The FISMA Focus IPD

Editor’s Note: For information about the Data Quality Act’s relevance to automive cybersecurity, see here.

From: FCW

By Mark Rockwell

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in autonomous motor vehicles have worried federal researchers and automakers for years, but a new study warns that the traffic light infrastructure already offers easy pickings for hackers.

Five researchers in the University of Michigan’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department teamed up with a Michigan road agency to see if they could hack into wirelessly networked traffic light systems. The results of their work, published in August and aptly titled “Green Lights Forever,” show that those systems have few barriers to stopping hackers from seizing control of the traffic devices and possibly wreaking havoc.

From: Nextgov

By Aliya Sternstein

Federal agencies should repurpose the certification route for vetting commercial cloud computing services to also screen popular mobile apps before employees download them, a top Department of Homeland Security official says.

Nearly every day, white hat hackers discover bugs in app code that bad actors can take advantage of to steal sensitive information.

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From: The National Law Review

Article By Carmelo Gordian Meghan E. Griffiths

Bitcoin has been growing in popularity, and major retailers like Dell, Overstock.com, eBay and PayPal have taken notice with announcements that they are, will or are considering accepting digital virtual currency. State regulators have also taken notice as they grapple with consumer protection concerns in an evolving and enigmatic virtual financial industry that, until recently, has been largely unregulated. 

From: Coast Guard Maritime Commons The Coast Guard Blog for Maritime Professionals

Posted by Lt. Jodie Knox

The Transportation Research Board hosted the 15th Biennial Harbor Safety Committee and Area Maritime Security Committee Conference, in Philadelphia, Pa. August 26-27th, 2014. The conference explored best practices, innovations and technology that address critical harbor and maritime safety and security issues.

Rear Adm. Charles Michel, deputy commandant for operations for the Coast Guard, was the keynote speaker at the conference and presented awards for two separate award recipients.

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Cyber security

From: Law Vegas Review-Journal

By RICARDO TORRES

A Las Vegas-based federal prosecutor and a Homeland Security agent have been honored for their work on a global cyber-crime investigation, the U.S Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Nevada Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Frayn received the William D. Neumann Prosecutor of the Year Award, for her prosecution of members of “Carder.su,” an “international cybercrime organization,” the DOJ said in a statement.

“Operation Open Market” has so far resulted in criminal charges for 56 people, the release said. Twenty-five have been convicted, while others are fugitives or have pending trials in Las Vegas, the DOJ said.