NERC expands IT-focused cybersecurity program as hackers actively target grid operations tech (Utility Dive) Previously focused on the IT-side of utility operations, the Cybersecurity Risk Information Sharing Program will now include two pilots scanning for threats to operational technologies.
The Need to Change the Paradigm of Control System Cyber Security - Part 2: Lack of Control System Cyber Incident Information Sharing (The First Global Cybersecurity Observatory) OT cyber security depends on the ability to expeditiously identify cyber incidents/attacks. Yet, that is not happening for technological and other reasons. This paper identifies the issues associated with the lack of identifying and sharing information about control system cyber incidents.
Cybersecurity and Privacy Must Both Be Fundamental Rights (Medium) During the pandemic, hundreds of millions of people are working and learning from home to minimize spread of the coronavirus.
US, Estonia Partnered to Search Out Cyber Threat From Russia (SecurityWeek) U.S. Cyber Command conducted a cyber operation with Estonia to preemptively identify cyber threats from Russia and other adversaries that could be used against U.S. networks.
US, Estonia partnered to search out cyber threat from Russia (AP NEWS) In a modern twist on old-fashioned war games, the U.S. military dispatched cyber fighters to Estonia this fall to help the small Baltic nation search out and block potential...
U.S. Boosts China Spying Budget to Meet Growing Economic, National-Security Threat (Wall Street Journal) While the precise amounts are classified, U.S. officials said spending on China is being increased across the roughly $85 billion annual intelligence budget to glean secrets from the country, analyze its current actions and predict its future course.
United States adds China's SMIC and CNOOC to Defense blacklist (Reuters) The Trump administration on Thursday added China's top chipmaker, SMIC, and oil giant CNOOC to a blacklist of alleged Chinese military companies, drawing condemnation from Beijing as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office.
How Biden could galvanize the world against Huawei (POLITICO) Foreign allies hope for ‘less noise,’ more practical solutions.
Ratcliffe says Biden getting "all of the same intelligence" as Trump, warns of China threat (CBS News) Ratcliffe told CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge that Biden and Harris are "receiving full classified briefings."
The Cybersecurity 202: The Biden administration will probably get a White House cyber czar (Washington Post) The incoming Biden administration will likely include a White House cybersecurity director who will coordinate government efforts to secure the nation against hacking. Congress wants to make sure of it.
Congress set to establish White House national cyber director, enact other Solarium Commission recommendations (CyberScoop) Congress is on the verge of creating a Senate-confirmed national cyber director within the White House who would advise the president on cybersecurity and coordinate federal government cyber work.
Final NDAA Calls for the Establishment of a National Cyber Director (Nextgov) A key architect of the bill’s cyber provisions also highlighted an ammendement that would codify cybersecurity roles for sector-specific agencies.
Cyber Command deployed personnel to Estonia to protect elections against Russian threat (CyberScoop) The Pentagon deployed Cyber Command personnel to Estonia in recent months as part of a broader effort to protect U.S. elections against foreign hacking.
Compromise defense bill confronts a rising China (Defense News) Eyeing China’s rise as a global military and economic power, lawmakers unveiled a compromise defense policy bill Thursday that targets China on multiple fronts, with $6.9 billion prescribed for a new Pacific Deterrence Initiative over two years.
Rounds Statement on Inclusion of National Cyber Director in NDAA Conference Report (South Dakota War College) Rounds Statement on Inclusion of National Cyber Director in NDAA Conference Report WASHINGTON —U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Service…
Senate Passes Bipartisan Defense Bill, Including Key Provisions Introduced By Senator Hassan to Protect National Security | U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire (The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire) Bipartisan Legislation Includes Senator Hassan’s Amendments to Establish a Cybersecurity State Coordinator in Each State, Strengthen Efforts to Protect Overseas Service Members from Small Drones
Defense bill set to pass with state cybersecurity programs (StateScoop) The National Defense Authorization Act would grow the National Guard’s cyber roles and create a federal cybersecurity adviser for every state.
On Section 230, It's Trump vs. Trump (Wired) The president is urging Congress to repeal a law that his own trade agreements commit the country to.
Why Biden Might Follow Trump’s Lead on Cybersecurity Policy (The Record by Recorded Future) In interviews with The Record, and at a series of online events this week, experts said the Biden administration will likely build on Trump's cyber efforts.
CISA set to receive subpoena powers over ISPs in effort to track critical infrastructure vulnerabilities (SC Media) The provision, included in the National Defense Authorization Act, will allow CISA to obtain subscriber information for vulnerable IT assets related to critical infrastructure.
CISA doesn't plan to tackle COVID vaccine disinformation (FCW) CISA’s acting director Brandon Wales said his agency is not the right source to counter anticipated disinformation about coronavirus vaccines.
The sad, scary case of the National Counterterrorism Center (Washington Post) The incoming Biden administration must quickly address a potentially dangerous intelligence problem the Trump administration has allowed to fester — the decline and demoralization of the National Counterterrorism Center, which is supposed to coordinate protection of the homeland but has been starved of resources.
Schools Aren't Doing Enough to Protect Their Networks, Top Cybersecurity Official Warns (Education Week) The nation's top cybersecurity official urged schools to take advantage of free federal resources for safeguarding their networks.
()
A former deputy director emerges as a top contender to lead the C.I.A. (New York Times) David S. Cohen, a former deputy C.I.A. director, is President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s leading choice to head the spy agency, according to multiple people familiar with the process.
Ousted CISA chief would consider role in Biden administration (FCW) Chris Krebs, fired by President Trump via Twitter in November, continued to re-enforce his message that the 2020 elections were secure.
WSJ News Exclusive | U.S. in Talks With Huawei Finance Chief Meng Wanzhou About Resolving Criminal Charges (Wall Street Journal) The Justice Department is discussing an arrangement with Meng Wanzhou that would allow her to return home to China from Canada, in exchange for admitting wrongdoing in a criminal case that has strained Beijing’s relations with the U.S. and Canada.
U.S. Used Patriot Act to Gather Logs of Website Visitors (New York Times) A disclosure sheds new light on a high-profile national security law as lawmakers prepare to revive a debate over it in the Biden administration.
DOJ's China hack indictments offer businesses key threat intel, officials say (FCW) A Justice Department official today disclosed that 1,000 Chinese researchers have been expelled from the country for hiding their affiliation with the Chinese military.
U.S. states plan to sue Facebook next week: sources (Reuters) A group of U.S. states led by New York is investigating Facebook Inc for possible antitrust violations and plans to file a lawsuit against the social media giant next week, four sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The withering email that got an ethical AI researcher fired at Google (Platformer) "Stop writing your documents because it doesn’t make a difference": Timnit Gebru's final message to her peers
Acting chief of cybersecurity stands by statement that got his predecessor fired (Washington Examiner) The acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the department stands by the statement it released in mid-November that concluded there was no evidence that voting systems were compromised in the 2020 election, the same statement that got his predecessor fired.
New CISA head stands by fired Krebs’ statement on presidential election integrity (The Washington Times) Brandon Wales, the acting head of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, affirmed Thursday its assessment about the presidential election that cost his predecessor his job.
Krebs Unloads About Trump’s Election-Fraud Claims (Nextgov) In the fallout from being fired, the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is concerned about how his experience will affect the recruitment of future leaders.
Fired US Cybersecurity Chief Considers Legal Action (Infosecurity Magazine) Trump’s former head of election cybersecurity may sue lawyer who said he should be “drawn and quartered”
