ICIT Chastises OPM’s Lack of Modern Cybersecurity in an Official Analysis

The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) describes itself as a “nonprofit (status pending), non-partisan group of the world’s most innovative experts and companies that provide technologies and solutions to support and protect our nation’s critical infrastructures.” ICIT serves as a go-between for the private sector, federal agencies, and the legislative community in key areas such as Cybersecurity, Big Data, and Health IT. It is in the scope of Cybersecurity that ICIT performed a recent analysis on the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) Breach which began in March 2014 and was publicly announced in June of 2015.

This official analysis, “Handing Over the Keys to the Castle: OPM Demonstrates that Antiquated Security Practices Harm National Security,” details the most important aspects of the breach. Some of these aspects have not been discussed in the mainstream media including:

• The connection between the VAE, Anthem and OPM breaches
• The legitimacy and confidence we can put in claims attributing the breach to Dark Panda or another Chinese state sponsored group
• Detailed cybersecurity recommendations which would have prevented the outcomes of the attack including analysis around User Behavior Analytics, Governance, Centralized IT Models, Standardization of IT Best Practices, and Continuous Monitoring and Risk Assessment
• The impact of the breach of victims, actions they should be taking, and how their risk level changes based on who is ultimately determined to be the perpetrator of the attack (nation state vs. organized crime syndicate)

For the full article click here

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GPS vulnerabilities could open grid to hacks — DHS report

A newly disclosed government report warns that the power grid may become more vulnerable to hacking attacks on the Global Positioning System as grid operators expand the use of advanced monitors that depend on GPS signals.

The report by the Department of Homeland Security noted that timing signals transmitted from GPS system satellites are crucial inputs to synchrophasor systems that track operating conditions on the grid in millisecond intervals. Nearly 2,000 of the systems were installed on the North American grid as of the end of last year. Most of the rollout was funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The GPS signals used by the grid, the aircraft industry, financial markets and other civilian sectors, are vulnerable to attack, according to the DHS report, written in November 2012. The report was released under the Freedom of Information Act and published by the noncommercial Governmentattic.org website.

Successful attacks could including jamming to interrupt transmissions between satellites and ground receivers and “spoofing,” which delivers bogus data to ground receivers.

Attacks could disable or render useless the advanced grid-monitoring systems called phasor measurement units (PMUs). The time signals from atomic clocks in GPS satellites allow grid operators to assemble operating data from many PMUs to get a wide-angle view of grid conditions. Interfering with sychrophasor data could deny grid operators the most accurate data on voltages, frequencies and generator alignments, all of which must be closely controlled at all times. For the full article click here

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As the aftermath of Hurricane Joaquin taught us, strong infrastructure is critical

Earlier this month, infrastructure throughout the state of South Carolina was put to the test. While there were a lot of failures with impactful consequences, successes were evident as well.

Several years ago the town of Mount Pleasant made significant investments in its infrastructure to help facilitate the quick dispersion of water from the community. Despite receiving some of the highest rain totals in the state related to Hurricane Joaquin, the impacts on Mount Pleasant were a non-story, as the town’s well-funded infrastructure did its job.

When you compare the Mount Pleasant story with that of much of the rest of the Midlands and Lowcountry, the lesson that emerges is clear: Strong infrastructure is critical. It is critical to protect property. It is critical to protect lives. It is critical for the economic success of a community. For the full article click here

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Navy grapples with Russian threats to undersea cables

U.S. leaders are increasingly worried that Russia’s submarines could sever the communication arteries that drive global commerce.

The communications cables criss-cross tens of thousands of miles of ocean to relay Internet and phone data between continents. The concerns arose in September, when a Russian spy ship armed with two unmanned submersibles was detected in the vicinity of the cables,according to anOct. 25 article in The New York Times.

The Russian operation has brought discussions normally held in classified settings to the fore: How can the U.S. Navy safeguard thousands of miles of critical infrastructure? It’s a vexing issue  at a time when the Navy’s forces are stretched thin in the Middle East and while confronting emerging near-peer competitors  like Russia and China.

Navy leaders are starting to raise the alarm about this potential choke point, and the solution they propose is autonomous underwater systems.

The head of the nuclear Navy said that the Navy needed to invest heavily in unmanned underwater systems to protect undersea infrastructure. For the full article click here

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Three years after Sandy, progress continues in resilient NYC

Since Superstorm Sandy overwhelmed much of the east coast in October 2012, New York City, along with its State and federal partners, has allocated more than $15 billion in federal emergency aid for recovery efforts.

While a considerable portion of these funds was quickly spent in the storm’s immediate aftermath for recovery efforts and to assist individual homeowners and small businesses, the New York Building Congress believes at least $8 billion is being spent on for longer-term projects that will make the City’s core infrastructure more resilient.

In October 2014, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $930 million for a design competition to enhance the region’s storm resiliency.

The State and local agencies that received HUD funding and are coordinating project implementation are now working to complete environmental review, design, and implementation of key elements of six winning designs, including three projects in New York City: For the full article click here

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HHS seeks innovative tech for disease surveillance, new bill targets tax delinquent feds and more

HHS plans start-up approach to disease surveillance

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking an entrepreneur-in-residence to help it modernize the way the government tracks diseases and foodborne illnesses.

According to an Oct. 26 post on HHS’ Idea Lab blog, the ideal candidate is an entrepreneurial software platforms architect who has experience in building scalable infrastructures for storing, exchanging and analyzing data. The goal is to help HHS move from the static world of health informatics to the world of web standards and technologies used by industry.

The successful applicant will spend a 13-month tour of duty with insider access at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so he or she can develop disruptive solutions to serious health challenges. For the full article click here 

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State-sponsored hackers raise the cyber threat stakes

The nature of cyber attacks has evolved over the past 15 years as state-sponsored actors have entered a sphere formerly targeted by pranksters and criminals, according to a cyber security expert.

The types of threats presented by hackers have changed as well, said Grady Summers, chief technology officer of Milpitas, California-based technology security company FireEye Inc., during an address Tuesday at the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America’s annual conference. From identity theft and stealing financial data, hackers have moved to where they can remotely control vehicles and threaten critical infrastructure, he said.

Fortunately, entities facing cyber threats can take steps to reduce their losses before and after an attack, he said.For the full article click here 

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UK infrastructure boost planned through raising billions selling public assets

The Chancellor has committed to £100 billion of infrastructure investment by 2020, vowing to put it at the heart of a spending review aimed at “delivering security”.

Mr Osborne’s comments came ahead of the formal launch of the National Inf rastructure Commission (NIC) he established under the chairmanship of former Labour cabinet minister Lord Adonis.

A “suite of asset sales” which the Treasury expects to raise billions of pounds is being identified by officials, with details expected to be announced at the spending review on November 25.

The infrastructure spending commitment will include confirmation of £15 billion for road projects set out in December last year.

