Russian networks compromised by sophisticated actors (Americans suspect themselves). US continues to investigate election-related hacking campaign (and suspects Russia). ISIS calls for jihad in Russia; ISIS rivals led by Muqtada al Sadr call for jihad in Iraq.
news from Black Hat 2016
Black Hat is in progress, with "Trainings" that began over the weekend continuing through today. Tomorrow will feature the CISO summit, and Wednesday and Thursday will be devoted to workshops, presentations and sponsored sessions. We'll be offering some perspective from the event as the week goes on. In the meantime, we've offered some links to selected coverage of the conference; you'll find them below.
If you are attending Black Hat, please don't drop your security guard. "It's not for the faint of heart, from a security perspective," Level 3's Dale Drew told us when the CyberWire spoke with him about the conference. There are a lot of people at Black Hat who are experimenting with, well, various hacks. Expect to encounter spoofed Wi-Fi hotspots, even roll-your-own cellphone towers to intercept calls. He recommends taking only devices that are wiped from scratch to the event, will no personal or business data. Then wipe those machines again upon your return. Change your passwords before you go, and change them again after you return. Try to use a cellphone hotspot or a My-Fi instead of any conference Wi-Fi hotspots on offer. Disable Bluetooth. Carry an NFC blocker to protect your credit cards. Don't, don't accept any USB drives from anyone at the conference. (But you all knew that, right?) And if you must use an ATM while you're at the conference, check it out carefully to make sure (insofar as you can make sure) that there's no skimmer installed.
Stay safe out there. What goes on in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.
Russia’s security services report that country’s infrastructure has been targeted by advanced persistent threats. Affected networks are said to number about twenty, with “scientific and military institutions, defense contractors, and public authorities,” affected. (“Infrastructure” here is used loosely, as roughly synonymous with “important network.”) Kaspersky’s investigating without so far offering attribution, calling the actors “a powerful cyber gang.” Much a priori speculation in the US says NSA is (should be?) responsible.
Russian services remain the prime suspect in the hacks of the DNC, the Clinton campaign, and the DCCC. It’s thought that the hackers may be particularly interested in donors. WikiLeaks refuses to say where it got the data it dumped. Amid calls for retaliation and cries of “cyberwar,” US DNI Clapper says it’s too soon for attribution and asks people to stop “hyperventilating.”
Spiegel reports another email dump, this one apparently showing NATO interest in affecting the conflict in Ukraine.
French police investigate alleged accomplices in the church attack near Rouen, suggesting the ISIS-hearkening wolves may have belonged to a local pack. ISIS calls for jihad in Russia, and howls for jihad aren’t confined to ISIS: its Shi’ite competitors and adversaries in Iraq (led by Muqtada a Sadr) say they’re “thirsty for American blood.”
A British general calls for formation of a kind of cyber Dad’s army for service in hybrid wars.
Conficker’s old C&C IP turns up in current criminal campaigns.
The SpyNote Android Trojan has leaked to the underground souk. Expect it to appear in attacks soon.
Notes.
Today's issue includes events affecting China, France, India, Iran, Japan, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States.
A note to our readers: We'll be at Black Hat this week, talking to people and keeping our ears open, as usual. You'll see coverage in our daily briefings, and you'll hear updates in our podcasts.
The CyberWire's regular daily Podcast will be out later this afternoon, with interviews, educational tips, and more on the stories of the day. It's Black Hat week, and Dale Drew from our partners at Level 3 is on to offer some security advice if you plan to attend. You should listen. Really. (If you enjoy the podcast, please consider giving it an iTunes review.)
Las Vegas: the latest from Black Hat (with a side look over at DefCon...)
