Hackers-for-hire group targeting government assets, report says
Hidden Lynx, a sophisticated group of professional hackers located in China, has carried out high-profile attacks on government, IT contractors and other industries at least since 2009, Symantec says.
The slow but steady progress of FISMA
But after 11 years it continues to mature and provide a reasonable framework for securing IT systems.
Getting harder to trust Alexander's NSA
Gen. Keith Alexander insists that the NSA needs public and industry support to do its job, but his lack of transparency makes it hard to keep the faith.
NIST updates guidelines for securing the DNS
NIST updated its guidance for deploying a secure Domain Name System in government enterprises to ensure the availability and integrity of critical DNS data.
Congress to IT security: Happy fiscal New Year
Security priorities are being set for the coming fiscal year, but budget irresponsibility could make achieving them difficult.
Survey finds IT managers ill-equipped to face cyber threats
A study of 600 IT managers found most want better intelligence tools to identify threats that are "difficult to detect," but many lack the budget to buy them.
LynuxWorks rootkit detector adds hardware punch to security scanning
LynuxWorks' system, called RDS5201, is an appliance capable of detecting low-level, zero-day rootkits in real time.
Biometric ID coming to a government office near you
This week's Biometric Consortium Conference showcases a wide range of hardware and software solutions for personal identification/authentication applications in government.
Suspect NIST crypto standard long thought to have a back door
The agency is advising against using an elliptic curve algorithm adopted in 2006 that has concerned cryptographers from the beginning.
Forensics tool makes sure investigators don't come up empty
CyanLine's Fast Disk Acquisition System gives forensics teams a real-time preview of what's on a drive, including whether it's set to prevent copying.
Officials warn of spoofed health exchange websites
The look-alike Web pages may be created by interest groups, private insurance companies and, sometimes, scammers looking to gather personal information.
Is the new iPhone's fingerprint scanner a sign of things to come?
If opened to app developers, Apple's Touch ID could give another authentication option to agencies looking to manage mobile devices, especially if other smartphone manufacturers follow suit.
NSA reports prompt NIST to reopen public review of crypto standards
Public concern over possible tampering by the NSA has led NIST to reopen the comment period on a suite of publications, but the IT security community isn't worried.
PIV credentials can now be used with mobile devices
The latest revision of FIPS 201, which sets the requirements for PIV cards, includes credentials for mobile devices and new interfaces to enable access with contactless connections.
Encrypted communications gives voice to dissidents
The encrypted communications provider is teaming with the Human Rights Foundation to enable secure links for activists, dissidents and other groups at risk of government snooping.
How do you protect DNS from hacktivists like SEA?
DNSSEC can be an effective tool -- but only one tool -- in preventing redirection attacks such as those carried out recently by the Syrian Electronic Army.
The NSA wants to be your backdoor man
The latest revelations from the Snowden files confirm what many have suspected for more than 35 years: The NSA knows it is easier to break a code if someone gives you the keys.
R U secure? Encrypted texting expands to Android OS.
Silent Circle releases its latest end-to-end encryption tool, which enables secure texting between Apple iOS and Android platforms. A secure, peer-to-peer email app is due next year.
The key to getting your money's worth out of IT security tools
Holding the vendor accountable for results — and right away — is the first step in getting value from your cybersecurity investment, said USPS information security officer Chuck McGann.
How USPS merges compliance, security in its huge enterprise
The Postal Service now is using the RedSeal network monitoring platform, originally intended to evaluate firewall rules, to improve situational awareness and operational security across its extended enterprise.
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