We’re live as the Security Council convenes for its annual open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, with briefings from UN relief chief Tom Fletcher and the head of UN Women Sima Bahous. Ambassadors will discuss evolving threats, including use of heavy weapons and the rise of lethal autonomous killing machines such as drones. The UN has documented a spike in deaths, with Gaza, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine among the hardest-hit. Mobile app users can follow here.
Addressing a high-level debate of the Security Council, António Guterres said that oceans and seas are “sending a clear SOS,” as maritime spaces face escalating pressure from both traditional threats and new dangers – including piracy, armed robbery, trafficking, terrorism, cyberattacks and territorial disputes.
“From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together,” he said.
“But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain…and without maritime security, there can be no global security.”
The Secretary-General pointed to a sharp spike in piracy and armed robbery at sea in early 2025, citing International Maritime Organization (IMO) figures showing a 47.5 per cent increase in reported incidents compared to the same period last year.
The rise was most pronounced in Asia, especially in the busy Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
He also highlighted continued attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by Houthi forces, disruptions in the Black Sea, and growing criminal networks trafficking drugs and people across the Gulf of Guinea, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
The debate was a signature event of the Greek presidency of the Council. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held the gavel, and several ministers were in the chamber.
Melina Travlos, President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, delivered a stark warning to Council members: if the global shipping system grinds to a halt, the world economy will collapse in just 90 days.
She described shipping as “the silent guardian of global welfare,” noting that 90 per cent of international trade and more than 12 billion tonnes of goods depend on maritime transport each year.
“Shipping unites the world, not occasionally, but consistently,” she said, calling for greater protection of seafarers and maritime infrastructure amid increasing and more complex threats.
Security forces board a boat suspected of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. (file)
Christian Bueger, a professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen, reminded ambassadors that in 2021, a single ship – the Ever Given – blocked the Suez Canal for six days, costing the global economy billions.
“Never before in history have we been as dependent on the sea as we are today,” he said, citing a 300 per cent rise in maritime trade since the 1990s.
Mr. Bueger urged Member States to adopt a more systematic, evidence-based approach to maritime security, urging a global response that is as interconnected as the threats it faces.
In his remarks, Secretary-General Guterres laid out a three-pronged strategy to strengthen maritime security – highlighting that decisive, coordinated global action is needed regardless of individual flashpoints or shipping disruptions.
These include upholding international law, tackling the root causes of maritime insecurity, and strengthening global partnerships.
He called on all nations to uphold international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the international treaty that sets the legal framework for all maritime activities and regulates the use of ocean and its resources.
“This framework is only as strong as States’ commitment to full and effective implementation,” he said.
“All States must live up to their obligations.”
Secretary-General António Guterres (centre) addresses the UN Security Council meeting on strengthening maritime security through international cooperation for global stability under maintenance of international peace and security.
On root causes, he urged investment in coastal communities, judicial reform and building maritime capacity in developing countries — from surveillance to port security.
Alongside this, weak governance, rising poverty and lack of opportunities must be addressed.
The UN chief stressed that lasting solutions would require cooperation from governments, regional bodies, the private sector and civil society – including women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by maritime crime.
“Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment,” he said.
“The United Nations system stands ready to support Member States to ensure peaceful, secure, and prosperous maritime spaces for generations to come.”
Mr. Fletcher began his remarks by asking the international community to reflect on what it will tell future generations about action taken “to stop the 21st century atrocity to which we bear daily witness in Gaza.”
He wondered, for example, if “we will use those empty words: ‘We did all we could,’” and urged the Council to act decisively to prevent genocide from happening.
In addition to the aid blockade, civilians in Gaza have again been forcibly displaced and confined into ever-shrinking spaces, he said, as 70 per cent of the territory is either within Israeli-militarized zones or under displacement orders.
Furthermore, the few remaining hospitals are overwhelmed, and medics cannot stem the trauma and the spread of disease.
“I can tell you from having visited what’s left of Gaza’s medical system that death on this scale has a sound and a smell that does not leave you,” he said.
“As one hospital worker described it, ‘children scream as we peel burnt fabric from their skin.’”
Mr. Fletcher stressed that the UN and partners are desperate to resume humanitarian aid across Gaza, and the recent ceasefire showed that they can deliver. Meanwhile, lifesaving supplies are waiting to enter the enclave.
