Cybersecurity

U.S. agency targeted by advanced spear phishing

An advanced hacking group likely compromised a foreign ministry email account and sent malware-laced email to a U.S. agency, according to Palo Alto Networks researchers.

Cybersecurity

VA taps UL for medical device cybersecurity

Testing and science firm UL will help the VA with a plan to protect connected medical IT from cyberattacks.

Emerging Tech

Watchdog: FBI Facial Recognition May Not Be Accurate

A new GAO report examined the Interstate Photo System, with more than 30 million photos, and the FBI’s face recognition capability.

Cybersecurity

Oversight Lawmakers Demand Overdue Data Security Plan from Census

The Government Accountability Office says cybersecurity is a “critical” challenge for the agency.

Cybersecurity

Sen. Sessions wants fingerprints for visitors entering and exiting the U.S.

Biometric identity data for a visa entry and exit system should boil down to fingerprints, says the chairman of a Senate immigration subcommittee.

Cybersecurity

ISIS-linked hacker pleads guilty to targeting feds

A Kosovar named Ardit Ferizi stole the personally identifiable information of over 1,000 U.S. military and federal personnel, authorities said.

Cybersecurity

Is DHS cyber info-sharing ready for prime time?

Recent cybersecurity law is supposed to provide a voluntary framework for easy information sharing between government and private companies, but some DHS programs are experiencing early real-world hitches.

Cybersecurity

Thousands of Security Cameras in the US Can Easily Be Hacked

Many people never change the default passwords on their cameras or even go through the hassle of adding a password.

Cybersecurity

Why should feds care about blockchain?

Federal standards setters can't predict how blockchain might serve government ends, but secure voting, health records and identity management are possible applications.

Cybersecurity

Brennan warns on encryption

In public testimony, CIA Director John Brennan cautioned lawmakers on how terrorists and other malefactors are taking advantage of commercial encryption tools.

Digital Government

What the Joint Chiefs’ Email Hack Tells Us About the DNC Breach

The two attacks share a perpetrator and even some techniques. Here’s how to stop them.

Cybersecurity

FBI lax on facial recognition privacy, watchdog says

As law enforcement looks to tap advances in facial recognition, a government watchdog warns of the risks to privacy.

Cybersecurity

White House looks to put more muscle behind cyber plan

White House tech officials are looking to put more weight behind CNAP for the next administration.

Digital Government

DOD Plans to Eliminate Common Access Cards

Halvorsen said the Pentagon will move to “true multifactor” authentication that would increase DOD’s agility and cut costs and the time to issue the cards themselves.

Cybersecurity

Russian Hackers Hack Democratic Party Computers

The hackers accessed staff emails, chat logs and volumes of opposition research on Donald Trump.

Cybersecurity

Farenthold: Cyber Will Be Next Administration's Greatest Challenge

Reports of self-radicalized terrorists could force lawmakers to draw boundaries for what citizens can consume on the internet.

Cybersecurity

Watchdog Knocks State Department for Thousands of Zombie Accounts

Most of the inactive accounts have been dormant for more than a year -- in violation of agency policy.

Cybersecurity

DNC breach raises questions on IT resources at political HQs

The latest hack of a national political organization raises questions as to how much the RNC and DNC have invested in cybersecurity and what a reasonable amount would be.