Mr Osborne said: ” My spending review will be about delivering security. For the full article click here 

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Congressional leaders call for new Falls air base mission

Members of Western New York’s congressional delegation are continuing their push to provide a new mission for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

In a joint release issued Thursday, Congress members Brian Higgins, Louise Slaughter and Chris Collins said they have urged officials at the U.S. Air Force to consider allowing the falls airbase to serve as a new home for operation of the KC-135 mission.

“The KC-135 mission has a history in Niagara Falls and we want it to have a future here too,” Higgins said. “It’s important to continue to look at ways the station here can evolve to meet the needs of today and tomorrow and strengthen its significance in the system. The Niagara Falls base has critical infrastructure and personnel to make this a perfect fit.”

The KC-135 Stratotanker has been the primary refueling aircraft for the United States Air Force for 60 years. The Congressional leaders said the Air Force may be looking to rebase some of the KC-135 tankers as some existing sites transition to the new KC-46.  For the full article click here 

 

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Businesses want faster infrastructure

Nearly two thirds of businesses (62%) are concerned with the pace of progress on the delivery of infrastructure projects in the UK, and over half (53%) believe they won’t see necessary upgrades in the next five years, according to the 2015 CBI/AECOM Infrastructure Survey.

With 94% of the 722 firms surveyed saying the quality of infrastructure is a key deciding factor in planning their investments, there is clear consensus on the need to speed up the delivery of projects crucial to the British economy in this Parliament, and to reverse decades of under-investment and policy change.

Momentum has been building in the last five years. Business has been encouraged by the Government’s moves, such as the creation of the National Infrastructure Commission and the use of Government guarantees to boost investment. Indeed, now, twice as many firms (43% of all businesses and 49% of infrastructure providers) see UK infrastructure improving instead of deteriorating (23%). Devolution has also been greeted with optimism, with 61% of firms believing it will improve delivery of local infrastructure, rising to 73% among English companies. For the full article click here 

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ENISA to invest in emerging smart critical infrastructure security

The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) has revealed that it will be looking to focus its attention on “developing good practices” when it comes to “emerging smart critical infrastructures” in 2016.

In its Work Programme document, the European Union agency said that individuals and organizations will benefit from this investment, as they will have at their disposal comprehensive and detailed security and resilience guidelines.

ENISA recognizes that the move towards an interconnected and tech-first way of living, while reflective of progress, nevertheless brings with it multiple cybersecurity risks.

Smart cities, smart grids and intelligent transport systems need to be appropriately protected, as any compromise in these areas can have serious repercussions.

The agency will concentrate on three areas over the next 12 months. This includes smart cars and intelligent road systems; smart health services and infrastructures; and smart airports. For the full article click here 

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5 Things To Know About CISA

Despite criticism from privacy advocates, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act passed through the Senate yesterday.

Yesterday, S. 754, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) passed through the Senate, despite protests from privacy advocates and many information security and technology companies. A related bill passed through the House earlier this year; now CISA will go through a conference stage before heading to the President.

It’s not a law yet, but here are a few things to know about CISA, going forward.

Not all tech companies are against it

There was a big push against CISA by privacy advocates, some tech giants — including Apple, DropBox, Salesforce, and Twitter — and many infosec experts. Yet, it garnered support by other security pros, particularly those in the threat intelligence space.  For the full article click here 

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Del. Gov. Signs Executive Order to Increase Online Safety and Security

DOVER, Del. – Del. Governor Jack Markell signed an executive order Wednesday establishing the Delaware Cyber Security Advisory Council.

Executive Order 55 recognizes the ever-increasing need to strengthen online safety and security in a society that relies heavily on the internet, Gov. Markell said.

The council will bring together key members of state agencies, higher education, and small and large businesses to support and make recommendations on issues such as developing best practices to mitigate cyber security risks to critical infrastructure and protected systems, improving overall cyber security posture across all sectors in Delaware, and increasing information sharing between all sectors in Delaware.

“Maintaining the security of cyberspace must be a shared responsibility,” said Markell. “National security and law enforcement leaders have called cyber threats the greatest risk facing our state and our nation. Raising awareness of computer security best practices as well as bringing together government agencies and private sector organizations to develop new strategies to protect our cyber infrastructure is critical to ensuring continued safety and security for all Delawareans.”  For the full article click here 

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Private sector’s involvement in cybersecurity policy making critical: Symantec’s Cheri McGuire

Cyber threats are no less a nightmare for the Indian government than terrorist attacks as it embarks on ambitious and high-profile projects such as Digital India. With new digital initiatives and the government’s renewed focus on cyber security, Symantec sees huge opportunity in India. In an interview with Firstpost, Cheri McGuire, vice president, global government affairs and cybersecurity policy, Symantec Corporation, talks about the discussions the company is currently underway with the Indian government when it comes to policies on cyber security; and lot more.

Can you tell us about the state of cyber security both, globally and in India?

Cheri: According to Symantec’s annual Internet Security Threat Report, we found an increase in targeted attacks on industries dealing with critical infrastructure in India in 2014. The year also saw 317 million malware variants globally or nearly 1 million new malware daily. In India, we saw targeted attacks in businesses dealing with critical infrastructure particularly in financial sector, communication, transportation – thus underpinning the national security and economy. Among these attacks, 60 percent were on large enterprises. For the full article click here

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​Wynyard signs $2.5 million software deal with European infrastructure giant

Wynyard Group has entered into a contract to provide a security information and risk management solution for one of Europe’s largest critical national infrastructure companies.

Despite failing to identify the company, the security specialist firm confirmed that the total contract value of Wynyard software and services is $2.5 million over the initial term.

The solution will be used across multiple business groups to collect and rapidly process data, identify operational risks and investigate security threats to the customer’s critical infrastructure operations. For the full article click here

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‘Drone safety summit’ responds to threat of drones in no-fly zones

(KUTV) The distinct sound of a drone buzzed above the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium Tuesday morning as state, business, and law enforcement leaders learned about the threat that drones can present to critical infrastructure.

Private security retailer Security 101 hosted what they called a first-of-its kind “Drone Security Summit” in response to inquiries and concerns from government and business organizations.

“We’re hearing very loud that their fears are this new threat they’re not sure how to deal with.” Security 101 Utah president Nancy Ford said. “Whether it’s a passive threat like a child with his toy drone wanting to watch a football gave over a stadium, or whether it’s a malicious threat we have to adapt to them.”

The easy access to drones has presented challenges that have not previously existed to critical infrastructure such as prisons, hospitals, stadium, and power and gas facilities, according to Security 101.

A 2015 CBS News investigation revealed cases where drones were used to drop illegal contraband into U.S. prisons. For the full article click here

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Governor McAuliffe announces $300,000 Community Development Block Grant for Albemarle County

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for Albemarle County for the Oak Hill Sanitary Sewer Phase II project through the CDBG Construction Ready Water and Sewer Fund.  The Albemarle County project will provide new public sewer service to the Oak Hill subdivision, alleviating the reliance on aging septic systems that were built in the 1960s.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McAuliffe said, “The CDBG program has been an important tool to address infrastructure needs like water and sewer in many of our communities throughout the Commonwealth.  We must continue to invest in projects that provide critical infrastructure in order to build a new Virginia economy and make Virginia a great place to live, work and play.”