Weclome to Black Hat USA 2016 (Black Hat) Black Hat - built by and for the global InfoSec community - returns to Las Vegas for its 19th year. This six day event begins with four days of intense Trainings for security practitioners of all levels (July 30 - August 2) followed by the two-day main event including over 100 independently selected Briefings, Business Hall, Arsenal, Pwnie Awards, and more (August 3-4)
Advisory: Black Hat conference app users, beware of who you’re talking to (Lookout Blog) [Update: Black Hat has done some remediation.] As a public advisory, Lookout is warning all Black Hat USA 2016 attendees that users of the official Black Hat app may not be who they say they are. We’re working with the vendors involved to fix the issues for future updates to the conference app, but attendees should be aware that someone could be pretending to be them or they could pretend to be someone else in the official conference app. Attendees should be cautious of any activity or messages that are posted or received within the app as they may not be from the person on the screen
Black Hat security conference trims insecure features from its mobile app (CSO) Flaws could have let attackers spoof the identity of attendees, spy on their messages
At Black Hat, the ‘Internet of Things’ Gets Put Through Its Paces (Wall Street Journal) Conference in Las Vegas to explore the security vulnerabilities in internet-connected devices
Black Hat: 9 free security tools for defense & attacking (CSO) Some of the researchers who at Black Hat will show how they hack and release the tools they used to do it
8 Bad Ass Tools Coming Out Of Black Hat (Dark Reading) Penetration testing, reverse engineering and other security tools that will be explained and released at Black Hat 2016
WPAD Flaws Leak HTTPS URLs (Threatpost) Researchers have found flaws in the Web Proxy AutoDiscovery protocol tied to DHCP and DNS servers that allow hackers spy on HTTPS-protected URLs and launch a myriad of different malicious attacks against Linux, Windows or Mac computers
Cyber experts warn of hacking capability of drones (Financial Times) Hackers could employ flying drones to buzz office buildings and intercept corporate communications, cyber security researchers have warned ahead of the industry’s annual gathering
Savvius Vigil Designated Ready for IBM Security Intelligence by IBM PartnerWorld (Yahoo! Finance) Savvius™, Inc., leader in packet intelligence solutions for security investigations and network performance diagnostics, today announced it has received IBM PartnerWorld's Ready for IBM Security Intelligence designation for Savvius Vigil 2.0, the latest version of the network forensics appliance that automates the collection of network traffic associated with security incidents
Soliton Cyber & Analytics Previews InfoTrace Analyzer, the Next Generation Endpoint-Integrated Behavior Analytics Platform (IT News Online) Soliton Cyber & Analytics, a Security Big Data Analytics company based in Long Beach, California (A division company of Soliton Systems K.K. (JASDAQ 3040) in Tokyo), today announces its new endpoint-integrated behavior analytics platform, InfoTrace Analyzer
Needle iOS security testing tool to be unveiled at Black Hat Arsenal (Help Net Security) In a session at Black Hat USA 2016 on Wednesday, Marco Lancini, Security Consultant at MWR InfoSecurity, will demonstrate publicly for the first time a new iOS security testing tool
Nishang: Using PowerShell for penetration testing (Help Net Security) Nishang is a framework, and a collection of scripts and payloads which enables PowerShell usage for offensive security, penetration testing and red teaming
Hillary Clinton fundraiser scheduled for Black Hat (CSO) First time for everything... but do hackers and politics mix?
Car Hacking Village: Discovering Automotive Cyber-Security Vulnerabilities at Def Con 24 (PRNewswire) The Car Hacking Village (www.carhackingvillage.com) founded by Robert Leale, of CanBusHack, Inc., a Michigan based-business, made its inaugural debut at the Def Con 23 Conference last year in Las Vegas. This year, the Village returns to Def Con 24 in Vegas on August 4th
Cyber Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
Islamic State calls on members to carry out jihad in Russia (Reuters) Islamic State called on its group members to carry out jihad in Russia in a nine-minute YouTube video on Sunday
Moqtada al Sadr and his followers in Iraq are 'thirsty for Americans' blood' (Military Times) For the first time in years, the Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr and his militia are unleashing fiery anti-American rhetoric and threatening to attack U.S. troops
Russia cyber attack: Large hack 'hits government' (BBC) A "professional" cyber attack has hit Russian government bodies, the country's intelligence service says
Spies planted malware on critical infrastructure, Russian security service says (CSO) Russian critical infrastructure was targeted by malware, according to the country's Federal Security Service
20 Russian high-profile organizations attacked by spy malware in coordinated op – FSB (RT) Computer networks of some 20 Russian state, defense, scientific and other high-profile organizations have been infected with malware used for cyberespionage, the Russian Security Service (FSB) reported, describing it as a professionally coordinated operation
The NSA Is Likely 'Hacking Back' Russia's Cyber Squads (ABC News) U.S. government hackers at the National Security Agency are likely targeting Russian government-linked hacking teams to see once and for all if they're responsible for the massive breach at the Democratic National Committee, according to three former senior intelligence officials
