The lab describes itself as “an interdisciplinary laboratory…focusing on research and development at the intersection of information and communication technologies, human rights, and global security.” Of course, this mission aligns closely with that of M3AAWG. 

Ron Deibert, professor of political science and director of the Citizen Lab, will talk also about political struggles in and through the global Internet and related technologies are entering into a particularly dangerous phase for openness, security, and human rights. A growing number of governments and private companies have turned to "offensive" operations, with means ranging from from sophisticated and expensive to home-grown and cheap. A large and largely unregulated market for commercial surveillance technology is finding willing clientele among the world's least accountable regimes. Powerful spyware tools are used to infiltrate civil society networks, targeting the devices of journalists, human rights defenders, minority movements, and political opposition, often with lethal consequences. Drawing from the last decade of research of the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, Deibert will provide an overview of these disturbing trends and discuss some pathways to repairing and restoring the Internet as a sphere that supports, rather than diminishes, human rights.

Notably, in analyzing a phone with the Pegasus spyware, the lab recently identified a zero-day, zero-click exploit, which it calls FORCEDENTRY, against Apple’s iMessage. As a result, Apple issued a patch in mid-September. 

More information about the 53rd general meeting can be found at https://www.m3aawg.org/upcoming-meetings and Twitter (@M3AAWG), LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Session updates and more info also will be posted on this blog.

#CitizenLab #M3AAWG53 #cybersecurity #antiabuse