“We can save hundreds of thousands of survivors. We have rigorous mechanisms to ensure our aid gets to civilians, and not to Hamas,” he insisted.
“But Israel denies us access, placing the objective of depopulating Gaza before the lives of civilians,” he said.
“It is bad enough that the blockade continues. How do you react when Israeli Ministers boast about it? Or when attacks on humanitarian workers and violations of the UN’s privileges and immunities continue, along with restrictions on international and non-governmental organizations.”
Mr. Fletcher recalled that Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law, and as the occupying power must agree to aid and facilitate it.
“For anyone still pretending to be in any doubt, the Israeli-designed distribution modality is not the answer,” he stated, noting that among other things, the plan “makes starvation a bargaining chip.”
“It is cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction. A fig leaf for further violence and displacement,” he told ambassadors. “If any of that still matters, have no part in it.”
He also addressed the increasing violence in the West Bank, where the situation is the worst in decades, with entire communities destroyed and refugee camps depopulated.
Mr. Fletcher noted that international humanitarian workers have been the only international civilian presence in Gaza over the past 19 months, and they have briefed the Council on what they witness daily.
“We have described the deliberate obstruction of aid operations and the systematic dismantling of Palestinian life, and that which sustains it, in Gaza,” he said.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is now considering whether a genocide is taking place there and “will weigh the testimony we have shared. But it will be too late,” he warned.
He said the ICJ has recognized the urgency and indicated clear provisional measures that should have been acted on – but Israel has failed to do so.
Moreover, previous reviews of the UN’s conduct in cases of large-scale violations of international human rights and humanitarian law have pointed to the collective failure to speak to the scale of violations while they were being committed.
“For those killed and those whose voices are silenced: what more evidence do you need now?” he asked. “Will you act – decisively – to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead, ‘we did all we could?’”.
He told the Council that the degradation of international law is corrosive and infectious, and it is undermining decades of progress on civilian protection.
“Humanity, the law, and reason must prevail,” he said. “This Council must prevail. Demand this ends. Stop arming it. Insist on accountability.”
Mr. Fletcher called for Israel to stop killing and injuring civilians, and to lift the brutal blockade so that humanitarians can save lives.
He urged Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups to release all hostages immediately and unconditionally, and to stop putting civilians at risk during military operations.
“And for those who will not survive what we fear is coming – in plain sight – it will be no consolation to know that future generations will hold us in this chamber to account. But they will,” he said.
“And, if we have not seriously done “all we could’, we should fear that judgement.”
The Security Council is set to meet this afternoon at 3 PM in New York to discuss the deepening crisis in Gaza, where humanitarians warn of “a critical risk of famine” and aid shipments have been blocked for over 70 days. UN relief chief Tom Fletcher is expected to brief ambassadors. Follow live for key updates from UN Headquarters and reports from the region. App users can follow coverage here.
“Goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks…The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity,” said the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) platform.
In its latest update, the IPC estimated that one in five people in Gaza – 500,000 – faces starvation.
Prices have soared for basics such as a 25 kilogramme sack of wheat flour, which now costs between $235 and $520, representing a 3,000 per cent price spike since February.
“In a scenario of a protracted and large-scale military operation and continuation of the humanitarian and commercial blockade, there would be a critical lack of access to supplies and services that are essential to survival,” the IPC said.
The development comes amid continuing reports of Israeli bombardment across Gaza on Monday.
On Saturday, another school run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA was hit, this time in Gaza City at around 6.30pm, reportedly killing two people and injuring an unknown number.
A day earlier, four more people were reportedly killed when another UNRWA facility was bombed in Jabalia camp, north Gaza. The agency’s office was “completely destroyed” and three surrounding buildings sustained severe damage, including a distribution centre. There were no supplies in the distribution centre when it was hit, owing to the continuing Israeli blockade, UNRWA said, noting that it ran out of food for Gaza “more than two weeks ago”.
Echoing the wider aid community’s rejection of the Israeli plan to manage deliveries of food and non-food items across Gaza’s governorates, the IPC deemed it “highly insufficient to meet the population’s essential needs for food, water, shelter and medicine”.
