NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations

CWA # 501
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
The Rise and Reign of Ransomware

SDP Scholar
29 June 2021
Photo Source: Kspersky

NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
Vol.1, No.3, 29 June 2021
 

COVER STORY
by Jeshil Samuel J

The Rise and Reign of Ransomware 
Despite governments taking notice, the lack of cooperation makes prevention of such ransomware attacks a distant dream.

 

Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and there seems to be no large-scale response to halt their growth. In early June, US meat processing giant JBS and nuclear weapons contractor Sol Oriens within the span of a week, announced that they had become victims of a ransomware attack. Both attacks were carried out by the same threat actor, REvil. REvil, also known as Shodinikobi, is one of the most prominent RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service) operators in the world, accounting for 11 per cent of all ransomware attacks worldwide.

On 22 June, Belgium's third-largest city, Liege, was subjected to a large-scale ransomware attack. The attack was carried out by threat actors using the Ryuk ransomware (notoriously used by Russia-based cybercrime group WIZARD SPIDER). The attack rendered many important services inaccessible to the public, such as registration of births, deaths and marriages. Other key citizenship services such as passport renewals and parking permissions were also affected due to the attack. 

On 22 June, Brazil's largest medical diagnostics company, Grupo Fleury, suffered a ransomware attack that forced the company to shut down all operations. The company has over 200 service centres across Brazil and performs nearly 75 million clinical exams in a year. Any potential leak of customer data could be a significant problem due to the massive personal and medical data stored by the company. The attack was carried out by REvil and the ransom demanded stands at USD 5 million. The company is yet to recover its operations from the attack.  

Also on 22 June, the Conti ransomware group released a glimpse of the data that they had obtained from an attack on the City of Tulsa in Oklahoma, United States. City officials warned residents about their personal data being leaked on the internet. Though the attack was carried out in May, no group had claimed responsibility for the attack. The Conti group posted 18,938 files belonging to the city (mainly police citations that include Personally Identifiable Information) on the internet. When ransomware gangs such as Conti publish stolen data, other cybercriminals download and use the data for an array of criminal activities such as scamming, phishing and extortion. 

I
What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts victims from using their system (either because their data is encrypted, or their system is locked) unless a ransom is paid to the perpetrator. Ransomware can be broadly divided into two categories — crypto-ransomware and locker ransomware. Crypto ransomware tends to encrypt the data in the victim's system, and once the ransom is paid, the attacker sends a decryption key. Locker ransomware, on the other hand, tends to shut down and lock the victim's system completely instead of encrypting the data and once the ransom is paid the attacker unlocks the system. The ransom is usually demanded in the form of cryptocurrencies such as Monero and Bitcoin so that the money becomes harder to trace and easier to legitimize. Ransomwares are created by ransomware operators similar to how legitimate software are created by software engineers.

Threat actors like REvil and Conti for example are advanced and highly sophisticated ransomware operators who specialize in creating and customizing ransomware. Once they concoct a ransomware, they offer it to other hackers (called affiliates) via an affiliate program to deploy and exploit. For this service, they charge the affiliates a percentage of the ransom they collect through the attacks. This business model is known as Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) and has by far been one of the most lucrative and successful models for highly sophisticated threat actors.

Most modern ransomwares follow a similar modus operandi for maximum impact and higher success rates. The infection and distribution of the ransomware are usually carried out through a phishing email or message. The infected email or message contains a link that downloads the ransomware from the internet to the victim's system when clicked on (or in a few instances after merely opening the mail). Another prominent infection and distribution method is through Remote Desktop Protocols (RDP) where the hacker uses stolen or leaked login credentials of the victim to remotely access his/her system. Once the hackers have gained access to the victim's system remotely, they go ahead and download the ransomware themselves onto the victim's system. Once the victim's system is infected with ransomware, it encrypts all the data in the victim's computer making them unusable without a decryption key. The ransomware usually projects a ransom note on the victim's system informing them how much ransom has to be paid and how the ransom has to be paid. Once the victim has paid the ransom, the hackers give the victim a copy of the encryption key along with a decryptor program to restore all the files in the victim's system back to a usable state.

II
Origin and evolution

Though ransomwares have gained massive popularity just over the last five years, the idea of holding data hostage for a ransom has been present since the late 1980s. The first ransomware attack to be recorded was in 1989 when Joseph L. Popp (a Harvard educated biologist) sent 20,000 Trojan infected floppy disks to the attendees in an AIDS conference organized by the World Health Organization. The Trojan virus encrypted the file names in the victim's system and asked them to send 189 dollars as ransom to a mailbox in Panama.

