In the News

	In the News

This section features topical, current news items of interest to the international security community. These articles and highlights are selected from various popular science and security magazines, newspapers, and online sources.

US News     

“Giving Veterans a New Start in Cybersecurity,” CNBC, 3 February 2016. [Online]. 
A new “boot camp” is helping veterans to find jobs in the cybersecurity field. Classes are focused on teaching the veterans computer fundamentals, and basic security techniques such as securing networks. One cybersecurity professional stated that while most veterans do not have direct cybersecurity experience, many have very compatible skills.
See: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/26/giving-veterans-a-new-start-in-cybersecurity.html

“Baltimore Hackers Say They Reveal Potentially Deadly Cybersecurity Weaknesses at Area Hospitals,” The Baltimore Sun, 29 February 2016. [Online].
A team of researchers concluded that several hospitals in the Baltimore area are highly susceptible to a cyber attack. The vulnerabilities were the findings of a two-year investigation. The team was able to hack into patient monitors, set off alarms, and display false patient information.
See: http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-md-hospital-hack-research-20160224-story.html

“Battle Lines Sharpen in Apple-FBI Encryption Fight,” Tech News World, 22 February 2016. [Online].
A federal magistrate ordered Apple to create a “backdoor,” software to access the contents of an iPhone, in order to inspect the contents of the San Bernardino shooter’s device. Apple CEO Tim Cook responded in an open letter highlighting the dangers of creating the software, specifically the danger it poses to privacy. As the battle unfolds, support for both sides is growing and public opinion may play a role in the outcome.
See: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/83138.html

International News 

“Google Helps News Sites Thwart DDoS Attacks,” Security Week, 26 February 2016. [Online].
Google announced that it would be making Project Shield available to the public for the first time since its inception in 2013 for free. Project Shield is a system used to protect news sites from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Google originally only made the project available to several smaller news sites covering “oppressive regimes” as part of its testing phase; however, it will now be available to any news site in search of extra protection. 
See: http://www.securityweek.com/google-helps-news-sites-thwart-ddos-attacks

“It’s Official, Ransomware Has Gone Corporate,” Security Week, 25 February 2016. [Online].
New data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) revealed that ransomware is on the rise. CryptoWall and its variants have caused the most significant amount of damage, with the IC3 receiving over 900 complaints in just over a year. In October 2015, it was estimated that the group behind CryptoWall had caused roughly $325 million in damages. In response to the growing complexity of ransomware attacks, the author provides tips for how companies can better defend themselves from these attacks.
See: http://www.securityweek.com/its-official-ransomware-has-gone-corporate

(ID#: 16-8941)

Note:

Articles listed on these pages have been found on publicly available internet pages and are cited with links to those pages. Some of the information included herein has been reprinted with permission from the authors or data repositories. Direct any requests via Email to news@scienceofsecurity.net for removal of the links or modifications to specific citations. Please include the ID# of the specific citation in your correspondence.