Cybersecurity

Was the Stock Market Crash a Cyber Attack?

May 12, 2010

Last week we experienced a major “event” in the financial world. In a matter of minutes, the New York Stock Exchange lost nearly 1000 points or about $1 trillion. It caused panic and kicked off numerous investigations as to the catalyst of the dramatic and expensive incident. There are five possible reasons for the market fall, but despite lots of hand wringing and conspiracy theorizing, pretty much all the experts agreed that it was not a terrorist incident.

SCADA Systems: Are they our soft underbelly?

Steven Bucci |

May 10, 2010

If you want to scare a cyber-lay person, have them watch Bruce Willis chase virtual terrorists in “Live Free or Die Hard” and tell them it is all possible. In the film, the entire digital infrastructure of our country is brought to a stand still by a small group of very talented hackers. OK, professional analysts have told me it could not happen today. It could, however, happen in the not too distant future, particularly if present trends continue. The keys to that scenario are SCADA systems.

Is Cloud Computing Losing Some of its Allure?

Steven Bucci |

May 6, 2010

At a Cloud Computing Summit this week, initial questions were simple and basic; later, the question grew almost hostile. I remain an advocate for Cloud Computing. I am convinced that its economic, ecological and efficiency pluses will out weigh its potential downsides in the end. The mostly government crowd was not so sure. They were asking tough questions and were more than a little skeptical.

DHS Cyber Progress – Why Not Tell Us?

Steven Bucci |

May 4, 2010

I have been critical in the past of the fact that DHS has not done enough about cybersecurity. I believe DHS is the correct part of the federal government to lead on cyber issues, but it always seemed that everything was on hold. It turns out I was wrong. I attended a superb cybersecurity event, and while I would love to give you a complete blow-by-blow recount of the excellent panel presentations and the Q&A, it was all done on a non-attribution basis. Despite that, I do feel compelled to share some of what I heard.

Cyber Concern In the Heartland

Steven Bucci |

April 29, 2010

I had the privilege this past weekend to do several non-Beltway speaking engagements in Michigan. I spoke about 9/11, the war in Iraq and Afganistan, my old boss (Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld), terrorism and cybersecurity. These groups proved to be articulate, well educated and positively starving for information they expected to come from their government. But that did not surprise me as much as the fact that by far I received the most questions about cybersecurity.

Great Leaders Are Only One Step in Achieving Cybersecurity

Steven Bucci |

April 15, 2010

Cybersecurity remains a key issue in the nation’s security. Numerous stories in the news show that while big things are happening, we badly need them to move in a positive direction, and soon. We have passed this ball between the branches of our government for far too long. Decisions need to be made and action taken. As an optimist by nature, I believe that we are now more secure than we were a few years ago. Unfortunately, the threats are growing faster than we can react to them. All of the imagination and intellectual power of this great nation must be unleashed on this problem.

NSA on the Flash-Media Hunt

Media Watch |

April 13, 2010

NSA on the Flash-Media Hunt – NextGov
Shh, the National Security Agency has developed a software tool that detects thumb drives or other flash media connected to a network, and any federal agency can get a copy free — no box tops or coupons required.

The 10 Riskiest Cities for Cyber-Crime

Media Watch |

April 12, 2010

The 10 Riskiest Cities for Cyber-Crime – Government Technology
The threat of falling victim to cyber-crime is so ubiquitous today, and some of America’s biggest cities are even more prone than elsewhere in the country, according to a well known producer of cyber-security software.

Cybersecurity: In Washington, it’s Strategic. In Your City, it’s Pragmatic

Steven Bucci |

April 12, 2010

In only a few years, cybersecurity has developed from a concept that sounded like science fiction to one of the federal government’s major concerns. The threats are real, they are pervasive, they are persistent and they are sophisticated. The overarching nature of the issue – affecting nearly every aspect of our highly networked lives – makes it the ultimate strategic issue for Washington. While cyber is a strategic issue for Washington’s leaders, for the embattled leaders of our cities, cyber is local and very tactical. That said, how do the leaders of our municipalities look at this issue?

The Navy Moves Forward on Cyber

Steven Bucci |

April 7, 2010

I was privileged to attend a super event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Monday. They hosted Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, Commander of U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet (both Navy cyber organizations). It was in the main a normal “command brief,” but McCullough’s forthrightness made it much more. McCullough opened his remarks by telling the industry audience that after several months, he is beginning to understand the problem set. He emphasized that anyone who thinks there is a quick technological fix to our cyber challenges is dreaming.

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