Till the late 2000s, ransomwares did not pose any serious threats and could not flourish due to the problems involved in collecting the ransom. This changed in 2009 with the emergence of Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency provided ransomware operators with an untraceable method of receiving ransom payments. By 2012, ransomware operators had gone as far as opening call centers and offered support to less tech-savvy victims who found it hard to make the ransom payments through Bitcoin. However, the true reign of ransomwares started in 2013 with the creation of CryptoLocker. CryptoLocker was a next-generation ransomware (at that time) that used a tougher-to-crack 2048-bit RSA encryption to encrypt victim's systems making sure they would have no other option but to pay the ransom. Soon numerous clones of CryptoLocker emerged and the number of ransomware attacks increased. From 2015, ransomware gangs began moving from individual targets with meagre payout to multi-national corporations with a larger payout. This change in strategy coupled with a new RaaS business model led to an exponential rise in ransomware attacks on companies, banks, hospitals, educational institutions and government institutions throughout the world.

Why are ransomware attacks on the rise now?

First, the growth of RaaS. In 2016, the number of ransomwares created increased by an astonishing 752 per cent compared to the previous year. This did not create an immediate surge in ransomware attacks as the creators themselves were responsible for most of the attacks. By 2019, however, RaaS boomed, and the number of threat actors increased. Ransomware creators continued to create new variants at an astonishing rate and had thousands of affiliates who carried out attacks. Affiliates did not need to be as sophisticated as APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats) and had to focus only on one mission: to find and deploy the ransomware on a suitable target. This division of labor amongst cybercriminals is one of the main reasons for the surge in ransomware attacks.

Second, the pandemic. With the advent of the pandemic in 2020, ransomware attacks increased by a staggering 150 per cent. Since early 2020, numerous companies and institutions have been forced to make employees work remotely. This work-from-home mandate gave ransomware gangs an incredible advantage since most employees were not aware of cybersecurity measures that had to be taken while working remotely. Nearly 51 per cent of all businesses were targeted globally in 2020, resulting in 199.7 million ransomware attacks. The pandemic funneled ransomware attacks towards the healthcare and financial industry in particular. Hackers knew that both these industries would undoubtedly pay the ransom since they played critical roles in managing the pandemic. The healthcare sector saw a 123 per cent increase in ransomware attacks and a loss of nearly USD 20.8 billion in downtime. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were not spared either. Despite the low payoff hackers got from these enterprises, the attacks on SMEs and professional services made up 24.9 per cent of all ransomware attacks in 2020. The most common attacks used by ransomware gangs to infiltrate the healthcare and finance sectors were via phishing emails or messages.

Third, the growth of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies have been used as the go-to form of ransomware demands and payments since 2010. The recent surge in cryptocurrency prices have not only made transactions for ransom payments easier, but have also multiplied profits for ransomware gangs. The decentralized finance model offered by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have made it easier for ransomware groups to legitimize their illegal ransom. Other cryptocurrencies such as Monero have also become a constant favorite to ransomware groups due to their opaque transaction processes that add additional layers of privacy and anonymity. This makes it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to track and retrieve the ransom. The growth and popularity of cryptocurrency has left many countries skeptical primarily due to the ulterior motives of cybercriminals in using the technology to conduct unlawful activities. The recent growth in Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) could even push ransomware groups to receive payments through NFT art in the future.    

III
State response to ransomware attacks

Even before the pandemic left governments around the world scrambling, the international community did not take countermeasures to address the threats posed by cross-border threat actors such as REvil. The lack of jurisdiction and problems regarding extradition are still major hurdles governments face in punishing cyber criminals. Developing countries from the Asia-Pacific region in particular, have become easy targets for ransomware attacks due to their inadequate cybersecurity measures and policies. India, for example, has had the highest number of ransomware attacks in 2021, with nearly 213 weekly ransomware attacks per organization. The law enforcement agencies in developing countries are also unlikely to retrieve the ransom collected through these attacks due to a lack of time and expertise. Developed countries on the other hand, despite having tougher laws and advanced cybersecurity measures, also have the most vulnerable supply chains which have been continuously exploited. The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, for example, started with attackers using a simple compromised password to get into the company's network. But what followed forced the company to shut down its operations and halted fuel supply to the entire east coast of the US for a week. A few developed countries in Eastern Europe like Estonia, Croatia and Poland, however, have managed to excel in thwarting cyberattacks and have also formed joint cyber response teams to increase cooperation in fighting cybercriminals. Though other countries around the world have started understanding the grave threats posed by ransomware, a combined global effort to counter the threat remains a far-fetched ideal. However, recent efforts by the European Union to build a Joint Cyber Unit (to tackle the rise of cybercrimes throughout the EU) and the United States in giving ransomware attacks a similar priority as terrorist attacks have sent a clear message to cybercriminals that governments would no longer tolerate ransomware attacks.

