Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Chinese-Linked Malware Campaign Targets Critical Environments With Weak MonitoringU.S. and Canadian cyber authorities say Chinese state-backed actors used a backdoor dubbed BRICKSTORM to maintain long-term access into critical infrastructure, exploiting VMware environments to exfiltrate credentials and evade detection through encrypted covert channels.

New Investigatory Powers Act Request Reportedly Transmitted in SeptemberThe U.K. Home Office reportedly again ordered Apple to give it backdoor access to an encrypted cloud service after backing down in August from a similar demand made earlier this year. The order comes after a similar attempt by the Home Office in January.

Tulsi Gabbard Takes Credit After Apparent British Reversal of Backdoor RequestU.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the United Kingdom has apparently reversed course on a demand for Apple to provide the government with a backdoor into its advanced iCloud encrypted protections following growing criticism from U.S. lawmakers and privacy advocates.

Independent Tribunal Rules That at Least 'Bare Details' of Case Can Be Made PublicThe British government has lost its bid to maintain "absolute" secrecy over its attempt to compel Apple to provide backdoor access to users' encrypted data, ruled Britain's independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal. Whether any further details will get released publicly remains unclear.

Swedish Prime Minister Proposed Fast-Tracking Bill to Surveil MinorsA proposal by the Swedish prime minister to fast track legislation allowing police to surveil minors could cause end-to-end encrypted chat app Signal to leave the country. The government in effect is asking for backdoor access, said Signal President Meredith Whittaker.

US Technology Giant Reportedly Received UK Government Demand for Global BackdoorAmidst the ever-rising tide of cyberattacks and data breaches, Apple is deactivating a key data security feature for all U.K. users, rather than accede to a reported demand from the British government that the technology giant give it on-demand backdoor access to any user's data in the world.

Secret Order Seeks to Compel Apple to Weaken Encryption, Washington Post ReportsThe British government has unexpectedly reignited the long-running encryption debate, reportedly issuing a secret order to Apple requiring that it provide direct access to global users' fully encrypted cloud backups and prohibited the technology giant from alerting any targeted accountholders.

Court of Human Rights Ruling Challenges Russian Data Interception in Telegram CaseA European court has sided with a Russian petitioner who challenged a Kremlin rule that requires telecom firms to backdoor their servers for law enforcement data collection. The court found that end-to-end encryption is essential to preserving the right to privacy in digital communication systems.