our pipeline ...
'... many program offices lacked the capability or willingness to conduct cybersecurity assessments ... wait for another organization to vet the [software] company and officially grant [the ATO] ...
'... rarely had a dedicated, isolated sandbox in which to test it ... required the company’s personnel to get cleared for Common Access Cards ...
'Gatekeeper will let companies test their software before they have an Army contract, a program manager sponsoring them or even a formal request for proposals to respond to ...
'... finalizing an agreement with the [GSA] ... to use its Login.gov platform, which allows secure access to government systems for members of the public.
'Gatekeeper will also include the Army’s DevSecOps software development kit ... address problems using tools the Army itself has vetted'.
Breaking DefenseArmy's Project Gatekeeper aims to cut software approval times from months to ‘minutes’ - Breaking DefenseThe service’s new cybersecurity testing sandbox will stand up on Oct. 23, said acting Army CIO Gabe Chiulli, streamlining the current cumbersome, ad hoc arrangements for clearing commercial software for Army networks.
'Two issues contributed to the differences between GAO and CIO ratings. Specifically, 21 of the 53 CIO ratings were not updated in a timely manner according to agencies’ processes. In addition, two agencies’ rating processes span longer than quarterly, contrary to OMB’s guidance'.
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108416
IT Dashboard: Selected Agencies’ Investment Ratings Fail to Fully Consider RisksU.S. GAO - IT Dashboard: Selected Agencies’ Investment Ratings Fail to Fully Consider RisksThe federal government spends over $100 billion annually on IT investments. The Federal IT Dashboard is a public website that provides information...
'All 30 universities have fully mitigated identified relationships with foreign entities of concern included on the most recent NDAA Section 1286 list, published in July 2026. Overall, the audits resulted in more than 80 termination-related actions across the 30 universities. These actions included the termination of relationships with entities on the NDAA Section 1286 list, as well as precautionary terminations involving entities not specifically identified on the list'.
https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4628392/department-of-war-announces-research-security-mitigation-results-from-academic/
Looks a great resource.
Atlantic CouncilEconomic Statecraft LexiconThe Economic Statecraft Lexicon serves this objective by defining the commonly used terms in the economic statecraft space.
'Trucks often go along repeatable routes, which is more convenient for going driverless. The driverless tractor-trailers rely on several cameras and sensors mounted at the front and sides that include radar and lidar equipment to help determine what’s on the road. Inside the cab or the tractor, there remains a steering wheel and seats.
'Today, a typical driverless truck run is best suited for what shippers call the middle-mile … Humans load a trailer and drive it to a depot where they hand it off to a driverless tractor.
'Autonomous trucks can reduce fuel consumption by 10% because they can calibrate speeds and optimize acceleration, braking and coasting with more precision, the companies say. Goldman Sachs forecasts that autonomous trucking will become cost-competitive with human-operated trucks in 2028 in the U.S'.
https://www.wsj.com/business/driverless-trucks-18-wheeler-aurora-35b89c45
From a fascinating piece on European museums' physical security in the wake of the Louvre heist: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/louvre-heist-year-of-the-heist-9360aa12
आप सभी को और आपके परिवारों को दुशहरा की डेरों शुभकामनाएं।
जय श्री राम।
Prof Fraser, as he handed me my degree, asked if I was an ABBA fan.
I replied that I had been since I was a wee boy.
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं सरस्वत्यै नमः।
Om Shrīm Hrīm Sarasvatyai Namah
With this mantra, I invoke the Hindu goddess of learning and the arts, Maa Saraswati, and lay my PhD at Her feet.
Thank you to my interviewees, my mentors, my Infosec/geopolitics colleagues on X/LinkedIn/Mastodon and my mates for your generosity and the vital role you have played in this journey of mine.
Thank you to Dr Cary Di Lernia (pictured in Image 2), my divine charioteer since we first met in his undergrad environmental law class in 2017, for making this thesis what it is and for, well, putting up with me. All the laughs, wisdom, encouragement, honest feedback, it got me to that stage in the Great Hall and beyond. Thank you, sir. It all means a ton.
And thank you to Mum and Dad for backing me to do this, as with everything in my life. This is more yours than it is mine. I am much more relieved for youse than for myself, given how much you have invested in getting me to where I am - before, during and after the PhD. You have made me the man I am. This is for you.
(Images courtesy of Dad!)
