CEOs Call for Increased Public-Private Cyber Collaboration
The key to effective cybersecurity is information sharing, according to a new report from a coalition of some of America’s top CEOs.
The report, which provides nearly 30 pages of strategy on “more intelligent, more effective cybersecurity protection,” was published Wednesday by the Business Roundtable (BRT), an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies, including Boeing, Dow, MasterCard and P&G.
Asserting that a deeper level of public-private sector collaboration is needed to defend against emerging cyber threats, the BRT report offers up a cross-sector approach for increased information sharing and threat-informed risk management. Read more…
Targeted Cyber Attack Poses ‘Credible Threat’ to US Banks
The financial industry must prepare for a “mass fraud campaign” that will target 30 of the United States’ banks by spring 2013, according to a new report.
Less than three months after news surfaced that massive denial-of-service cyber attacks shuttered the websites of some the nation’s most prominent banks, including Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, a new report from security firm McAfee advises that there is still a “credible threat.” Read more…
New Draft of White House Cyber Executive Order Surfaces
With Congress focusing much of their time on the fiscal cliff, following another failed attempt to pass cybersecurity legislation, the White House may be a step closer to releasing its anticipated cyber executive order.
In a new draft of the order, dated Nov. 21, the White House made several revisions to a previously leaked version, based on recent meetings held with the private sector. Read more…
With Legislation Stalled, What’s Next for US Cybersecurity?
With the Senate failing to advance the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 in a 51-47 vote late Wednesday, many are left to wonder what, if anything, will come of U.S. cybersecurity.
According to the Associated Press, the senators failed to reach agreement on a provision in the bill giving the Department of Homeland Security authority over a National Cybersecurity Council that would be established to monitor cybersecurity efforts around the nation’s critical infrastructure – 85 percent of which is owned by the private sector. Read more…
Little Hope for Cybersecurity in the Lame Duck
With Congress preparing to return from recess on Tuesday, much of the public and private sectors agree, there is little chance for cybersecurity legislation to pass in the lame duck. Yet Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is still planning to give it a try.
“I will bring cybersecurity legislation back to the Senate floor when Congress returns in November,” Reid vowed in a pre-election statement. “My colleagues who profess to understand the urgency of the threat will have one more chance to back their words with action.”
According to reports, Reid intends to bring the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 back to the Senate floor by the end of the week. Though many speculate that the bill, which failed to pass the Senate in August, will again face obstacles, barring it from making its way to President Obama’s desk. Read more…
UN Criticizes Iran’s Cybersecurity Strategy
While the nation’s northeastern states brace for the approaching hurricane, across the Atlantic, Iran appears to be doing some emergency preparation of its own.
After experiencing a series of sophisticated cyber attacks to the nation’s nuclear program and its oil ministry, Iran is reportedly planning to strengthen its cyber defense capabilities.
According to Fars News Agency, the director of the Civil Defense Organization, Gholam Reza Jalali, warned that Iran’s adversaries are developing and utilizing new technologies to attack the country’s infrastructure and information systems. Read more…
Kaspersky Discovers ‘miniFlame’ and Develops New Exploit-Free OS
Nearly five months after security researchers at Kaspersky Lab announced the discovery of the highly sophisticated cyber attack Flame, the team came forward again last week to report that it had detected yet another piece of nation-state-sponsored malware.
Dubbed “miniFlame,” or “SPE” for short, the security researchers said they first discovered the malicious cyber attack tool back in July during an ongoing investigation of the Flame and Gauss attacks that targeted the Middle East. While the team initially suspected miniFlame was a component of Flame, a recent, more in-depth analysis revealed that miniFlame had its own functions and stand-alone capabilities. Read more…
DOD Adopts New Rules for Defending US in Cyberspace
With a recent series of cyber attacks on U.S. banks, and the sophisticated Shamoon attack targeting the largest oil company in the world, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta advised that the Defense Department is stepping up to better prepare for cyberwar.
At a Business Executives for National Security (BENS) awards dinner held in New York, Sec. Panetta warned that new, sophisticated and destructive cyber attacks could cripple U.S. businesses and critical infrastructure, including the nation’s power grids, water supplies and banking systems.
Calling it a “pre-9/11 moment,” Panetta said the Internet has created “a new terrain for warfare,” and acknowledged that the DOD is developing new policies, procedures and standards to proactively plan for cyber threats and emerging attacks. Read more…
Cyber Dialogue, Attacks Seen Around Cybersecurity Awareness Month
The start of October marked the Department of Homeland Security’s ninth annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month. But along with the initiative on Internet security, the month is also raising concerns over new and looming cyber policies and attacks.
Kicking off the annual cybersecurity awareness campaign, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano called for a collaborative effort from American citizens, businesses and government alike to act responsibly and educate others on online safety. Read more…
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