IPC’s assessments help aid agencies decide where needs are greatest around the world. Food insecurity is measured on a scale of one to five, with IPC1 indicating no hunger and IPC5 denoting famine conditions.
According to the latest data, 15 per cent of people in the governorates of Rafah, North Gaza and Gaza are classified as IPC5. Most of the remainder are little better off.
Amid this disastrous and deteriorating situation, Israel’s proposed distribution plan will likely create “significant access barriers [to aid] for large segments of the population”, the IPC said.
And pointing to Israel’s recently announced large-scale military operation across the Gaza Strip and persistent obstacles impeding the work of aid agencies, it warned that there was “a high risk that ‘Famine (IPC Phase 5)’ will occur” between now and 30 September.
With hunger everywhere, a high number of households have reported having to resort to “extreme coping strategies” such as collecting rubbish to sell for food. But one in four of this number say that “no valuable garbage remains”, while social order “is breaking down” the IPC reported.
Introduced by the United States and supported by 11 other Council members, the resolution extended the mandate of UNMISS until 30 April next year.
This action follows a short nine-day “technical rollover” approved by the Council on 30 April to allow more time for negotiations.
Through the text – adopted on Thursday – the Security Council authorized the peacekeeping mission to “use all necessary means” to implement its mandate – including the protection of civilians, assisting aid delivery, supporting implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, and investigating violations of international law.
Three nations – China, Pakistan, and Russia – abstained.
The renewal comes amid an increasingly volatile political and security situation in South Sudan.
Head of UNMISS Nicholas Haysom warned ambassadors in April that the fragile 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement – signed by historic rivals President Salva Kiir and former First Vice President Riek Machar – is unravelling.
The political standoff, including the arrest of Mr. Machar, has reportedly escalated into open military confrontation, while misinformation and hate speech are fuelling ethnic divisions and instability.
“This situation is darkly reminiscent of the conflicts of 2013 and 2016, which cost over 400,000 lives,” Mr. Haysom said.
The resolution maintains the mission’s overall force ceilings at 17,000 troops and 2,101 police, including 88 justice and corrections advisors.
The Council also expressed its readiness to consider adjusting force levels and capacity-building based on future conditions.
The resolution expressed “deep concern” over delays in implementing the 2018 agreement, urging South Sudan’s leaders to urgently show political will and build mutual trust. It urged the parties to engage in open and constructive dialogue.
It also stressed that the “organization and funding of free and fair elections is the responsibility of the South Sudanese authorities”, calling on the transitional government to adopt an appropriate legislative framework to fund national elections.
The resolution also condemned the use of sexual violence, recruitment of child soldiers and interference in any humanitarian operations.
UNMISS was initially established by the Security Council in 2011, following South Sudan’s independence from Sudan, to help maintain peace and stability at the time when the young nation faced significant internal conflicts and humanitarian challenges.
Speaking before the adoption, US Acting Representative Dorothy Shea called on the international community to bring South Sudan “back from the brink.”
She cited deteriorating conditions on the ground, including recent attacks against civilians and infrastructure. She also noted ongoing challenges facing UNMISS – including being asked to vacate its Tomping base – which undermine the mission’s ability to carry out its mandate.
“In short, as I hope we can all agree, the goal of UNMISS should be to render itself unnecessary by ushering in a lasting peace. The day that a peacekeeping operation is no longer required in South Sudan will be a bright one,” Ambassador Shea said.
She added that UN peacekeeping mandates, including UNMISS, “should not pursue ideological goals that are difficult to define and even more challenging to implement on the ground, but rather focus on core Chapter VII functions,” referring to the Chapter of the UN Charter stressing action to further international peace and security.
Pakistan, which abstained from the resolution alongside China and Russia, explained its position.
Deputy Permanent Representative Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon said UN Peacekeeping Missons should enjoy “complete and unified support” of the Security Council.
“However, this task is complicated when mandate resolutions are unnecessarily politicised,” he said, stating that mission mandates “must be tailored to the needs on the ground, not the political priorities of Council members.”
The resolution contained issues “which have no direct link” with UNMISS, preventing consensus among the 15 Council member States, he added.
That said, Mr. Jadoon reiterated his country’s full support for UNMISS and its leadership.
