Regulatory Cyber Security: The FISMA Focus IPD

From: H-Online

The US Census Bureau has made an HTTP-based API available which gives developers access to the data collected in the 2010 Census and in the American Community Survey from the same year. The terms of service attached to the API permit unrestricted use of the data as long as it is clearly attributed to the source and the application does not use the Census Bureau name to imply any kind of endorsement by the organisation. Furthermore, if the data is changed or misrepresented in any way, users may not claim that the source of the information was the Census Bureau.

From: The Hill/Hillicon Valley Technology Blog

By Jennifer Martinez

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and the co-sponsors of his Cybersecurity Act hit back against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its opposition to their bill, writing in a Friday letter that they are “deeply disappointed” with the business lobby’s “mischaracterizations” about the latest version of the measure.

In a letter addressed to the Chamber’s CEO, Thomas Donohue, the senators said they were “baffled” that the business lobby opposes their bill’s “voluntary, incentives-based approach” to protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure. The Chamber had advocated for such an approach in a whitepaper published earlier this year by the business lobby and other industry groups, the senators argued.

From: FierceGovernmentIT

By Molly Bernhart Walker

Until the Defense Department provides specific guidance on preparing for  sequestration, cyber components are not planning for cuts; however cuts would  have a major impact on cyber defense, said officials.

“It would be devastating,” said Maj.  Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, commander of Air Force Network Operations, during a July  25 hearing of the House Armed Services subcommittee on emerging threats and  capabilities.

“The strategy that’s been provided by the department to move us forward in  cyberspace and the vision that’s been provided by General Alexander rests on  future acquisitions, on future changes, and I believe that under sequestration  those would not be realized,” she said.

Editor’s Note:  Tomorrow’s Federal Register will contain the following three technology-related notices from US Small Business Administration:

• Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Policy Directive; Final Rule attached here;
• Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Policy Directives — Notice of Webinars attached here; and
• Small Business Technology Transfer Program Policy Directive — Final policy directive with request for comments attached here.

For more information about SBIR and cybersecurity, please see the National Economic Council’s Small Business Agenda, attached here

From: FedTech

Monitoring is an essential part of cybersecurity, but agencies must establish an effective security infrastructure first.