Dangerous Propaganda: Network Close To NATO Military Leader Fueled Ukraine Conflict (Spiegel Online International) Working with dubious sourcing, a group close to NATO's chief military commander Philip Breedlove sought to secure weapons deliveries for Ukraine, a trove of newly released emails revealed. The efforts served to intensify the conflict between the West and Russia
Assange won't implicate Russia in DNC email leak (Politico) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is refusing to discuss whether Russia had any involvement in a trove of emails from the Democratic National Committee leaked to his organization ahead of the party's convention
Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear: did Russians hack Democratic party and if so, why? (Guardian) Analysts and the US government suspect an official hand behind the breach of the DNC’s emails – but if so it would represent a major escalation of cyber-activity
Russian Hackers May Have Hit the Dems' Donor Site Too (Infosecurity Magazine) Fresh on the heels of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump inviting Vladimir Putin to “find” Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails, the FBI has uncovered a cyberattack on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that could be tied to Russia
Data program accessed in cyber-attack on Democrats, says Clinton campaign (Guardian) A data program used by the campaign of the Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, was “accessed” as a part of hack on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that intelligence officials believe was carried out by Russia’s intelligence services, Clinton’s campaign said on Friday
Clinton says Russia behind DNC hacking, draws line to Trump (Reuters) U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that Russian intelligence services hacked into Democratic National Committee computers and she questioned Republican rival Donald Trump's overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin
Early Signs of DCCC Hack Point to Donor Targeting, Russian Involvement (Morning Consult) The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee confirmed Friday that it had fallen victim to a “cybersecurity incident” that both the U.S. government and cyber defense company CrowdStrike are investigating
Sources: Dem campaign arm hack bears similarities to DNC breach (Fox News) A newly discovered hack into the House Democrats' campaign arm bears similarities to the recent breach of Democratic National Committee files, sources told Fox News -- with early indications pointing once again to possible Russian involvement
The DNC Leak Shows How Vulnerable This Election Is To Hacking (BuzzFeed) Campaigns, political parties, and voting systems don’t have any overarching standards for their security practices — leaving the US electoral process vulnerable to manipulation
Why Russia Keeps Getting Away With Hacking America (Bloomberg View) Since 2014, President Barack Obama's administration has punished three of the four states considered the top cyber threats to U.S. computer networks: China, Iran and North Korea. The curious exception is Russia, the country experts and Hillary Clinton's campaign say was behind the hack of the Democratic National Committee
Trump's REAL point about Russian hackers: We are nearly defenseless in the cyber sphere (Fox News) The media and pundits went wild when Donald Trump expressed his hope that Russian hackers might find those 30,000 emails that Hillary Clinton and the State Department claim are lost forever from her bootleg private server
DNC hack part of a cyber war that’s just begun (San Antonio Express-News) A relatively short drive from Sea World, roughly 6,500 military and civilian workers are engaged in a largely unseen though increasingly critical war for secret information stored in government computers
US intel head calls for end to ‘hyperventilation’ over Russia’s alleged role in DNC hack (RT) The Director of National Intelligence says Washington is still unsure of who might be behind the latest WikiLeaks release of hacked Democratic National Committee emails, while urging that an end be put to the “reactionary mode” blaming it all on Russia
Anonymous Hacks Sarah Silverman’ Twitter For “Bernie or Bust” Comment (Hack Read) Anonymous hacked Sarah Silverman’s Twitter account against her comments about “Bernie Or Bust” supports calling them ridiculous
Is WikiLeaks alienating its friends like Edward Snowden? (Centre Daily) The New York Times reported this week that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, shown in 2014, timed the release of leaked Democratic National Committee emails to maximize the political damage to Hillary Clinton
Twitter Account of Afghan Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Hacked (Hack Read) Ghost Squad hackers have taken over the official Twitter account of Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah — the reason for doing so is to raise awareness against alleged drug deals between Afghanistan and the US
Major Cyber-Crime Campaign Switches from CryptXXX to Locky Ransomware (Softpedia) There was a shift at the start of July in terms of ransomware distribution via exploit kits, with one of the biggest such sources switching from CryptXXX to Locky's Zepto variant
