China State TV Deletes Video Implying Hacking of Western Sites

The main Chinese state television network has deleted from the Internet a video that some foreign military and Internet security analysts say implies China has engaged in hacking attacks on Web sites in the West.

The video was the July 16 episode of a program on China Central Television 7 called “Military Science and Technology.” The episode, called “The Internet Storm is Coming,” was about cyberwarfare.

This week Western analysts began publicly scrutinizing a sequence that a narrator on the program says shows “many Internet attack methods.” There is then a demonstration of one method: on the screen, what appears to be a human-operated cursor chooses a target Web site address, then hits a button that says “attack.”

Using a software application on screen, the cursor chooses a target Web site under a pull-down menu for “Falun Gong Web sites in North America.” Falun Gong is a spiritual group that underwent persecution in the late 1990s in China and is now outlawed in the country.

In the CCTV program, the cursor selects an IP address of 138.26.72.17 as a target. It is a defunct IP address at the University of Alabama. But a screenshot of the page linked to that address that was archived on the Internet in 2000 shows an informational page associated with the Falun Gong. It is unclear who set up the page.

An online article published on China SignPost on Wednesday by two military analysts, Andrew Erickson and Gabe Collins, said there were questions as to whether the television program was using a mock-up to demonstrate cyberwarfare, or whether it revealed real hacking software and an actual attack. The technology shown was at least a decade old, the authors wrote. But “it is significant that an official Chinese state television channel showed even a symbolic representation of a cyberattack, particularly one on entities clearly located in a foreign sovereign nation,” they wrote.

Chinese officials deny repeated assertions by foreign Web security experts and foreign governments that China is the source for many prominent and ambitious attacks.

The discussion among Western analysts over the July 16 episode and its significance began this week when links to screenshots of the episode circulated on the Internet. By Friday, a video of that episode had been removed from a CCTV Web site that still has other recent episodes of “Military Science and Technology.”

CCTV has declined to comment. There has been at least one notable example of the network’s using fake footage in a report on the military: In January, it tried to pass off a scene of a fighter jet getting blown to bits in the 1986 movie “Top Gun” as images of a military training exercise done by the People’s Liberation Army.

nytimes.com

UK: Ministers Attend Social Media Meeting

shockya.com

Home Secretary Theresa May is to chair a meeting today between government ministers, police and representatives of Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry makers Research in Motion to discuss possible measures to prevent the technology being used to organise riots.

Several individuals have already been handed jail sentences for attempting to organise riots using Facebook pages, Twitter and Blackberry Messenger during the unrest in early August.

During an emergency session of Parliament shortly after the riots, Prime Minister David Cameron said the government would be "working with the police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality".

However, there are already signs of a split in the Conservative party over whether it is right for governments to restrict the use of social media, notably from London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Johnson was quoted in the Financial Times as saying: "The briefings I've had so far on this matter make it clear that social media and being able to follow things on Twitter is of some intelligence benefit to the police."

A Home Office spokesman said: "These discussions will help us determine how law enforcement and the networks can work better together.

"Amongst the issues to be discussed is whether and how we should be able to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality.

"Social networking is not a cause of the recent disturbances but a means of enabling criminals to communicate. We are working with the police to see what action can be taken to prevent access to those services by customers identified as perpetrators of disorder or other criminal action."

UNPAN Europe

Counter Terror Arabia 2011 to showcase latest techniques and technologies of emergency response

Counter Terror Arabia 2011 will showcase the latest techniques and technologies for dealing with terrorists and criminals.

Clarion Events Middle East announced that leading international defence and security experts on counter-terror and criminality will speak at Counter Terror Arabia 2011 on a wide range of current and future issues. The conference will review existing best practice and explore the latest techniques and technologies, alongside strategic planning, the integration of different agencies and authorities and the practical aspects of emergency response for both governments and companies.

Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from October 31 to November 2, 2011, and co-located with Fire and Rescue Middle East, Counter Terror Arabia will be the most influential and informative event for everyone concerned with in regional, national and private security in the Gulf and Indian Ocean area.

Christopher Hudson, Managing Director, Clarion Events Middle East, said: "Some of the world's leading authorities will give their opinions and advice at Counter Terror Arabia 2011.

International and regional defence and security experts will provide a comprehensive analysis on how to tackle the variety of complex challenges posed by domestic and international criminals and terrorists, both now and in the future. We are fortunate in having a distinguished group of speakers and panelists, including His Excellency Dr. Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and Rear Admiral Christopher Parry CBE, former Director General Development, Concepts and Doctrine, UK Ministry of Defence and an internationally recognized authority on transnational terrorism and crime. Alongside our other speakers, we anticipate a great deal of useful interaction and thought leadership, enhancing the region's growing reputation for innovative thinking and best practice."

As terror and criminal activities transcend national borders, day one of the conference will have John Bruni, Vice President of Royal United Services Institute, highlight the current threats and future risks associated with these activities. Furthermore, Muhammad Rafiuddin Shah, Acting Chief Officer of United Nations Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) will focus on how a global counter terror strategy can be reached to minimize attacks by those who seek to cause harm and major disruption.

Cyber crime is an established and growing threat to the integrity of civilian, commercial and security structures in the Gulf and Middle East region and forms a key part of the conference programme. Illyas Kooliyankal, Chief Information Security Officer of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, will speak on cyber vulnerabilities faced by governments and multi-national companies, and Majid Madhloum, Head of Security Quality, UAE Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT), will discuss solutions that can protect systems and information from unauthorized access, as well as outline the work of aeCERT in helping government and other important organisations to prepare for and respond to cyber attacks.

A recent report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that air travelers will increase to 400 million every year by 2020, thereby making airports increasingly attractive targets for criminals and terrorists.

The GCC is set to invest US$ 90 billion on airport development by 2022, with almost a third allocated for security upgrades and, as such, the programme will tackle innovation in aviation security. Ahmad Al Haddabi, Senior Vice President, Airport Operations, at Abu Dhabi Airports Company and Dale R .Davis, Executive Director, National Security Initiatives, Global Strategies Group, Global Integrated Security (Middle East), will discuss programs for continuous improvement of all aspects of aviation security.

