Author Archive
Defense
Strikes on Iran will test US cyber strategy abroad, and defenses at home
The federal government’s cyber defense agency is short-staffed, and Tehran is known for its retaliatory cyberattacks.
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Updated AI innovation; expanding cybersecurity for SNAP; and more
This week’s legislation addresses cybersecurity measures for EBT cards, pushes universal AI testing standards forward, and strengthens oversight of tech education programming for veterans.
People
CISA acting director moved to new DHS role
Madhu Gottumukkala will be moved into a strategic implementation role in the Department of Homeland Security. Nick Andersen will take his place.
People
Wyden to block confirmation for NSA director, citing lack of experience
The senator, in part, took issue with Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd’s responses to questions regarding civil liberties and oversight against unlawful surveillance.
People
CISA CIO expected to leave agency after receiving transfer orders
Last month, the cyber agency’s acting director reportedly took steps to transfer Costello, but other political appointees blocked it.
Policy
White House seeks clean extension on controversial spying law
Despite Donald Trump’s previous misgivings, his administration is signaling confidence in the statute with its current stance.
Cybersecurity
Hackers are exploiting exposed Cisco products, Five Eyes intelligence agencies say
A Cisco threat intelligence report calls the cyberintruders “highly sophisticated” but stops short of naming any affiliation with a foreign nation.
Cybersecurity
Treasury sanctions Russian firm said to have stolen and sold US cyber tools
The sanctions coincide with an FBI investigation into Peter Williams, a former employee of U.S. defense contractor L3Harris who pleaded guilty to selling cyber exploits to a Russian entity.
Exclusive
Cybersecurity
Energy Department patched flaws enabling email impersonation in critical minerals system
The vulnerabilities could have let malicious users masquerade as agency officials, potentially misleading researchers, contractors and others.
People
Top NSC cyber official returns to academia
For the last year, JD Work was a high-ranking official working on cyber policy within the White House National Security Council.
Cybersecurity
Chinese telecom hackers likely holding stolen data ‘in perpetuity’ for later attempts, FBI official says
“I think it’s important to say we do not know exactly what the [People’s Republic of China] intends to do with a lot of this information,” said FBI cyber official Michael Machtinger.
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Cybersecurity
US cyber responses will be ‘linked to adversary actions’ and involve industry coordination, official says
That dynamic will be outlined in a national cyber strategy, which will be released “soon,” said ONCD’s Alexandra Seymour.
Cybersecurity
New Treasury initiative targets improved cyber risk management for AI tools
The department says it plans to release deliverables from a public-private working group in phases throughout the rest of February.
People
DEF CON bans hackers, technologists named in Epstein documents
Vincenzo Iozzo, Joichi Ito and Pablos Holman are barred from future attendance after Justice Department files revealed their roles in efforts to secure Jeffrey Epstein’s access to DEF CON.
Cybersecurity
CISA threat-hunting leader to depart for private sector role
Jermaine Roebuck announced his voluntary departure last week. The cyber agency has already lost a third of its workforce in the past year.
Cybersecurity
CISA to furlough most of its workforce under impending DHS shutdown
The shutdown would also slow ongoing revamps of a major cyber incident reporting rule that was signed into law in 2022, acting director Madhu Gottumukkala said this week.
Policy
FBI gathered intelligence on reporters, religious orgs using ‘assessment’ authority, watchdog report says
The bureau also undercounts analysts’ non-compliance with assessment policies because it relies on self-reporting and infrequent audits, the sensitive GAO review adds.
Policy
Senators to revive reform effort for controversial spying law
The proposed changes to Section 702 of FISA would mandate warrants for searches of U.S. person communications and revisit a 2024 provision that critics say widened the government’s surveillance reach.
People
CISA’s acting chief says 70 staff were reassigned to other DHS offices in last year
The cyberdefense agency in turn received some 30 employees from other DHS components, while a “handful” of CISA staffers were transferred to ICE, Madhu Gottumukkala told lawmakers.
Policy
White House will hold meeting to discuss renewal of controversial spying power
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire this spring unless renewed by lawmakers.
