Content by Scott Ferguson

Profiles in Leadership: Joshua Brown of H&R Block

Scott Ferguson  •  August 16, 2021

Joshua Brown, who recently took over as global CISO for H&R Block, has started tackling issues ranging from creating metrics for the security team to deploying "zero trust." Brown is striving to create an inclusive team to reflect the firm's values.

Cyberspace Solarium Commission Offers Progress Assessment

Scott Ferguson  •  August 12, 2021

While the U.S. government is making strides in improving the nation's cybersecurity, it needs to do more to protect critical infrastructure from attacks and create public-private partnerships to improve national security, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission notes in a report published Thursday.

OMB Spells Out Agencies' Cybersecurity Timelines

Scott Ferguson  •  August 11, 2021

The Office of Management and Budget is ordering federal agencies to begin identifying "critical software" that needs protection as part of the effort to fulfill President Biden's cybersecurity executive order. Executive branch agencies then will have a year to implement security measures.

Senate Passes Infrastructure Bill Boosting Cyber Funding

Scott Ferguson  •  August 10, 2021

On Tuesday, the Senate, by a vote of 69-30, passed a $1 trillion infrastructure spending bill that would provide additional money for cybersecurity over the next several years, including extra funds for the Department of Homeland Security and its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

NIST Guidance Focuses on Creating 'Cyber Resiliency'

Scott Ferguson  •  August 10, 2021

NIST is updating "cyber resiliency" guidance to focus on mitigating modern cyberthreats to IT networks, especially ransomware and nation-state attacks. A draft encourages security defenders to move away from a perimeter-based defense to building resilient IT systems.

Countering Cyberthreats: 2 Legislative Proposals Introduced

Scott Ferguson  •  August 6, 2021

Two bipartisan bills introduced in Congress this week seek to address cyberthreats. One calls for imposing sanctions against countries that allow ransomware gangs to operate within their borders. Another would require law enforcement agencies to better track cybercrime statistics to identify trends.

CISA's Easterly Unveils Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative

Scott Ferguson  •  August 5, 2021

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is creating the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative to build a national cybersecurity defense strategy based on collaboration between the public and private sectors, CISA Director Jen Easterly said at the Black Hat 2021 conference Thursday.

Anne Neuberger on Why No Sanctions Issued Against China Yet

Scott Ferguson  •  August 4, 2021

The Biden administration is attempting to build an international consensus on how to react to China's aggressive cyber actions, which is one reason why it held off sanctioning the country over attacks on vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers, says Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber.

Zoom Agrees to Settle Security Lawsuit for $85 Million

Scott Ferguson  •  August 2, 2021

Cloud video conferencing provider Zoom has agreed to settle a consolidated class action federal lawsuit for $85 million as well as reform its security and data privacy practices.

SolarWinds Attackers Accessed US Attorneys' Office Emails

Scott Ferguson  •  August 1, 2021

The Russian-linked group that targeted SolarWinds using a supply chain attack compromised at least one email account at 27 U.S. attorneys' offices in 15 states and Washington, D.C., throughout 2020, according to an update posted by the Justice Department.

Researchers Find More Servers Tied to Russian-Linked Attacks

Scott Ferguson  •  July 30, 2021

Researchers at the security firm RiskIQ have uncovered about 35 active command-and-control servers connected with an ongoing malware campaign that has been linked to a Russian-speaking attack group known as APT29 or Cozy Bear.

Senate Bill Proposes Further Restrictions on Huawei, ZTE

Scott Ferguson  •  July 29, 2021

Two U.S. senators are looking to place additional restrictions on the use of telecom equipment from Chinese equipment manufacturers Huawei and ZTE by prohibiting using funds from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan stimulus package to buy such equipment.

Biden Calls for Critical Infrastructure Security Standards

Scott Ferguson  •  July 28, 2021

President Joe Biden signed an executive national security memorandum on Wednesday calling for the development of new critical infrastructure cybersecurity standards for various industries. CISA and NIST will develop the standards, and compliance will be voluntary - at least initially.

Congress Urged to Update Federal Laws to Combat Ransomware

Scott Ferguson  •  July 27, 2021

Congress needs to update and expand federal laws to combat the surge in ransomware attacks, federal cybersecurity experts told a Senate committee at a Tuesday hearing.

Congress Focuses on Industrial Control System Security

Scott Ferguson  •  July 23, 2021

A bipartisan group of senators is pushing a bill that would require CISA to identify and respond to vulnerabilities and threats that target industrial control systems. The House has already passed a similar measure.