What can be done?

First, on an individual level. Opening links from spam emails, downloading pirated software, installing unnecessary plugins, using random USB sticks, reusing passwords across multiple accounts, or even browsing through an unsafe website on the internet is enough for ransomware to enter one's system. Therefore, individuals need to be aware of the threats lurking on the internet and spread awareness to others who are unaware of the same. 

Second, on an institutional or corporate level. Businesses usually face the brunt of ransomware attacks as countries like the US have stopped businesses from paying the ransom. The potential loss or leak of their intellectual property or client data usually pushes businesses to pay the ransom immediately. However, this only encourages hackers to make double or multiple extortions from the same victim since they paid up the first time. The best thing institutions and corporations can do is to invest more in cybersecurity measures and in educating employees about the potential threats that they might face. 

Third, on a national level. Governments have to work together to see progress in reducing ransomware attacks. Governments could start focusing on indigenous manufacturers and developers to reduce the impact of massive supply chain attacks. Governments could also force private businesses to disclose ransomware attacks immediately to assess and minimize their impact. In developing countries especially, governments should facilitate proper grievance redressal mechanisms for ransomware victims. Although the age of digitization has its perks, the underlying threats it poses are often underestimated by policymakers, leading to catastrophic events. Therefore, governments should be aware and be at the forefront of spreading awareness about threat actors like REvil to the public. Be it a developed or developing country, no one is safe from ransomware or any other cyberattack unless and until all governments cooperate in formulating and implementing apt countermeasures.

IV
Conclusion

Ransomware as a threat to cyberspace, can be mitigated if proper cybersecurity measures are undertaken by public or private entities. The motivation to carry out ransomware attacks on the other hand is a greater threat that cannot be mitigated with any steadfast rule.

Most of the ransomware attacks originate from developing regions where lower job opportunities or pays, pushes talented individuals to be part of ransomware gangs that promise fast and easy cash. Youngsters in particular get drawn to the massive incentives and do not bother to think about the damages being caused on the other side of the screen.

Only if the countries responsible for harbouring these cyber criminals decide to stop them would the reign of ransomware truly come to an end. Till then, the blame game between countries would continue and no permanent solution would be implemented. 

 

In brief
by Lokendra Sharma, Akriti Sharma and Harini Madhusudan

Massive chip shortages impact automobile industry 

Since December last year, the demand for semiconductor chips has outpaced the supply, with the situation only getting worse in the past two weeks. While the shortage has affected most industries, automobile one is particularly impacted. On 23 June, Mazda Motor announced shutting down operations at one of its factories in Japan for 10 days in July due to chip shortage. With this, Mazda joins other carmakers like General Motors, Ford and Toyota in cutting production due to chip procurement issues. On 27 June, Volkswagen announced resuming production at its Mexico unit but did not rule out future disruptions due to chip shortage. ("Mazda to temporarily halt production at Japanese plant in July due to chip shortage", Reuters, 23 June 2021; "Volkswagen's Mexico unit says it will resume production that was hit by chip shortage", Reuters, 27 June 2021)  

On 22 June, GlobalFoundries, one of the largest chip makers in the world, announced USD 6 billion expansion plans at its units in Singapore, Germany and the US, joining other chipmakers like Intel and Taiwan-based TSMC which announced massive expansion plans earlier this year. Even with this expansion, the shortage is expected to continue in the coming months. Shortage initially arose by the end of last year as automobile manufacturers cancelled chip orders as factories shut down due to the pandemic while the mobile, computers and other internet-enabled devices spiked due to work-from-home and digital education. As automobile manufacturers started opening up, they therefore faced massive chip shortages. (Aradhana Aravindan, "Chipmaker GlobalFoundries plans $6 bln expansion in Singapore, US, Germany", Reuters, 22 June 2021)

 

Computer Glitch on the Hubble Telescope 

On 23 and 24 June, an attempt was made to turn on the backup unit of the Hubble telescope. The latest attempts to revive the telescope revealed that both the primary and backup computers of Hubble are experiencing a similar error suggesting that the issue could lie elsewhere.  

On 13 June, operations on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope were halted after a problem was reported with one of the telescope's computers. After having observed the universe for 31 years, the spacecraft is said to have stopped collecting scientific data. A statement from NASA confirmed that the other hardware and science instruments are in good health. Hubble has been equipped with two payload computers which were built in the 1980s and installed in 2009. Among the two computers which are located on the Science Instrument and Command and Data Handling Unit (SI C&DH), one computer is said to serve as a backup. 

