The Cybersecurity (CS) Digest is a curated bi-weekly news summary for cybersecurity professionals. It is transmitted in an HTML-formatted email and provides links to articles and news summaries across a spectrum of cybersecurity topics.

CSIAC ANNOUNCEMENTS:

View CSIAC Webinar: Secure Software Development Considerations - CSIAC

This webinar will showcase an input validation failure by demonstrating a known command injection vulnerability within an open-source firewall application. It will then discuss methods of input validation, while demonstrating techniques to reduce the likelihood of this critical vulnerability.

CSIAC Discussion: Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information - CSIAC

Join the CSIAC and Subject Matter Experts in discussing the recently released NIST guidelines SP 800-171. Topics include what impact it has on your organization, and how you can begin to implement its IA guidelines.
Tags: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

Newly Released: Information Awareness Video Series - CSIAC

To assist organizations’ Information Awareness training programs, the CSIAC has created a series of videos designed to introduce several fundamental IA concepts. This fast, free, and easy-to-watch video series describes current information security threats and protections for government, industry and academia.

FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS DIGEST:

Cloud Computing:

Navy, Marine Corps Gain New Latitude to Buy Cloud Computing Services - Federal News Radio

In a step that may go some way toward reducing some of the red tape between the Defense Department and cloud computing vendors, the Department of the Navy (DoN) said last week that the Navy and Marine Corps can sign off on their own business cases for migrating to commercial cloud vendors without seeking higher-level approval.

RECENT HEADLINES:

Critical Infrastructure:

Trihedral Patches Flaws in SCADA Software - Security Week

Trihedral Engineering, a Canada-based company that specializes in developing software for SCADA systems, has patched several remotely exploitable vulnerabilities in its VTScada product.
Tags: Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)

DHS Council: Poor Collaboration Threatens Critical Infrastructure - Fed Scoop

A new HSAC report recommends updating the National Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan to improve critical infrastructure's interdependent systems.

Cyberwarfare:

North Korea Engaging in Psychological Cyber Warfare Against South - UPI

Seoul police officials say hackers are impersonating institutions to gain access to South Korean computers.

Data Security:

Ransomware Domains Up By 3,500% In Q1 - Dark Reading

In just one quarter, researchers have observed a 35-fold jump in new domains created for ransomware.
Tags: Ransomware

More “Mega Breaches” To Come, As Rival Hackers Vie For Sales - ZD Net

Three major social networks have quietly fallen victim to data breaches, but despite some high-profile success, patience and trust is now beginning to fade.

High Performance Computing:

Compiler Directives for High Performance Computing - Inside HPC

Compilers that translate the human readable program into the instructions that will execute on the processor or coprocessor can be directed to look at parts of the application and create optimized and vectorizable code.

Internet-of-Things:

Security Researchers’ Smart Home Findings May Keep You Up At Night - Tech Republic

See how hackers can unlock smart home door lock codes and more in these proof-of-concept attacks.

New Internet Of Things Security-Certification Program Launched - Dark Reading

ICSA Labs now offers a security testing program for IoT products, following the recently announced 'CyberUL' security certification program.

Legislation and Regulation:

Email Privacy Update At ‘Impasse’ In Senate - The Hill

A closely watched email privacy bill is struggling in the Senate and could be at risk of stalling, despite unanimous passage in the House.

Public Sector:

One Year After OPM Cybertheft Hit 22 Million: Are You Safer Now? - The Washington Post

Are you safer now? That’s the question for the 22 million federal employees and others whose personal information was stolen by cyberthieves from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in a heist announced one year ago.

Quantum Computing:

First Demonstration of 10-Photon Quantum Entanglement Sets New Record - Technology Review

The ability to entangle 10 photons should allow physicists to prove, once and for all, that quantum computers really can do things classical computers cannot.

Software Security:

Flaw Allowed Hackers To Change Conversations in Facebook Messenger - CIO Today

Newly discovered vulnerability in Facebook Messenger could have allowed an attacker to modify or remove any sent message, photo, file, or link.

FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS DIGEST:

Most Popular:

Google’s Quantum Computer Inches Nearer After Landmark Performance Breakthrough - ZD Net

Google has come up with a new quantum computing technique that could remove key limits on scalability today.

An Interview With the Hacker Probably Selling Your Password Right Now - Wired

For the last two weeks, the tech world’s security teams have been practically under siege.
Tags: Password Security

Here’s How The US Military is Beating Hackers at Their Own Game - Tech Insider

There's an unseen world war that has been fought for years with no clear battle lines, few rules of engagement, and no end in sight.

CSIAC SUPPORTED COMMUNITIES:

Cyber Security of Critical Infrastructure - Department of Homeland Security

CSIAC serves on the EO 13636/PPD-21 Research & Development (R&D) Working Group (WG) run by DHS S&T. If you would like further information, contact Dr. Paul Losiewicz at plosiewicz@csiac.org

Cyber Community of Interest (COI) Group - CSIAC

The Cyber COI engages in multiple activities and forums for coordinating cyber S&T strategies, sharing innovative ideas and technical approaches, promoting technology transfer and upcoming business opportunities, and in jointly planning programs across the Department of Defense and other government agencies. Membership is based upon approval by the Cyber COI group administrator.

TECHNICAL RESOURCES, POLICY & GUIDANCE:

Opportunities Exist for DOD to Share Cybersecurity Resources with Small Businesses - GAO

DOD OSBP officials acknowledged that cybersecurity is an important and timely issue for small businesses -and therefore the office is considering incorporating cybersecurity into its existing outreach and education efforts. During the review, GAO identified 15 existing federal cybersecurity resources that DOD OSBP could disseminate to defense small businesses.

DHS S&T Collaboration Community - Ideascale

The National Conversation is intended to bring together everyone to play a role in shaping the future of homeland security technology. This means responders, operational users, citizens, academia, and industry.

The Department of Defense Cyber Strategy - Department of Defense

The purpose of this strategy is to guide the development of DoD's cyber forces and strengthen our cyber defense and cyber deterrence posture. It focuses on building cyber capabilities and organizations for DoD's three primary cyber missions.
Tags: Cybersecurity Strategy

Information Sharing Environment - ISE

The Information Sharing Environment (ISE) broadly refers to the people, projects, systems, and agencies that enable responsible information sharing for national security.

Standards & Reference Documents - CSIAC

View all Best Practices and Reference Documents on the CSIAC website.

The DoD Cybersecurity Policy Chart (Formerly the IA Policy Chart) - CSIAC

DoD Cyber Domain Resources - Department of Defense

DHS Cyber Security Strategy (“Blueprint for a Secure Cyber Future”, 2011) - Department of Homeland Defense

DIB CS/IA Voluntary Information Sharing Program - DoD DIBNet

DoD's DIB CS/IA program is a voluntary program to enhance and supplement DIB participants' capabilities to safeguard DoD information that resides on, or transits, DIB unclassified information systems.

US-CERT Bulletins - Department of Homeland Security

Bulletins provide weekly summaries of new vulnerabilities. Patch information is provided when available.

US-CERT Alerts - Department of Homeland Security

Alerts provide timely information about current security issues, vulnerabilities, and exploits.

National Vulnerability Database - NIST

NVD is the U.S. government repository of standards based vulnerability management data represented using the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP). This data enables automation of vulnerability management, security measurement, and compliance. NVD includes databases of security checklists, security related software flaws, misconfigurations, product names, and impact metrics.

Trustworthy CyberSpace: Strategic Plan For The Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Program - NITRD

Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) - Committee on National Security Systems

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