Quick survey of recent cyber news . . .
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Ellen Nakashima with some big news for the Washington Post:
President Obama has signed a secret directive that effectively enables the military to act more aggressively to thwart cyberattacks on the nation’s web of government and private computer networks.
The directive assists agencies in deciding whether something is an offensive or defense cyber operation. Further, the directive distinguishes offensive cyber operations and network defense.
There’s more to the WashPo article from Ellen Nakashima, check it out here.
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James A. Lewis, of CSIS fame, wrote a great article for Foreign Affairs titled China’s Economic Espionage. The article went through China’s cyberespionage methods and goals, paying attention to how the West has in turn responded. Something new (for me, at least): China doesn’t believe it should be held accountable because it is “still a poor and developing country, the West owes it for imperialism and the ‘century of humiliation,’ and after all, the United States did the same thing in the nineteenth century.” To Lewis, “[a]ll of these excuses can be dismissed.” Also, the best remedy for such cyberespionage is a mix of political pressure, covert action, and trade actions. Great article from a person with an in-depth understanding of the topic.
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Along similar lines, Jim Wolf reported for Reuters on how the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission recommended that Congress “conduct an in-depth assessment of Chinese cyberspying and consider imposing tougher penalties on companies that benefit from industrial espionage.”
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Al Jazeera reported that the United Arab Emirates is instituting stricter Internet laws that would “giv[e] authorities wider leeway to crack down on Web activists for offenses such as mocking the country’s rulers or calling for demonstrations.” If you look at the article, you’ll see that some of the new laws are pretty draconian.
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Reuters reported that AT&T believes that cybersecurity will become a billion dollar business opportunity with “companies [] double or triple spending on cybersecurity in the coming years.”
This assumes, of course, that companies are willing to spend enough to assure proper cybersecurity. I don’t think everyone has demonstrated that willingness.
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CSO’s Taylor Armerding writes that the final attempt to pass cybersecurity legislation (at least in this session) is probably doomed. I mean, does this really surprise anyone? James Lewis, on what is likely going on here: “Reid wants to ‘test the waters, to shape the landscape for the next Congress. Each side is going to push each other a little bit to see where the weak spots are.'”
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Finally, John Reed, for Foreign Policy, on when the FBI can read your email.
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