After its primary payload computer abruptly stopped working on 13 June, Hubble went into a protective "safe mode" or electronic hibernation. NASA is said to be continuing its attempts to isolate the problem and identify a potential solution, and working to troubleshoot the issues to get the telescope back and running. On 14 June, one attempt to restart the computer failed. On 16 and 17 June, NASA made multiple attempts to switch over to the telescope's backup memory modules, in vain. On 22 June, an attempt was made to test the spacecraft's Standard Interface (STINT) hardware and the computer's Central Processing Module (CPM)

 In the past, NASA is said to have launched five servicing missions between 1993 and 2009, and the most recent issue experienced was in March 2021, when it suffered a temporary software glitch. The telescope is said to have been designed with redundancy in mind, and despite regular updates to the hardware over the years, many of the core components are old technology. The culprit now is the payload computer, which is said to be the Standard Spacecraft Computer-1 from the 1980s. The world hopes for the return of the observatory while identifying the root cause, which is a time-taking process. Hubble's successor, the long-delayed James Webb Space Telescope is expected to be launched later this year. (Samantha Mathewson, "No quick fix for Hubble Space Telescope's computer glitch, NASA says," 29 June 2021) (NASA, "Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope," 26 June 2021.)

 

India launches its first mission to explore the deep sea

On 16 June, India launched its first mission to explore the deep sea: Deep Ocean Mission. Indian government approved INR 4,077 crores for the same. The mission involves exploring the sea 6,000 meters deep. Additionally, the mission seeks to explore the deep sea similar to the space undertaken by the ISRO.  

The major objective of the mission includes exploring and extraction of polymetallic nodules (PMN) which consist of metals such as Copper, Cobalt, Manganese, and Iron. India has been allotted 75,000 square kilometers of area in the "Central Indian Ocean Basin" for the mining of PMN by the "United Nation International Seabed Authority". The mission involves the development of an underwater "manned submersible to carry three people to the depth of 6,000 meters". It will also study the impact of climate change and provide projections for climate variables through modelling. Other objectives of the mission include ocean biology and engineering, studying the sustainable use of flora and fauna, identifying the sources of hydrothermal minerals, and studying "Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion".

While most of the countries have tested technologies in shallow water, only a few have attempted to study the deep sea. Countries including the US, Japan, China, Russia, France have already explored deep ocean study. This mission will not just provide India an upper hand in exploring the Indian Ocean, but also support the Blue Economy initiative of the Indian Government. ("To tighten India's grip in Indian Ocean region, cabinet approves Rs 4,077-crore Deep Ocean Mission", The Indian Express, 16 June 2021; "India to launch deep ocean mission", The Hindu, 16 June 2021)

 

S&T Nuggets
by Sukanya Bali and Avishka Ashok

TECHNOLOGY 
Cryptocurrency: China's crypto ban gives rise to an exodus of miners
On 25 June, China's biggest cryptocurrency mining machine maker, Bitmain, announced that it would halt the sale of its product after the Chinese government introduced various bans on bitcoin mining. After the government came down heavily on the trading and mining activities related to cryptocurrencies, many individuals who benefited from the industry, have chosen to leave the country and move to crypto-friendly places like Texas, South Dakota, Canada, etc. On 15 June, the Economic Times published an opinion piece on market value and volatility of cryptocurrencies, an article which was originally published in the New York Times. While mapping the evolution and progress of cryptocurrencies, it established that the industry is set to gain more importance in the coming future and will undoubtedly impact every individual regardless of their entanglement with cryptos. (China's Bitmain suspends sales of cryptomining machines after Beijing's mining ban, Reuters, 25 June 2021, Gerry Shih, Bitcoin miners exit China, beat a path to the U.S. as crypto climate shifts, The Washington Post, 18 June 2021, View: The brutal truth about Bitcoin, The economic Times, 15 June 2021)

The US: Establishment of Trade and Technology Council with the EU
On 17 June, the Wall Street Journal shed light on the strategy put forth by the US and the EU to advance their bilateral relations with an aim to counter Russia and China. Technology, industrial development and bilateral trade will be the key areas of cooperation. The aim of the US and the EU is to join hands to collectively compete with China and Russia in the field of scientific and technological development. On 15 June, the two entities revealed the establishment of a new Trade and Technology Council which will focus on enhancing investment and encouraging innovation between the two political players. The body will also promote the strengthening of supply chains and prevent hindrances to bilateral trade. (Daniel Michaels, U.S., EU Forge Closer Ties on Emerging Technologies to Counter Russia and China, 17 June 2021)