Crypto Malware: Responding To Machine-Timescale Breaches (Dark Reading) The game has changed again with hackers' ability to steal your data at record speeds and cripple your organization before the first alert
The growing threat of ransomware: Lucrative, low-risk and easy to use (Help Net Security) Recent headlines are testament to the growing popularity of ransomware attacks on businesses and consumers alike. In January, for example, Lincolnshire County Council saw its computer systems shut down for four days after it received demands for a £1 million ransom
The IP of the Long Gone Conficker Malware Spotted in Website Hijacking Campaign (Virus Guides) After researchers from Sucuri Security decided to investigate a set of hacked websites, they discovered a campaign which was leveraging the FreeDNS service to abuse legitimate webpages. What was more surprising, though, was the fact that the campaign was somehow connected to the IP of old Conficker C&C servers which hasn’t been around since 2009
Intel Crosswalk bug invalidates SSL protection (Help Net Security) A bug in the Intel Crosswalk Project library for cross-platform mobile development can open users to man-in-the-middle attacks, researchers from Nightwatch Cybersecurity have found
New Android Trojan SpyNote leaks on underground forums (CSO) Its free availability makes it likely that it will be used in attacks soon, researchers say
New Trojan SpyNote Installs Backdoor on Android Devices (Threatpost) A new Android Trojan called SpyNote has been identified by researchers who warn that attacks are forthcoming
SwiftKey's typing predictions may have leaked users' emails (CSO) The company has suspended a syncing feature as it fixes the problem
WhatsApp may leave deleted chats behind in your iCloud backups (Naked Security) Popular online messaging service WhatsApp has made all sorts of security news in recent years
WhatsApp and Myth Behind its Encrypted Chats (Hack Read) WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption last month which was praised by privacy advocates however the reality is far from the truth
There are limits to 2FA and it can be near-crippling to your digital life (Ars Technica) Even 2FA can run up against limitations—like this Find My iPhone attack
Scammers Using Genuine PayPal Emails to Spread Banking Malware (Hack Read) Another day another PayPal scam — this time, it’s highly sophisticated and comes from a genuine PayPal email address
Apple Users Hit with Large-Scale Smishing Scam (Hack Read) Reports suggest that SMS Phishing campaigns are on a rise this summer and particularly Apple users are being targeted
Security Patches, Mitigations, and Software Updates
Tor to Combat Malicious Node Problem (Deep Dot Web) The discovery of over a hundred malicious nodes has prompted the Tor Network to develop a new design which is designed to fight this ongoing problem
Tumblr users, get ready to see ads everywhere (Naked Security) Tumblr users, get ready to see ads everywhere…and to eventually get a slice of the pie
Niantic Shuts Down 'Pokémon Go' Tracking App, and Players Are in Revolt (Motherboard) Niantic, the studio behind Pokémon Go, isn't too happy some of you have figured out how to find the rarest of pokémon with tracking apps like Poké Radar
Cyber Trends
Google and Microsoft Want Every Company to Scrutinize You with AI (Technology Review) The tech giants are eager to rent out their AI breakthroughs to other companies
Cybercrime Increasingly Targeting E-Commerce and Account Openings (Credit Union Times) Cybercrime across global and mobile transactions includes an increase in attacks on e-commerce, due to EMV fallout, and account openings, according to San Jose, Calif. based digital identity firm ThreatMetrix
Time to scale up cyber security to meet emerging threats, says Deputy Governor of RBI (Indian Express) The banking sector similar to other sectors of the Indian economy has always been very responsive to change and has adapted itself very well to meet the challenges which keep emerging frequently
Phishing, ransomware the new norm (Fosters) It seems like every week there is a new threat that needs to be confronted. We have all become accustomed to viruses and malware, but phishing and ransomware are the new norm
Marketplace
Experts: SentinelOne ransomware guarantee no replacement for cyberinsurance (CSO) Earlier this week, SentinelOne announced that it will reimburse customers for up to $1 million if they are hit by a ransomware attack, but some experts say that this is a marketing gimmick and no replacement for a solid cyberinsurance policy
9 Promising Cloud Security Startups To Watch (InformationWeek) The future belongs to cloud computing, but only with the help of strong security. Here are 9 cloud security startups IT managers may want to consider
Call center software maker Interactive Intelligence explores sale: sources (Reuters) Interactive Intelligence Group Inc, a U.S. provider of software and services for call center operators, is exploring strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, according to people familiar with the matter
Big Automakers Aren't the Only Ones Keeping Hackers Out of Your Car (The Street) Connected cars are on the rise, and experts say drivers want their cars protected from hacktivists before it's too late
BlackBerry’s security-focused Android identity crisis (TechCrunch) Consider BlackBerry. Think about the company, its products, its most iconic features. What comes to mind? Business apps? A QWERTY keyboard? BBM? The once-mighty Canadian smartphone maker is banking on one word standing above all the rest: security
