• New DHS network still has problems

    HSIN was launched in 2004 to provide a secure, Internet-based system to share terrorism information with federal, state, and local agencies and the private sector, but ran into problems; last year DHS decided to replace it with a new system, but that one, too, has problems

  • ISF annual congress in Barcelona, 16-18 November

    More than 500 IT security leaders will meet in Barcelona in November for the ISF 19th annual congress

  • EU moves on data breach notification law

    Security professionals debate the recommendations of independent research to introduce tough European data breach and security regulations

  • Briefly noted

    U.S. Army signs $75 million contract for passive RFIDU.S. government to take over screening from airlines… IT security sector faces major changes… Senators propose changes at DHS

  • A first: quantum cryptography used within a commercial network

    European consortium demonstrates transmission of quantum-encrypted data within commercial telecommunications network

  • IT security hinders innovation

    New IDC reports says businesses are struggling to find the right balance between security and innovation; information security concerns have caused 80 percent of companies surveyed to back away from new innovation opportunities

  • Setback: Laser breaks "unbreakable" quantum communications

    Quantum encryption was supposed to make communication completely secure — because quantum mechanics makes it impossible for an eavesdropper to emulate the receiver’s photon detection methods; researchers find flaw in commonly used encryption devices which does allow an eavesdropper to fool the receiver

  • Schwarzenegger terminates RFID skimming

    As RFID technology becomes more pervasive — people now use it to gain access to offices, properties, children’s nurseries, parking lots, and others areas — concerns have been growing about wireless “skimming” of the information on the RFID tags; California now bans the practice

  • China spying on Skype users

    Canadian researchers find that China engages in a massive surveillance campaign of users of Tom-Skype, a joint venture between Chinese mobile firm TOM Online and U.S.owened Skype; sensitive words such as “Tibet,” “Taiwan independence,” the Falun Gong, and political opposition to the Communist Party of China are censored and logged

  • DHS, industry promote security awareness month

    Companies offer tips on avoiding and dealing with attacks; October will also see major cybersecurity initiatives in Europe, Asia

  • Briefly noted

    DoE’s networks open to cyberattacks… WiMax emulator debuts… DHS’s radiation program to exceed initial cost estimates…

  • FCC restarts public safety network in the 700 MHz band

    The Federal Communication Commission revives plans for a nationwide emergency network; decision follows disappointing results of the “D Block” auction

  • Washington State, Microsoft sue cyber fear mongers

    Washington State has one of the nation;s toughest anti-spyware laws, and the state attorney general joins with Microsoft to sue companies which use fear to sell security products

  • Web browsers affected by Clickjacking

    US CERT issues a warning about a new cross-browser exploit technique called “Clickjacking”; clickjacking gives an attacker the ability to trick a user into clicking on something only barely or momentarily noticeable; thus, if a user clicks on a Web page, they may actually be clicking on content from another page

  • Stolen laptops "broadcast" their location to rightful owners

    Huskies researchers develop a software tool which uses the Internet as a homing beam; if the thief uses the stolen laptop to connect to the Internet, the owner receives information on the laptop location (and Macintosh owners also recvied a picture of the thief)