Verizon

Security Breaches: What To Watch For In 2013

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Contrary to the predictions of many security experts, who argue that cloud exploits, mobile device attacks and all-out cyber war will be among the most likely data breach threats governments and enterprises will face in 2013, researchers for the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) have reached a far different conclusion.

The most likely threats in 2013 will involve authentication attacks and failures, continued espionage and “hacktivism” attacks, Web application exploits and social engineering. Keep reading →

Published January 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM

How The Fiscal Cliff Will Impact Cyber Priorities in 2013

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My perspective on the outlook for cyber initiatives is quite different heading into the New Year than in past years.

While there are always budgetary uncertainties and looming cuts in government IT spending, this year, we face an unprecedented financial uncertainty as our nation stands on the edge of a fiscal cliff. That will impact not only the resources we have to invest in technology, but how people work and live. Keep reading →

Published December 10, 2012 at 3:00 PM

Verizon Data Breach Report Highlights Insider Vulnerabilities

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A new report on data breaches and cyber crimes highlights a disturbing rate of intellectual property theft, much of which happens from within organizations, making it increasingly difficult to protect against across a range of industries.

The “Verizon 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report,” due to be released by Verizon on Wednesday, pulls together analysis from the U.S. Secret Service, the Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit, the Australian Federal Police, the Irish Reporting & Information Security Service and the Police Central e-Crime Unit of the London Metropolitan Police. Keep reading →

Published October 23, 2012 at 10:00 PM

Verizon Chief Calls On DoD To Explore Sharing Wireless Spectrum

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Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam urged the federal government and the Defense Department to explore options for the sharing of wireless spectrum by the public and private sectors to meet the needs of mobile consumers.

“Government and industry must work together to find ways to use spectrum more efficiently so that we are all truly connected, especially in times of need,” McAdam stated, speaking at the Defense Information Systems Agency’s annual Mission Partner Conference, held in Tampa last week. Keep reading →

Published May 14, 2012 at 2:49 PM

Verizon Teams With Mobile Encryption Provider For Government Market

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Verizon is teaming up with a Vienna, Va., provider of government-grade encrypted voice-calling software to deliver secure mobile calling capabilities to the U.S. government.

In what Verizon described as a collaborative strategic agreement with Cellcrypt, the two companies expect to release a jointly marketed mobile voice-encryption solution this fall designed to meet the needs of military, intelligence and civilian agencies. Keep reading →

Published May 1, 2012 at 1:36 PM

‘Hacktivists’ stole 58% of thieved data in 2011

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NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Anonymous and other “hacktivist” groups rose to new prominence in the cybercrime universe last year, and a new report shows that they made some serious mischief.

Verizon’s (VZ, Fortune 500) annual Data Breach Investigations Report, released Thursday, found that hacktivist groups were responsible for 58% of all data stolen last year. The telecom giant compiled data breach information from its customers and from law enforcement agencies in five countries. Keep reading →

Published March 22, 2012 at 3:30 PM

Turning The Homeless Into 4G Hotspots

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It sounds like a headline from The Onion, but it’s true: A project called “Homeless Hotspots” is turning homeless Austin residents into mobile wireless hotspots outside the South by Southwest convention center.

It’s part marketing stunt, part genuine charitable initiative — and it’s generating lots of double-takes and chatter from those who pass by. Keep reading →

Published March 13, 2012 at 12:06 PM

Secret Service Urges Senate Committee To Update Computer Fraud Laws

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While cyber-criminals operate in a world without borders, the law enforcement community does not, making a proposed update to computer fraud and abuse laws more essential than ever, a senior Secret Service official told a Senate banking committee today.

“The increasingly multi-national, multi-jurisdictional nature of cyber crime cases has increased the time and resources needed for successful investigation and adjudication,” said Pablo A. Martinez, deputy special agent in charge, Criminal Investigative Division of U.S. Secret Service, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Keep reading →

Published September 7, 2011 at 11:09 AM

Smart Grid Privacy And Security Risks Loom For Agencies

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The effort to modernize America’s electric grid is well underway, with nearly $8 billion in federal funding since 2009 and states across the country hastening to deploy everything from electronic smart meters for homes to regional sensors capable of detecting and responding to power outages.

But major privacy and security problems for the smart grid effort could be on the horizon and present a host of challenges to federal agencies, according to multiple smart grid technology and policy experts. Keep reading →

Published August 4, 2011 at 10:30 AM