Winnona
@winnona.bsky.social
1.5K followers 150 following 41 posts
@DistrictCon Founder. Harvard & Georgetown MPP/JD candidate. @CyberStatecraft / @BelferCenter fellow, ex-Google threat research. Dog mom. Opinions=my own 👩🏻‍💻
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winnona.bsky.social
🚨 NEW PAPER on the 0day Supply Chain 🚨:
I gathered open source data & interviewed Gov employees, VR and china researchers to figure out what the zero day marketplace looks like in the U.S. and how it compares to China.

key findings below ⬇️- 0/🧵 
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
Crash (exploit) and burn: Securing the offensive cyber supply chain to counter China in cyberspace
If the United States wishes to compete in cyberspace, it must compete against China to secure its offensive cyber supply chain.
www.atlanticcouncil.org
Reposted by Winnona
Reposted by Winnona
ericjgeller.com
If the CISA 2015 info-sharing law expires tomorrow, CISA the agency may eliminate its real-time threat indicator sharing database, according to a new DHS OIG report. www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/defaul...

Participation in sharing program has been declining since 2020. Post-expiration plans unclear.
winnona.bsky.social
Mark your calendars!! 💕
Reposted by Winnona
amidanruo.bsky.social
Speaking as a Chinese person, in the Chinese culture, money is often given to others in a gesture of bribery.
winnona.bsky.social
💕💕💕 this post brings me joy.
Can’t promise power (ffs) but can definitely promise good vibes again! ✨
Reposted by Winnona
pronto.bsky.social
I stopped by DistrictCon earlier this year, (no ticket) but was able to borrow a badge and such.

The vibes were awesome, the people were great, and even with a multi-block power outage at the venue, they were still able to keep it going.

I recommend this one in DC
districtcon.bsky.social
Our Call for Papers is officially OPEN!

We are looking for
- Hacking Magic 👾🪄 (cool research, novel TTPs, tool releases, etc.)
- Policy Roundtable Topics ⚖️ (specific cyber topics focused on geopolitics, ethics, legal frameworks, governance, etc.)

www.districtcon.org/cfp
Reposted by Winnona
districtcon.bsky.social
Our Call for Papers is officially OPEN!

We are looking for
- Hacking Magic 👾🪄 (cool research, novel TTPs, tool releases, etc.)
- Policy Roundtable Topics ⚖️ (specific cyber topics focused on geopolitics, ethics, legal frameworks, governance, etc.)

www.districtcon.org/cfp
Reposted by Winnona
kimzetter.bsky.social
How did China's top APT hackers come to be? Many were early "Honkers" - patriotic hackers who in late 90s launched low-skill cyberattacks against nations deemed disrespectful to China. But once Honkers developed their skills, PLA/MSS came calling. Based on great research by bsky.app/profile/eube...
How China’s Patriotic ‘Honkers’ Became the Nation’s Elite Cyber Spies
A new report traces the history of the early wave of Chinese hackers who became the backbone of the state's espionage apparatus.
www.wired.com
winnona.bsky.social
Was a ton of fun to talk about the 0day market and Pall Mall at Summercon! Thanks for having me 💕
winnona.bsky.social
“alignment with CCP priorities offers privileged access to state resources, regulatory favor, and expanded commercial opportunities [to hackers]."

NEW Phenomenal report on Chinese civil military fusion and cyber militias by Kieran Green: margin.re/mobilizing-c...
Mobilizing Cyber Power: The Growing Role of Cyber Militias in China’s Network Warfare Force Structure
This report examines how China’s cybersecurity industry fields reserve and militia units in support of the PLA and national mobilization system.
margin.re
Reposted by Winnona
districtcon.bsky.social
We’re proud to announce the Review Board for DistrictCon’s call for papers! Our CFP will open next month, and we're excited to receive all your submissions! www.districtcon.org/cfp
Reposted by Winnona
neurovagrant.bsky.social
It's almost like surveillance capitalism is a problem for *everyone*
winnona.bsky.social
🤩🤩🤩🤩 thanks Patrick!
Reposted by Winnona
seeinglogic.bsky.social
Extremely interesting comparisons in cybersecurity...