“We are committed to providing the necessary resources to our communities across Virginia,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. “By combining state and local funding, we are ensuring that this community has safe and affordable water, and this will ensure a better quality of life for the residents.”

The project is expected to benefit 20 households, with 17 of those households being low- to moderate-income. The sewer service is funded under the CDBG Construction Ready Water and Sewer Fund, which provides assistance to projects providing public water or sewer service to communities made up of at least 60 percent low- to moderate-income households. Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis from January 1through the end of September. For the full article click here

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Siemens Announces Global Strategic Partnership with BASELAYER to Improve Efficiency, Reduce Complexity in Data Centers

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Siemens today announced a strategic partnership with BASELAYER Technology, LLC, the U.S-based manufacturer of software-defined modular data centers and infrastructure management software. Siemens will integrate its intelligent data center technologies, including power distribution, control and metering, and fire safety into BASELAYER’s modular data center’s portable and customizable solution that can be located anywhere data capacity is needed. With Siemens’ technology and BASELAYER’s modular data center platform, operators will have greater insight into a data center’s power flow, resulting in greater energy efficiency and operational flexibility.

“By entering into this partnership with BASELAYER, Siemens is better positioned to bring our intelligent data center technologies to the modular data center space and deliver added value to consumers of Web-scale and High Performance Computing (HPC) applications, while also bringing innovative products into data-intensive verticals like telecom and healthcare,” said John Kovach, Siemens Global Head of Data Center Solutions. “Working with innovative partners such as BASELAYER allows us to collectively deliver advanced technology in an incredibly reliable, efficient, and cost-effective manner.”

The partnership will enhance BASELAYER’ s ability to deploy its technology across the globe, with an immediate benefit coming to data center deployments connected directly to the utility grid. By using Siemens intelligent busway technology, BASELAYER is also able to reduce the footprint within the module and allow for more space for IT equipment. Additionally, the busway offers a high degree of flexibility to provide localized power distribution, which allows BASELAYER’s control systems to optimize airflow down to the component level. The technology will help improve BASELAYER’s existing benchmark of 19 percent energy reduction and $200,000 per megawatt of operational savings. For the full article click here 

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NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS CENTER TAPS PNNL TO SUPPORT DHS PROGRAM

The Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been named a supporting Laboratory to the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center. NISAC is a Department of Homeland Security program that addresses the potential vulnerabilities and consequences of disruption of our nation’s critical infrastructure.

NISAC coordinates scientific computational capabilities, and modeling and analysis expertise to discover relationships and develop insights about infrastructure vulnerabilities in the case of natural disasters, and both intentional and accidental manmade events.

“NISAC recognizes PNNL’s in depth analytic capabilities in critical infrastructure,” said Alan Berscheid, NISAC principal investigator at PNNL. “The expertise can be used to simulate events ranging from hurricanes to terrorist attacks and to predict and track potential impacts to critical facilities and the economy.”

PNNL will contribute advanced computer modeling and simulation capabilities to look at the dependencies, interdependencies, vulnerabilities, and complexities of important critical infrastructure sectors such as dams, water, transportation, energy and information technology. For the full article click here 

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How America Can Cross the Digital Security Divide

In the past year, the United States has learned about unprecedented digital data breaches ranging from the confidential files of Sony Pictures, to the security clearance records of the Office of Personnel Management, to the private AOL account of CIA Director John Brennan. There is far more going on here than a loss of web-based information, legal liability, and deficient software. These attacks are part of an emerging pattern of cyber activity that should serve as a major national security wake-up call for U.S. officials.

A first reason for concern is the breadth and systemic nature of the problem. Indeed, of all the entropic forces eroding world order, from Russia’s annexation of Crimea to China’s salami slicing in the South China Sea, the most misunderstood yet troubling are in cyberspace. Here in the virtual networks of the digital age, rule makers are falling behind rule breakers. For the full article click here 

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Cyber-war and the threat to Critical National Infrastructure

Just how vulnerable would the critical national infrastructure (CNI) of developed nations be in the event of a cyber-war?

It’s a big question not least because CNI covers everything vital to life in an industrialised society ranging from electricity generation and distribution to financial services, water and the food supply. As a result, the US Patriot Act of 2001, for one, defines such infrastructure as:

Systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.

Which at least gives a slightly verbose idea of the vital nature of operations that would inevitably become a target if things got hairy – a scenario which, if the recent spate of slightly hysterical press headlines on cyber war are to be believed, could well be just around the corner.  For the full article click here 

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Mayor hopeful ‘report card’ spurs action on river

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay hopes a new report on the Mississippi River watershed will spur renewed attention to the country’s largest river system.

Written in the style of a report card, the authors said the condition of the river’s infrastructure, environment and indicators merited a D+.

“A ‘D+’ is really nothing to be proud of, but it does give us direction and it does give us a sense of urgency,” Slay said.

The results of a years-long study from America’s Watershed Initiative, a group made up of environmentalists, business and government interests, were released Oct. 14 at a conference in St. Louis.

Backers aim to use the report card to track progress on fixing aging infrastructure, deteriorating ecosystems and rising flood risk.

Navigation infrastructure, such as locks and dams, were among the worst-performing areas, said co-author Heath Kelsey, the director of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. For the full article click here 

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EMP: A Real Threat to the United States

While the world’s governments spend billions of dollars a year trying to prevent or mitigate a probably imaginary change in global temperature a century or more in the future, a very real threat is going largely unnoticed. An electromagnetic pulse attack (EMP), executed by exploding a single nuclear bomb 300 miles above Kansas, could paralyze all of North America.

There would be no blast damage, because the bomb would explode in airless space 300 miles above Earth’s surface. The gamma rays released would interact with the upper atmosphere and the Earth’s magnetic field to create several types of electromagnetic pulses. Likely there would be great damage to all types of computer equipment. Very high voltage transformers essential to the distribution of electricity could be damaged beyond repair. This would disable the electric grid for a year or more.

A natural EMP can also be created by a solar storm. There were natural EMPs in 1859, 1921, and 1989. A natural EMP does not harm computers, but it does put the electrical grid transformers at risk, possibly causing a loss of electricity for years. For the full article click here 

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Queensland draft infrastructure plan released with no new projects

INFRASTRUCTURE Minister Jackie Trad has unveiled the Government’s draft state infrastructure plan, which contains no previously unannounced major projects.

The State Government describes the document as taking a “long-term view of infrastructure planning” and as being a “blueprint to prioritise and deliver projects that foster economic growth and promote community wellbeing across the state”.

Ms Trad said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Queensland, for local communities, for the industry to hop on board and have a look at some excellent projects that they can get behind, that they can mobilise their workforce for and deliver infrastructure for Queensland.”

The plan details the state’s infrastructure needs over the coming years, as well as “five to 15-year opportunities”.

Queensland’s population, currently about five million, is expected to reach seven million by 2036 and 10 million by 2061. For the full article click here 

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Britain runs the risk that Chinese state-owned nuclear firms have more in mind than just business

Chinese president Xi Jinping will return to Beijing with good reason to think his first trip to the UK was a roaring success. Feted by a UK government more concerned with cash than with China’s domestic human rights record, Xi will arrive home with a keen overseas partner and a fistful of contracts.

