Cybersecurity

CISA Leaning Toward Lower Threshold for Mandatory Cyber Incident Reporting

The agency has started to receive feedback from some key stakeholders for its rulemaking process on the issue.

Cybersecurity

NDAA Negotiations Will Determine Success of Several Cyber Solarium Goals

Influence from major industry threatens once again to thwart lawmakers’ attempts to realize their policymaking goals through the annual defense authorization bill.

Cybersecurity

CISA Director: Big Tech Shouldn’t Charge Extra for Event Logging

The agency has promised to measure the success of efforts to steer major software providers toward the inclusion of logging and other basic security features in their products “by default,” but has said little about how it actually intends to do that.

Cybersecurity

Agencies Shouldn’t 'Just Trust' Software Vendors' Security Assurances, IG Warns

NIST advisors debating the merits of OMB’s policy on software vendors’ “self-attestation” to secure development practices found common ground on a need for audits and testing.

Digital Government

Senators Applaud Intelligence Leader’s Commitment to Declassification Reform

The senators are trying to focus more resources on artificial intelligence and access-control technologies for agencies to appropriately categorize documents in the digital age.

Cybersecurity

CISA Seeks Feedback on Baseline Measures to Secure Cloud Configuration

Initial baselines address Microsoft services, and baselines for configuring rival services from Google are up next. 

Digital Government

Justice Reveals Use of a Double Agent in Complaint Against Chinese Spies

The spies were charged with obstruction of justice during the prosecution of a Chinese telecommunications firm in one of three indictments the department uncovered related to China’s quest for technological superiority and global standing, officials said.

Cybersecurity

TSA Opens Registration for Public Meeting on Cybersecurity Regulations

The agency’s advisory committee typically meets behind closed doors, but they are required to hold at least one public meeting per year. 

Cybersecurity

CISA to Focus on Water, Education and Health Sectors Over the Next Year 

The agency contributed to the release of security requirements for the transportation sector this week and is expected to issue cross-sector performance goals for critical infrastructure companies’ voluntary adoption next week.

Cybersecurity

NSA Advocates Active Defense, as Industry Lawyer Advises Against Incident Reports

Speakers at a new conference hosted by cybersecurity firm Mandiant highlighted the challenge the government faces in motivating companies to report attacks on critical infrastructure.

Cybersecurity

Labor Group Highlights Conflict of Interest Issues in Cyber Workforce Legislation

The federal workers union wrote to senators opposing an amendment to the NDAA that would establish a civilian reserve at CISA.

Cybersecurity

4 Critical Infrastructure Sectors to Get New Cyber Rules, Per White House Official

The deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging tech said it should be up to sector-specific agencies to decide who should  implement appropriate cybersecurity defenses.

Cybersecurity

White House's Internet of Things Security Initiative Gets an Official Meeting Date

The meeting was announced as the administration prepared to release its long awaited national security strategy.

Cybersecurity

Why CISA Won’t Release ‘Public’ Comments on Upcoming Performance Goals

CISA officials often stress their non-regulatory role, but Congress keeps trying to give the agency regulatory responsibilities.

Cybersecurity

CISA Announces DC Event for Public Input on Incident Reporting Regulations

The effort aims to give officials a greater understanding of cyber threats and the ability to defend U.S. critical infrastructure against cascading impacts when attacks occur.

Cybersecurity

New Report Shows Significant Improvement in Consumer Cyber Hygiene

Senior administration officials and cybersecurity leaders marking Cybersecurity Awareness Month weighed in on a consumer survey examining how behaviors have changed over the last three years.

Cybersecurity

National Cybersecurity Review Begins for All Levels of Government

Answering the survey—based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity framework—is mandatory for certain grant recipients.

Cybersecurity

Senators’ Plan to Secure Open Source Software Involves Agencies Using More of It

The discovery of exploitable weaknesses in Log4j is resurfacing a 6-year-old push to save taxpayers money by calling on agencies to embrace open-source code.

Cybersecurity

Treasury Seeks Comment on How to Structure a Cyber Insurance Program

The Department’s Federal Insurance Office—together with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency—is soliciting feedback in preparation for a report to Congress.

Cybersecurity

Senate Legislation to Secure Open Source Software Relies on Transparency Initiative

Success would depend to a significant degree on whether agencies require vendors of information and communications technology to provide a software bill of materials with their products and services.