Rear Admiral Christopher Parry, CBE, former Director General of Development Concepts and Doctrine of the British Ministry of Defence, and Clarion's Defence and Security Conferences Advisor, said: "A persistent, pressing concern for governments and companies is the threat of piracy and other criminal activity at sea. The International Maritime Bureau reported that piracy hit an all-time high in the first six months of 2011, rising from 196 attacks a year worldwide to 266. The Gulf and Indian Ocean are critical to the smooth operation of the world's trading system and to energy security. Governments and companies will want to access and implement the latest technologies and techniques in their attempts to reduce risks and overhead costs at sea."

Captain Duncan McKelvie F.N.I., Area Marine Representative of NYK Line, will highlight the threats to maritime activity and the links between piracy, trafficking and terror. In addition, R S Vasan, Head of Strategy and Security Studies at the Center for Asia Studies will speak on the challenges facing the littoral states to the west of the Arabian Sea and how they can protect vessels and crew from piracy and criminality.

Day 3 will focus on integrated Emergency Response. Speakers will discuss how multi-agency responses to both man-made and natural events need to be anticipated, planned and executed. T.B. McClelland Jr., President and CEO of Center House Ltd., will present an analysis of the challenges of managing catastrophic incidents. Other speakers include Dr. Ajith George, Coordinator, Major Incident Medical Response of Health Authority Abu Dhabi; Stephen Ramage, Director, Global Outreach, of Open Geospatial Consortium; and Ali Asad, Emergency Response Coordinator for Kuwait Oil Company.

Other notable participants include: Lieutenant Colonel Tamir Maayta, Director of the Special Branch Training Center of Jordan's Public Security Directorate; Andrew Trotter, Chief Constable of British Transport Police; Robert Grenier, Chairman of the Advisory Board for ERG Partners and Former Director CIA Counter-Terrorist Centre, USA; Kent Clizbe, CIA Counter Terrorism Expert; Ben Emmerson QC, Special Reporter on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights for the United Nations; Mark Moles, Detective Chief Inspector SO15 Counter Terrorism Command, Counter Terrorism and Extremism Liaison Officer (CTELO) for UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Maldives; Anthony Tompson, LLB, Specialist Consultant; Guy Thomas, Head of Global Maritime Awareness Programme at the US Coastguard's National Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness; Richard Smith, Head of Force Information Management at British Transport Police; and Paul Burke, Managing Director of Middle East Security.

Visitors to Counter Terror Arabia include personnel from the intelligence services, armed forces, police and law enforcement, protectors of critical national infrastructure, central/regional and local government representatives, private sector companies, systems integrators, and personnel from the building and facilities protection, airports and ports, emergency response, border control, customs and immigration, transport security, training and consultancy sectors.

Organized by Clarion Events Middle East, Counter Terror Arabia is an extension of the successful London and Washington D.C. editions.

ameinfo.com

Chinese Military Documentary Reveals Alleged Attack Software

Government-run TV channel program accidentally reveals what appears to be software designed for cyber warfare.

http://military.cntv.cn/program/jskj/20110717/100139.shtml

A military documentary broadcast in China last month on a government-run TV channel has revealed what appears to be software designed for cyber warfare.

The documentary, titled "Military Technology: Internet Storm is Coming," has been posted to YouTube and was available on the CCTV website at the time this article was filed.

The existence of the software was first reported by The Epoch Times, a publication founded by members of the Falun Gong, a religious organization that's banned in China. The cyber war software--it has a button labeled "Attack" and a menu labeled "Select Attack Destinations" -- lists Falun Gong websites as preset targets.

"The screenshots show the name of the software and the Chinese university that built it, the Electrical Engineering University of China's People's Liberation Army--direct evidence that the PLA is involved in coding cyber-attack software directed against a Chinese dissident group," the Epoch Times report states.

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The distinction between this attack software and penetration testing software used by security researchers around the globe to identify vulnerabilities is probably relatively minor, apart from the aggressive wording of menus and buttons.

In a blog post, Mikko H. Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, notes that the Chinese documentary initially appears to be fairly standard fare about the risks of cyber warfare. "However, while they are speaking about theory, they actually show camera footage of Chinese government systems launching attacks against a U.S. target," he wrote. "This is highly unusual. The most likely explanation is that this footage ended up in the final cut because the editor did not understand the significance of it."


The documentary shows someone choosing the IP address 138.26.72.17 to attack. This address is associated with the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Ala.

A person answering the phone at the domain contact phone number declined to be identified but said that the address has been inactive for several years and had been associated with a website run by a university student involved in Falun Gong.

For years, there have been accusations that the Chinese government has endorsed or sponsored cyberattacks against the U.S. and U.S. companies, most notably the cyberattack from China that Google reported in early 2010. That attack was said to have affected at least 30 companies and organizations. More recently, security company McAfee reported on a series of related attacks that it refers to in aggregate as "Operation Shady Rat."

The U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a speech last year following the attack reported by Google, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "Countries or individuals that engage in cyber-attacks should face consequences and international condemnation."

The Chinese government has consistently denied that it is involved in cyberattacks and has claimed that it is the biggest victim of cyberattacks.

While the Chinese government has not produced evidence of this, it's clear that China is not the only nation-state conducting cyber warfare operations. The sophisticated Stuxnet cyberattack on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, for example, is widely believed to have come from the U.S. and/or Israel.

.informationweek.com

'Iran to hold cyber security maneuver'

Head of Iran's Passive Defense Organization says the Islamic Republic plans to hold a massive cyber maneuver to increase readiness against possible cyber attacks on the country.

Head of Iran's Passive Defense Organization
Brigadier General Gholam-Reza Jalali

Brigadier General Gholam-Reza Jalali told IRNA on Sunday that the drill is meant to assess the readiness of Iranian organizations and departments to prevent future cyber intrusions.

The remarks come amid reports that the Israeli military is planning a major cyber war against Iran by setting up a military cyber command.

The new cyber command, which has been described as central to the “defense capability” of the Israeli regime, will directly report to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli command center, supported by the military, has reportedly conducted a series of "soft" espionage missions, including hacking into Iran's version of Facebook and other social networking sites.

A source with close knowledge of Israel's cyber war preparations said that Tel Aviv has two principal cyber targets, namely stopping Tehran's nuclear program and its civil infrastructure.

Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Reza Taqipour said on August 10 that the Islamic Republic has taken appropriate countermeasures, including the establishment of a cyber command, to control and foil cyber attacks targeting the Islamic Republic.

presstv.ir

RIM Helps Police Inquiries Into London Riots

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has promised to help police looking into the use of social media to co-ordinate riots in London at the weekend.

RIM has promised to help police looking into the role of BlackBerry Messenger in co-ordinating the riots in London over the weekend. Photo credit: Nicobobinus/Flickr

RIM said that it will "co-operate fully with the Home Office and UK police forces" looking into the possible use of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) in riots in north London over the weekend, which saw over 160 people arrested and 26 police officers injured.

"We feel for those impacted by this weekend's riots in London. We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can," Patrick Spence, managing director of RIM's global sales and regional marketing, said in a statement on Monday. "As in all markets around the world where BlackBerry is available, we co-operate with local telecommunications operators, law enforcement and regulatory officials."

RIM has given governments access to BlackBerry communications in the past, negotiating with countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, and India. The company averted bans on its email and messaging services by agreeing to give governments access to communications.

Disturbances

The riots started on Saturday in Tottenham Hale following the fatal shooting of local man Mark Duggan by police on Thursday. The riots spread around the capital over the weekend, and police reported widespread looting in north, east and south London boroughs by small groups of people on Sunday. Disturbances continued on Monday in Hackney and other areas.

Three officers were hit by a car when trying to make arrests for looting in Waltham Forest on Sunday, while Brixton saw looting and fires. Enfield also saw looting, Islington was the scene of some disturbances, and 50 youths gathered in Oxford Circus and were contained by police. Some officers were still in hospital on Monday, according to the police.

The Metropolitan Police said it will investigate the use of BBM and social-networking sites such as Twitter to incite and co-ordinate riot activity.

"We will pursue anyone who incites violence, whether verbal, on a placard, or via Twitter," a Met spokesperson told ZDNet UK. "We will be looking at all forms of public communication [including BBM]."

Twitter could not be reached for comment on whether it has been approached by the police over the incidents.

BBM

Unlike Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger can be used to send private messages to a network of contacts, and so avoid immediate official surveillance.

"There is no doubt that that BBM — BlackBerry Messenger — is being used to organise disturbances," said Guardian journalist Paul Lewis. "I've had multiple sources confirm that this BBM message, encouraging people to loot in Enfield Town, was widely disseminated as early as 2pm on Sunday."

The Guardian quoted a message, purportedly circulated via BBM, which began: "Everyone in edmonton enfield woodgreen everywhere in north link up at enfield town station 4 o clock sharp!!!! Start leaving ur yards n linking up with you niggas. Guck da feds, bring your ballys and your bags trollys, cars vans, hammers the lot!!"

In addition, the Urban Mashup blog reported on Sunday that messages about Duggan's shooting had been circulating on BBM since Thursday, fuelling anger about the death.

Twitter and social-networking sites were used in the Arab Spring series of uprisings in 2011 to co-ordinate actions against repressive regimes. US authorities have recently revealed that they are monitoring social networks to detect the distribution of extremist violent propaganda.

zdnet.co.uk

Massive Global Cyberattack Targeting U.S., U.N. Discovered; Experts Blame China

Courtesy : foxnews.com

The world's most extensive case of cyber-espionage, including attacks on U.S. government and U.N. computers, was revealed Wednesday by online security firm McAfee, and analysts are speculating that China is behind the attacks.

The spying was dubbed "Operation Shady RAT," or "remote access tool" by McAfee -- and it led to a massive loss of information that poses a huge economic threat, wrote vice president of threat

"What is happening to all this data -- by now reaching petabytes as a whole -- is still largely an open question," Alperovitch wrote on a blog detailing the threat. "However, if even a fraction of it is used to build better competing products or beat a competitor at a key negotiation (due to having stolen the other team’s playbook), the loss represents a massive economic threat."

Analysts told The Washington Post that the finger of blame for the infiltration of the 72 networks -- 49 of them in the U.S. -- points firmly in the direction of China.

California-based McAfee would only say it believed there was one "state actor" behind the attacks -- identified from logs tracked to a single server -- against a long list of victims, including the governments of the U.S., Taiwan, India, Canada and others; the International Olympic Committee; the U.N; and an array of high firms and defense contractors.

Alperovitch admitted he was shocked by the scope of the scam.

"Even we were surprised by the enormous diversity of the victim organizations and were taken aback by the audacity of the perpetrators," he wrote in a 14-page report released on Wednesday.

As the threat of cyberwarfare grows, 56 percent of Americans believe the U.S. should be able to authorize cyberattacks when necessary, according to a poll posted on 60Minutes.com.

McAfee researchers discovered a “command and control” server in 2009 while investigating some attacks against defense contractors, Reuters reported. In March of this year, they returned to that computer and found logs revealing all of the attacks, the agency said.

While McAfee investigators can only guess what exactly was stolen, McAfee's Alperovitch said the attacker looked for data that would give it military, diplomatic and economic advantage, Reuters reported.

McAfee found evidence of security breaches as far back as mid-2006, but said that it’s possible the hacking began before that, Reuters reported. Some attacks lasted just a month, while others lasted for more than two years.

The attacks were carried out using spear-phishing emails, which are tainted with malicious software, to specific people at the organizations they targeted. When people clicked on an infected link, the intruder was able to jump on to the machine and use it to infiltrate the organizations computer network, Reuters said.

ShadyRAT map of countries hit

The hackers sought out sensitive data on U.S. military systems and satellite communications, with the snooping apparently going on for several years.

Companies in construction, steel, energy, solar power, technology, accounting and media were targeted.

The intrusion into the U.N. computer system in Geneva in 2008 went unnoticed for nearly two years, while the hackers quietly combed through files of secret data, according to McAfee.

The UN said it was aware of the report, and had started an investigation to ascertain if there was an intrusion.

Many of the attacks targeted organizations linked to Taiwan and the IOC in the months leading up to the 2008 Beijing games, which pointed analysts toward China.

"This is the biggest transfer of wealth in terms of intellectual property in history," Alperovitch told Reuters. "The scale at which this is occurring is really, really frightening."


.foxnews.com

Social media is Pentagon's new battlefield

THE Pentagon is asking scientists to figure out how to detect and counter propaganda on social media networks in the aftermath of Arab uprisings driven by Twitter and Facebook.

