Suspected Russian hack fuels new US action on cybersecurity
AdThe reaction reflects the severity of a hack that was disclosed only in December. The administration has also proposed expanding by 30% the budget of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, or CISA, a little-known entity now under intense scrutiny because of the SolarWinds breach. The breach was discovered in early December by the private security firm FireEye, a cause of concern for some officials. AdRight after the hack was announced, the Treasury Department bypassed its normal competitive contracting process to hire the private security firm CrowdStrike, U.S. contract records show. “In practical terms, what that meant is they weren’t invited in because no department or agency wants to look bad,” he said.
Russian hack of US agencies exposed supply chain weaknesses
Instead, they got inside by sneaking malicious code into a software update pushed out to thousands of government agencies and private companies. Instead, they got inside by sneaking malicious code into a software update pushed out to thousands of government agencies and private companies. That hackers were able to exploit vulnerabilities in the supply chain to launch a massive intelligence gathering operation wasn't especially surprising. That can mean no single company or executive bears sole responsibility for protecting an entire industry supply chain. Supply chain protection will presumably be a key part of those efforts, and there is clearly work to be done.
Hack may have exposed deep US secrets; damage yet unknown
Hackers got into computers at the U.S. Treasury Department and possibly other federal agencies, touching off a government response involving the National Security Council. Intelligence agents generally seek the latest on weapons technologies and missile defense systems — anything vital to national security. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, cut short an overseas trip to hold meetings on the hack and was to convene a top-level interagency meeting later this week, the White House said in a statement. The SolarWinds campaign highlights the lack of mandatory minimum security rules for commercial software used on federal computer networks. “In all of the different departments and agencies, cybersecurity is never going to be their primary mission,” Langevin said.
Voters strip ‘Plantations’ from Rhode Island’s formal name
(AP Photo/Susan E. Bouchard, File)Rhode Island will now be officially known as ... Rhode Island. Officially, Rhode Island was incorporated as The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations when it declared statehood in 1790. Although the word “Plantations” in Rhode Island’s name does not specifically refer to a place where slaves labored, the measure’s backers insisted it still offends, especially since Rhode Island’s ties to the slave trade are undeniably deep. The formal vote for House speaker, however, won’t happen until January, when the new legislature convenes. Mattiello rose to House speaker in 2014 after then-Speaker Gordon Fox resigned amid a public corruption investigation.