Web Headlines

Headlines from around the Web for Friday, Jan. 25, 2008
Compiled by Melanie Bender

Software Group Says Without More Foreign Workers in U.S., Jobs May Go Overseas

ComputerWorld

The U.S. software industry is larger than the food processing industry in terms of revenue, according to an IT trade group that wants Congress to raise the annual cap on H-1B visas, give permanent residency to foreign nationals who graduate from U.S. colleges and back trade policies that give companies unfettered access to global markets.

Jihadists Get Encryption Upgrade

InformationWeek

Until recently, Al-Qaeda didn't pose much of a threat online because it used outdated technology. Having modern encryption tools changes the equation. Last week, an Islamist Web site called Al-Ekhlas released updated encryption software to help keep secret communications from prying eyes. The site is allegedly frequented by Al-Qaeda supporters.

In Senate, a White House Victory on Eavesdropping

The New York Times

A White House plan to broaden the National Security Agency’s wiretapping powers won a key procedural victory in the Senate on Thursday, as backers defeated a more restrictive plan by Senate Democrats that would have imposed more court oversight on government spying.

The Complex Crux Of Wireless Warfare

The Washington Post

Future Combat Systems is considered the most thorough modernization of the Army since World War II. It all depends on the software, which is intended to do what military commanders have until now only dreamed about: Give soldiers the power to communicate through a wireless network in near real time with hovering drones; remotely control robots to defuse bombs; fire laser-guided missiles at enemies on the move; and conduct a video teleconference in a tank rumbling about 40 mph in the haze of battle.

Open-Source Software Appearing in the Data Center

ComputerWorld

Linux, Apache and other open-source applications have long been used to power Web and file servers. But when it comes to managing the data center, many companies have held back. Now, though, some users have turned into big believers that open source works here, too.

Survey: Offshore IT Outsourcing Rates Low and Unchanging Among American Companies

Government Technology

The majority of U.S. companies are not engaged in the practice of overseas outsourcing, according to a survey by Robert Half Technology. Ninety-four percent of CIOs surveyed said their company does not outsource IT jobs outside the United States.

NYC Releases Police Data to Crime Research Group

The New York Times

The New York Police Department has turned over an electronic database on more than 500,000 street stops made by officers in 2006 to analysts at a national crime data archive in Michigan, officials from the City Law Department said on Thursday. The intent, officials said, is that the data will be released in some fashion to researchers and the public.

NIST Releases a Draft Compliance Guide for IPv6

Federal Computer Week

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s second draft profile on IP Version 6, released Jan. 23, will help agencies buy products that the government considers capable of handling the new protocol. The draft profile describes initial plans for testing whether products can integrate with other products built to NIST’s specifications.

Cyberadvice Awaits the Next President

Government Computer News

The Center for Strategic and International Studies has put together a Commission on Cybersecurity for the 44th Presidency and expects to have a set of recommendations ready by the end of the year. A senior fellow said a package of a half-dozen or so recommendations should be ready for the new president’s desk sometime between the general election in November and the end of the year.

Government Should Make IT Security a Priority, Execs Say

Government Computer News

The next U.S. president needs to pay more attention to securing the government’s data and information technology systems, and Congress must be willing to provide adequate funding for the task, say executives from Symantec. “These are clear and present dangers,” Symantec Chief Operating Officer Enrique Salem said Thursday during a lunch with Washington IT reporters. “There is a real exposure.”

Bases Compete for Cyber Command

Washington Technology

Air Force bases in five states are competing to become the permanent headquarters for the Air Force’s new Cyber Command created in November 2006. The Cyber Command’s mission is to deter and protect against cyberspace attacks on military computer systems and networks. The center is expected to bring in about 500 Air Force jobs and potentially millions of dollars in economic impact.