SnowCrash

Dronegate: The First Casualty is our Cybersecurity Paradigm

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:16:17 +0000

“As of yet, there is no definitive narrative of the virus that hit the U.S. drone fleet at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada this September. Original reports stated that drone cockpits had been infected with a keylogger virus and, while there was no indication that classified information had been stolen or that missions had been compromised, the virus has proven tenacious, resisting efforts to disinfect machines and forcing the Air Force to wipe entire hard drives. Sources said that officials at Creech never informed the 24th Air Force, the central authority on cyber for the Air Force, about the breach until the 24th read about it online. Yesterday, however, in its first official statement on the infection, the Air Force explained that the virus was actually credential stealer and insisted that the virus was only a nuisance that was easily contained. It claimed that the 24th AF had known about the breach since the 15 September. The Air Force also disputed that cockpits were affected, stating that only ground control systems were breached.”

Source: Dronegate: The First Casualty is our Cybersecurity Paradigm

Chinese telecom firm tied to spy ministry

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:47:57 +0000

“A U.S. intelligence report for the first time links China’s largest telecommunications company to Beijing’s KGB-like intelligence service and says the company recently received nearly a quarter-billion dollars from the Chinese government.”

Source: Chinese telecom firm tied to spy ministry – Washington Times

Sony Online Entertainment and PlayStation Networks Hacked, 93,000 Accounts Compromised

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:07:42 +0000

“Sony chief security officer Philip Reitinger warned Sony Entertainment Online customers and PlayStation Network users on Tuesday night that their accounts may have been compromised after a hack led to 93,000 accounts being compromised.”

Source: Sony Online Entertainment and PlayStation Networks Hacked, 93,000 Accounts Compromised

TRICARE Investigates Beneficiary Data Breach

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:22:40 +0000

“The TRICARE Management Activity is reviewing its data protection policies and procedures in the wake of a data breach involving personal health information of an estimated 4.9 million military clinic and hospital patients.

The breach potentially affects patients who received care or filled pharmacy prescriptions in San Antonio-area military treatment facilities from 1992 through Sept. 7, 2011, TRICARE spokesman Austin Camacho reported.”

Source: Defense.gov News Article: TRICARE Investigates Beneficiary Data Breach

Pentagon spending on cyber security to increase

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:50:48 +0000

“Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn tells The Associated Press that there are strong indications that spending on cyber will increase as the administration looks to better protect critical networks. And he says officials want to protect the military’s elite counterterrorism forces.”

Source: Pentagon: Budget pinch to exclude some priorities – BusinessWeek

Federal network security breaches spike 650 percent

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:40:04 +0000

“Reports of network security incidents at federal agencies have soared 650 percent during the past half-decade, jeopardizing the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive government information, federal auditors charged in a congressionally mandated report.”

Full report

(GAO: Federal network security breaches spike 650 percent – Nextgov)

Collision in Cyberspace Is Unavoidable: The View from Chinese Analysts

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:15:43 +0000

“Reading the essays, it is clear that Chinese analysts believe the United States is ahead in the competition. U.S. strengths include ‘core technology, experts, high military expenditures, and an integrated command system.’ In contrast to the perception in the West that China possesses a comprehensive strategy uniting the diplomatic, military, and technological components of cyber, these analysts are not impressed. Beijing is said to lack a coherent vision of what it wants to accomplish.”

(Asia Unbound » Blog Archive » Collision in Cyberspace Is Unavoidable: The View from Chinese Analysts)

Cyber crime unit saves UK economy £140m in six months

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:04:16 +0000

“A Metropolitan police unit claims to have saved the economy more than £140m in the past six months and is on course to exceed its four-year ‘harm reduction’ target, the force said on Sunday.”

(Cyber crime unit saves UK economy £140m in six months | UK news | The Guardian)

Top Cybersecurity Official Cites Hacker Threat to Infrastructure

admin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:11:28 +0000

“Damage inflicted by corporate data breaches this year pales in comparison to what might happen if a power grid or chemical plant were targeted by hackers or malicious software, a top U.S. cybersecurity official said.

A cyber attack on the nation’s critical infrastructure “could have cascading effects across multiple sectors” and is “another order of magnitude that we have to be worried about now,” Greg Schaffer, acting deputy undersecretary at the Homeland Security Department, said today.”

Source: Top Cybersecurity Official Cites Hacker Threat to Infrastructure – Businessweek

Iran will reciprocate cyber attack by US: Army commander says

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:30:17 +0000

“Iran will reciprocate cyber attack by the United States or its allies, head of the Operations Department of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier-General Ali Shadmani said on Wednesday. “

Source: Iran will reciprocate cyber attack by US: Army commander says