12 Mar 13. Pentagon Creating Teams to Launch Cyberattacks as Threat Grows. The Pentagon’s Cyber Command will create 40 offensive cyber-teams by the fall of 2015 to help defend the nation against major computer attacks and assist combat commands as they plan offensive capabilities, Gen. Keith Alexander testified to Congress on Tuesday. The new teams are part of a broader government effort to shield the nation from destructive attacks over the Internet that could harm Wall Street or knock out electric power, for instance. Some teams are already in place, he said, to focus on “the most serious threats,” which he did not identify. (Source: Glstrade.com/Washington Post)
15 Mar 13. Raytheon announced the release of SureView™ Version 6.7 to aid federal agencies in complying with President Barack Obama’s memorandum in November aimed at implementing an insider threat detection program to address national security threats while protecting privacy rights.
The latest version of Raytheon’s SureView offers simplified policy creation through a new “policy wizard” that allows users to specify what information to collect and what information not to collect to protect civil liberties and personal privacy. It also enables integration of collected data in a central place, such as a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. The data can then be analyzed with other types of collected data to further improve security policies and procedures. As a policy-based cyber audit solution, SureView monitors employees’ activities, including classified networks, while safeguarding privacy and legally protected whistleblower communications. It provides irrefutable and unambiguous attribution of end-user activity with full context to rapidly discern malicious from benign actions.
What’s New in Raytheon SureView 6.7
* Simplified Policy Management: SureView’s new “Policy Workbench” provides an intuitive environment to easily define policy-based criteria. Using the Policy Workbench, analysts specify what behaviors to audit and what information to collect. The granular policies developed using the Policy Workbench help protect privacy and civil liberties. For example, analysts can define what sensitive information not to collect, such as user passwords, or confidential and privileged email communication.
* Enterprise Administration Enhancements: The new “Administration Workbench” improves the management of users, agents and groups in large-scale deployments, and supports hundreds of thousands of clients.
* Universal SIEM Integration: SureView’s alerts can now be forwarded to Security Information and Event Management systems that support the Common Event Format to enhance situational awareness across the enterprise.
* Enhanced Role-Based Access Controls: SureView access controls provide role-based restrictions, allowing access only to functions required for the role. And SureView provides self-auditing features that enable independent oversight to prevent abuse by analysts.
13 Mar 13. Speed boat entrapment device on Show. At the Home Office Security Exhibition which is currently underway in Farnborough (12-14 March), survival and protective equipment specialists, BCB International, unveiled a device which enables security teams to intercept, entrap and disable fast vessels used in narcotics trafficking, piracy or terrorist acts without using deadly force. Cardiff-based military equipment manufacturer, BCB International Ltd, has developed the Buccaneer Lightweight Interceptor (BUC LWI) – a system which uses compressed air and interchangeable barrels to project floating entanglement lines and other vessel disabling projectiles.
14 Mar 13. The Northrop Grumman Foundation will continue as presenting sponsor of CyberPatriot, the national high school cyber defense competition, with a $4.5m, three-year grant to the Air Force Association (AFA). As the largest contributor to the program since 2010, the Northrop Grumman Foundation will supp