Foremost among these is a joint deal between French company EDF and the state-owned China General Nuclear Power Corporation to build and operate two nuclear power stations in the UK. The deal has renewed concerns about the cybersecurity implications of Chinese involvement in British critical infrastructure, and highlights the UK government’s unwillingness to tackle these issues head on.

The concern is that China will insert means of covert entry – back-doors – into the control systems of the new nuclear power stations. These could be used to allow monitoring or even sabotage of the facility. There is a long history of mistrust by UK intelligence agencies as to the motivations and capabilities of Chinese companies like Huawei as they become involved in British infrastructure projects. Britain’s intelligence agency GCHQ, which leads the UK’s cybersecurity efforts, is unlikely to be placated by a UK-China bilateral cybersecurity agreement signed this week. Not least because, according to the UK’s closest allies and its own intelligence, China cannot be trusted to keep its word. For the full article click here 

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Bogotá ICANN Forum Underscores Internet Developments, Reveals Fundamental Changes Coming. Avianca First To Adopt gTLD

The Internet Corporation For assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has concluded its inaugural forum on September 28 in Bogotá, held to address topics related to the Domain Name System, internet infrastructure, and the new gTLD program. The LAC-i-Roadshow is part of the regional strategic plan developed by the different stakeholder groups represented at ICANN from the LAC (Latin America/Caribbean) region designed to raise awareness across the region on key topics related to the DNS critical infrastructure such as the impact of the new gTLD Program and the transition to IPv6.

The Domain Name System is the regime that the ICANN manages on behalf of all internet users, and controls the suffixes at the end of every domain address, such as .com, .org, .net, .co, etc. The technology and capacity of the Internet has increased to the point that the routers and switches that handle backbone and node internet traffic can now easily process more and complex domain names.

A key topic for the group is the continuing evolution from IPv4 to IPv6. IP stands for Internet Protocol and is the system of addresses for computers connected to the Internet, or any IP network, for that matter. IPv4 (Version 4) addresses are a series of four 8-bit numbers, giving a 32 bit addressing range of 0-255 for each segment. Thus, the addresses one sometimes sees in a web browser or in computer configuration might look something like 198.162.0.1 (that particular address is actually a standard default address that consumer IP products are initially set to). For the full article click here 

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The Titan Pain of Dim Sum

In February 1999, two Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) senior Air Force Colonels, Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, published Unrestricted Warfare. When one reads this work, and based on its content, it is a valid observation that, when people begin to lean toward, and rejoice in the reduced use of military force to resolve conflicts, war will be reborn in another form, and in another arena, becoming an instrument of enormous power in the hands of all those who have intentions of controlling other countries or regions.

It may also be concluded from the writings that war has undergone the changes of modern technology, and the market systems will be launched even more in atypical forms. In other words, whilst the world is observing a relative reduction in military violence, conjoined with this silhouette, we are seeing an increase in political, economic, and technological violence.

At this juncture it may also be opportune to look back at the events of the Titan Rain attack circa 2007, when the Chinese government was accused of conducting cyber-attacks against government installations in the UK, US, and Germany to name but a few.

My biggest concern though is in the area of state-owned, supported industries being granted contracts to build and operate critical infrastructure, such as nuclear facilities, on UK soil. However, as if this proposition were not enough to contend with, my worry was further exacerbated by a comment made by a UK Government Minister, who stated that such concerns were unfounded because of the stringent security controls imposed on such critical facilities and assets. For the full article click here 

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Infrastructure Armageddon

SAN FRANCISCO — Over the past four years, foreign hackers have stolen source code and blueprints to the oil and water pipelines and power grid of the United States, and have infiltrated the Department of Energy’s networks 150 times.

What’s stopping them from shutting us down?

The phrase “cyber-Pearl Harbor” first appeared in the 1990s. For 20 years, policymakers have predicted catastrophic situations in which hackers blow up oil pipelines, contaminate the water supply, open the nation’s floodgates and send airplanes on collision courses by hacking air traffic control systems.

“They could, for example, derail passenger trains or, even more dangerous, derail trains loaded with lethal chemicals,” former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned in 2012. “They could contaminate the water supply in major cities, or shut down the power grid across large parts of the country.” For the full article click here 

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Breaking Down the Evolution of Healthcare Cybersecurity

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but healthcare cybersecurity should be a top priority for covered entities year-round. However, the evolution of healthcare cybersecurity has been interesting, and data security experts state that the industry has come a long way. Even so, healthcare still has a long way to go when it comes to data privacy and security issues.

The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT) Co-founder and Senior Fellow Parham Eftekhari talked to HealthITSecurity.com about Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and what essential areas organizations across all sectors should understand in terms of data security.

It’s currently imperative for organizations to understand that they’ll never be able to prevent breaches from happening, according to Eftekhari.

“The best way to protect their organization is to focus on detect and response strategies, and create as many roadblocks and obstacles as possible so network administrators can quickly identify unauthorized access or suspicious activity on the network,” he explained. “[It will] slow down the attacker’s ability to successfully exfiltrate data and really give the network administrator time to stop the attack.”  . . .

For the full article click here

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Calcasieu Ship Channel boost for local economy

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) – A new report finds the Calcasieu Ship Channel generates $5.7 billion in local revenue and is projected to produce $4.4 billion more by 2023.

The American Press reports officials with the Port of Lake Charles and two Louisiana firms met Wednesday to talk about the ship channel’s economic impact on the local, state and federal levels and its anticipated growth in line with the industrial expansion projects. The channel now accounts for 46 percent of the Lake Charles area economy.

Ed Bee, president of the Mandeville-based firm Taimerica Management, said the direct employment tied to the channel in 2014 was 36,000 workers, or 31 percent of the area workforce. With the industrial expansion and investment projects, 9,000 additional jobs are expected by 2023, a 25 percent increase.

The channel-dependent companies generated $118 million in annual local tax revenue last year, according to the report. By 2023, that total amount is estimated to be $274 million, an increase of 131 percent. For the full article click here 

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In testimony, GAO warns of cyber vulnerability in the nation’s power grid

The national power grid — classified by the government as a “critical infrastructure” network — may still be vulnerable to a cyber attack, even despite warnings from the Government Accountability Office in 2011 that major steps were required to mitigate the risk of cyber terrorism.

In a testimony Wednesday before the congressional subcommittees on Energy, and Research and Technology, and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Gregory Wilshusen, director of Information Security Issues for the GAO, followed up on the 2011 Critical Infrastructure Protection report in which the GAO made a number of recommendations to a wide range of organizations involved in maintenance and regulation of power grids across the country, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Energy. For the full article click here 

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ISIS joins the list of US power grid threats, lawmakers call for stronger cyber defenses

Drive Brief:

• Federal lawmakers are calling for tighter cybersecurity for the nation’s power grid amid indications that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been attempting to pull off a complicated hack, the Hill reports.
• Though the group hasn’t been successful and generally has a low capability to pull off technological attacks, federal law enforcement officials are concerned the group could purchase the capability.
• Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas-D), who earlier this year introduced the Terrorism Prevention and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, has called for action on the bill in the wake of reports.