“UNMISS remains a force of stability in South Sudan. We greatly appreciate the dedication of its personnel and peacekeepers, who are performing their duties under difficult conditions.”
High Representative Christian Schmidt briefed on latest developments surrounding implementation of the 1995 General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which ended more than three years of bloodshed and genocide following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
The accord, also known as the Dayton Peace Agreement, established a new constitution and created two entities within the country: the mainly Bosniak and Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the ethnically Serb Republika Srpska.
Mr. Schmidt – who’s key role is overseeing implementation of the 1995 agreement – said conditions for the full implementation of the civilian aspects of the deal have vastly deteriorated.
“The first quarter of this year was marked by a significant rise of tensions, which without question amounts to an extraordinary crisis in the country since the signing of the Dayton Agreement,” he said.
“I may underline that I see a political crisis. I do not yet have indications for a security crisis.”
The sudden deterioration stems from reactions following the 26 February conviction of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik for failing to enforce the decisions of the High Representative.
He was sentenced to one year in prison and banned from political office for six years but has appealed the decision.
“After the verdict, Mr. Dodik intensified his attacks on the constitutional order of the country by directing the authorities of the Republika Srpska to adopt legislation that effectively bans State-level judiciary and State-level law enforcement in the Republika Srpska and by even putting on the table a draft Entity constitution, hinting at de facto secession,” said Mr. Schmidt.
He told the Council that given the speed with which the draft laws and constitution were made public strongly suggests that they had been prepared well in advance.
Christian Schmidt, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, briefs members of UN the Security Council on the situation in the country.
He said these acts and legislation fundamentally contradict the implementation of the Dayton Accords and “endanger the territorial and societal integrity of the country and of its peoples by performing secessionist acts.”
Furthermore, “they also create legal and executive insecurity by establishing Entity laws and institutions that contradict and compete with State law and competence.”
He stressed that “it will require institutions created in Dayton, such as the Constitutional Court, to prevent this country from falling apart, and when it comes to safeguarding the functionality of the State, my legal competencies as High Representative as well.”
As a result, the State-level coalition has been seriously affected, momentum towards European Union (EU) accession has stalled and the functionality of the State is being undermined, while reforms have been sidelined.
“This development is not irreversible, but it is severe,” he warned. “It needs to be addressed without delay, it requires active engagement by the international community.”
The High Representative noted that the Serb community “did not pay heed to Mr. Dodik’s unlawful directives.” For example, although ethnic Serbs working in State-level institutions have been pressured to abandon their posts, “these calls and threats have been left overwhelmingly unanswered.”
Meanwhile, the Bosniak community “has been able to remain calm despite the tensions and to continue on the path of patient dialogue also in order to keep the country’s European integration on the table.”
He also noticed “a continuing pro-European commitment” on the part of the Croat community, “as well as an increased willingness to engage in inter-ethnic dialogue, including in local disputes.”
Mr. Schmidt was adamant that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina can and do live together.
“For the most part, the communities in the country do not support extremism or secessionism,” he said. “There is ample evidence for that in daily life, but ethnocentric politics spends too much time on dividing the communities rather than uniting them.”
While the country is facing complex and varied challenges, he said the current extraordinary crisis is the result of severe attacks against the Dayton Agreement “encompassing the constitutional and legal order” and has nothing to do with the peace deal itself.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing difficult times. Nobody would have expected 30 years ago that the international community is needed as much today as it is,” he said.
“But the Peace Agreement that this UN Security Council endorsed 30 years ago remains the very foundation on which the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina with its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence can be built.”
Although reopening or redefining Dayton challenges the basis for peace and prosperity in the country, “this does not mean we should not talk about necessary amendments and adoptions of this constitution,” he said.
“The way forward includes countering threats and attacks to its very foundation, but also implementing meaningful reforms, including in the context of the country’s European integration,” he continued.
“It is about strengthening institutional stability and functionality of the State and continuing to reinforce election integrity in view of the country’s general elections in 2026.”
Mr. Schmidt concluded his remarks by urging the international community to continue to support and assist the country and the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to shape their future and to reassure the population that they have not been forgotten.
And with nearly seven million people forcibly displaced by violence since advances by M23 rebels earlier this year, the DRC is facing one of the world’s most complex displacement crises, according to the UN migration agency (IOM).