The US military's high-tech research arm, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, has put out a request for experts to look at “a new science of social networks” that would attempt to get ahead of the curve of events unfolding on new media.

The program's goal was to track “purposeful or deceptive messaging and misinformation” in social networks and to pursue “counter messaging of detected adversary influence operations,” according to DARPA's request for proposals issued on July 14.

The project echoes concerns among top military officers about the lightning pace of change in the Middle East, where social networks have served as an engine for protest against some longtime US allies.

Some senior officers have spoken privately of the need to better track unrest revealed in social networks and to look for ways to shape outcomes in the Arab world through Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.

“Events of strategic as well as tactical importance to our Armed Forces are increasingly taking place in social media space,” the DARPA announcement said.

“We must, therefore, be aware of these events as they are happening and be in a position to defend ourselves within that space against adverse outcomes,” it said.

DARPA predicted that social networks would have a groundbreaking effect on warfare.

“Changes to the nature of conflict resulting from the use of social media are likely to be as profound as those resulting from previous communications revolutions,” it said.

Under the proposal, researchers would be expected to unearth and classify the “formation, development and spread of ideas and concepts (memes)” in social media.

The document cited a case in which authorities employed social media to head off a potential crisis, but did not specify details of the incident.

“For example, in one case rumours about the location of a certain individual began to spread in social media space and calls for storming the rumoured location reached a fever pitch,” it said.

“By chance, responsible authorities were monitoring the social media, detected the crisis building, sent out effective messaging to dispel the rumours and averted a physical attack on the rumoured location.”

DARPA planned to spend $39 million on the Social Media in Strategic Communication program, with prospective contractors asked to test algorithms through “experiments” with social media, it said.

One possible experiment could involve a “closed social media network” of two to five thousand volunteers or an online role playing game with tens of thousands of players.

AFP | .theaustralian.com.au

CyberSecurity clinic to enhance security, safety and info privacy

PILOT STUDY: Husin (top right) speaking to the media after a talk and briefing on the CyberSecurity Scenario in Malaysia at Wisma Bernama here yesterday. He affirmed that the pilot study for the clinic began earlier this year. — Bernama photo

The CyberSecurity Malaysia Clinic which is expected to be opened by September this year, is aimed at enhancing the security, safety and privacy of information for computer and handphone users.

“The emphasis is on the current public demand and focus to enhance the security, safety and privacy of information, following the recent increase in cyber security risks,” said CyberSecurity Malaysia chief executive officer, Lt Col (R) Datuk Husin Jazri.

Speaking to the media after a talk and briefing on the CyberSecurity Scenario in Malaysia at Wisma Bernama here yesterday, Husin said the pilot study for the clinic began earlier this year.

“Once we understand the real challenges with regards to the service and are ready to manage the risks, we plan to expand the clinic throughout the country,” he added.

On the start-up cost of the investment for the clinic, he said it would not be much as it would operate from the CyberSecurity Malaysia headquarters in Seri Kembangan, Selangor.

“But we will have to look at the operation of the clinic in other parts of the country.

“We need to undertake a talent search, validation for the technicians as well consider the business plan, for the other places.

“We have also not decided as yet the fees for the services to be provided by the clinic,” he said.

Husin also said the clinic might be called the 1Malaysia CyberSecurity Clinic, but the permission of the Prime Minister would be first sought.

Meanwhile, the talk and media briefing was presented by Husin and Microsoft Malaysia National Technology Officer, Dr Dzahar Mansor.

Dzahar said cyber security risks were becoming more widespread of late, especially via the social networking and online gaming sites due to their popularity.

“Hence, there is a need to improve security and privacy awareness among the people,” he added.

Recently, Microsoft Corp released its Security Intelligence Report Volume 10, which highlighted a worldwide polarisation in terms of cyber criminal behavior and significant increase in the use of “marketing-like” approaches and deception tactics to steal money from consumers.

“As software becomes more secure, cyber criminals are looking at alternative vulnerabilities to exploit,” Dzahar said

theborneopost.com

India, US ink accord on cyber security

With terrorists increasingly resorting to hacking and using internet for communications, India and the US Tuesday inked an agreement to promote increased collaboration in cyber security.

The memorandum of understanding on cyber security was signed by R. Chandrashekhar, secretary, India Department of Information Technology, and Jane Holl Lute, deputy secretary for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agreement entails closer cooperation and the timely exchange of information on cyber security.

The pact was signed on a day US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and External Affairs Minister held the second India-US strategic dialogue that focused on expanding counter-terror cooperation.

"The agreement helps fulfill the joint commitment of both nations to advancing global security and countering terrorism, one of the pillars of the US-India Strategic Dialogue launched on July 20, 2009," a statement from the US embassy said. The accord sets out best practices for the exchange of critical cyber security information and expertise between the two governments through the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Department of Information Technology, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and DHS' United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

The agreement will allow both the US and India governments and broader cyber security communities in the two countries to coordinate on a broad range of technical and operational cyber issues. The cyber security agreement flowed from the first comprehensive bilateral dialogue on homeland security issues between the US and India that was held in May.

deccanherald.com

US military learning cybersecurity lessons from businesses

In its new cyberdefense strategy, the Pentagon is drawing on lessons about agility, lifecycle management and supply-chain protection that have already been learned by private corporations.

The "Defense Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace" calls for industry best practices such as promoting secure computing by users, sound network design and secure network management.

It calls for mimicking private-sector businesses practices for securing networks. "DoD will integrate the private sector's continuous renewal method to harden its own computing devices and sustain its cyber hygiene best practices," the strategy says.

"Cyber hygiene must be practiced by everyone at all times; it is just as important for individuals to be focused on protecting themselves as it is to keep security software and operating systems up to date."

The initiative relies on the private sector to carry out some of its goals. For example, it calls on ISPs to work with the government to mitigate risks that affect military networks.

The strategy calls for cooperation with private industry to shore up supply chains and minimize risks posed by products and services that come from firms in other countries. Counterfeit products also pose a risk that needs to be mitigated, the DoD says.

The military will shorten its lifecycle for network infrastructure to fall in line with common private industry practices -- 12 to 36 months versus the current seven or eight years.

