News Recap: House Intelligence Committee Cybersecurity Hearing Summary

By | November 21st, 2014|Uncategorized|

News RecapThis week, the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee held a hearing on “Cybersecurity Threats: The Way Forward” to share why and how the United States should move forward in dealing with cybersecurity threats.

According to Reuters’ Patricia Zengerle, Director of the U.S. National Security Agency Admiral Mike Rogers stated that “China and ‘probably one or two’ other countries have the ability to invade and possibly shut down computer systems of U.S. power utilities, aviation networks and financial companies.” Hong Lei, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, was in attendance and told reporters that “the Chinese government ‘forbids’ cyber hacking and that it is often a victim of such attacks that originate from the United States,” Zengerle reported.

Reporter Mark Hanrahan with International Business Times shares that “Rogers’ testimony comes just days after the USA Freedom Act – a bill that would have limited the agency’s surveillance powers – was voted down in the U.S. Senate. While the bill would have limited the NSA’s surveillance abilities, it also included an extension of the controversial Patriot Act.” Rogers also stated that lawmakers have attributed many breaches against the U.S. government and private companies to China.

Kristen Eichensehr with Just Security points out, “the hearing hit hard on the need for a way forward – but revealed little about what that way might be.” She reports that Rogers suggested two things needed to address cyber threats. The first was cyber threat information sharing legislation. The second was international norms of behavior for cyberspace. Currently, how to achieve either one is not clear.

How can cybersecurity officials set and enforce international cybersecurity norms? Do you believe cyber threat information sharing would help or hurt cybersecurity? What privacy issues arise when cyber threat information sharing occurs? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Tumblr for the latest industry news stories.

News Recap: Federal Government Needs Cyber Workforce

By | December 20th, 2013|Uncategorized|

news recap_121913The International Internet System Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)2 released a list of recommendations for the federal government to improve upon in order to protect government systems from threats to cyber security. The recommendations focused on building up a cyber workforce as a defense against cyber attacks.

InformationWeek reporter Patience Wait wrote that the federal agencies must increase the amount of trained specialists to monitor and defend against cyber security threats. Wait also shared the (ISC)2 recommendations, which included “aligning existing workforce development programs” in order to increase cyber security trained employees. Another recommendation mentioned “setting up a cyber ‘special forces’ team designed to employ talented cyber-security workers who, whether because of personality or previous personal conduct, would not normally be able to obtain security clearances or work in a typical agency culture.”

In a similar attempt to develop cyber security professionals, the Homeland Security Department is opening more than 100 cyber security volunteer positions to college students across the country, NextGov’s Brittany Ballenstedt reported. This program, called the Secretary’s Honors Program Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative, will allow college students pursuing a two-year or four-year degree to “perform a broad range of duties in support of DHS’ cyber mission, from cyber threat analysis to digital forensics to network diagnostics and incident reports,” Ballenstedt relayed.

Do you agree with the (ISC)2 recommendations or should the federal government be doing more? What else should be done to develop a cybersecurity workforce? Let us know what you think on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Tumblr for the latest industry news stories.

Load More Posts
WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.