Daily Briefing is a curated listicle made available by The Readable. We select a handful of significant stories worth sharing with our readers and present them in an easy-to-read, accessible format. Dain Oh and Minkyung Shin collaborate in monitoring, selecting, and reviewing the news articles, with Arthur Gregory Willers contributing to improve the overall readability of the briefing.
1. Deepfake extortion: A growing threat targeting male politicians in South Korea – South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo
A new wave of deepfake-based extortion is targeting male local council members in major South Korean cities, including Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Criminals are using artificial intelligence technology to superimpose victims’ faces onto explicit images, then emailing these doctored photos to demand about $50,000 in cryptocurrency to keep them private.
Some of the extortion emails, traced to China, are believed to be linked to organized crime groups, including voice phishing syndicates. Although no financial losses have been reported, authorities warn that this technology could cause severe reputational harm and be misused in political campaigns.
Victims, including elected officials, have voiced concerns about the psychological and professional toll of these crimes, noting the risk that fake materials could be mistaken for genuine. Police are expanding their investigation to curb the spread of deepfake crimes, which have also appeared in other exploitative forms, such as fake kidnapping videos. This rising threat highlights the urgent need for vigilance against AI-driven criminal tactics.
[Related article] AI expert highlights surge in deepfake pornography crimes – The Readable
An attorney specializing in artificial intelligence stated Thursday that nearly all deepfake crimes involve pornography, with female victims being the most frequent targets. The attorney stressed the urgent need for legislation to combat these offenses.
Lee Keun-woo, an attorney at Yoon and Yang LLC, addressed the escalating issue of deepfake cybercrimes at the 2024 AI Security Day Seminar, hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT. He voiced concern over the rise of deepfake pornography in South Korea and stressed the need for stronger regulations to combat this growing problem.
Lee emphasized that 96% of deepfake crimes involve pornography, primarily targeting women. He noted that requests to remove abusive sexual content quadrupled from January to July 2024 compared to the previous year and cautioned that the situation could worsen in 2025. READ MORE
2. Library of Congress email systems hacked earlier this year by ‘foreign adversary’ – Fox News
The Library of Congress experienced a major cyber breach from January to September 2024, reportedly orchestrated by a foreign adversary. Hackers accessed email communications between Library staff and Congressional offices, possibly to gain insights into legislative inquiries and lawmakers’ responses. Both Republican and Democratic offices were informed, and the U.S. Capitol Police referred the matter to the FBI, which is investigating in coordination with the Library’s internal team.
Described as “sophisticated foreign adversary espionage,” the attack targeted the Library of Congress as a comparatively vulnerable entry point, unlike the more secure House and Senate systems. Officials believe the breach did not extend to these protected networks. The Library has since addressed the exploited vulnerability and implemented safeguards to prevent future incidents.
The hack raises concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in softer targets within U.S. government infrastructure and the potential risks of adversaries gaining insight into legislative processes. Law enforcement is continuing its investigation, but the FBI has not provided further comment.
3. Indian and Nigerian leaders pledge stronger security ties and support for Global South – AP
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Nigeria, he and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu pledged to strengthen cooperation in maritime security, counterterrorism, and intelligence sharing, with a focus on threats in the Indian Ocean and the piracy-prone Gulf of Guinea. Both leaders emphasized their commitment to advancing the priorities of the Global South, a coalition of mainly developing nations, including Nigeria and India, that advocates for equitable global representation.
The leaders discussed expanding partnerships in defense, energy, technology, and trade. Nigeria, India’s largest African trading partner, recorded $14.9 billion in bilateral trade in 2022, with a significant Indian business and expatriate presence in the country. Modi was awarded Nigeria’s second-highest national title for his dedication to democratic values, underscoring the strong relationship between the two nations.
Maritime security is vital for protecting global trade routes, especially in regions like the Gulf of Guinea, which faces ongoing piracy threats. Strengthened cooperation between Global South nations like India and Nigeria reflects a united effort to tackle shared security and development challenges on a global scale.
Editor’s note: The summaries of each article were created by ChatGPT 4o and reviewed by Dain Oh.