The US: New research attempts to use lasers to communicate with drones via satellites
On 17 June, the US head of the Space Development Agency featured in a written interview with Defence One, an online portal that delves into US defence and national security. From the interview, it was realized that the US military researchers were attempting to link drones and satellites through light. The team of scientists aim to test the ability of low-earth orbit satellites in communicating with an MQ-9 Reaper drone using optical links. The head of the programme said: "In just a few short days, we'll be launching several satellites. Two of those are [MQ-9 maker] General Atomics satellites to be able to do the laser conductivity in space. Then those satellites will also be able to do the laser conductivity down directly to an MQ-9 platform." (Patrick Tucker, US Will Try Using Lasers to Send Data From Space to Drones, Defense One, 17 June 2021)

The US: Elon Musk discloses plans to make Starlink a public limited
On 23 June, the CEO of Tesla Elon Musk revealed that he planned to make SpaceX's project, Starlink, public after the investment flow became more predictable. While responding to a question on Twitter, he said: "Going public sooner than that would be very painful. Will do my best to give long-term Tesla shareholders preference." The question enquired if Starlink IPO would become available anytime in the future and if there were any priorities for retail investors. Musk had previously announced his goal of funding a starship rocket to begin commercial space travel and occupying Mars through the revenues recovered from the Starlink venture. (Akriti Sharma, Musk says Starlink to go public once cash flow is more predictable, Reuters, 24 June 2021)

ENVIRONMENT
China: Fossils from 550 million years ago discovered in Qinghai-Tibet plateau
On 15 June, the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology reported that a team of scientists had uncovered new fossils from over 539 million years ago. The fossils are speculated to be from the Ediacaran period and is the oldest fossil found from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The discovery is also considered to be unique as fossils from this period have never been found in the Quanjishan Mountains. The team of scientists from Nanjing Institute made the discovery when they were engaged in a field research in July 2020. A report of the discovery has been made available in the Geology journal. (Lu Yameng, Oldest fossils of Ediacaran biota from about 550 million years ago discovered in China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, The Global Times, 15 June 2021)

Japan: Team of scientists discover possibilities of life in soil sample from Ryugu asteroid
On 17 June, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the organisation working on the soil sample from Hayabusa 2, revealed that the soil specimen showcased capabilities for sustaining life. At present, a team of 269 researchers are studying the soil sample retrieved from the Ryugu asteroid by the probe, Hayabusa 2. The most recent observation made by the agency revealed that the soil contained adequate hydrogen atoms to suggest the existence of a large water body and molecules that support life. The aim of the study is to examine the possibility of life on earth having extra-terrestrial origins. The team will soon begin a detailed study of the soil sample. (Shiori Ogawa, JAXA: Soil from asteroid shows it has ingredients for creating life, The Asahi Shimbun, 18 June 2021)

CLIMATE CHANGE 
US: Effect of Climate Change in the Western part
On 24 June, The New York Times in an opinion article talked about "the effects of Climate Change" in the Western US, that gave rise to severe drought in the region. Experts said the global temperature will continue to rise since the countries fail to limit planet-warming emissions. Bernard Ferguson said: "Most of these gases have come from the United States, China, the European Union, Russia, and other developed countries." In order to combat the crisis, a scientist and founder of a nonprofit, Saul Griffith suggested, "Our politics co-evolved with a century of fossil fuels, and so a huge portion of our regulations still favor the incumbent, which is fossil fuels." He also said: "We can make everyone's energy future cheaper, but politics has to work with technology, which has to work with finance." (Sanam Yar, "The Effects of Climate Change," The New York Times, 24 June 2021)

SPACE
Brazil: Becomes the 12th nation to sign Artemis Accord
On 15 June, Brazil became the 12th nation to sign the Artemis Accords. Artemis Accord outlines the norms of behavior for space exploration to be followed by each member country. Brazil's Minister of science, technology and innovation, Marcos Pontes signed the accords. He said: "The signing of Artemis Accords is a historic moment for Brazil. Together with the U.S. and other countries we will have the opportunity to explore the moon and initiate infinite other possibilities for international cooperation." NASA's current administrator, Bill Nelson said: "In undertaking this important commitment, Brazil is positioned to be a leader in safe and sustainable exploration." (Jeff Foust, "Brazil joins Artemis Accords," Space News, 16 June 2021)

China & Russia: To launch six missions from 2021-2025
On 16 June, Director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Pei Zhaoyu during the GLEX-2021 conference said, China and Russia are planning to launch six missions within its preparatory stage of building an international Moonbase. China will be sending three missions: Chang'e 4, Chang'e 6, and Chang'e 7 whereas Russia will launch an automatic station "Luna 25," lunar polar orbiter "Luna 26" and lunar lander "Luna 27". These missions will help in choosing the area for "constructing a station and to develop the technology for a highly accurate soft landing on the Moon." Earlier this month ROSCOSMOS and CNSA signed a memorandum of mutual understanding on behalf of their governments for the cooperation in building international scientific lunar stations. ("China and Russia to launch 6 lunar missions in 2021-2025 to build an international Moon base," TASS, 16 June 2021) 

