A legal framework for sharing customs intelligence through the single window system

<p>Some customs agencies are implementing electronic single window systems. These single window systems enable an importer or exporter to digitally transmit their transaction information to the customs administration. The single window system shares relevant information with other government agencies involved in the import or export process. It relieves the importer or exporter of the need to lodge transaction information separately with each government agency. An international single window system is the interconnection of two or more national single window systems. It enables the exporter’s transaction information to be re-used in import processing, thereby reducing the amount of information required from importers. For states that already have customs intelligence-sharing agreements, a single window system could be used to exchange intelligence information about the import and export transactions processed by the system. Intelligence-sharing agreements can and should include transparent protection for human rights. The human rights relevant to this legal framework are access to justice, freedom from arbitrary search and seizure, freedom from torture and the right to privacy. The right to privacy is the human right most affected by intelligence-sharing. This thesis proposes a legal framework to enable intelligence to be shared through a single window system with transparent terms for managing human rights. This thesis suggests that public confidence would be improved by showing how privacy and other human rights are treated in the rules for customs intelligence-sharing using the system proposed here.</p>

A legal framework for sharing customs intelligence through the single window system

<p>Some customs agencies are implementing electronic single window systems. These single window systems enable an importer or exporter to digitally transmit their transaction information to the customs administration. The single window system shares relevant information with other government agencies involved in the import or export process. It relieves the importer or exporter of the need to lodge transaction information separately with each government agency. An international single window system is the interconnection of two or more national single window systems. It enables the exporter’s transaction information to be re-used in import processing, thereby reducing the amount of information required from importers. For states that already have customs intelligence-sharing agreements, a single window system could be used to exchange intelligence information about the import and export transactions processed by the system. Intelligence-sharing agreements can and should include transparent protection for human rights. The human rights relevant to this legal framework are access to justice, freedom from arbitrary search and seizure, freedom from torture and the right to privacy. The right to privacy is the human right most affected by intelligence-sharing. This thesis proposes a legal framework to enable intelligence to be shared through a single window system with transparent terms for managing human rights. This thesis suggests that public confidence would be improved by showing how privacy and other human rights are treated in the rules for customs intelligence-sharing using the system proposed here.</p>

A Shared Cyber Threat Intelligence Solution for SMEs

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) frequently experience cyberattacks, but often do not have the means to counter these attacks. Therefore, cybersecurity researchers and practitioners need to aid SMEs in their defence against cyber threats. Research has shown that SMEs require solutions that are automated and adapted to their context. In recent years, we have seen a surge in initiatives to share cyber threat intelligence (CTI) to improve collective cybersecurity resilience. Shared CTI has the potential to answer the SME call for automated and adaptable solutions. Sadly, as we demonstrate in this paper, current shared intelligence approaches scarcely address SME needs. We must investigate how shared CTI can be used to improve SME cybersecurity resilience. In this paper, we tackle this challenge using a systematic review to discover current state-of-the-art approaches to using shared CTI. We find that threat intelligence sharing platforms such as MISP have the potential to address SME needs, provided that the shared intelligence is turned into actionable insights. Based on this observation, we developed a prototype application that processes MISP data automatically, prioritises cybersecurity threats for SMEs, and provides SMEs with actionable recommendations tailored to their context. Subsequent evaluations in operational environments will help to improve our application, such that SMEs are enabled to thwart cyberattacks in future.

Threat Intelligence Quality Dimensions for Research and Practice

As the adoption and diversity of cyber threat intelligence solutions continue to grow, questions about their effectiveness, particularly in regards to the quality of the data they provide, remain unanswered. Several studies have highlighted data quality issues as one of the most common barriers to effective threat intelligence sharing. Nevertheless, research and practice lack a common understanding of the expected quality of threat intelligence. To investigate these issues, our research utilised a systematic literature review followed by a modified Delphi study that involved 30 threat intelligence experts in Europe. We identify a set of threat intelligence quality dimensions along with revised definitions for threat data, information and intelligence.

National Leaders’ Usage of Twitter in Response to COVID-19: A Sentiment Analysis

Twitter is a powerful tool for world leaders to disseminate public health information and to reach citizens. While Twitter, like other platforms, affords world leaders the opportunity to rapidly present information to citizens, the discourse is often politically framed. In this study, we analysed how leaders’ of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group use Twitter to frame the COVID-19 virus. Specifically, four research questions were explored: 1) How frequently did each leader tweet about COVID-19 in 2020? 2) Which frames emerged from tweet content of each leader regarding COVID-19? 3) What was the overall tweet valence of each leader regarding COVID-19? and 4) To what extent can leaders’ future tweets be predicted by the data? We used natural language processing (NLP) and conducted sentiment analysis via Python to identify frames and to compare the leaders’ messaging. Results showed that of the leaders, President Trump tweeted the most, with Prime Minister Morrison posting the least number of tweets. The majority of each leaders’ tweets were positive, while President Trump had the most negative tweets. Predictive modelling of tweet behavior was highly accurate.

ADOPTION OF INTELLIGENCE LED POLICING STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES IN COMBATING INSECURITY IN NIGERIA

The changing nature of communities and shifting trend of crime requires that the Nigeria police and role players seek effective strategies to address crime and insecurity in Nigeria. Fundamental changes are needed in the ways information are gathered, assessed, and redistributed by the criminal justice officials, the military and security agencies. The Nigeria police and role players have not been able to win war against crime due to the approaches adopted by them. Many have come up with different theories and recommendations to tackle insecurity in Nigeria, but the strategies were not effective. The paper focuses on the adoption of intelligence led policing strategies, approaches and technologies to combat insecurity in Nigeria. Data was obtained qualitatively; interview technique was used to elicit information from fifty-five participants. Findings reveals that, insecurity has spread to all states of Nigeria, criminals are in possession of sophisticated weapons, incessant killings and kidnappings of Nigerians are predominant, police still rely on reactive model of policing. Recommendations includes; need for increased collaboration, information gathering and intelligence sharing, need for adoption of intelligence led policing strategies, approaches methodologies, technique and technologies for tackling insecurity in Nigeria.

European intelligence cooperation

European intelligence cooperation is the most important weapon in the fight against the new threats in the 27 member states. The article emphasizes the reasons that make the European Union Intelligence Analysis Centre (INTCEN) more towards an independent operational agency into the European mechanism as well as the roles of the Intelligence College of Europe founded in France and the European Intelligence Academy established under the auspices of the Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS) in Athens, Greece. Even though, effective intelligence cooperation is hard to achieve even at the national level as different services compete for resources and attention from the decision makers, past terrorist incidents in Europe served as a wake up for the public and private institutions to promote intelligence sharing and cooperation among European Union institutions and Member States.