The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, better known as DARPA, has awarded Raytheon multiple contracts to research and develop technologies that will detect and respond to cyber attacks on the U.S. power grid infrastructure. The contracts, which total $9 million, were awarded under DARPA's Rapid Attack Detection, Isolation and
CS Digest Section: Critical Infrastructure
WannaCry Ransomware Hits U.S. Critical Infrastructure
A Department of Homeland Security official told Reuters earlier this week that some U.S. critical infrastructure operators have been affected by the recent WannaCry ransomware campaign.
http://www.esecurityplanet.com/threats/wannacry-ransomware-hits-u.s.-critical-infrastructure.html
Homeland Security Issues Warning on Cyberattack Campaign
The Department of Homeland Security is warning IT services providers, healthcare organizations and three other business sectors about a sophisticated cyberattack campaign that involves using stolen administrative credentials and implanting malware, including PLUGX/SOGU and RedLeaves, on critical systems.
http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/homeland-security-issues-warning-on-cyberattack-campaign-a-9898
The Pentagon’s Bug Bounty Program Should Be Expanded to Bases, DOD Official Says
The Hack the Pentagon bug bounty program that allowed citizens to test the defenses of Defense Department websites could soon see a spinoff inviting hackers to probe the Pentagon’s critical infrastructure.
Computer Hack Sets off 156 Emergency Sirens across Dallas
Dallas' 156 sirens, normally used to warn of tornadoes and other dangerous weather, were triggered at 11:42 p.m. CDT on Friday. The wailing did not end until 1:17 a.m. CDT on Saturday when engineers manually shut down the sirens' radio system and repeaters, city Emergency Management Director Rocky Vaz said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-texas-sirens-idUSKBN17B001
MIT Experts Urge Trump Administration to Take Immediate Action on Cybersecurity
According to MIT experts, over the last 25 years presidents from both parties have paid lip service to the topic while doing little about it, leading to a series of short-term fixes they liken to a losing game of "Whac-a-Mole." This scattershot approach, they say, endangers national security.
http://news.mit.edu/2017/mit-experts-urge-trump-administration-immediate-cybersecurity-action-0328
US Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Milestone
Last week the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the successful completion of the 100th iteration of the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity training on defending systems used across the critical infrastructure sectors.
DHS Focusing Efforts on Strengthening Protection of Critical Infrastructure, Dot-Gov Sites
A Homeland Security Department official says part of the Trump administration's cyber agenda is focusing on critical infrastructure through a "neighborhood watch" and identifying high value targets and their respective contingency plans.
Trump Announces $1.5bn for Cyber-Security and Critical Infrastructure
Donald Trump's first federal budget puts forward US $1.5 billion for cyber-security to protect the federal government and US critical infrastructure.
CyberX Discovers Operation BugDrop: A Large-Scale Cyber-Reconnaissance Operation Targeting Ukrainian Organizations
CyberX has confirmed at least 70 victims successfully targeted by the operation in a range of sectors including critical infrastructure, media, and scientific research. The operation seeks to capture a range of sensitive information including audio recordings of conversations, screen shots, documents and passwords.
