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Justice Department Says It Can't Share Lobbying Data Because Computer System Will Crash

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Who knew? A new denial of service attacks for databases, based on copying from them:The Bush Administration (actually Justice Dept. --ed) is offering a novel reason for denying a request seeking the Justice Department's database on foreign lobbyists: Copying the information would bring down the computer system. "Implementing such a request risks a crash that cannot be fixed and could result in a major loss of data, which would be devastating," wrote Thomas J. McIntyre, chief in the Justice Department's office for information requests. . . .

Anthony Pell
Jun 29, 2004

Linux in Government: Open Source Innovation within the DoD

Prior to implementing an integrated software solution for its hospitals in 1993, the military experienced bottlenecks in its computer services. Each branch of the armed services used different legacy systems and manual procedures to control the flow of medical supplies and equipment, facilities, contractors and record keeping. Then, the Department of Defense (DoD) automated the processes with a common standard platform to conduct medical logistics for every branch of service. When you manage as many hospitals and health-care facilities as the military does, standards-based solutions and coordinated automation are essential. . . .

Anthony Pell
Jun 28, 2004

Feds urge secrecy over network outages

"Giving the public too many details about significant network service outages could present cyberterrorists with a "virtual road map" to targeting critical infrastructures, according to the US Department of Homeland Security, which this month urged regulators to keep such information secret."Ah, this must be more of the "increased security through decreased transparancy" theory. It meshes well with the "Terrorists are smart enough to look into telecom outage reports and expert enough to know how to use them, but somehow cannot otherwise determine what parts of our information infastructure might be vulnerable" theory. Two words, DoHS: "Root Servers". And I didn't even read one of those outage reports! . . .

Anthony Pell
Jun 24, 2004

OPM outlines four steps for IT security training

The Office of Personnel Management today outlined a four-step process for agencies to follow to ensure employees, contractors and others who access federal systems are adequately trained in IT security. . . .

Anthony Pell
Jun 16, 2004

Gambling on Voting

If election officials want to convince voters that electronic voting can be trusted, they should be willing to make it at least as secure as slot machines. To appreciate how poor the oversight on voting systems is, it's useful to look at the way Nevada systematically ensures that electronic gambling machines in Las Vegas operate honestly and accurately. Electronic voting, by comparison, is rife with lax procedures, security risks and conflicts of interest. . . .

Anthony Pell
Jun 16, 2004

FDIC info security lacking, GAO finds

Weaknesses in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s information systems place sensitive information at risk of unauthorized disclosure, disruption of operations or loss of assets, according to the General Accounting Office. . . .

Anthony Pell
Jun 01, 2004

Auditors warn of foreign risks to weapons software

Its hard to help wondering if this might give Green Hills Software just the boost they've been looking for. To quote from the article, "The Defense Department's control of the source of weapons software came under fire today in a report issued by the General Accounting Office, which said overseas production of software creates an unacceptable security environment." . . .

Anthony Pell
May 27, 2004

The Open Source Government

With open source, agencies wouldn't be tied to the whims of one software vendor; instead, a community of developers would control an open source project. Open source software may also attract government users because the code can be exchanged between agencies, which are all watching their budgets. . . .

Anthony Pell
May 14, 2004

HNS Learning Session: Introduction to Computer Forensics

For this learning session on Help Net Security, we've got Michael J. Staggs, Senior Security Engineer at Guidance Software, discussing the basics of computer forensics. In this twelve minute audio, Mr. Staggs introduces the listeners to computer forensics in general, the need and importance of forensics in the IT environment and gives a number of valuable tips regarding the process, including creating methodology guidelines, incident simulation and more. . . .

Anthony Pell
May 13, 2004

DMCA Revisions 'Legalize Hacking'

Called the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act, the amendments are backed by librarians, liberal consumer groups and some technology firms. But they're bitterly opposed by the entertainment industry, including Hollywood, major record labels and the Business Software Alliance. . . .

Anthony Pell
May 13, 2004

DHS and UK ID card biometric vendor in false ID lawsuit

At San Jose Superior Court today (11 May) biometrics company Identix will seek to have a product liability and slander lawsuit against it and the States of California and Oregon dismissed. Plaintiffs Roger Benson and Miguel Espinoza are seeking restitution for the damage inflicted on them by duplication in police records which gave them other people's criminal records. . . .

Anthony Pell
May 11, 2004

Who Hacked the Voting System? The Teacher

The fix was in, and it was devilishly hard to detect. Software within electronic voting machines had been corrupted with malicious code squirreled away in images on the touch screen. When activated with a specific series of voting choices, the rogue program would tip the results of a precinct toward a certain candidate. Then the program would disappear without a trace. . . .

Anthony Pell
May 04, 2004

Don't Strangle Businesses Before They're Born

Probably someone reading this article is right now thinking up the killer app for RFID, the one that drives it into the mainstream. In 20 years we'll look back and say, "Hey, remember in 2004 we thought RFID was going to be used for inventory management? Wasn't that silly of us?" But that won't happen if RFID is strangled by government regulation before it's born. . . .

Anthony Pell
May 03, 2004

DHS, NSA team on cybersecurity

The National Security Agency and the Homeland Security Department will work together on educational initiatives to strengthen the country's computer infrastructure. On April 22, officials from NSA and DHS announced the formation of the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. It stems from NSA's Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education Program, which started in 1998 and recognizes 50 universities in 26 states. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 28, 2004

MPs ponder whether 'benign' hacking should be legal

Here is what a liberal MP had to say: "If a successor to David Blunkett was going to introduce tough censorship laws on the use of the Internet in the UK, should someone be able to justify a hacking attack against the IT involved because they opposed that censorship?" This is a dangerous trend, folks. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 27, 2004

DOD decentralizes Wi-Fi

The Defense Department's new wireless fidelity policy seeks help from many of its agencies to ensure their employees and contractors use caution when operating wireless computer devices at military installations. The chief information officer and DOD's Office of Networks and Information Integration (NI2) oversee and monitor the new Wi-Fi policy. But the undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Strategic Command, the Defense Information Systems Agency and department staff officials all get roles in the new policy. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 27, 2004

U.S. defends cybercrime treaty

he treaty is open to any country, with the approval of those that have already ratified it, and some fear that it could put the United States' surveillance capabilities at the disposal of foreign governments with poor human rights records, who may be investigating actions that are not considered crimes elsewhere. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 26, 2004

Cyberwar games part of training for US armed forces

The mission: to secure an entire computer network for the United States and its allies against a vague enemy force. Hostile agents aim to wreak havoc on military plans, sabotaging databases, computer terminals and communications. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 22, 2004

Last part of security strategy released

A cybersecurity task force recommended improvements today to a variety of technical standards and practices. Organized by the National Cyber Security Partnership, the task force issued a 104-page report with recommendations for the federal government and industry. The report is the last of five documents prepared by industry and academic experts on the President's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, a general blueprint for improving the nation's cybersecurity readiness. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 20, 2004

Could open source elections close out hanging chads?

When Joe Church contemplated trudging out in the Canada cold to cast a vote for relatively minor and in some cases unopposed local candidates, the IT veteran did what any Canuck computing geek would -- he set out to build an alternative, electronic voting system. . . .

Anthony Pell
Apr 06, 2004

Government - Page 40

Addressing Memory Safety Concerns: Actions for Linux Administrators

German State Abandons Microsoft for Linux and LibreOffice

White House Warns: Move to Memory-Safe Languages