Dive Insight:

Amid a growing realization that the United States’ power grid is vulnerable to cyberattacks that could potentially result in massive damages, lawmakers and enforcement officials are calling for tighter rules and action on pending legislation. For the full article click here 

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Honeywell’s Galaxy Dimension® intruder detection approved

Honeywell announced that its Galaxy Dimension® intruder detection portfolio has been approved for use by UK government security contractors on high-risk critical infrastructure projects, including utilities, health, emergency services and communications. For more information contact the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI).

Galaxy Dimension, along with selected accessories and sensors from the product family, will be included in the CPNI’s trusted Catalogue of Security Equipment (CSE). In addition, Honeywell is offering an extended four-year warranty on Galaxy Dimension control panel series exclusively for UK critical infrastructure projects.

“This is a testament to the performance of our Galaxy Dimension range and its status as a product that is fit to protect the assets, networks and systems that are critical to our country’s national security,” said Daniel Wan, channel marketing manager UK at Honeywell.

“The solution is a perfect choice for any security application that requires robust, guaranteed performance in complex or challenging scenarios and surroundings.” For the full article click here 

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Would you trust China with your nuclear power?

LONDON (CNNMoney) — China will help build and operate Britain’s next generation of nuclear power stations — and people are freaking out about it.

The UK government has struck a deal with France’s EDF and China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) to build a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in southwest England. CGN will own 33.5% of the $27 billion project.

Once complete in 2025, the plant will deliver 7% of UK power.

Further down the road, state-owned CGN will partner with EDF on two more plants in England. The French company will lead one, while CGN will get to build another some 60 miles northeast of London, using its own reactor technology. It will have a 66.5% stake in that venture.

The deals are the centerpiece of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visits to the UK this week, which British Prime Minister David Cameron has hailed as marking a “golden era” in the relationship between the two countries.

The British government says the construction and operation of the Hinkley Point plant will create thousands of jobs and boost energy security. For the full article click here 

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Senator rails against ‘masters of the universe’ in cyber floor fight

A frustrated Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) on Wednesday railed against a Senate floor process that will likely prevent a vote on his amendment to a cybersecurity bill.

“I don’t know how I’m going to vote on this bill now,” Whitehouse said. “If you have a bipartisan amendment that was in the queue, that’s had a hearing and has Department of Justice support, and you can’t even get a vote on it, then something has gone wrong in this process.”The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act is intended to boost threat sharing between the federal government and the private sector. Action on the bill has been repeatedly stymied by privacy concerns.

Whitehouse criticized Senate leadership and the bill’s two co-sponsors, saying they met behind closed doors to determine the fate of various amendments. For the full article click here 

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Infrastructure Critical for Growth, Competitiveness, Job Creation and Poverty Alleviation

The FINANCIAL — Mobilizing private sector investment in high-quality, sustainable infrastructure is crucial to ensuring access to markets and basic services that will boost trade and productivity, provide jobs, and improve people’s lives.

Partnerships are critical in meeting these objectives, said speakers at the World Bank-Singapore Infrastructure Finance Summit, organized by the World Bank Group, the Singapore Ministry of Finance, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Financial Times, in association with the World Bank-ASEAN Infrastructure Finance Network. In its sixth year, the Summit has become the leading international forum for public-private debate on infrastructure investment and viable financing structures, according to the World Bank.

Other speakers included Philippines Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, World Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer Bertrand Badré and India Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu.

More infrastructure investment is urgently needed. Around the world, more than 1.1 billion people live without reliable electricity and 660 million people lack access to safe drinking water. At least one-third of rural communities have limited road access. Poor infrastructure hurts the competitiveness of communities, countries, businesses, and impedes economic growth.

“Infrastructure investment is part of the solution to the slowing economy, and it is attractive to investors compared to corporate risk. But investors need the right tools and the right projects. With our growing network of partners, the World Bank Group through the Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) can help prepare the project pipelines and help build the ecosystem for long-term infrastructure investment. Now is the time to start,” said Bertrand Badré, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, World Bank Group. For the full article click here 

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UK nuclear power deal with China threatens national security with ‘sinister logic-bombs’

It will be the first nuclear power plant to be built in the UK in a generation, capable of providing power for six million years, yet it has been described as “dangerous”, “dishonourable” and a “national humiliation”. Why? Because it is being funded by China, a country with an abysmal record of human rights abuses and a history of state-sponsored cybercrime.

By far the most worrying aspect of the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant is the risk to national security, with cybersecurity experts warning Beijing could use the deal to threaten the UK’s critical infrastructure and endanger its physical safety. One of the most significant threats, according to Justin Harvey, chief security officer at Fidelis Cybersecurity, is that of so-called logic-bombs.

“The US has been seeing Chinese state sponsored attackers leaving behind ‘trapdoors’ for years, but in recent times, it has also been leaving behind something much more sinister: logic-bombs,” he told IBTimes UK. “The theory is that these logic-bombs are being left behind so that in the event of a military strike, China would have the capability to render it’s foes incapacitated.”

Up to three nuclear power plants could eventually be built as a result of funding from China, with the £24bn ($37bn) Hinkley Point plant in Somerset expected to open by 2025. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has revealed it is concerned enough by such cybersecurity threats that it has been consulted over the deal and will be playing a role in protecting Britain’s energy network. For the full article click here 

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North Youngmann Commerce Center opens for business

The North Youngmann Commerce Center officially opened Thursday morning in a ceremony that included a number of local and county officials.

Erie County provided funding for road and infrastructure improvements at the previously unused site to expedite its rebirth as an industrial park

“With the grand opening of the North Youngmann Commerce Center, Erie County has a new industrial park to attract more business and continue our area’s economic growth,” said County Executive Mark Poloncarz. “Additionally, this project is a good example of smart growth principles, as it uses a parcel of land that had been fallow and transforms it into a hub of economic activity in a first-ring suburb.”

He added, “This parcel of land, which had contributed nothing to the tax rolls, now has one business onsite and another in development, and more are sure to follow. Projects like this are reinvigorating our communities and stimulating economic development all across Erie County.”

Rep. Brian Higgins said, “This hub for business and job growth in Tonawanda illustrates the success that comes when government makes the investments in critical infrastructure that drives private sector interest and development. County Executive Mark Poloncarz helped to pave the way for this opportunity through the dedication of critical resources to support infrastructure improvements, and the Town of Tonawanda’s leadership and diligence carried his key economic development project through. We were happy to work with them to help cut through the federal agency red tape and see this project move forward For the full article click here 

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Upstate’s crumbling roads and bridges should be next in line for a state cash infusion

Upstate’s roads and bridges are in rough shape. That’s predictable. Infrastructure has a lifespan, and New York hasn’t been better than so-so in maintaining it. Now, with an important state deal to pump $8.3 billion in state tax dollars into the downstate Metropolitan Transportation Authority, pressure is increasing to do something about the transportation needs of upstate and Long Island.