"To replicate the dynamism of the private sector and harness the power of emerging computing concepts, the DoD's acquisition processes for information technology will adopt five principles," the document says. These principles are:

• Match the acquisition process with technology development lifecycles. 
• Employ incremental testing and development rather than deploying monolithic systems.
• Sacrifice some customization for speed of deployment.
• Impose different levels of oversight-based department prioritization of critical systems.
• Improved security evaluation of all new systems. "No backdoor can be left open to infiltration; no test module can be left active."

In addition to drawing on corporate practices, the Pentagon policy statement offers up some initiatives that businesses might learn from, but often are too vague to offer clear steps that might be taken.

• Build a culture of information assurance through training and imposition of higher penalties for malicious activity. 
• Employ secure cloud computing. (The document doesn't offer details on how it will secure its cloud resources, which is an ongoing challenge of corporate IT security professionals.)
• Develop more secure architectures and operating concepts. (The document doesn't detail what they are.)

The Pentagon says it will rely on Silicon Valley to rapidly produce new technologies that could bolster defenses and change the way the Internet works. "DoD will explore game changing approaches, including new architectures, to strengthen DoD's defense capabilities and make DoD systems more resistant to malicious activity. DoD will pursue revolutionary technologies that rethink the technological foundations of cyberspace," the cyberspace strategy says. "To do so, DoD will partner with leading scientific institutions to develop new, safe, and secure cyberspace capabilities that are significantly more resistant to malicious activity."

That could be a boon for high-tech businesses, particularly those businesses that can act quickly to develop new technologies. "DoD will also promote opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses, and the Department will work with entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and other U.S. technology innovation hubs to move concepts rapidly from innovative idea, to pilot program, to scaled adoption across the DoD enterprise," the strategy says.

This work will include collaboration with academia and other elements of the government as well.

networkworld.com

U.S., Russia Forge Cybersecurity Pact

The United States plans to start regularly sharing cybersecurity information with Russia as part of the Obama administration's efforts to re-establish closer ties to that country and clear up misconceptions surrounding the two nations' cyber policies.

Cybersecurity officials from both countries met last month to discuss policy coordination at a Russian delegation in Washington led by Russian National Security Council Deputy Secretary Nikolay Klimashin, according to a White House blog post by U.S. Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt.

"Both the U.S. and Russia are committed to tackling common cybersecurity threats while at the same time reducing the chances a misunderstood incident could negatively affect our relationship," he said.

Misunderstood incidents may include attacks on U.S. government infrastructure and networks by Russian hackers, who have raised their threat profile significantly in the last several years. The recent attacks on networks either owned by or containing information related to the federal government by Anonymous, LulzSec, and AntiSec hactivist groups have shed new light on this risk.

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At the meeting, officials made a pact for collaboration on cybersecurity, including the exchange of military views on cyberspace operations and a regular information exchange between the Computer Emergency Response/Readiness Teams (CERTs) of both countries, according to a joint statement about the meeting by Schmidt and Klimashin.

The two countries also plan to use existing crisis-prevention communications links between the two countries to establish protocols for communicating about cybersecurity, they said.

"While deepening mutual understanding on national security issues in cyberspace, these measures will help our two governments better communicate about small- and large-scale threats to our networks, facilitate better collaboration in responding to those threats, and reduce the prospect of escalation in response to crisis incidents," officials said.

The two countries agreed to implement the cybersecurity measures by the end of the year, they added.

Just as the political relationship historically between the United States and Russia has been strained, so have their ideas about cybersecurity.

In 2009 the two countries famously disagreed over the issue, with Russia favoring an international treaty to secure cyberspace against threats and the United States promoting instead more intimate cooperation among international law-enforcement officials.

Fostering better collaboration with foreign nations on cyberspace policy is a key aspect of President Obama's International Strategy for Cyberspace Policy, which he released in May.

informationweek.com

UK: There should be no 'safe havens' for cybercriminals

Home Office minister James
Brokenshire
has called
for tougher international laws
to fight cybercrime.
Image credit: Home Office

The Home Office has called for tougher international laws on cybercrime, saying there should be no "safe havens" for online fraudsters and hackers.

On Tuesday, crime and security minister James Brokenshire called for international treaties, bilateral treaties and common agreements between nations to make sure miscreants active outside their home country can be prosecuted when scams and hacks take place..

"Cybercrime is a truly global problem that demands a global response," Brokenshire said at a launch event in London. Cybercriminals are "not inconvenienced by national boundaries", he added.

Recent cyberattacks across borders include one against defence contractor Lockheed Martin, in which hackers used data stolen from RSA about its SecurID authentication tokens to attempt to access systems. In June, international cyber-policing efforts led to the arrest of Ukrainian suspects in a fraud scheme using a Conficker botnet.

At present, the strongest international treaty is the European Convention on Cybercrime, which the UK ratified in May 2009. However, the 40-plus signatories do not include major powers such as China and Russia, which critics have argued undermines the aims of the convention.

More legislation is necessary to ensure criminals cannot use countries with weak cyber-laws as "safe havens", Brokenshire said. In addition, despite international initiatives, many nations are not collaborating on justice efforts.

"People recognise that we need appropriate legal frameworks in place," he told ZDNet UK. "Partnership is key."

Cybersecurity alliance

Brokenshire was speaking at the launch of International Cyber Security Protection Alliance (Icspa), which seeks to train police forces around the world to deal with high-tech crime and bring closer international co-operation on related issues. The seven founding members of the non-profit organisation include security companies McAfee and Trend Micro, as well as UK online retailer Shop Direct Group.

The organisation, which is supported by the British government, will help co-ordinate response by justice and law enforcement agencies, as well as by the private sector, said prime minister David Cameron.

"The Icspa is forming a network powerful enough and wide enough to face down cybercrime," the prime minister said in a video statement.

Over the past six months, attacks by the LulzSec and Anonymous hacker groups, among others, "have dealt a blow to sceptics" who play down "the potential for attacks to disrupt continuity in business" said former home secretary David Blunkett, who chairs Icspa.

