• U.S. investigates Illinois pump failure as cyber attack on infrastructure

    The U.S. government is looking into the possibility that a cyber attack may have been responsible for the failure of a water pump at a public water district in Illinois last week; such an attack would be worrisome because cyber attacks on businesses are commonplace, but attacks that invade industrial control systems and intentionally destroy equipment are unknown in the United States.

  • DHS warns of GPS disruptions, recommending spoof-proof receivers

    More and more military missions and economic activities are dependent on GPS technology. This fact has not been lost on criminals, hackers, and adversaries. One result: GPS jamming and spoofing are getting worse, and a forthcoming DHS report highlights the risks posed by GPS disruptions. The report is yet to be released, but its the analysis has inspired a proposal to create receivers capable of self-diagnosing spoofing attempts.

  • Fewer but costlier cases of identity theft in U.S.

    Identity fraud in the United States fell 28 percent in 2010 to 8.1 million from an estimated 11 million in 2009, according to Javelin Strategy &Research. The problem: thieves are becoming more creative in their methods of obtaining personal information, and those who suffer from identity theft are facing higher consequences, with the average out-of-pocket costs nearly doubling in the same time period to $631from $387 per incident.

  • FTC forces Facbook to change privacy policies

    It appears that it will not be too long before Facebook could be forced to get users’ consent every time it wants to make private data available to other members. This will be the result of an agreement Facebook has reached with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over criticism of the social network’s questionable private data policies.

  • Senior FBI official suggest creating alternative Internet

    With the number of cyberattacks on major corporations and government agencies on the rise, a top FBI official backed the call to create of a more secure alternative Internet

  • Government offers free cybersecurity protection tool for small businesses

    To help small businesses guard themselves against hackers and computer criminals, the U.S. government is offering a free online tool that helps business owners bolster their cyber defenses; the Small Biz Cyber Planner will help business owners create their own customized cybersecurity plans by answering basic questions about their company and its online presence

  • Mark Weatherford named DHS cybersecurity chief

    On Thursday, DHS announced that it had selected Mark Weatherford, the chief security officer of the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC), as the next deputy undersecretary of cybersecurity

  • Lockheed Martin hosts 150 Md. students in cybersecurity event

    Top performing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) high school students from Maryland gathered yesterday at Lockheed Martin’s NexGen Cyber Innovation & Technology Center to explore cyber security careers, education, and to promote safe online practices through a series of lessons and interactive stations

  • Business group: cybersecurity critical to U.S. economic, national security

    The Technology CEO Council says that Private sector steps to strengthen the U.S. digital infrastructure combined with new policies and government actions are important to America’s national and economic security

  • Software restricts access to sensitive to specific locations

    Researchers have created software to remotely put smart phones under lockdown — an innovation that could aid labs doing sensitive research, secure government and military facilities, and keepers of medical records

  • Cyber security job board channel launched

    The growing demand for employees with cybersecurity certification lead a leading job-search company to offer cyber security hiring channel, focusing on employment and recruiting in the information assurance field; the company says it has created the cyber security job board to target the expanding field of cyber security

  • ISPs asked to help fight hackers

    DHS and the Department of Commerce are considering a proposal that would request assistance from Internet-service providers in combatting computer viruses known as botnets

  • Cyber attacks on U.S. are becoming more lethal

    The head of the U.S. Cyber Command said that cyber attacks on the United States are escalating from large-scale theft and disruption of computer operations to more lethal attacks that destroy systems and physical equipment

  • U.S. releases smart grid cybersecurity strategy

    Last week the U.S. Department of Energy released its strategic framework for its plan to install and secure the nation’s electrical grid system over the next decade; the report outlines a plan to coordinate efforts by the government and the private sector to begin designing and implementing an electrical grid that is capable of withstanding a cyberattack

  • Michigan creates cyber and physical infrastructure protection department

    The state of Michigan is now merging responsibility for both physical and digital infrastructure protection under one organization