Matthijs R. Koot
@cyberwar.nl
IT, privacy, security, democracy. PhD. PGP: 51F9 8FC9 C92A 1165 (http://keybase.io/mrkoot). Employed as IT security specialist.
Mastodon: @mrkoot@infosec.exchange
LinkedIn: /in/mrkoot
Mastodon: @mrkoot@infosec.exchange
LinkedIn: /in/mrkoot
“The MI5 alert cited LinkedIn profiles of two women, Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen, and said other similar recruiters’ profiles were acting as fronts for espionage.”
Chinese spies are trying to reach UK lawmakers via LinkedIn, MI5 warns (18 Nov 2025) www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”
Chinese spies are trying to reach UK lawmakers via LinkedIn, MI5 warns
Chinese spies are reaching out to U.K. lawmakers them recruitment headhunters or cover companies, Britain’s domestic intelligence agency has warned.
www.pbs.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:14 AM
“The MI5 alert cited LinkedIn profiles of two women, Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen, and said other similar recruiters’ profiles were acting as fronts for espionage.”
Chinese spies are trying to reach UK lawmakers via LinkedIn, MI5 warns (18 Nov 2025) www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”
Chinese spies are trying to reach UK lawmakers via LinkedIn, MI5 warns
Chinese spies are reaching out to U.K. lawmakers them recruitment headhunters or cover companies, Britain’s domestic intelligence agency has warned.
www.pbs.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Chinese spies are trying to reach UK lawmakers via LinkedIn, MI5 warns (18 Nov 2025) www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
There's a Russian disinformation network operating from Mastodon to push content into BlueSky, it's a few hundred active accounts (they also exist directly on BlueSky natively too).
It probably costs more to run than the value it provides to whoever runs it, tbh.
cyberplace.social/@GossiTheDog...
It probably costs more to run than the value it provides to whoever runs it, tbh.
cyberplace.social/@GossiTheDog...
Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social)
I dunno if anybody has done a write up of it but there’s a pretty big Russian disinformation operation that runs on the Fediverse
If you search on Mastodon for t.me/RussianBaZa you’ll find some of i...
cyberplace.social
November 15, 2025 at 11:46 AM
There's a Russian disinformation network operating from Mastodon to push content into BlueSky, it's a few hundred active accounts (they also exist directly on BlueSky natively too).
It probably costs more to run than the value it provides to whoever runs it, tbh.
cyberplace.social/@GossiTheDog...
It probably costs more to run than the value it provides to whoever runs it, tbh.
cyberplace.social/@GossiTheDog...
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
After years of blocking Tor users from accessing essential government websites, Mexico has finally reversed course. At least in part. @globalvoices.org breaks down the story on our blog🗞️📰: blog.torproject.org/mexican-gove...
@jacobonajera.bsky.social
@jacobonajera.bsky.social
Mexican government partially unblocks secure internet | Tor Project
Mexico blocked Tor access to government websites citing security concerns. The current administration lifted the main block earlier this year, though some sites appear to remain restricted. Ironically...
blog.torproject.org
November 18, 2025 at 3:23 PM
After years of blocking Tor users from accessing essential government websites, Mexico has finally reversed course. At least in part. @globalvoices.org breaks down the story on our blog🗞️📰: blog.torproject.org/mexican-gove...
@jacobonajera.bsky.social
@jacobonajera.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
The Friesland-based Dutch Certification Institute, which certifies shipping and yacht-related products, was taken over by a Chinese company in 2019. Now, it has suddenly closed down and its customers are stuck without necessary paperwork and with no clue where their dossiers have gone.
Chinese eigenaar doekt ineens Fries bedrijf op. Waar zijn de bedrijfsgeheimen van klanten? – Follow the Money: „DCI, dat productcertificaten leverde aan jachtbouwers, kreeg zes jaar geleden een omstreden Chinese eigenaar. Van de ene op de andere dag heeft het dit jaar alle activiteiten gestaakt.”
Chinese eigenaar doekt ineens Fries bedrijf op. Waar zijn de bedrijfsgeheimen van klanten?
Het Friese DCI, een keuringsclub voor de scheepvaart- en jachtbouwsector, kreeg eind 2019 een nieuw, Chinees moederbedrijf. De nieuwe eigenaar vertrok dit jaar met de noorderzon. Niemand weet nu waar ...
www.ftm.nl
November 17, 2025 at 9:20 AM
The Friesland-based Dutch Certification Institute, which certifies shipping and yacht-related products, was taken over by a Chinese company in 2019. Now, it has suddenly closed down and its customers are stuck without necessary paperwork and with no clue where their dossiers have gone.
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Russia handed Roskomnadzor the keys to the entire internet on October 27, letting the agency reroute traffic, flip the censorship switch and isolate the Russian web at will starting March 1. Officials insist it's all for "Russians' online safety".
