Apr
25

Schmidt: No Cyber ‘Leadership Vacuum’

From: ExecutiveGov.com

Howard Schmidt, White House cybersecurity coordinator, said in a recent interview there is no leadership vacuum in federal cybersecurity efforts.

And for proof, look no further than his office.

“When you look at the composition of our office — and the president established it — there were a number of things we are looking at: federal cybersecurity, private sector environment and critical infrastructure, international environment and … the business needs of this thing, what are the economic issues we deal with and workforce development,” he said, in an interview with Federal News Radio. “We’ve got the broad brush in our office and that’s the way we operate.”

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Apr
18

Service providers propose private sector lead cybersecurity legislation

From: Connected Planet

by Susana Schwartz – April 18th, 2011

Friday, The National Cable & Telecommunications Association joined with the CTIA’s Cybersecurity working groups to emphasize to the federal government that legislation around cybersecurity should be built from the ground up with the input of service providers in the earliest planning phases, not after the fact when they can have little influence. Telcos and ISPs this time around want to avoid some of the hardship, costs and bureaucratic red tape that often comes with new appointees like Howard Schmidt.

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Apr
11

Google Products Lacked Key Government Certification, DOJ Says

From: Bloomberg

By Dina Bass – Apr 11, 2011

Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Internet-based software applications for government customers don’t have a key security certification, contrary to the company’s claims in a lawsuit over a multimillion-dollar contract, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a December legal filing.

In a filing unsealed on April 8, the Justice Department said it “appears” that Google Apps for Government software doesn’t have Federal Information Security Management Act certification, “notwithstanding Google’s representations to the public at large, its counsel, the GAO (Government Accountability Office) and this court.”

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Apr
04

Regulatory Watchdog: Will FISMA Standards be Extended to Industry to Avoid Financial Cyber Attack?

From: TheNewNewInternet.com

As the National Institute of Standards and Technology makes headway in preparing standards required by FISMA, a regulatory watchdog in the District is expressing concerns both about the increasing  burden on industry and  whether FISMA standards will include the private sector in thwarting a financial cyber attack.

The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness, founded and managed by former regulatory officials of the White House Office of Management and Budget, published on its Interactive Public Docket two recent articles in The Wall Street Journal in an effort to highlight FISMA and FedRAMP worries.

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