Preparations for Cyber Command Underway

Preparations to officially establish the U.S. Cyber Command are underway, according to a senior U.S. military official. Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, said in a written statement submitted to the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces, that the unit was awaiting Congressional approval on U.S. Cyber…

Report Claims US Has Made Little Progress in Cybersecurity

The National Security Cyberspace Institute has released a report saying despite all the talk and money thrown at cybersecurity, the United States has actually made little progress in making U.S. networks more secure.

“Despite the numerous studies and recommendations, ongoing planning, increased spending, and a host of other activities over the last several years, there has been little significant…

EPIC Submits Statement to Congress on Google-NSA Relationship

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has issued a statement to the House Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the recent revelations surrounding the Google-NSA relationship.

The statement asked the committee to conduct an investigation into the relationship between Google and NSA, urged the committee to support the ratification of the Council of Europe privacy convention and requested the classified document granting NSA…

Google to Team with NSA

Search engine giant Google and the largest electronic surveillance intelligence agency in the world, the National Security Agency, are teaming up to increase cybersecurity.

Google is looking to finalize an agreement with NSA, which would allow the agency to analyze the Aurora attacks that took place in December, according to The Washington Post.

Once NSA analyzes the attacks, it will…

Fort Meade should be new Cyber Command says Senators

At a recent meeting of the BWI Business Partnership in Maryland, Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski highlighted their desire to place the new Cyber Command at or around Fort Meade, the present headquarters of the National Security Agency. Earlier this year, the DoD also expressed its desire to house the new Command at Fort Meade.

Senators Cardin and Mikulski also highlighted the growing threat of cyber attacks against the…

US Must Engage International Community, Says Former Bush Assistant

As the United States moves toward a more coherent approach to cybersecurity, the question has been repeatedly raised around forming an international agreement on cyber attacks. Neill Sciarrone, a former special assistant to President George W. Bush for Cyber Security and Information Sharing, said, “taking a U.S.-centric approach is not a viable approach.”

At a recent conference hosted by Federal Computer Week and Juniper Networks, several former government cybersecurity professionals…

GAO Says Federal Systems Still Weak on Cyber Security

According to a recently released report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a number of federal systems are still vulnerable to cyber attacks. A number of major government agencies have still not adequately addressed some of the security loopholes that continue to make the agencies vulnerable to cyber threats.

The GAO report stated that some of the principle failings were failing to authenticate users, monitor security events (such…

National Journal’s Shane Harris: Issues in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is one of most important issues being discussed in national security. Since…

New Cyber Facility to be Built Near Salt Lake City by NSA

The National Security Agency will build a new $1.5 billion facility at a National Guard base outside Salt Lake City, according to an announcement by NSA’s Glenn Gaffney.

The building is part of the Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative that was started by the Bush administration.

CNCI remains classified and it is presently unclear what the exact purpose of the facility will be. The facility will serve as a data…

Alexander Picked to Head Cyber Command

The Department of Defense announced that Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, current director of the NSA, was nominated by President Obama to head the DoD’s new Cyber Command. Alexander will be promoted to a four star general and will be responsible for coordinating the new US Cyber Command that will be headquartered at Fort Meade.

Alexander will continue to serve in his present role at NSA and…