November 8, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Russia handed Roskomnadzor the keys to the entire internet on October 27, letting the agency reroute traffic, flip the censorship switch and isolate the Russian web at will starting March 1. Officials insist it's all for "Russians' online safety".
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Washington and Beijing would establish (additional) military-to-military communications channels:
www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...
www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...
US, China reportedly agree to set up military communication channels
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, late Saturday on the sidelines of a regional security meeting.
www.militarytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Washington and Beijing would establish (additional) military-to-military communications channels:
www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...
www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
NEW: Peter Williams, the former head of Western zero-day and spyware maker Trenchant, pleaded guilty to selling eight exploits to a broker that resells to the Russian government.
The DOJ said Williams was promised millions of dollars in exchange for "national-security focused software."
The DOJ said Williams was promised millions of dollars in exchange for "national-security focused software."
Former L3Harris Trenchant boss pleads guilty to selling zero-day exploits to Russian broker | TechCrunch
Prosecutors confirmed Peter Williams, the former Trenchant boss, sold eight exploits to a Russian buyer. TechCrunch exclusively reported that the Trenchant division was investigating a leak of its hac...
techcrunch.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
NEW: Peter Williams, the former head of Western zero-day and spyware maker Trenchant, pleaded guilty to selling eight exploits to a broker that resells to the Russian government.
The DOJ said Williams was promised millions of dollars in exchange for "national-security focused software."
The DOJ said Williams was promised millions of dollars in exchange for "national-security focused software."
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Here's the Wired story www.wired.com/story/peter-...
Ex-L3Harris Cyber Boss Pleads Guilty to Selling Trade Secrets to Russian Firm
Peter Williams, a former executive of Trenchant, L3Harris' cyber division, has pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing trade secrets and selling them to an unnamed Russian software broker.
www.wired.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Here's the Wired story www.wired.com/story/peter-...
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Peter Williams former Trenchant exec accused of selling trade secrets to someone in Russia pleaded guilty in court this morning. Prosecutors say he sold software trade secrets to Russian company that buys zero days from researchers and sells to other Russian firms. My story for Wired will be up soon
October 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Peter Williams former Trenchant exec accused of selling trade secrets to someone in Russia pleaded guilty in court this morning. Prosecutors say he sold software trade secrets to Russian company that buys zero days from researchers and sells to other Russian firms. My story for Wired will be up soon
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
1. We ( @jbakcoleman.bsky.social, @cailinmeister.bsky.social, @jevinwest.bsky.social, and I) have a new preprint up on the arXiv.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
October 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM
1. We ( @jbakcoleman.bsky.social, @cailinmeister.bsky.social, @jevinwest.bsky.social, and I) have a new preprint up on the arXiv.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Doubts over transatlantic intelligence-sharing is bringing European intelligence agencies closer together: www.politico.eu/article/euro...
Europe’s spies are learning to trust each other — thanks to Trump
Doubts over transatlantic intelligence-sharing is bringing European intelligence agencies closer together.
www.politico.eu
October 24, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Doubts over transatlantic intelligence-sharing is bringing European intelligence agencies closer together: www.politico.eu/article/euro...
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
SCOOP: A man who worked on developing hacking and surveillance tools for defense contractor L3Harris Trenchant was notified by Apple that his iPhone was targeted with mercenary spyware.
The developer believes he was targeted after he was wrongly accused of leaking zero-days developed by Trenchant.
The developer believes he was targeted after he was wrongly accused of leaking zero-days developed by Trenchant.
Exclusive: Apple alerts exploit developer that his iPhone was targeted with government spyware
A developer at Trenchant, a leading Western spyware and zero-day maker, was suspected of leaking company tools and fired. Weeks later, Apple notified him that his personal iPhone was targeted with spy...
techcrunch.com
October 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
SCOOP: A man who worked on developing hacking and surveillance tools for defense contractor L3Harris Trenchant was notified by Apple that his iPhone was targeted with mercenary spyware.
The developer believes he was targeted after he was wrongly accused of leaking zero-days developed by Trenchant.
The developer believes he was targeted after he was wrongly accused of leaking zero-days developed by Trenchant.
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
CISA: Nation-state hacker has compromised F5’s systems and stolen a portion of its BIG-IP source code and vulnerability info, giving them ability to study the code for zero-day vulnerabilities. "This cyber threat actor presents an imminent threat to federal networks using F5 devices and software"
ED 26-01: Mitigate Vulnerabilities in F5 Devices | CISA
Section 3553(h) of title 44, U.S. Code, authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security, in response to a known or reasonably suspected information security
www.cisa.gov
October 15, 2025 at 3:52 PM
CISA: Nation-state hacker has compromised F5’s systems and stolen a portion of its BIG-IP source code and vulnerability info, giving them ability to study the code for zero-day vulnerabilities. "This cyber threat actor presents an imminent threat to federal networks using F5 devices and software"
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Researchers pointed a satellite dish at the sky for 3 years and monitored what unencrypted data it picked up. The results were shocking: They obtained thousands of T-Mobile users' phone calls and texts, military and law enforcement secrets, much more: www.wired.com/story/satell... 🧵👇
Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data
With just $800 in basic equipment, researchers found a stunning variety of data—including thousands of T-Mobile users’ calls and texts and even US military communications—sent by satellites unencrypte...