"We need to make sure Britain is best placed to do business online, and that Britain is a leader in understanding the potential and danger of the cyber revolution," said Blunkett.
Icpsa funding

In September, Icspa will link up with Europol, a European law enforcement agency, to seek funding from the European Union, according to the organisation's chief executive, John Lyons. A month after that, it plans to apply for funding to the US, and afterwards approach the UK, Canada and Australia. Those countries are all part of the 'Five Eyes' forum, dedicated to collaboration on cyber-issues. However, Icspa does not plan to directly approach New Zealand, the fifth member, Lyons said.

In the UK, Icspa will work with the Cabinet Office and the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (Ocsia) for aid in approaching foreign governments.

"We'll be bringing our members' expertise to the table with Europol and Ocsia to determine the UK government interest in helping set up links with law enforcement and outreach," Lyons told ZDNet UK.

Police training

One focus for Icspa will be training police officers in places associated with mass compromise of computer systems. These include countries in South America, Russia and China, according to Lyons.

Russia, Ukraine, China and Brazil are hotspots of cybercrime activity, according to Trend Micro.

"We put police officers into high-tech crime units and expect them to be able to deal with high-tech crime," said Rik Ferguson, solutions architect at the security company. "It would be great if we can tool up the police."

The UK has well-respected dedicated cyber-police bodies such as the Metropolitan Police Central eCrime Unit (PCeU). Even so it, still sub-contracts for services like digital forensic investigation, according to Ferguson.

McAfee said it will be offering the services of its cybersecurity experts for the police training efforts. "We've been involved for years with the intelligence services," said Jacqueline de Rojas, a vice president at the security company. "By providing resources and expertise, [we] can give a view of the kinds of evolving threat that are coming."

zdnet.co.uk

South Korea army, university to start cyberdefense major

© REUTERS/ Kim Jae-Hwan
South Korean troops in Paju, a town bordering North Korea

The South Korean military and Korea University have signed an agreement to set up a cyberdefense program aimed specifically at training students in cyber warfare to combat virtual threats from North Korea.

The four-year cyberdefense major will be offered at Korea University's Graduate School of Information Security starting next year and will accept 30 undergraduates, according to a report by the country's English daily Korea Herald.

The army will provide four-year scholarships to students under the program who, upon graduation, will join the armed forces as military officers specializing in various cyber warfare units for seven years.

Training related to cyber warfare tactics, strategies, deciphering enemy codes, cryptography and cyber psychology will be part of the course curriculum to prepare students as "cyber warriors that we need in the military", said General Kim Sang-ki, who is army chief of staff, in the report.

Korea University's president, Kim Byung-chul, added: "We are very happy that with the support from the army, we can educate students who can contribute to strengthening our national security."

A separate report by news agency AFP said South Korea's plans to build up a cyber army is a response to growing virtual threats from its Northern neighbor.

South Korean authorities claimed North Korea was behind the system crash that brought down the former's biggest banking network, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation or Nonghyup, and rendered various customer services unavailable for several days. North Korea had denied the allegations.

"We seek to nurture warriors to fight in cyber warfare amid growing cyberterror threats from North Korea and to secure a stable supply of specialists," an army spokesperson said in a statement to AFP.

Security experts told ZDNet Asia earlier this month that cyber threats post a "real danger" to countries, and advised governments to take action to safeguard their infrastructure and information systems.


zdnetasia.com

ICSPA cyber security group launches to boost international fight against cyber crime

The International Cyber Security Protection Alliance (ICSPA) was officially launched in London on Tuesday 5th July. Backed by the UK government, the non-for-profit body which brings together business, government and law enforcement, aims to combat the growing threat of cyber crime by supporting international law enforcement bodies.

ICSPA is a global organisation which has been established to channel funding, expertise and assistance to law enforcement cyber crime units in both domestic and international markets. The business-led group has the support of several members including McAfee, Cassidian, Visa Europe, Trend Micro and law enforcement organisation Europol.

Former home secretary and chairman of ICSPA, David Blunkett, said he was “pleased that this government is taking information security seriously”. He insisted that the ICSPA would not “step on the toes” of any other organisations working in the cyber security space.

Blunkett argued that those who had previously believed that the potential for cyber attack was exaggerated, had been “dealt a blow” in the last six months. He listed espionage, commercial damage and disrupted business as some of the effects of increasing cyber crime. “We need to make sure that Britain is the best place to do business online, and that Britain is a leader in defending against cybercrime”, he said.

The ICSPA will focus on areas such as information sharing between public and private sectors and law enforcement, and lobbying for agreed standards and accreditation for cyber security training.

Chief executive of ICSPA, John Lyons, admitted that “increased cyber crime will likely be the result of reduced public investment and spending.” He also added that there is currently “very little prospect of cyber criminals facing prosecution”.

ICSPA, will, he said, will work with foreign governments and law enforcers, concentrating on supporting cyber crime agencies which face the most challenges, admitting that many law enforcement cyber crime units “don't have sufficient capacity or capabilities to handle the volume of cyber crime."

The body’s funding will come from member companies and business organisations. Lyons also expressed an ambition to win “diverted resources” and funding from existing cyber security projects through the UK government, and approach the EU for funding.

Home Office minister for crime and security, James Brokenshire, gave a keynote at the launch. He offered his profuse support for the ICSPA, arguing that "We are facing a global problem needing a global response. We need common agreements between countries ... an effective law against cyber crime is something every country needs.

“We have a responsibility to ensure the internet is as safe as possible”, he continued. “Governments can’t deliver a safe online world alone – they need to work with industry. There is a renewed focus on tackling this serious crime. Working together, our response to cyber crime will be stronger.”

.infosecurity-magazine.com

Dutch Cyber Security Council Now Operational

As part of the Dutch National Cyber Security Strategy that was launched earlier this year, one of the two new entities has officially been stood up.

On June 30th of this year, Dutch minister Ivo Opstelten (Ministry of Security and Justice) officially installed the Cyber Security Council.

The council will be advising both government and private parties on relevant developments in the area of digital security.

The council will make a priority of IT threats, will look into the necessity for further research & development and will investigate how this knowledge is best shared between collaborating public and private parties.

The council will also expressly look to basic values such as the importance of privacy or fundamental rights such as freedom of speech and gathering of information.

The foundation of the advice the Council will supply will lie in public-private risk assessments. The first threat analysis in the area of Cyber Security will be expected in October this year.

According to this government publication (warning, Dutch) the Cyber Security Council has been assembled based on balancing the public, private and scientific community with a broad spectrum in relevant Cyber Security issues and angles. It will feature a dual chairmanship.

