Senate

Hacking Warships, Capitol Hill takes a Swing at IoT Security and why CS Grads don’t get Security

In-brief: on this week’s Security Ledger Podcast, we delve deeper into the question of maritime cyber security, speaking with noted researcher Ruben Santamarta of the firm IOActive about the work he’s done exposing vulnerabilities in the software that runs both commercial and navy vessels. Also: Alan Brill of Kroll joins us to talk about The Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act. And we talk to Maria Loughlin of the firm Veracode about a new survey that suggests undergraduate computer science majors aren’t receiving adequate instruction in cyber security. 

Report: GOP Border Wish List includes Drones, DNA & Voice Scans

Enlarge / A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer checks identifications as people cross into the United States from Mexico on September 23, 2016 in San Ysidro, California. (credit: John Moore / Getty Images News)
If a new Senate Republican border security bill is passed as currently drafted, it would dramatically increase the amount of surveillance technologies used against immigrants and, in some cases, American citizens traveling to and from the United States.
The bill, known as the “Building America’s Trust Act,” is authored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.). It aims for a “long-term border security and interior enforcement strategy,” according to its summary. However, the senators have yet to formally introduce the text of the bill.
So Ars is going to do it for them: we received an advance copy of the bill’s text from an anonymous source, and we are publishing it here before it has been formally introduced in the Senate. Ars repeatedly contacted the offices of all six senators who are listed as co-sponsors for comment—none made anyone available.
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A New Great Game: Russia, China, North Korea heighten Cyber Risk

In-brief: Russia, China and North Korea are increasingly willing to use offensive cyber operations to weaken their enemies, including the United States, according to a report by the firm Flashpoint, which released its Business Risk Index report on Tuesday.

Update: Cash for Medical Device Clunkers? Task Force calls for Healthcare Security Overhaul

In-brief: the U.S. healthcare sector is in critical condition and needs urgent, coordinated action to protect patient safety and address vulnerabilities in millions of deployed medical devices, a Congressional Task Force has concluded. (Updated with comments from Joshua Corman of Atlantic Council. PFR June 7, 2017)

FCC Wary of Security Mandates for Internet of Things | Morning Consult

In-brief: Despite urging from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the FCC is wary of changing rules to give ISPs a freer hand in cutting off access for infected Internet of Things devices, according to a report.