Cybersecurity startup Bricata gets Howard County loan ahead of hiring frenzy (Technical.ly Baltimore) The Columbia-based company is looking to hire 30 next year
Kaspersky so very sorry after suggesting its antivirus will get you laid (Register) The 1970s called and wants its attitudes back
Cylance CEO Stuart McClure Named Gold Winner Executive of the Year in Security Software in the 8th Annual 2016 Golden Bridge Awards (PRNewswire) Winners will be honored at the 2016 Red Carpet Golden Bridge Awards Ceremony in San Francisco on Monday, September 12, 2016
Products, Services, and Solutions
Cylance to Engage in AV Software Tests (BankInfo Security) Welcome news for critics of next generation solutions
Zimperium Announces Integration With SAP Fiori® To Enhance Mobile App Security (PRNewswire) Integration enables customers to create custom self-protecting SAP Fiori mobile apps
Deloitte expands cyber managed services (Computer Business Review) Indicators of compromise promise predictive modelling
This hacking laptop costs $500 and actually flies to hack the target (Techworm) Danger Drone is a flying cum hacking laptop that lets you hack from the sky
Pwnie Express Pwn Pro (PC Magazine) The Pwnie Express Pwn Pro gives IT managers a bird's-eye view of corporate networks and a remote foothold for security management and penetration testing. It's a fantastic piece of hardware, if you're using it for the right reasons
Pwnie Express makes IoT, Android security arsenal open source (ZDNet) The software should help penetration testers identify and locate threats to Internet of Things (IoT) devices
RiskIQ ships Real-time security intelligence (Enterprise Times) RiskIQ has announced its Security Intelligence Services (SIS) has now reached general availability. SIS is a combination of three Internet datasets, analytics and machine learning. It uses all three to provide security intelligence to detect potential threats and suspicious sites
Blue Coat Empowers Incident Response Teams With Enhancements to Security Analytics (MarketWired) New capabilities, including anomaly detection, drive more effective incident response and maximize network visibility
ESET Smart Security 9 Review (Notebook Review) Although Microsoft Windows 10 includes basic anti-malware protection, it hasn’t stopped security companies from continuing development of premium security products. ESET has been a long-standing name in the industry, producing a full range of computer security products for home, education, and business
Visibility and assessment of vulnerable attack paths (Help Net Security) Attivo Networks announced that its ThreatMatrix Deception and Response Platform has been enhanced to provide an organization’s visibility and assessment of vulnerable attack paths
Authentic8 Advances Disposable Browser Security Model (eSecurity Planet) Scott Petry, co-founder and CEO of Authentic8 talks about his past with Postini and how his new startup is the future of online security
Technologies, Techniques, and Standards
The secret linguistics clues researchers used to link DNC hack to Russia (Christian Science Monitor Passcode) Increasingly, governments and cybersecurity firms are relying on linguistic clues found in malicious code or metadata to identify lone hackers or the nations that are behind high-profile attacks
EMV transition involves many moving parts (CSO) The EMV transition is slow going, but that was expected
Tackling Cyber Espionage (DefenseNews) Michael Daly, chief technology officer for cybersecurity at Raytheon, discusses battling the increase in cyber espionage
Fix Bugs, Go Fast, and Update: 3 Approaches to Container Security (Linux.com) Containers are becoming the central piece of the future of IT. Linux has had containers for ages, but they are still maturing as a technology to be used in production or mission-critical enterprise scenarios. With that, security is becoming a central theme around containers. There are many proposed solutions to the problem, including identifying exactly what technology is in place, fixing known bugs, restricting change, and generally implementing sound security policies. This article looks at these issues and how organizations can adapt their approach to security to keep pace with the rapid evolution of containers
‘We want the boat to grow longer arms’: Submarines increasingly important in cyberwarfare (National Post) When Donald Trump effectively called for Russia to hack into Hillary Clinton’s emails Wednesday, the GOP nominee’s remarks touched off a (predictable) media firestorm. Here was a presidential candidate from a major U.S. party encouraging a foreign government to target American interests with cyberspying — an act that could not only expose national security information but also potentially undermine the actual security infrastructure of the United States
Cybersecurity During a Merger (BankInfo Security) CrowdStrike's Chabinsky on key risks and due diligence
How to Roll Your Own Threat Intelligence Team (Dark Reading) A lot of hard work needs to go into effectively implementing an intelligence-driven security model. It starts with five critical factors
Bitcoin Is Not Currency, According to Jewish Law (Motherboard) As if the concept of bitcoin didn't already have some of us scratching our heads, now it turns out that according to Jewish law, it's not even kosher currency. That is, if you're an Orthodox Jew adhering to religious law, bitcoin isn't considered currency at all
Design and Innovation
The evolution of DevOps: the perfect storm for instituting secure coding practices (CSO) Happy Appetite!