The US: China turns into a competitor space; NASA seeks more funds from Congress
According to an article in the Washington Post, NASA administrator Bill Nelson is portraying China as a major competitor for the US in the space arena to get more funds from the Congress for the country's space program. Nelson, speaking to the House appropriates, sought more funds for the Artemis Programme to build a spacecraft, 'Human Landing System,' that will take humans to the lunar surface. China also plans to land humans on the moon in the 2020s. At another hearing in the House, he said that China's recent space initiatives are to "eclipse" the US in space. NASA is also trying to draw countries in a coalition to support its lunar missions and to lay down ground rules for behavior in space. Meanwhile, China is also seeking to build a coalition on moon travel. (Christian Davenport, "As China's space ambitious grow, NASA tells Congress it needs more money to compete," The Washington Post, 18 June 2021)

The US: Space Force selects company to build missile sensor
The US Space Force selected Millennium Space Systems and Raytheon to build sensors that can track hypersonic missiles from medium Earth orbit. The missile will be designed in the next 18 months. SMC said: the design model will "support U.S. Space Force architecture analysis by providing realistic cost, schedule, and performance predictions, essentially enabling a digital try it before you buy it approach." According to Space News, CEO of Millennium Space, Jason Kim said: "the company is taking advantage of Boeing's expertise in digital engineering to develop the missile tracking prototype sensors." He also said: "It's important that we have digital models to help SMC and the broader community evaluate next-generation OPIR sensors and integrate them with weapons systems." (Sandra Erwin, "Space Force, DoD agencies planning multi-orbit sensor network to track hypersonic missiles," Space News, 21 June 2021)

The US: Iridium to develop smallsat GPS for army
Iridium agreed to develop a smallsat GPS payload for the US Army. The company has signed a contract of USD 30 million to develop a payload that will be hosted on small satellites "to support navigation systems, guidance, and control for GPS and GPS-denied precision systems." The payload will be hosted in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) commercial satellite constellation. Spacewatch reported, a Nasdaq listed company said: "Through this contract, the Army intends to develop this payload to support the concept of a rapidly deployable smallsat constellation to provide more effective sensor-to-soldier data transmission when in the field." ("Iridium develops GPS smallsat payload for U.S. Army," Space Watch, 25 June 2021)

South Korea: To develop 100 miniature satellites in the next decade
On 18 June, South Korea announced its plan to develop 100 miniature satellites over the next decade. The satellite aims to establish "a national security monitoring system and testing next generation network communications" in order to strengthen its space industry. According to the Korean Herald, The Ministry of Science and ICT said: "it would pursue such satellite development to encourage the private sector's involvement in the space industry as the mini-satellites can be manufactured in a short amount of time at a relatively low cost." Seoul aims to launch 14 low-earth-orbit communications satellites by 2031. ("S. Korea to develop over 100 mini satellites by 2031," The Korean Herald, 18 June 2021)


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Ashik J Bonofer

Southeast Asia (Jan-Mar 2026)
Deteriorating situation in Myanmar, Philippines as the ASEAN Chair, New government in Thailand, and Economic & Environmental challenges
The World This Quarter 
April 2026 | CWA # 2055

Haans J Freddy

East Asia (Jan-Mar 2026)
China’s military operations near Taiwan, Japan-China tensions and South Korea’s security challenges
The World This Quarter
April 2026 | CWA # 2052

Shreya Upadhyay

The United States (Jan-Mar 2026)
Tariffs, Ukraine, Iran and Operationalization of Trump’s World Order
March 2026 | CWA # 2039

Femy Francis

Trump-Xi Meeting
Why did Trump reschedule it? What does that mean?
March 2026 | CWA # 2035

Akshath Kaimal

Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict
Broken ceasefire, Expanding military strikes and Worsening humanitarian situation
Global Politics Early Bird
March 2026 | CWA # 2033

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal after elections:
Five major challenges for the new government
March 2026 | CWA # 2024

Lekshmi MK

The UN and the Iran-US War
UNSC Resolution 2817 between “Clear and Unified Message” and “Manifest Injustice”
March 2026 | CWA # 2023

Femy Francis

China’s Two Sessions 2026
New Five-Year Plan, Ethnic Unity Law, and an Enhanced Defence Budget
March 2026 | CWA # 2019

Akshath Kaimal

Rising Violence in Nigeria
Limited State Capacity, Multiple Actors, and a Complex Security Environment
March 2026 | CWA # 2012