The Council currently exists of the following members:

Eelco Blok, co-chairman of the Council, CEO KPN;

Erik Akerboom, co-chairman. National Coordinator for Counterterrorism

Harry van Dorenmalen, on behalf of the IT suppliers, chairman IT~Office and Chairman IBM Europe

René Steenvoorden, on behalf of the major IT end users, chairman CIO Platform and CIO Rabobank;

Frank Heemskerk, on behalf of the end users and SMEs, chairman of the ECP-EPN Supervisory Board and member of RVB Royal Haskoning;

Ben Voorhorst, on behalf of the vital infrastructure, operational director Tennet and member of RVB Tennet;

Professor Corien Prins, Tilburg University;

Mark Dierikx, DG Energie, Telecom and Competition, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation;

Mark van Nimwegen, Board of Prosecutors General, cyber crime portfolio holder;

Professor Michel van Eeten, TU Delft;

Major General Koen Gijsbers, Chief Director Information Provision and Organisation, Ministry of Defence;

Professor Bart Jacobs, Radboud University Nijmegen;

Ruud Bik, KLPD Chief Constable;

Jan Kees Goet, deputy Head AIVD;

The installation of the Cyber Security Council acts as a prelude to the investment of the National Cyber Security Centre, which is to be made operational on January 1st, 2012.

The NCSC is to be the operational centre of knowledge and expertise brought together by a collaboration between the public and private sector.

Though it is absolutely a positive development that the Cyber Security Council has been made operational so quick, it is sad that the Dutch government did not provide a public course for other interested parties to participate.

Obviously the first batch of members have been hand-picked, and as such it could hardly be called a democratic process.

Let us hope that this is changed rapidly so that more parties with experience in Cyber Security and Cyber Warfare can start assisting the Dutch government.

infosecisland.com

Cyber Attacks Ranked With Military Threats Under Obama Strategy

An Obama administration policy for tightening global defenses against computer attacks places cybersecurity on equal footing with military and economic threats, according to security analysts.

The International Strategy for Cyberspace, unveiled at a White House event yesterday, calls for the U.S. government to work with other countries on standards to protect intellectual property, prevent theft of private information and ensure cooperation among foreign law enforcement agencies when a cybercrime is being investigated.

“We as a society should not take it as a fact of life living in the era of Internet that people are going to successfully take your identity or your credit card or disable networks,” Howard Schmidt, the top White House cybersecurity official, said in a phone interview yesterday. “We want nation states to be unified behind a vision like this so we can send a clear message to bad actors that there's going to be no place for them to operate in the international sphere.”

The plan recommends setting consequences for countries and groups that don't comply with the standards and strengthens the U.S. position on its response to a cyber attack.

The administration is sending the message that “cyberspace is not some separate world where our usual laws, our usual deterrence does not apply,” said Kristin Lord, vice president and director of studies at the Center for New American Security, an independent security research institution.

The message is meant to “deter attacks and say, ‘Look, we're the United States, we have a full set of tools at our disposal,' ” Lord said in a telephone interview yesterday.

‘All Necessary Means'

The cybersecurity plan states that the U.S. reserves “the right to use all necessary means -- diplomatic, informational, military and economic -- as appropriate and consistent with international law,” to defend itself and its allies.

The strategy calls for the U.S. government, including the State, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce and Justice departments, to work with their global counterparts, Schmidt said.

“Long-term cybersecurity in cyberspace depends on cooperation” on the plan, which was a result of “more than 18 different departments and agencies” collaborating, Schmidt said at the White House event.

The departments must report back to the president in six months on their progress, which is an important time frame, Dean Garfield, president and chief executive of the Information Technology Industry Council, said in an interview yesterday.

“It has taken a long period of time to get where we are today and the fact that the administration has put some time frame around the next steps are important in making sure that we move forward at a more accelerated pace,” Garfield said.

‘Private Sector'

Federal departments will issue details on their strategies for the plan. In six months, the White House will assess agencies' progress on meeting the plan's policy goals, John Brennan, President Barack Obama's assistant for counterterrorism and homeland security, said at yesterday's event.

“We look forward to partnering with our private sector, with other nations and with others who share the same goal” to support trade and commerce, security, free expression and innovation in cyberspace, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the event.

The strategy also emphasizes that the U.S. will respond to hostile acts in cyberspace “as we would to any other threat to our country,” according to a fact sheet released yesterday by the administration. Possible retaliation will mean the “right to use all necessary means -- diplomatic, informational, military and economic.”

International Norms

The strategy's broader goal is to ensure that current conventions and international norms on self-defense and armed conflict include violations of cyberspace, Schmidt said in the interview.

“The rules are not different in cyberspace,” he said. “It's been difficult over the years because there's a desire to carve that off separately” from the rules governing conventional conflicts. “We need to make sure it's brought up to the 21st century with the understanding that none of us want to see” a conflict, he said.

Schmidt said attributing cyber attacks to specific countries or groups remains difficult and “that's why we need diplomatic ties” to help the U.S. and other countries talk about ongoing investigations.

The strategy also calls for helping small and developing countries build the capability to deal with cybercrime and theft of intellectual property.

Russia and China

The U.S. doesn't want some countries to “become the next generation of cyber victims because the developed countries constantly do a better job of protecting our systems and citizens,” Schmidt said. “We want to make sure we are helping them build theirs as well.”

The Obama administration is consulting with a range of countries, including Russia and China, on developing these norms, Schmidt said.

“It's very important to understand we can't have these discussions without engaging” with both nations, Schmidt said.

The U.S. also is urging countries to sign a 10-year-old treaty called the Cybercrime Convention that calls for cooperation in probing crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks. These crimes include copyright infringement, fraud, child pornography and violations of network security, according to the treaty website.

The treaty has been ratified by 30 countries, including the U.S. and 29 European nations. Signatories including the U.K., Canada and Turkey have yet to ratify the law, according to the treaty website. China and Russia are among nations that have not signed the treaty.

businessweek.com

Air travel and the security measures surrounding this industry face countless challenges today than ever before. On September 11, 2001, the world changed forever due to the terrorist attack on the United States and airport security would never be the same again. The need to protect nations and their citizens drove changes both in the airline industry and government responsibilities.

