-
NSA revelations raise doubts about passage of cybersecurity legislation
U.S. officials say the revelations about the National Security Agency’s(NSA) domestic surveillance programs could make it harder for lawmakers to pass a cybersecurity bill. Critics of the House cybersecurity bill, known as the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), which was passed earlier this year (it is still being debated in the Senate), argued the bill could lead to private information falling into the hands of the NSA.
-
-
Former Pentagon No. 2 suspected of being source of Stuxnet leaks
The Justice Department has informed Gen. (Ret.) James E. “Hoss” Cartwright that he is the target of an investigation into the leaking of a secret U.S.-Israeli cyber campaign to slow down Iran nuclear weapons program. The four-star Marine Corps general served as deputy chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was part of President Obama’s inner circle on many important national security issues before retiring in 2011.
-
-
FDA warns about vulnerability of medical devices to hacking
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned manufactures of medical devices implanted into the human body, such as pacemakers and insulin pumps, to step up their cybersecurity efforts. The agency said it has discovered “cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents that could directly impact medical devices or hospital network operations.”
-
-
Sector Report for Tuesday, 26 June 2013:
This report contains the following stories.
Plus 8 additional stories
-
-
States eager to attract cybersecurity companies
As the threat of cyberattacks grows, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia want to cash in on the growing business of cybersecurity. Analysts say that several states are using tax breaks to get in on the $207 billion cybersecurity industry, which is expected to show “impressive growth” in the next five years.
-
-
New guide highlights three cyber security game changers
Cybercrime is on the rise, and it will grow even faster if organizations ignore an emerging group of cybersecurity game changers: always-on connectivity, an increasingly IT-centric society, and a new class system that separates people by technology skills.
-
-
Registration opens for NIST Cybersecurity Framework Workshop
Executive Order 13636, Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, gave NIST the responsibility to work with industry to develop a voluntary “framework” — incorporating existing standards, guidelines, and best practices — that institutions could use to reduce the risk of cyber attacks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has opened registration for its Third Cybersecurity Framework Workshop, to be held 10-12 July 2013, in San Diego, California.
-
-
Israel taps 10th graders’ cybersecurity skills to expand cybersecuity recruitment pool
Israel has been subjected to a growing number of cyberattacks – and has itself used cyber-warfare against its adversaries. To make sure it stays ahead, Israel is accelerating its recruitment and development efforts in cybersecurity. Among other initiatives, the country is expanding the pool of potential cyberwarriors by going into high school classrooms to tap the cyber skills of tenth-graders.
-
-
FEMA issues annual National Preparedness Report
Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness requires an annual National Preparedness Report (NPR) that summarizes national progress in building, sustaining, and delivering the thirty-one core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness Goal. The 2013 NPR presents an opportunity to reflect on the progress that that has been made in strengthening national preparedness and to identify where preparedness gaps remain.
-
-
NSA director: surveillance programs prevented “dozens” of terror attacks
Gen. Keith Alexander, the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, told lawmakers yesterday (Wednesday) that the NSA’s electronic surveillance programs have been indispensable in thwarting “dozens” of terrorist attacks on targets in the United States and abroad. He told the senators that securing a “cyber arena” could be done without infringing upon the privacy rights of Americans. “We do not see a tradeoff between security and liberty,” Alexander said, later adding, “We are trying to protect Americans.”
-
-
House panel to unveil cybersecurity bill
Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee are close to finalizing a long-awaited cybersecurity bill, following extensive discussions with private companies.The bill formally establishes DHS’s already-operating National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, to circulate cyberthreat and vulnerability data.
-
-
ACLU files lawsuit challenging NSA's phone surveillance
In the wake of the past week’s revelations about the NSA’s surveillance of phone calls, the yesterday American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit charging that the program violates Americans’ constitutional rights of free speech, association, and privacy.
-
-
Cloud computing user privacy needs serious reform: scholars
When Web surfers sign up for a new online service or download a Web application for their smartphone or tablet, the service typically requires them to click a seemingly innocuous box and accept the company’s terms of service and privacy policy. Agreeing to terms without reading them beforehand, however, can adversely affect a user’s legal rights, says a new paper by an expert in technology and legal issues.
-
-
NIST publishes draft cloud computing security document for comment
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a draft document on security for cloud computing as used in the federal government. The public comment period runs through 12 July 2013.
-
-
Obama orders U.S. intelligence to develop a list of targets for U.S. cyberattacks
President Barack Obama last October has ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to develop a list of overseas targets for possible offensive cyberattacks by the United States. The directive says that “The secretary of defense, the DNI [Director of National Intelligence], and the director of the CIA … shall prepare for approval by the president through the National Security Advisor a plan that identifies potential systems, processes and infrastructure against which the United States should establish and maintain Offensive Cyber Effects Operations (OCEO) capabilities….”
-
The long view
Encryption Breakthrough Lays Groundwork for Privacy-Preserving AI Models
In an era where data privacy concerns loom large, a new approach in artificial intelligence (AI) could reshape how sensitive information is processed. New AI framework enables secure neural network computation without sacrificing accuracy.
Need for National Information Clearinghouse for Cybercrime Data, Categorization of Cybercrimes: Report
There is an acute need for the U.S. to address its lack of overall governance and coordination of cybercrime statistics. A new report recommends that relevant federal agencies create or designate a national information clearinghouse to draw information from multiple sources of cybercrime data and establish connections to assist in criminal investigations.