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Cybersecurity

Cyber Criminals: They are no Captain Jack Sparrow!

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April 5, 2010

At a cyber conference last week, one of the panelists raised an intriguing idea – treat cyber criminals and hackers like pirates. When I write “pirates,” I do not mean like swashbuckling rouge heroes, which is a modern conception given to us by Hollywood and literature. I mean the low-life criminals of despicable character to whom the only thing we owe is a quick hanging. This could be administered by the government (law enforcement or military), or by honest merchants, if the malefactor were caught. OK, I don’t think we should break into houses and physically hang every hacker out there, but we could take a cue from our predecessors.

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Cyber Credentials Are Important for Leaders

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March 31, 2010

In the same way we looked for people in the past who were proficient in cross cultural communications, or in other managerial skills (think of the success of Lean Six Sigma), cyber is a growing leadership essential. Individuals who have shown they have a command of the key concepts, challenges and solutions for cyber are being sought for leadership jobs in the DC area. What is happening is a realization that cyber understanding and knowledge is now a critical leadership skill.

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Cybersecurity legislation clears Senate committee

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March 31, 2010

Cybersecurity legislation clears Senate committee – NextGov
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Wednesday passed legislation that would raise the profile of cybersecurity in the federal government and expand public-private partnerships against cyber threats.

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Hard Skills In Cyber Are Even More Rare Than We Thought

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March 24, 2010

At the most recent in the excellent Federal Computer Week/Juniper Networks series of cyber discussion breakfasts, Alan Paller gave us a wake up call. He said the biggest problem was that we have tilted the entire tech world to the point where the “talkers” appeared to be of more value than the “doers.” The talkers get paid more than the technicians. Paller likened it to a system that would pay doctors less than you do the guy who is the hospital manager.

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Black Cyber Ops on Rise

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March 22, 2010

Black Cyber Ops on Rise – DoD Buzz
Black-Cyber-Operations have become all too common, launching highly sophisticated cyber actions against their targets that go undetected for months or years. A black operation is generally accepted worldwide by militaries and intelligence agencies to represent specific types of covert operations typically involving activities that are either secret or of questionable legitimacy and often violate international law and demand deniability.

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Senators press for increased cybersecurity attack planning

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March 19, 2010

Senators press for increased cybersecurity attack planning – NextGov
The federal government should work with the owners and operators of critical infrastructure to develop a comprehensive plan to respond to major attacks on cybersecurity networks, according to legislation unveiled Wednesday by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller, D-W.V., and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

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Military Savvy and Sensitivity to Cyber Issues

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March 18, 2010

I was privileged to participate as a speaker at a gathering of senior military leaders. It was a non-attribution event, so I am prohibited from discussing the details or who was there, but several “messages” warrant going out. This group of 25 or so general and flag officers (with several senior executive service folks mixed in) spent a week off site, chewing on lots of issues that will bedevil them as they continue up the ladder of our nation’s military. They are as open to new ways of thinking as they are to new weapons systems. I, for one, was thrilled that our nation is the hands of leaders of this caliber.

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Terrorists Use the Internet But Not How You Might Think

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March 16, 2010

I have to admit that in the past I have been guilty of a sin of omission that has plagued many commentators in the cyber arena. I have spoken and written many times about the terrorist threats I see as strong and dangerous possibilities. I have always mentioned the present terrorist use of the internet as an aside, and so much a lesser issue as to be unworthy of too much worry. I will stand up and admit that I have been WRONG. Yes, the terrorists have not used the cyber world for an attack as we might envision, but the threat presented by what they do now is real and chilling.

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Cyber Threat Vectors: Are we looking at them all?

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March 10, 2010

We often talk about cyber threats in different ways. Some speak of them based on who the bad guys are: hackers, terrorists, cyber criminals or nation states. Others use the bad guys’ technical approach as a means to define them: SQL injection, Memory Scrappers, DDoS Attacks, etc. A third way, one based on distance from targets, was used by Steven Chabinsky of the FBI recently in several venues. I think it adds to the depth of our analysis, and bring to the fore some key areas that are often overlooked.

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The O’Toole Budget Hearing – Steady as She Goes…

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March 4, 2010

In one of her first appearances on Capitol Hill since becoming DHS’ Under Secretary for Science & Technology, Tara O’Toole showed herself to be in complete comfort with the issues and challenges that face her. Her demeanor and candor at a FY2011 Budget Hearing before the House Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cyber Security and Science & Technology, also exhibited calm, cool and collected confidence in the programs she has inherited. This is just the reassurance that many from industry were looking for.

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