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.

RECENT HEADLINES:

Critical Infrastructure:

New Wave of Cyberattacks Against Ukrainian Power Industry - We Live Security

The cyberattacks against the Ukrainian electric power industry continue.

McAfee Application Control Flaws Expose Critical Infrastructure: Researchers - Security Week

Researchers reported finding several serious vulnerabilities in Intel Security's McAfee Application Control product, but the vendor has not released patches claiming they are low risk issues.

Nuclear Power Plants from All Over the World Are Vulnerable to Cyberattacks - Softpedia

By coincidence, two studies were released yesterday and they both put more light on the sorry state of cyber-security protocols used in nuclear power plants that fail to protect these crucial infrastructure points against cyberattacks.

Oil and Gas Industry Increasingly Hit by Cyber-Attacks: Report - Security Week

Most of oil and gas industry organizations have seen an increase in successful cyber-attacks over the past 12 months, a recent report from Tripwire, Inc. reveals.

Cyberwarfare:

US Ramps Up War on IS Propaganda, Recruitment - Security Week

The White House intensified efforts Friday to fight propaganda and recruitment by extremist groups such as the Islamic State, announcing a new task force and pressing Silicon Valley to help out.

Healthcare Security:

Questions Remain on How Device Cybersecurity Data Sharing Will Work - RAPS

A key component in the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) postmarket guidance for medical device cybersecurity is participation in Information sharing analysis organizations (ISAOs), though questions remain about how these organizations will function and be governed.

Legislation and Regulation:

Security Researchers Prepare for the ‘New Normal’ Post-CISA - SC Magazine

Now, researchers are bracing for the new challenge that an environment of automated information sharing would bring to an already challenging role.

Network Security:

Cisco Patches Serious Flaws in Networking, Security Products - Security Week

Cisco has released software updates to address several critical and high severity vulnerabilities identified in various networking and security products.

Neuromorphic Computing:

Air Force Research Lab Awards SUNY Poly $1.2M for R&D Project on Computer Systems - BJNN

A SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) professor will use a grant of $1.2 million for a research and development project on next-generation computer systems.

IEDM 2015 NV Memory and Brain Functions - EE Times

While a full understanding of how the brain works is some way ahead, Dan Hammerstrom's view is we now have enough knowledge to allow us to start moving some of the ideas from on-going research in neuroscience into the algorithm space.

Private Sector:

root9B Moves to #1 on the Cybersecurity 500 List for 2016 - PR Newswire

A root9B Technologies Company (OTCQB: RTNB) and leading provider of advanced cybersecurity services and training for corporate and government clients, has moved to the Number One position on the Cybersecurity 500 ranking of the world's hottest and most innovative cybersecurity companies for 2016.

Think Tank’s Congressional Cybersecurity Lab Would Educate Politicians - MAC Observer

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is developing a Congressional Cybersecurity Lab (CCL) intended to help teach technically unsavvy politicians the wily ways of cybersecurity.

Public Sector:

OPM, OMB to Stand up New Agency, Director to Own Security Clearance Process - Federal News Radio

The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management are standing up a new agency to assume responsibility of the federal security clearance process.

Army Training Aims at Cybersecurity - ARMY

In a continuing effort to better train U.S. Army engineers in all things cyber, the Army is offering a graduate-level certificate in the Fundamentals of Cybersecurity starting Feb. 10.

Intelligence Center’s Opening Boosts Colorado Springs’ Cybersecurity Hub Aspirations - Denver Post

The opening of a National Cyber Intelligence Center in Colorado Springs is expected to accelerate efforts to make the city a national hub for cybersecurity that will help the thriving local industry grow more quickly, officials say.

US DHS Just Spent $1.7 Million to Develop Better DDoS Protection Tech - Softpedia

The US Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $1.7 million contract to Galois, an R&D US company, which will be tasked to develop and help implement a new type of technology for mitigating DDoS attacks.

Quantum Computing:

Grant Targets Quantum Computing’s Error Control Challenge - PHYS

A team of researchers led by Duke University and the University of Maryland has been tapped by the nation's "Q Branch" to take quantum computing efforts to the next level using one of the field's leading technologies -ion traps.

Software Security:

DoD Weapons Tester Concerned about F-35 Software Development - Defense News

Although the Joint Program Office maintains the F-35 program remains on track, the Pentagon's top weapons tester recently raised concerns that the fifth-generation fighter jet's software development could fall behind.

Linux Zero-Day Affects Most Androids, Millions of Linux PCs - Network World

A new zero-day vulnerability has been discovered that allows Android or Linux applications to escalate privileges and gain root access, according to a report released this morning by Perception Point.

Microsoft Fixes Critical Flaws in Windows, Office, Edge, IE and Other Products - Computer World

Microsoft has released the first batch of security updates for 2016 and they include critical fixes for remote code execution flaws in Windows, Office, Edge, Internet Explorer, Silverlight and Visual Basic.

Privilege Escalation Flaw Found in VMware Tools - Security Week

The first security advisory published by VMware in 2016 describes an important guest privilege escalation vulnerability in VMware Tools.

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.

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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