Cyber
Smiths Detection moves forward in partnership with SeeTrue
On Thursday, Smiths Detection, a business within Smiths Group, announced it was accelerating its partnership with AI-based threat detection software provider, SeeTrue. Smiths Detection said it had successfully integrated and tested SeeTrue’s technology into its advanced CT security checkpoint... Read More »
Legislation strengthening cybersecurity measures introduced
On Thursday, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduce legislation they said will strengthen federal cybersecurity by forcing federal contractors to adhere to cybersecurity guidelines. The legislation, the Federal Contractor Cybersecurity Vulnerability Reduction Act of... Read More »
National Security Workforce gets AI-enabled tools for upskilling
A recent DARPA competition is working to develop tools to help build national security workforce training programs, officials said. As part of DARPA’s “Building an Adaptive and Competitive Workforce,” six teams received cash prizes to kickstart and refine solutions showing promise in... Read More »
Legislation to advance federal cyber workforce introduced
On Friday, U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced legislation that would help advance the development of the country’s federal cyber workforce. Rounds, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity said the legislation, the... Read More »
NATO Allies to establish Integrated Cyber Defense Center
On Thursday, NATO Allies announced they had reached an agreement to establish a new center that will address increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The NATO Integrated Cyber Defence Centre (NICC) will augment the protection of NATO and Allied networks as well as the use of cyberspace as an... Read More »
Legislation to harmonize federal cybersecurity regulations introduced
On Thursday, U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced legislation that would establish a comprehensive framework for cybersecurity regulations across the federal government. The bill, the Streamlining Federal Cybersecurity Regulations Act, seeks to address sometimes... Read More »
CISA holds cyber roundtables for industry, higher education, healthcare stakeholders
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, M.D. (R-TN) held four cyber roundtables with Jen Easterly, director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for industry, higher education and healthcare stakeholders. The discussion followed hearings by the House Homeland Security... Read More »
PREPARED for AI Act proposes guardrails for any federal use of artificial intelligence
U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently introduced the PREPARED for AI Act, which calls for safeguards on any use of artificial intelligence (AI) by the federal government by the creation of certain standards focused on safe adoption and critical assessment. “Artificial... Read More »
April National Cyber Crime Conference drew record numbers looking to refine training
More than 1,000 law enforcement officers from local, state, federal and international organizations attended the National Cyber Crime Conference this April, making use of the opportunity to expand their knowledge and tools for dealing with cyber incidents. While the event has been ongoing since... Read More »
New bill would require U.S. Intelligence agencies to develop cyber safeguards for ports
With the introduction of the Secure Smartports Act, U.S. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) seek to convince their fellow lawmakers of the danger to U.S. ports posed by Chinese cyberattacks and intrusion. “Every day we don’t understand the risks of relying on Chinese technology is... Read More »
U.S. Cyber Command, DARPA advance partnership under Constellation technology pathway
Although they have been working together on the Constellation pilot program since 2022, the U.S. Cyber Command and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently deepened their ties with an agreement on future planning necessities. Constellation is a pilot program meant to get cyber... Read More »
House bill calls for AI task force within Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
As more governments and businesses seek what artificial intelligence (AI) can offer, U.S. Reps. Troy Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) want to make certain guardrails are in place through new legislation and a new federal task force. In the recently introduced Cybersecurity and... Read More »
BIOSECURE Act would prohibit federal contracting with biotechnology firms of foreign adversaries
With China in mind, U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) recently introduced the BIOSECURE Act (H.R.8333) – a bill to make it illegal for the federal government to contract with the biotechnology companies of foreign adversaries. Pitched as a way to safeguard... Read More »
Shuffle at the Cyber Safety Review Board as four seats change hands
The Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), which is only two years old, announced a shakeup in membership this week, as four current members departed and were replaced by others. The Board was created in February 2022, following President Joe Biden's direction to improve U.S. cybersecurity. It is... Read More »
FBI Report: Older population hit by more than $3.4B in scam losses in 2023
According to the latest Elder Fraud Report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 2023 brought losses of more than $3.4 billion to those over 60 years old in the United States, thanks to an increasing variety of targeted scams. “This report underscores the fact that seniors are a... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security forms AI Safety and Security Board
As a new means to advise the Secretary of Homeland Security and stakeholders, and promote safe development of artificial intelligence (AI), the department recently formed the AI Safety and Security Board. Joined by more than 20 technology and critical infrastructure executives, civil rights... Read More »
Embattled TikTok in jeopardy as President Biden signs legislative ban
The ByteDance-owned TikTok faces an uphill battle in the United States after President Joe Biden signed a law this week forcing it to sell to a U.S. company or be banned outright. Biden’s signature was the final stroke needed to pass the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled... Read More »
