US CIO Unveils Government Shift to Cloud Computing
“The old Internet is dying off and a new Internet is emerging,” said Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, referring to the shift to cloud computing.
The concept, which merges all IT components into one virtual ‘cloud’ for end-users, has been a hot topic in the tech world and was up for discussion on Monday in an opening summit on cloud security at the 2011 RSA Conference in San Francisco.
“We’re moving into one of the most exciting new technology opportunities of our time,” said Benioff on the topic.
But the CEO wasn’t alone in championing for cloud. Vivek Kundra, Chief Information Officer of the United States, was also on site to unveil a new government initiative to move federal agencies over to the model.
RSA Conference Preview: The Cloud, Mobile Security and Privacy
Next week Cybersecurity News will be coming to you live from the 2011 RSA Conference inside San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
In advance of the week-long event, RSA today held a press teleconference to discuss the security industry, trends and what to expect from the keynote speakers, panelists, exhibitors and other industry experts coming together in the Bay Area next week.
Joining RSA on the call, Rob Ayoub, industry manger of the North America Information and Communication Technologies Practice at Frost & Sullivan, laid out the lines on what he expects to be the hot topics of this year’s conference. His predications: Cloud, mobile security and privacy.
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Hackers Wanted for Cyber Fast Track
Calling all hackers – the Department of Defense may be looking for you. But before you put your 1s and 0s into hiding, note that your efforts could add value to US Defense and to your wallet.
According to NextGov, the Department’s Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) has launched a new program called the Cyber Fast Track, which will recruit and compensate cybersecurity experts for their time and research.
But unlike other DoD programs (like the Department’s recent announcement of the public-private sector IT employee swap), DARPA’s new program intends to extend its recruiting reach beyond the realm of the typical, professional Internet expert.
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Enhancing State of the Union Will Require Private Sector Support
To many in the tech industry, President Obama earned his stars Tuesday night in his State of the Union speech, calling for a greater focus on innovation by way of research and development, technological advancements and corporate tax reductions.
The President’s address made it clear that the private sector plays an integral role in competing against progressive competitor nations such as India and China.
According to a recent report from the National Security Cyberspace Institute, the President could also use private sector support with cybersecurity, as well.
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Examining the Power of a Cyber Attack
“Very few single cyber-related events have the capacity to cause a global shock,” according to a recent report released Friday by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The report, “Reducing Systemic Cybersecurity Risk” (pdf), published by professors Peter Sommer of the London School of Economics and Ian Brown of Oxford University, examines the various aspects of a cyber attack and the impacts attacks have on different variables.
According to the report, the researchers say an all-out cyberwar is “unlikely” to ever occur, based on the fact that it would require only cyberweaponary to be used in carrying out the conflict.
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New Cybersecurity Posts Create New Jobs and Same Old Fears
As the Consumer Electronics Show wrapped up in Las Vegas on Sunday, the technology world showed no signs of slowing.
Meanwhile, over in the neighboring state of Utah, the National Security Agency was also prepping for advancements in technology, with its sights set on IT security.
Breaking ground on its new $1.2 billion cybersecurity center, the Associated Press reports that the NSA will use the site “to help the US Department of Homeland Security and other agencies protect national security networks and identify cyber threats.”
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Catching Up with Cybersecurity
Happy New Year and welcome back, Cybersecurity News readers!
As we embark upon a fresh start, with 361 days remaining before us in 2011, it should come as no surprise that the security-psychics and cyber-gurus have already taken to posting their predictions for IT security in the new year.
Making news headlines with its forecast, McAfee, Inc. released its list of “McAfee Labs Threat Predictions for 2011.” URL-shortening services, geolocation services, mobile devices, botnet takedowns and the recent rise of hacktivists were all listed as potential threats to our cybersecurity in the year ahead.
“We’ve seen significant advancements in device and social network adoption, placing a bulls-eye on the platforms and services users are embracing the most,” Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs, said in a statement. “These platforms and services have become very popular in a short amount of time, and we’re already seeing a significant increase in vulnerabilities, attacks and data loss.”
And right in line with the predictions of hacktivists and data loss, the US State Department, which saw its fair share of cyber damage in 2010 following the WikiLeaks info-spew, has announced its creation of a new cybersecurity post within the Department.
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Happy Holidays from Cybersecurity News!
Wishing all of my readers, followers, friends and family a safe and happy holiday season. Many thanks for your continued support and best wishes in the new year!
DHS Secretary Napolitano: Cybersecurity is a Collaborative Effort
Attaining an Internet that is both open and secure is a challenge that must be confronted, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated on Thursday.
“Cyberspace is fundamentally a civilian space,” Napolitano said during a keynote speech before a cybersecurity forum at the National Press Club. “And government has a role to help protect it.”
But according to Napolitano, that role should extend beyond DHS and other federal agencies and into the private sector, as well, where she said new public-private partnerships are already being formed to protect control systems that operate the nation’s critical infrastructure.
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