Cybersecurity

Voice phishing attacks on the rise, CISA, FBI warn

An industry alert warns of an increasingly sophisticated social engineering campaign since July that is targeting VPNs and teleworkers.

Cybersecurity

CISA infrastructure chief Brian Harrell resigns

The assistant director, charged with helping to protect critical infrastructure from physical and cyber threats, will be returning to the private sector, the agency confirmed.

Cybersecurity

With the clock ticking, a House committee looks to election security

Election readiness, the cybersecurity fallout from COVID-induced telework and network monitoring and will be key areas of focus for House Homeland Security Democrats this year.

Cybersecurity

GAO: DHS acting secretary, top deputy were appointed illegally

Top acting officials at DHS were appointed without regard for laws in place governing agency succession, according to a Government Accountability Office legal opinion.

Digital Government

CISA's 'next frontier' around cyber data analytics

An official said the agency wants to spend the next five years quantifying the unquantifiable around collective cyber risk.

Cybersecurity

CISA chief wants younger, more experienced hackers in federal government

Professional experience and credentials don't have the same importance in cybersecurity, where teenagers can hack governments and multi-billion-dollar corporations.

Cybersecurity

CISA updates internet connection policies

Many of the changes to the core Trusted Internet Connection policies were in response to public feedback seeking new tech and additional architectural and security concepts.

Cybersecurity

NSA and CISA push guidance for BootHole fix

Federal agencies are moving to put out custom guidance for dealing with a widespread bootloader bug that can be complicated to patch due to software and firmware interdependencies.

Cybersecurity

Researchers disclose widespread bootloader vulnerability

New research from Eclypsium details a simple buffer overflow bug that could impact billions of devices using Linux and Windows operating systems.

Cybersecurity

CISA hires cyber risk experts to meet emerging threats

The Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity and infrastructure arm hires experts to help understand shifting cyber threats in the pandemic.

Cybersecurity

CISA releases emergency directive on wormable DNS flaw

The directive orders civilian federal agencies to immediately begin patching a critical Remote Code Execution flaw in Windows DNS servers.

Cybersecurity

House's DHS funding bill would create public-private cyber center

The legislation would give $2.25 billion to DHS' cyber wing and set up an integrated cybersecurity center with other agencies, state and local governments and private industry.

Cybersecurity

CISA, USCYBERCOM warn of massive vulnerability for popular networking device

A particularly dangerous vulnerability affecting BIG-IP networking devices likely impacts every major sector in the world, including federal agencies.

Cybersecurity

CISA's hit parade of malware aimed at federal agencies

Data compiled from CISA's Intrusion Detection System highlights the three types of malware attacks most commonly targeted at civilian federal agencies.

Cybersecurity

CDC, IRS and other federal sites spoofed in global phishing scams

New research from Proofpoint has identified numerous phishing email campaigns over the past two months, some of which impersonated and spoofed websites from federal agencies, international governments and public health organizations involved in COVID-19 relief.

Cybersecurity

Best practices for agency implementation of CDM

A seasoned practitioner has some advice on how agencies can optimize their implementations of CDM tools, policies and processes.

Cybersecurity

How COVID-19 is changing the game on ransomware

More money is needed to tackle the problem, especially as states deal with an unprecedented economic crisis caused by the pandemic. It's unclear whether Congress will foot the bill.

Cybersecurity

Amid telework boom, CISA reminds agencies of DNS resolution requirements

The memo notes that CISA will begin issuing reports to agencies highlighting DNS traffic anomalies and could issue a follow up directive as new protections come online.

Cybersecurity

Solarium boosters pivot to acknowledge pandemic parallels

Members of the Solarium Commission are retooling their pitch to focus on recommendations that draw parallels to the current coronavirus crisis.

Cybersecurity

CISA tapped as shared services provider for cyber

The Office of Management and Budget formally designated Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as the first Quality Service Management Office for shared services.