FCC chairman outlines cyber security vision

In remarks delivered earlier today at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler outlined his organization’s philosophy on cyber security. Stressing the importance of network security, Wheeler noted that today information networks don’t just support the economy, they essentially are the economy. “As such, information networks aren’t ancillary; they are integral,” he said. […]

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Survey: Cyber security again the top priority for federal CIOs

Following a year of continued Congressional division, sequestration, a government shutdown and the troubled rollout of Healthcare.gov, IT industry association TechAmerica last week released its annual survey of federal government CIOs. TechAmerica surveys federal government CIOs each year to gauge their ongoing priorities and concerns. In this year’s 24th annual report, that group was expanded slightly […]

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White House Cybersecurity Coordinator assesses cyber security regulations

White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Michael Daniel shared his thoughts on existing cyber security regulations earlier today on the White House blog. In his post, he highlights Executive Order 13636, “Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity,” which among other things directs Executive Branch departments and agencies that regulate the security of private-sector critical infrastructure to assess whether, based on the Cybersecurity […]

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EBay becomes latest site to have user passwords hacked

Earlier today, we learned details of the latest cyber attack to affect a major online retailer when eBay reported that a database containing encrypted passwords and other non-financial data had been compromised. The company is asking its users — all 128 million of them — to change their passwords as a precautionary measure, joining others who […]

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U.S. Air Force awards $3.3 million contract for cyber security training

TeleCommunication Systems, which specializes in secure mobile communication technology, today reported it has entered into a contract with E-volve Technology Systems to provide training services to the U.S. Air Force for its Cyber Operations Training Program. The subcontract includes a base award term of five months and two one-year option terms for a total possible […]

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Survey: Companies not prepared for cyber security risks of outsourcing

Post-resession, partnering with third-party vendors and outsourcing tasks that were once handled in-house has become a common cost-saving strategy. Unfortunately, many organizations aren’t prepared to address the information technology and security risks that can emerge from outsourcing, according to a new survey by the Shared Assessments Program and consulting firm Protiviti. The survey, which asked companies […]

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Retailers association launches cyber intelligence sharing center

Retailers were among the hardest hit and most talked about victims of cyber crime in 2013. Now they are doing their best to fight back. Just yesterday, the Retail Industry Leaders Association and key retailers from around the country launched the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center, otherwise known as R-CISC. The center is an independent […]

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NIST releases systems security engineering guidelines

At a presentation at the University of Minnesota this morning, National Institute of Standards and Technology Fellow Ron Ross announced the publication of a new set of systems security engineering guidelines designed to help improve information security. NIST Special Publication 800-160 was released in draft form and is now available for public comment. You can download the […]

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NIST official to announce new cyber security guidelines in Minnesota

Ron Ross, a fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and leader of the Federal Information Security Management Act Implementation Project, will announce new draft cyber security guidelines at the University of Minnesota on Tuesday. The guidelines are contained within “Special Publication 800-160, Systems Security Engineering: An Integrated Approach to Building Trustworthy Resilient Systems.” They were […]

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Cyber security items every vendor contract should include

Following recent high profile data breaches, many companies are wondering what terms and conditions should be in vendor contracts. That is great question to ask. Many companies – big and small – sign vendor contracts without considering the data security issues. Often times, a contract that is “small potatoes” from a dollar standpoint has the […]

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Symantec releases 2014 threat report

Symantec recently released its latest Internet Security Threat Report, which looks back at data from last year and offers an analysis of what happened. Not surprisingly, the company labeled 2013 “The Year of the Mega Breach.” “The total number of breaches in 2013 was 62 percent greater than in 2012 with 253 total breaches. It was […]

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