Alexander Martin
@alexmartin.bsky.social
Journalist covering cybersecurity and intelligence. UK Editor at The Record from Recorded Future News. Dad of two.
🏠 Sheffield
📧 alexander.martin@therecord.media
📱 Signal: AlexanderMartin.79
🏠 Sheffield
📧 alexander.martin@therecord.media
📱 Signal: AlexanderMartin.79
A cynic might point out the language of Varoufakis’ criticism echoes a Politico report that originated the now widely-misrepresented Niinistö report as having recommended the creation of “a CIA-style European spy service.” For at least two dozen obvious reasons, that is a non-starter.
November 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
A cynic might point out the language of Varoufakis’ criticism echoes a Politico report that originated the now widely-misrepresented Niinistö report as having recommended the creation of “a CIA-style European spy service.” For at least two dozen obvious reasons, that is a non-starter.
I'm also really pleased to have raised more than £400! If anyone would still like to donate, you can do so here: givestar.io/gs/gainsboro...
November 10, 2025 at 8:21 AM
I'm also really pleased to have raised more than £400! If anyone would still like to donate, you can do so here: givestar.io/gs/gainsboro...
Thank you so much to everyone for your support! I'm glad I completed it, although I wish I'd managed it in a much quicker time. Still, it's good to have completed a half marathon and hopefully I can improve on my time in the future!
November 10, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Thank you so much to everyone for your support! I'm glad I completed it, although I wish I'd managed it in a much quicker time. Still, it's good to have completed a half marathon and hopefully I can improve on my time in the future!
Very interesting to see Bradley Thomas bring this forward. I assume it's an attempt to encourage the govt to bringing forward its own bill on ransomware?
The Home Office has (of course) been mooting such a bill for years now and in July responded to a consultation on it: www.gov.uk/government/c...
The Home Office has (of course) been mooting such a bill for years now and in July responded to a consultation on it: www.gov.uk/government/c...
October 21, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Very interesting to see Bradley Thomas bring this forward. I assume it's an attempt to encourage the govt to bringing forward its own bill on ransomware?
The Home Office has (of course) been mooting such a bill for years now and in July responded to a consultation on it: www.gov.uk/government/c...
The Home Office has (of course) been mooting such a bill for years now and in July responded to a consultation on it: www.gov.uk/government/c...
I'm struggling to think of anything that cannot be used to conduct encrypted communications.
September 23, 2025 at 12:07 PM
I'm struggling to think of anything that cannot be used to conduct encrypted communications.
Access instructions available from a verified YouTube account (www.youtube.com/@MI6) in French, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi and Russian, alongside a video of “fictional brave individuals from around the world who have taken the courageous decision to make contact with MI6 using Silent Courier.”
September 19, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Access instructions available from a verified YouTube account (www.youtube.com/@MI6) in French, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi and Russian, alongside a video of “fictional brave individuals from around the world who have taken the courageous decision to make contact with MI6 using Silent Courier.”
Really unusual stuff. The government is supporting a private members' bill that would make it a criminal offence for a public servant or official to intentionally or recklessly mislead the media.
September 16, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Really unusual stuff. The government is supporting a private members' bill that would make it a criminal offence for a public servant or official to intentionally or recklessly mislead the media.
Oh boy. HT to Giles Peaker.
Tribunal decision here for anyone interested in reading it: tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/2025-u...
Tribunal decision here for anyone interested in reading it: tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/2025-u...
September 16, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Oh boy. HT to Giles Peaker.
Tribunal decision here for anyone interested in reading it: tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/2025-u...
Tribunal decision here for anyone interested in reading it: tribunalsdecisions.service.gov.uk/utiac/2025-u...
Suojelupoliisi or Supo, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, has this morning officially moved into its handsome new premises in Helsinki.
"There is every reason to call this the most secure building in Finland," said Supo Director Juha Martelius.
Announcement: supo.fi/en/-/supo-mo...
"There is every reason to call this the most secure building in Finland," said Supo Director Juha Martelius.
Announcement: supo.fi/en/-/supo-mo...
September 15, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Suojelupoliisi or Supo, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, has this morning officially moved into its handsome new premises in Helsinki.
"There is every reason to call this the most secure building in Finland," said Supo Director Juha Martelius.
Announcement: supo.fi/en/-/supo-mo...
"There is every reason to call this the most secure building in Finland," said Supo Director Juha Martelius.
