In-brief: In this special Security Ledger podcast, I interview Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (Ret), a top advisor to President Elect Donald Trump about his thoughts on cyber defense and improving the security of government and commercial systems.
Cyber Warfare
Top DHS cyber official named first federal chief information security officer – POLITICO
The White House Thursday announced that Greg Touhill, a top cybersecurity official at the Homeland Security Department, will serve as the first federal chief information security officer.”In his new role as Federal CISO, Greg will leverage his considerable experience in managing a range of complex and diverse technical solutions at scale with his strong knowledge of both civilian and military best practices, capabilities, and human capital training, development and retention strategies,” White House cyber czar Michael Daniel wrote in a blog post about the new appointment, which will be housed in the Office of Management and Budget.”Greg will lead a strong team within OMB who have been at the forefront of driving policy and implementation of leading cyber practices across federal agencies, and is the team that conducts periodic cyberstat reviews with federal agencies to insure that implementation plans are effective and achieve the desired outcomes,” Daniel said. Source: Top […]
Opinion: DHS, FBI Underscore Fed’s Massive Data Security Challenges
In-brief: Revelations last week of hacks that exposed information on FBI and DHS employees underscore the massive challenges that the federal sector face in securing sensitive information.
WSJ: Iranian Hackers Bust Into New York Dam
In-brief: The Wall Street Journal alleges that hackers with links to Iran may have compromised a small dam in Rye, New York. If true, the incident is just the latest evidence of information security vulnerabilities in U.S. critical infrastructure.
Fed CIO’s Security Sprint Ends with Long To-Do List
In-brief: In a 21-page memorandum posted on the White House website, the Obama Administration identified its top cyber security priorities. Among them: identifying high value information and assets on government networks, responding to cyber incidents in a timely manner and finding and keeping qualified information security staff. Its a list that one leading security expert says sounds worryingly familiar to earlier federal nostrums.
