31 Mar 13. Companies have to do more to shore up their defences. For years, the primary concern of Britain’s security services has been facing down the threat from jihadism, an obligation that is unlikely to change for some time. But the British government is now asking the services to find space for another growing challenge – the threat posed to UK businesses and institutions from cyber espionage. The UK, like the US, is wary of naming China and Russia directly as the main sources of such espionage, much of which involves the theft of intellectual property from companies in areas such as defence, energy and aerospace. But the scale of the threat from these states and from other sources is troubling. (Source: FT.com)

18 Mar 13. State-sponsored cyber-attacks must avoid sensitive civilian targets such as hospitals, dams, dykes and nuclear power stations, according to the first advisory manual on cyber-warfare produced for Nato, which predicts that online attacks could in future trigger full-blown military conflicts. The attempt to codify how international law applies to online attacks includes a provision for states to respond with conventional force if aggression through hacking into computer networks by another state results in death or significant damage to property. The handbook, written by 20 legal experts working in conjunction with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the US Cyber Command, says full-scale wars could be triggered by online attacks on computer systems. It also states that so-called “hacktivists” who participate in online attacks during a war. (Source: PTSS Daily/The Guradian)

29 Mar 13. Why We Need More Troops For Escalating Cyberwar. The Obama Administration’s intentions to step up efforts to combat the theft of trade secrets is not going to solve the problem. The Pentagon’s plan to nearly quadruple its command for fighting cyber-attacks only highlights how far we have to go. As it stands, we have at best 1,000 experts with the skills necessary to perform at world class levels in cybersecurity’s rapidly intensifying “red zone”, where the hands-on work of defending against attacks takes place. We need at least 25 times more — 10 times more just to match the defenses of China. There is a way to start filling this hungry pipeline that not only builds the capacity we need, but which also relieves unemployment and advances needed innovations in higher education. It calls for targeted recruiting strategies, more rigorous and relevant training, and meaningful practical experience. (Source: Noteworthies/USAToday.com)

04 Apr 13. CBP to Expand Centers of Excellence and Expertise (78 Fed. Reg. 20345) – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plans to modify and expand its test for the Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), originally published in the Federal Register at 77 Fed. Reg. 52048 (August 28, 2012). This document announces that six new CEEs–the Agriculture & Prepared Products CEE; the Apparel, Footwear & Textiles CEE; the Base Metals CEE; the Consumer Products & Mass Merchandising CEE; the Industrial & Manufacturing Materials CEE; and the Machinery CEE–will be opened and tested to determine how they will operate with broad decision-making authority. This notice invites public comment concerning the methodology of the test program, identifies the purpose of the test and the regulations that will be affected, determines the length of the test, explains the application process and application timeframes, and provides the eligibility and selection criteria for voluntary participation in the test. This document also provides the legal authority for the test and explains the repercussions and appeals process for misconduct under the test. This notice also expands the regulations that will be included in the test for the six new CEEs as well as the four CEEs currently participating in the test: the Electronics CEE; the Pharmaceuticals, Health