The FISMA Focus IPD

From: Coin Desk

Frederick Reese

In this CoinDesk 2016 in Review special feature, CoinDesk contributor Frederick Reese gives an overview of regulatory developments that shaped the year that was, and that look to be setting the stage for 2017.

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From the Federal Reserve’s declaration of interest to Illinois’s embrace of distributed ledgers, this year saw US governments take big steps in evolving their thinking on financial tech.

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In this end-of-the-year review, we’ll look into the ways government policy has changed toward blockchain in 2016 and explore what we might be able to expect in the new year.

From: The National Law Review

Article By Susan B. Cassidy, Anuj Vohra | Covington & Burling LLP

In 2016, the dangers presented by an increasingly digital world clearly were on display. A cyber-attack using an army of Internet of Things devices interfered with the operations of major commercial websites. And the Presidential Election was plagued with allegations of state-sponsored cybersecurity hacking (for which the Obama Administration just issued sanctions against the Russian government). Cybersecurity threats are unlikely to cede the spotlight in the coming year. Indeed,Marcel Lettre, the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence recently described cybersecurity as a “political, economic, diplomatic and military challenge” that is “evolving and growing more acute over time.”

From: Forbes

Reg Harnish

A thorough risk assessment is prudent for any organization, but is particularly essential for companies in the healthcare industry. Protecting patient data is important, and failing to have robust security measures can shut down facilities and have life-or-death ramifications.

However, implementing industry-standard cybersecurity practices can inhibit clinicians’ work, also leading to life-and-death consequences. For example, systems that prevent log-ins if clinicians are logged in elsewhere can interrupt or delay surgeries. That is why I feel that cybersecurity professionals should spend quality time with their healthcare clients, conducting in-depth interviews and visiting their workplaces, to develop cybersecurity measures that balance clinicians’ vital workflow operations with security and patient privacy. 

From: The Daily News

Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo recently announced that the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has updated its proposed first-in-the-nation cybersecurity regulation to protect New York State from the ever-growing threat of cyber-attacks. The proposed regulation, which will be effective March 1, 2017, will require banks, insurance companies, and other financial services institutions regulated by DFS to establish and maintain a cybersecurity program designed to protect consumers and ensure the safety and soundness of New York State’s financial services industry.

Editor’s Note: Consensus and market-driven consortia standards offer an avenue for the voluntary regulation of software. See, An Updated Look at the Federal Policies Governing How Agencies Use Voluntary Consensus Standards in Regulatory, Procurement, and Science Documents.

From: NakedSecurity

by Bill Camarda