• Cyberthreat "deniers" say cybersecurity experts are crying wolf

    There are those who argue that security experts warn about cyber threat are only scaring people in order to sell their security products and consulting services; one observer says: “To be sure, the financial interests of those warning about cybersecurity vulnerability should be disclosed, but their warnings shouldn’t be dismissed either— Just because you can still download movies from Netflix or update your Facebook status doesn’t mean everything’s fine”

  • Move to IPv6 may create a "security nightmare"

    IPv6, the Internet’s next-generation addressing scheme is so radically different from the current one that its adoption is likely to cause severe security headaches for those who adopt it; the radical overhaul still is not ready for prime time — in large part because IT professionals have not worked out a large number of security threats facing those who rely on it to route traffic over the net

  • INL's International Symposium on Resilient Control Systems (ISRCS)

    Idaho National Laboratory is helping generate innovative research and codify resilience in next-generation control system designs by hosting the 3rd International Symposium on Resilient Control Systems in Idaho Falls 10-12 August; INL says it sponsors the symposium to support a multidisciplinary approach to the complex nature of control system interdependencies that ensure safe and secure operation of critical components of the U.S. infrastructure including electrical grids, water supplies, and transportation

  • Commerce Department seeks comments on cybersecurity and its impact on innovation

    The U.S. Commerce Department seeks comments from all stakeholders, including the commercial, academic and civil society sectors, on measures to improve cyber security while sustaining innovation; the department says that the Internet has become vitally important to U.S. innovation, prosperity, education, civic activity, and cultural life as well as aspects of America’s national security, and that a top priority of the department is to ensure that the Internet remains an open and trusted infrastructure, both for commercial entities and individuals

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  • As demand for cybersecurity professionals grows, shortages are felt

    Federal agencies, contractors, and tech companies compete with each other for cyber security work force; measuring the size of the cyber security sector is difficult, but surveys show demand for technical expertise is skyrocketing; the number of jobs posted on ClearanceJobs.com by companies and recruiters looking for professionals with active federal security clearances has jumped 11 percent to 6,100 openings this year from fewer than 5,500 in the same time period last year; Maryland wants to become U.S. cybersecurity capital

  • Indonesia joins countries mulling BlackBerry ban to fight terror

    Indonesia considers joining a growing list of countries, including India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in banning BlackBerry devices; Research in Motion is receiving increasing pressure to allow government access to data generated by the hand-held devices

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  • Smart Grid offers target-rich opportunities for hackers

    SCADA systems are vulnerable to hacking, but the smart grid is even more vulnerable; security experts at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas last week warned that the accelerated deployment of smart-grid technology could leave critical infrastructure and private homes vulnerable to hackers; hacking may come in a benign form — customers might simply figure out how to lower their electricity bills by manipulating how much energy their meters say they are using; hacking may also have more sinister aspects: large-scale attacks may also be possible, and the smart grid’s serious vulnerabilities make it possible to shut down the power supply to an entire city

  • U.S. "cyber flank" exposed

    Former head of the CIA and the NSA warns the U.S.“cyber flank” was exposed and it was losing clout to influence rules of war on the Internet; “Our flank is totally exposed,” Michael Hayden said at the Black Hat computer security gathering in Las Vegas, comparing the U.S. tactical position on the Internet to a battle of land troops; “If tomorrow they show up on that flank they are going to roll down.”; the retired general said he was in “absolute awe and wonderment” at the Chinese cyber espionage campaign but that they were certainly not the only nation doing it; he faulted an Internet built on the premise of quickly and freely sharing information for creating an open landscape that gives attackers an edge over defenders

  • First Cyber Security Challenge winner announced

    The United Kingdom suffers from a dearth of cybersecurity experts; several private and public organizations have launched the Cyber Security Challenge competition — a series of challenges and games that would test the talent and skills of people; the challenges is built around eight key skill areas which include digital forensics, network analysis, and logical thinking

  • First puzzle of U.K Cyber Security Challenge competition cracked

    The United Kingdom suffers from a dearth of cybersecurity experts; several private and public organizations have launched the Cyber Security Challenge competition — a series of challenges and games that would test the talent and skills of people; the challenges is built around eight key skill areas which include digital forensics, network analysis and logical thinking; enthusiasts claim they have already solved he first test of the challenge

  • Shortage of cyber workers in the U.S.

    The United States is lacking an adequate number of individuals within the federal government and private sector with the technical skills necessary to secure cyberspace; there is an even greater shortage of cybersecurity experts that can design secure systems and networks, write nonvulnerable computer code and create the tools needed to prevent, detect and mitigate damage due to malicious acts

  • Cybersecurity solution detects cyber attacks as they happen

    A winning entry in a cyber security competition gives analysts a way to look at computer network traffic and determine how a system was penetrated; it also supplies critical data that can be used to reduce system vulnerabilities and limit future attacks

  • House's homeland security bill doubles cybersecurity R&D budget

    The 2010 Homeland Security Science and Technology Authorization Act would double the cybersecurity research and development budget to $75 million for each of the next two years and authorize another $500 million for a study to find ways to promote industry best practices through, for example, liability requirements that hold hardware and software vendors responsible for damages caused by a security breach

  • Digital retaliation: Turkish hackers steal personal information of 122,000 Israelis

    A month ago Israel stopped several ships, sponsored by a Turkish fundamentalist Islamic organization, which tried to breach the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip; nine Turkish militants were killed after they had attacked Israeli soldiers; Turkish hackers launched a retaliatory attack on Israeli digital databases, stealing the e-mail addresses and credit card and PayPal account information of 122,000 Israelis; the hackers also attacked 2,100 Israeli Web sites; security expert advises affected Israelis to change passwords, and credit cards.

  • Malicious virus targets SCADA systems

    Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, or SCADA, stands for large-scale distributed remote processing systems that gather data in real time to control critical industrial, infrastructure, or facility processes and equipment; SCADA is used to control U.S. critical infrastructure — power plants, oil and gas refining, telecommunications, transportation, dams, water, waste control, and more; Siemens is warning customers of a new and highly sophisticated virus that targets SCADA systems; these systems are typically not connected to the Internet for security reasons, but this virus spreads when an infected USB stick is inserted into a computer