Meet Moxie Marlinspike, the Anarchist Bringing Encryption to All of Us (Wired) On the first day of the sprawling RSA security industry conference in San Francisco, a giant screen covering the wall of the Moscone Center’s cavernous lobby cycles through the names and headshots of keynote speakers: steely-eyed National Security Agency director Michael Rogers in a crisp military uniform; bearded and besuited Whitfield Diffie and Ron Rivest, legendary inventors of seminal encryption protocols that made the Internet safe for communication and commerce. And then there’s Moxie Marlinspike, peering somberly into the distance wearing a bicycle jersey and an 18-inch-tall helmet shaped like a giant spear of asparagus. “It was the only picture I could find,” Marlinspike deadpans as we walk into the building
Research and Development
How To Fool AI Into Seeing Something That Isn’t There (Wired) Our machines are littered with security holes, because programmers are human. Humans make mistakes. In building the software that drives these computing systems, they allow code to run in the wrong place. They let the wrong data into the right place. They let in too much data. All this opens doors through which hackers can attack, and they do
Gotcha! Program Looks To ID Cyber Criminals (SIGNAL) DARPA seeks a better way to pinpoint and track malicious actors
Academia
Winners Announced for U.S. Cyber Challenge Hacking Competition at Southern Utah University (US Cyber Challenge) Yesterday morning, seven teams competed in the U.S. Cyber Challenge (USCC) Capture-the-Flag (CTF) competition at Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City, UT. After four hours of hacking into systems and answering trivia questions, Team Dragon came out on top
Legislation, Policy, and Regulation
Russian spies claim they can now collect crypto keys—but don’t say how (Ars Technica) Putin gave KGB's successor agency two weeks to deal with encrypted services
Cyberwarfare a Double-edged Sword for Authoritarian States (Modern War Institute) The recent and rather public hack of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Clinton Campaign has been widely attributed to Russia
General wants part-time army of geeks to prevent cyber-attackers from paralysing Britain (Times) For one of Britain’s top generals, reports that Russian intelligence has been hacking Democratic Party emails provide a chilling insight into the future of warfare
What’s the Future of Chinese Hacking? (Motherboard) After years of public reporting on the theft of intellectual property, business strategies, and trade secrets, last month the cybersecurity firm FireEye issued a report headlining a steep decline in Chinese cyber espionage against organizations in the US and 25 other countries
Election season hack poses dilemma for Obama administration (Financial Times) Alleged Russian attack raises questions about cyber deterrence options
Opinion: After DNC hack, US must better prepare for information warfare (Christian Science Monitor Passcode) The Democratic National Committee email leak bears the hallmarks of an information warfare operation – the sort of security challenge in cyberspace that our nation is still inadequately prepared to prevent
Opinion: How to make democracy harder to hack (Christian Science Monitor Passcode) Designating the machinery underpinning our democracy – such as voting booths – as critical infrastructure would trigger protections for voting and better safeguard it from meddling hackers
How synced can (and should) NSA and CIA be on cyber? (FCW) In the past year, the United States' two best-known intelligence agencies have undertaken ambitious reorganizations to better adapt to a hyper-digitized world
The Cyber Implications of Acquisition Speed: Part IV (SIGNAL) Open architectures can accelerate acquisition
EU-US Privacy Shield open for sign ups from today (TechCrunch) U.S. companies needing to transfer personal data of European customers across the Atlantic can now sign up to a new framework to govern such data transfers, with the so-called EU-US Privacy Shield up and running from today
Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement
France church attack: Two arrested over priest's killing (BBC) Two men have been placed under formal investigation over the murder of a priest in a Normandy church, including a cousin of one of the killers
China Confirms: Japanese Citizen Under Investigation for Espionage (Diplomat) The incident suggests a continuing Chinese counter-espionage crackdown
FBI Investigating Possible Hack of Clinton Campaign (NewsMax) The computer network used by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign was hacked as part of a broad cyber attack on Democratic political organizations, people familiar with the matter told Reuters
Clinton’s claim that the FBI director said her email answers were ‘truthful’ (Washington Post) “Director Comey said my answers were truthful, and what I’ve said is consistent with what I have told the American people, that there were decisions discussed and made to classify retroactively certain of the emails.” —Hillary Clinton, interview on “Fox News Sunday,” July 31, 2016
EXCLUSIVE – NSA Whistleblower: Agency Has All of Clinton’s Deleted Emails (Breitbart) The National Security Agency (NSA) has “all” of Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails and the FBI could gain access to them if they so desired, William Binney, a former highly placed NSA official, declared in a radio interview broadcast on Sunday
Government serious about controlling cyber crime: Rijiju (Times of India) At a time when cyberattacks are growing and cyber criminals are targeting organisations, there must be no compromise when it comes to security, Union Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju said on Friday.
