Digital Government

CISA Replaces Chair of Supply-Chain Risk Management Task Force on Network Tech

Bob Kolasky is leaving government for the private sector, after leading the public-private task force alongside executives from trade associations of the largest critical software and networking gear providers.

Cybersecurity

CISA Warns of Ransomware Gang, Issues Indicators of Compromise

Processes spurring from the Ragnar Locker Ransomware have affected at least 52 critical infrastructure victims since January, but will terminate if it encounters systems in certain Russian and near-Russian locations.

Podcasts

Critical Update: Flashback to the Government’s Cloud Anxiety, Even Before SolarWinds

Re-writing the law for agencies to procure more secure cloud services is now mandated by executive order.

Cybersecurity

The Federal CISO's Approach to Cybersecurity in a Post–SolarWinds World   

The federal chief information security officer is moving ahead with congressional priorities for the .gov enterprise, as lawmakers fail to pass bipartisan incident reporting legislation and other changes to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act.

Cybersecurity

Insurance Policies May Tighten Amid U.S.-Russia Tensions, Cyber Pros Warn

What a recent court decision means for insurers’ attempts to avoid payouts associated with “acts of war” and breaches where nation-state actors may have played a role.

Cybersecurity

NSA Stresses Vendor Diversification in Guidance on Network Segmentation

Robust firewalls within and around a network are especially important in environments incorporating industrial control systems, which have been targeted in Russian state-sponsored operations.

Cybersecurity

SEC to Meet on Cybersecurity Amid Fear of Russian Threat to Financial Sector

Former officials are also urging confirmation of Biden’s nominee to the Federal Reserve to strengthen banks’ resilience in the event of emergent risks following the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Cybersecurity

Russia-Ukraine Conflict Could Push Major Cybersecurity Legislation Past Finish Line

The threat of Russian retaliation against the west is front-of-mind with Senate passage of key bills to require reports of ransomware payments and other cybersecurity incidents to the government, overhaul FISMA and codify FedRAMP. 

Policy

Russian Aggression Hastens Lawmakers' Push to Enforce Sanctions in Crypto Industry

The Justice Department also launched a ‘KleptoCapture’ task force to target the use of cryptocurrencies for sanctions evasion.

Cybersecurity

Russia’s Cyber Tactics Are Prompting the FCC to Address Internet Routing Security

Standards exist for network operators to implement, but there is no rule forcing them to do so.

Policy

US-EU Alignment on Tech Policy Shaky in Face of Russian Aggression

The conflict in Ukraine is reinforcing an industry-friendly argument for how the government should regulate cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity

Biden Puts DHS in Charge of Russia-Ukraine Threats to the Homeland

Destructive “Wiper” malware is at the intersection of multiple nation-state threats the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is monitoring.

Cybersecurity

Zero Trust Could Become an 'Incomplete Experiment' Without Permanent Office, Advisors Warn

The government’s efforts to improve U.S. cybersecurity threaten to peter out if not firmed up.

Cybersecurity

NIST Refreshing Voluntary Cybersecurity Framework Amid Push for Mandates

The agency is soliciting comments to update a core document that lets entities pick and choose which technical standards they want to apply to their systems based on their own risk assessment.

Cybersecurity

Justice Builds Out Crypto Tracking, International Engagement Teams on Ransomware

The Justice Department will now require prosecutors to consult with the international and cyber crime specialists on significant cyber investigations.

Emerging Tech

Quantum Tech Still Too Young to Warrant Export Controls, Defense Advisers Warn

A report commissioned by the Pentagon helps provide insight into how various federal agencies fit into big-picture policy considerations on the emerging national security issue.

Cybersecurity

Ransomware Attacks Exploded in Number and Scale in 2021, Per Cyber Firm

A new Crowdstrike report describes a dramatic increase in activity from both criminal and smaller nation-state groups.

Cybersecurity

Nearly 100 Utility Companies Now Participate in Cyber Sensor Initiative

The White House effort to secure industrial control systems from cyberattack requires nothing of the private sector. 

Cybersecurity

Senators Want More out of SEC Plans to Address Cyberattacks

A rule the commission proposed for investment funds and advisors is not precisely what key cybersecurity leaders had in mind.

Cybersecurity

FBI: Ransomware Attackers Have Code to Halt Critical Infrastructure

Monitoring remote access technology will be especially important for limiting the reach of malicious actors, allied cybersecurity agencies said in a report on trends they’ve observed over the last year in a booming ransomware industry.