Padmashree Anandhan

The War in Ukraine
Long-range strikes, Defence adaptation and the EU’s energy dependence
Global Politics Early Bird
March 2026 | CWA # 2010

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal Elections 2026
The Rise of the “New” and the Fall of the “Old”
March 2026 | CWA # 2009

Sreemaya Nair

Nepal Elections 2026
Rise of a new leadership and Reset in political landscape
February 2026 | CWA # 1998

Anu Maria Joseph

Instability in Sudan
Response to the genocide call and the threats of a regional spillover
PR Commentary
February 2026 | CWA # 1985

Abhimanyu Solanki

Basant in Pakistan
The return of Basant, and what it signifies
February 2026 | CWA # 1977

Anu Maria Joseph

Violence in Nigeria
US military deployment amidst worsening insurgency
February 2026 | CWA # 1976

Lekshmi MK

The War in Ukraine
The Geneva Talks and Growing Negotiation Asymmetry
Pakistan in 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1971

Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi

Pakistan Budget 2025-26
Legislating stabilisation under IMF discipline and coalition constraints
Pakistan in 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1970

Aparna A Nair

Pakistan & China
Ten Years of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
PR Explainer
November 2025 | CWA # 1968

Vani Vyshnavi Jupudi

Pakistan and the US
A New opening, or another cycle?
February 2026 | CWA # 1959

Yesasvi Koganti

UK and China
PM Keir Starmer’s visit and the Recalibration of Economic, Strategic, and Domestic ties
TWTW Note
January 2026 | CWA # 1946

R Preetha

The Davos Summit 2026
Five Major Takeaways from The World Economic Forum
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1931

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1924

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1801

R Preetha

28 August 1963
Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and the Civil Rights Movement in the US
The World This Week
August 2025 | CWA # 1790

GP Team

The World This Week#323-324
The Trump-Putin meeting & the US-China tariff extension
TWTW note
August 2025 | CWA # 1780

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Trump tariffs:
Weaponization of access to the US economy
The World This Week
August 2025 | CWA # 1779

GP Team

The World This Week#322
US tariffs on India, Brazil and Canada & the EU-US trade deal
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1778

Lekshmi MK

28 July 1914
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, starting the First World War
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1770

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Pakistan-Afghanistan relations:
Why the focus on terrorism, refugees, and Uzbekistan as the third partner?
The World This Week
July 2025 | CWA # 1769

GP Team

The World This Week#321
Indian PM Modi's visit to the Maldives I Elections to the Upper House in Japan
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1762

Lekshmi MK

Ocean Darkening: 
What is the phenomenon? What are its effects? And who are more vulnerable?
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1749

R Preetha

Africa as the Hunger Epicenter
Of the 13 Global Hunger Hotspots, 8 are in Africa: Five reasons why
The World This Week
July 2025 | CWA # 1748

GP Team

The World This Week #318
PM Modi’s Visit to Trinidad and Tobago & Ghana, One big beautiful bill, and Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1744

Chittrothu Vaihali

EU-Canada Summit 2025
What is security and defence partnership all about?
Conflict Weekly
July 2025 | CWA # 1742

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly # 287-88
The 12 Day War and the Congo-Rwanda Peace Deal
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1738

Fleur Elizabeth Philip

Thailand and Cambodia
What was the phone call between PM Shinawatra and President of Senate Hun Sen? What is the border dispute between the two? Why has this become an issue?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1735

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025:
Trump making Europe great again
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1734

GP Team

The World This Week #317
NATO Summit 2025 and Russia-Mali bilateral agreements
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1733

Ananya Dinesh

China and the Pacific Islands 
What was the recent China-PIC joint statement about? What it says, and what it means?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1728

M Kejia

G7 Summit 2025:
The Focus on the Middle East and Trade negotiations
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1727

Aparna A Nair

Second China-Central Asia Summit:
China’s continuing search for regional partners, and the emphasis on the BRI
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1726

GP Team

The World This Week #316
China-Central Asia Summit in Kazakhstan, and the G7 Summit in Canada
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1725

Brighty Ann Sarah, R Preetha, Santhiya M, Aparna A Nair & M Kejia

Operation Midnight Hammer: US bombs three nuclear sites in Iran
What were the three Iranian nuclear sites that were targeted? What are the B2 Bombers and Bunker Buster Bombs? What do these attacks mean? What Next?
Conflict Weekly
June 2025 | CWA # 1724

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #286
The Spiralling Israel-Iran Crisis, and the Dangerous Hunger Hotspots
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1721

Rizwana Banu S and Santhiya M

Who are the Afrikaners?
Why is Trump interested in the Afrikaner question in South Africa?
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1720

Lekshmi MK

New WMO Report on Arctic Warming
What are the social, economic and environmental implications of Arctic warming
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1719