No one need begrudge the investment in downstate transportation infrastructure. Indeed, New York City does more to fund state government than any other region of the state. All New Yorkers have a stake in its ability to move people who are creating tax revenues.

Nevertheless, attention to other parts of the state is overdue. While the infrastructure around Buffalo is in comparatively good shape – with about 12 percent of the area’s roads rated in poor condition – other upstate areas are much worse off. In Syracuse, for example, 28 percent of roads are considered poor. For the full article click here 

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Automated Real Time Threat Detection with Behavioral Analytics

Automated Real Time Threat Detection with Behavioral Analytics Cybersecurity experts all agree, that in most cases, the data necessary to detect an insider or cyber attack is already being captured by the organization. After virtually every breach and compromise, digital forensics are able to reconstruct the actions of the persons or entities involved based on exisiting logs and data. Forensics by definition is too late! Automated Behavioral Analytics and machine learning can detect threats as they are unfolding in real time, leveraging those same logs and data. Finding threats before the damage is done is critical, and only through the use of signatureless and automated analysis can this be accomplished consistently. Join Securonix and Carahsoft for a User and Entity Behavioral Analytics (UEBA) webcast. Principal Architect and Industry expert, David Swift, will discuss key use cases and capabilities.   Attendees of this webcast will learn about: Advanced techniques to automate discovery of Insider Threat Machine learning of normal behavior and detection of changes in order to reveal compromised accounts and systems User and Entity Behavioral Analytics (UEBA) Interested but cannot attend? Sign up to receive the archived recording of the presentation. Questions? Contact me. Ryon Williams Securonix Government at Carahsoft Technology Corp. 703-871-7472 (Direct) 888-554-7468 (Toll-Free) securonix@carahsoft.com http://ift.tt/1ZUhE7e Webcast Details   Thursday, November 5, 2015 2:00pm ET; 11:00am PT Duration: 1 Hour Featured Speaker   David Swift Principal Architect Securonix

 

 

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FirstNet; High Band Spectrum; 4.9 GHz; Broadband; FCC Enforcement – Vol XII, Issue 42

FirstNet Releases Final Interpretations

Last week, FirstNet released two public notices (available here and here) that include more than 60 key legal interpretations and definitions.  One definition finalized by FirstNet last week is the term “rural.”  The definition adopted by the agency mirrors the definition under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, which defines the term “rural” as any area that is not a city, town, or incorporated area with a population of greater than 20,000 inhabitants, or any urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town with a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants.  FirstNet also confirmed it will require fee revenues from states assuming responsibility for building their own radio access networks (RANs) to be reinvested into the nationwide system.

FCC High Band Spectrum Proposal

The FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to create new service rules to promote additional use of certain bands above 24 GHz at its Open Meeting on October 22.  The NPRM stems from a Notice of Inquiry issued by the Commission last year that sought input on how the Commission could revise its rules to enable mobile deployment in high-band spectrum.  The NOI posed a series of questions relating to how the Commission should treat incumbents in the various bands that would be affected and whether the bands are suitable for mobile operations, including in the 70/80/90 GHz band used by critical infrastructure entities and others for point-to-point operations. For the full article click here

 

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Global Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Industry

LONDON, Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in US$ Million. The Global, US and Europe markets are analyzed by following Technology Types: Two-Factor Authentication, and Others. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2013 through 2020. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based on public domain information including company URLs. The report profiles 156 companies including many key and niche players such as –

3M Company
Bio-Key International, Inc.
CA Technologies, Inc.
Confident Technologies, Inc.
Cross Match Technologies, Inc.

For the full article click here

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MTA deal draws push for upstate roads, bridges

ALBANY – Few things are always certain at the state Capitol, but this is one of them: When the state makes plans to spend major money downstate, upstate lawmakers will soon push for their share.

That scenario is playing out once again after Gov. Andrew Cuomo committed earlier this month to putting $8.3 billion in state funds toward the New York City public-transit system’s capital plan as a way to help close a funding gap of more than $10 billion.

It hasn’t taken long for lawmakers from other parts of the state to call for parity. And it promises to be a major issue when the Legislature returns to the Capitol in January.

“If Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders are going to find billions of dollars for downstate mass transit in next year’s state budget, we want to make sure that local roads, bridges and culverts across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and throughout the state, receive a fair share of state assistance,” Sen. Thomas O’Mara, R-Big Flats, Chemung County, and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, R-Corning, Steuben County, said in a joint statement Monday. For the full article click here

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Waging war in peacetime: Cyber attacks and international norms

Fergus Hanson is author of Internet Wars: The Struggle for Power in the 21st Century. This post is part of a series that will also examine citizen activism and control of economic chokepoints.

It was only mid-2009 when the US Secretary of Defense ordered the establishment of a dedicated Cyber Command. Now more than 100 countries have military and intelligence cyber warfare units. In the words of then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, cyber has become ‘one of the most serious threats to national security’.

A key problem is the absence of well-accepted norms of behaviour spanning the use of cyber in conflicts. Even more concerning, there are a broad spectrum of scenarios in which cyber weapons can be used in peacetime.

Russia was first to synchronise cyber attacks with a military offensive when it invaded Georgia in 2008, and there is no doubt cyber will be integrated into future conflicts. Less clear are the appropriate limitations. International law suggests the use of force should be proportionate and limit civilian casualties. However, the internet makes civilian targets the easiest to strike and in many instances causalities are not immediate. For example, disabling an electricity grid during summer might lead to deaths through heat exhaustion.  For the full article click here

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Williams: Oil and gas industry must face challenge of cyber safety

The oil and gas business is a significant part of Texas history and culture, and a major economic contributor to our overall state economy. Houston and Dallas are widely recognized for their part in the industry, but many might be surprised at the substantial number and size of oil and gas companies in San Antonio, Austin, Midland and smaller cities throughout Texas.

New production technologies have led to a recent boom of “unconventional” production in both older fields and new areas where drilling was previously untenable. The Texas economy has thrived with shale production and offshore exploration and drilling. But the current climate of low oil prices and decreasing global demand has already significantly affected our economy, and there are other, less visible threats.

I recently attended an oil and gas conference in Houston geared specifically toward the industry’s unique cyber security challenges. While oil and gas organizations share similar cyber security concerns with every IT organization, they also have the added responsibility of protecting the critical infrastructure-control systems that run many aspects of upstream and downstream operations. But until recently, the industry has been slow to act on the risk. For the full article click here 

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Fortinet Inc (FTNT) Elevates High-Performance Cybersecurity to the Access Layer

Fortinet’s New Secure Access Architecture Framework Delivers Advanced Security to Wireless and Wired Network Infrastructures While Segmenting Devices and the Network

SUNNYVALE, Calif., October 17, 2015 – Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT) – the global leader in high-performance cybersecurity solutions, today announced details of its new Secure Access Architecture. This new framework expands Fortinet’s innovative Internal Segmentation cybersecurity strategy, enabling organizations to seamlessly segment devices and the access layers across wired and wireless networks. The Secure Access Architecture provides a broad platform of integrated, high-performance cybersecurity solutions that span from the client to the cloud and everything in between.

