Security researchers, among them Arbor Networks and Crowdstrike, note that the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber Fighters' denial-of-service campaign against US banks is too well-funded to be written off as simple hacktivism. The attacks have evolved in sophistication (largely through the addition of automated malware toolkits) and appear to be motivated in part by a desire to demonstrate a cyber attack capability. Crowdstrike speculates that the Cyber Fighters are connected to Hamas, which runs counter to earlier suspicion of Iran.

Australia's Reserve Bank (comparable to the Bank of England or the US Federal Reserve) sustained a cyber attack over the weekend and is currently recovering and locking down security. The Bank says the exploit used "Chinese-developed" malware, although today's reports stop short of attributing the attack to the Chinese government. China meanwhile continues to denounce Mandiant's report of a PLA campaign against Western news services as a smear, complains about US hacking of Chinese systems, and calls for an international regime governing Internet espionage. (The SANS Institute huffs on the other side that Mandiant's report revealed too much, compromising sources and methods.)

The vexed Sino-American relationship in cyberspace—not quite enemies but not fully partners either—comes in for more examination as US Cyber Command and NSA head General Alexander prepares to testify before Congress tomorrow.

Many companies lack a BYOD policy, but Intel not only has one, it's so pleased with it that the company is expanding employees' BYOD options.

Privacy advocates see legislation pending in Texas as a bellwether.