Archives
Expansion of U.S. “Name and Shame” Indictment Policy?
In 2014, the United States made a bold move when the Department of Justice indicted five PLA members on charges of hacking and economic espionage. The indictments signaled a decision to face cyber espionage head on by calling out the nations who perpetrated the offenses. Earlier this year, the DOJ decided to use that same […]
Cyber Round Up: NATO Seeks $3.2 billion for cyber; U.S. cyber policy has deterrence failure;
NATO to Seek Bids for $3.2 Billion in Satellite, Cyber Security (Bloomberg): Pending NATO contracts will focus on satellite communications, air and missile defense systems, software, and cyber security. An article said that the $3.2 billion commitment is representative of the organization’s adjustment to new threats, including those from Russian meddling and increased cyber attacks. Specifically, […]
The U.S. Cyber Glass House and Deterrence
“I’d say our [cyber] defense isn’t working” – Former Director of the National Security Agency Keith Alexander. In a keynote address at the American Enterprise Institute, Alexander told the audience that “if everybody’s getting hacked … industry and government … the strategy that we’re working on is flawed.” Critical infrastructure is vulnerable to cyberattacks and several […]
Actual U.S. DoD Cyber Strategy
We’ll have lots of analysis and commentary over time, no doubt, but we just want to make sure you all have a copy of the actual [U.S.] Department of Defense Cyber Strategy of April 2015 by posting it here: Of course, it is always better to read the actual source document for yourself before reading […]
Actual Executive Order Issued to Counter Cyber Threats
President Obama issued an Executive Order (“EO”) to block property belonging to those who engage in malicious cyber-enabled activities. Citing to the threat posed by malicious cyber-enabled activities to the nation’s security, foreign policy, and economy, the President declared a national emergency to deal with the threat. The President’s authority is derived from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act […]
Cyber Dialogue 2014 (Day 2 of 2)
Following yesterday’s introduction and preparation on day 1 of the Cyber Dialogue 2014, the conference participants started day 2 in their assigned working groups, covering specific challenges to effective oversight mechanisms (group 1: “From Surveillance to Cyber War: What are the Limits and Impacts?”), or more general topics like viable governance models (group 5: “Power Shift? […]
Cyber Roundup: Including More Updates from President Obama’s January 17th Speech
To start, here’s another update from President Obama’s January 17th speech regarding changes to the government’s surveillance activities. The Washington Post reports that, yesterday, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court approved a motion modifying the most recent primary order that authorized the Section 215 phone records program. More specifically, as reported by the Post, these amendments make is so that […]
Cyber Round Up: Holder says NSA programs legal; Snowden nominated for Nobel; Iranian officials concerned with oil industry’s cyber safety
In speaking with the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Eric Holder backed the judicial determination that the National Security Agency’s (NSA) surveillance programs are legal, according to the Miami Herald. However, AG Holder emphasized the true debate, one not over legality, but over proper use of authority. “[J]ust because we can do something, should we […]
The Argument for a Defense-centric Cyber Strategy
In a recent report, Foreign Policy considers a critical question facing cybersecurity pros. Namely, which strategy is more effective at combatting cyber threats—the offensive or defensive? Comparing today’s technological evolution to the advantages seen just prior to the outbreak of World War I, FP argues that we should be focusing our attention (and our resources) […]
Cyber Roundup: Route Hijacking Ups Its Game; Advice from a “White Hat Hacker”; Australian Government Data Found on Privately Sold Memory Cards
A recent research study revealed that memory cards being sold on the Internet contained sensitive Australian government data. According to the study, “It is evident that actions must be taken by second[-]hand auction sites[] and the media to raise awareness and educate end-users on how to dispose of data in an appropriate manner.” A December […]