www.wired.com
October 14, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Researchers pointed a satellite dish at the sky for 3 years and monitored what unencrypted data it picked up. The results were shocking: They obtained thousands of T-Mobile users' phone calls and texts, military and law enforcement secrets, much more: www.wired.com/story/satell... 🧵👇
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
'Any running Android app can mount this attack, even if it does not have any Android permissions (i.e., no permissions are specified in its manifest file).' 👀 @gate15.bsky.social
October 14, 2025 at 12:31 PM
'Any running Android app can mount this attack, even if it does not have any Android permissions (i.e., no permissions are specified in its manifest file).' 👀 @gate15.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
"Pixnapping is a new class of attacks that allows a malicious Android app to stealthily leak information displayed by other Android apps or arbitrary websites."
Tested to steal data from Gmail, Google Accounts, Signal, Google Authenticator, Venmo, and Google Maps
www.pixnapping.com
Tested to steal data from Gmail, Google Accounts, Signal, Google Authenticator, Venmo, and Google Maps
www.pixnapping.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:29 PM
"Pixnapping is a new class of attacks that allows a malicious Android app to stealthily leak information displayed by other Android apps or arbitrary websites."
Tested to steal data from Gmail, Google Accounts, Signal, Google Authenticator, Venmo, and Google Maps
www.pixnapping.com
Tested to steal data from Gmail, Google Accounts, Signal, Google Authenticator, Venmo, and Google Maps
www.pixnapping.com
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia on.ft.com/4hdts1U
Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia
Move by The Hague escalates frictions between western countries and Beijing over access to high-end technology
on.ft.com
October 12, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Dutch government takes control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia on.ft.com/4hdts1U
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
🇩🇪IHR SEID DER WAHNSINN: ❤️ Euer Protest hat die #Chatkontrolle gestoppt! Ich höre: Deutschland knickt nicht ein, es gibt also keine Mehrheit im EU-Rat. Das digitale Briefgeheimnis ist vorerst gerettet. Lasst uns diesen Erfolg GEMEINSAM feiern! 🎉
ℹ️ […]
[Original post on digitalcourage.social]
ℹ️ […]
[Original post on digitalcourage.social]
October 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM
🇩🇪IHR SEID DER WAHNSINN: ❤️ Euer Protest hat die #Chatkontrolle gestoppt! Ich höre: Deutschland knickt nicht ein, es gibt also keine Mehrheit im EU-Rat. Das digitale Briefgeheimnis ist vorerst gerettet. Lasst uns diesen Erfolg GEMEINSAM feiern! 🎉
ℹ️ […]
[Original post on digitalcourage.social]
ℹ️ […]
[Original post on digitalcourage.social]
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Who, WHO could have foreseen that the techbros cosplaying as defense experts would create a disastrously insecure product?
Anduril and Palantir battlefield communication system has deep flaws, Army memo says
The much-needed modernization of the U.S. Army's battlefield communications network being undertaken by Anduril, Palantir and others is rife with "fundamental security" problems and vulnerabilities, and should be treated as a "very high risk," according to a recent internal Army memo.
www.reuters.com
October 3, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Who, WHO could have foreseen that the techbros cosplaying as defense experts would create a disastrously insecure product?
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
X just rolled out its highly anticipated end-to-end encrypted chat, that you "secure" with a 4-digit PIN 🤪
September 3, 2025 at 11:13 PM
X just rolled out its highly anticipated end-to-end encrypted chat, that you "secure" with a 4-digit PIN 🤪
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Microsoft: Multiple subsea fiber cuts in the Red Sea impacting global communications
azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status
azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status
September 6, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Microsoft: Multiple subsea fiber cuts in the Red Sea impacting global communications
azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status
azure.status.microsoft/en-us/status
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
We’re zeroing out $80+ million in funding for area & language studies at universities across the country, while wasting money on this illegal charade. I never want to hear about how the GOP is the party of national security ever again in my lifetime.
Signage around the Department of Defense offices were quickly changed to “Department of War” to match President Donald Trump’s rebrand of the organization, including Secretary Pete Hegseth’s nameplate.
September 6, 2025 at 5:18 AM
We’re zeroing out $80+ million in funding for area & language studies at universities across the country, while wasting money on this illegal charade. I never want to hear about how the GOP is the party of national security ever again in my lifetime.
Reposted by Matthijs R. Koot
Germany's domestic intelligence service is warning the public about foreign recruitment efforts on social media: "don't become a disposable agent"
September 2, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Germany's domestic intelligence service is warning the public about foreign recruitment efforts on social media: "don't become a disposable agent"