Announcement: supo.fi/en/-/supo-mo...
As an aside; the phrase when “parliamentary time allows” is an ugly modern blight, isn't it?
September 11, 2025 at 12:34 PM
As an aside; the phrase when “parliamentary time allows” is an ugly modern blight, isn't it?
Chris Bryant told an Urgent Question on Tuesday the bill would be introduced “when parliamentary time allows.” It's a little hard not to feel like these delays have become a bit of a running joke for ministers too.
(Source: hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...)
(Source: hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...)
September 11, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Chris Bryant told an Urgent Question on Tuesday the bill would be introduced “when parliamentary time allows.” It's a little hard not to feel like these delays have become a bit of a running joke for ministers too.
(Source: hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...)
(Source: hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...)
It also seems rather at odds with the Labour Party's manifesto declaration that markets must be shaped not merely served...
(Source: labour.org.uk/wp-content/u...)
(Source: labour.org.uk/wp-content/u...)
September 11, 2025 at 12:18 PM
It also seems rather at odds with the Labour Party's manifesto declaration that markets must be shaped not merely served...
(Source: labour.org.uk/wp-content/u...)
(Source: labour.org.uk/wp-content/u...)
An interesting line, I think, because earlier this week a government spokesperson told me they were concerned about “constant government interference,” which is a perfectly fine thing to be concerned about, but I don't know of anybody who believes the government could be accused of that at all.
September 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
An interesting line, I think, because earlier this week a government spokesperson told me they were concerned about “constant government interference,” which is a perfectly fine thing to be concerned about, but I don't know of anybody who believes the government could be accused of that at all.
Well, that was sensibly quick.
September 11, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Well, that was sensibly quick.
A government spokesperson, emailing @therecordmedia.bsky.social, explained the delays were purposeful attempts to avoid over-regulating. They said:
September 9, 2025 at 10:05 AM
A government spokesperson, emailing @therecordmedia.bsky.social, explained the delays were purposeful attempts to avoid over-regulating. They said:
Peter Kyle raised eyebrows last year when he said he was made, just hours into office, “very very aware that there was a cybersecurity challenge that our country faced that I simply wasn’t aware of before.”
We report a secret briefing by intel chiefs was responsible: therecord.media/cyberattack-...
We report a secret briefing by intel chiefs was responsible: therecord.media/cyberattack-...
September 9, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Peter Kyle raised eyebrows last year when he said he was made, just hours into office, “very very aware that there was a cybersecurity challenge that our country faced that I simply wasn’t aware of before.”
We report a secret briefing by intel chiefs was responsible: therecord.media/cyberattack-...
We report a secret briefing by intel chiefs was responsible: therecord.media/cyberattack-...
Damn, the FBI got on this quickly.
August 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Damn, the FBI got on this quickly.
What, are they asking an LLM how to view the page source??
August 21, 2025 at 9:14 AM
What, are they asking an LLM how to view the page source??
🇪🇪☕
From my favourite mug in my living room, a very happy Restoration of Independence Day to all of Estonia!
From my favourite mug in my living room, a very happy Restoration of Independence Day to all of Estonia!
August 20, 2025 at 1:28 PM
🇪🇪☕
From my favourite mug in my living room, a very happy Restoration of Independence Day to all of Estonia!
From my favourite mug in my living room, a very happy Restoration of Independence Day to all of Estonia!
Pretty neat. "This week GCHQ is marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day with the release of two letters which shed light on what happened to codebreakers at Bletchley Park following the end of the Second World War."
August 13, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Pretty neat. "This week GCHQ is marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day with the release of two letters which shed light on what happened to codebreakers at Bletchley Park following the end of the Second World War."
I don't think that's right, although I might be wrong. My reading is that the EMFA sets a minimum standard, it seems to explicitly state it doesn't override domestic law where that provides a higher level of protection for journalists.
Source: www.media-freedom-act.com/Media_Freedo...
Source: www.media-freedom-act.com/Media_Freedo...
August 8, 2025 at 9:22 AM
I don't think that's right, although I might be wrong. My reading is that the EMFA sets a minimum standard, it seems to explicitly state it doesn't override domestic law where that provides a higher level of protection for journalists.
Source: www.media-freedom-act.com/Media_Freedo...
Source: www.media-freedom-act.com/Media_Freedo...