Living in overcrowded and under-resourced camps, displaced populations are increasingly vulnerable to both disease and attack.
Since January 2025 alone, over 660,000 people have been forced to flee the Goma region after Government forces lost control of the key city along with Bukavu to the south.
The scale of the humanitarian needs in the country has reached a tipping point, according to IOM, with outbreaks of mpox and anthrax underway in the east.
While both mpox and anthrax typically affect livestock and other animals, food insecurity resulting from the ongoing conflict, paired with unsanitary living conditions in displacement camps, puts humans at greater risk of transmission.
Both the potentially deadly infections can be contracted through contact with infected or contaminated animals. Although anthrax is not generally contagious, mpox is, the World Health Organization (WHO) underlines.
Mpox is typically accompanied by fever and rash and rarely requires hospitalisation, while all human cases of anthrax do, the UN health agency added.
Since 22 March, following the deaths of dozens of buffalo and hippopotamuses in Virunga National Park from anthrax poisoning, 16 suspected human cases of anthrax have been reported, including one confirmed case. One person has died so far.
WHO is conducting assessments in the eastern part of the DRC to determine the risk of the anthrax infection spreading further across the region.
As both mpox and anthrax are treatable with antibiotics, and preventable through vaccination, WHO and its partners are working to prevent future outbreaks by adopting a unified approach, prioritising human, animal and environmental safety.
Awareness campaigns and efforts to vaccinate livestock against anthrax are now underway.
The Security Council will meet on Tuesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot presiding. The UN Secretary-General is expected to brief ambassadors as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with reports from the UN Palestine refugee relief agency (UNRWA) this morning that children are “going to bed starving” amid the two-month Israeli aid blockade and continuing bombardment. App users can follow coverage here.
In a press statement issued on Friday, Council members expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Governments of India and Nepal.
They also extended wishes for a speedy and full recovery to those injured in Tuesday’s attack in which a group of gunmen fired on tourists visiting the Himalayan region, which both India and Pakistan claim sovereignty over.
“Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” the ambassadors reaffirmed.
They underscored that such acts are “criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.”
They stressed that the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors must be held accountable and brought to justice.
They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities.
Ambassadors reaffirmed the need for States to “combat by all means” threats to international peace and security resulting from acts of terrorism, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law.
Meanwhile, the UN continues to follow the situation in the region “with very deep concern”, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
“We again urge both the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint to ensure the situation does not deteriorate further,” he said during the regular news briefing in New York on Friday.
India and Pakistan both administer parts of Kashmir but claim the territory in its entirety.
Four and a half months after the fall of the Assad regime, the interim authorities have begun taking formal steps towards political reform, the Security Council heard on Friday.
These include the formation of a broader, more diverse cabinet and initial plans to establish an interim People’s Assembly.
However, the process remains tenuous and incomplete, with many Syrians uncertain of their role in the country’s future.
“The challenges are huge, and the situation is extremely fragile,” UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told ambassadors.
“There is a need for much more political inclusion – and for much more economic action. With a sea-change on both these elements, the political transition in Syria can succeed. Without both, it likely will not – and the consequences would be grave.”
In his briefing, Mr. Pedersen emphasised that Syria’s new leadership must broaden political participation and enact measures that address deep-seated grievances, particularly after the March violence against mainly ethnic Alawite communities in their coastal stronghold.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Over 70 percent of the population is in need of aid and more than half face food insecurity.
Despite some local improvements, especially in parts of Aleppo and the northeast, humanitarians warn that funding shortfalls are threatening life-saving operations.
Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, underscored that “we need more funding to sustain this work, let alone scale it further.”
She noted that to date, less than 10 per cent of the funds required for relief efforts for the first half of 2025 have been received.
Hospitals, food distribution and essential services are at risk of collapse without immediate support, she warned.
A woman holds the new Syrian flag outside UN Headquarters in New York.
Earlier in the day, Syria’s new flag was raised alongside those of other Member States at UN Headquarters, as supporters gathered on Manhattan’s First Avenue.
The new three-starred flag – one more than the Assad-era banner – was used by groups opposing the old regime and its forces.
