ICD Brief 100.
10.09.2018.-16.09.2018.
Greetings from the Smithsonian’s Sculpture Garden overlooking the National Archives. Our 100th edition from the US, Australia, Czech Republic, the EU, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, the ITU, Thailand, the UK, Vietnam. ranges from the new age of cyberwar to how TGI Friday’s uses artificial intelligence.
USA
Senators Moving to Expedite Vote to Create DHS Cyber Agency
Bloomberg
“Senators are trying to expedite unanimous passage of legislation that would authorize a new Department of Homeland Security agency to combat cyber threats. TheCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Act (H.R. 3359) would rename, reorganize, and bolster the department’s current cyber arm, known as the National Protection and Programs Directorate. The bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Michael McCaul(R-Texas), passed the House in December.”
“Entrupy, the hardware-enabled SaaS company known for its artificial intelligence-based product authentication technology, today debuted Entrupy Fingerprinting. The new solution, created to keep counterfeits from penetrating supply chains, gives manufacturers, retailers and other stakeholders the ability to verify the identity of a physical object at any point during its product life cycle.”
US Cyber Command Looks to Grow Its Acquisition Capacity
FCW
“The Defense Department’s newest combatant command is nearly a decade old but still doesn’t steer its own acquisitions. That could change in fiscal 2019, however, as U.S. Cyber Command staffs up its contracting office and seeks a bigger acquisition budget.”
How T.G.I. Friday’s Uses Artificial Intelligence
Axios
“As of late, T.G.I. Friday’s — that American stalwart of strip malls and airports — has a surprisingly modern engine behind it: artificial intelligence.”
An Ohio Cybersecurity Reserve Could Soon Respond to NetworkEmergencies
“Armed with keyboards and processors, Ohio’s newest security force may one day deploy not to deal with natural disasters, but rather network disasters.”
Australia
TAFE South Australia to Offer Cybersecurity Certificate Next Month
CRN
“TAFE South Australia will start offering a Certificate IV in Cyber Security next month in an effort to address Australia’s skills gap in the sector.”
Czech Republic
IBM Partners Blockchain Connect’s ‘Czech Alliance’ To Fight Fraud & Drive Digitization
Forbes
“The Blockchain Connect Association, a newly established Czech Alliance formed in the spring of 2018 with partners including IBM, PwC and a Prague-based fintech incubator for start-ups, has revealed plans to contribute to the development of blockchain technologies in the “economic and public spheres” within the Czech Republic.”
EU
EU Proposes Cybersecurity Competence Centres to Coordinate Funding, Protection
“The European Commission is proposing to create a Network ofCybersecurity Competence Centres in the EU, to better coordinate available funding for cybersecurity cooperation, research and innovation. A new European CybersecurityCompetence Centre would also be set up to help targetcybersecurity-related financial support. The measures are part of a broader package proposed by Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker to protect European elections from online interference.”
Europe Catches GDPR Breach Notification Fever
Bank Info Security
“Less than four months after GDPR enforcement began, Europe has arguably entered – if at times screaming and stumbling – into the modern data breach notification era. UK Data Breach Reports Quadruple.”
Germany
Cyber Attacks Cost German Industry Almost $50 Billion: Study
Reuters
“Two thirds of Germany’s manufacturers have been hit by cyber-crime attacks, costing industry in Europe’s largest economy some 43 billion euros ($50 billion), according to a survey published by Germany’s IT sector association on Thursday.”
India
Wider Reach of Internet, Smartphones A Cybersecurity Threat to India
Business Today
“A series of recent reports reveals that the number of cyber attacks in India has risen in the last one year. As a result, Indian companies have started paying special attention to cyber security and taking required steps to safeguard themselves. However, according to Samir Kapuria, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cyber Security Services and Peter Sparkes, Senior Director, Cyber Security Services, APJ at Symantec, this is not enough. In a conversation with Business Today, Kapuria and Sparkes talk about emerging threats to India because of its exploding smartphone user base.”
India Inc. Still Struggling with Cybersecurity
ET India Times
“Nearly two-thirds of Indian companies fear their management of cyber security risks is inadequate, a survey by consulting firm Deloitte has revealed. The companies found themselves to be less prepared to face these risks due to lack of trained professionals or budgetary constraints.”
Iran
Iran CERTCC Issues Cyber Attack Alert
Financial Tribune
“Iran’s Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (Iran CERTCC), the country’s cybersecurity authority, has issued a warning to the public, government bodies and companies about the rising tide of a dangerous ransomware attack, GandCrab v4.”
Israel
UK and Israel Forge Closer Links to Foster Fintech and Cybersecurity Innovation
Finextra
“TheCityUK and City TLV of Israel have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster FinTech and cyber security cooperation between two of the world’s leading centres for digital innovation.”
ITU
ITU Releases Guide for Cybersecurity Strategy
ET Telecom
“A national cybersecurity strategy guide was released on Tuesday on the sidelines of the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2018 in Durban, South Africa.”
Thailand
Cybersecurity Bill to Be Presented to Cabinet This Month
Bangkok Post
“The cybersecurity bill is expected to be submitted for cabinet consideration by the end of this month, says the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA).”
Southeast Asian Cybersecurity Center Opens in Thailand
Reuters
“A cyber security center opened in Thailand on Friday to train personnel from countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to help combat cyber threats in the attack-prone region.”
UK
UK Cybersecurity Course Gets MCA Accredited
Maritime Journal
“A new continuing professional development (CPD) course on maritime cyber security is putting the UK’s University of Plymouth at the forefront of maritime training.”
Vietnam
Vietnam Urges Facebook to Open Office Ahead of Controversial Cyber Law
“HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam has asked Facebook (FB.O) to open a local office as the Communist-ruled country increases pressure on global technology firms to abide by a controversial cyber security law.”
Feature
US Silently Enters New Age of Cyberwarfare
by: Mack DeGeurin
“Years ago, the world witnessed the creation of the first major “cyberweapon.” Secretly loaded onto an unknown Iranian worker’s USB flash drive, an American-Israeli line of malicious code now known as Stuxnet entered Iranian computer networks and spread like a cancer. (…) This past month, buried beneath an ant mound of political scandal and news cacophony, President Trump set in motion a plan to gut Presidential Policy Directive 20, an Obama-era policy limiting the use of destructive offensive cyberweapons like Stuxnet. ”