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US Homeland Security’s $6B Firewall Has More Than a Few Frightening Blind Spots

A firewall run by the Department of Homeland Security meant to detect and prevent nation-state hacks against the government functions ineffectively, according to a sanitized version of a secret federal audit.

EINSTEIN relies on patterns of attacks, called signatures, to spot suspicious traffic, but it does not scan for 94 percent of commonly known vulnerabilities or check web traffic for malicious content.

 

Full article: http://www.nextgov.com/

 

FCC Task Force Adopts NG 9-1-1 Architecture, Cybersecurity Recommendations

By Kristen Beckman, Managing Editor

Friday, December 11, 2015 | Comments

The FCC’s Task Force on Optimal Public-Safety Answering Point Architecture (TFOPA) procedurally adopted recommendations developed by two of its three working groups Dec. 10.

 

TFOPA is a federal advisory committee created to provide recommendations to the commission about what steps public-safety answering points (PSAPs) can take to optimize security, operations and funding as they migrate to next-generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1). Working group one studied cybersecurity issues, and working group two focused on NG 9-1-1 architecture implementation. Working group three, which studied 9-1-1 fees and resource allocation, released its report with recommendations in October.

Full article: http://mccmag.com/News/NewsDetails/newsID/13736/

FDA outlines cybersecurity recommendations for medical device manufacturers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a draft guidance outlining important steps medical device manufacturers should take to continually address cybersecurity risks to keep patients safe and better protect the public health. The draft guidance details the agency’s recommendations for monitoring, identifying and addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in medical devices once they have entered the market. The draft guidance is part of the FDA’s ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical devices, at all stages in their lifecycle, in the face of potential cyber threats.

Full article: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm481968.htm

AT&T Offers $250,000 Reward for Information on Fiber Vandalism in Livermore

 

AT&T said on Wednesday that the company is offering up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for "fiber vandalism across Alameda County."

Most recently, AT&T spokesman Jim Greer said that vandals cut fiber in two different manholes about 10:30 p.m. Monday at Altamont Pass and Carroll Road in Livermore, causing Internet service to go out. On Wednesday morning, crews had restored all service and the road had been re-opened.

Full article: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/ATT-Offers-250000-Reward-for-Information-on-Fiber-Vandalism-in-Livermore-327849911.html

 

 

Will ISIS Turn to Cyber Warfare?

A cybersecurity software company has predicted that the terrorist group will target American businesses, utilities and presidential campaigns.

Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | January 14, 2016

 

(TNS) -- A Milwaukee cybersecurity software firm has made predictions for potential computer attacks in the U.S. and the forecast is downright scary.

Among the predictions issued Tuesday, Jan. 12, by PKWare, a provider of what it markets as "smart encryption" software:

Full article: http://www.emergencymgmt.com/safety/ISIS-To-Cyber-Warefare.html

Expert: North Korea H-bomb is 'super-EMP weapon'

Explosion over U.S. could send nation back into agrarian age

WASHINGTON – While North Korea on Wednesday was hyperbolically bragging about having exploded a test hydrogen bomb, some nuclear weapons experts were downplaying the event because of its low-kiloton yield and relatively small seismic wave.

Full article: http://www.wnd.com/2016/01/expert-north-korea-h-bomb-is-super-emp-weapon/#DqjJ654cIdDSMmzU.01

 

First known hacker-caused power outage signals troubling escalation

Highly destructive malware creates "destructive events" at 3 Ukrainian substations.

by Dan Goodin - Jan 4, 2016 2:36pm CST

 

 

 

Highly destructive malware that infected at least three regional power authorities in Ukraine led to a power failure that left hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity last week, researchers said.

The outage left about half of the homes in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine without electricity, Ukrainian news service TSN reported in an article posted a day after the December 23 failure. The report went on to say that the outage was the result of malware that disconnected electrical substations. On Monday, researchers from security firm iSIGHT Partners said they had obtained samples of the malicious code that infected at least three regional operators. They said the malware led to "destructive events" that in turn caused the blackout. If confirmed it would be the first known instance of someone using malware to generate a power outage.

 

Full article: http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/01/first-known-hacker-caused-power-outage-signals-troubling-escalation/