Steven Bucci

A Retrospective Look at Chem-Bio Terrorism

August 2, 2011

The Center for a New American Security released an excellent study – “Aum Shinrikyo: Insights Into How Terrorists Develop Biological and Chemical Weapons.” The result is a superb history of a singular event in modern terrorism history – the Sarin nerve gas attack on Tokyo in 1995. The CNAS team shows how a small group of dedicated loyalists can pull off some acts that many “experts” still persist in saying only nation states can do and highlight that sixteen years later, still facing a threat from terrorists, we need to learn more from this incident.

The Dangers of Public WiFi

Steven Bucci |

July 28, 2011

I love to be connected everywhere, and I use public WiFi a lot. But I have to be very careful when I use it. Why is that? Simply because there are lots of ways the bad guys can hurt you if you are not. Here are some of the tactics they use to steal your information and hack your computer.

DoD Cyber Plan – A Rare (Theoretical) Policy Home Run

Steven Bucci |

July 20, 2011

The new DoD Cyber Policy, “DoD Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace,” released on July 14, turned out to be quite a good document in my opinion. It is not without fault, but in Washington, D.C., what is? The document outlines five Strategic Initiatives, all of which touch on where the Defense Cyber folks want to go in the future. The direction is correct and speaks well of the practicality of the Department on an issue that is fraught with way to little of anything grounded in reality. Let’s look at the five initiatives.

Cybersecurity: Who Is To Blame, Users or Designers?

Steven Bucci |

June 29, 2011

I have called many times for better cyber personal hygiene and still believe we need to seek it, teach it, and require it as at least a partial mitigation element. I have even said that “you cannot secure against stupid.” Yet, a colleague argued that technology design should do a better job of protecting users. Here is an article – followed by my colleague’s commentary – on this interesting question: who is to blame for our cyber problems?

Botnets Continue Fight to Control Your Computer

Steven Bucci |

June 16, 2011

There are now criminal turf wars going on over the thousands of computers that comprise botnets across America and the world. This “invisible” conflict is unknown to most computer users in America. Botnets can be used to search for and steal money, financial data, passwords, and intellectual property. The size of some of the botnets out there rival and surpass the capabilities of most nation states, and the guys who control them are NOT the good guys.

Major CNAS Cyber Report Released

Steven Bucci |

June 10, 2011

The Center for a New American Security has published an excellent and comprehensive report titled “America’s Cyber Future: Security and Prosperity in the Information Age.” To be frank, the report is like a ready-made syllabus for cyber security. CNAS should be congratulated for the quality of the authors they have assembled, for letting them write effectively and openly, and for developing the chapeau to cover the lot.

Security Think Tank Conference Covers Top U.S. Issues

Steven Bucci |

June 7, 2011

Last week, I was privileged to attend the 5th annual conference of the Center for a New American Security. This year’s conference had a series of excellent panels that pushed through some of the most important issues facing the Nation. Bottom line, the conference overall was a winner. It was very well administered; the content was far superior to the normal Washington affairs.

Industry Continues to Look for the Cyber "Decoder Ring"

Steven Bucci |

May 27, 2011

In the last few weeks, the Obama White House has made some bold moves in the cyber arena. It has been quite a while coming. Delayed gratification seems to be the strategy with regard to cyber. Well, after a few weeks, most of us are still confused. Industry players are back in the starter blocks, ready to dash, but they still have not divined the Obama Administration’s direction for cyber to a degree that will allow them to move forward.

Travels: Air Force and OSD Policy "Get It"

Steven Bucci |

May 25, 2011

It has been a busy couple of days for me, but they have been good ones. I flew down to Maxwell AFB in Alabama to offer the Industry Perspective on Cyber as part of the AF Cyber Operations Executive Course. I also served as moderator for an Executive Luncheon sponsored by the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council, where the guest was Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense, the Honorable Paul Stockton.

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