Click here to subscribe to the Daily Cyber Digest. Follow us on Twitter here .

ACCC to investigate Google & Facebook / US gov't bans use of Kaspersky software / Chinese drink-driver caught by facial recognition software

Australia

Google and Facebook to be investigated in exchange for media reforms
The Guardian
@murpharoo
The government will also ask the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to conduct an inquiry into Google, Facebook and the other internet giants, who are contributing to a loss of advertising revenue that is challenging the commercial viability of news organisations. 

Australian Privacy Foundation wants 'privacy tort' to protect health data
ZD Net
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has requested that the federal government urgently reform existing laws and reconsider the administration of My Health Record, saying the recent Equifax data breach has highlighted the urgency of protecting citizen information.

3000 Bitcoin ATMs in Australia by December
ABC RN Breakfast
You may be given far more options when you visit the ATM in the near future. 

China

China to mobilize Net users for cyber security
globaltimes.cn
Facing a rapid surge in cyber attacks in recent years, China is ready to mobilize its masses of Internet users, one-fifths of the world in number, to jointly safeguard cyber security.

Chinese drink-driver’s cheeky fraud attempt backfires as police use hi-tech software to wipe the smile off his face
SCMP
Suspect used his friend’s name and claimed to have undergone plastic surgery in bid to avoid punishment 

China and India Want All New Cars to Be Electric
MIT Technology Review
The desire to kill off internal combustion is spreading.

USA

U.S. moves to ban use of Kaspersky software in federal agencies amid concerns of Russian espionage
The Washington Post
@nakashimae & @jackgillum
The U.S. government on Wednesday moved to ban the use of a Russian brand of security software by federal agencies amid concerns the company has ties to state-sponsored cyberespionage activities.

Russian Cyber-Security Firm Kaspersky Could Shutter Washington Offices
The Moscow Times
Russia’s Kaspersky Lab cyber-security firm is considering closing its Washington D.C. branch as it faces increased scrutiny over suspected ties to Russian security services, the Bell reported Tuesday.

Trump Blocks China-Backed Bid for Lattice Over Security Risk
Bloomberg.com
@JenniferJJacobs & @damclaugh
President Donald Trump blocked a Chinese-backed investor from buying Lattice Semiconductor Corp., a personal rebuke that bodes poorly for several other Chinese buyers seeking U.S. security clearance for their acquisitions.

Energy Dept Spends $33M to Harden Grid Against Network, Kinetic Attack
defenseone.com
@joseph_marks_
The grants focus on improving grid resiliency during a cyberattack and speeding recovery.

There's Blood In The Water In Silicon Valley
Buzzfeed News
@BuzzFeedBen
The blinding rise of Donald Trump over the past year has masked another major trend in American politics: the palpable, and perhaps permanent, turn against the tech industry.

A Chatbot Will Help You Sue Equifax
MIT Technology Review
If you’re one of the 143 million Americans that had their data leaked during the Equifax hack, your to-do list just got a little easier.

Europe

RT, Sputnik and Russia’s New Theory of War
The New York Times
@jimrutenberg
How the Kremlin built one of the most powerful information weapons of the 21st century — and why it may be impossible to stop.

Middle East

Saudis urged to report on each other's social media activity
Reuters
Saudi Arabia is urging people to report subversive social media activity via a phone app, part of an apparent crackdown on potential government critics before demonstrations called for by exiled opposition figures.

Misc

Digital Diplomacy's Downsides
Lowy Interpreter
@NickBryantNY
E-diplomacy has coarsened public diplomacy.

Research

Report: Android cybersecurity attacks up 40%, here are the top 3 threats
Tech Republic
According to new research from Avast, released Monday, cyberattacks against Android smartphones and tablets are up 40%, year-over-year from Q2 2016. Typically, this averages about 1.2-1.7 million attacks per month, a press release said.

Cornell Researchers Highlight Ethical Lapses in Recent Cybersecurity Failures
Cornell Daily Sun
While the immediate consequences of attacks over the past few months have been severe, they have opened up debates both in the intelligence and computing communities on the ethical questions in cybersecurity.

Correcting fake news best done between friends
ABC RN Breakfast
@PatsKarvelas
A new study has found that corrections from friends are the key to stopping the flow of fake news online. 

Jobs

Research Associate, Technology and National Security Program
Center for a New American Security
The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) seeks to hire a Research Associate to support the Technology and National Security Program. Candidates with defense analysis experience and familiarity with national security applications of emerging technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and autonomy, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Thank you for reading the Daily Cyber Digest. If you have any feedback, please let me know at @fryan or via email on fergusryan@aspi.org.au.