Access Layer Demands Are Expanding, Make Sure Security Can Keep Up
Gartner predicts that there will be 33 billion connected endpoints by the year 2020 with a majority comprised of new “headless” device types driven by the Internet of Things (IoT). The proliferation of devices and applications is posing serious challenges for organizations that need to ensure the protection of their entire network and guard against advanced cybersecurity threats. The alarming gap between the expanding access layer and adequate cybersecurity protections have been highlighted in Fortinet’s own independent research. For the full article click here 

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‘They’d love to do damage': The FBI says ISIS wants to hack parts of the US power grid

ISIS hackers are attempting to penetrate the US energy grid in order to carry out cyber attacks and down parts of the country’s energy supply, CNN Moneyreports.

Fortunately, ISIS-affiliated hackers have so far proven to be inept.

Law enforcement officials shared the information about attempted ISIS cyber attacks at a conference on October 14 with American energy firms about potential national security issues.

“Strong intent. Thankfully, low capability,”  John Riggi, a section chief within the FBI’s cyber division, told CNN about ISIS’ hacking attempts.

“But the concern is that they’ll buy that capability.”

That concern is warranted, the FBI told CNN. Highly capable hacking software is available for purchase on the black market and could be used to effectively hack into networks associated with energy companies, fuel refineries, or water pumping stations.  For the full article click here 

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Why AusNet won’t bring IoT to critical power infrastructure

SCADA systems to remain separated from the internet.

Hype surrounding the internet of things has intensified in recent years, but while AusNet is keen to embrace the trend, that won’t extend to critical power infrastructure assets in Victoria.

Addressing the AISA national conference in Melbourne, CISO Babu Srinivas said protecting electricity distribution and transmission assets was a priority for AusNet.

“If you look at critical infrastructure, one thing we have to remember is what the non-negotiables are,” Srinivas said.

“For us, it is electricity transmission and distribution. Of these two, electricity transmission is the top priority for us because if something happens to that, the whole state will have a power outage.”

A regulated industry

A central factor in AusNet’s approach is the regulatory requirements imposed on it by the state government. For the full article click here 

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Philippines’ $407 mln dam project attracts two potential bidders

Oct 16 Philippine conglomerate San Miguel Corp, and the consortium of Spain’s Abeinsa Infraestructuras and local contractor Datem Inc (IPO-DAT.PS) have expressed interest in bidding for a $407-million dam project, which is expected to ensure long term water security in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System launched a fresh bidding round in July for the 18.72 billion pesos ($407 million) contract to design and build the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam project that will be the second water source for the capital.

Only the two groups submitted pre-qualification documents ahead of the Friday deadline, the government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) Centre said in a statement.

San Miguel and contractor Megawide Construction Corp , both winners of previous PPP infrastructure deals, and Abeinsa were disqualified on technicalities in the first pre-qualification round in May.

The pre-qualified bidders will be announced next month, but the timeline for auction and awarding of the project has yet to be finalised, the PPP Centre said. For the full article click here

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Addis Ababa: Solving the Ethiopian capital’s ‘crazy’ housing problem

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (CNN)Whether it’s paving, construction or big-time infrastructure projects, Addis Ababa is growing fast.

High-end apartments and glass-fronted buildings stand where informal shacks once stood. A new metro line cuts through the heart of the city while the number of people living within its boundaries has reached 3.2 million, according to the CIA World Factbook.

But with rapid progress comes a host of new challenges.

Among the most pressing is where to fit all the new residents keen to take part in the city’s economic success. According to the 2015 Knight Frank wealth report, Addis Ababa is currently growing at 3.8% per year.

“One of the critical challenges to the government is the lack of housing in Addis Ababa,” said Teklu Fikru, deputy general manager of local government run Housing Project Office.

The “problem is very crazy,” he noted. “Infrastructure is not sufficient” he said, adding that many existing homes which were built informally are “becoming slums.” For the full article click here

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The Dark Web Uncovered: From Stolen Netflix Accounts to CNI Hacks

A new report from Intel Security has shone a light on the shadowy world of Dark Web cybercrime markets, where everything from £1 Netflix accounts to critical infrastructure access is available.

The security giant’s McAfee Labs division revealed a cyber-criminal underground which mimics the real world—with sellers offering guarantees on stolen cards, and ‘disreputable’ members of illegal forums named and shamed.

Stolen credit and debit cards start at just $5 in the US, while online video streaming services are even cheaper, beginning at only $0.55.

Payment card info is there in abundance, with the basic package including account number, CV2 and expiry date. Prices then rise for additional information such as bank account ID number, date of birth, and billing address, which allows the cyber-criminal to conduct more types of fraud.

Other data bought and sold on such sites included bank log-ins, payment service account details and even loyalty card info, Intel Security claimed.

Hackers are even selling the means to launch cyber-attacks on large corporations or critical infrastructure systems. For the full article click here

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CMG Holdings Group Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Transmit Program Management LLC

CHICAGO, IL–(Marketwired – Oct 15, 2015) – CMG Holdings Group, Inc. (OTCQB: CMGO) today announced it has signed a letter of intent to acquire Transmit Program Management LLC (“TPM”), a provider of wireless construction management and network maintenance and monitoring services based in Cary, North Carolina. Transmit PM has an operational footprint in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. The Company was founded to fill the void in professional management in the wireless deployment industry, whilst its solutions are also applicable to wireline environments. Since inception, the Company’s main focus has been the provision of Program, Construction, Maintenance and Quality management.

The Transmit PM Program Management Platform enables the Transmit PM team to deploy a fully operational quick response center anywhere in the country to lead a “Tiger Team” based program recovery within 24 hours:

Asset & technical team dispatch, monitoring and tracking,
Real time technical support of field forces to the ND-51 standard,
Logistics management, material procurement,
Accurate, real time activity, performance and closeout data collection and metrics,
Real time national weather monitoring to move assets around weather,
Experienced, program tested Tiger Teams trained to the ND-51 standard,
Highlight, document and prove systemic management issues and classify as internal to each organization, customer or vendor.

Transmit Program Management can get a MNO’s network back to work quickly and effectively: For the full article click here

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Utility conference ponders Islamic State, a mysterious attack and other threats

PHILADELPHIA — Headlines from a daylong briefing on cyberthreats to the electric power grid:

• The Islamic State group is now using the Internet to launch cybersecurity attacks at U.S. targets.

• The startling April 2013 sniper assault that knocked out a Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s Metcalf substation is looking like the work of an insider.

• In just a year, the number of cyberattacks using sophisticated concealment techniques tripled, to 90 percent.

• But on the other side: A cybersecurity defensive screen developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has achieved a “breakthrough” in threat detection for U.S. electric power companies.

As speaker followed speaker at the conference here yesterday, hosted by the North American Electric Reliability Corp., the evidence mounted of an escalating arms race between attackers and their targets that is compelling government and private-sector defenders to stand together closer than ever before.

