• Increasing the efficiency of wireless networks

    A “spectrum crunch” is quickly being accelerated as customers convert from traditional cell phones to smartphones and tablets; new method, which doubles the efficiency of wireless networks, was developed by researchers; it could have broad impacts on the mobile Internet and wireless industries

  • South Carolina exploring different cybersecurity plans

    Last month state officials in South Carolina discovered a massive breach at the Department of Revenue; the attack exposed 3.6 million social security numbers of residents in the state, 387,000 credit and debit card numbers, and information for 657,000 businesses as well as other personal information; now, officials are trying to figure out what security measures they need to take in order to prevent another attack

  • Michigan launches Cyber Range – a cutting-edge cybersecurity training program

    Michigan has launched the Michigan Cyber Range, a state-of-the-art facility that prepares cybersecurity professionals in the detection and prevention of cyber attacks; the initiative pairs cybersecurity resources with hands-on training opportunities to enhance Michigan’s protection of computer systems and sensitive data

  • iPhone app lets border crossers determine best time to cross U.S. border

    Excessive border waits cause $2.5 billion in losses annually to the San Diego regional economy, with typical two-hour delays for trucks at commercial crossings into San Diego County costing the county $455 million in annual revenue from reduced freight activity; new “crowdsourced” information app allows motorists to decide the best time to cross the border by car or truck; the app’s information is meshed with the data on wait times at the border from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to improve the accuracy of the wait times

  • Obama, Romney differ on major homeland security issues

    Tomorrow, Tuesday 6 November, American voters will choose between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney as the next president of the United States; the state of the U.S. economy and the best ways to reduce unemployment and increase the pace of economic growth were at the center of the campaign, leaving little room for other issues. Homeland security issues, in particular, played little, if any, role in the campaign or in the three debates between the presidential candidates and the debate between the vice-presidential candidates; still, if we examine the policy proposals each candidate has made, and also examine the details of policies posted on his Web sites, the differences between the candidates’ approaches on three major homeland security issues – immigration, cybersecurity, and infrastructure – are considerable

  • New international consortium helps shape future cybersecurity practices

    The Consortium for Cybersecurity Action (CCA), a newly-formed international consortium of government agencies and private organizations from around the world, will host a conference call  to promote the most effective approaches to cybersecurity and support eleven key developments which are shaping events

  • Ensuring that software security policies reflect user needs

    Researchers have developed a new natural language processing tool that businesses or other customers can use to ensure that software developers have a clear idea of the security policies to be incorporated into new software products

  • Dutch law enforcement wants the authority to hack foreign computers

    The Dutch government plans to give Dutch law enforcement services the ability to hack into computers – not only in the Netherlands, but also those located in other countries – for the purpose of discovering and gathering evidence in cybercrime investigations

  • Kaspersky Lab working on a secure operating system for critical infrastructure

    Antivirus firmKaspersky Lab is set to make a major contribution to the security of critical infrastructure systems by developing an operating system specifically designed for such systems; the new operating system will protect information used in infrastructure such as nuclear power plants, transportation control facilities, gas and electrical systems,and other  facilities “criticallyimportant” to the economy and well-being of industrialized societies

  • Cybersecurity bill supporters want a vote on bill in this Congress

    Last week, lawmakers and top White House officials appeared in different events, conferences, and industry gatherings to promote the cyber security bill which has been stalled in the Senate since August; administration’s officials and lawmakers supporting the bill warned that the current situation leaves U.S. critical infrastructure and businesses vulnerable to attack from hackers and spies

  • Experts, engineers gather to contribute to DARPA’s Plan X

    DARPA’s Plan X will attempt to create revolutionary technologies for understanding, planning, and managing DoD cyber missions in real-time, large-scale, and dynamic network environments; Proposers’ Day dialogue cements program approach

  • Cyber criminals target small businesses

    A recent study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance and Symantec found that 77 percent of small business owners in the United States think their company is safe from cyber criminals; trouble is, 83 percent of them do not have a cyber security plan

  • Sen. Rockefeller asks Fortune 500 CEOs for cybersecurity best practices

    Last month, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) sent a letter to the CEOs of fortune 500 companies asking them what cybersecurity practices they have adopted, how these practices were adopted, who developed them, and when they were developed; many saw Rockefeller’s letter as an admission that the Obama administration does not have a basis for trying to impose cybersecurity practices on the private sector through the Cybersecurity Act of 2012, now stalled in Congress

  • More companies adopt cloud disaster recovery solutions

    More and more companies adopt a cloud disaster recovery solution; in a recent 2012 TechTarget Cloud Pulse survey, a majority of the 926 companies that responded have said they are now using a cloud disaster recovery system or plan to in the next six months

  • States may join feds in regulating infrastructure cybersecurity

    Dealing with cybersecurity issues relating to U.S. inmfrastructure has largely been a federal responsibility, carried out through the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Requirements (NERC-CIP)’ the limitations of these requirements have led state regulators to consider increasing state role in infrastructure protection