For a complete running list of events, please visit the Event Tracker.
Newly Noted Events
Cyber Jobs Fair (San Antonio, Texas, USA, Aug 23, 2016) Held in conjunction with the Second Annual CyberTexas Conference, the Cyber Jobs Fair is open to anyone with cyber security education or experience. A security clearance is not required. Booz Allen Hamilton, Digital Hands, IPSecure, Inc., ISHPI, L-3 - West, Lockheed Martin, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, MacAulay-Brown, Inc., STG, Inc., and Tensley Consulting, Inc. will be among the employers attending.
Cyber Threats Master Class (Turin, Italy, Dec 1 - 2, 2016) The UNICRI Masterclass on Cyber Threats aims to provide media and public relations professionals, as well as those planning a career in public information and communication, with a deeper understanding of new security threats to states and citizens. The focus of the course is on cyber threats, internet governance and the role of media. Application deadline is October 2, 2016.
Upcoming Events
Black Hat USA (Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Aug 1 - 6, 2015) Black Hat — built by and for the global InfoSec community — returns to Las Vegas for its 18th year. This six day event begins with four days of intense Trainings for security practitioners of all levels (August 1-4) followed by the two-day main event including over 100 independently selected Briefings, Business Hall, Arsenal, Pwnie Awards, and more (August 5-6)
SANS Boston 2016 (Boston, Massachusetts, USA , Aug 1 - 6, 2016) SANS will be returning to Boston with an exceptional cyber security training lineup this August, including a special evening event hosted by Stephen Northcutt, where you'll get choose your favorite chowder! We are bringing our top courses and best instructors to make SANS Boston the perfect training event for you. You can't miss SANS comprehensive hands-on technical training from some of the best instructors in the industry.
Secure Bermuda 2016 (Bermuda, Aug 10, 2016) Industry-leading intelligence from expert cybersecurity thought leaders and innovators. In addition to human capital shortages, the Bermudian cybersecurity industry faces an uphill battle to keep up with the acceleration of Internet-connected technology. Join us on August 10th at the Hamilton Princess Hotel for Secure Bermuda 2016. In just one day, the event will provide essential intelligence that enables Bermudian technology leaders to drive their cybersecurity strategy forward. The conference covers today's cybersecurity trends and threats as well as those of the future, equipping delegates with the tools needed to cope in an increasingly complex landscape.
TECHEXPO Top Secret Polygraph-Only Hiring Event (Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Aug 10, 2016) Polygraph-Tested Professionals are invited to interview for new career opportunities on Wednesday, August 10 at the BWI Marriott in Baltimore, MD. A CI or Full Scope Polygraph is Required to Attend. Hot job opportunities are available in Cyber Security, Intelligence, Defense and IT. Hiring managers will be onsite to fill critical open positions.
Insider Threat Program Development Training For NISPOM CC 2 (Aberdeen, Maryland, USA, Aug 10 - 11, 2016) Insider Threat Defense will hold a two-day training class on Insider Threat Program Development (National Insider Threat Policy-NISPOM Conforming Change 2). For a limited time the training is being offered at a discounted rate of $795 (normally $1395). The training is comprehensive and provides students with the knowledge and resources to develop and implement a robust Insider Threat Program. Insider Threat Defense has trained over one hundred fifty organizations and has become the "go-to company" for Insider Threat Program Development Training.
TECHEXPO Top Secret Polygraph-Only Hiring Event (Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Aug 10, 2016) Polygraph-Tested Professionals are invited to interview for new career opportunities on Wednesday, August 10 at the BWI Marriott in Baltimore, MD. A CI or Full Scope Polygraph is Required to Attend. Hot job opportunities are available in Cyber Security, Intelligence, Defense and IT. Hiring managers will be onsite to fill critical open positions.