The solutions engaged today does a great job of addressing security threats however; the thin line of personal freedom and the regulations enacted by governments is questionable by many citizens and activist groups. In late 2001, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was established and charged with the safety of travel within the United States. The TSA employees a number of technologies to conduct security operations and because technology in itself face threats, it is imperative that cyber threats are mitigated. There are so many points of failure that the job of security quickly becomes hard-hitting. The apparent points of interest are aircraft security, passenger screening, baggage screening, credentials, and human behavior, with the human behavior the distinct largest threat. Turning the focus to international airports often increases security threats largely due to the logistics involved and the dependency upon other country’s security measures. If international air travel is to be safe then every country must work together in order to achieve the common goal, which is the protection of human life and their citizens.

To put into perspective it is crucial to address the scope of security. Inside the United States alone, there are dozens of international airports where millions of people move from country to country. As millions of people move through the airports, all it takes is a single breach in security to put others at risk. The sheer number of travelers often may be unbelievable as hundreds of millions travelers make their way across the globe. At this point, the task of security operations and the challenges associated with air travel begin to take shape. The point of failure is not the technology itself rather it falls often to the human dynamic. Threats can be either intentional or unintentional but either way airport security must be vigorous and ready on short notice to react to any occurrence. There are both advantages and disadvantages to security protocols and understanding both aspects is vital to the overall success of securing airport infrastructure.
Operational Breakout

International airport operations and the people involved have an enormous responsibility to both the physical aspect of operations and those who travel through this nation’s airports. Understanding three areas of operations are the first step in this journey.

Daily operations are the aspect in which people conduct daily activities with their job.
Technical operations are actions based within the Information Technology (IT) systems.
Management operations are risk analysis, supervision, and oversight of both personnel and IT systems.

Daily Operations

The Atlanta, GA International Airport has processed over twelve million passengers without a major incident. Security originates as travelers enter the airport perimeter by vehicles or arriving by aircraft. TSA conducts surveillance of personnel across the airport using telecommunications equipment in the form of cameras. Audio and video surveillance are a strong deterrence to those who wish to cause harm. This type of surveillance also can be used in legal matters as well as improving upon training.

Processing passengers and their baggage is no small task. To accomplish this task a variety of systems are utilized to ensure the passenger possesses a valid ticket, valid credentials, and is cleared to fly. These high priority systems are protected with intrusion systems to include firewalls and physical security to the server vaults. Maybe even more important is to implement redundancy for key systems. Load balancing the computer equipment allows for distribution of the workload and helps to ensure operations are maintained in the event a single server goes offline.

One could argue that airport employees present the single greatest risk to security. This in itself opens room for discussion where secondary measures must be strengthened. For anyone who has flown before it is commonplace to see airport employees swiping an access card to access areas the public is restricted from. In 2010 an airline pilot posted an amateur recording of San Francisco’s flaws in security from the point of view of employee access. In the pilot’s own words, the public is at risk due to poor access control once employees enter the internal working areas of an airport.

Well, folks, I just wanted to give you an idea of what type of security for the ground personnel there is. This is their screening. As you can see, there’s only a card slide and one door. So when you see a cart, those carts aren’t screened at all.

Card readers do provide a level of acceptable access control however to take security to the next level may include a combination of card readers and iris scanners to further control access. The obstacle with iris scanners may come down to cost. Verified Identity Pass provides kiosks that allow passengers to move through the conventional security protocols much more quickly. These kiosks perform both fingerprint scanning and iris scanning to confirm the identity of the individual. The cost of this technology comes in at a $150,000.00 price tag. This same technology could be adapted and employed at various internal operational checkpoints to ensure personnel are only gaining access to areas that the job requires. The scope of technology, effectiveness, and financial investment surrounding security quickly become both expensive and time consuming but it is extremely important.

Technical Operations

The single most noticeable component of airport security may be the use of full body scanners. The Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) is software based on technology similar to that of an x-ray machine found in any local hospital. This scanner takes an image of a person, which in turn allows TSA agents to determine if a threat exists. With all hardware and software based security systems come a number of threats. In this case, two threats include loss of electrical power or a defect within the software. According to the National Science and Technology Council,

Today, many vulnerabilities are easy to exploit, and individuals and organizations worldwide can access systems and networks connected to the Internet across geographic and national boundaries. Current technology also makes it easy to hide or disguise the origin and identity of the individuals or organizations that exploit these vulnerabilities.

Since modern day security precautions implement a wide variety of technology through various checkpoints, it has become imperative an appropriate power supply is available should a power outage occur. It is equally important to address the physical aspects of this hardware in the sense of access control and environmental controls, which include air conditioning and humidity. Access control is probably the easiest area to address and two possible measures are card readers or biometric controls. Both are viable solutions in protecting critical areas and biometric controls are least likely to present a risk since the access cards can be lost. Access control points are critical to security and the operations surrounding airports.

Management Operations

The last stage of operations touches on those who are in positions of authority of others. This includes supervisors, managers, and others that hold positions of responsibility over others. These individuals have the duty to ensure proper procedures are observed during the daily activities. Often personnel in this role are the first line of defense and have the responsibility to train and educate both new and current employees on policy and procedures.

Conclusion

Airport security is not an easy task to complete and it requires a great deal of investment in both people and infrastructure. Because IT plays such a large role in modern day security, the following actions are vital:

• Physical facility security must strengthen. 
• Employees must perform above reproach.
• IT infrastructure must implement restricted access, employ environmental controls, and account for redundancy and secondary power options.

The federal government and TSA have tediously taken steps to ensure both policies and funding are in place. This puts the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of those employees in international airports across the United States. The job of securing this nation’s airports often may be overwhelming; however, it is possible to accomplish this duty with attention to detail.

References

• Transportation Security Administration 
• What InfoSec professionals should know about Information Warfare tactics by terrorists
• U.S. airports debut document scanners
• Minimizing Construction-Related Security Risks during Airport Expansion Projects
• Iris scanning, now at JFK
• Federal plan for cyber security and information assurance research and development
• Aviation Security: A National Strategy and Other Actions Would Strengthen TSA’s Efforts to Secure Commercial Airport Perimeters and Access Controls, Report to Congressional Requesters (Report No. GAO-09-399)

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