White House Outlines Strategy for Cyber Security
Comments OffWhite House has just published a comprehensive 60-day review of the government’s cybersecurity efforts ordered by President Obama shortly after taking office in January.
Here is the full text of the review - Cyberspace Policy Review.
Layered Security Mitigates the Risk of Individual Cybersecurity Threats
Comments OffA layered security (cyberdefense-in-depth) is being used to mitigate the risk of individual cybersecurity threats.
Emerging Cybersecurity Threats
Comments OffExamples of recently emerged blended threats include MyDoom, Netsky, Sasser, and Sobig. The Sobig worm exemplifies one of the dangers of blended threats. When Sobig successfully infects a computer, it downloads spyware from a Web site, including a key logger. The key logger monitors the system for any banking, credit card purchases, or other financial [...]
Cybersecurity Incidents on Rise
Comments OffReflective of the alarming number of the threats to federal systems, agencies are reporting a trend of increasing waves of cybersecurity breaches. These incidents put sensitive information at risk. Personally identifiable information about Americans has been lost, stolen, or improperly disclosed, thereby potentially exposing those individuals to loss of privacy, identity theft, and financial [...]
Cyber Attack Techniques
Comments OffBotnet
A network of remotely controlled systems used to coordinate attacks and distribute malware, spam, and phishing scams. Bots (short for “robots”) are programs that are covertly installed on a targeted system allowing an unauthorized user to remotely control the compromised computer for a variety of malicious purposes.
Pharming
A method used by phishers to deceive [...]
Cyber Threat Sources
Comments OffThe following post summarizes those groups or individuals that are considered to be key sources of cyber threats to national information systems and cyber infrastructures.
Terrorists
Terrorists seek to destroy, incapacitate, or exploit critical infrastructures to threaten national security, cause mass casualties, weaken the U.S. economy, and damage public morale and confidence. However, traditional terrorist adversaries of [...]
Governments and Critical Infrastructures Face Increasing Cyber Threats
Comments OffCyber threats to federal information systems and cyber-based critical infrastructures are evolving and growing. Government officials are concerned about attacks from individuals and groups with malicious intent, such as criminals, terrorists, and adversarial foreign nations. For example, in February 2009, the Director of National Intelligence testified that foreign nations and criminals have targeted government and [...]
Growing IT Dependency Increases Cybersecurity Risks
Comments OffVirtually all federal operations are supported by automated systems and electronic data, and agencies would find it difficult, if not impossible, to carry out their missions, deliver services to the public, and account for their resources without these information assets. As computer technology has advanced, federal agencies have become more dependent on computerized information systems [...]
Federal Systems are not Sufficiently Protected to Consistently Thwart Cyber Threats
Comments OffAccording to recent Market Research Media report U.S. Federal Cybersecurity Market Forecast 2010-2015, federal systems are not sufficiently protected to consistently thwart cyber threats. Serious and widespread information security control deficiencies continue to place federal assets at risk of inadvertent or deliberate misuse, financial information at risk of unauthorized modification or destruction, sensitive information at [...]