J Yamini  

China’s EV Surge
What contributes to the rise of BYD
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1717

J Yamini

Gender Violence in Pakistan:
What are the larger issues in the Noor Mukadam case?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1715

Femy Francis

The US-China:
On Tariffs, Rare Earths and Visas
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1713

GP Team

The World This Week #315
The UN Ocean Conference in France and the US-China Meeting in London
Conflict Weekly
June 2025 | CWA # 1709

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #284-285
Cambodia-Thailand Border Tensions, Protests in the US, and the Indigenous Māori question in New Zealand
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1705

GP Team

The World This Week #314
Elections in South Korea and Poland I China and the Pacific Island Countries I Bangladesh Election Announcement 2026
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1703

M Kejia 

Sagarmatha Sambaad in Nepal
Kathmandu’s Global Agenda for the Himalayas
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1700

R Preetha

Ethiopia bans the TPLF
What does the TPLF ban mean for the Pretoria agreement? What next for Ethiopia?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1694

Aashish Ganeshan

The US:
Harvard vs Trump Administration
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1691

GP Team

The World This Week #313
China-ASEAN-GCC Summit I President Macron's visit to South East Asia I Trump Vs Harvard
The World This Week
May 2025 | CWA # 1690

GP Team

The World This Week #312
Elections in Romania, Portugal & Poland I UK-EU Summit
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1689

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine
Continuing Russia’s Aerial Attacks, despite exchange of prisoners
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1688

Ayan Datta

Gaza
The Humanitarian Crisis and Israel’s Renewed Offensive
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1685

Aparna A Nair

UK-EU Summit:
First step towards a reset
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1683

Aashish Ganeshan

Elections in Portugal:
The Rise of Chega Party and the Search for Political Stability
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1679

Aashish Ganeshan

US in the Middle Easr
Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1678

Gauri Gupta

China in Latin America
China-CELAC forum: Strengthening ties with Latin America and Caribbean
The World This Week
May 2025 | CWA # 1677

GP Team

The World This Week #310-311
China in Latin America and the Carribbean I Trump's Middle East Visit I Denmark as the new Arctic Chair
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1675

Lekshmi MK

Turkey:
PKK disbands after 40 years of armed insurgency
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1673

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine:
The Discussion in Turkiye and the Elusive Ceasefire
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1672

D Suba Chandran

India and Pakistan:
De-escalation and the “New Normal”
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1671

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

US, Ukraine and Russia:
Air attacks amidst a Minerals deal and Ceasefire Proposals
Global Politics Early Bird
May 2025 | CWA # 1670

Fleur Elizabeth Philip

Singapore Elections in 2025:
People’s Action Party (PAP) Wins, Again
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1667

R Preetha and Brighty Ann Sarah

East Asia:
Tough Tariff Negotiations with the US
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1666

Padmashree Anandhan

The US-Ukraine
The mineral deal with the US
Conflict Weekly
May 2025 | CWA # 1665
Conflict Weekly # 280-81
India-Pakistan De-escalation I Ukraine Discussion in Istanbul I The Battle over Port Sudan I Disbanding of PKK in Turkiye I France-Algeria Diplomatic Tensions
Global Politics Early Bird
May 2025 | CWA # 1663

R Preetha

Canada Elections 2025:
What do the results convey? What next for Mark Carney?
NIAS Global Politics Database
March 2024 | CWA # 1251

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
NIAS Global Politics Database
February 2024 | CWA # 1226

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
The War in Ukraine
October 2023 | CWA # 1091

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri

Issues for Europe
IPRI Quarterly Forecasts I Triggers, Trends, and Trajectories
July 2023 | CWA # 1012

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar continues to burn
2022: The World This Year
December 2022 | CWA # 879

Padmashree Anandhan

The Ukraine War
Europe: Heatwaves, Wildfires, Droughts, and Ice Melt in Alps
November 2022 | CWA # 838

Rishma Banerjee

Tracing Europe's droughts
NIAS Africa Weekly
March 2022 | CWA # 705

NIAS Africa Team

In Focus: Libya
The World This Week: 150th Issue
December 2021 | CWA # 630

GP Team

Europe in 2021
Pakistan Reader
October 2021 | CWA # 588

Abigail Miriam Fernandez

TLP is back again
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
August 2021 | CWA # 528

STIR Team

Space Tourism
Science, Technology and International Relations
September 2019 | CWA # 162

Lakshman Chakravarthy N

5G: A Primer
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 71

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 70

Nasima Khatoon

The Maldives
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 69

Harini Madhusudan

India
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 68

Sourina Bej

Bangladesh
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 67

Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer

Afghanistan