Defense Systems

House task force digs into DOD supply chain vulnerabilities

The House Armed Services Committee has launched a task force to investigate defense supply chain vulnerabilities, foreign manufacturing concerns and other issues raised by the pandemic.

Defense Systems

IC: Influence campaigns, not hacking, used to meddle in US elections

The intelligence community's newly declassified report largely concludes Russia attempted to meddle in the U.S. election through influence operations but did not attempt the kinds of cyberattacks observed in 2016.

Defense Systems

NIST charting federal vulnerability disclosure policy

To design a software vulnerability program for the federal government, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is reviewing work done by the Defense and Homeland Security Departments.

Defense Systems

Hafnium hack poses extended threat

IT teams have a long road ahead of them as they work to find and root out all vestiges of the Hafnium hack in their Microsoft Exchange systems.

Defense Systems

GAO: Vague contract language hampers weapons systems' cybersecurity

The Government Accountability Office found that missing or vague cybersecurity requirements in acquisitions contracts for weapons systems often led to DOD getting a system that didn't meet its security needs.

Defense Systems

Pentagon issues cyber tasking order in response to Exchange hack

The Pentagon's new order to its agencies and commands aligns with the recent emergency directive issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Defense Systems

DARPA picks teams to bring homomorphic encryption to life

Four research teams will work to develop a hardware accelerator and software stack for fully homomorphic encryption that can bring the speed of FHE calculations in line with similar unencrypted data operations.

Science & Tech

Splitting NSA, CyberCom Now Could Reduce Military Access to Intelligence, Milley Says

The Joint Chiefs chairman says the organizations have not yet worked out how to keep the data flowing after the long-awaited split.

Policy

It’s Time for a Cybersecurity Quid Pro Quo

Require companies to disclose breaches to the government in exchange for legal liability limitations.

Defense Systems

Still more questions than answers on SolarWinds attack

At a recent hearing on the massive hack on SolarWinds' IT management software, witnesses explained that they are still unsure how widespread the attack was, how hackers corrupted the Orion software and what they intend to do with the information they’ve accessed

Defense Systems

CIA nominee: Cyber threats are 'ever greater risk' for U.S. society

William Burns, the president's nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, said the SolarWinds attack was a "harsh wake-up call" about the country’s vulnerabilities in both critical infrastructure and supply chains.

Threats

Defense Innovation Unit Launched 23 Projects Last Year, Up One-Third

The group also sent 11 capabilities to Defense Department partners, according to its annual report.

Business

Space Firms Put Aside Rivalries to Share Threat Data

A new clearinghouse has begun gathering and distributing information about threats to space networks, products, and services.

Defense Systems

White House plans executive action in response to massive breach

In the wake of a wide-ranging hack involving SolarWinds IT management software and other commercial products, the White House is planning executive action to address cybersecurity gaps.

Defense Systems

Tech exec to Congress: Supply chain hack took 1,000 engineers

The scope and scale of the attack as described by Microsoft President Brad Smith is in keeping with the attribution being made by public sector and private sector officials that the hack was perpetrated by Russian-sponsored actors.

Defense Systems

CISA looks inward to stop future supply chain attacks

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is exploring ways to better monitor internal systems’ communications for suspicious signals.

Defense Systems

Biden pledges international cooperation on cyber in speech

Biden addressed the global security forum for the first time as president last week when he called for the United States to cooperate with European allies on establishing cyberspace norms.

Policy

Should the Pentagon Reform Its Bid-Protest Rules?

Microsoft's president told senators yes, but bid protests hit a 10-year low last year.

Defense Systems

Crowdstrike: Pandemic drove 2020 uptick in cyberattacks

The company's new report highlights the threats facing healthcare institutions by both criminal and nation state-backed actors.

Policy

White House Prepping Multi-Part Executive Order on SolarWinds Hack

The official leading the effort said changes are necessary to improve information sharing within the federal government.