The Syrian regime continues its indirect approach to information operations, seeking advantage from regional ant-Israeli sentiment. The latest move (implausible, but it will probably find its audience) profiles ISIS/ISIL leader al-Baghdadi as an MI6/NSA tool who received his theological training from Mossad.

Crowdstrike reports increased Chinese attention paid to ISIS/ISIL's insurgency in Iraq. "Deep Panda" has shifted its interest toward the Iraqi oil sector, approaching its targets by compromising various US not-for-profit think tanks. The Wall Street Journal runs two interesting pieces on the PLA's cyber capabilities, one an overview of "3PLA," the principal Chinese electronic intelligence agency, the other a look at 3PLA's subordinate Shanghai command Unit 61398, famous as the workplace of Ugly Gorilla.

DragonFly, Havex, and Energetic Bear, increasingly regarded as aspects of a single complex cyber espionage and sabotage campaign probably run by Russian security organs, continue to infest European and US energy targets. Observers wonder at this effort's goals, but battlespace preparation for economic conflict over Russian re-assimilation of the Near Abroad seems likely. Meanwhile a cyber attack by Russian-sympathizing (and probably Russian-run) Cyber Berkut strikes a major Ukrainian bank.

MiniDuke is back, and the alleged cyber mercenaries behind the malware seem to be going after both drug dealers and governments.

Brazil's "Bolware" fraud seems to have siphoned off billions, and shows the current state-of-the-art in browser-based crime.

Android security vulnerabilities could enable apps to make rogue calls. Netgear switches are found with hard-coded passwords.

The US arrests alleged Russian carder "Track2." Russia cries provocation.