Reward offered for Iranian nationals charged over multi-year cyber campaign against U.S. companies
In unsealing a 13-page indictment this week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed charges against four Iranian nationals for their alleged involvement in a hacking campaign against the U.S. government and private companies. The defendants remain at large and the United States has... Read More »
DHS Cyber Safety Review Board blames corporate culture for 2023 Microsoft Exchange Online incident
Following an independent review of the Microsoft Exchange Online intrusion in summer 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) announced that the attack had been preventable, and steps should be taken to do so in the future. Last summer, Microsoft... Read More »
DoD’s Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Strategy calls for strengthened structures, collaboration
With the recent release of its Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cybersecurity (CS) Strategy, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) sought to lay out a means to achieve internal and industry-facing cybersecurity through 2027. The strategy is split into four goal areas: Strengthening the DoD... Read More »
CISA seeks public input on new cybersecurity incident, ransomware reporting plans
As required by the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on new cybersecurity measures meant to bolster its real-time capabilities. “Cyber... Read More »
Sen. Barrasso raises concerns over DOE’s ability to protect AI R&D from China
With artificial intelligence (AI) the increasing focus of interest for Washington and private companies, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) this week wrote to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm with doubts about her department’s ability to protect research from Chinese interests. “In the... Read More »
Sen. Peters presses federal agencies to increase cybersecurity for American health care
Citing cases where cyberattacks targeted health care systems in the United States, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) recently wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) requesting cybersecurity boosts for the... Read More »
DHS collaborates with European Union for transatlantic comparison of cyber incident reporting
Looking to better align approaches to cyber incidents on both sides of the Atlantic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the European Commission’s Directorate General for Communications, Networks, Content, and Technology (DG CONNECT) recently launched a new comparison... Read More »
DHS releases AI roadmap, new pilot projects to test AI technology for various missions
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security laid out its 2024 plans for technology this week, unveiling the launch of three pilot projects to test artificial intelligence for immigration officer training, making it easier to apply for disaster relief grants and improving investigatory efficiency.... Read More »
House advances bill to force sale of or effectively ban TikTok in major bipartisan vote
The U.S. House recently passed H.R. 7521, a significant bipartisan bill that seeks to to prevent foreign adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through applications such as TikTok. Specifically, H.R. 7521 – the... Read More »
Senators raise concerns about proposed global pandemic accord for its weakening of IP protections
In a letter to United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, a group of senators voiced concern over a proposed global accord by the World Health Organization (WHO) that seeks to aid pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. However, the lawmakers argued that it could also weaken... Read More »
United States, U.K. take down international LockBit ransomware group
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that, together with the United Kingdom, it had successfully disrupted the LockBit ransomware group, seizing its infrastructure and developing decryption capabilities for its software. The group has reportedly targeted more than 2,000... Read More »
House Homeland Security committee, federal agencies hold classified briefing focused on TikTok
Security concerns regarding TikTok, which have passed in and out of Congress for years, surged back into focus again recently as the House Committee on Homeland Security gathered federal agencies for a classified briefing on the Chinese firm-owned app. In a meeting led by U.S. Rep. August... Read More »
International effort results in cybercrime charges, seizure of internet domains used to sell malware
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), in collaboration with international law enforcement organizations, recently announced the seizure of internet domains used to sell malware and a pair of indictments lodged against individuals in Malta and Nigeria. Federal authorities in Boston seized four... Read More »
DETECT Act seeks cybersecurity guidelines for federal usage of drones
With their recent introduction of the Drone Evaluation to Eliminate Cyber Threats Act of 2024 (DETECT Act), U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) seek to direct the development of cybersecurity guidelines for the federal government’s use of drones. “Drones and unmanned systems... Read More »
DHS launches artificial intelligence expert hiring push to scrutinize use of AI
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to hire 50 artificial intelligence experts this year as part of a unique initiative meant to create a new team focused on ensuring responsible use of AI. Dubbed a hiring sprint, the effort will yield what the DHS is calling its AI Corps.... Read More »
Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Competition Act advances out of committee with bipartisan support
In a recent vote, the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Competition Act advanced its way out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, leaving the Senate to consider its push to prepare federal employees for cybersecurity threats. “By ensuring our nation has a... Read More »
HHS releases voluntary healthcare performance goals for cybersecurity improvements
Eying ways to improve cybersecurity among healthcare operations nationwide, the U.S. Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) released new voluntary performance goals and a new gateway website this week. “We have a responsibility to help... Read More »