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Inspectors Find Big Cyber Vulnerabilities in U.S. Missile Defense System

IN THIS ISSUE: Inspectors Find Big Cyber Vulnerabilities in U.S. Missile Defense System, Hard-Line U.S. Tactics Will ‘Block’ Path to Denuclearization, Top S. Korean, U.S. Nuclear Envoys to Discuss N. Korea, Russia Proposes UN Resolution to Preserve INF Treaty, Russia Ready to Discuss Inspections With U.S. on Arms Treaty: RIA, Lawmakers Want a Greater Say as U.S. Seeks a Saudi Nuclear Deal

Published on December 18, 2018

Inspectors Find Big Cyber Vulnerabilities in U.S. Missile Defense System

Patrick Tucker | Defense One

Critical cyber vulnerabilities could allow adversaries to undermine the system of interceptors and sensors that protect U.S. territory from enemy missiles, the Pentagon’s inspector general said in a new report. Much of the Dec. 10 report is redacted to hide the names of the five facilities and components that were under scrutiny. But the readable portions paint a picture of failures to take even the sort of basic cyber security precautions that are standard in business, such as enabling two-factor authentication, encrypting files that are removable, physically locking up server racks, and using cybersecurity software to detect intrusions.

Hard-Line U.S. Tactics Will ‘Block’ Path to Denuclearization, North Korea Warns

Choe Sang-Hun | New York Times

North Korea warned on Sunday that if the United States continued to escalate its sanctions and human rights campaign against the North, that approach could permanently shatter any chance of denuclearizing the country. Washington is holding fast to its policy of exerting “maximum” economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea, even though President Trump has claimed progress in denuclearizing the North since his meeting with its leader, Kim Jong-un, in June in Singapore.

Top S. Korean, U.S. Nuclear Envoys to Discuss N. Korea

Lee Chi-dong | Yonhap News Agency

South Korea and the United States will have senior-level discussions on North Korea this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday, as the two Koreas plan to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for their railway and road project next week. Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative on North Korea policy, is scheduled to visit South Korea from Wednesday till Saturday.

Russia Proposes UN Resolution to Preserve INF Treaty

Radina Gigova and Madeline Holcombe | CNN

Russia has submitted a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly in support of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The resolution follows the United States’ decision to withdraw from the landmark agreement of the final days of the Cold War arms race. “The unilateral actions by the U.S. on effectively initiating a procedure of ‘suspending’ their participation in the Treaty, a step not envisaged in this Agreement, put the future of the INF Treaty in jeopardy,” the Russian Mission to the UN announced in a statement Friday.

Russia Ready to Discuss Inspections With U.S. on Arms Treaty: RIA

Reuters

Russia is ready to discuss mutual inspections with the United States in order to save the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, RIA news agency cited Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying on Friday. Last week Washington said Russia must scrap its 9M729 nuclear-capable cruise missiles and launchers or modify the weapons’ range to return to compliance to the Cold War-era arms control treaty. 

Lawmakers Want a Greater Say as U.S. Seeks a Saudi Nuclear Deal 

Michael Gordon | Wall Street Journal

The Trump administration’s push to sell civilian nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia is emerging as the next battleground in the struggle between the White House and Congress over U.S. policy toward Riyadh following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The debate over Riyadh’s nuclear ambitions intensified last week after Energy Secretary Rick Perry brushed aside congressional appeals that nuclear talks be suspended because of Mr. Khashoggi’s killing and traveled to Saudi Arabia, where he accentuated the role. 

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