International Conference on Cyber Security (ICCS) 2016 (Kota, Rajasthan, India, Aug 13 - 14, 2016) The International Conference on Cyber Security (ICCS) 2016 is an unparalleled opportunity to discuss cyberthreat analysis, operations, research, and law enforcement to coordinate various efforts to create a more secure world. The ICCS 2016 serves as a platform for researchers and practitioners from academia, industry, and government to present, discuss, and exchange ideas that address real-world problems with CYBER SECURITY. The conference program will include special sessions, presentations delivered by researchers from the international community, including presentations from keynote speakers and state-of-the-art lectures and keynote speeches
2016 Information Assurance Symposium (Washington, DC, USA, Aug 16 - 18, 2016) The Information Assurance Symposium is the premier IA event at which leaders and practitioners share vital information and provide direction and best practices to meet today’s challenges in IA and the cyber environment. The classification of the event is UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. The 2016 IAS is expecting upwards of 2,000 attendees and will provide an excellent opportunity to learn and network with leading information assurance and cyber security professionals, subject matter experts and solution providers from throughout Government, industry and academia. The Information Assurance Symposium will include a variety of keynote sessions, five distinct tracts and panel discussions spanning over three days. It will also have a vendor expo where hundreds of exhibitors will display a wide variety of IA products, services and demonstrations. Exciting networking opportunities will be offered in the exhibit hall, all designed to enhance the IAS attendee experience.
Insider Threat Program Development Training (Washington, DC, USA, Mar 29 - 30, 2016) Insider Threat Defense announced it will hold a training class on Insider Threat Program Development (National Insider Threat Policy-NISPOM Conforming Change 2) on March 29-30, 2016, in Washington, DC. For a limited time the training is being offered at a discounted rate of $795. The training is comprehensive and provides students with the knowledge and resources to develop and implement a robust Insider Threat Program. Insider Threat Defense has trained a substantial number of organizations and has become the "Go To Company" for Insider Threat Program Development Training
SANS Alaska 2016 (Anchorage, Alaska, USA, Aug 22 - 27, 2016) SANS is bringing our renowned security training to Alaska! Join us in August for a week of hands-on training and compelling bonus sessions while taking in breathtaking views and experiencing the great Alaskan wilderness. SANS Alaska will feature two hands-on, immersion-style security training courses taught by real-world practitioners August 22-27, 2016 in Anchorage.
CISO New Jersey (Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, Aug 23, 2016) With newspaper headlines covering the latest data breaches, cloud computing security questions going unanswered and hackers developing more sophisticated attacks, the IT department has a growing responsibility to protect customer and company data. The CISO Summit brings together C-level IT security executives, industry analysts and solution providers to discuss challenges and best practices in a relaxed, yet focused business setting. Agenda sessions include panel discussions, think tanks, analyst Q&A sessions and much more.
CyberTexas (San Antonio, Texas, USA, Aug 23 - 24, 2016) CyberTexas was established to provide expanded access to security developments and resources located in Texas; provide an ongoing platform for the education and skill development of cyber professionals & job creation; build strong relationships with other U.S. and International geographies focused on cyber ecosystem development; bring national and international resources to the region to showcase Texas-based cyber assets; identify and encourage business opportunities within and outside of Texas; and create long-term value for the cyber security ecosystem of San Antonio and the State of Texas.
Chicago Cyber Security Summit (Chicago, Illinois, USA, Aug 25, 2016) The Cyber Security Summit is an exclusive conference series connects C-Suite & Senior Executives who are responsible for protecting their companies’ critical infrastructures with innovative solution providers and renowned information security experts. This educational and informational forum will focus on educating attendees on how to best protect highly vulnerable business applications and critical infrastructure. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the nation’s leading solution providers and discover the latest products and services for enterprise cyber defense.
Air Force Information Technology and Cyberpower Conference 2016 (Montgomery, Alabama, USA, Aug 29 - 31, 2016) America is faced with a national emergency in cyberspace. US national security, economic vitality, financial stability and foreign policy are being eroded. Increasingly prevalent and severe malicious cyber activities are being directed against the DOD, USG, Private-Sector, Critical Infrastructure and Key Resource operators, Academia and Civil Society. USG industrial-aged thought, processes, and organizational relationship are not fostering “success” against decentralized, digital-age threat actors. An information-age solution is needed. Private-public dialogue is integral to building a new paradigm in which digital platforms are secure, and the nation is defended in a domain. Building bridges between government and the private sector is essential for victory. This conference will promote a national dialogue between the US Air Force, commercial businesses, academia and civil society to generate “whole of nation” strategies and processes aimed at overcoming challenges and ambiguities of an increasingly digital world.
CISO Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Aug 30, 2016) A data breach is not only a PR nightmare, but cause for customers to turn to competitors, exposing sensitive company information and racking up fines from industry regulators. In order for organizations to operate smoothly, CISOs and IT security executives need to be ahead of the hackers, and kept abreast of the latest IT security topics and trends.