The 1️⃣ thing to focus on? Talent.

Talented people have outsize impacts in software and cybersecurity. And expertise drives better policy (eventually)!

Pipelines to build more experts pay compounding returns.
winnona.bsky.social
🚨 NEW PAPER on the 0day Supply Chain 🚨:
I gathered open source data & interviewed Gov employees, VR and china researchers to figure out what the zero day marketplace looks like in the U.S. and how it compares to China.

key findings below ⬇️- 0/🧵 
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
Crash (exploit) and burn: Securing the offensive cyber supply chain to counter China in cyberspace
If the United States wishes to compete in cyberspace, it must compete against China to secure its offensive cyber supply chain.
www.atlanticcouncil.org
Reposted by Winnona
machinavelli.com
Winnona out here doing amazing work, as always! Definitely recommend reading!
winnona.bsky.social
🚨 NEW PAPER on the 0day Supply Chain 🚨:
I gathered open source data & interviewed Gov employees, VR and china researchers to figure out what the zero day marketplace looks like in the U.S. and how it compares to China.

key findings below ⬇️- 0/🧵 
www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
Crash (exploit) and burn: Securing the offensive cyber supply chain to counter China in cyberspace
If the United States wishes to compete in cyberspace, it must compete against China to secure its offensive cyber supply chain.
www.atlanticcouncil.org
winnona.bsky.social
😭 you are too kind to me
Reposted by Winnona
frcolumba.bsky.social
I wonder how many students coming out of NSA CAE-CO programs are able to "do" this kind of work? Less than 100? "Peripheral" state schools, even R1s with CAE designations are probably producing zero. Our emphasis is completely on defense.
winnona.bsky.social
7/ 💡 Recommendations: How to Improve the Pipeline while Not Stooping to China’s Level

1. Invest in Talent—fund hacking competitions and international CTF teams, expand NSA CAE-CO programs, and provide legal protections to security researchers.

The international hacking community is an asset.
winnona.bsky.social
🧨 Bottom line:
Offensive cyber power isn’t just about conducting operations —it’s about procurement, talent, and strategic intent. Without reform, the U.S. risks ceding the future of cyberspace to China.
📖 full paper here!:
#CyberSecurity #ZeroDay #Infosec #China #NationalSecurity #CyberPolicy
Crash (exploit) and burn: Securing the offensive cyber supply chain to counter China in cyberspace
If the United States wishes to compete in cyberspace, it must compete against China to secure its offensive cyber supply chain.
www.atlanticcouncil.org
winnona.bsky.social
💡 MOAR Recommendations

2. Simplify Zero-Day Acquisition—making sure bugs go through VEP and other regular processes
3. Adopt smarter counterintelligence strategies and deepen cooperation with allies (e.g. Pall Mall)
winnona.bsky.social
7/ 💡 Recommendations: How to Improve the Pipeline while Not Stooping to China’s Level

1. Invest in Talent—fund hacking competitions and international CTF teams, expand NSA CAE-CO programs, and provide legal protections to security researchers.

The international hacking community is an asset.
winnona.bsky.social
6/ Human Rights Risks in the 0day Market

➡️ Because this market is murky, we don’t *really* know who we’re buying / selling from - meaning we could be accidentally funding human rights abuses, or adversary nations.
winnona.bsky.social
5/ Economic Security Risks in the 0day Market:
➡️ the U.S. acquisition model is inefficient: some vulnerabilities never get sold or patched. This is counter to U.S. economic interests to not waste resources, and Big Tech’s interests to make secure products.
winnona.bsky.social
4/ National Security Risks in our 0day Market
➡️ Some of the hardest cyber ops need 0days, and they are sourced from a global, competitive market. 0day is in many ways, a strategic resource, especially when China keeps finding and using both 0day and n-day vulnerabilities against us.