Using the Desient technology, web hosting providers will be able to diagnose malware before hey are blacklisted and thereby lose customers. The new company received $2 million in funding from several companies.

It’s “a challenging engineering problem,” says Daswani of performing diagnostics on malware-infected sites and quarantining code without disrupting site use. The Dasient Web Anti-Malware service, which starts from $50 per month, is still in an “alpha” stage in some respects, especially the malware-quarantining capability, Dasient’s co-founders acknowledge. The malware quarantining feature requires a Dasient software module to be installed on a Web server for protection.

Source: Computerworld
Photo: Flickr

The high-level position in question will have a direct line to the President and consult him on matters related to network and Internet security. After many problems with cybersecurity in the U.S., including the hacking of Army servers, it came as little surprise when Obama announced the new position. Whoever takes on the role will have tremendous responsibility.

Susan Landau, who declined to discuss if she has been short-listed for the job, said she would urge Obama to make it a top-level position, as he promised.

“The job is very important,” said Landau. “We have all sorts of different kinds of threats. … What you want is ubiquitous security.”

Landau is a Sun Microsystems engineer who has worked on digital rights, privacy and export control.

According to Wired Magazine, Charney said that he would not take the job but might be persuaded to change his mind if nominated.

Source: Wired
Photo: Flickr

Heading the National Cybersecurity Center will be Philip Reitinger, who is also Deputy Undersecretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD). He will hold both positions at the same time, a move which the DHS says will help them better coordinate cybersecurity efforts.

Reitinger also has previous experience working for Microsoft and the Department of Justice.

The former Senior Vice President of Alltel, Greg Schaffer, will serve as Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications. This is in addition to heading the National Cyber Security Division, the Office of Emergency Communications, and the National Communications System. Apparently Washington likes multitaskers.

Finally, Bruce McConnell will work as counselor to the deputy undersecretary. He will also advise Reitinger on policy.

Source: InformationWeek

The case is currently under investigation, with major search engines such as Google and internet service providers being served search warrants. The breach was at the Army’s McAlester Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engeineers’ Transatlantic Center in Winchester, Virginia.

The hackers managed to circumvent sophisticated security software designed by the Defense Department. It relies on many experts, spending millions of dollars on web server security, which raises questions about the safety of government cybersecurity programs. The Defense Department did not immediately respond to InformationWeek’s request for comments. Friday, President Obama announced a plan to create a new “cyber czar” position to oversee the U.S. Goverment’s cybersecurity.

Source: InformationWeek
Photo: Flickr

The announcement will coincide with the release of a 40-page document which will outline the U.S. government’s cybersecurity policies and strategies. What will not be addressed is the topic that is on the minds of many human rights organizations: privacy, particularly the role of the National Security Agency in relation to spying. Average citizens are concerned about whether their emails, web surfing, chatting, and other Internet activities are being monitored and what will be done with that intelligence.

The report does suggest the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board address concerns of privacy in relation to cybersecurity and the fight against terrorism. Melissa Hathaway is the interim White House cybersecurity adviser and is a contender to be appointed for the new position. She and her team created the cybersecurity document after a 60-day review of cyber policies.

Source: Washington Post
Photo: Flickr

Despite the need to cut costs, IT and cybersecurity experts are afraid the switch might happen too quickly. While the benefits of cloud computing are obvious, it is still a premature platform. The most common concern is that providers might not offer the kind of security the government needs. The technology’s reliability and durability have yet to be thoroughly tested as well.

Alan Paller, Director of Research at the SANS Institute, had this to say about the situation:

Most IT suppliers to the government are recasting their current government data centers into federal clouds primarily through PowerPoint presentations but without any real value addition. The key for government to take advantage of cloud computing is not to allow the outsourcers to shape the offerings but to choose the services it wants the clouds to deliver and then let the outsourcers compete in security, reliability and cost.

Basically, Paller is saying that the government shouldn’t let itself be taken for a ride by corporate spiel. As far as technology goes, many agencies are still stuck in the Stone Age and could end up signing contracts for cloud computing solutions that will end up not working out in the long run. If the government adopts cloud computing en masse and the transition fails, it will give the whole industry a poor reputation and set it back.

Source: Nextgov
Photo: Flickr