Distrust Hampers Public-Private Cybersecurity Partnerships – CQ Homeland Security
Mutual distrust has stymied the creation of an effective cybersecurity partnership between the federal government and the private companies that own most of America’s critical infrastructure, according to a report released Monday.
Criminals, spies dominate cyber world, with little to deter them | Homeland Security News Wire White House cyber security coordinator Howard Schmidt says the U.S. economy essentially rests on safe Internet facilities; last year saw $10 trillion in online business, a figure forecast to hit $24 trillion in another decade, he noted; yet, incredibly, the […]
By Justin Hienz
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to bizarre sights, and the veneer of extreme luxury certainly impresses (or fools) most tourists. But when you pull back the curtain, the UAE is revealed as a developing country with many challenges, security among them. On Sunday, UAE officials announced that it would block BlackBerry mobile services. Clearly, the UAE is striving for security in every way, but at what cost? And are there parallels in our own country that deserve a closer look? Maintaining our individual freedoms is a never-ending struggle.
Several news items of late have addressed the thorny issue of cyber attribution; that is, the ability to identify the sources of Web and network attacks. For cyber companies and some government agencies, attribution is the Holy Grail. However, if we develop technology that provides attribution, soon bad governments will get it too. They will surely use it against dissident elements inside their own countries to suppress free speech and abridge other civil rights of all sorts. Should we consciously forgo the possibility of deterring bad guys from cyber crime, cyber terror and cyber war because the technology could be used badly? I think the answer is clearly “no.”
You always feel a little shaky when you are planning on asserting that someone else is wrong. You feel more so when it is someone who is known as darn near a prophet in the particular field. However, no one has ever said that I was unwilling to express my opinions, so here goes. Richard Clarke, former adviser to multiple presidents, the Cassandra who warned of a coming attack before 9/11, now has a hit book out on the threat of a coming cyber war, why we are unprepared for it and what we must do. I will not attempt to do a complete review of the book, but I do want to point out two areas where I think Clarke missed the mark in his thinking.
On short notice, the White House gathered a distinguished group of industry, academic and Government types for a one-year anniversary of the President’s speech on cyber, hosted by Howard Schmidt. The President spoke for 10 minutes as well. No press attended, but an attendee gave me this summary of the event. A lot of what was said was known to all, but it was interesting to hear how they are bringing it together – especially the emphasis on industry partnerships, which every speaker (including the President) emphasized. I love celebrations, but we really need to move forward more aggressively.
U.S. nuclear safety agency unveils new data, physical security controls – Homeland Security Newswire
The agency that oversees the U.S.’s nuclear weapons stockpile announced last week the rollout of new information and physical security controls aimed at balancing efficiency and safety. Officials said, though, that the implementation of cybersecurity improvements is about a year behind the progress the agency has made on physical protection.
OK, let me get this straight: a private sector company INVITES the National Security Agency (NSA) to place sensors on its privately owned network to help the company protect itself from unauthorized and unwanted cyber intrusions. Perfect Citizen, as it is called, is a program to detect cyber assaults on critical infrastructure, be they publically or privately held. The NSA will deploy sensors in critical infrastructure computer networks to detect a cyber attack. Some have worried that Perfect Citizen constitutes too much government monitoring in the private sector, conjuring comparisons to George Orwell’s 1984. But how in the world does Perfect Citizen constitute “Big Brother?”
As we continue to swelter in the ongoing summer heat wave, it is easy for me to reminisce about my recent visit to Aspen, Colo. Tucked amongst the Rockies with its clean air, fervent green and majestic views, a town known primarily for its skiing with the rich and famous was home to what was, simply put, the best conference program I have ever attended. The first annual Aspen Security Forum put forward a program that I can only describe as pleasant, informational waterboarding. By the time each of the presenters and panelists were done, my hand was dead from writing so much and my head hurt from being given the firehouse treatment of a candor and content overload. Here’s a rundown of some of the sessions.
At the recent Eurosatory Arms Show outside Paris, everyone seemed to be in dark suits and sunglasses. If you want a weapon or defense system, the latest hardware, or the means to stop it, this is your place. Spying at such events has always happened, and behind those suits and dark glasses there is an atmosphere of mutual distrust. Today, the threat has expanded. Cyber spying is alive and well at this very lucrative target environment.
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