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DHS names Greg Garcia as director of National Cyber Security Division
Position was vacant for a year as officials searched for qualified IT professionals willing to take a paycut; Garcia’s first objective will be to resurrect the dormant National Strategy to Secure America; previous position was with ITAA
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Fuel cells' promise for low power, long run-time devices
Two New Jersey companies demonstrate a fuel cell-powered wireless camera prototype system with infrared sensing and audio capability; the device is ideal for perimeter defense, border monitoring, batlefield observation, and more
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SafeData offers thirty-day trial of remote backup service
Small and midsize businesses are known for underinvesting in continuity, yet disaster will ruin most; SafeData marketing approach a smart move in today’s glutted data vaulting industry; company uses industry-leader EVault’s recovery technology
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Sarasota County, Florida sets the standard for municipal networking collaboration
Nearly each of America’s 10,000 cities and counties buys its own networking systems, leading to gross waste and inefficiency; in Sarasota County, planners work within and without to share broadband and IT staff; big benefit seen for underfunded public schools, data storage facilities
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DHS release report on Operation Cyber Storm
DHS’s report on a large-scale simulated attack on U.S. government and critical infrastructure assets offers mixed results; no grades were assigned to specific performances, but the over-all impression is that the government’s — and industry’s — response to such an attcak could be much improved
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SafeNet sponsors HSPD-12 briefing and website
With 27 October deadline on horizon, company provides critical compliance information
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Credit card industry forms group to advise on new data security guidelines
Fraud costs sector $500 million per year; group to help merchants comply with key storage, firewall, and antivirus requirements; implementation of rules behind schedule
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WiFi Wireless to begin selling WFSCT cargo security system
Wireless protocol overcomes security concerns; system offers real-time tracking, temperature monitoring, tamper and explosives detection
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Terrorists or business rivals? You decide
Medical facilities report visits by fake inspectors; some believe terrorism involved; industrial espionage seems more likely motive
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New passport holder claims to beat RFID security risks
Paraben claims its metal mesh, velcro-closing passport holder reduces signals by an average of 85db
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Study finds ID and password breaches cost $1.5 million per attack
Phoenix Technologies report looks at federal data theft prosecutions; failure to authenticate computers seeking network access causes majority of breaches; most attacks originate from homes, not on-site users; worm and virus threat may be overrated
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Financial sector continues to lead in continuity and infrastructure protection
Efforts include widespread adoption of continuity standards and participation in TopOff exercises; communications capabilities important focus after protecting consumer data
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IT Security managers in hot seat following AOL disclosures
“Forced accountability” due to media pressure; key to avoiding problems is better communication with audit teams;
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Louisiana officials worry about levees
Tropical Storm Ernesto heads toward Gulf of Mexico; evacuation planning seems improved but overtopping and breaching still threaten levees
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iDirect improves satellite transmission security
New software for its military TDMA VSAT system includes X.509 certificates and government-standard AES 256 encryption
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The long view
A Turning Point: U.S. Recognizes Agriculture as a Domain of Defense
The US has legitimized the role of food supply in national defense. It has recognized that in a world of rupture, a nation that cannot feed itself cannot defend itself. A new policy effectively ends the era of agriculture functioning solely as a commercial sector.
The US Doesn’t Need to Generate as Much New Electricity as You Think
Load shifting and improving energy efficiency could reduce the need for new power plants, but utilities often profit more from building than saving power.