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The FBI, in partnership with the Slovenian Criminal Police and the Spanish Guardia Civil, recently announced significant developments in a two-year investigation of the creator and operators of the Mariposa Botnet.
The Mariposa Botnet was built with a computer virus known as "Butterfly Bot" and was used to steal passwords for websites and financial institutions. It stole computer users' credit card and bank account information, launched denial of service attacks, and spread viruses. Industry experts estimated the Mariposa Botnet may have infected as many as 8 million to 12 million computers.
READ MORE: FBI Press Release
The Mariposa Botnet was built with a computer virus known as "Butterfly Bot" and was used to steal passwords for websites and financial institutions. It stole computer users' credit card and bank account information, launched denial of service attacks, and spread viruses. Industry experts estimated the Mariposa Botnet may have infected as many as 8 million to 12 million computers.
READ MORE: FBI Press Release
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) tackle key obstacles, including the lack of a national R&D agenda, weak leadership, and little R&D information sharing, in cybersecurity R&D through its Subcommittee on Networking and Information Technology Research and Development. READ MORE
GAO Report
GAO Report
The federal government is reportedly launching an expansive program dubbed "Perfect Citizen" to detect cyber assaults on private companies and government agencies running such critical infrastructure as the electricity grid and nuclear-power plants. The program would rely on a set of cyber sensors deployed in computer networks for critical infrastructure that would be triggered by unusual activity suggesting an impending cyber attack, though it wouldn't persistently monitor the whole system. READ MORE
Another viewpoint ... Securing critical infrastructure against cyber attack impractical ... READ MORE
Follow-up ... NSA Denies it will monitor U.S. utilities, READ MORE
Another viewpoint ... Securing critical infrastructure against cyber attack impractical ... READ MORE
Follow-up ... NSA Denies it will monitor U.S. utilities, READ MORE
The shield of the U.S. Cyber Command includes a string of characters:9ec4c12949a4f31474f299058ce2b22a
In keeping with the spirit of the organization this "code" is not just random numbers but reportedly decodes into the organization's Mission Statement.
READ MORE
SOLVED...
Translated into 32 digits with the md5 cryptographic hash:
"USCYBERCOM plans, coordinates, integrates, synchronizes and conducts activities to: direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defense information networks and; prepare to, and when directed, conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations in order to enable actions in all domains, ensure US/Allied freedom of action in cyberspace and deny the same to our adversaries"
Leading lawmakers have sent a letter to the President signaling their commitment to strengthening national cycbersecurity.
The senators write that the government, industry and private citizens remain vulnerable to many cyber threats, including:
* Loss of vital intelligence
* Loss of intellectual property
* Identity theft and other cyber crimes
* Debilitation of critical infrastructure
* Degradation of communications
* Insecure financial transactions
READ MORE
VIEW LETTER
The senators write that the government, industry and private citizens remain vulnerable to many cyber threats, including:
* Loss of vital intelligence
* Loss of intellectual property
* Identity theft and other cyber crimes
* Debilitation of critical infrastructure
* Degradation of communications
* Insecure financial transactions
READ MORE
VIEW LETTER
DHS Inspector General says the federal government still cannot adequately protect its networks. One big reason why is that the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) established to spot vulnerabilities in the government's networks, and coordinate responses when those flaws are exploited has neither the authority nor the manpower to respond effectively to the threat of cyber attacks. READ MORE
Statement of Richard Skinner, Inspector General DHS, Before the Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives, June 16, 2001 (.pdf)
Statement of Richard Skinner, Inspector General DHS, Before the Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives, June 16, 2001 (.pdf)
National Cyber Security Center director Phil Reitinger testified during a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that Congress should work with the administration to determine if new presidential emergency powers are needed to govern how key industries such as power plants, the electrical grid and vital financial systems respond during a cyber crisis. READ MORE
Related: Stance of top cybersecurity official surprises Senators, READ MORE
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing / June 15, 2010 / Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset: Comprehensive Legislation for the 21st Century ... Hearing Archive (includes web-cast and testimonies)
Related: Stance of top cybersecurity official surprises Senators, READ MORE
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing / June 15, 2010 / Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset: Comprehensive Legislation for the 21st Century ... Hearing Archive (includes web-cast and testimonies)
Information sharing across federal, state and local agencies poses some of the most significant challenges to collaboration. Concerns about the ability of state and local agencies to protect sensitive information they receive has created reluctance among federal agencies and private sector companies to share information. READ MORE
GAO Report (.pdf)...
GAO Report (.pdf)...