Caitlin Durkovich, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for infrastructure protection, warned that U.S. critical infrastructure was a terrorist target. The Islamic State group “is beginning to use the Internet, and to perpetrate cyberattacks, and they understand the importance of critical infrastructure,” she told the NERC conference. Other experts said terrorists aren’t believed to have the technical capability to take down parts of the grid. For the full article click here

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Embracing Disruptive Technology: Investing In Cell Tower REITs

Summary

Thanks to these rapid advancements in technology there are now numerous ways to invest in real estate and technology and one way is Cell Tower REITs.

“There is no technology that would make cell towers obsolete within the next 5 to 10 years.” Tom Yanagi.

“The three public tower companies have a combined ~$115 billion of Enterprise Value and probably represent about 40 -45 % of the US market.” Tom Yanagi.

I’m getting ready to launch my mobile app for iREIT Forbes and hopefully you are already following me on twitter (@swan_investor). You’re probably reading this Seeking Alpha article on your iPhone or iPad, downloading data from a wireless device. Thanks to these rapid advancements in technology there are now numerous ways to invest in real estate and technology and one way is Cell Tower REITs. For the full article click here

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New life, new business highlight grand opening of North Youngmann Commerce Center

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined today by Congressman Brian Higgins, Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, state Sen. Marc Panepinto, Town of Tonawanda councilmembers Joseph Emminger and Dan Crangle, members of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency and the Town of Tonawanda Office of Community Development, and area developers and business leaders to celebrate the grand opening of the North Youngmann Commerce Center. A key economic development piece in the county executive’s “Initiatives for a Smart Economy,” Erie County provided critical funding for road and infrastructure improvements at the previously unused site to expedite its rebirth as an industrial park.

“With the grand opening of the North Youngmann Commerce Center, Erie County has a new industrial park to attract more business and continue our area’s economic growth. Additionally, this project is a good example of smart growth principles, as it uses a parcel of land that had been fallow and transforms it into a hub of economic activity in a first-ring suburb,” Poloncarz said. “This parcel of land, which had contributed nothing to the tax rolls, now has one business on-site and another in development, and more are sure to follow. Projects like this are reinvigorating our communities and stimulating economic development all across Erie County.”

“This hub for business and job growth in Tonawanda illustrates the success that comes when government makes the investments in critical infrastructure that drives private sector interest and development,” Higgins said. “County Executive Mark Poloncarz helped to pave the way for this opportunity through the dedication of critical resources to support infrastructure improvements, and the Town of Tonawanda’s leadership and diligence carried his key economic development project through. We were happy to work with them to help cut through the federal agency red tape and see this project move forward.” For the full article click here 

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Rhode Island releases state cybersecurity plan

Rhode Island is the latest state to put together a statewide cybersecurity plan.

In the first of two expected reports, the Rhode Island Cybersecurity Commission provided an assessment of the state’s cybersecurity infrastructure and made recommendations to enhance the resiliency of operations in the executive branch agencies.

The report found several deficiencies that could lead to security problems, such as a lack of consistent information sharing across state agencies and between government and the private sector; limited funding for best practices; the inability to integrate cybersecurity into core missions; and minimal awareness of security education and training resources for employees. For the full article click here 

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UPDATED: Damoff says Liberals will bring Regional Express Rail to Oakville and Burlington

Oakville North-Burlington Liberal candidate Pam Damoff stated Tuesday that a new Liberal government would invest $2 billion in GO Transit to help bring Regional Express Rail to Oakville and Burlington.

That would help electrify the Lakeshore West line, allowing for more frequent two-way, all day service.

In a press release, Damoff said commuters in both Oakville and Burlington would be able to spend less time travelling to and from work and more time with their families,” said Damoff in a press release.

Damoff said that such an investment in public transit, means the Liberal Party recognizes the importance of partnerships with all levels of government to grow a community and economy.  Federal funding would not be a roadblock to action. For the full article click here 

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Slay hopeful ‘report card’ spurs action on Mississippi River

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay hopes a new report on the Mississippi River watershed will spur renewed attention to country’s largest river system.

Written in the style of a report card, the authors said the condition of the river’s infrastructure, environment and indicators merited a D+.

“A ‘D+’ is really nothing to be proud of, but it does give us direction and it does give us a sense of urgency,” Slay said.

The results of a years-long study from America’s Watershed Initiative, a group made up of environmentalists, business and government interests, were released Wednesday at a conference in St. Louis. Backers aim to use the report card to track progress on fixing aging infrastructure, deteriorating ecosystems and rising flood risk.

Among the worst-performing areas was navigation infrastructure such as locks and dams, said co-author Heath Kelsey, the director of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. For the full article click here 

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Milton, Lewes dive into coastal hazard assessment

MILTON, LEWES — An early October nor’easter-like storm reminded Cape Region communities like Lewes and Milton that disastrous flood waters often come too close for comfort.

With proactive planning in mind, seven Delaware communities, including Lewes and Milton, are taking a closer look at how they can improve their resiliency to coastal hazards in the face of sea level rise and climate change with the assistance of matching grants from the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

In Milton, officials are reviewing flood-prone areas that pose risks to critical infrastructure, and plan to review building and zoning codes to prevent future building in at-risk areas.

The DNREC grant provided half of the $14,000 needed for the extensive study in Milton, which focuses on data collection and mapping to identify potential flood risks.

“Milton already regularly experiences tidal flooding from spring tides and storms,” said DNREC Project Manager Danielle Swallow. “As time goes on, what happens with sea level rise will overlay on that. It has the potential to exacerbate that flooding.”

Looking at federal and state sea level rise scenarios, which model the effects of 0.5 to 1.5 meters of sea level rise, officials can use projections as planning tools to help them make future decisions about building in potentially flood-prone areas. For the full article click here 

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Gordhan leads UN International Day for Disaster Reduction in E Cape

On Tuesday the world commemorates the United Nations International Day for Disaster Reduction. Quick and efficient response to events has been identified as a key factor when disaster strikes.

The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional affairs, Pravin Gordhan marked the day in the Chris Hani district of the Eastern Cape, a region prone to natural disasters.

The event looked at different types of disasters, including man-made and natural disasters, and how some of these can be prevented.

Each year more than 500 000 South Africans are affected by natural and human induced disasters. Gordhan says there is a backlog of incidents that have not been addressed within the department as well as unspent money that has not been identified to address these problems.

Gordhan says they will implement risk assessments and also promote maintenance of critical infrastructure within the strategies put in place to deal with disaster reduction.

“National officials will be here within the next two weeks to formulate an integrated plan where provincial departments, municipal capabilities and departments and national workforce will work together to understand the current environment, to understand the risks, to do the necessary planning and make sure that we are organised enough to actually respond. The focus here really is about the partners between the authority and the community. Secondly particularly through the municipalities making communities aware of how disasters happen, what are the signs and what they need to do or not do,” says Gordhan.

Head of national disaster Ken Terry says maintaining infrastructure is also seen as key factor in ensuring the safety of people when disaster strikes. For the full article click here 

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