Delhi Police said on Tuesday that it has not given permission to AAP to hold any protest, reports ANI. However, entry/exit at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station, Gate no 3 of Patel Chowk Metro Station, and Gate no 5 of Central Secretariat Metro Station will remain closed.
Security at the Prime Minister’s residence has been beefed up by the Delhi Police following the AAP’s announcement of a protest on Tuesday to “gherao” the premises in response to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest.
“Due to security reasons, entry/exit at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station, Gate no 3 of Patel Chowk Metro Station and Gate no 5 of Central Secretariat Metro station will remain closed till further notice,” Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a post on X.
“Large number of security personnel, including paramilitary forces, were seen deployed at Patel Chowk after a call was given by AAP to gather here before the march,” said a senior Delhi Police official.
The Delhi Traffic Police have advised commuters to avoid routes, including Kemal Ataturk Marg, Safdarjung Road, Akbar Road and Teen Murti Marg.
“Commuters are requested to cooperate by avoiding/bypassing these roads, if possible, and make maximum use of public transport,” said the official. “People, who are going towards ISBT/Railway Stations/Indira Gandhi Airport, are advised to carefully plan their travel with sufficient time at hand,” he added.
“General public and motorists are advised to keep patience, observe traffic rules and road discipline and follow directions of traffic personnel deployed at all intersections,” the official said.
Researchers at Brigham Young University have learned that most users of popular messaging apps Facebook Messenger, What’sApp and Viber are leaving themselves exposed to fraud or other hacking because they don’t know about or aren’t using important security options.
“We wanted to understand how typical users are protecting their privacy,” said BYU computer science Ph.D. student Elham Vaziripour, who led the recent study. Short answer: they’re generally not.
Even though What’sApp and Viber encrypt messages by default, all three messaging apps also require what’s called an authentication ceremony to ensure true security. But because most users are unaware of the ceremony and its importance, “it is possible that a malicious third party or man-in-the middle attacker can eavesdrop on their conversations,” said Vaziripour, who was joined on the study by computer science professors Daniel Zappala and Kent Seamons and five other student researchers.
The authentication ceremony allows users to confirm the identify of their intended conversation partner, and makes sure no other person — even the company providing the messaging application — can intercept messages.
In the first phase of a two-phase experiment, the research team prompted study participants to share a credit card number with another participant. Participants were warned about potential threats and encouraged to make sure their messages were confidential. However, only 14 percent of users in this phase managed to successfully authenticate their recipient. Others opted for ad-hoc security measures like asking their partners for details about a shared experience.
In the second phase, participants were again asked to share a credit card number, but in this round researchers emphasized the importance of authentication ceremonies. With that prompting, 79 percent of users were able to successfully authenticate the other party.
Despite the drastic climb, however, researchers discovered another significant hurdle: participants averaged 11 minutes to authenticate their partners.
“Once we told people about the authentication ceremonies, most people could do it, but it was not simple, people were frustrated and it took them too long,” Zappala said.
Because most people don’t experience significant security problems, both professors agreed, it’s hard to make a case for them investing the time and effort to understand and use security features that applications offer. But because there’s always a risk in online communications, Seamons added, “we want to make it much easier to do and cut that time way down.”
The ultimate goal? “If we can perform the authentication ceremony behind the scenes for users automatically or effortlessly, we can address these problems without necessitating user education,” said Vaziripour.
This study is an extension of ongoing work on usable security in the two labs Seamons and Zappala run, funded in part by more than $1 million in recent grants from the National Science Foundation and Department of Homeland Security.
“Security researchers often build systems without finding out what people need and want,” said Seamons. “The goal in our labs is to design technology that’s simple and usable enough for anyone to use.”
US President-elect Donald Trump is likely to nominate retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as his selection for secretary of defense during his latest “thank you” tour in North Carolina tonight, said reports.
Trump earlier stated in a Twitter message:”General James “Mad Dog” Mattis, who is being considered for Secretary of Defense, was very impressive yesterday. A true General’s General!”
Gen James N Mattis
James “Mad Dog” Mattis in the Pentagon has similar views as Trump and is expected to be his mouth piece in security matters, besides towing the party line. He retired in 2013 but the rule book says a defense secretary must have been out of the armed services for at least seven years.
